STAMP COLLECTING

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 17, 27 April 1907, Page 38

STAMP COLLECTING

One unlooked-for result of the earthquake at Kingston has been the issue of the one farthing stamp of Barbadoes, overprinted in vermilion with the words *•' Kingston Relief Funds, Id.” This stamp was sold at the Barbadoes Post Office for 2d., but bad only the franking power of Id. Tile following letter from the Colonial Secretary appeared in the “ Barba does Advocate,” explanatory of the issue of the stamp: — ” The Governor in-Exeentive Committee., in order to extend as widely as possible in this Island facilities to subscribers of small sums to the fund for the relief of the sufferers from the recent earthquake and fire in Kingston, Jamaica. has decided to make a special issue of 2d. stamps surcharged ‘Kingston Relief Fund. Id." for sale to the public at 2d. These will be available for postal purposes as Id. stamps, the remaining Id. in respect of each stamp sold going to the fund for- the relief purposes. Each purchaser of the stamp of this special issue will thus thereby be contributing the sum of Id. to the Fund and the stamp purchased will be of the same postal value as a Id. stamp. • • • (tn the first of February some new official stamps were issued in Egypt, the 1 mill brown. 2m. green, sm. rose, and 1 piastre blue, on chalk surfaced paper, being overprinted O.H.H.S. in block capitals in one line, with the Arabic equivalent underneath. !• • • It seems as if the collecting of multitudes of similar stamps with but minute differences to warrant them being duplicated is causing a revolt. 'Wie reason for supposing that such is the case may be gathered from the following cutting from E. W. S. AL: •The primary object of the “Good Old rimes ” postage stamp album is to encourage the healthy, old-fashioned style of erileeting,-without, all the finnicking differences of watermarks, perforation. etc., introduced into latter-day collecting. The fact that there is printing on the face of the stamp, altering its value or purpose, is looked upon as a defect and not a variety, and accordingly all surcharges are omitted. What a splendid collection can be made on these old-fashioned lines would surprise many modern collectors.” This just reprats what lias appeared more than once in the stamp column of the “Graphic,” particularly in respect to " overprinted " stamps. There is not the sligthest doubt that the overloading of catalogues with so many minor varieties. lias the effect of disheartening collectors. and has probably caused many to abandon the manifestly hopeless task of trying to get anything like a complete collection. • • • Referring to the New Zealand Exhibition stamps, the “ Australian I’niiatel-i-t " has the following in an article:—- ” It public bodies choc-se to issue a series of stamps to celebrate the holding of an exhibition or a conference, or an event of national importance, we must submit and be thankful that matters are not worse. In this respect the New Zealanders have numerous precedents for their present action, and. being a goahead people, ale quite keen to take advantage of anvthing that will bring grist to the mill.” ‘ • • • “ \ustria proposes to celebrate in 19(18 the both anniversary of the Emperor Francis Joseph by the issue of a new set of -tamps. A committee of artists ami designers has alteady been constitut'd for the purpose of preparing tho designs. The values will run from 1 heller to in kronen, and it is believed the designs will bear portraits of t|ie various sovereign- of the Ilapsbuig line. The 2 heller may have that of < harli-s V.”— "La Lolleetionneur de Timbres-pbste.”