Rarity Revealed: The Benjamin K. Miller Collection

The Benjamin K. Miller Collection of U.S. Postage Stamps, considered one of the outstanding collections of U.S. stamps in the world, has been in the keeping of The New York Public Library for over 80 years. Rarity Revealed tells for the first time the story of Benjamin K. Miller and his legendary collection, which includes many rarities, including philately's most famous error, the 24-cent Inverted "Jenny" and a 1-cent Z Grill, the rarest and most valuable of all U.S. stamps. The Miller collection was on prominent display at the Library for more than 50 years until, in 1977, it was placed in secure storage after a theft of some of the stamps. In 2006 and 2007 the stamps will be on display in Washington, D.C., in a joint effort by The New York Public Library and the National Postal Museum. That exhibition and this book will enable philatelists and people who simply love stamps to once again enjoy this national treasure. Filled with detailed full-color images illustrating highlights of the collection, Rarity Revealed is both a fascinating look at the creation of an extraordinary collection and a unique reference to the history of American philately from 1842 to 1926.

Scott R. Trepel is an author and publisher of books and articles about stamps, as well as president of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries. Ken Lawrence is a philatelic author, columnist, and exhibitor.