Stamp Collecting Blog

Can Coins Predict Elections

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:35:00 -0700

In 2004, the ex-Governor from Texas George Bush won a second term over Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. This was also the year when the Texas State Quarter was released into circulation. Perhaps if Senator Kerry ran for president in 2000, when the Massachusetts state quarter was circulating, he would have fared better? By the way, neither Al Gore nor his running mate Joe Lieberman had a state quarter in their corner in the year 2000.

This year we have an interesting development in that Arizona Senator John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin both have state quarters backing their charge for the White House in 2008. While Barack Obama's State of Illinois had its quarter in circulation since 2003, his birth state of Hawaii is to be commemorated with the very last of the 50 state quarter series later this year. For the record Senator Joseph Biden's state of Delaware was honored in 1999 and was, interestingly, the first state quarter of the entire series.

So what has more oomph; the very first paired with the very last state quarter or two state quarters released in the very same election year? And what can glean from all this information besides the fact that one web developer spent a little too much time on Wikipedia? If nothing else, it's just one more way in which this will be an historic election. Whichever candidate pulls off a victory, he may be honored with a Presidential Dollar Coin as the 44th President in the year 2017 if the series is continued that long.

Barack Bucks and McCain Money

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:15:00 -0700

Does Election Tuesday always seem to fall on the 4th; or is it just me? Anyway, No matter who you're backing this time around we have just the to pass along your enthusiasm (or distaste). The Barack Obama Zero Dollar Bill casts the could-be president as a swindler while the Barack Obama Eight Dollar Bill depicts the senator as a hero. Likewise, the John McCain Eight Dollar Bill presupposes the Arizona senator to be the victor in 2008. All three notes are available in singles and packs of 10 or 25.

We also have a great deal on packets of 1000 World Wide Stamps. We've temporily cut the price from $17.25 to only $12.95. We were going to cut this deal off on Friday night (it's Friday as I write this). But that was before I was late getting out this week's news. Yes, it's my fault. But take advantage of it while you can. The new cut off date for this special price will likely be Friday October 24. But I can't say for sure just yet seeing how fast everything is going out the door.

Aliens Invade Stamp Collections

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:09:00 -0700

While supplies last we're offering this Alien Sightings Souvenir Sheet, Stamp Set for only $99.95. That's over $70 off retail.

Our latest newsletter also features a Halloween Fantasy Note as well as Thanksgiving and Christmas Notes.

Timely Bargains for Collectors

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:51:00 -0700

During the next several weeks, a number of us at Jamestown Stamp Company have decided to select and list products that we really like and those that we really like as gifts. Since I am the Web Geek of the bunch, I have the advantage of being able to tell why I choose the items I choose. All of these items will be displayed and updated regularly on our Bargains for Collectors page. Actually, there is one item I didn't choose. My 11 year-old daughter and her friends chose the Holographic Butterfly stamp. But I did choose both the US Stamp Bag and the Mystery Stamp Cube. The main reason I chose these stamp items is because they allow kids room to explore. Whether they become stamp collectors or not is up to them. But at a time when parents and grandparents could do without wasting gas while looking for the perfect non-iPod gift, both of these items offer an affordable way to introduce a child to a whole new world...their world that exists beyond blinking screens and ringtones.

CD Stamps

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 08:37:00 -0700

Would these be classified as CDs on Stamps or Stamps on CDs? Either way, the Hartford Courant reports today about these Canadian Easy Listening Stamps. By the way, the first I heard of Joni Mitchell was last night via an old Alias episode. I've never been an easy listening type of guy. But the souvenir stamp sheet concept is pretty neat.

Stamp Game

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 19:04:00 -0700

I found this MSN Group called the Stamp Game while searching the Web today. It sounds very interesting. It's always nice to see how stamp collectors leverage the power of the Internet to enjoy their hobby. If anyone has tried this or knows of something like it, please leave a comment. Our comments are moderated which means that comments must be reviewed before they appear.

Star Notes

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:25:00 -0700

U.S. currency that does not pass inspection is removed for destruction. This creates a problem for the printers, as the serial numbers are automatically done by computer in the printing process. There were only two options: spend 3 days reprogramming the computer every time a note or sheet didn't pass, or create replacement notes - issued to replace a damaged, destroyed or lost note. [More]

Playing Card Notes

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 12:02:00 -0700

"Playing Card" money was a type of emergency issue used in Canada between the late 17th century and mid-18th century by French colonial authorities. They actually cut up playing cards and marked them as currency. -- Lee the Stamp Gal

Canadian Devils Head Currency

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 17:03:00 -0700

An early Canadian banknote vignette of Queen Elizabeth II supposedly contains a likeness of the devil in her hair. Of course, the Queen's hairdo was changed, due to the unfavorable publicity once the word got out. -- Lee the Stamp Gal

School or College Currency

Sat, 20 Jan 2007 10:37:00 -0700

Some business schools in the late 1800's made their own fake "banknotes" in order to use in the classroom as teaching aids for business practices, and handling money. These are rare now. -- Lee the Stamp Gal

Wildcat Banks

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 14:36:00 -0700

In the 19th century, banks issued the money. Sometimes currency became non-negotiable or worthless as money because the issuing bank went out of business. Sometimes a bank, called a wildcat bank, was never really in business. They issued currency as a money-making scheme. -- Lee the Stamp Gal

Money Not Backed by Gold or Silver

Thu, 18 Jan 2007 21:00:00 -0700

There is currency from the French Revolution in the 1790's called an assignat, which was not backed by gold or silver. It was backed by seized Church property. -- Lee the Stamp Gal

What are Vampire Notes

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 22:09:00 -0700

This is a slang term for a certain German 10,000 mark note design. It's referred to as the "Vampire Note" because, if you turn the bill a certain way, you can see a vampire biting the neck of the German worker pictured. This was supposedly done on purpose, in protest of the government "sucking the common people dry" and is sometimes said to have been a comment on the WWI & pre WWII government figures of Germany. -- Lee the Stamp Gal

U.S. Currency - The Munsters TV Show Connection

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 08:48:00 -0700

What connection could there possibly be between the popular old time TV show THE MUNSTERS and U.S. Silver Certificates? Believe it or not, there IS a connection! Ivy Baker Priest was Treasurer of The United States from January 1953 to January 1961. [More]

10 Years of Collecting on the Web

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 21:29:00 -0700

It was in 1939 that Jamestown Stamp Company began serving collectors via mail order. That's some impressive history. No one questions this company's commitment to collectors or its knowledge of the hobbies it tailors to. Likewise, it was in May of 1996 that Jamestown Stamp Company first purchased the domain name jamestownstamp.com. A mere decade in most industries is just a small milestone. On the Web, it's huge! [More]