Author Archives: VSC

On-Site YouTube Studio at Boston 2026

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Exploring Stamps to Host On-Site YouTube Studio at Boston 2026

Exploring Stamps, the popular YouTube channel dedicated to philately and postal history, will host an on-site content studio on the show floor during Boston 2026. Creator Graham Beck will produce video coverage throughout the event, offering a dynamic and modern look at one of the world’s premier stamp exhibitions.

From his booth, Beck will film a range of content including show highlights, notable exhibits, dealer interactions, and conversations with collectors and experts from across the hobby. The studio will also feature a special “show and tell” element, inviting collectors to bring an item from their collection to share on camera.

“This is an exciting opportunity to bring the energy of a world-class stamp show to a global audience,” said Beck. “Boston 2026 will be filled with incredible material, and I’m looking forward to capturing those moments and sharing them with collectors everywhere.”

With a growing international audience, Exploring Stamps has become known for making philately more accessible and engaging through storytelling, visual presentation, and educational content. The Boston 2026 studio will extend that mission by connecting the in-person experience of the show with viewers around the world. Boston 2026 is committed to expanding access to the world of philately beyond the traditional organizations to include all types of collectors and the general public

Attendees are encouraged to stop by the booth, say hello, and take part in the experience.

Exploring Stamps is a YouTube channel focused on the stories, discoveries, and collecting experience behind stamps and postal history. Through a mix of educational and entertaining content, the channel reaches a global audience of collectors and enthusiasts, helping to bring new energy and visibility to the hobby.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org and on Facebook, X and Instagram. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.

Boston 2026’s Daily Show Postmarks Announced

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS Releases Boston 2026 Daily Postmarks

The designs of eight daily theme postmarks for use at Boston 2026 World Expo by the United States Postal Service have been unveiled.

All eight use a common template of a circle centered on top of a banner designed as a plaque nameplate bearing “BOSTON 2026 WORLD EXPO.” The icon within the circle relates to the theme, such as a soccer ball on Sports Day, for example. Below the banner is the theme day text followed by “- STATION” as required in USPS pictorial postmark guidelines, all in capital letters. Underneath is “May 2X, 2026 – Boston, MA 02205,” with X bearing each date’s last digit.

The standard shape and size of each, 2.72 inches wide by 1.22 inches tall, will make it easier for collectors and cachet makers alike to affix stamps in just the right place on their envelopes. Each will be available for hand-back service on their first day of use through the end of the show at USPS cancellation booths. Boston 2026 postmarks

Renowned stamp designer Chris Calle is preparing limited edition official show cachets based on these themes that will be available for sale at the show.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org and on Facebook, X and Instagram. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.

WorldPride Amsterdam 2026 (Netherlands 2026)

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[from PostNL press materials] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
PostNL releases stamp sheet for WorldPride Amsterdam 2026

Issue: WorldPride Amsterdam 2026
Issue date: 1 April 2026
Format: sheet of 5 stamps in 5 identical designs, with denomination 1 for items up to 20 grams sent within the Netherlands
Item number: 460861
Design: Martin Cadwallader, Lichfield, England

The Hague, April 2, 2026 – PostNL has released a special stamp sheet for WorldPride Amsterdam 2026. The release coincides with the moment the Netherlands made history 25 years ago. On April 1, 2001, Job Cohen, then Mayor of Amsterdam, officiated the very first same-sex marriage. Twenty-five years later, this moment still marks an important step in the recognition of equality and love in all its forms.

PostNL stands for a society in which everyone feels free and safe to love whoever they want and to be whoever they are. With this release, PostNL underscores the importance of equality and appreciation for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Amsterdam in the World Spotlight
WorldPride began in Rome in 2000. This year, the event is coming to Amsterdam. The city was awarded the organization partly due to that historic wedding that took place 25 years ago. During WorldPride, there are parades, street parties, film festivals, concerts, and conferences throughout the city.

WorldPride Amsterdam 2026 takes place in the capital from 25 July to 8 August 2026, organised by the Pride Amsterdam Foundation. WorldPride is a global event held every few years in a different city, aimed at increasing international visibility and awareness of LGBTQIA+ issues. LGBTQIA+ is the abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual, with the + standing for all other identities. The first WorldPride took place in Rome in 2000. The 2‑week event will conclude on 8 August with the WorldPride March and the WorldPride Closing Concert on Museumplein.

Colorful design that connects
For this issue, designer Martin Cadwallader created a cheerful and clear design. In each stripe, this graphic designer has provided a kaleidoscopic interpretation of the colors and shapes of a different flag from the LGBTQIA+ community. Together, the stripes form a playful whole. Beneath the stripes are patterns that reflect cultures coming together in the Netherlands. This gives the sheet an energetic look befitting WorldPride.

Colorful patterns from around the world
The design features pangi motifs from Suriname, flowers from Aruba and Curaçao, batik from Indonesia, Moroccan shapes, and Turkish tulips. Dutch motifs such as flowers and Delft Blue also appear. In this way, the sheet shows how all these cultures reinforce one another.

Martin Cadwallader previously created designs for the Pride Amsterdam Foundation, including the logos and visual identity for EuroPride Amsterdam 2016 and Pride Amsterdam 2019. In 2025 he was again approached by the foundation, this time to design the visual identity for WorldPride Amsterdam 2026.

“Unity is the key to combating intolerance,” said Cadwallader. “I expressed this through the concept of the ‘cultural kaleidoscope,’ also known as the fan of cultures. The visual identity, as also applied to the WorldPride Amsterdam 2026 stamps, shows that everything is connected and that every culture is an essential part of the whole. Just like the colourful geometric patterns in a kaleidoscope that constantly form new shapes while remaining connected, symbolising unity in diversity.”

Availability
The WorldPride Amsterdam 2026 stamp sheet consists of 5 stamps with a value of 1 for mail up to 20 grams within the Netherlands. A sheet costs € 7.00. You can buy it at post offices, in Bruna stores, via the PostNL website, or via Collect Club on 088 – 868 99 00. It is valid indefinitely.

Note: PostNL does not sell directly to collectors in North America. Its website refers to a company called Nordfirm, which says it sells Dutch new issues at face value. The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.

Collectors may also wish to contact the U.S. firm Bombay Stamps, which can also obtain first day covers upon request, with lower shipping fees. The email is sales@bombaystamps.com Again, The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.

Queen Elizabeth II Centenary (UK 2026)

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Royal Mail Marks the Centenary of the Birth of the Late Queen Elizabeth with Special Stamps

  • Issue date: 21 April
  • Eight stamps feature photographs of the late Queen Elizabeth from early childhood until late in her reign
  • A further four stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, reflect her lifelong love of horses and dogs
  • The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-order now here and by telephone on 03457 641641

Royal Mail has unveiled images of a set of 12 stamps that mark the centenary of the birth of the late Queen Elizabeth, ahead of the anniversary on 21 April 2026.

The main set of eight stamps commemorates the life and work of the late Queen Elizabeth and features photographs from throughout her life, from early childhood until late in her reign.

A further four stamps presented in a miniature sheet reflect her lifelong love of horses and dogs.

David Gold, Director of External Affairs & Policy, Royal Mail, said: “With these Special Stamps, we pay tribute to the late Queen, whose commitment to duty was unparalleled in history. The stamps tell the remarkable story of a very public life of dedicated service, and a more private passion for dogs and horses, about which Her Majesty was a renowned expert.”

From her accession to the throne on 6 February 1952, the late Queen was an ever-present feature of stamps in Britain. Every stamp created during her reign featured an image of her usually in the forms of the Wilding portrait, the Machin definitive or the Gillick silhouette. She also featured on numerous stamps created to mark Royal events and anniversaries such as birthdays, jubilees and weddings. A gallery of stamps featuring the late Queen can be found here: A life in stamps

The late Queen Elizabeth
Born in the aftermath of the First World War, Elizabeth II was raised during the Second. She would go on to reign through what became known as the Jet Age, the Space Age and the Digital Age. More than half of the nations on Earth today did not exist in their present form when she succeeded her father, King George VI, on 6 February 1952. Her Coronation took place the following year.

She comfortably broke the reigning record of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria over seven decades in which she witnessed more change than any of her predecessors. Queen Elizabeth II always understood that the monarchy had to move with the times while connecting her people to the traditions that had shaped their country. She was a devout Supreme Governor of the Church of England, a proud Head of the Armed Forces and a diligent Head of the Commonwealth.

Beyond her duties as a monarch, the late Queen Elizabeth had a lifelong passion for animals, especially horses and dogs, and was devoted to her family. She was married to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, for more than 73 years and loved being surrounded by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to pre-order now here and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 12 stamps is priced at £22.50. The stamps go on general sale from 21 April.

Reservations Available for Boston 2026 Awards Dinner

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Boston 2026 Awards Dinner Tickets Available

All are welcome to attend the Boston 2026 Awards Dinner taking Place Friday, May 29 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center Ballroom.

A reception with three open bar stations begins at 6:30 PM featuring several entertainers offering a variety of American music up to the 7:45 seating. The bar will be open through dinner.

A choice of one of three main entrees is to be selected per ticket—cracker crusted haddock, BBQ steak tips and pan seared tofu. All come with vegetable side dishes. Wine will be served with dinner.

Presentations afterwards include those receiving Boston 2026 large gold medals, the three top FIP winners (Grand Prix National, Grand Prix International, Grand Prix d’Honneur and the 2026 APS Champion of Champions winner. The evening’s activities are expected to conclude around 10 PM.

Tickets available on a first-come basis are $195 per person. Select either an eTicket or a will-call option available for pickup at registration.

Order tickets online here. Payments may be made by PayPal or major credit cards.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org and on Facebook, X and Instagram. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.

Boston 2026 talk: Northwest Territory and Postal Service

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The Young Philatelic Leadership Fellow who is sponsored by the American Philatelic Society Writers Unit #30, Cole Longcor, will make a brief presentation on his project at the YPLF event on Monday May 25th at 11 am. He will talk about the extensive research paper he is submitting to the Postal History Symposium.

His subject is the relationship between the expansion of mail systems and the development and growth of the territories/states in the Northwest territory along the Ohio River, sparked by an interest in the Northwest Territory issue (Scott 837) of 1938. It is titled, “The River Runs Through It” and examines the relationship between the Ohio River and the postal system in the three states of the Northwest Territory through which the river runs: Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.

“A mixed media approach is used,” Longcor said in his proposal to the symposium. It includes “investigating artifacts from personal and museum collections, analyzing Richard Helbock’s Post Office dataset, and reviewing past literature, including sources from Marietta College Legacy Library’s Special Collections and philatelic publications.”

Longcor has a BA in journalism and political science from Marietta College and a MA in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois Springfield. He has worked for NPR Illinois and Capitol News Illinois and has been published by papers such as The Chicago Sun-Times.

USPS Adds Boston 2026 Stamp Design Souvenirs

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The U.S. Postal Service has added three “philatelic products” with the Boston 2026 stamp designs, although they are not yet listed on the store.USPS.com or StampsForever websites, only in the Spring edition of the USA Philatelic catalogue. They are a lanyard, a totebag and a “keepsake,” or album.

The latter (above) appears to be a spiral-bound album that “includes a custom sleeve for each stamp pane issued during the expo.” In small type at the bottom of the illustration is “Stamps not included.” At a minimum, those stamps would cost $86.23 plus whatever the full pane of the “Encore” issue costs. There is a dedication ceremony for the already-released Figures of the American Revolution pane of 25 stamps, and it is not clear if there would be a page for that. It does not appear that that vertical pane would fit in the album. The price is $39.95.

The lanyard illustration (right) appears to show it with last year’s Boston 2026 stamp pins affixed, but they probably are not included. The catalogue text says “affix your favorite stamp pins,” implying that you have to supply them yourself. It is $8.95.

The canvas tote bag (below), at $18.95, says it is printed on each side with one of the Boston 2026 stamp designs.

The USA Philatelic catalogue says “Order World Stamp Show Products by May 1st to have them for the expo,” but as of April 12, they are not listed on the website. The catalogue adds “or purchase them directly at the show.”

USPS Seeks Rate Hike in July 2026

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service Recommends New Prices for July

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Postal Service today filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) of mailing services price changes to take effect on July 12. The new rates include a 4-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 78 cents to 82 cents.

The proposed adjustments, approved by the governors of the Postal Service, would raise mailing services product prices approximately 4.8 percent. If favorably reviewed by the Commission, the price changes would include:

Product
Letters (1 oz.)
Letters (metered 1 oz.)
Additional Ounces
Domestic Postcards
International Postcards
International Letter (1 oz.)		 Current Prices
78¢
74¢
29¢
62¢
$1.70
$1.70		 Proposed Prices
82¢
78¢
29¢
65¢
$1.75
$1.75

The Postal Service is also seeking price adjustments for other First-Class Mail products, Periodicals, USPS Marketing Mail, Package Services and selected Special Services products.

In the midst of the severe financial crisis facing the Postal Service and continued rising operational costs, the Postal Service is using all available tools, including available regulatory pricing authority, to ensure we can continue to fulfill our universal service obligation and serve the American public. The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. Notwithstanding the adjustment, the Postal Service’s mailing prices remain among the most affordable in the world.

The PRC will review the changes before they are scheduled to take effect. The complete Postal Service price filing, with prices for all products, can be found on the commission’s website under the Daily Listings section. The Mailing Services filing is Docket No. R2026-1. The price tables are also available on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index.

Boston 2026 App Now Available

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Boston 2026 App Now Available

Show officials are proud to announce that its much-anticipated app is up and running.

The Boston 2026 leadership team discussed the possible development of a readily accessible mobile app early in the show’s planning, ultimately leading to the selection of Cvent as the show’s all-on-one tech developer, handling web setup, show registration and the app.

After several weeks of consultation, data input and testing, the Android and Mac compatible app went live on Friday, April 3. Collectors who had already registered online as attending were the first to be notified of the app’s availability through an email. When prompted to download the app, their prior contact info and personalized selection of events were automatically transferred when set up.

It is preferred that visitors first register as attending using the show’s home page web link, which will offer the app automatically at the end of the process. However, anyone can download the app itself by visiting the Google Play or Apple App Store and search for “Cvent Events,” download it and then select or enter “Boston 2026” at the prompt. This link will also get you there.

The feature-rich app’s home page offers three main sections: Organizations (dealers, auction houses, postal administrations and major societies holding booths on Society Row), Agenda (the main events listing), and the Floor Plan. These continue to be updated as needed. Icons on the lower task bar link to them as well.

The task bar’s lower right circle, which may show the user’s photo if customized, accesses one’s profile and personally selected daily schedule of events, all easily added to or changed. Profile settings give users to option make their details accessible to other attendees to foster collaboration with those of similar interests.

Exploring the app first-hand is the best way to see the usefulness and power that this interactive free pocket catalog possesses.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org and on Facebook, X and Instagram. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.