Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Hi Philb:
The Old American Insurance Company sold burial insurance by mail and issued these stamps to paste down coins used by applicants to secure the first month's premiums. There are four stamps to the set. See my page of these stamps below. They may be found offered on eBay from time to time if you would like to fill out the set.
FF
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Here's the whole letter it came with. Unfortunately I do not think I have the cover.
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so, if one's not dead in 30 days, it's to the ravens and jackals?
or is this short-term burial until a nicer plot, say near Fifth Avenue, turns up?
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07:42:09pm
When my father died I found several insurance books
from the 1930s that were used to keep track of the
payments collected each week or each month by the
insurance salesman. They were for amounts of $500
to perhaps $1,000 and the weekly premiums were
less than a dollar.
I sort of recall the salesman knocking and being
invited in to share a pot of tea or coffee at the
kitchen table as he entered the receipt in the
insurance book.
One book was from Prudential Insurance and bragged
on the cover page; "As strong as the Rock of Gibraltar."
It might have been as strong or safe or stable (????)
Memories of what seems to be better days.
Charlie
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I have been a member for only a short time, but I am already amazed at the wealth of knowledge in the club. No item, no matter how obscure, goes unidentified - and there is often a great deal of background material.
This coin burial thing reminds me of the ancient Greek custom of putting coins on the eyes of the dead so they could pay Charon the ferryman to take the deceased across the river Styx to the underworld. I guess they didn't have these stamps.
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Very nice write-up page, FF!
Mind if I steal it??
I have the 4 stamps, but wasn't sure if there were more.
Josh -
Great to see the ephemera as well!
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"Very nice write-up page, FF! Mind if I steal it??"
It's all yours Musicman, thanks for the kind words!
FF
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Still pretty cool PhilB - the dream continues
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The coin holder that the stamp was pasted on over to keep it in place
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Thanks to everyone who replied to Phil.... you made ME look like an expert this week!
Yesterday, my mother-in-law sent me a photo of one of these insurance stamps, asking me if I knew anything about them....
I amazed her with my knowledge of these coin stamps, their use and history.... and then admitted that I just read it all on Stamporama last week!
There really is an amazing assemblage of knowledge here, and it is very helpful to newer collectors like me (and their moms-in-law!)
TomD
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I am not a new collector - even so, I STILL continue to learn things here.
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re: Any information on this coin stamp appreciated
Hi Philb:
The Old American Insurance Company sold burial insurance by mail and issued these stamps to paste down coins used by applicants to secure the first month's premiums. There are four stamps to the set. See my page of these stamps below. They may be found offered on eBay from time to time if you would like to fill out the set.
FF
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re: Any information on this coin stamp appreciated
Here's the whole letter it came with. Unfortunately I do not think I have the cover.
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re: Any information on this coin stamp appreciated
so, if one's not dead in 30 days, it's to the ravens and jackals?
or is this short-term burial until a nicer plot, say near Fifth Avenue, turns up?
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
02 Oct 2020
07:42:09pm
re: Any information on this coin stamp appreciated
When my father died I found several insurance books
from the 1930s that were used to keep track of the
payments collected each week or each month by the
insurance salesman. They were for amounts of $500
to perhaps $1,000 and the weekly premiums were
less than a dollar.
I sort of recall the salesman knocking and being
invited in to share a pot of tea or coffee at the
kitchen table as he entered the receipt in the
insurance book.
One book was from Prudential Insurance and bragged
on the cover page; "As strong as the Rock of Gibraltar."
It might have been as strong or safe or stable (????)
Memories of what seems to be better days.
Charlie
3 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
07:44:59pm
re: Any information on this coin stamp appreciated
I have been a member for only a short time, but I am already amazed at the wealth of knowledge in the club. No item, no matter how obscure, goes unidentified - and there is often a great deal of background material.
This coin burial thing reminds me of the ancient Greek custom of putting coins on the eyes of the dead so they could pay Charon the ferryman to take the deceased across the river Styx to the underworld. I guess they didn't have these stamps.
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re: Any information on this coin stamp appreciated
Very nice write-up page, FF!
Mind if I steal it??
I have the 4 stamps, but wasn't sure if there were more.
Josh -
Great to see the ephemera as well!
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re: Any information on this coin stamp appreciated
"Very nice write-up page, FF! Mind if I steal it??"
It's all yours Musicman, thanks for the kind words!
FF
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re: Any information on this coin stamp appreciated
Still pretty cool PhilB - the dream continues
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re: Any information on this coin stamp appreciated
The coin holder that the stamp was pasted on over to keep it in place
5 Members
like this post.
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re: Any information on this coin stamp appreciated
Thanks to everyone who replied to Phil.... you made ME look like an expert this week!
Yesterday, my mother-in-law sent me a photo of one of these insurance stamps, asking me if I knew anything about them....
I amazed her with my knowledge of these coin stamps, their use and history.... and then admitted that I just read it all on Stamporama last week!
There really is an amazing assemblage of knowledge here, and it is very helpful to newer collectors like me (and their moms-in-law!)
TomD
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like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Any information on this coin stamp appreciated
I am not a new collector - even so, I STILL continue to learn things here.
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this post