Diagonal plate scratches on 14¢ American Indian stamp
eBay sometimes gets a bad rap in the philatelic community, and that’s probably not without reason. You definitely have to be careful, and there are some things (never-hinged classics with no certificate, for example) that I simply wouldn’t take a chance on. Buyer beware!
In spite of this, some pretty cool items can turn up. Take for instance this 14¢ American Indian stamp. I purchased it not because I thought it was the most beautiful example that I’d ever seen—the bottom perforations are atrocious—but because it shows a plate flaw, a pair of nearly parallel diagonal scratches running from the chief’s shoulder up toward the “N” in “UNITED”, with one of the scratches then reappearing in the left margin to the left of the “IT” in “UNITED.”
14¢ American Indian stamp with plate flaw14¢ American Indian stamp with plate flaw (detail)
This sort of flaw is not especially valuable, and the scratches are less distinct than on a stamp I wrote about in November, but it was still an inexpensive and very cool acquisition.
2017 drew to a close a little over two weeks ago, but before it did, Philosateleian Post set some new records.
Throughout the course of 2017, Philosateleian Post carried 417 pieces of outgoing mail. That total, which does not include nearly 30 other pieces of mail that were misdelivered or needed to be returned to sender, represents a 27% increase over 2016, and it tops Philosateleian Post’s previous record of 408 pieces of outgoing mail established in 2014. The establishment of the new record follows two years of declining mail volumes.
“‘Real mail’ is alive and well so far as Philosateleian Post is concerned,” says proprietor Kevin Blackston. “In Philosateleian Post’s first year (2004), less than 100 pieces of mail were carried. We’re looking forward to another big year in 2017.”
Business mail comprised over 61% of Philosateleian Post’s volume, with letters and cards representing nearly another 18%. Approximately 10% of the mail carried was addressed to international destinations. Packages, postcards, and local deliveries made up the remainder.
About Philosateleian Post
Founded in 2004, Philosateleian Post transports mail only from the proprietor’s home to the nearest mail receptacle or post office, and does not compete with any official mail service. For more information, please visit http://www.philosateleia.com/post/
