"Steele Box" - Some Stamps Found In This Box

Hello all,

Please see my greeting in the"Introduce Yourself Here" posts "Hello From NJ. Yes We Have Trees Contrary To Popular Belief" I tried to give folks the reason why I am here and I talk about the "Steele Box".


I want to start off easy to learn more about what I have and to see if going through some items will help me to determine if it worth everyone's time. I am posting two photos that I have taken of some stamps that had become detached from the papers in the box. By looking at these photo's does anything look like it worth while researching more. If so just a bit of help by point to some things is all I am asking. Are these all just plain normal stamps, does anything stand out?

Any feedback or help is greatly appreciated. My apologies in advance if this is not the right way to post something here. I am VERY new to this. There is just a lot to post a single stamp at a time.




Thank again,

---Mark

As you can tell by the number you have of each, these are all mostly common stamps. To give you an idea, over one billion of the 2 cent Colombian Exposition stamp were printed. Possible the 4 cent Jackson might be worth a few $$.

Hi Mark, these are basically all very common US stamps from late 1800's. Most could be purchased from dealers for less than 0.25 each. However, the green 4 cent Jackson does have a catalog value of over $25 but it's centering isn't great which reduces it value.

Mark, if you copy the address from you first post and paste it in subsequent posts like this: http://goscf.com/t/76811 then folks can quickly get to your 'Steele Box Explanation' post.

Fun find by the way.

If you are really interested, there are several sites that you can go to like Stamp Smarter to find out the stamp. If there are several stamps that seem to look the same, then you may need to determine if there is a "grill" or what kind of paper it is. That will narrow it down and then you can see what others have sold for on eBay, or go to a stamp house like Mystic and see what they are selling it for.

I'm interested in what is still attached in the Steele Box. Often the stationary, postmark, history, addressee, from/to are more interesting than the stamp itself.

You guys are great, thank you willwood and canyoneer and everyone else who has replied You made my day and the task of looking into (or not into) each stamp my job easier. Maybe what I need to do is to look into showing folks the covers and other envelopes / stamps.

Now for my next item, again only trying to figure this stuff out. I have an envelope that is much different from most. It has four US Postage Due stamps on it as well as two Canadian or British stamps on it too. Within it there a a multipage letter, some of it speaks about a the man who wrote it being looked for. Two of the postage Due Stamps have come off but I have included them in the pictures. that's about all I have on this one. I will let you guys tell me if you see anything else that may be worth following up on.

I have many more items but I do not want to be a pest so I will hold off after this for now If you feel that I should completely stop posting then please feel free to say so. I completely understand.

Thanks again,

---Mark

I think the stamps are Melbourne, Victoria in Australia. The postage Due stamps are most likely J19 from the postmark of 1890. They could be more valuable than any of the other ones you posted.

strange the way the postmark on the left most 10 cent postage due has a heavy cancel and has ink right up to the edge but not a bit of this partial strike touches the envelope or the adjacent stamp. anyone notice this?

I'm thinking this is where one of the Postage Due stamps that came off, came from as the stamp seems to be lifted off the envelope by the cancel.

It is interesting that the envelope from Australia to US came through Bermuda. I guess they stayed within the commonwealth whenever possible.

It would be clearer if the 2 loose postage due stamps were shown off to the side.

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The loose stamps shown so far have modest value - they are the workhorse stamps of their era. Their value is in completing the postal history by reuniting them with their envelopes. Apparently they have become damp at some time in the past and fallen off. Properly matching them up will not restore the full value they once had, but will help significantly.

Hello folks,

I am sorry, I should have realized that by placing the stamps where I thought they should go would make things confusing. My error. To me it looks like the stamps may have come off as this letter was making it's was throughout different countries.You can even see half postmarks as with what was hidden below one of the stamps that had fallen off that I had placed on the back.

I can assure everyone that the two stamps that are off to the side were once attached. I just don't know where. It's like a jigsaw puzzle.

Here is a copy with them off to the side. Again my apologies.

---Mark

ok, a little cut/paste job puts the two due stamps back where they apparently originated:

Thank you John... my training wheels are still on. Much appreciated!

Nice job, John Becker.

This is just a general question. Since I'd like to keep the topic of the "Steele Box" together is it permissible to keep on posting in one thread or should I begin another in the "Covers" section of the forums?

I'll second that.