The Grinnell Hawaiian Missionary Stamps Patrick Pearson Expert Committee of the Royal Philatelic Society London Ed. 2006 ISBN 0-9553078-0-5 8 ½ x 11, Softbound, 112 pages

If this review appears a little too full of literature and film references, there is cause. The Grinnell Hawaiian Missionary stamps (the stamps, themselves, and not the book) are once again the focal point of a philatelic controversy that may be stamp collecting’s equivalent to the Battle of the Titans. The book being reviewed here represents one side of the story, and opens by name dropping at a level that resembles a Who’s Who of the hobby/industry. But, when you consider the other side of the story, its proponents consists of its own philatelic honor roll.

Caveat: this review is NOT attempting to resolve the issue, nor even express an opinion. Rather, here is a look at a fascinating and well-presented work of philatelic literature that just happens to be one side of a “discussion” that goes back nearly 90 years.

This book, by one of the most esteemed expertizing services in the world, represents one side; articles in Linn’s Stamp News and Scott Stamp Monthly—with a review of the logic contained in those articles appearing in the New York Times—represents the other. In the middle is a whole lot of discussion, not the least of which takes place on various on-line stamp discussion boards.

Opening with a cast of characters, the book traces the history of these stamps, purported to be a cache of Hawaiian Missionary stamps discovered in the early 20th century. Their name, “Grinnell,” comes from George Grinnell, said to have purchased them for $5 in 1918. So, the stamps are named for the man who purchased them, not whoever uncovered them. If real, the stamps today could be worth perhaps $10 million. Grinnell heirs obviously are on the side cheering for a respected expertizing service to present an opinion that renders the stamps real. The Royal of London spent two years researching the stamps and their cancellations and pronounced them fake … continuing quite a streak of similar opinions over the years.

Contained in the pages of this book is a detailed and surprisingly lively explanation of the work, thinking and rationale for the conclusion. The book is beautifully illustrated in color. There are scientific charts, greatly magnified views of paper fibers and particles found within them, and enlarged examples of handwriting found beneath the Grinnells and other Hawaiian missionaries. The work is meticulous.

Chapters include the Hawaiian post office in the 1850s, the “certified” Hawaiian missionaries, a chronicle of the Grinnells, scientific investigation, forgeries and reprints of classic Hawaii, timetable for production of th Grinnell forgeries, and a summary and the expertizing committee’s conclusion.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the issue, research has led others to take the stand that the Grinnells are real. The debate is intense.

So, if you like drama set in the background of your favorite hobby, this book represents a great starting point. Do the Grinnells represent the damsel being tied to the railroad track by Snidley Whiplash, only to be rescued by Dudley Do-Right? Or, are the Grinnells just one more windmill for Don Quixote to tilt?

While this book is the premier presentation of one side of the story, and the two articles referenced above major proponents of the other side of the story, along with some booklets, you need only query your favorite online search engine for “Grinnell + missionary” (without quotation marks) to come up with many more hits than you even imagined!

Past Reviews
Tales by Mail - Book 1
The 2003 Catalogue of Queen Elizabeth II British Postage Stamp Errors

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