Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
In 1905 a new monetary system was introduced in DWI, so the stamp denominations had to change, too. The “cent & daler” were replaced by the “bit & franc.”
5 bit = 1 cent
100 bit = 1 franc = 20 cents
In April, the first printing of 383,000 new Christian IX 5 bit stamps had been delivered to St. Thomas, and went on sale in the islands that July.
Around the same time, the remaining stocks of the 4 cent bi-colored, and the 5 cent and 8 cent Coat of Arms issues had been overprinted “5 BIT 1905” and also went on sale – for one day – at the St. Thomas, Fredriksted, and Christiansted post offices – and one organization purchased the entire stock of 66,000 stamps.
Here are the numbers overprinted in Copenhagen, issued for sale, and destroyed:
4 Cents Bi-color
Overprints = 124,800; Destroyed = 102,800; Net Sold = 22,000
5 cents Coat of Arms:
Overprints = 56,400; Destroyed = 34,400; Net Sold = 22,000
8 cents Coat of Arms:
Overprints = 68,700; Destroyed = 46,700; Net Sold = 22,000
With the cooperation of the local government in St. Thomas, representatives of the charitable “Society for the Assistance of the Lepers” purchased the entire stock of the 5 bit overprints, receiving the necessary funds to enable the purchase from the National Bank of The Danish West Indies. In turn, the bank agreed to repurchase and use a portion of the stamps for its mail to its affiliate bank in Copenhagen, with the understanding that the used stamps would be returned to the Society for resale.
The Society had an agreement with a stamp dealer in Copenhagen to purchase their remaining stock of mint stamps for about four times their original cost, and that the dealer’s selling price was about double that.
Small quantities of the dealer’s stock found their way back to DWI as there are covers addressed to others than the affiliate bank in Copenhagen. Canceled copies are likely philatelic and command a premium even though they are most likely to be philatelic.
As for the overprinted 4 Cent Bi-color, there are some inverted frames (positions 91-100), but it is position 50 that commands a significant premium, and holders of these stamps would do well to have them checked as they are largely overlooked.
Notes: There was a "leprosarium" on Hassel Island in St. Thomas harbor in operation from 1833 to 1861. From what I've read, it was rather poorly maintained, and the patients were transferred to a facility in Charlotte Amalie.
There was also a facility on St. Croix that opened in 1888, but it, too, had extremely poor conditions.
The Order of Odd Fellows in Denmark began raising funds around 1903 to build an new hospital, and it opened in 1909.
Sources: Victor Engststom’s “Danish West Indies Mails, 1754-1917, Vol. 2” and Arnold Sorensen’s “Danish West Indies Postage Stamps and Post Office Markings 1856-1917”
6 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
Interesting bit of history.
Login to Like
this post
I agree....quite interesting!
Maybe a little more interesting research is warranted on my own...
....thanks for the story.
Login to Like
this post
Here’s a story that isn’t well-known about three overprinted stamps “issued” by the Danish West Indies that really have no legitimate reason to exist. Yet, they do…
In 1905 a new monetary system was introduced in DWI, so the stamp denominations had to change, too. The “cent & daler” were replaced by the “bit & franc.”
5 bit = 1 cent
100 bit = 1 franc = 20 cents
In April, the first printing of 383,000 new Christian IX 5 bit stamps had been delivered to St. Thomas, and went on sale in the islands that July.
Around the same time, the remaining stocks of the 4 cent bi-colored, and the 5 cent and 8 cent Coat of Arms issues had been overprinted “5 BIT 1905” and also went on sale – for one day – at the St. Thomas, Fredriksted, and Christiansted post offices – and one organization purchased the entire stock of 66,000 stamps.
Here are the numbers overprinted in Copenhagen, issued for sale, and destroyed:
4 Cents Bi-color
Overprints = 124,800; Destroyed = 102,800; Net Sold = 22,000
5 cents Coat of Arms:
Overprints = 56,400; Destroyed = 34,400; Net Sold = 22,000
8 cents Coat of Arms:
Overprints = 68,700; Destroyed = 46,700; Net Sold = 22,000
With the cooperation of the local government in St. Thomas, representatives of the charitable “Society for the Assistance of the Lepers” purchased the entire stock of the 5 bit overprints, receiving the necessary funds to enable the purchase from the National Bank of The Danish West Indies. In turn, the bank agreed to repurchase and use a portion of the stamps for its mail to its affiliate bank in Copenhagen, with the understanding that the used stamps would be returned to the Society for resale.
The Society had an agreement with a stamp dealer in Copenhagen to purchase their remaining stock of mint stamps for about four times their original cost, and that the dealer’s selling price was about double that.
Small quantities of the dealer’s stock found their way back to DWI as there are covers addressed to others than the affiliate bank in Copenhagen. Canceled copies are likely philatelic and command a premium even though they are most likely to be philatelic.
As for the overprinted 4 Cent Bi-color, there are some inverted frames (positions 91-100), but it is position 50 that commands a significant premium, and holders of these stamps would do well to have them checked as they are largely overlooked.
Notes: There was a "leprosarium" on Hassel Island in St. Thomas harbor in operation from 1833 to 1861. From what I've read, it was rather poorly maintained, and the patients were transferred to a facility in Charlotte Amalie.
There was also a facility on St. Croix that opened in 1888, but it, too, had extremely poor conditions.
The Order of Odd Fellows in Denmark began raising funds around 1903 to build an new hospital, and it opened in 1909.
Sources: Victor Engststom’s “Danish West Indies Mails, 1754-1917, Vol. 2” and Arnold Sorensen’s “Danish West Indies Postage Stamps and Post Office Markings 1856-1917”
6 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Lepers, Bits, and Francs...Oh, My!
Interesting bit of history.
Login to Like
this post
re: Lepers, Bits, and Francs...Oh, My!
I agree....quite interesting!
Maybe a little more interesting research is warranted on my own...
....thanks for the story.
Login to Like
this post