AUGUST 2012
lot has been preserved and can be difficult to find. After online searches
(eBay, Amazon, etc.), and preliminary work with a number of dealers around the world, very little has been found. Quite often, the value afforded a cover lies mostly in the stamp used, and these can sometimes be worth thousands of dollars. There can also be some val- ue in the types of markings and handstamps that ap- pear on the cover. For the most part, though, covers dated after 1900 are worth very little (perhaps 25 cents to $1). Those prior to 1900 can be worth around $5 and upwards (sometimes a great deal more). The problem, of course, is that stamps and envelopes are made of pa- per and, quite often, this material has been either thrown away, forgotten, or left in an attic where it de- teriorates and decays. Here are a few very in- teresting items discovered after a little bit of search- ing. First is a gorgeous en- velope from Martinsburg to Hagerstown dated 1834 from what is known as the “Hagerstown Bank Find,” a huge and prolific corre- spondence to Mr. Elie Beat- ty, the cashier at the Hager- stown Bank in the mid 19th century. The written num- ber “6” on the cover shows that it paid the 6-cent rate for a cover travelling less than 30 miles. The “Paid” stamp shows that the send- er paid this rate. Note that the handstamp on the cov- er says “Martinsburg VA.” This is because prior to the secession of West Virginia as a result of the Wheeling Convention in 1861, Mar-
tinsburg was part of Vir- ginia. To see what else might
be out there, word was sent to friends about the search for this material. Should a find be worth anything, Ian would help them restore, preserve, sell, donate, or do what they wished with the items so that they could be preserved and appreciated by future generations. To great surprise and happi- ness, one person came for- ward with what will come to be known as “The McMillan Find,” which is a series of over 500 letters from the 1840s to the 1850s. These envelopes had been sitting for years in an attic and, while they all require some tender loving care and res- toration, they provide a wonderful opportunity to study our postal history. The next cover, dated
May 5, 1858 from Shepherd- stown to Berkeley Springs, is part of this trove. John Siler was the postmaster of Berkeley Springs (again, part of Virginia). The let- ter was obviously from the Shepherdstown postmas- ter, as it states “Post Office Business” on the cover, and the marking “Free.” This was because post office mail was free to send. Finally, there is a lovely
cover from Harpers Ferry to Berkeley Springs dated July 29, 1875. It was sent after stamps came into common usage, and after the found- ing of West Virginia (which you can see by the marking “
W.Va.” and the bottom of the cancel on the stamp). The 3-cent stamp paid the domestic first-class rate. It is unfortunate that many times families keep
their old letters and cor- respondence but throw away the envelope, with- out realizing that it can be an object of great interest. So, for those reading who may have become intrigued by this unique opportunity to learn about a lost part of West Virginia’s history, here is your chance. Rum- mage through your attic, unearth those hidden away treasures you’ve kept in the basement, revisit those lost pieces of history that are collecting dust somewhere in the house. You may discover something truly spectacular. For our part, a few of us
are attempting to compile a comprehensive collection of most, if not all, of West Virginia’s postal history that can be researched and eventually displayed for all to enjoy—and, hopefully result in a book or website to preserve this knowledge for future generations. We encourage everyone who wants to help to contact us if you have any old en- velopes, letters, used post- cards, or anything you be- lieve will add to this collec- tion. We are interested in material from 1775 through 1920, and are more than happy to help you identify and learn more about what you might have. Collin D. Lam is a writer
and recent graduate of WVU, and Ian C. Gibson-Smith is a philatelist, exhibitor, writer, and a member of the National Council of Philatelists at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. The authors may be contacted at mail@chinaover-
prints.com and Ian@iangib-
sonsmith.com.
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