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W
hen Jason Kassis of
Peoria came across a
copper plate filled with
different imprints of ducks while
cleaning out an old building, he
wasn’t sure what he had.
For all Kassis knew, the plate
could have been for various
special postage stamps depicting
ducks and possibly quite
valuable. That’s why he held on
to it for about 20 years, taking it
with him any time he moved.
He finally got it evaluated a
few weeks ago with the help
of
The Peorian
. We set him up
with Dan Philips, local expert
on antiques who owned Illinois
Antique Center until it closed last
summer. Philips now does estate
sales in the area.
As it turns out the plate was
for printing federal duck stamps
that duck hunters are required
to purchase along with state
hunting licenses. That’s because
bird hunting is regulated by the
federal government. The plate
Kassis has came out in 1984.
Philips estimates its value at
$100 to $250 because it could be
considered a collectible item.
Although it wasn’t marked by the
government, he said it was most
likely a Franklin Mint variety.
He said a couple companies
have in the past put the stamps
in a poster or metal plate as
decorative items.
Still, Philips said he has seen
a framed set of the duck stamps
sell for as much as $3,000.
Philips told Kassis that if he
intends to try and sell the plate to
not clean it up, that the condition
is up to the end user. However,
he suggested Kassis clean it if he
intends to keep it and perhaps try
and find an original poster made
from it for a display piece.
Said Kassis, “I didn’t know
the story behind the duck stamp
plate and what it was until Dan
explained it. I thought it was
just a printing plate for special
collectible postage stamps instead
of a stamp for hunting ducks. I’m
considering an attempt to restore
the duck stamp plate if I can find
a way to clean the copper surface
without damaging the stamps.”
Kassis also asked Philips to
assess the value of a grey lockbox
safe made anywhere from the
1930s to the 1950s.
Designed for home use, the
lockbox was lined with concrete
With Dan Philips
60
thePeorian.com