PRECIOUS STAMP

Hokitika Guardian, 24 September 1930, Page 6

PRECIOUS STAMP

BRITISH GUIANA’ OF 1856. / SAN FRANCJS'C j, Aug. 2 sj. Proba'biy the most classic - example of the economic law that sejiijcity creates value has been on exhibition in Boston—a one cent stamp ujorth 40,000 dollars. ( It is . the property of Arthur Mind, of Utica, New York State, a nsanufacturer, hotel owner and p' ilantiju’opist, whose 500,000 dollar collectiuhi < f stamps constituted, financially sneaking, just about half of the national philatelic exhibition of 1930, vyhich was opened in Boston. -1 The history of this remurikable stamp goes back to 1856 and to iliri - i.sh Guiana. 'Hie postmaster of isolated colony had found his supply of stamps exhausted. In- the Emergency a local printer was called \ into conference, and with the aid off a picture of a ship, borrowed from' a local, newspaper, and a handset \inscription, the stamp was turned Out. A lew days later the regular supply arrived, and the makeshifts wijre destroyed. Sixty years later the only known copy came into the possession of Air Hind for 32,000 dollars, anid to-day collectors say it is worth lit least 40,000 dollars. I