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I found these stamps in my mother’s 1944 edition of The Girl Mechanics Manual, which is a small volume educating women about their wartime jobs. Can anyone tell me what they are?
@kathyu Welcome to the Stamp Community.
I searched for information to the specific Block of 10 stamps presented upon you Post.
My initial findings are as follows:
These stamps were issued sometime in 1960s (not 1936-1945, WWII Era), my apologies. the Country of Issue is the United states of America.
Philatelists consider such stamps as Cinderella stamps, which are non‑postal, stamp‑like labels that look like real postage stamps but were never issued by a government postal authority for mailing purposes. Their name comes from the folk‑tale character Cinderella, reflecting their “inferior” or unofficial status compared to true postage stamps.
Your example is a form of Trading or Savings stamp.
A deeper search coughed up much more information:
A MacDonald Plaid Savings & Trading Stamp with a 1 Mill cash value is a vintage loyalty stamp issued between the 1950s–1980s, now primarily collected as advertising memorabilia rather than redeemed for cash. Current market value is typically low—usually under $10 for a single 1‑mill stamp—based on recent collector listings.
What This Stamp Is
1. MacDonald Plaid Stamps were a U.S. trading stamp program similar to S&H Green Stamps, distributed by grocery stores and retailers from the mid‑20th century.
2. Customers collected stamps in saver books and redeemed them for household goods, catalog items, or premiums.
3. The “1 Mill” denomination indicates a very small cash value (a mill = 1/10 of a cent), typical for individual trading stamps.
Current Collector Value
Recent online listings show that single 1‑mill MacDonald Plaid stamps generally sell for around $2–$10, depending on condition and seller demand:
1. A 1‑mill original gum stamp listed for $9.95 on eBay.
2. Similar listings describe the stamp as rare but modestly priced, often purchased by collectors of vintage advertising or ephemera.
Complete saver books, pads, or mixed lots often sell for $10–$30, depending on how full they are and their condition.
Factors That Affect Value
1. Condition: Original gum, no creases, bright color, and clean edges increase desirability.
2. Completeness: Full pads or filled saver books are more valuable than single stamps.
3. Rarity of design: Some plaid patterns or promotional variants may attract niche collectors.
4. Market timing: Interest in mid‑century Americana and grocery‑store ephemera fluctuates.
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In my 55+ years of collecting I have a large group of Cinderellas to speak of though not the specific stamp presented upon your Post above. I personally enjoy what you can learn from just such a stamp when discovered.
I hope the above information proves beneficial to you query and has piqued your interest in Collecting stamps.
Jan M. Blaha
APS# 238933
@kathyu Searching a bit further with relation to the Overprint of “DZU 151” produced the following information:
MacDonald Plaid Savings & Trading Stamps with the 1 Mill Overprint (catalogued as DZU 151) are collectible mid‑century trading stamps issued by the E.F. MacDonald Company. While they appear frequently in mixed lots on eBay and Etsy, individual overprinted varieties like DZU 151 typically sell for only a few dollars unless part of a larger, full book or rare ephemera set.
The 1 Mill overprint (your “DZU 151”) refers to a denomination adjustment printed over the original stamp design. Overprints were used for accounting or promotional reasons and are less common than standard issues.
No recent listing specifically identifies the DZU 151 overprint, but similar single Plaid stamps or small groups rarely exceed a few dollars unless they are part of a rare catalogued variety.
Based on current market patterns:
A single overprinted Plaid stamp like DZU 151 would likely fall in the $1–$5 range.
A full sheet or book containing the overprint could reach $10–$20+, depending on completeness and collector interest.
These estimates align with general Plaid stamp pricing trends on eBay and Etsy.
I hope this additional tidbit of information proves helpful as well.
Jan M. Blaha
APS# 238933
Thank you so much for the informative replies, Jan! I thought they looked similar to the old S&H Stamps. I truly appreciate the information about years of issue as well!
