Looking Back #25 - Used Dollar Value Columbians

Used Dollar Value Columbians

High value Columbians in used condition were
very scarce even in 1894, a year after their
issue. There was a big demand for them from
Europe where the used stamp was far more popular
than the unused copy, but there was little
commercial use of high values here and dealers
were unable to fill orders. A St. Louis dealer,
then prominent in the stamp trade, made
arrangements to get used dollar values through
a postmaster in a small Illinois town, in a
scheme whereby the dealer would acquire them
below face.

The compensation of postmasters in small
offices was rated according to the business
of the office based on the face value of the
stamps they cancelled. Hence a conspiracy
was set up between the dealer and the
postmaster after which dummy packages
weighted to require the dollar value Columbians,
were sent through the post office, and the
stamps carefully cancelled. The postmaster
then kicked back part of his additional
salary to the dealer so that the latter was
able to get stamps, neatly used, and at
somewhat less than face value.

Everything worked well for a time until the
Post Office inspectors learned of the scheme
and broke it up. The stunt was not new and
has been pulled repeatedly. Even recent
years saw a similar racket worked with
special delivery letters.


- George B. Sloane
Sloane's Column
Stamps
June 12, 1956