I have typed out the mixture review we received in 2004 from Linn's. The mixtures constanly change,
depending on what I have on hand and are always available. Here is the review:
Soundcrest's advertisement in Linns for a worldwide mixture caught my eye. I had never ordered what
Soundcrest calls "sexy stamps"
The real details of the ad told me enough to pique my interest. I could buy either a full selection of
stamps for $12 or a sample for $3.
Not knowing how snazzy the stamps would be I sent $3 for a sample packet. The envelope from
Soundcrest arrived back in my mailbox 19 days later.
My first reaction upon opening the envelope was more positive than usual. I saw many old stamps from
the 1800's and early 1900's. My hopes for a very good mixture were high.
The total number of stamps sent was 254. Six stamps were damaged leaving 248 for the purposes of this
column.
One noticeable feature was the large number of stamps from Italy, 154 of the 248 stamps were from that
country not counting stamps from Italian offices abroad.
The earliest stamps were from 1863. The three stamps from that year were all from Italy. They are the 5
centesimi,10c and 40c King Victor Emmanuel II stamps (Scott 26,27 and 31). The most recent was a Swiss
Stylized A stamp from 1995 (Scott 909). This stamps appearance was a mystery to me because it did not fit in
at all with the rest of the mix.
36 stamps were issued in the 1800's and only relatively few stamps were issued after 1950.
I found 78 stamps, less than one third of the mix valued at the Scott minimum catalog value of 20 cents.
The highest valued stamp at $22.50 was a Chinese 1915 $5 Gateway and Hall of Classics in Peking (Scott
238)
Two more stamps were valued at $20 and $10 and 58 of the 248 stamps were valued at $1 or more.
I only have room to mention a few of the stamps of interest. Labuan was represented with five stamps. All
were from the 1800's. Labuan is an island in the East Indies about six miles off the northwest coast of Borneo
according to the Scott catalog. Straits Settlements stamps replaced the stamps of Labuan in 1906.
One of the five stamps from Labuan was a 20 cent North Borneo stamp depicting a Malayan sambar
(deer with antlers) and overprinted Labuan (Scott 50). This stamp was issued in 1894.
For North Borneo itself there was a 5 cent + 4 cent semipostal stamp issued in 1918 (Scott B35). The
stamp pictures an Elephant and a mahout, or elephant driver.
Included in this assortment of stamps were the first two stamps from Ste Marie of madagascar a small
island east of Madagascar that issued only set of 13 stamps before using the stamps of Madagascar. The
two stamps are the 1894 1 centime and 2c Navifgation and Commerce (Scott 1 and 2). The allegorical design
on these stamps was used on many French colonial stamps of the same period.
There were many stamps from Italy including the 1911 5c Symbol of Valor (Scott 120). This stamp is
among the first of Italy's large commeratives.
For a distinct contrast I mention a mint never hinged semi postal souvenir sheet from the Netherlands
that was issued in 1978 (Scott B550a). This sheet comprises six individual stamps specifically two each of the
40 cent + 20 cent Boy Ringing Bell, 45 + 25 Child Reading Book and the 55 + 20 Boy Writing. The surtax on
each stamp was for child welfare.
Given the modest $3 price the value and quality of the stamps was far higher than I expected. The final
cost to value was only 1.2 percent of Scott catalog value and the stamps were great.
Soundcrest mentioned in the ad that it is new to the mixture business. I wonder if the packet I received is
an example of what Soundcrest sends to all purchasers. Perhaps I was just lucky. Regardless, I definitely put
Soundcrest in the plus column in my book.
I do not know if these stamps could be described as "sexy" or not, but they did give me some excitement
at my kitchen table.
E Rawolik IV from Linn's October 25,2004