Found These In American Covers

These were mixed in with U.S. covers. Please help identify/valuate. I do have the Scott volume 1 but Costa Rica not represented in this one Any help?
Thanks

These are not listed in Scott catalog since they are postal stationery and not stamps. They are certainly interesting covers, just the type of material that postal historians love.

I think that one of the members said to try a "Higgens and Gage". Never heard of it but will follow up. Thanks Glenn

The Higgins and Gage catalog was published between 1964 and 1986 and comprises nineteen volumes with supplements. It is the best listing of postal stationery around. You would want to look at the Costa Rica section which would be in Volume 3: Cameroons to Czechoslovakia

Since it is out of print you would need to either buy it used, or if you are a member of the American Philatellic Society you could get in touch with their research library and they would be happy to scan and email you the Costa Rica section for a nominal sum.

I am looking at the Costa Rica Postal Catalogue, 3d ed. (2004), compiled by Hector R. Mena and published by SOCORICO, the Society for Costa Rica Collectors. The only visual match I'm getting is an issue from July 28, 1890. The Mena catalogue usually gives print quantities, but apparently that information wasn't available. It does not attempt to define market values.

The Mena catalogue lists two color varieties: light brown and dark brown. Yours look medium brown to me! (The Mena catalogue is B&W, so I can't match their definitions up with your specimens.)

To further complicate matters, can you see if there is any colorless embossing under the flap? It'll say WATERLOW & SONS, LIMITED, LONDON WALL. In some instances a second LONDON is at the end: LONDON WALL, LONDON. Or there may not be any embossing at all. Then you can measure the height of the front embossing; there are nine possible heights, from 41 millimeters all the way up to 55.

I've never seen a Higgins and Gage catalogue in my life, so it would definitely be worth getting the APS to run off a few pages for you. Hope this helps.

I have a the H&G for Gibraltar and Malta and they are pretty well done.

Thanks Pekingduckdog, I went to the library and hit the wall. I can't even find what you found! I'll keep my eyes open and see if I can find out more.

I'm scared to try lifting the flap, it's glued down real good.By the way the color is more dark brown.

If you're not a member, the pages will cost a bit more. Can you feel the embossing on the flap? If it is really necessary to lift the flap, you won't harm the cover by soaking it in pure water, there's no stamp to worry about floating away, and carefully working pointed tongs under the flap after it has soaked will lift it, just work slowly. The other glued seams won't lift unless you disturb them.

Nice covers, especially attractive for me is the PuntaArenas corner card, as it sounds and looks like the first name of the tiny city (smallest incorporated city in the county) I grew up in. Point Arena, Calif, is the oldest post office in Mendocino County, but it began under the name of Puntas Arenas, Cal.

Okay, I'll take a shot with a soak. I have a good library in town and will see if they have a catalog. They have a full section of stamp related books and catalogs. Thanks Littleriverphil.

I have a rather poor example of this Costa Rica PSE with the Waterlow & Sons London Wall inscription, but this will illustrate what to look for under the flap.

FYI, Puntarenas translates as Sandy Point. It is a town on the end of a small peninsula sticking out into the Gulf of Nicoya on the Pacific side of Costa Rica.

Here is photo of it today:

Jenny2u, sorry for not getting back to your post sooner. I see what you mean. I'm just a bit nervous about damaging the envelope!