If I could go back in time and tell my Grandmother one thing, that's exactly what I would say. I know collectors back in 1920 had no clue as to what would be valuable but a little common sense ? I shouldn't throw Grandma under the Bus since she did leave some great items
but covers must not have been her thing.
I have many , many covers where she Penciled in the catalog image number and Stamp value in a permanent led, some kind of Laundry Pencil.
This cover had a lot going for it, a nice squared circle postmark, a J19 Postage Due (I'm guessing the year to be 1887)stamp not often found on cover, great tax hand stamp and on the back a fee collected hand stamp.
A pet peeve of mine as well. I recently bid on (but did not win) a very nice cover from Washington, CT (part of Litchfield County--a collecting subspecialty) that had a penciled '1852' on the front. The cancel was mute on year, but someone, somewhere, decided the date had to be 1852. The stamp was nothing to say "I was used only in 1852", so where did someone come up with 1852? There were no contents. Makes me nuts. (So I guess this could also go under 'Things that bug me' thread, eh?)
I only collect stamps, but I can certainly sympathize with you. Some stamps have pencil on the back, usually a catalog number or year. Most of the time it's on a used stamp, but every now and then I come across a mint never hinged stamp with pencil!! I do not like it one bit.
-Les
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I do not like it one bit.