p. 16 | Stamp Collecting in Foreign Fields by A. T. Benjamin

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 29, 1909

Stamp Collecting in Foreign Fields

By A. T. Benjamin

[The Mission Board will be glad to have our people in other lands respond to this proposition from Brother Benjamin, who is not in the stamp business, but who, along with his business as an architect, has taken up this matter in behalf of missions.—Ed.]

At this time, when funds are so greatly needed to carry on and enlarge our work in the foreign fields, there is one sure source of income that has nearly been overlooked these past years, and that is the collecting of canceled postage-stamps by our foreign workers. Beyond a doubt nearly every missionary, every worker in a foreign office, could easily collect five dollars' worth of used stamps each year. Not only can it be done easily, but without loss of time, as follows:—

Every letter or package received through the mails bears one or more stamps. Cut or tear off the stamps with the paper to which they are fastened, and keep them in a box on your desk, or in a convenient drawer. You will be surprised at the amount of stamps you will thus accumulate in a short time. Again, where children and the youth can be interested, get them to help collect the stamps at their homes, and especially help them to get permission to go through the waste-baskets in the offices of near-by merchants and manufacturers; in following this up regularly a rich harvest will be reaped. Young people's societies in other lands could raise neat sums in the above manner. Here are some rules to follow:—

Collect everything except the common one- and two-cent stamps of the United States and the penny and half-penny stamps of Great Britain. Do not soak or steam the stamps to remove them, and never cut off the rough edges or perforation on the stamps, as this makes them worthless. Always cut stamps from packages and envelopes, leaving a fair margin about them.

Collect all revenue stamps procurable, as they are of value, and also save several lightly canceled copies of each variety of stamped envelope and postal-card without cutting or tearing them. Always send postal-cards and stamped envelopes entire, as they are commercially only in this condition. When a goodly number of stamps has been collected, perhaps a small paper boxful, wrap them up securely, and forward at merchandise postal rates to address given below, and start collecting another box of stamps. As soon as the packages are received, the stamps will be marketed and the proceeds sent to the General Conference treasurer for the foreign work, and credited to field or person forwarding the stamps.

As regards stamp values, one stamp is worth more than another, according to its denomination and country. The higher the denomination of the stamp, the greater its value,—and the smaller the nation, the more scarce and valuable the stamp. For example, the common stamps of France and Germany are quite plentiful, and consequently not of great value (that is, the low denominations), whereas the stamps of Bolivia, Paraguay, Straits Settlements, or Haiti are quite valuable in comparison, as their postal circulation is rather limited. Moreover, always send all packages of stamps, and all mail matter, with the highest values of stamps. Never use twenty-five two-cent stamps to send a package when a fifty-cent stamp is procurable for the asking. The common two-cent United States stamp is nearly valueless, but a fifty-cent stamp is worth about fifteen cents. This same rule applies to all countries, with even greater values on the higher denominations.

To aid in this collecting, all our publishing houses should use the highest possible denomination stamps in forwarding packages, books, or other mail. For example, a used fifty-centavo or one- or two-peso South American stamp is alone worth more than one hundred canceled five-centavo stamps. By using discrimination at the various publishing centers, the recipients would secure many fine stamps on parcels. Many a parcel is seen plastered over with low-value stamps, when a single high denomination stamp would be quite valuable, perhaps worth about one half its original cost.

Although stamps from all countries should be collected, among those especially desirable are stamps from Liberia, Uruguay, Haiti, Paraguay, in fact, from all South American countries, from all African colonies, and all islands, especially those in the Pacific, and all small nations. When a new issue or series of stamps appears, as soon as several of each kind are collected, mail direct in an envelope, so that they can be sold at a high figure before the market is overrun with them. This would especially apply at the present time to Switzerland, Austria, Rumania, and Uruguay. All the British colonial stamps, I might add, have good values and find ready sale, especially the real old stamps. Indeed, some of the most valuable stamps are those of the former Confederate States, which can still be found on old correspondence in the Southern States.

Is it too much to ask all our foreign schools, publishing houses, and conference and mission secretaries and treasurers to save the stamps? Can we not all lift a little in this line without loss of time? All packages should be securely wrapped and tied (not sealed nor glued entirely shut), and should be marked on the outside, 'Canceled foreign postage-stamps,' with name and address of sender as well. All packages sent will be acknowledged as soon as received and upon sale, the amount realized will be forwarded to headquarters, and the sender will be notified of amount of sale. Let every worker, especially those in the far-away corners, the out-of-the-way islands, give this a fair trial.

For the benefit of the novice, let me state that two small packages sent by Elder F. L. Perry, of Peru, netted over ten dollars; a package sent by Elder N. Z. Town from Uruguay and Argentina, netted over eleven dollars; several parcels from Australia averaged about five dollars each; and a small parcel from Haiti, sent by Elder W. J. Tanner, netted over seven dollars. What can you do?

All packages, to save re-forwarding and expense in this country, should be sent direct to the writer, 35-37 Wenham Block, Grand Rapids, Mich., U. S. A.

A. T. BENJAMIN.