Never Used 219, Opinions Please

He got a little dirty, and dinged, in his over 124 years of travels. It appears he still has full gum.

Any advice, or suggestions, before I follow the links the community has posted, on how to clean him up? Should I even attempt it, or leave him be? I know he's not worth much, but to me, he's worth the trouble of time, to preserve him properly.

What would you clean up ? It has a straight edge, pulled perf/s on RHS and original gum so I'd leave well enough alone and just add it into the collection.

Watch me get flamed....

Personally? I'd use that for postage. I have used some very faulty 19th Century stamps for it before.

I am with Stallzer on this one.

Consider yourself flamed...

Thanks everyone, for the replies.

billw2, after months and months, of going through hundreds and hundreds of classic stamps, this is the first, and to date, only, mint stamp I have found, in this era. It's an aberration in Gramps's collection. A 'diamond in the rough', though it looks more like a lump of coal. It kinda looks lonely there, on the page, all by itself. I'm rather attached to it now. It's an underdog amongst all the target, fancy, grid, geometric, pictorial, ellipse, cancels, and postmarks. Getting rid of it, was never an option.

Stallzer and smauggie, thank you. Done and done. It's page one, so it doesn't get lost again, amongst all the others.

Okay, cet_gg I get it that this stamp has sentimental value for you. Now let's see what you know about it. I am going to ask a question for which the answer, if you do not already know it, will give you another reason to appreciate this stamp.

This stamp has a natural straight edge on the top. What can you tell us about what that is and why it's noteworthy?

essayk, off the top of my head, I'm going to answer that it's from the first row, of a printing run and/or, it was on the first row, of a pane that was cut, just above it. I haven't delved TOO deeply into the actual printing process, but from what I've little I've learned, since June, I read from the swedish tiger and 1847usa that ABN perfected the printing of stamps, and this stamp shows one of their processes that was fairly new to the time?

I'm only guessing here, and not googling to find the answer. I look forward to your reply. Thank you for asking and helping me learn.

And I have looked at my 219's for the 'candle flame' variation, but haven't found any that have that.

You are right on the edge of it so I will say close enough. Yes, innovation is correct. This issue marks the introduction of 400 subject plates, with upper and lower as well as left and right panes. So the cutline of pane separation would now appear above or below as well as at the left and right of stamps so printed. Prior to this a straight edge above or below a stamp design meant that some perfs had been trimmed off, and that the stamp is therefore damaged. So from that standpoint this issue marks a transition of sorts.

An 'off the top of my head...' correct!

Thank you, essayk. Your time is not wasted in sharing with me. I appreciate your expansion on why the straight edge is noteworthy.

My brain is crammed full of things I have learned, or relearned, to teach my kids, some of which I was never any good at, or admittedly, didn't pay enough attention to, when I was in school. (Calc, Algebra, the sciences) Add in, all the information about stamps, (which is great because it adds to my history knowledge), it's kind of crowded, unorganized, and hard to locate answers in the 'old cell storage unit'. That's why I said 'Off the top of my head..'. I'm usually the one giving the pop quizzes.

As a teacher, I also acknowledge the importance of, and express appreciation, for you taking the time to push me off 'the edge of it', into the stamp pool, and the full understanding. Please, feel free to continue to do so.

Agreed, you're not the only one here that appreciates it either. I enjoy learning everything concerning stamps, regardless of how trivial or not the information may be.

H-DNA-C, I also agree and would add, cet_gg is able to express it better than I can.

If the stamp has sentimental value, obviously don't do anything with it and keep it in your collection.

I have, however, in the past bought stuff like that, in quite faulty condition, cheap enough or come across it for nearly nothing and used it for postage.

I have to say, I'm a bit shocked by this attitude. If we were talking about most post-WWII issues, I'd agree with you without a second thought. But in the case of 19th century material, I can't imagine pasting even the most horribly damaged unused stamp on a cover to pay a few cents postage. Even if you see no value in the stamp yourself, wouldn't that 1-3 cents be better spent by donating it to a local club, or to the APS, than to save a penny or two on postage?

No flames intended - your property is yours to do with as you please. However, it feels to me as though you are dismissing out of hand material that other collectors might desire. Imagine how happy a local kid (or even many members of this board) would be to receive an unused 219, even in horrible shape. Isn't that worth more than a penny or two saved in postage?

Is that a crease in the LL? Yes my stamp whether sentimental or whatever bought, found, traded, space filler. So, if I wanted to flafme it, mail it or give it away or throw it away. But yes it would go in my collection. I keep and build as I please and what I like.
I'm learning a little and a little every time I log on. A great place to learn and I thank everyone here.

Moon,

The last one I used was a 2 cent Columbian. Straight edge, very heavily creased, blunted perfs, badly thinned, etc. you name a fault, it had it.

Realistically, what was it worth? Nothing.

Did I use it on mail to a fellow collector? Yup.