| Described
as: A most unusual postmark on Philippine overprint PSE dated November
15, 1904. Mostly struck S.S. Busuanga P. Isls. with CGS in cancel barrel.
I am unable to find reference to the S.S. Busuanga. The CGS in the killer
I believe to refer to the Coast and Geodetic Survey. After the Philippines
became a US Possession, enormous surveys were undertaken by the Navy and
the Coast and Geodetic Survey. Captain Kenneth M. Bennett, USN, the sender
of this cover, was involved in survey activity on USS Albay and Paragua
during this time. While administered by the Treasury Department, the CGS
worked closely with the navy. I've not seen another example of a postmark
assigned to a vessel of that service before. (eBay $167.50 and $304.00
respectively)
Question:
Who hit the jackpot on the two covers? The buyers or the sellers? I'm inclined
to think that the sellers made a killing. All I can say is that the realized
prices is a huge exclamation mark to the saying "no guts, no glory." |
