Have You Had Any Major Finds?

Both are "major finds" in my opinion. I love stories like that! Congrats!

Brian

Hi

I thought I had found a Die 1 & Die II penny Kangaroo, but I just got my reply from the Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria. No luck

I will keep looking.
Horamakhet

Sure Have! My wife 38 years ago!

Just got a PF cert. back on a U.S. #320Ad on cover. Not many known on cover.

A few years ago, when my daughter first wanted to get into collecting, I thought I'd help her out by buying one of those inexpensive world-wide collections that every dealer seems to sell at shows. I found one that had lots of volume from a fairly reasonable selection of countries, but at first glance it had nothing valuable. The dealer wanted something like $75 for it, but I was able to get it for $50. When I took it home and went through it looking for things I wanted in my own collection for the few countries I focus on, I found a Penny Black, not in perfect condition, but better than the one I already had.

As a young boy of 16 or so, I found a China C42, which I promptly sold to a Florida firm (I think it was something Rogers) for $225. Gave my father a new respect for the hobby

My big find was buying a nice cover in Yellowstone Park. The Mammoth Springs visitor's center usually has a handful of park related covers for sale and there was one stamped with old faithful. The black embossed design on the cover was very nice and I had to get it.

When I opened up the plastic holder and looked inside I found the original letter of sale for the cover and it was addressed to the son of Frank Haynes, Jack. Frank was the original photographer for Yellowstone Park starting in 1875.

He not only explored Yellowstone along with scientists and historians but also did advertising for the railroads and advocated for the protection of Yellowstone. His son Jack also became a photographer and worked next to his father opening up several photography studios in the park, tho they're all abandoned or torn down now.

I live about 40 minutes from Yellostone's north entrance and one of the first things you see before heading on to the main roads leading in to the grand loop is the old Haynes studio across the road from the Mammoth Hotel.

Considering my husband spent a good part of his life working in Yellowstone and most of our major events involved the park this cover means a lot to me. And all for only $5.

KGV,
Did you get a cert on your great find?
Pat

Most everyone already knows my find. For those who don't and are interested, it can be found here. Nice story, but long...

https://goscf.com/t/32986&SearchTerms=554d

https://goscf.com/t/34875&SearchTerms=554d



-IBFS

I have two finds, one of which I created myself. First up is a Ceylon stamp that was part of a collection that I bought in the early 1980s. It sat in my Blue International/Ceylon section, but in a mount, for years. I finally watermarked it a couple years ago, and it appeared to be an unused, no gum, copy of 93. Got it certified by APS last fall and indeed it is #93. 2014 Scott for mint is $2,100. It's now at an auction house.

Second "find" is something I created in January, 2002. I was at the Plaza de Mulas base camp for Aconcagua, highest mountain in the western & southern hemispheres. There was a refugio; or hotel; open there for just a couple years and they had an official government cancellation device. I mailed a postcard to myself from base camp. It likely went out on mule back. Refugio closed a year later and remains closed, albeit in good condition. Unfortunately, very high winds came in and our group got no higher than the Berlin high camp at 19,500'. The card arrived in good shape shortly after I got home.

Best for me was at the beginning of my collecting Irish stamps: back in the late 1970's there was a stamp show at the (no longer existing) Curtis Hotel in Minneapolis. At that point I was buying anything and everything I could find from Ireland. Looking through a ww album of cheap stamps that were being sold individually, I picked out a few used Irish air mails & postage dues and at the very end of the section there was a green 3 cent stamp I had never seen before. The dealer knew nothing about it, said it was probably some sort of label, and gladly accepted my offer of 75 cents for it.
The stamp lived in a glassine until I became more educated through my membership in the Eire Philatelic Society, and after 10 or so years passed, Joe Foley (album closed in 2006)confirmed it was a genuine Fenian Essay from 1865-67, cataloging about $1000 at that time. It has a little old white paper hinge but is in great shape.

I do collect both stamps, stationery and BOB (cinderellas, tax, due...) and, as most stamp dealers know very little of BOB I'm able to find quite often interesting cinderellas and tax stamps for a token price (less than the equivalent to 1$).
It's just a question of collecting outside the mainstream...And reading a little.

This is Denmark Scott O5 official stamp used. There is a note "Nos. O4-O5 values are for stamps with defective perfs"



It is perf 12.5 and cat. value for used is $550

I won the auction at $4.

Daniel

Climber Steve....




The "nice" thing about obtaining Big Blues is that there might be a valuable stamp lurking in a space, because of the often multiple stamp choices that can be put there.




Wow! I guess that your SCF name is no accident. I'm impressed - and a little jealous.

Jkjblue: thanks for your kind words. Yes, I am a semi-serious mountaineer and have been at it since the early 1980s. I've always enjoyed the strong connection between mountaineering and philately; identified in part by the article about mountaineering on stamps in an issue last year of the American Philatelist.

Aconcagua (22,841'); located in the Argentine Andes; is the highest point in the world that one can attain without setting foot on a glacier. Having said that, conditions are seldom ideal. After the 2002 trip that I referenced, I tried it again in early 2004 and late 2013. Weather sucked both times altho about half of my group made the summit in 2004. All six of us got shut out a few months ago by very unusual, early season, high winds and bitter cold. We descended a couple days ahead of schedule which left time for some nice wine tours in Mendoza, the staging city for the mountain and where the climbing permits must be obtained.