Not quite sure what you mean ... in France and Germany, for example, stamps were to some extent used as notgeld in the early 20c. Looks like these: http://www.moneymuseum.com/standard/images/raeume/atelier/briefmarke.jpg http://www.moneymuseum.com/standard/images/raeume/atelier/hobson106a_b.jpg Christian
I thought they were included with coins, not stamps, because they circulated instead of coins, not being used to send letters.....
Jerome,they were issued as a way of filling in due to a shortage of small change.Instead of trying to circulate a stamp,which would become dogeared,ripped & dirty,it was decided to place a stamp behind a mica window with a metal back with an ad on the reverse.That is an example of a stamp-coin. Aidan.
Hi Jerome, I have three references specifically for encased postage stamps: "Encased Postage Stamps, U.S. and Foreign", 1967, by Arlie R. Slabaugh (33 pages) "The Standard Catalogue of Encased Postage Stamps", 1989, by Michael J. Hodder & Q. David Bowers (191 pages) "Civil War Encased Stamps, The Issuers and Their Times", 1995, by Fred L. Reed III, NLG (551 pages) I don't have time to post any trivia at the moment (leaving shortly for Easter dinner with family) but if you are interested enough to purchase a book, I think the last one on the list would be a good choice (I picked my copy up on ebay for $44.55 total in August, 2006). The second book is not too bad either, just not as in-depth detail, and would be much less expensive. If you would like for me to post some trivia, let me know. I regret to say that it will probably take me at least a week or so to find the time to put together an informative post, as we are working 60 hours/week at my main job, I work three side jobs, my father in law was recently stricken with brain cancer and is declining rapidly, and yet have my taxes to complete. Encased postage are interesting pieces, and those were certainly interesting times. I only have 3 examples of these, but would like to acquire some more.
Very interesting, Cwtokenman...don't feel pressurized to post anything here. I just can't find them in europe, I have tried both stamp dealers and coin dealers....
They don't come up often, but from time to time you can find them at auction. I got this one off Ebay, but have seen them at a couple places. Often, they ain't cheap...
Yes, exactly like the one pictured....I know they are pretty hard to find, and people pay $$$$ for high value stamps (unlike the rather worn 3 cent pictured !)
Errr... it's behind mica, and bent/cut to fit inside a circle. I can't imagine paying more for the actual stamp. I know people pay more for mint condition ones and those with rare store markings, etc. I've seen some go for way more than I'd pay. I think that one was close to $200, and that was my limit.
I should be able to post some info about these in the very near future. Catching up on some reading tonight. Samjimmy is correct in that example would go for around $200. That is one of the most common ones, if not the most common one. The mica looks to still be in excellent condition, and the stamp is not bad either. Even a common one with poor/cracked mica and a ripped/stained stamp, will still go for around $100.
I believe it is *the* most common one heh (*sniff* though I still like it). You are correct though that the mica is in perfect condition (something that isn't always the case) and the stamp is also near mint (for a stamp that's been bend/cut to fit inside a circle that is). I did notice that the nearly destroyed ones still commanded a premium, as you said. It's a nice example, but I don't think it's something I'm going to start a collection of.
I am an ex-stamp collector, (although don't ask me anything about USA stamps !), and I am rather interested in them.....but as I have just made a fairly large purchase of coins, I will have to wait a while before I buy a few.......thanks for the info !
Some history of John Gault and encased postage stamps. John Gault was the inventor of encased postage stamps, and some other devices/mechanisms. His father (a carpenter) died when he was 15, about 6 months before the time the news of the California Gold rush began breaking. This fatherless 16 year old son of Irish immigrants followed Horace Greeley's advice to "Go West, young man. Go West." Gault joined a Massachusetts mining company and set off for California via around the Horn. He boarded the bark Edward Fletcher on March 5, 1849 at the age of 17. The journey was 18,000 miles from his native Boston, and took 189 days (cost of passage was $150). While there, he was a successful miner, averaging about $8 in gold (about 1/2 ounce) per day. He left for California a visionary and returned 5 years later as a realist, now having to face the unraveling of the Union. He had considerable mechanical ability and created several rather ingenious inventions, the most notable being a sewing machine (with a lock stitch mechanism), the encased postage stamp and a series of exploding artillery shells. None of these things were very rewarding financially though, and eventually he made a living by selling whiskey. John Gault was a good family man of upstanding character, intelligent, opportunistic, and had to deal with the deaths of a number of family members. He took care of his mother, who died of melancholia. He buried his younger brother who died of wounds during the Civil War. Late in his life, he married a widow who had two sons, both of whom died. Gault knew many of the men who were the movers and shakers of their day, and many of those businessmen would later participate in Gault's encased postage venture by buying advertising space on the backs of his stamp money. At the outbreak of the Civil War, early fears were that both the North and the South would become financially insolvent, so the people began to hoard hard coinage in anticipation of the dark days ahead. Coinage became so scarce that it began to command a premium at the banks. Bankers were paying a 4 3/4 percent premium in early Feb. 1862. By June, it had doubled. People still did not turn in/spend their coins as the feared inflation would continue and they would lose out if their coins were spent. Imagine the difficulties of making purchases. While we still use small change today, it was much more the case in 1862. Prices were much much lower. Three cents could buy a stagecoach ride and five cents could buy lunch and a glass of beer. Withholding even a small amount of change was not at all acceptable. To be continued - it is getting late.
There's an auction ending in a couple of weeks, that includes several examples. If you're interested, you can click here.
