Hello Everyone!

Hey! My name is Jody and I've been collecting "stuff" for as long as I can remember. I love anything pre 1960's. Toys, electronics, furniture, glass, etc.

I'm ALWAYS on the look out for new items.

The reason I'm here, and I hope I'm not breaking any rules by posting this in my introduction (I'm registered to over 100 forums and I know sometimes there are very strict rules and for very good reasons which I understand). So please let it be known that my intentions here are very honorable.

I've now gotten bit by the stamp bug. I was cleaning out an attic a few months ago and found a box that said "Stamp Collection Pre-1900" on it.

I'm 35 years old by the way and have been collection since I was 6??
So I know not to get too excited when I see something labeled on a box. Haha. Well..... it was full of pre-1900 stamps.

I've spent the last few months researching before I posted on any forums so I'd at least know a little what I was talking about.

I'd say there was 50/50% american to foreign stamps in the box and it took me this long just to get through the american ones. :)

As far as collections go, it's kind of strange which leads me to believe there's another few boxes in that house somewhere.

Everything was labeled in envelopes and there were a few of those sheets that dealers would send to you and you'd pick the stamps you wanted and send them money and the rest of the stamps back (dated 1898).

There were envelopes full of labeled single stamps (for instance there was one labeled "2 cent Washington (ROSE)" with over 60 stamps which I now know to be Scott # 248.

So this person was definitely a collector. And I also found letters to him postmarked in the late 1800's so he might have been one of the first stamp collectors in the united States! That's so cool. I love knowing the history of the stuff I find.

Anyways. To make this long story a little less long....

I'll try to get some pictures up soon.
There's lots of Embossed stamps too.

It's pretty overwhelming and I need to get back to that house and look around some more. As I said, there was A LOT of the same stamps in this box. Oh and all of them are loose. most of the are still on the envelope and most of those still have the full postmark stamp. 90% of them are out of VT,NH, and MA but some of them have foriegn postmarks on them as well.

I have a list of all the scott numbers if anyone cares.

The earliest one I found is
#10 (1 of those)
#134 (4 of those but 3 are not in the best condition)
#137 (nice condition but cancellation mark is hard pressed, blots out the face)

#210 (about 40 of them)
#213 (about 15-20)

The rest here I haven't counted yet.. and I have more I'm just going through the ones I've accounted for in the Scott Book.

212
219
221
222
223
225
227
230
231
248
253
254
255
258
282c
286
294
295


and that's where the collection ends.... for now....

Thanks for reading and I will become an active member on this board soon. I'm still reading through all of the older posts now... :)

Welcome aboard Jody!!

Keep us posted on your "find"

Dave N.
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Welcome to the forum. It's a great place to be when you are a collector of those wonderful little pictures inside of perforated edged pieces of paper.

Dave.

Thanks two Daves!

"These are the Daves I know, I know, these are the Daves I know!"

Hehe. Old "kids in the hall reference"

So I was able to get some pics online.

Again, I've been collectiong stuff for a long time so I know the quality of some of these are poor at best, but some of them seem really nice too.

I'm still trying to figure out stuff about cancel placement and postmarks and basically everything. haha.

so here's what I've sorted and taken pics of so far.
I'm very curious as to what you all think.

And I hope this is okay to link this here.... as I said, I'm on other forums that have very strict rules and I hope I['m not breaking one now. I read the rules and I think this is okay (just a photobucket link) but please let me know if this is unacceptable.

So here it is... so far. (I had them organized in order but photobucket decided to mess that up) :( You'll get the idea.

http://s1196.photobucket.com/albums...s/?start=all

Wow you have some beautiful stuff there! Very nice collection to have just had basically fall in your lap like that! I love those blue Franklins and well all of them really! Welcome from one newcomer to another!

Hi Jody and welcome to the forum. You will find answers, fun, scans and so much more here with all the friends on SCF. This forum rocks for getting answers, showing examples and most of all patience to explain what may seem to be the most mundane question. Welcome aboard and join the fun. - Jeff

welcome. can't wait to read more about your finds. please join in the discussions and ask questions.

Thanks everyone! I'm sure I'll be asking A LOT of questions in the next few days.

Obviously I'm going to want to be selling some of these to fund other stamps to complete "runs" or "series" of certain stamps. Haha. I don't even know the terminology yet.

I really don't need over 50 of #258. :) Basically, at this point, I'd like to try to collect at least one of every pre-1900 stamps I can get. Actaully, I like all the stamps up to the 1930's So.... Scott #1-800.

I have literally HUNDRENDS of stamps from the #800-822 range from another "Find", but that's another VERY interesting story I'll share sometime soon. Nothing to do with the stamps, but more of what the letters in the envelopes contain.

Sorry, I'm rambling right now. :) You'll all notice I'm very "wordy" so to speak. Once I start typing, I don't stop for a while. haha.

My main goal right now is to sell of some duplicates so I can complete some "series" of stamps. And again, I don't really care about grade. Obviously, trying to get a decent pre-1900 collection going I know I'm not going to get EVERYTHING. But I think I'm off to a pretty good start.

On the money side I really like Scott # 134-144. :) And I already have a 134 and a 137. Of course, I would LOVE anything before #134 but I just started this hobby... those are a little out of my price range now. :(

On the visual side I really love the #210-229 series. That's where I'm going to start as I already have most of them. I just need the 30 cent and 90 cent stamps to complete that run (217, 218, 228, 229).

This is so much fun!

EDIT***

I'll start a post in the main forum soon.
I think I've introduced myself enough. haha.

Welcome Jody.

Wonderful find. Can't wait to see more pics.

Dianne

Welcome Jody!

Great find in the attic. Thanks for sharing!

v/r
Beezer

Welcome Jody



Have fun and post often

Londonbus1

Jody
Hello and welcome to the wide, wonderful, wacky, world of pre 1900 US. It sounds like you may have a few treasures there. If (when) you run into any bumps, please post here and we will see what we can come with. When you do need help, please post scans of the fronts and backs on a black back ground is a must. As you may not know color can be very important. For example a Scott A25 3c Washington has 13 different issues (Scott numbers) and over 65 shades color from pink to rose. The values go from pennies to over $45,000.00, so please take the time and spend a little money and set yourself up with good research material and equipment.
But most of all

Ron

Hello Jody, welcome, glad you are here.

Ron speaks wisdom above.

Also I would like to add a word about cancels (postmarks) as they add to the interest for some collectors (me anyway) and are a study in themselves.

All you copies of stamps are not all the same because the cancels are different, the colours or perforations or papers or centering or condition etc etc etc are different.

The letters and envelopes (covers) are a fascinating area of postal history collecting also and often make a good story to tell and read. Please be sure to post some of them please.

What do you mean you write a lot? I don't know what you mean really. You don't write enough as far as I can see.

Your enthusiasm bubbles over and enthuses us all, keep up the good posting!

Doug (who writes a lot)