Benjamin Miller Collection

in 1925 by Milwaukee attorney Benjamin Kurtz Miller (1857–1928).cite news
url = http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/stamp/
title = The "Holy Grail" of Stamp Collections
accessdate = 2006-08-08
publisher = The New York Public Library] [cite news
url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/11/AR2006111100529.html
title =Rare, Costly Stamp Suspected on Ballot
date = 2006-11-11
accessdate = 2008-02-15
publisher = The Washington Post] cite web
url =http://www.arago.si.edu/index.asp?con=1&cmd=1&

title =Benjamin K. Miller
accessdate =2008-02-15
publisher = Arago: National Postal Museum, ] This collection was the first complete collection of U.S. stamps ever assembled. His collection is known as the "crown jewels" of U.S. stamp collecting for its rare holdings, depth, and variety.

One cent Z Grill

Of the great rarities and philatelic items in the collection is the One-Cent Z Grill, the rarest of all U.S. stamps. Only two copies of this stamp are known to exist, the other copy is in the collection of Bill Gross.

Background of Miller

Benjamin Kurtz Miller was born in 1857, the son of a Milwaukee lawyer and grandson of one of the first federal judges in Wisconsin. He joined his father’s firm in 1877 and later became a partner, retiring in 1906 to pursue personal interests. The firm continues today through its successor, the major U.S. law firm Foley & Lardner. [cite web
url =http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Foley-amp;-Lardner-Company-History.html
title =Foley & Lardner
accessdate =2008-02-15
publisher = Funding Universe]

The Collection

Miller built his collection a little late in life at the age of 61. He started stamp collecting seriously on a large scale only after 1918, when he bought one of the famous Inverted Jenny stamps at the age of 61. Later he intensified his collecting, by writing articles in stamp journals and purchasing from up to 30 dealers.

A complete collection

By the early 1920s, Miller was on the way to his ultimate achievement: collecting one example of every U.S. postage stamp in the Scott catalogue of his day. He also collected varieties like color shades, frauds and forgeries, fresh unused stamps, and varied cancellations. Miller also enjoyed plating stamps, seeking one copy for each position on a printing plate.

The display

The collection was displayed at the library for more than 50 years. However it was locked away after a theft of some of the items in 1977. Even though a bulk of the collection was recovered it did not come back on display.

It is has now made a come back when the National Postal Museum put it on display in two parts in from 27 May, 2006 till 1 October, 2007, and in 2007 from 5 November till 12 January, 2009. [cite news
url = http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/millercollection/index.html
title = The Benjamin K Miller Collection
accessdate = 2006-08-08
publisher = National Postal Museum]

Recognition

In recognition of Miller's philatelic accomplishments and scholarship, the Royal Philatelic Society upgaded his status from "member" to "fellow".

References

* [http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/millercollection/index.html The Benjamin K. Miller Collection]