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TheSantaRosaStampClub:Promotingthestudy,knowledge,andenjoymentofstampcollecting.

APSChapter1584

Editor’sNoteDennisBuss

ThisissueoftheNewsletterrepresentsthesecondsentoutthismonth.ItispartoftheClub’sefforttoreachouttomembersduringtheCovid-19restrictionsthatpreventusfromresumingourregularFinleyCentermeetings.Wewantyoutoknowthattheclubisstillaliveandkicking.Ourboardmemberswillbecallingeachofyouaskinghowyouarecopingwiththevirusscare,whatyouhavebeendoingwithyourcollectionthesepastfewmonthsandwhatopinionyoumighthaveaboutoptionsonresumingmeetings.Weplantoshareasummaryofthesephonecallswithallofyou.Inthemeantime,Ihopeyoufindthisissueinformativeandworthwhile.HowtoTellifaStampHasBeenRe-GummedPaulvonGottfried

WhenRowlandHillinventedtheadhesivepostagestampin1840,athinmucilagewasappliedtotheback.Unusedstampswerenotcollecteduntilthe1870’sand1880’s.Collectorspredominantlycollectedusedstamps.Afterall,whycollectastampnotusedforitsintendedpurpose?Manystampsbefore1870wereissuedwithoutgum.Whenunusedstampswerefirstcollected,theywereeitherlickedorpastedintoalbums,whichwerethencomingintovogue.Occasionallystampsweretapeddown.Wemaylookonthispracticewithhorrornow,butitwascommonpracticeuntiltheearly1900’s.Indeed,theonlyreferencetogumduringthistimewasonhowtoremoveit.Since1930debatehasragedoverwhethertocollectstampswithoriginalgumornot.“Isitoriginalgum?”maybethemostimportantquestioninphilatelytodayasithastakenongreatermeaningthaneverbefore.Determiningwhetherornotastamphasbeenre-gummedisnotaneasymatter.Manystampspurportingtobeoriginalgumarere-gummednowadays.Yearsagoonlycomparativelyexpensivestampswerere-gummed.Nowadays,apersonarmedwithasmallcontainerofmucilagecanservicenumerousstampsfromhome.Are-gummercanbuyhingedstamps,washoffthegum,andre-gumthem.Anafternoon'sworkwillnetthismoraldwarf300or400percentprofit.Soitbehoovescollectorstoknowhowtotelloriginalgum.Itisinconvenient,expensiveandtimeconsumingtosendeveryoneofyourpurchasesofftothePhilatelicFoundationortheAmericanPhilatelicExpertizationService.Moreover,theysimplyusethetechniqueoutlinedbelow.Knowledgeofstampprintingisrequiredinidentifyingre-gummedstamps.Whenstampsareprinted,theyareprintedonasheetofpaperthatisthengummedand

Vol.9,No.4 July21,2020

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perforated.Thisisthecluetoexpertizinggum.Ongenuinelygummedstampstheperforationsareappliedafterthestamphasbeengummed.Onre-gummedstampsthegumisappliedaftertheperforationshavebeenmade.Ifyoutakeanordinary15ccommemorativeandbreakitfromthesheet,youwillnoticethewaytheperforationsslightlyfrayandhowthegumdoesnotextendaroundtheperforationtips.Onre-gummedstamps,thegumtendstoglobontheperforationtips,extendingmicroscopicallybeyondthem,andmakingtheperforationtipsbrittletothetouch.Sometimestheperforationscurl

alittleonstampswithoriginalgum.Onre-gummedstamps,thestampisrigidandflatthroughtheperforations.Thisisthemajortest.Re-gummersarenowusingmicronsprayerstonearlyduplicatethecharacteristicsofgenuinegum.Moretimesthannot,theywashtheoriginal"hinged"gumoffthestampandreapply,withno"hinged"characteristics.Ifitisimportanttoyou,thebestadviceistobuyneverhingedstampsbacktoabout1920.Thisistheperiodwhenreasonablestocksofphilatelicmaterialwerestillavailableandsotrue"NH"

materialcouldsurfacefromthesestockswhenthe"NH"fadbegan.But,before1920(andthisisincreasinglytrueforeachdecadethatyougoback)ahingemarkisyoursurestguaranteethatyouareindeedbuyingoriginalgum.

Ihaveincludedastampfromtheoriginalsetissuedin1913byAustralia,famouslydepictingthekangaroo.Thevalueforamintstampinthe2020Scottcatalogis$130and$200foraMNHexample.Thestampshownhereisre-gummed.HowdidIdeterminethatthestampwasre-gummed?Thegumextendstotheendsoftheperforations.Thetipsoftheperforationsarerigidandflat.Thegumisuniformandwithoutanycracks,unusualforastampfrom1913.Additionally,thegumisdarkerthanstampsofAustraliaandspecificallyfromthistimeperiodandparticularlyfromthisset.Thisisanotherwaytotellifastamphasbeenre-gummed:ifthecolorofthegumisdissimilartootherstampsfromthatcountryofthatera.Re-gummedstampssellforless.Whenweresumeourregularclubmeetings,Iwillbringthestampformemberstoexamine.Gumisavitaldeterminanttostampvalue.Itwasnotalwaysso,butnowitprobablywillalwaysbe.But,considerthis,earlynogumstampsarebeginningtoriseasfastasoriginalgumonesare.AperfectoriginalgumsetofColombianswouldsellforabout$8,000,neverhingedabout$15,000,andnogumabout$4,000.Itmightbetoomuchtogooutonalimbandpredicttherenaissanceofnogumstamps,butcertainlythispredictionisnomoreoutrageousthanwasthepredictiontwenty-fiveyearsagofortheimmenseriseof“og,NH".Originalgumbearscracksandseemstoadheretothestamppaperinawaythatisdifferentfromare-gummedstamp.

Butwhatdoes"neverhinged"reallymeananyway?Itdoesnotonlymean,assomeliteralgraderswouldhaveit"neverhinged".A"NH"stampmustofcoursebeneverhinged,butitmustalsobe,tousetheGermantermfor"neverhinged,"PostOfficeFresh.Thestampmayneverhavebeentouchedwithahingeandthegummustbe,inallways,pristine.Adescriptionsuchas"smallgumsoak,andlargestickypiecesofblackgummedpaperstucktoback,otherwiseNH",meansnomorethan"VeryFinebutforsmallhole"or"choicebutforlargedisfiguringtear."Astampiseither"NH"oritisnot"NH;"thereisnosuchthingas"NHbut"!

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Becautiousinyourcondemnationofre-gummedstampsthough."Alittleknowledgeisadangerousthing",AlexanderPopewrote,andhewasright.Considerthis:theadventofmodernstampmounts,sealedon2,3,or4sideshasputseverestrainongum.Gum,especiallyinhotandhumidclimatestendtosweatorrunsimilartotheadhesiveonScotchtape.IhavenumerousCaribbeanGeorgeVIstampsthatareNHbutthegumisdarkenedandstreaky.Theyaretechnicallyoriginal,NHgum.Thisstreakinganddarkeningofgumisanaturalprocess,butonethatishastenedinitsprocesswhenastampisinamount.Amountisaminiaturesweatbox,soifyouhaveyourstampsinmountsbesurethereisadhesiveventilationandthatthestampsareleftcoolallyearround.Ikeepstampsonstockcardsthatarenotas‘sweaty’asstampmounts.Manycollectorsdon’tcareifthemintstampisoriginal,NHgum.Ifyoudocareaboutthis,youareinavulnerableposition.Intheendyoursurestbet,aswithmostimportantphilatelicpurchases,istobuyyourstampsfromknowledgeableprofessionals.Almostallreputabledealerswillsellgenuinematerialandreimburseyouifanhonestmistakeismade.MostPublicAuctionhousesofferanunconditionalguaranteeandguaranteetheiropinions.U.S.“General”FirstDayCovers:WhatHappened?ConclusionStephenBrettWhatIsTheValueofaFirstDayCover?

Thevalueofthefirstdaycovercanvarywidelydependingupondemand.AnFDCwithoutacachetorcomplimentaryartpiecemaybeconsideredworthlesstocollectors.Unparalleledpiecessellformuchmore.In1996,auniqueissueintheUnitedStatessoldforabout$120,000.

Collectorscanincreasethevalueoftheirfirstdaycoversbyselectinglimited-releasestampsonmatchingcover.Aninformativeorcomplimentarycachettotheleftofthestampalsoincreasesvalue.Commerciallyprintedcachetsareconsideredlessvaluablethanthoseproducedinlimitedquantitiesbywell-knownartists.DifferentKindsofFDC's

FleetwoodbeganproducingFDC'sin1941withtheVermontStateIssue.MysticacquiredFleetwoodin2007.Fleetwoodwatermarksandusesfinelinenpaperontheircovers.MysticbeganproducingFDC'sin1992withthePledgeofAllegianceissueandendedin2007withtheHenryW.Longfellowissue.Mysticcovershavefull-coloredcachetsandfeaturecommemorativeU.S.stampissuesattheFirstClassrate.

"Silk"FDC'sproducedbyColoranowereintroducedin1971withtheAmerica'sWoolissueandfinishedin2016withtheSnowflakesissueafterMysticpurchasedColorano'sstockthesameyear.Eachcolorillustrationisprintedonsatin-finishedfabric,fastenedtothecoverandsurroundedbyagold-embossedborder.SilkFDC'sfeatureregularissuesandcommemoratives.Theircoversareunaddressed.

ClassicFDC'sarefromvarioussourcesandcandatefromthe1920'stothepresent.Theircachet'sarevariousandmaybeaddressedorunaddressed,illustratedornotillustrated.Assaidearlier,GeorgeLinniswidelycreditedwithproducingthefirstFDCthatdepictedthe1923Hardingmourningstamp,US#610.Ithasasimpletextcachet(seeabove).

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Somecollectorsmaketheirowncachets.Thankstotheeaseofprintingwithcomputers,acollectormayaddhisorherowncachet.Ifonecandraw,printorpainttheircollectionneednothaveblankenvelopes.FDCcollectorsalwaysinviteagoodartistintothefoldandanyonecanbecomeanFDC"star."

Collectorsmustbebewarethoughascomputerscanbeusedtocreateadd-oncachetsforearlier(1930'sand1940's)uncachetedfirstdaycovers.WhilelegitimatecachetshavebeenidentifiedandcatalogedbyMicahelMelloneandEarlPlanty,theuninformedcollectormightbefooledintopayinghighpricesforcoversthatappeartobeclassicsbutaremoderncreations.

Artcraftareperhapsthemostnumerouscachetsavailable.Startedin1939,Artcraftusedplainblackinkengraveddesigns.Thesewerewell-receivedbycollectors.Sincethesewereproducedandcollectedheavily,theyareamongstthemostcommonFDC'sontheaftermarket.Theearlyissuesfrom1939aremoredifficulttocomeby.Oneshouldinsistuponunaddressedcovers.

Artmastercelebrated50yearsofFDCmakingin1996.It'sfirstcoverdatesMay3,1946.ItwasfoundedbyBobandMarySchmidtstartingwithafileboxintheirkitchen.Itisstillownedbytheirfamily.Artmasterenvelopesareprintedbyoffsetinoneortwocolors.Onthereverseisashortbiographyordescriptionofthestampsubject.EarlyArtmastercoversaresinglecolorengravings.

HouseofFarnamistheveryoldestcontinuouslyproducedcachet,foundedbyDustyFarnamandhiswifeVerainCleveland,OhioonMay9,1936.ThebusinesswassoldtoJohnHallidayofWhittierinthelate1970's.Artmasterassumedproductionin1988.Thesearemulti-colorengravingsandhavearich,distinctiveappearanceandtexture(seebelow).EarlyFarnam'sareasinglecolor.

CoverCraftCachetsisalineofcoversfoundedinNewJerseybyBenSchwartzin1964.IthasalimitededitionversionofFarnamsince1987.ThelinehasbeenproducedbyArtmastersince1988.CachetsaremadefromthesameengravingplatesasFarnamcovers,butfeaturegrayratherthanwhitestockenvelopes.Eachcomeswithastuffercarddetailingthenumberproducedforthatissueaswellasashortdescriptionorbiographyofthestampsubject.And,WhatAreCollector'sSaying?

IthoughtitwouldbeinterestingtoendthearticlewithsomecurrentinternetcommentarybycollectorsandinheritorsseekingFDCmarketinformation.I'veselectedthemostrevealing,typicalandinterestingforthereader.

"I'veinheritedacollectionofFirstDayCovers.ThereseemstobeloadsonsaleoneBayandmanyremainunsold.""AnyadvicesellingFDC's?"Answer:"Idoubtifthere'sanythingworthhavingthere,butitwouldbegoodiftheycouldgotosomeonewhowillappreciatethem."“AnyadviceonsellingFDC's?"Reply:"Likeallcollectibles,itisonlycertainonesworthanything.Themoreresearchyoudothebetter.""AnyadvicesellingFDC's?"Reply:"Dowhatmydaddid-makeonepileofbirds,onepileoftrains,andyoushouldbeabletosellthembetter."

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"Mostitemsdesignedforcasualcollectorsareworthverylittlewhenthetimecomesforresale.""Theonlywaytoknowistodoacompleteitemssearchoneachcoveroneatatime.It'slaboriousas99%willbeworthless.Youcanlistafewseparately.Therestsellasjoblotsorsendthemtoalocalauctionhouse."Stillanother:"Theauctionhouseisyourbestbet."Finally,"MydadusedtohaveSilkcovers.Heputthemtogetherinsetsliketrainsorbirdsandtheysoldforabitofmoney."Conclusion:Ihopeyouenjoyedthisoverviewandcameawaywithacomprehensive

pictureofthisaspectofcollecting.ThestateoftheFDCmarketandpopularityreallymirrorsmuchoftheworldofphilately.QuitelikelyitwastheexcessivecommercializationthatexplainstheextremeweaknessoftheFDCmarkettoday.

OurSantaRosaStampClubhasagrowingtroveofdonatedFDC'sandmorematerialisundoubtedlyonthewaytous.Yourinputonourstrategytoeithersellorfindappreciativetakersorbothwillbeappreciated.IhopethearticlehelpstheClubinsomewaytodevelopaneffectiveplantodisposeofthesecovers.Myfondestwishisthatyouareopentoandnewlyre-motivatedtoexamineyourcollectionandfindcreativewaysandinformedwaystocontinuecollectingFDC's.Credits&Resources:Apfelbaum,Inc.WhatHasHappenedtoFDCCollectiing(2017);TheSprucecrafts,AreFDC'sWorthless/WhatistheValueofFDC's?;FDCFindyourvalue.com;AmericanFirstDayCoverSociety;TheGuardian.com;Northstamp.com;Sapling.com-HowToSellFDC's;BFDC.Co.UK-SellingandValuingYourCollection;MysticStamps-variousarticles;AmericanFDCSociety-AShortCourseOnFirstDayCovers;GuideToStampCollecting,JanetKlug;GuideToStampCollecting,JiriNovacek;HowToCollectStamps,H.E.Harris;StampCollector'sBible,StephenR.Datz;ThisIsPhilately,KennethA.Wood.ASpecialThankstoDougIamsforhisexpertinput.

ArtmasterFirstDayCover

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AskPhilPaulvonGottfriedDearPhil,AgoodfriendinmystampclubthinksthatthecoreofcollectingcommunisteasternblocisthetriumvirateofBulgaria,CzechoslovakiaandHungary.Whichgotmewonderingabouttherestoftheeasternbloccountries.Whatdoyouthinkofthemascollectibles?EasternBlocloverDearBlockhead,

Ithinkthecoreofcollectingtheeasternblocandallcommunistcountriesisthe‘IA’s’.ThisincludesAlbania,Bulgaria,Croatia,Czechoslovakia,Estonia,Latvia,Lithuania,Romania,Slovakia,YugoslaviaandlastbutnotleastSlobovia,homeoftheSlobs.Uponachievingindependence,theSlobsfirstlawmadeutensilsandnapkinsillegal.Theirsecondlawwastobanmachinemadetp.Theirthirdlawwastoeliminatepictorialstampsandgumonstamps.TheirfourthlawwastobuyasmanyYugo’sandmakeittheofficialvehicleoftheircountry.Theirfifthlawswastoeliminateindoorplumbing.Theirsixthlawwastokickoutnon-slobs.Asitturnedout,mosthadfledin1991.Ofcourse,theyhadtoimportafewwhohadtopassasloppytest.Hey,therewasalotofnationalprideandtraditionatstake.Wellitworked.NoonewantstovisitSloboviaandnoonecollectstheirstampsaftertheyachievedindependencein19911/2.Theydidn’twanttoleavetheSovietBlocsoittookthem6monthslonger.IunderstandPutinisstillrefusingtheirphonecalls.

Tosumup,Idon’tsuggestyoucollectstampsfromSlobovia,asrareastheymaybe,eitherbeforeorafter1991.Manyoftheothercountries,evenAlbaniaonceortwice,issuedcolorfultopicalsundertheumbrellaoftheSovietUnion.Slobovianeverdid.Theywereallbrown,foronething.

WithapologiestoHungary,the‘IA’s’haveit.PhilATellick

SRSCTheSantaRosaStampClubmeetsonthefirstTuesdayofthemonthfrom6:45pmto9:00pmattheFinleyCommunityCenter,2060W.CollegeRoad,inSantaRosa.Membershipduesare$20peryear.Followingadiscussionofclubbusinessmatters,themeetingsfeatureaphilatelicpresentationanda

memberauction.Forfurtherinformationabouttheclubvisitourwebsiteathttp://www.santarosastampclub.org/home.html

SRSCOFFICERSFOR2020

President Advertising&PublicRelations

BillAnklam StevenBrett VicePresident NewsletterEditor StephenBrett DennisBuss Secretary Webmaster DennisBuss BillAnklam Treasurer Auctioneer SusanDixon JimScholz

ExecutiveCommitteeMembers

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BillAnklam,StephenBrett,DennisBuss,SusanDixon.MembersAt-Large:PaulvonGottfried,BarrySovel,HankKelty