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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;johnmilton, post: 4316527, member: 101855&quot;]Here are the two pieces I have.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Ayer&#039;s medicine company issued more encased postage pieces than any other merchant. If you collect these pieces it seems like they issued more of them than all of the others combined. That is proably an overstatement, but it seems like that.</p><p><br /></p><p>This one is quite nice because a lot of the silver wash is still on it.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1097438[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1097439[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is encased postage inventer, John Gault&#039;s piece. It is interesting that he made his ad so modest.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1097441[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1097443[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>If you do decide to get involved with these pieces, here are some tips.</p><p><br /></p><p>The clear mica front piece is very important with respect to the value of the piece. If it is broken or cloudy, that lowers the value a lot. I have seen pieces that had it replaced with some sort of clear plastic. If you know what the real thing looks like, you will spot those right away.</p><p><br /></p><p>Also beware of pieces that have been opened. Sometimes you see these pieces with the brass obviously ripped or tampered with. Pieces with those problems are worth a lot less money.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have heard that WAY BACK in the day some were opened to get the stamp out if it was a rare high denomination. The stamp is folded inside of these pieces over a piece of cardboard from what I&#039;ve heard. I have never gotten into one and never been around someone who did.</p><p><br /></p><p>There are also issues with high value stamps (higher than 10 cents). All of those pieces are rare, and there is possibility to someone was sharp enough to switch the stamp. For example the value of stamp can go up to 90 cents. The last I knew none of the 90 cent pieces that are known have a &quot;clear bill of health,&quot; but I would leave the final word on that to the experts.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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