Author Archives: VSC

Grain Silo Art (Australia 2018)

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[press release]
Australia Post looks to towering grain silo art to inspire latest stamp issue

Australia Post is releasing a commemorative issue of four stamps to recognise the towns, businesses and artists who have created iconic art on silos across regional Australia.

Australia Post Philatelic Manager Michael Zsolt said: “Silo art projects have been appearing across Australia since 2015 and are a magnificent symbol of the local people, natural environment, history and industries that are at the heart of these rural communities”.

“The remarkable painted grain silos have revitalised the local towns, many of which have suffered from drought or population attrition. These murals have put these small country towns firmly on the national and international map, attracting an increasing number of visitors”.

The silo art featured on the four domestic base-rate ($1) stamps are:

  • Guido Van Helten, Brim (Victoria): The first silo art in eastern Australia was commissioned in Brim, Victoria as an initiative of artist Guido van Helten, silo owner GrainCorp and local community organisation Brim Active Group. The 30-metre-tall artwork depicts three men and one woman, wearing hats to shield their faces from the midday sun, and was completed over a three week period. The success of the mural as a tourist attraction encouraged the Yarriambiack Shire to commission five additional GrainCorp silo murals, now known as the Wimmera-Mallee Silo Art Trail.
  • Drapl and The Zookeeper, Thallon (Queensland): The four 30-metre-high, 40-metre-wide silos in Thallon were painted as part of a co-initiative between the artists (Drapl and The Zookeeper), the Thallon Progress Association and GrainCorp. Entitled “Watering Hole” the mural depicts aspects of Thallon, including the spectacular sunsets, the picturesque Moonie River, a scarred tree acknowledging the community’s indigenous history and sheep to reference the wool industry.
  • Amok Island, Ravensthorpe (Western Australia): Artist Amok Island was commissioned by FORM agency on behalf of silo owners CBH Group to paint their three silos located in Ravensthorpe. Titled Six Stages in Banksia baxteri, the mural depicts local flora and fauna, with each side of the three silos showing a different stage in the flowering cycle of the banksia, an endemic species to the area.
  • Heesco Khosnaran, Weethalle (New South Wales): The first silo mural to be created in New South Wales can be found in the Central West town of Weethalle. Inspired by Victoria’s silo trail, the Bland Shire Council called for applications from artists Australia-wide to undertake the project. Heesco Khosnaran was the successful artist selected by the council and community representatives; drawing inspiration for his murals from photographs representing the district’s main agricultural activities: shearing and wheat growing.

The products available with this stamp issue include a first day cover, stamp pack, minisheet, maxicards, self-adhesive booklets of 10 and a booklet collection.

The Silo Art stamp issue is available from 21 May 2018 at participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online at auspost.com.au/stamps. Please visit auspostcollectables.com.au for more information on the Silo Art stamp issue.

Memorial Cup Centennial (Canada 2018)

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[press release]
Stamp honours the 100th presentation of the Memorial Cup
Trophy tells Canadian story of community, family, honour and respect

REGINA – Hours before the puck drops to start the 2018 Mastercard Memorial Cup Championship tournament, Canada Post lifted the veil on its newest stamp at City Hall, celebrating the storied history of one of the most cherished trophies in sport.

“The Memorial Cup, 100th Presentation stamp symbolizes junior hockey supremacy in North America, hockey’s connection to community and Canadians’ respect for tradition,” says Jessica McDonald, Canada Post’s Chair of the Board of Directors and Interim President and CEO. “The Cup is part of the very fabric of our great nation.”

Donated in remembrance of Canadians who made the supreme sacrifice for their country during the First World War, the Cup was rededicated in 2010 to the memory of all members of the Canadian Armed Forces who’ve lost their lives in the line of duty.

“What others have given us endures through our acts of remembrance, such as the Memorial Cup,” says The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, the Minister of Public Service and Procurement who is responsible for Canada Post. “Over the decades, competing for this Cup has shaped the characters and lives of thousands of young men.”

The Cup is awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) champion, following a four-team, round-robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL’s member leagues: the Western Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League.

“The CHL is very proud to be celebrating this special year in Regina,” says CHL President David Branch. “We thank Canada Post for commemorating this event and over the next 10 days, we’ll see some of the best junior players in the world compete for the ultimate prize in junior hockey.”

Illustrated by Louis Hébert and designed by Paprika of Montréal, the stamp evokes the Canadian flag. It features two players from the Regina Pats, which in 1919 competed in the first Memorial Cup against the University of Toronto Schools of the Ontario Hockey Association. The Pats are this year’s host team.

“The Regina Pats have a very long history in our community and in Canada’s hockey community,” said Regina Mayor Michael Fougere. “This design acknowledges that the Pats legacy is intertwined with the Memorial Cup’s, and I have no doubt our residents will be very proud of this representation.”

The stamp comes in pennant-shaped booklets of 10 and shows a Pats player from yesteryear facing off against a modern-day player, with an illustration of the Memorial Cup between them. As a tribute to the trophy’s origins, the Official First Day Cover includes a photo of two Canadian Armed Forces members accompanying the Cup. The OFDC is cancelled in Regina.

On May 27, 2018, the Memorial Cup will be presented for the 100th time at the Brandt Centre in Regina, where tonight the host Regina Pats play the champion Hamilton Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League in the first game of this year’s national tournament.

The stamps and all related products are available at retail outlets and online at canadapost.ca/memorialcup.

[Communiqué]
Un timbre en l’honneur de la 100e Coupe Memorial
Un trophée à l’image du sens de la communauté, de la famille, de l’honneur et du respect des Canadiens

REGINA – Quelques heures avant la mise au jeu de la rondelle marquant le début du championnat de la Coupe Memorial Mastercard de 2018, Postes Canada a dévoilé son plus récent timbre à l’hôtel de ville de Regina, en Saskatchewan, en l’honneur de la riche histoire de l’un des trophées sportifs les plus prisés.

« Le timbre consacré au centenaire de la Coupe Memorial est le symbole de la suprématie du hockey junior en Amérique du Nord, du lien qui unit ce sport aux collectivités et du respect des traditions canadiennes », dit Jessica McDonald, présidente du Conseil d’administration et présidente-directrice générale par intérim à Postes Canada. « La Coupe fait partie de l’essence même de notre grande nation. »

Offerte en souvenir des soldats canadiens qui sont tombés au combat pendant la Première Guerre mondiale, la Coupe est dédiée depuis 2010 à la mémoire de tous les membres des Forces armées canadiennes qui ont donné leur vie pour servir leur pays.

« Leur ultime sacrifice subsiste grâce à nos actes commémoratifs, comme la Coupe Memorial », dit l’honorable Carla Qualtrough, ministre des Services publics et de l’Approvisionnement, et ministre responsable de Postes Canada. « Depuis des décennies, la Coupe contribue à forger le caractère et à façonner la vie des milliers de jeunes hommes qui se la disputent. »

La Coupe est présentée tous les ans aux champions de la Ligue canadienne de hockey (LCH), après un tournoi à la ronde de quatre équipes entre une équipe locale et les champions des ligues membres de la LCH : la Western Hockey League, la Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec et la Ligue de hockey de l’Ontario.

« La LCH est très fière de célébrer cette année spéciale à Regina, dit le président de la LCH, David Branch. Nous remercions Postes Canada qui a souligné l’événement. Au cours des dix prochains jours, nous allons voir quelques-uns des meilleurs joueurs junior du monde se disputer le prix le plus convoité au hockey junior. »

Illustré par Louis Hébert et conçu par l’agence Paprika de Montréal, le timbre rappelle le drapeau canadien. Il représente deux joueurs des Regina Pats, qui en 1919 se sont disputé la première Coupe Memorial contre la University of Toronto Schools de l’Association du hockey de l’Ontario. L’équipe hôte de cette année sera les Pats.

« L’histoire des Regina Pats remonte à loin, tant au sein de notre communauté qu’au sein de la collectivité du hockey au Canada, dit le maire de Regina, Michael Fougere. Ce design reconnaît le lien étroit qui existe entre l’héritage des Pats et la Coupe Memorial, et je suis sûr que nos résidants seront très fiers de cette image. »

Le timbre, qui est offert en carnets de dix en forme de fanion, montre un joueur des Pats d’antan qui affronte un joueur de l’ère moderne, avec une illustration de la Coupe Memorial entre les deux. En hommage aux origines du trophée, le pli Premier Jour officiel présente une photo de deux membres des Forces armées canadiennes avec le trophée. Son oblitération porte la mention « REGINA ».

Le 27 mai 2018, la Coupe Memorial sera présentée pour la 100e fois au Centre Brandt à Regina. Ce soir, l’équipe locale des Regina Pats jouera contre les Hamilton Bulldogs, champions de la Ligue de hockey de l’Ontario, lors du premier match du tournoi national de cette année.

Les timbres et produits dérivés sont en vente dans les bureaux de poste et en ligne sur postescanada.ca/coupememorial.

Zais To Leave APS for Dept of Education

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[This story will be updated.]

American Philatelic Society president Mitchell “Mick” Zais has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Deputy Secretary of Education. That means he will have to resign his APS post, as required by White House ethics rules.

The Deputy Secretary is the number-two official at DOE. The vote was 50-48, along party lines. Sens. John McCain (R-Arizona) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) were not in Washington and did not vote.

“On behalf of the APS members, I would like to thank Mick for his years of service on the APS Board,” said Scott English, Executive Director, who also worked with Zais in South Carolina, “Even with his new responsibilities, I hope he still has time to collect, visit a few stamp shows, and even recruit a few new members in the Nation’s Capital. Best of luck in the next chapter!”

According to a press release from the Department of Education, “Dr. Zais most recently served as South Carolina’s elected State Superintendent of Education from 2011-2015. Prior to that, he served 10 years as president of Newberry College in South Carolina. Dr. Zais served 31 years in the U.S. Army and retired as a Brigadier General. He holds a B.S. in engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, an M.A. degree in military history, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in organizational behavior and social psychology from the University of Washington. He served as South Carolina Commissioner of Higher Education and is a recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, the states’ highest civilian award.”

He was elected to the APS presidency for a three-year term in the spring of 2016, and took office in August 2016. He previously served on the APS Board of Vice Presidents from 2013 to 2016.

Zais has been an APS member since 1976, joining after attending Interphil 1976, the seventh international show held in Philadelphia. He is also a member of the American First Day Cover Society, specializing in the Army half of the Army-Navy series of 1937, which he has begun exhibiting.

Zais’ nomination was first put forward last year by the White House. It was approved December 13th by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and sent to the full Senate for action. Then, because the Senate recessed for more than 30 days over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays without acting upon it, the nomination was “returned” to President Trump and had to be resubmitted in January.

According to the APS Bylaws, in the event of the resignation of the President, the Board of Directors will choose a replacement from among the current members of the Board. The Board must call a meeting within 10 days of the vacancy to fill the position. That meeting has been called for Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at 5 p.m. EDT. The telephone meeting is open to the public and APS members are welcome to join the call in to 888-537-7715 (toll free). The passcode is 13291358#

The current members of the Board, other than Zais, are:

  • Trish Kaufmann, Vice President
  • Jeff Shapiro, Vice President
  • Robert Zeigler, Vice President
  • Stephen Schumann, Secretary
  • Bruce Marsden, Treasurer
  • Michael Bloom, Director-at-Large
  • Peter McCann, Director-at-Large
  • Rich Drews, Director-at-Large
  • Mark Schwartz, Director-at-Large
  • Stephen Reinhard, Immediate Past President

McCann was president from 1999-2003, and Reinhard from 2013-2016. The newly elected president will complete Zais’ term through August 2019.

Zais participated in the unveiling of a flag stamp at the January 2017 first-day ceremony during Southeastern Stamp Expo. He is on the left:

The Virtual Stamp Club interviewed Zais about his first six months as president last January. The VSC radio feature is here (script and audio file).

Harry-Meghan Royal Wedding (Britain 2018)

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[press release]
Royal Mail Celebrates The Marriage Of HRH Prince Henry Of Wales To Ms Meghan Markle With New Special Stamps

  • Four stamps marking the Royal Wedding will be issued on 19 May – the day of the wedding
  • Stamp images are taken from the official engagement photographs taken by Alexi Lubomirski at Frogmore House, Windsor, in December 2017
  • The wedding will take place in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle
  • The miniature sheet of four stamps is available to pre-order from today at www.royalmail.com/royalwedding2018 and from 19 May at 7,000 Post Offices nationwide

Royal Mail today reveal images of the Special Stamps being issued to celebrate the wedding of Prince Henry of Wales to Ms Meghan Markle.

In December, three official engagement photographs were released, taken by New York based photographer Alexi Lubomirski at Frogmore House, Windsor. Two of these were selected for the stamps which are printed in a souvenir miniature sheet.


From the Royal Mail website:

“This very special stamp issue is designed to capture the unique nature of a royal wedding focused on fun, joy and a chance to celebrate with the public. This unique collection of souvenirs and gifts includes a Presentation Pack, Stamp Souvenir & Royal Wedding limited edition Coin Covers in collaboration with The Royal Mint.”

Sheer Poetry

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By John M. Hotchner

Former member of the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee David Eynon (from 1990 until 2008) was a mentor when I joined in 1998, and remains a friend. He is also an exceedingly well-read person who is forever discovering references to stamps, stamp collecting, and post office practices in out-of-the-way literature.

A recent find is from a book of poetry titled 1916 Oxford, St. Bees and the Front, 1911-1916, by H.B.K. (“Rex”) Allpass, who styled himself “Sometime scholar of Exeter College, Oxford; 2nd Lieutenant, the Essex Regiment”. His photo is shown here.

Sadly, Allpass was one of thousands who perished on the Western Front in 1916, but his poetry was recognized as being of high quality, and was collected and preserved in the named book; published after the War by T. Werner Laurie, Ltd., London.

Among his output is the following poem, written in December, 1913:

The Stamp-Collectors’ Aunt
Oh! List to the tragical lachrymose tale
Of Martha Elizabeth Gamp,
Who received by the post the Philatelist’s Grail
A Royal Timbuctean stamp.
Martha Eliza two nephews possessed,
Each a collector of note:
Herbert Antonio Samuel West
And Fawcett Excelsior Choate.
Now Martha, to ways of collecting unused,
Invited both nephews to tea,
With benevolent simper the stamp she produced
And gave it the cousins to see.
Silent they stood, and beheld in amaze,
And praised in full reverent tone,
And focussed its markings with rapturous gazed
And languished to make them their own.
But rapture yields swiftly to rivalrous lust,
And black importunity’s hate:
Though “I cannot decide,” Martha wept,
“But you must,”
They answered, “or death is your fate.”
Thus urged and insisted and threatened they both
With demands that would not be denied,
Till “Fawcett—–“ she murmured.
Then Bert with an oath
Plunged the cake-knife deep in her side.
“Ah, villain!” cried Fawcett,
“Behold what you’ve done!
O’er this ruin you never shall gloat!”
And swift a resilient bun
He thrust down the cousinly throat.
But Bert ere, asphyxiate, life he resigned,
Arose with the rest of his strength,
And Fawcett he pierced ’twixt the shoulders behind
With the cake-knife’s murderous length.
Thus they died; and below with their issuing gore
The ceiling grew ruddily damp,
As there uttered regretfully down to the floor
That Royal Timbuctean stamp.

∞§∞§∞§∞

The lust of which Allpass speaks is one that every stamp collector can identify with, though the outcome of the story teaches that lust, if indulged, can have a harsh price. May we all remember that stamp collecting is a hobby, not a matter of life-and-death!

My thanks to Dave for re-discovering this gem. Now, let me ask you, dear reader, if you have come upon any instance(s) of philately in older literature – either poetry, stories that relate to the hobby, or quotes that re ect upon its benefits or costs?

If so, I would enjoy hearing of them for possible use in this space; with credit to original author and finder/reporter, of course.

Should you wish to comment on this editorial, or have questions or ideas you would like to have explored in a future column, please write to John Hotchner, VSC Contributor, P.O. Box 1125, Falls Church, VA 22041-0125, or email, putting “VSC” in the subject line.

Or comment right here.

$1, $2 & $5 Statue of Freedom (U.S. 2018)

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The Scott catalogue numbers for these stamps are 5295 $1, 5296 $2 and 5297 $5.

The USPS announced these three stamps on May 10th, with an issue date of Wednesday, June 27th in Bellefonte, PA, the headquarters of the American Philatelic Society. That is in the middle of its annual Summer Seminar Week.

Added June 14: The date and location for the issuance of these stamps was suggested by APS executive director Scott English.

The information from the USPS:

These three designs feature the head of the statue that tops the United States Capitol dome, in a modern interpretation of an engraved vignette originally created for a 1923 stamp ($5 Head of Freedom Statue). The engraved artwork was originally created for the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing by John Eissler (1873–1962). Rendered in emerald green ($1), indigo ($2) and brick red ($5), the tightly cropped enlargements highlight the solid and dashed lines and the crosshatching characteristic of engraved illustrations.

American sculptor Thomas Crawford (1814–1857) created the allegorical Statue of Freedom during the mid-1850s. She wears a variation on a Roman helmet — circled by stars, topped with an eagle head, and embellished by feathered plumes meant to evoke Native American headdress. Installation of the statue onto the new Capitol dome was completed in 1863.

All three stamps were printed in intaglio and were designed by Art Director Greg Breeding.

$1 Statue of Freedom
The U.S. Postal Service will be issuing the $1 Statue of Freedom stamp, offering a modern take on vintage patriotic stamp art for use on packages, large envelopes and other mailings. $1 Statue of Freedom will be sold in panes of 10 stamps.

$2 Statue of Freedom
The Postal Service will be issuing the $2 Statue of Freedom, also offering a modern take on vintage patriotic stamp art for use on packages, large envelopes and other mailings. $2 Statue of Freedom will be sold in panes of 10 stamps.

$5 Statue of Freedom
The Postal Service will be issuing the $5 Statue of Freedom for use on packages, large envelopes and other mailings. $5 Statue of Freedom will be sold in panes of four stamps.

Updated May 25th:

On June 27, 2018, in Bellefonte, PA, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the $1, $2, and $5 Statue of Freedom definitive stamps in one design each. The $1 and $2 Statue of Freedom stamps will be issued in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 10 stamps (Items 114200 and 114300). The $5 Statue of Freedom stamp will be issued in a PSA pane of 4 stamps (Item 117900). All three will go on sale nationwide June 27, 2018.

The $1, $2, and $5 Statue of Freedom stamps offer a modern take on vintage patriotic stamp art for use on packages, large envelopes, and other mailings. The design features the head of the statue that tops the U.S. Capitol dome in artwork based on an engraved vignette originally created for a 1923 stamp ($5 Head of Freedom Statue). The tightly cropped enlargement, rendered in emerald green, indigo, and brick red, highlights the solid and dashed lines as well as the cross-hatching characteristic of engraved illustration. These stamps were printed in intaglio. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps using John Eissler’s engraved artwork.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 114200 and 114300, $1 and $2 Statue of Freedom PSA Pane of 10 Stamps and Item 117900 $5 Statue of Freedom PSA Pane of 4 Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office or at the Postal Store website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Statue of Freedom Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by October 27, 2018.

No locally produced items are authorized. Only merchandise that has been approved and assigned an item number by Headquarters Retail Marketing may be produced and sold.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: $1 Statue of Freedom Stamp
Item Number: 114200
Denomination & Type of Issue: $1 Definitive
Format: Pane of 10 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 27, 2018, Bellefonte, PA 16823
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Intaglio, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 10
Print Quantity: 100,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Colors: Custom Green, Custom Black, Custom OVI
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 1.085 in./36.07 x 27.56 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.225 in./39.62 x 31.12 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.85 x 8.27 in./123.19 x 210.06 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 9.70 x 24.81 in./246.38 x 630.17 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: B followed by three (3) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate Block Number
Back: ©2018 USPS • USPS logo • 10 Barcodes (114200) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text

Technical Specifications:

Issue: $2 Statue of Freedom Stamp
Item Number: 114300
Denomination & Type of Issue: $2 Definitive
Format: Pane of 10 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 27, 2018, Bellefonte, PA 16823
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Intaglio, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 10
Print Quantity: 30,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Colors: Custom Blue, Custom Black, Custom OVI
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 1.085 in./36.07 x 27.56 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.225 in./39.62 x 31.12 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.85 x 8.27 in./123.19 x 210.06 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 9.70 x 24.81 in./246.38 x 630.17 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: B followed by three (3) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate Block Number
Back: ©2018 USPS • USPS logo • 10 Barcodes (114300) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text

Technical Specifications:

Issue: $5 Statue of Freedom Stamp
Item Number: 117900
Denomination & Type of Issue: $5 Definitive
Format: Pane of 4 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: June 27, 2018, Bellefonte, PA 16823
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Intaglio, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 4
Print Quantity: 5,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, NC
Colors: Custom Red, Custom Black, Custom OVI
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 1.085 in./36.07 x 27.56 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.225 in./39.62 x 31.12 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.85 x 4.17 in./123.19 x 105.92 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 9.70 x 20.85 in./246.38 x 529.59 mm
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: B followed by three (3) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate Block Number
Back: ©2018 USPS • USPS logo • 4 Barcodes (117900) • Plate position diagram • Promotional text

Thanks to Mary, here are the first-day postmarks. They all appear to be approximately three inches in width.

Honoring First Responders

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The Scott catalogue number is 5316.

Announced by the USPS on May 10th. It will be issued September 13th in Missoula, MT. Canada Post will be issuing five stamps for First Responders, September 10-14. The Firefighters stamp comes out on the same day as this U.S. issue.

Updated August 2nd, from the Postal Bulletin:
On September 13, 2018, in Missoula, MT, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Honoring First Responders stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive pane of 20 stamps (Item 478100). The stamp will go on sale nationwide September 13, 2018.

With this stamp, the U.S. Postal Service recognizes the men and women — firefighters, law enforcement officers, and emergency medical service professionals — who respond to critical situations with skill, dedication, and uncommon bravery. First responders are found throughout society, from small townships to the federal government, and their ranks often include a wide range of law enforcement professionals and public safety personnel. The digital illustration on this stamp is a symbolic scene that shows three first responders in profile as they race into action. Artist Brian Stauffer worked with art director Antonio Alcalá and designer Ricky Altizer to create this stamp.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office or at The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Honoring First Responders Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by January 13, 2019.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Honoring First Responders Stamp
Item Number: 478100
Denomination &
Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 13, 2018, Missoula, MT 59801
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Ricky Altizer
Typographer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Brian Stauffer, Novato, CA
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 60,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x .84 in/ 36.068 x 21.336 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x .98 in/ 39.624 x 24.892 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.24 x 5.92 in/ 183.896 x 150.368 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 21.72 x 11.84 in/ 551.688 x 300.736 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners of pane
Back: ©2018 USPS • USPS Logo • 2 barcodes (478100) • Plate position diagram
• Promotional text

From the USPS, July 19th:
New Forever Stamp Salutes First Responders
Dedication Ceremony at Montana Aerial Fire Depot and Smokejumper Center

WHO: The firefighters, emergency medical professionals and law enforcement officers who serve our communities across the nation.

WHAT: Honored on a Forever stamp at U.S. Postal Service first-day-of-issue ceremony

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018 11 a.m. (MDT)

WHERE: Aerial Fire Depot and Smokejumper Center
5765 W. Broadway St.
Missoula, MT 59808

WHY: Emergencies of various types occur in our communities every day, from crimes and medical incidents to accidents and fires. These critical situations require men and women who possess the training and knowledge to rescue the endangered, treat the injured, and restore safety and order. With this stamp, the Postal Service recognizes all first responders for their skill, dedication and uncommon bravery.

The dedicating official will be Guy Cottrell, Chief Postal Inspector, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Artist Brian Stauffer worked with art director and designer Antonio Alcalá and designer Ricky Altizer to create this stamp. Additional details will be provided before the ceremony date.

Original announcement May 10th:

With this stamp, the Postal Service recognizes the men and women — including firefighters, law enforcement officers, and emergency medical service professionals — who respond to critical situations with skill, dedication and uncommon bravery. The digital illustration on this stamp is a symbolic scene that shows three first responders in profile, facing right, as they race into action. From left to right, the first figure is a firefighter carrying an axe. The second figure is an EMS worker, with the EMS Star of Life visible on her cap, upper arm and emergency bag. The third figure is a law-enforcement officer shining a flashlight toward unknown danger ahead. The dark background and signs of smoke in around the figures suggest the wide range of situations that demand the immediate attention of a first responder.

Artist Brian Stauffer worked with art director and designer Antonio Alcalá and designer Ricky Altizer to create this stamp.

Updated August 18th:
Here’s is the Digital Color Postmark for this issue:It measures 2.43″ x 1.43″. Here is the B&W pictorial postmark:It measures 2.79″ x 1.55″.

Spellman Museum Celebrates Postcards

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[press release]
NATIONAL POSTCARD WEEK MAY 6-13
FREE CARDS AND POSTAGE AT THE SPELLMAN MUSEUM
THE POSTCARD – THE ORIGINAL TWEET/INSTAGRAM

The first week in May marks National Postcard Week. Early in the 20th century, postcard enthusiasts sent “Postcard Day” postcards on May 1st, but the modern observance began in 1984 as a way to promote postcard collecting and sending. Don’t toss that shoebox of old postcards you found in grandma’s attic-they tell stories about the past and can be valuable. And people always like to get personal mail these days.

The United States Postal Service first allowed postcards to be mailed in 1872 for 1 cent. The postage stamp can date vintage postcards-it went up 24 times from 1872 to 2013. Postcards mailed before August 1958 cost up to 2 cents. In January 2013, the rate was 33 cents and today the cost is 35 cents. Until 1907 only the address could be put on the back of the card.

The Spellman Museum of Stamps & Postal History has free postcards and vintage postage stamps for anyone who visits the Museum (regular admission) from May 10 to 13. Please stop by with your address book (no, not your email list!). For more information email to postcard. If you cannot get to the Museum, send a few cards on your own.

The Museum is open Thursday to Sunday, noon to 5:00. It is located at 241 Wellesley St, Weston, MA 02493.

U.S. Postal Museum Opens Hamilton Exhibition

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[press release]
National Postal Museum To Open Alexander Hamilton Exhibition
Original Hamilton–Burr Dueling Pistols on Rare Public Display The pistols used in the infamous 1804 duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr will be on display May 25 through June 24 at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum. They are featured in the exhibition “Alexander Hamilton: Soldier, Secretary, Icon,” along with mail, portraits, and postage and revenue stamps reflective of Hamilton’s life and career as the first U.S. treasury secretary.

The full exhibition remains on view through next March. Its opening in late May is set to coincide with the June opening of the hit Broadway play, Hamilton: An American Musical, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

The original dueling pistols used by Hamilton, former secretary of the treasury and retired two-star general, and Vice President Aaron Burr in the duel that resulted in Hamilton’s death are on loan to the museum from JPMorgan Chase & Co. This rare public showing represents the first time the pistols have been on public display in the Washington area.

Hamilton was born on the British Caribbean island of Nevis in 1755, deserted by his father at age 11 and raised by his mother who died when he was 13. Shortly after his arrival in New York in 1772, long-simmering tensions between Great Britain and its North American colonies erupted into open war. An orphan with few influential connections, Hamilton saw the American Revolution as an opportunity for rapid social advancement. He committed to the revolution and decided he and America would sink or swim together.

In the 215 years since his untimely death at 39 in the duel with Burr, Hamilton has become an American icon. Stamps, money, movies, television miniseries, and now a hit Broadway musical, commemorate his meteoric rise and his sweeping vision for America’s future.

“In a Federalist-style gallery within the museum’s William H. Gross Stamp Gallery, visitors will see objects highlighting Hamilton’s extraordinary influence on our country,” said Elliot Gruber, director of the museum. “Visitors of all ages will be drawn in to the man behind the musical that is sweeping the nation.”

A beer tax stamp from the Museum’s collection is shown on the left.

In a scene that is scarcely imaginable today, on July 11, 1804, Burr killed Hamilton in a duel. Burr had lost the U.S. presidential election of 1800 and the New York governor’s race of 1804. He blamed Hamilton’s outspoken opposition for both losses—especially a letter attributed to Hamilton and published in the Albany Register that referred to Burr as “despicable.” Burr then issued the challenge to a duel, which was set for a location outside New York City in nearby New Jersey.

The pair of flintlock pistols have been described by Hamilton scholar and author Ron Chernow as having “the best claim to authenticity” as the pistols used in the famous duel.

Made of walnut, brass and gold, and each weighing several pounds, the pistols were manufactured in England by the celebrated gunsmith Robert Wogdon. They were owned by Hamilton’s brother-in-law, John Barker Church, who had himself dueled with Burr in 1799 over a different matter (and using a different set of pistols).

Far from vindicating himself as he had hoped, Burr instead became a pariah. Indicted for the capital crime of murder in both New York and New Jersey, he was forced into hiding. President Thomas Jefferson dropped him from the Democratic–Republican presidential ticket, and later ordered Burr’s arrest on treason charges stemming from an alleged plot to set up an independent country in the Louisiana Purchase territories. Burr was eventually acquitted of murder, dueling and treason, and he resumed a modest law practice in New York but died bankrupt and living in a Staten Island boarding house in 1836.

“History remembers Alexander Hamilton as the pioneering first secretary of the treasury, but he was also responsible for the Post Office Department,” said Daniel Piazza, chief curator of philately. “He used the mail to collect import and export data from customs officers all over the country, and his ability to interpret this data made Hamilton the best informed member of Washington’s first Cabinet.”

About the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum
The National Postal Museum is devoted to presenting the colorful and engaging history of the nation’s mail service and showcasing one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of stamps and philatelic material in the world. It is located at 2 Massachusetts Ave. N.E., Washington, D.C., across from Union Station. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). For more information about the Smithsonian, call (202) 633-1000 or visit the museum website at www.postalmuseum.si.edu.

RPSL Views Cayman Collection

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[press release]
Wonderful collection of Cayman Islands

The members of The Royal Philatelic Society London were able to admire the wonderful collection of Cayman Islands built up by Captain James Podger FRPSL at the meeting held on 3 May.

The story begins in April 1889 when a branch of the Jamaica Post Office was opened in Georgetown on Grand Cayman, with Jamaican postage stamps being supplied to enable letters to be sent as if they had originated from Jamaica.

The islands’ own stamps were first issued in November 1900 (the earliest recorded date is 15 November) being of the ‘Key Plate’ design in values of ½d and 1d, these being the final ‘Key Plates’ to use the portrait of Queen Victoria. Following the release of these stamps, further values were required – 2½d, 6d and 1/- – and these were the first ‘Key Plates’ stamps to have the portrait of King Edward VII.

The display continued up to the present reign, including proofs and varieties, and fine examples of usage, with postage due markings, airmails and censorship, plus examples of the extremely rare ‘East End Grand Cayman’ rural post marking.

Giving the vote of thanks, Simon Richards FRPSL paid tribute to the fact that James and other specialists work together to share the results of their research.

Those wishing to visit The Royal Philatelic Society London at 41 Devonshire Place, London W1G 6JY, or be a guest at one of its meetings, are asked to contact the Administrative Office (020 7486 1044).