on coins are soon effaced by use. Postage stamps, moreover, are infinitely more circulated than coin at a distance, the transmission of the latter requiring more trouble and expense.

It is to be regretted that the different states do not adopt for their stamps the sovereign's effigy, concurrently with his own. private arms or those of the country over which he reigns.

We-devoutly wish the cancellation were managed so as not to utterly destroy the type, as is unfortunately the case in Belgium, India, Hong Kong, &c.

Envelope stamps are generally of perfect execution, but it is undoubtedly labour lost; for pressure soon damages the cameo appearance, if not already done by the cancelling apparatus.

Would the postal officials only read these lines and study their import, we are convinced they would take every opportunity of satisfying people both in an artistic, scientific, and historical respect.

It is also to be desired that engravers would employ more art in the reproduction of effigies-more exactness in featuring the sovereigns-that there may not be official in flat contradiction to truthful portraits. We do not think history can gain aught by the exaggerated flattery of these gentle

men.

The ancients perpetuated the glorious deeds of history by means of their coins. By the same means have been cleared up many knotty historical points: by coins has its domain been extended, and the precise arms, utensils, and costume of the ancients ascertained; they have preserved to us the features of the greatest men of antiquity, as well as the shape of several large buildings since destroyed by arms, fire, or time. As true pages of history, they serve as testimony, justification, or contradiction to such writers as Tacitus, Livy, or Sallust. They establish the dates of great events, they make us acquainted with the origin of cities, provinces, and Roman colonies.

convenience all that art and history entrusted to ancient coin.

From these coins it is that we are made acquainted with and even possess those beautiful types of Nerva, Trajan, Antoninus, &c. We much doubt if remote posterity will ever possess a single specimen of our copper coinage.

It is true that special medals relate not only the principal facts, but even facts of a secondary interest that the ancients would disdain to notice. That is some compensation doubtless, but by no means satisfactory; and even in this sense their number is excessively limited in comparison with current money, a few cabinets alone possessing them.

Now since money cannot at present, as in Roman times, serve to perpetuate the history of nations, why not consecrate postage stamps to that use?

On an average, six postage stamps are employed in each state the lowest and highest values might bear the sovereign's effigy; the second and last but one in price might carry the arms and colours of the country; the intermediate stamps could be reserved for perpetuating events of con

sequence.

Four would thus undergo the changes of dynasty or reign, and the others be more frequently altered.

Would this be an inconvenience? We think not; especially as in certain states, for the prevention of fraud, impressions are almost annually renewed.

As to the final complaint of the same newspaper, we think it must be a joke; not having the least notion that stamp-trafficking ever had an illicit aim. Many amateurs, ourselves among others we own, have indeed tried to cleanse our specimens as much as possible from the hideous post marks that disfigured them; and we know by experience that these attempts, pushed too far, have been attended with disastrous consequences.

The administration is no doubt in the right to preoccupy itself with a question that would seem to menace financial interests, but we are convinced that so far from being prejudicial, the extraordinary extension of this new branch of commerce that has risen up in so strange a manner

is wonderfully productive to the revenue; since, besides these shoals of obliterated postage stamps-which in our opinion are exported only to paper the apartments of some eccentric celebrities-considerable sums of money are expended for the purchase of unused specimens, destined to adorn the thousands of albums whose leaves are daily turned over in every part of the world.

E. DE RIVES DE SEINE.

REVIEWS OF POSTAL PUBLICATIONS. Postage-Stamp Album. Illustrated with Maps. By JUSTIN LALLIER, Member of the Archæological Societies of Orleans and Sens, and of the French Society for the Preservation of Historical Monuments. Second edition, revised, corrected and enlarged. Paris: A. Lenègre. 'GREAT cry, and little wool,' as a certain unmentionable personage is reported to have said on shearing a pig. Mons. Jules Lallier, as he calls himself in his preface-we did not know that Justin and Jules are synonymous-deserves great credit for being one of the first, if not the primary introducer of postage-stamp albums; but in the interval between his first and second editions, there has been ample time to make more corrections and additions than he has done, although many improvements, in truth,

there are.

The mythical Newfoundland halfpenny is of course still quoted, although nonexistent, and never-existent. To make things square, however, he omits the wellknown fourpenny and sixpenny of that island.

And here we may take occasion to own we were mistaken in supposing the twopenny has not been printed in the new dark colour. We saw one this morning in Mr. Thornton Lewes's choice collection of unused specimens; also one of much deeper colour than they now are. We suppose Mons. Lallier ignores colour, as no mention is made of the change of colour of the Bahamas, British Guiana penny stamps (of which there are four distinct colours), Turkish, the 2 n. g. Saxon, of the oldest issue, and numerous others. On the contrary, there are spaces left for stamps of

which we have never heard, as the 3 kr., orange; 6 kr., green; 9 kr., pink, and 18 kr., blue, oval envelope stamps for Würtemberg. We shall be glad to be set right, if such stamps exist. The now well-known old Moldavian stamps are unnoticed; the 15 c. Italy, of the last impression; the 6 bai. Romagna; the old issue of Monte Video, &c. There is room for one Antigua stamp only, and no mention even of that in the letter-press; and one of the three 8-reales Mexican is ignored. Smith and Elder's stamps are introduced among the Indian.

In conclusion, we should be very grateful for a sight of the reddish-brown, octagonal, threepenny English envelope; the oval Finlands which fit into square compartments; and the upright rectangulars fitting into oblong ovals. This reminds us of the quaint conceit of an old author, who compared life to a board pierced with holes of various shapes, and human beings to pegs in like manner diversely shaped. How frequently,' is his piteous but legitimate complaint, do we see the round man put in the threecornered hole!'

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the STAMP COLLECTOR'S MAGAZINE.' SIR,-Enclosed I send you five samples of the new United States two-cent postage stamp; the first of that denomination issued by this Government. The head is that of Andrew Jackson (and for heaven's sake don't let any of your correspondents persuade you that it is the late Stonewall Jackson), twice President of the United States and a major-general during the last war with Great Britain. I think the stamp a model of ugliness; but I may be prejudiced, as my design was rejected. Yours truly, New York.

J. GAYLER.

To the Editor of the 'STAMP COLLECTOR'S MAGAZINE.' SIR,-In reference to your article on page 56 of the magazine, I forward you an extract from a Hamburg newspaper, just come into my hands, and which will certainly amuse your readers.

"The postage-stamp exchange has just received a heavy blow. A certain M. Scheerenbeck, proprietor of the Institut Hamburger Boten, ordered stamps in the usual postal form, in the centre of which figures the Hamburg arms-a castle-and his own name beneath. He sent those stamps to England and elsewhere for sale to collectors. Some enterprising clerks, in imitation of this, ordered a series of stamps to be struck off, the same in number (20), inscribed Verein Hamburger Boten, tho figure 1 or in the centre, and Th. Lafrenz below. A lot of these were also sent to England, &c.

M. Scheerenbeck, feeling himself insulted by that proceeding, bought 2000 specimens of these Lafrenz stamps, which he consigned as corpus delicti to the police authorities, denouncing his competitors as propagating postage stamps of a non-existing institution. The head of the police gave judgment as summarily as Solomon. He not only confiscated the stamps of the non-existing institution, but threatened M. Scheerenbeck with a fivethaler fine, if he persisted in using the arms of Hamburg for a private speculation.

Our readers may see how far the humbugging system is carried in postage stamps when they hear that stamps are issued by order of the " Company of Shoeblacks;" others by "The United Theatres," inscribed, "Dissolved in the year so-and-so," and a cipher in the centre. A stamp is now ready for the English market, professedly emanating from pretended agents of the "Society of Publicans," with a pint pot in lieu of arms in the middle!'

Accept the best compliments of
Yours truly,
OSCAR BERGER-LEVRAULT.

Strasburg.

To the Editor of the STAMP COLLECTOR'S MAGAZINE.' DEAR SIR,-Being recently in the company of an Austrian official, I asked him the reason of the changes in the postage stamps. He told me that the Government of Austria decided upon changing the stamps, so as to have the arms instead of the head, for this reason, viz., that when the sovereign dies they would be obliged to have a different set of dies, and therefore they have changed them to the arms instead of having the head; so that they do not anticipate having to change again.

Saxony, I suppose you are also aware, has changed her stamps from the head to the arms. They were issued on the 1st of July. The colours are different from the old ones, in several instances.

I have been informed (I cannot, however, answer for its being true) that it is contemplated in Brussels, that the Belgian Government will shortly issue a set of stamps, bearing the lion of Brabant on a shield, and of the values of 1, 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 c.

On dit in Turin that the Italian essay stamps are expected to take the place of the present issue, and that they will consist of 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40, 80, and 1 lire. Hoping you will find space for the insertion of the above,

I remain yours truly,

WILLIAM FREDERIC COOKE.

Name [SACHSEN] and arms embossed in white relief on coloured ground. Col. imp. ; plain oval.

1 neu groschen red. 2 n. gr. blue.
3 n. gr. brown.

United States of America.

July, 1863. Inscription [U. S. POSTAGE], head of President Lincoln in oval, figure indicating value in upper angles; value in words and letters U. S. in lower angles. Black imp.; rect.

2 cents.

It will thus be seen that the Disunited States' do not despair of becoming 'United.'

The Baden Land Post stamps are now no longer used, and will soon become scarce.

The Danish government will shortly issue envelope stamps, the design to be adopted being already decided I am, dear Sir, Yours truly, MOUNT BROWN.

124, Cheapside, London, E.C.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

H. EVERALL.-Your 3 n. g. Saxon has not the slightest appearance of ever having been yellow; and, notwithstanding our Leipsig authority, we cannot help believing in the white issue.

SZEZRZEC, Harlow.-The language of the Sandwich Islands is as much an unknown tongue to us, as that to which your own pseudonym belongs.

W. X. Z., Torquay.-The 6 kr. and 9 kr. Baden, black on white, we believe were in Mr. Brown's first and second editions, but have been discarded from the later. They are generally supposed to be, like the 3 n. g. Saxon alluded to above, naturally or artificially faded specimens. You will find your Canton Bern figured in our June number. It is a bill stamp, and there are similar ones of various denominations; but, as we have said before, this stamp seems to have been allowed, like the Jamaica shilling receipt, to do duty occasionally as a postage stamp. Since writing the above, we have seen what we believe is a genuine specimen of a 9-k. white Baden. It was taken from an old letter, received some years since.

L. M.-Your 15-kr. Austrian on buff may possibly be an envelope stamp, printed on paper such as is now generally used by the Americans.-The French 20 c. republic we have before noted in our addenda as printed on white and on tinted paper.-Your Belgium 40 c., violet brown, and 8 pies, purple, India, must be discoloured specimens.-The 1d. Cape of Good Hope is often a very brown red.-We never heard of the 20 c. blue on blue; 20 c., brown; or 40 c., red on blue, Sardinian, 1851. Such peculiar stamps should be sent for inspection, as it is impossible to give an opinion from the simple description. We intended noticing the two shades of colour in the Swedish 12, 24, and 30 öre in their due place, and also the two colours of the 24-c. U. S., last issue; the two varieties of the 12-cuartos Spain, 1860; and a whole set of Swiss that have never yet been catalogued.-The 1d. white envelope of Great Britain, having passed the post, is entitled to be considered a postage stamp.-The twopenny yellow Great Britain must be a chemical swindle. To distinguish Austrian and some other envelopes from their adhesive congeners, a good margin of paper should be left. We think we have remarked this before.-We introduce two sets of Greeks into our own album. In addition to the numbers impressed upon the backs, except in the 1 1. and 2 1., the later printed stamps are darker in appearance, there being much more shading about the face, giving Mercury what Mercury never had-a whisker.

H. B., Primrose Hill.-Your 12 c. and 24 c. United States are both of the issue of 1857.

C. E. S., Weymouth, states that the 10 and 1-kop. Russian envelope was in use as early as the year 1855,three years before the date given in Mount Brown's manual.

G. E. W., St. Mary's, Harlow.-We have never seen the 6 pfennige of the early issue of Prussia otherwise than brown on white, not vermilion.-The 15-c. Italy, blue, of the present year, was in use two or three months only, having been soon superseded by the present stamp of that value.-The sixpenny Canada, black, is rare, but the twelvepenny is almost unattainable.-The laureated heads in the New South Wales stamps, on blue paper, are a trifle inferior in execution to those on white.-1 he 1 peseta, brown, of the present Peruvian issue is noticed in this number, as well as in Mr. Brown's fourth edition.We believe the Moldo-Wallachian, but not the Moldavian, stamps are in actual use.

E. SMITH, Liverpool.-You will see the distinction between the Portuguese impressions noticed in our addenda, in the present number.-The omission of the shilling and sixpenny octagonal adhesives was mentioned in the last number: it was quite an oversight of Mr. Brown's.

R. S., Oxford.-Your pale and deep-orange 2-annas Indian, may be considered as varieties. The Lafrenz swindles were appended to Mount Brown's third edition, but are properly discarded from his fourth. You will find their history explained in a translation from a Hamburg newspaper, in the present number.

TONY, Birkenhead. We have ourselves the shilling and sixpenny English octagonal, both as adhesives and envelopes. We had noticed the two shades of colour in some of the latter. We have never seen the tenpenny otherwise than as adhesive. As you rightly observe, some have threads and others none; the latter may be from envelopes, but the sixpenny appear invariably without threads.

E. B. SHAW.-Your first question has been previously answered. The 1-franc French has been long discontinued.

S. K., Torquay -The fictitious Danish essay may be easily known from the genuine, by the long beard noticeable in the accompanying engraving.

J. COUPER, Swansea.-We have elsewhere acknowledged our error in imagining the twopenny Newfoundland had not been issued of the new colour. Possibly the eightpenny will come out likewise, but we do not see why stamps should be anticipated before issue.-Thanks for the information that the Ireland Private Office stamps of Lallier's album are the pink and green Petty Sessions stamps. We have recently seen them.

6

R. S., Torquay.-Your Florida stamps, upright rectangular; without value indicated; galloping courier on horseback, shoulder-strap and post-bag; marked Express; one yellow-brown, the other rose-coloured,' may or may not be genuine. We have never heard of or seen them.-We believe in the 12-cents Canada, blue. R. F. WILME.-The rarest of the Sandwich Island stamps is the 2 cents, large figure.-The 20-c., 25-c., and 40-c. French republic are equally common. The other three are very much scarcer.-A black penny English in good condition is worth the current value.

E. BOLTON SHAW.-The new Saxons, which we describe elsewhere, were issued on the 1st of July.-The very minute figures on the right and left sides of the new blue English, represent the number of the complete sheet from which they are taken, which has a corresponding figure in the corner. The new penny issue is marked in the same way.

YOUNG & Co., Aintree, near Liverpool, Whole

their Price List, giving full particulars of prices, &c., of 1000 vari ties of used and unused Stamps, en receipt of two postage stamps. Example of prices call other kinds equally low):- Austrian Italy, 2 s., 2d. each, 16 per dezen: 3 s., 3d. each. 2 per dozen; Barbadoes, green, 2d. each, 1/6 per dozen; blue, 3d. each, 2 per dozen; Brazil, 10 r., 2d. each, 1/ per dozen; 50 r., 3d, each. 2 per dezen; Lubeck, Bergedorf, and Hamburg, sch., Id. each, 10d. per dozen: 1 sch., 2d. each, 16 per dozen; Baden, Bavaria, Germany, and Wurtemburg, 1 kr., 1d. each, d. per dozen; Luxemburg, 1 c., Id. each, 4d, per dez u ; 2 e., Id, each, sd. per dezen; 4 c., 2d. each, 1/ per dezen; 10 and 121 c., 2d. each, 1/9 per dozen; Grecce, 1 lept., 1d. each, Ed. per dozen; 2 lept., 1d. each. 10d. per dozen; Berlin Express, 8. g., 2d. each, 1/ per dozen; 1 s. g., 3d. each, 1/10 per dozen; 28. g.. 4d. each, 3 per dozen; Hanover and Saxony, 3 pf., 1d. cach, gd, per dozen ; Germany, and s. g., 1d. each, l. per dozen; St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Nevis, Trinidad, Bahamas, Newfoundland, and Prince Edward's Island penny, 4d. each, 3/3 per dozen; Costa Rica, r., 2/6 cach; Liberia, 6 c., 1/ each. All the above are unused.

OMEGA, Everton, Liverpool, has an extensive assort

ment of Foreign Postage Stamps in stock. The following are a few-Antigua, penny; Bahamas, penny; Barbadoes, blue, green ; Jamaica, penny; Nevis, penny; Newfoundland, penny; St. Vincent, penny-all 31. each; Baden, 1, 1d.; Land Post, 1, id.: Bremen. 2, 2d. ; 3, 3d. British Guiana, 1 e., black, 2d. ; 2 c.. 3d.; 4 c., 5d. ; 8 e.. 7d.; Canada (Envelopes), 5 c., 6d.; 10 e.. 9d. ; Confederate States (fac-similes), 3d. each, or 3 the set of 15; Germany (N.), 1, 4, . at 1d. each; Greece, 1, 1d.; 2. 1d.; 5, 2d.; 10. 3d.; Hamburg, .1d.; Hanover, gr., 1d.; 3 pf., 1d. old envelopes, 1 g. gr., 9d.: 1 gr., rose, 1/6: Ionian Islands, d. per set of 3; Liberià, 6 c., 1/; Lubeck, old and new. 1/3 per set; Wallachia, 3, bd.: 6, 5d.: 30, 1; Natal, penny, 4d.: New Brunswick, 1 c., 2d.: Nova Scotia, 1 c., 2d,; new 2 c., 3d.; Papal States, §. 14d. ; 1, 1fd.; 2, 3d.; 3, 4d.; Prince Edward's Island, penny, 3d.; twopenny, 4d.: threepenny, 7d.; Saxony (new kind. just issued), 3 pf., 14d. ; į gr.. id.; 1, 3d.; 2, 5d.: 3, 6d. ; 5, 9d.; or 2/ the set of six; envelopes, 2 the set of four; St. Lucia, red. 3d.; blue, 9d.; Trinidad, red, id.; Turkey, yellow. 5d.; United States envelopes, 1. 2d. : 3, 4d.; 6, 6d.; 10, 1; Venezuela, 4d. each, or 10d. the set of three: Hamburg Locals, 1, 1/3, 1/6 per set of ten. All the above are unused. The following are used, but in good condition :-- Baden (figure in centre), 3 kr., blue, yellow, green, 6, green, 3d. each; 6, yellow, 9, pink. 2d, each; French Colonies, 10 e., 40 e., 3d. each; Hanover (first issue), 1 g. gr., 1-10, 4d. each; 1-30, 1-30, 1-15, 2d. each; second issue, 1. gr., 1-10, 4d. each; 1-30, 1-15, 2d. each; India (old), 4, 1, 2, 4, 6d. each; Prussia (first issue), 1, 2, 3, 2d. each; second issue, 1, 2, 3, 1d. each : Saxony (first issue), 1 gr., 4d.; 1, 2, 3, 3d. each. List sent on receipt of a stamped-directed envelope.

FORGED STAMPS: HOW to DETECT THEM, by

THORNTON LEWES and EDWARD PEMBERTON. Contains full descriptions of all kinds of Forged Stamps. All orders to be sent to EDWARD PEMBERTON, Beaufort Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. Post free, 1/1.

CAUTION! The great sale of the SHILLING

style of advertisement, with the intent to palm off on the public their very inferior publication, R. PEGG hereby gives notice the Sbilling Album' can be obtained only at 11, Holles Street, Dublin.

E.

C. HALL, Foreign Stamp Dealer, Hartlepool, general, that he has Postage Stamps of almost every country constantly on hand, a great many of which he receives direct, and can, therefore, offer them cheaper than any other dealer, For one stamp he will send an assortment on inspection. Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Romagne, &c. Orders punctually attended to. E. C. H. is desirous to correspond with parties resident on the Continent and elsewhere.

IMPORTANT to THOSE ABOUT to COLLECT.

C. G., Acomb House, Manchester, has a Collection for sale, containing 1200 varieties of Stamps, more than 600 of which are unused. Price only £40, but no reasonable offer will be refused,

FR

RANCE: Presidency, 25 c., and Republic, 20 c., at 1/10 per dozen, or 10 per hundred. Others equally cheap. Decroix, Bazaar, Dover.

TIMBRES POSTE ÉCHANGES.-S. T., Post Office,

Weymouth, sera heureux de recevoir aucune quantité de timbres poste vieillis du Continent, en échange de ceux des Colonies Anglaises, dont il a beaucoup. S. T. traitera bien libéralement avec ses correspondants.

MR. WILLIAM COOKE, Dover, will forward selec

tions from his magnificent stock of Obsolete Stamps for inspection. Dealers liberally dealt with.

EDWARD UPJOHN. Bookseller, supplies Foreign

of the London and Provincial Stamp Collector's Guide und Advertiser, with Monthly Suminary, List of Dealers, &c., One Penny. 24, Bow Street, Covent Garden, W.C.

20 STAMPS for SIXPENCE.-The Sixpenny Packet

of Stamps contains 20 varieties of Foreign and Colonial Postage Stamps, all in good condition, many being unobliterated. Post free for seven stamps. Address, STAFFORD SMITH & SMITH, 13, George Street, Bath.

JAMES SHELTON, Grimsby, wishes to purchase

5000 obliterated Colonial and Obsolete Stamps. Lowest price per 500 wanted. For sale, Swiss Rayons, 3/3 per dozen, or 50. mixed, for i1; Mexico, mixed, 8/ per dozen. Selections sent on receipt of stamp.

D. Mc CORKINDALE, 37, Abbotsford Place, Glas

gow. Send for Summer List. Prices very cheap. Nova Scotia, threepenny and sixpenny, each 4d.; Saxony, 1, 2, 3, old, 4d., 3d., and 2d. each; Mauritius, 3d, eacli; Romagnas, 1/ each, &c.

SAMUEL K. CROMPTON, 8,

Prince's Terrace,

Birkenhead, has a Collection of 340 Foreign Stamps (100 are unused) to sell to the highest bidder. List sent on receipt of stamped envelope.

A. BENSON, Throston Street, Hartlepool, begs to

announce that he can send, on receipt of stamped envelope, his large printed Price List of used and unused Foreign Stamps, which will be found one of the largest and cheapest yet issued.

CO

MOINS! COINS! COINS!-Collectors will receive, per return of post, the new edition of H. G. Smith's printed Price List of Coins, on receipt of stamped envelope, Stocks of Stamps selling off at greatly reduced prices. Address, 12, Chestnut Street, Waterloo Road, Manchester.

OOK BEFORE YOU PURCHASE.-C. K. JONES, and new issues) of Stamps on inspection, on receipt of a stamped-directed envelope. Apply at once.

WANTED, Agents to sell old Hanover, old Bruns

wiek, old Sachsen (1850, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5), Spanish, Brazil, Antigua, Nevis, American envelopes, French President and French Republic at 3d. each, Bremen (1 and 2 g.), Helvetia, old Canton Swiss, Bergedorf, Lubeck, and others too numerous to mention. Fifteen per cent, allowed on advertised prices. Apply at once to C. K. JONES, 59, Barlow Street, Ardwick, Manchester.

E SIXPENNY PACKET of STAMPS.-This

Tacked contains 20 varieties of Foreign and Colonial Postage

Stamps, all in good condition, many being unobliterated, Post free for seven stamps. Address, STAFFORD SMITH & SMITH, 13, George Street, Bath.

HENRY WHITTAKER, Winchester Terrace, Regent

Road, Salford, supplies all kinds of Foreiga Stamps, at extraordinary low prices. For particulars and List send one stamp.