STEVE LEVINE
Postal Stationery
and Stamps

OCTOBER, 2011

HOW TO ORDER:
1.  DINOSAUR STYLE  If ordering Dinosaur Style (thru the mail), you can print out this sheet, then circle the price of what you want and mail it in with your payment.  PLEASE circle with a fine colored marker; any color will do.
2.  ONLINE  Sorry, this is not a full-function interactive website with a shopping cart and card processing ability.  It's Dinosaur-style; it only has listings.  Still, we can improvise!
     You can send me an e-mail and type out what you want and the price.
     OR, you can cut & paste the item with its description and price.
IF the item exists in several conditions or forms (such as f-vf or vf for stamps, or as Cut Squares or Full Corners) please indicate which you want.
     OR you can cut & paste large portions of the list and HIGHLIGHT whatever you want.  Green (the 00-80-00 shade for the techs out there) works well, as does Red (the FF-00-00 shade).
     I accept VISA, Master Card, and American Express.  I also accept PAY PAL, at my e-mail address of "slwarking@erols.com".
3.  PHONE  IF your order is relatively simple or if you have a few questions, you can phone me at 718-939-5788.  For me, "business hours" are flexible.  I'm usually in, and if I'm not, you get the answering machine.  Leave your #; I'll get back to you.

TERMS OF PURCHASE:  Items from this list may be combined with items from my other lists for a MINIMUM ORDER of $15.  ALL ORDERS will be shipped via Insured or Registered mail, for your protection.  Please add $2 for postage and insurance to all orders.  Smaller orders will carry private insurance and will have NO USPS markings.    There's no "handling" fee; just actual postage expenses.  This is for U.S. orders only.  Overseas shipments, please e-mail me in advance for shipping information.
     New York State Residents, please add the appropriate Sales tax.  VISA, Master Card and American Express are accepted: please include all information which appears in raised print, PLUS the 3 digit security code which appears on the back.  PayPal accepted.
          
        SATISFACTION IS GUARANTEED ON ALL ORDERS

Dear Friends & Collectors,

     Apologies, again, for my long absence.  My life this year has read like a script from a TV series that never was; "Monty Python Meets the Twilight Zone".  With my computer problems behind me I thought I was about to move forward...which turned out not to be the case.

     My Co-Op has a new manager, and he's not happy about the amount of "paper" I have in my apartment.  To make a long and painful story short, he wants a considerable reduction in my "paper".

     Truth be told, he's not wrong; I do have too much paper here, and a significant re-structuring has been underway and will continue for some time.  When it's done, I might not even recognize myself...

     My goal is to become "leaner", though certainly not "meaner".  Areas of my business which require a lot of bulk inventory with very little value will have to go.

     Both Cacheted and Uncacheted Postal Stationery First Day Covers are already gone.

     Common modern stationery will go shortly.  It just takes up too much space...and besides, nobody orders the stuff!  Most of you who've been with me for any length of time already have everything in the modern range.  You don't need ME to sell you these envelopes and cards.

     What you DO need me for is to find & stock the older postal cards, envelopes and cut squares/full corners...and to dig up the Envelopes-By-UPSS#s.  That's what your orders and inquiries are telling me you want.  AND I will continue my push into STAMPS, as they're small, light, and don't take up much space.

     SO...I'm still here, and as you can see from my listings below, things will continue to be interesting.

     In addition to the "highlight list" you see below, there are many new items "in house"...just not "in stock".  Between clearing out a pile of inventory and painting some parts of my Apartment which haven't seen the light of day in 15 years I've been busy.  Shortly, though, I'll reach a few goals as far as cleaning house at which time I'll switch gears and get more material on the website.

THE TROY-BILT (UX153) CARDS

       Benjamin Franklin knew the certainty of Death and Taxes; had he been alive today he would have added "Postal Rate Increases".  And for those businesses which send out large mailings, it can be a huge nuisance to be caught in such an increase with thousands of cards printed & ready to mail at the old rate.  Thus, the privately-printed surcharge was born.
     The best known of these was UX47, a.k.a. the G.E. Card, which was authorized for G.E. at the Federal level and carries a Major Scott Catalog number, UX47.
     Several other private issues exist, and this is one of them.  In fact, Troy-Bilt re-valued their cards 3 times...when the rate went 14c-15c, 15c-19c, and 19c-20c.  None of these were given Scott numbers, as the re-valuing was approved at a "local" level.
     What makes this issue interesting is the nice illustrated ad at the left, much like the UX47's, whose charisma comes from the ads on the back.

     The cards I have are mint, and in excellent condition.  Only 4 in stock, so please call on this one.

PRICE FOR THE TROY-BILT PRIVATELY RE-VALUED CARD $95.00

SOME NEW ENVELOPES BY UPSS #

     Presenting a small selection of Envelopes by UPSS #.  All in excellent condition.  Quantities limited on some, so please get back to me quickly.

Scott#       UPSS#     SZ      KN     WMK     PRICE

U258          780      10      54       7     23.50
This is the Die variety with the horizontal crack in front of the mouth.
U482    RA   2176      23     106      36      2.00
U483    RA   2190      13      78      36      2.75
U429g   RA   2279      13      78      33       .95
U436a   RA   2575      23     106      43       .65
U491a        3105      10      59      18     16.50
U495b        3128       8      41      25      2.75
U532a        3283      10      57X     42     10.00
U534         3359      10      57      45     80.00
U557         3548      23     114wc    47      2.00

U544? A NEW DIE VARIETY?

     An article appeared on Page 164 of Postal Stationery, the September-October issue.  Written by Bill Geijsbeek, it described....well, I'm not sure how to characterize this.  A new Die Variety?  A "sub"-variety (like there are 3 sub-varieties of Die 5 of U534)?

     For those non-UPSS members out there, please examine the scan below.

     Upper Left is Die 1 (U544a), Upper Right is Die 2 (U544), Lower Left is Die 3 (U544b) and Lower Right is the "NEW" Die in question.

     The major features of Die 1 are:
1.  Lincoln has a nose that could open cans.  It's long & sharp.
2.  All bars of the "E" in STATES are of equal length.
3.  The center bar of "E" of POSTAGE is a bit higher than dead-center.

     The major features of Die 2 are:
1.  Lincoln has a nose that is somewhat more blunt than Die 1.
2.  The center bar of the "E" in STATES is shorter than the other 2.
3.  The center bar of "E" of POSTAGE is dead-center.

     The major features of Die 3 are:
1.  Lincoln has a nose that is somewhat more blunt than Die 1.
2.  The center bar of the "E" in STATES is shorter than the other 2.
3.  The center bar of "E" of POSTAGE is dead-center.
4.  The "F" and "I" of FIVE are close. 
     Die 3 is very much like like Die 2, except for the "FI" in FIVE...and the lettering is usually thicker.

     This new Die has the following features:

1.  Lincoln's nose is blunt, like Dies 2 and 3.
2.  The center bar of "E" of STATES is shorter, like Dies 2 and 3.
3.  The center bar of "E" of STATES is a bit higher than dead-center, but
    not as high as it is on Die 1.
4.  The most important feature is the "A" of STATES; it's taller than the
    two "T"s which surround it.  This appears on no other die.
5.  The back of the neck and hair have a smoother line than the other dies. 
    This may not show up well on the scan.

     These envelopes (I have about 25) have been sitting in storage for nearly 30 years.  I put them there years ago meaning to research them someday; my "apartment problem" brought them out from the deepest recesses of my storage racks.
     Of greater importance, during the past 30 years I have never found another group like this.  They are scarce.

PRICE FOR THE U544? /SIZE 12 MINT ENVELOPE IS $12.50

     That's all for now...I hope to be in touch with you again soon.

     Best Regards,

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