Revenue stamps to be auctioned off

Associated Press is reporting that The Smithsonian's National Postal Museum is planning its second auction of excess revenue stamps on Sept. 30 at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York.

According to AP, at the first auction, held in 2005, some 35,000 revenue stamps were sold raising more than $3 million for the museum, considerably more than had been expected.

Museum registrar Ted Wilson is quoted in the report as saying, "When the Smithsonian acquired these revenue stamps, it was with the intention that they would be made available to the public and that the proceeds of any sale would be used for the benefit of the national philatelic collection."

The auction will be conducted by Matthew Bennett International.

Shown above is one of rare items that will be auctioned off - the 1949 $4 Wine (RE175), mint block of four. It is the only recorded block of four of this revenue stamp known to exist.

For more on the auction and photos of some of the other items in it, click here.