Tracking Values: RB27 2 Cent Battleship Proprietary

Over the weekend, I was contacted by a reader of this site located in Tokyo Japan regarding my interest in, and the potential value of, multiples of the 2ct proprietary battleship revenue stamp.  This is a good opportunity to look at the current and commonly listed values for this stamp, in single, multiple, unused, and used form.

As with all stamps in the battleship revenue series, there is nothing especially rare or valuable about this stamp.  Let's take a look at current values:

R164 2ct Battleship Documentary rouletted and RB27 2ct Battleship Proprietary rouletted

As many readers of this site know, there are two 2ct battleship stamps, one from the documentary series and  another for the proprietary series.  The documentary 2 cent stamp was largely used to pay the 2ct tax on bank checks, and the majority of used 2ct documentaries were used this way.  100s of millions of the documentary stamp were printed, and in both used an unused form the stamp is fairly common.  The 2ct proprietary is a bit different, as far fewer were printed and used.  

Demand for the proprietary 2 center was a small fraction of that for the documentary stamp.  Normal patent medicine items did not have an accompanying tax schedule that required the use of a 2 cent stamp, so the famous patent medicine or "snake oil" preparations of the day did not use this stamp.  There were designated uses, though, including the taxation of chewing gum (chicle was a recent discovery at the time of use of this stamp) and taxable wines, in particular sparkling wines like champagne.  On this site you can find many copies of this stamp canceled by Mumm, the champagne maker, by clicking on the Mumm stamp in the far right column (scroll down a bit to find the stamp).

Perforation types:  two types of separation schemes were used on the battleship stamps, and the 2ct proprietary included both.  The stamp above is an example of rouletting, in which a roulette wheel, or a wheel consisting of short razor blades, cuts a series of staccato lines in the sheet.  No paper was removed from the stamp sheet in process.  Hyphen-hole perforating, however, does remove paper, and cuts a series of slots in between the stamps.  The plate block below contains very clear and evident hyphen hole perforations.  This distinction is important, as the value of many stamps in the battleship series varies greatly depending on whether the stamp is rouletted or hyphen-holed.  

Values:

2012 Scott US Specialized Catalogue:


                                                  unused                 used
Rouletted single                          1.40                     .35
Roultted block of four                6.75                      no value

Hyphen hole single                      7.25                     1.00
Hyphen hole block of four          27.50                    no value

In the case of the reader from Tokyo, his unused hyphen holed strips, assuming the gum on the back of the stamps is intact and undamaged, can value his stamps at retail by multiplying $7.25 times the number of stamps he has.  One minor tragedy associated with his stamps are that they were once in block form, and had the selvage with plate number attached.  As with all the battleship revenue stamps, intact complete plate blocks are scarce, and the 2ct proprietary is no exception:

2ct battleship proprietary plate block, hyphen hole

Current EricJackson.com price: $650.00

Not shown:

2ct battleship proprietary plate block, rouletted

Current EricJackson.com price: $450.00

Tracking Used Documentary Battleship Revenue Stamp Values: 2012 Scott Catalogue Prices

A reader of this site, Sally, emailed to ask the value of some battleship stamps she discovered in an old photo album.  Expectations are always high when old stamps are found.  Is there a fortune in newly discovered old and unfamiliar stamps?  Unfortunately, with battleship revenues, hopes are usually dashed.  In Sally's stash she found the following:

5  2 cent documentaries
1  4 cent documentary
1  5 cent documentary
1 10 cent documentary

All are used on piece.  I have no information about the document or the cancels on the document, or whether the stamps are rouletted or hyphen-holed. 

The new Scott Catalogue for 2012, listing the retail values for these stamps in very fine condition when not attached to their original document, has now been published.  What are the values for Sally's stamps?  I will use examples from my own collection to illustrate.  If you are familiar with the listed prices from last year, they haven't changed. 

2 cent documentary, R 164, used with handstamp cancel

Value, used, rouletted:  30 cents

Value, used, hyphen-holed:  25 cents

Standard, round perforations were not applied to battleship stamps.  Instead, short, knife like cuts called rouletting was applied during the first year and a half of the production of the stamps.  After December 1899, the stamps were perforated with slot-shaped perforations known as hyphen-hole perforations.  The value of these stamps varies by which type of perforation was applied.  On the two cent documentary above, the difference in value between the two types is insignificant.  On the 4 cent stamp below, the difference is significant:

4 cent documentary, R166, used handstamp cancel

Value, used rouletted:  35 cents

Value, used hyphen-hole:  $1.60

5 cent documentary, R167, used with handstamp cancel

Value, used rouletted: 35 cents

Value, used hyphen-hole: 35 cents

10 cent documentary, R168, used with handstamp cancel

Value, used rouletted: 25 cents

Value, used hyphen-hole: 25 cents

For Sally's stamps, unless the document on which her stamps are located has some significance, the stamps do not have much value.  Some of the battleship stamps had 100s of millions of copies of printed, so many are quite common.  However, some of the battleship values, and many in the right condition, may have some real monetary value.  Below I will do a check on the values of the balance of the documentary battleship revenues set in the 2012 Scott Catalogue.

Half cent documentary orange, R161, used with handstamp cancel

Value, used rouletted: $17.50

Value, used hyphen-hole: not issued.

The orange half cent stamp was issued for a brief period, and no hyphen hole versions were produced.  Genuinely used stamps are far scarcer and more valuable than unused stamps.

Half cent documentary gray, R162, used with handstamp cancel

Value, used rouletted:  25 cents

Gray half cent stamps were in use for the majority of the 1898-1902 period.  They are much more common than orange stamps.  No gray stamps are known with hyphen hole perforations.

One cent documentary pale blue, R163, used with handstamp cancel

Value used, rouletted: 25 cents

Value used, hyphen hole:  25 cents

Three cent documentary R165, used with handstamp cancel

Value used, rouletted:  35 cent

Value used, hyphen hole:  $1.40

Twenty five cent documentary R169, used with handstamp cancel

Value used rouletted:  50 cents

Value used hyphen hole:  50 cents

Forty cent documentary R170, used with handstamp cancel

Value used rouletted:  $1.25

Value used hyphen hole:  $30.00

Fifty cent documentary R171 used with handstamp cancel

Value used rouletted:  25 cents

Value used hyphen hole:  $1.00

Eighty cent documentary R172 used with handstamp cancel

Value used rouletted:  50 cents

Value used hyphen hole:  $50.00

In an upcoming post I will review unused values.

Tracking 1898 Values

Its been awhile since I've run a post on 1898 values.  I never purchased the 2011 Scott US Specialized, so I never reviewed price changes, or the lack of them, over the previous year's catalog.  But some interesting chatter in the ether lately has encouraged me to look at other indicators besides the Scott valuation of 1898s. 

Of course, here at this site we would never think that we could raise the popularity and demand of 1898s.  We do know that there is at least one big fish in the pond these days, and that always helps with values on the high end.  Seems more folks out there than just one or two know that 1898s are hot. 

I don't swim too much with the big fish, preferring the low-brow world of humble cancels.  But I do own some high-rent material, and the contributions of co-bloggers and others have helped display some remarkably desireable material here.
In January I ran a post on Harmer-Schau's upcoming auction that included some very interesting 1898 material.  The original auction, held January 28-30, can be found here.  I highlighted several lots, and said that I would come back to report on the auction results.  Well, I never did.  So we can look at a few lots now and see how they did.  I was always taught delayed gratification was a good thing!

The following four lots were included in the Harmer-Schau sale:

RB31p hyphen hole plate imprint block, estimate of $1200-1400 prior to auction

Realized $1093

It didn't break the estimate, but the block still managed to pull more than a $1000.  Just a few years ago in a Siegel sale, plate imprint blocks of this stamp sold for less than $400.  Somebody is paying attention to these now.  It helps that Scott now lists them. 

RB24p hyphen hole plate imprint block, estimate of $400-$500 prior to auction

Realized $460

This block fell into the estimate range. 

Mckesson & Robbins proprietary printed cancel collection - 181 dates/stamps, estimate $750 to $1000

Realized $575

Way below estimate.  However, while the realization relative to the estimate was low, consider another way to look at these.  During the Siegel sale of Henry Tolman's proprietary printed cancel material, his two volume collection sold as a single lot for approximately $4000.  His McKesson material represented several pages of the collection, yet was a fraction of the overall material.  In relative terms the McKesson collection above sold for terms far above the Tolman stamps.  Same applies to the Emerson stamps below:

Emerson Drug proprietary printed cancels collection - over 950 dates/stamps - Estimate $1800 to $2000

Realized $1668

Then there is the example of the Ebay lot below, listed by a seller who didn't even identify why the item was so special.  I'm not sure he knew it was extraordinary, and had to be surprised when the item sold for ton.  I originally posted on this lot the day it was sold. 

50 copies of R154 on a bond cancelled on the first day of use.

Realized: $787

Here we have a single 1898 document, with nothing but a few one cent revenues framing the page.  $787 later, it had a new owner.  Of course this document is special, but I would guess that it would have sold for no more than $300-500 five years ago. 

I don't have the patience to track other 1898 Ebay sales to establish if there is any sort of trend in values.  I will definitely buy the catalog this year, so we'll see where that takes us.  Meanwhile, if you've seen anything interesting to report on this matter, please contact us at 1898revenues@gmail.com.

July 14, 1898: Mekeels Advert for Battleships

Advert for M.C. Berlepsch for newly issued battleship revenue stamps

in the July 14, 1898 edition of Mekeel's

Two weeks after the war taxes came into effect, and stamp dealers were busy selling battleship revenue stamps.  Note that a plate strip of 10 of the 4 cent proprietary was for sale for a $1.40 from Mr. Berlepsch. 

Momen Ebay Store Listing of American Railways Cancel

THE AMERICAN RAILWAYS

APR

10

1901

COMPANY

Ebay item #190396158455 of a R175 $5 documentary

with CDS.  "Buy It Now" price of $95

Spectacular CDS by The American Railways Company

Currently available as an Ebay store item by Momen Stamps.  Great cancel from a company that I think was an east coast firm that controlled several urban railroads.  The stamps is great, though reasonably cheap without this cancel.  Most of the $95 is for the cancel.  Which is amazing.  I wonder if anybody will pay this price.  I could retire if most of my collection was priced similarly.

Tracking 1898 Values: 1/4 Cent Proprietary Battleship

The lowly quarter cent proprietary, common and cheap.  Unused copies sell for no more than a dealer would charge to recover his costs and maybe, just maybe, make a cent or two of profit.  If you are accustomed to collecting postage stamps of the 1898 era and you stumble across the valuations of the common battleships, you are likely to be shocked, as even the most common postage stamps of the era sell for far more than just a few pennies.  But supply and demand works in favor for the collector of battleship revenues.  Lots of stamps, and fewer collectors than for their postage cousins.  So while the plate blocks shown below do command a decent premium, there are plenty of stamps available to the revenue collector among these issues.

And for the quarter cent value of the proprietary series, there is lots to collect.  As you can see from the stamps below, the range of browns on this stamp varies dramatically.  The Scott catalog lists 5 different browns for this stamp: brown, red brown, yellow brown, orange brown, and bister.  In a future post I will try to match these color names to examples.  See if you can find these different varieties among the stamps below.

As with all the proprietary battleships, prices for the used versions of these stamps can vary dramatically based on the cancel applied to the stamp.  Printed, typed, and handstamped cancels from certain firms can command substantial premiums over the common versions of this stamp.  Examples of some of these more valuable cancels will be illustrated in a post in the next couple of days.

RB21 1/4 cent roulette proprietary single unused

2010 Scott Value: 20 cents

RB21p 1/4 cent hyphen hole proprietary single unused

2010 Scott Value:   20 cents

RB21p 1/4 cent roulette block of 4

2010 Scott Value: 50 cents

RB21p 1/4 cent hyphen hole block of 4

2010 Scott Value: 55 cents

RB21 1/4 cent roulette top plate block of six

2010 Scott Value: $110.00

RB21p 1/4 cent hyphen hole left imprint plate block of 6

2010 Scott Value: $125.00

RB21 1/4 cent imprint and value block of 9

Scott Value: None

Tracking 1898 Values: The 1/8 Cent Proprietary

Three days ago on January 5 in a post regarding 1/8 cent proprietary prices I mentioned that there were cancellations on these stamps that in certain cases sold at substantial premiums over Scott Catalog prices for "regular" used or unused copies of this stamp.  This post will highlight a couple (and small fraction) of those premium cancels.

We'll start with the most expensive cancel currently selling in Eric Jackson's Ebay store, a "BIG 4" cancel.

BIG

4

The stamp above is in my collection.  In Eric Jackson's Ebay store he currently lists an extra fine copy of this stamp, unlike the gouged copy above, for sale.  His price is $100.  This cancel is unlike most proprietary cancels.  The printed cancellation was applied by an printing company that printed four stamp collecting journals and magazines, and was applied in 1899 as an advertising stunt.  Despite its philatelic origins the cancel is scarce today.  The PAB used either two or three types of cancels on this stamp and only cancelled 1/8 cent proprietary stamps.

Eric Jackson's 1/8 cent proprietary printed cancels for sale can be found here: EJ 1/8 Cent printed cancels.  In the coming year I will file a more detailed post regarding the BIG 4 cancels.  Below is a stamp cancelled by a company for use on its proprietary products:

L  &  M  CO.

Jul.  9  1898

The above stamp was cancelled by Langley and Michaels, a firm based in San Francisco.  At the link to Eric Jackson's store above you can also find a copy of a stamp with this cancel for sale for $12.50.  Langley & Michaels also cancelled other values in the proprietary battleship series.

The above two stamps are a small sample of the many varieties of printed cancels on these stamps.  Handstamp cancels for the certain companies also sell for a premium, and have recently been available for sale by Robert Mustacich on Ebay.  Mustacich is a co-author of the Battleship Desk Reference, and has been selling parts of his collection.

While most used battleship stamps are relatively common and cheap, some are scarce and command higher prices than others.  Above are just two examples.  In the coming year I will be highlighting many relatively scarce proprietary stamps with printed and handstamp cancels.  Stay tuned.

Tracking 1898 Values: The 1/8 Cent Proprietary Battleship

Quite often I get hits on this blog from people looking for information about an old battleship revenue stamp.  One of the most common searches is for price information on the 1/8 cent battleship revenue.  While its quirky face value of 1/8 cent leads many to think the stamp must be rare and valuable, huge numbers were printed and used.  As a consequence single used copies of this stamp are common and cheap.  Even unused singles are similarly inexpensive.

However, there are certain presentations of this stamp that do have some value to collectors; even some cancelled versions of this stamp can sell for more than $10.  But you have to know what to look for.   I will present examples of some of these more valuable cancelled or used stamps in a post in the next few days, but first a review of the basics. 

The 1/8 cent proprietary was used to pay taxes on so-called "proprietary articles."  At the time these stamps were printed there were many items of alleged medicinal value that were sold under branded, or proprietary, names.  Any article 5 cents or less was taxed at a rate of 1/8 cent, and there were many products sold at 5 cents or less.  Proprietary products generally consisted of medicines of some kind, with names like Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup.  The bottle of syrup or the box that surrounded the product would have the stamp attached, and the stamp would be cancelled with the name or initials of the company or product and the date of the cancel.  Certain cancels are valued by collectors, and command a premium over others. 

For now, the basic stamp and some explanation of its value in unused and more common used conditions:

Unused 1/8 Cent Proprietary Stamp

Roulette "perforations"

2010 Scott Catalog price:  25 cents

Regular used versions of the stamp above and immediately below are priced at 25 cents by Scott.  When Scott prices a stamp at 25 cents it essentially has no value; the price is set at 25 cents so that a dealer has an incentive to stock and sell the stamp. 

Unused 1/8 Cent Proprietary Stamp

Hyphe hole perforations

2010 Scott Catalog price: 30 cents

Note the dramatic difference in value between the following two 1/8 cent stamp multiples.  The block of 4 below is worth little, and priced only at 75 cents by Scott.  But the plate number block of 6 below is another matter, and is priced at more than $100.00.  Collectors today collect this type of plate number material while at the time these stamps were issued plate blocks were rarely preserved.  So while the 1/8 cent battleship revenue is generally a cheap stamp, the 1/8 cent plate block is scarce and thus relatively expensive.

Unuese 1/8 Cent Block of Four

Hyphen hole perforations

2010 Scott Catalog price: 75 cents

Unused 1/8 Cent Plate Block of 6

Hyphen hole perforations

2010 Scott Catalog price:  $140.00

In a post in the next couple of days I will highlight copies of this stamp in used condtion that due to their special cancels command a premium price from collectors.

Tracking 1898 Values: Battleship Proprietary Plate Blocks

My copy of the 2010 Scott US Specialized Catalog arrived early in November.  My usual practice on receiving the catalog each year is to turn to the revenue section to see whether Scott Publishing has made any radical changes in prices, especially for the 1898s.  From 09 to 10 there were no changes of price among the battleships - not for singles, blocks of four, or part-roulettes, so far as I can tell.  But there was a major addition to the battleship listings in 2010.  Scott has chosen to list plate block prices for the battleships.

In the field of revenue collecting plate blocks have not been regularly collected.  There have been exceptions.  The first postage stamps to be overprinted for revenue use, the first 1898s from the first Bureau postage series, have been regularly collected in plate strip and plate block form. The blocks and strips are listed in Scott and have been for years.  This is probably because postage stamps were collected this way, and these stamps were, at one point, postage stamps.  But there have been no plate listings for the first, second, and third revenue series.  And for the most part there have been no subsequent plate listings.  But the battleships represent a change. 

I don't know why this change was made.  Listed advisors at the front of the catalog include the dealers Eric Jackson who maintains a substantial quantity of battleship plate blocks for sale on his website.  In the last few years Steve Wittig, a specialist in revenue and back-of-book plate material, has sold pieces of his collection.  And many battleship plate blocks were made available in the Tolman sale from about two and half years ago.  So there is some market activity, perhaps enough to make the case to list the battleship plate blocks. 

Whatever the case, we now have them in the catalog, and can track Scott's estimate of their value year over year.  Below I will look at the 2010 prices for some of the proprietary plate blocks in my collection, comparing Scott valuations with prices of blocks listed on Eric Jackson's website and a list of plate blocks and plate material for sale in 2008 by Steve Wittig.

RB20 One-Eighth Cent Yelllow Green Roulette Top Plate Block of Six

2010 Scott Value:  $140.00

2009 EricJackson.com: None listed

2008 Wittig: $100.00

RB20p One-Eighth Cent Yelllow Green Roulette Left Imprint Plate Block of Six

2010 Scott Value: $140.00

2009 EricJackson.com: $75.00

2008 Wittig: $100.00

RB21 One Quarter Center Brown Roulette Top Plate Block of Six

2010 Scott Value:  $110.00

2009 EricJackson.com:  $125.00

2008 Wittig:  $125.00

RB21p One Quarter Center Brown Hyphen-hole Left Imprint Plate Block of Six

2010 Scott Value: $125.00

2090 EricJackson.com: $75.00
2008 Wittig:  $125.00

RB22p Three-eigths Cent Deep Orange Hyphen-hole Left Imprint Plate Block of Six

2010 Scott Value: $200.00

2009 EricJackson.com: $125.00
2008 Wittig:  $125.00

RB23p Five-eigths Cent Deep Ultra Right Imprint Plate Block of Six

2010 Scott Value:  $100.00

2009 Eric Jackson.com:  $100.00
2008 Wittig:  $150.00

RB24p One Cent Dark Green Right Imprint Plate Block of Six

Scott 2010 Value:  $550.00

2009 EricJackson.com:  $900.00

2008 Wittig:  $650.00

I debated whether to post this block.  It looks like its been run over by a lawn mower.

RB25p One and One-quarter Cent Violet Left Imprint Plate Block of Six
2010 Scott Value:  $250.00
2009 EricJackson.com:  $200.00
2008 Wittig:  $200.00

RB27p 2 Cent Violet Brown Right Imprint Plate Block of Six

2010 Scott Value:  Dash -- no price

2009 EricJackson.com: $450.00

2008 Wittig:  $375.00

For several values of the proprietary series, both roulette and hyphen hole, only a dash is present.  The Scott value for the roulette RB27 is $475, nearly the same as Eric Jackson's hyphen-hole price.  RB29, RB30 and RB31 have dashes for both the roulette aand hyphen-hole plate blocks.  About a month ago Steve Wittig had an RB29 plate block for sale on eBay.  I posted on this auction item earlier in the fall.

RB28p 2 1/2 Cent Lake Left Imprint Plate of Six

2010 Scott Value: $375.00

2009 EricJackson.com:  $350.00

2008 Wittig:  $250.00

RB30p Four Cent Purple Left Imprint Plate Block of Six

Scott 2010 Value:  Dash - no value

2009 EricJackson.com:  none listed

2008 Wittig: $1,500.00

RB31p 5 Cent Brown Orange Right Imprint Plate Block of Six

2010 Scott Value:  Dash -- No price

2009 EricJackson.com 2009: $1500.00

2008 Wittig: $1750.00

I acquired this block along with a matching right side block from a Robert Siegel auction in 2007.  It sold for $375, substantially less than Jackson's website sale price.  The matching right-side block went for $350 at auction.

Its encouraging to see new Scott listings for items that I collect.  Unlike collectors of US postage stamps, the revenue field is loaded with possibilities for new listings.  The battleships are a winner in 2010.  It will be interesting to see whether these new listings creates a bit more life in this market for these items.

Thanks to Steve Wittig for sending his price list back in 2008.

 

Price of an RB29 Top Plate Bock

I don't own this either.  Steve Wittig does, and he is currently selling it on Ebay for $3,295.  See here:  Wittig Ebay RB29 Plate Block.  I wonder where the demand is for this type of materiel selling for this much these days.

There is quite a mismatch between the block from yesterday's post fetching only a fraction of its catalog value at auction and the price of this plate block.  I think I recall a Michael Aldrich catalog from probably 2 years ago in which this block was posted for sale, and it was even labeled as "ex-Wittig."  If this is the same block (I recall the centering being the same and there are just too few of these) then it doesn't appear if the block was ever ex-Wittig.  Whatever the case, much patience will be required to get the price being asked for this item.  Somewhere out there is a collector that might want it at the price.  Maybe not. Especially if it has been for sale for more than 2 years!

Post script April 2010:  It is likely that the block above was probably consigned to Mr. Aldrich for a period.   It likely never sold during the contracted period and was returned to Mr. Wittig.  So at least in terms of possession there was an "ex" period for this block.

Price of an Unused RB29p Block of Four

I don't own the block above.  It was sold to someone else in a Michael Aldrich auction on August 26.  The price realized page is here:  http://stampauctionnetwork.com/b/b6011.cfm#29.  I'm sorry I missed the sale, since the block went for $130.  The Scott value for this block is $425.  Clearly demand for this sort of material is not so great.  Especially when I looked today on the same Stamp Auction Network site and find stamps with catalog values of $10 selling for nearly $2000.  Stamp grading is generally bad for the hobby, but it does seem to be attracting the faddists and speculators into other areas.  The homely battleship seems safe.

Cancel for July 1: Part Roulette First Day of Use

July 1, 1898 First Day of Tax Period Printed Bullseye Cancels by Smith, Kline and French pharmaceutical company. The pair above is a part roulette pair and has no rouletting between the stamps. There is a bit of a scuff on the left stamp.

===

Smith Kline and French experienced numerous name and corporate changes, becoming SmithKline Beckman in 1982 and then SmithKline Beecham after mergers, the latter in 1989. In 2000, SmithKline Beecham merged with Glaxo Wellcome to become Glaxo Smith Kline, a UK-based company and one of the largest pharmaceutical firms in the world today.

===

Listing and Value: In the Scott Catalogue the 5/8 cent proprietary stamp is listed under Scott #RB23. The item listed as "horizontal pair imperf vertically" (actually part roulette) is numbered RB23b. There is a value given in the 2009 US Specialized Catalogue for this item in unused condition: $350. That value is italicized, meaning the item is difficult to value accurately. In the case of this pair there just is not much market activity. However, even the italicized value is for the unused pair, not a used or cancelled pair. For that item there is only a blank, and not even a dash. The dash normally indicates the known existence of an item but no value can be placed on the item. "Christopher West" in his series in Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News published nearly 90 years ago did not indicate he knew of the existence of the 5/8 cent proprietary without vertical rouletting, either used or unused. This is a very interest pair given the printed cancel, its date, and the nature of the part rouletting. This pair was a part of Henry Tolman's collection.