Eugene N. Costales

Eugene N. Costales
Eugene N. Costales
Born	August 19, 1894
Died	November 2, 1984 (aged 90); Orange, California
Nationality	USA
Occupation	Engineer
Spouse(s)	Viola Costales
Children	One daughter
	Engineering career
Institutions	Collectors Club of New York ; American Philatelic Society ; American Stamp Dealers Association
Practice name	Stamp dealer and auctioneer ; recognized stamp expert; editor for the Scott catalog
Awards	APS Hall of Fame ; Neinken medal ; Luff Award

Last updated March 30, 2019

Eugene N. Costales (August 19, 1894 – November 2, 1984), of New York City, was a noted stamp dealer, auctioneer, and expert on authenticity of rare stamps and antiquities.

The City of New York, usually called either New York City (NYC) or simply New York (NY), is the most populous city in the United States and in the U.S. state of New York. With an estimated 2017 population of 8,622,698 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 square miles (784 km²), New York is also the most densely populated major city in the United States. Located at the southern tip of the state of New York, the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass and one of the world's most populous megacities, with an estimated 20,320,876 people in its 2017 Metropolitan Statistical Area and 23,876,155 residents in its Combined Statistical Area. A global power city, New York City has been described as the cultural, financial, and media capital of the world, and exerts a significant impact upon commerce, entertainment, research, technology, education, politics, tourism, art, fashion, and sports. The city's fast pace has inspired the term New York minute. Home to the headquarters of the United Nations, New York is an important center for international diplomacy.

A stamp dealer is a company or an individual who deals in stamps and philatelic products. It also includes individuals who sell postage stamps for day to day use or revenue stamps for use on court documents. Stamp dealers who sell to stamp collectors and philatelists are of many kinds and their businesses range from small home operations to large international companies.

Philatelic activity

Costales started out in the stamp business in 1909. He joined the Scott Stamp and Coin Company which publishes what stamp collectors call the Scott catalog, and from 1916 to 1926 he served as assistant editor, along with John Nicholas Luff, and then served as editor of Scott’s catalogs. He later returned to Scott’s company and served as advisor and pricer from 1955 to 1971.

In 1932 Costales established his own stamp dealership and started conducting stamp auctions in 1942. He conducted a total of sixty one auctions. Among the auction items he sold were philatelic material from famous collections, such as those of Col. Edward Howland Robinson Green, Henry B. Close, E. F. Gore, and Alfred F. Lichtenstein.

Edward Howland Robinson Green American businessman and politician

Edward Howland Robinson "Ned" Green, also known as Colonel Green, was an American businessman, the only son of the miser Hetty Green. In the late 19th century, he became a political ally in the Republican Party of William Madison McDonald, a prominent African-American politician.

Costales was associated with a number of stamp societies. He was a member of the Collectors Club of New York. At the American Philatelic Association he served as an expert on the authenticity of rare stamps and postal history items. He was also an active member of the American Stamp Dealers Association (ASDA).

The Collectors Club, often referred to as the Collectors Club of New York, is a private club and philatelic society in New York City. Founded in 1896, it is one of the oldest existing philatelic societies in the United States. Its stated purpose is "to further the study of philately, promote the hobby and provide a social, educational, and non-commercial setting for the enthusiastic enjoyment of our common passion".

The American Stamp Dealers Association (ASDA) is an international philatelic organization of stamp dealers.

Honors and awards

Eugene Costales was presented with the Luff Award by the American Philatelic Society in 1976, the Neinken medal in 1982 by the Philatelic Foundation, and in 1983 he was awarded the Dr. Carroll Chase Cup by the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society. He was named to the American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame in 1985.

The Luff Award is awarded by the American Philatelic Society for meritorious contributions to philately by living philatelists.

The Philatelic Foundation is a philatelic organization granted a charter in 1945 by the University of the State of New York as a Nonprofit Educational Institution.

The American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame award honors deceased philatelists who have contributed significantly to the field of national and/or international philately.

Legacy

Costales donated a portion of his philatelic library to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

The Smithsonian Institution, founded on August 10, 1846 "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge," is a group of museums and research centers administered by the Government of the United States. The institution is named after its founding donor, British scientist James Smithson. Originally organized as the "United States National Museum," that name ceased to exist as an administrative entity in 1967.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington or D.C., is the capital of the United States. Founded after the American Revolution as the seat of government of the newly independent country, Washington was named after George Washington, first President of the United States and Founding Father. As the seat of the United States federal government and several international organizations, Washington is an important world political capital. The city is also one of the most visited cities in the world, with more than 20 million tourists annually.

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References

APS Hall of Fame: Eugene N. Costales

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