The E-Sylum:  Volume 5, Number 9, February 24, 2002, Article 7

IRRADIATION DAMAGE REPORTS

  Mike Molnar reports: "About radiation damage: my mother
  in South NJ mailed some cash to a grandson in Virginia.
  This was right after 9-11. After a few months the letter
  arrived and the notes were yellow, apparently from
  irradiation.  My sister is keeping the notes as a memento."

  Mark Borckardt of Bowers and Merena Galleries writes:
  "In response to Tom DeLorey's question, we have not
  experienced a problem with books, however, we did have
  a problem involving PCGS graded coins.  We had sent two
  Proof Lincoln cents to a customer who never received them.
  Finally, after several weeks we had the original package
  returned to us.  The coins appeared to be ok, however, the
  slabs were yellow, warped, and just completely disfigured.
  We think, though, that due to the irradiating process, the
  coins might now be candidates for upgrade!!!"

  Dick Johnson notes: "In addition to banknotes and books
  Tom DeLorey mentioned in last week's E-Sylum,  be glad we
  are not in the jewelry business.   Gemstones shipped through
  the mail -- and irradiated -- are changing color!
  See http://www.gia.edu/gandg/special-issue-112701.cfm

  Finally, thanks go to Kavan Ratnatunga of the Pittsburgh
  Numismatic Society for pointing out the following article on
  irradiation damage from Linn's Stamp News:

  "A spokesman for the Philatelic Foundation, one of the
  hobby's expertizing bodies, told Linn's in mid-January that
  the Foundation is no longer using the Postal Service to
  ship stamps or covers.  The New York City-based
  Foundation now ships all philatelic materials via FedEx to
  avoid the possibility of any of its materials being irradiated
  by the Postal Service.

  Scott R. Trepel, president of Robert A. Siegel Auction
  Galleries Inc., told Linn's the same thing.  Siegel is no
  longer using the Postal Service to ship auction lots; it is
  using FedEx exclusively for delivery."

  A sidebar to the article illustrates an interesting
  collectible created as a result of the irradiation situation.
  It shows an ordinary business-sized envelope
  "... addressed to United States Department of Justice trial
  attorney David D'Alessandris, [which] became a desirable
  piece of modern postal history after it was irradiated and
  marked with a bold red "IRRADIATED" handstamp, upper
  right, before being delivered to D'Alessandris at his Justice
  Department office.  A second red handstamp at lower right
  indicates that the cover was received at the Justice
  Department mailroom Dec. 13, 2001, more than one month
  after it was postmarked Nov. 2, 2001, in Topeka, Kan.
  According to D'Alessandris, the Justice Department applied
  both handstamps to the cover. These interesting auxiliary
  markings likely are the result of the U.S. Postal Service's
  decision to irradiate all mail addressed to government agencies
  in the District of Columbia."

  http://www.linns.com/print/archives/20020204/news1.asp

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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