1888. 1896. Set State Department, unused, $49.50 $287.00 " Exec. " " 6.00 49.00 " Navy " " 5.00 40.00 " Agri. " " 3.50 27.65 " 1870 Grille, " 21.30 216.00 1861 3c. Pink, " .25 25.00 1869 Set, " 9.95 87.85 1870 12c. Grille, " 2.50 75.00 " 24c. " " 5.00 100.00
Not only U.S. stamps, but the higher value stamps of almost every other country have advanced in similar ratio. It is the old story over again--"Buy when every one wants to sell, and sell when every one wants to buy." It sounds as easy as "Buy cheap and sell dear"; but how hard it is in practice.
EDITH F. MORRIS, 95 Third Avenue, New York city, wishes to exchange stamps.
O. T. ALDRICH.--The editor of this Department is not a dealer in either stamps or coins.
E. HILL.--It is impossible to give any general rule for the detection of the thousands of different counterfeits. In general terms it may be said that to-day only the valuable stamps are counterfeited. Formerly (1862 to 1880) even common stamps were counterfeited. My advice to young collectors is not to buy valuable stamps from irresponsible persons. Go to a responsible dealer for this class of stamps. Some counterfeits are so well made that only an expert can detect them.
E. L. SNYDER.--The prices quoted are those at which you can buy from dealers.
C. H. PECK.--The 5c. 1847 U.S. is worth 70c.
G. S. VAN SCHAICK.--There are no grilled U.S. post-cards.
A. D. F.--No premium on the coins mentioned.
E. C. WOOD.--Adhesive U. S. Revenues were first used in 1862. Periodical stamps have usually come over from Europe. See ROUND TABLE, March 10, 1896.
CLARENCE G. MICHAELIS, 3 North Twenty-first Street, East Orange, N.J., wishes to exchange stamps.
J. S. GREEN.--The Japanese stamp is still in use. The colonial and continental money are still plentiful, and can be bought in most instances for 10c. or 15c. each.
R. Q. P.--The stamps described are Revenue stamps.
C. S. POMEROY.--There are three minute varieties of the 3c. green U.S. There are three varieties in the triangles of the present stamps. See ROUND TABLE, May 14, 1895.
F. H. CULBERTSON.--The U. S. currency 3c. to 50c. can be bought at double face. Circulated or crumpled copies are worth face only.
T. EBAUGH.--I cannot repeat prices on lists of U.S. coins. See ROUND TABLE for December 17, 1895, and January 14, 1896. English coins are not collected in this country. The stamp is a French revenue. No value. The coin is Spanish, worth 25c.
