Author Archives: VSC

Freshwater Fishing Lures (U.S. 2025)

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Announced by the USPS on December 16, 2024:

Recreational fishing attracts more than 55 million anglers to America’s lakes, rivers, and oceans each year — and lure designs for different environments are part of its growing appeal. These stamps feature brightly detailed photographs by Sarah Cramer Shields showing five lures considered icons of the sport. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps.

In addition, the USPS says these stamps will be issued March 13, 2025, in Springfield, MO.

Additional information will appear below the line, with the newest information at the top.

Updated March 10th:
Here is what the full pane of 20 looks like:You can click on this picture for a larger version.

Updated February 6th:

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Freshwater Fishing Lures Stamps To Be Issued March 13

What: The U.S. Postal Service will issue its Freshwater Fishing Lures stamps at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, MO, on March 13. This release celebrates the beauty and ingenuity of some of America’s most successful freshwater fishing lures with a colorful pane of 20 Forever stamps featuring five different, close-up photographs of five popular designs.

The first-day-of-issue event for the Freshwater Fishing Lures stamps is free and open to the public. News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #FishingLuresStamps.

Who: John DiPeri, vice president, regional processing operations — Western Region, U.S. Postal Service

When: Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 11 a.m. Central

Where:
Bass Pro Shops, Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium
500 W. Sunshine St.
Springfield, MO 65807

RSVP: Attendees are required to register at usps.com/fishingluresstamps to receive free admission to Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium.

Background: From the earliest handmade wooden lures to modern swimbaits made of advanced materials, there are countless freshwater fishing lures available, each designed to meet the specific needs of the angler.

Crankbaits, or plugs, are popular among anglers because they are relatively easy to use. They attract a variety of fish, including bass, walleye and pike. Their unique swimming action is generated by a plastic lip and curved body, which make the lures dive and wiggle just by reeling them in. Anglers tend to run these lures along the bottom, bouncing them off rocks, logs or other submerged structures.

An in-line spinner lure is made to mimic the movement of a swimming bait fish, attracting predator fish with a spinning blade and a weighted body that create vibration in the water. They often have tails dressed with feathers, animal hair or rubber skirting to attract bass, trout, pike and other species in shallow streams, deeper rivers and lakes.

Spoon lures have been around since the 1800s and are named for their concave shape. It is believed that a blacksmith in Vermont created the first spoon lure by sawing off the handle of a spoon and attaching a hook. Spoons have remained popular because their unique movement and glimmer under water are so effective at catching fish, especially bass, pike and trout.

Topwater lures are extremely popular and are designed to be used on the surface of the water.

Wakebaits use metal or plastic wings to create a commotion like the wake of a boat as they skim the surface. A popper has a concave face that creates a popping sound when it is pulled across the water.

Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using original photographs by Sarah Cramer Shields.

As Forever stamps, Freshwater Fishing Lures will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue: The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.91″ x 1.46″The pictorial postmark measures 2.11″ x 1.12″

From the Postal Bulletin:
On March 13, 2025, in Springfield, MO, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Freshwater Fishing Lures stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in five designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 486500). These stamps will go on sale nationwide March 13, 2025, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Freshwater Fishing Lures commemorative pane of 20 stamps must not be split and the stamps must not be sold individually.

This issuance celebrates the beauty and ingenuity of some of America’s most successful freshwater fishing lures. The colorful pane of 20 Forever® stamps features five close-up photographs of five different, popular fishing lure designs: crankbait, popper, spoon, spinner, and wakebait. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps using original photographs by Sarah Cramer Shields.

Automatic distribution.

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 – Freshwater Fishing Lures 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 July 13, 2025.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Freshwater Fishing Lures Stamps
Item Number: 486500
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (5 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: March 13, 2025, Springfield, MO 65801
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville VA
Photographer: Sarah Cramer Shields, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 15,000,000
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area 1 (w x h): 1.420 x 0.8400 in. / 36.0680 x 21.3360 mm.
Stamp Size 1 (w x h): 1.560 x 0.9800 in. / 39.6240 x 24.8920 mm.
Image Area 2 (w x h): 1.710 x 0.8400 in. / 43.4340 x 21.3360 mm.
Stamp Size 2 (w x h): 1.850 x 0.9800 in. / 46.9900 x 24.8920 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 9.450 x 5.5000 in. / 240.030 x 139.7000 mm.
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Plate Size: 160 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: FRESHWATER FISHING LURES • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: © 2024 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (486500) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text

Report: Trump Eyes Privatizing US Postal Service

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The Washington Post reports that President-elect Trump has been talking to advisors about privatizing the U.S. Postal Service. The newspaper says people with knowledge of the subject have said that Trump feels the government should not subsidize the mail carrier, especially in light of its financial losses.

“There’s a lot of [other] carrier services that became legal in the ’70s that are doing things so much better with increased volumes and reduced costs,” Casey Mulligan, who served as a top economist in the first Trump administration, told the Post.

The paper points out that Trump “feuded with the nation’s mail carrier as president in 2019, trying to force it to hand over key functions — including rate-setting, personnel decisions, labor relations and managing relationships with its largest clients — to the Treasury Department.” He also opposed voting by mail.

The USPS says it processed more than 99 million ballots last month, “In 2024, the Postal Service once again admirably performed our role of efficiently and effectively delivering the nation’s ballots,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in a press release.

The Post warns that changes to the USPS could have a major impact on the e-commerce industry. Cuts in its service could also have a backlash from voters (and members of Congress) in rural areas that are only served by the USPS, which pledges six-day-a-week delivery to every address in the U.S.

How would privatization affect stamp collectors? Would we see more issues for toys like Hot Wheels (2018) and movie releases like “Lightyear” (2022)?

Note: You may need a subscription to read the entire Washington Post article.

Mueller Honored with Holiday Cachet

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[press release]
AFDCS Honors Tom Mueller with Holiday Cachet

The American First Day Cover Society in 2024 is honoring cachet artist Tom Mueller as its Court of Honor cachetmaker. The Santa Claus cachet is taken from a 1991 cover for the Holiday Celebrations issue with Santa in a chimney (Sc. 2579).

AFDCS Court of Honor No. 44 (an example of which is shown on the right) was serviced with singles of all the U.S. holiday issues, including Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, and with all of this year’s holiday first-day postmarks. They are available for sale in the Marketplace section of the AFDCS website, www.afdcs.net/AFDCS-Marketplace

Mueller, a self-taught Midwestern artist, began producing his hand-painted “Silverwing” cachets in 1990 (Dwight Eisenhower, Sc. 2513), and continued designing for new issues until 2006, concentrating then on add-on cachets. Most are one of a kind. His 1991 cachet for the Basketball stamp (Sc. 2560) won the top award in the AFDCS Cachet Contest and his work was featured in a gold-medal exhibit by Anthony Dewey shown at St. Louis Stamp Expo this past March. Nearly three dozen of his family members attended the show to celebrate his philatelic career. (photo left. Dewey is second from the left in the back row)

An article on Mueller by Patrick Morgan (on the left in the blue polo shirt) appeared in the November-December 2021 issue of First Days, the official journal of the AFDCS.

The Court of Honor series commemorates cachet artists who have, over the years, contributed so much to the hobby through the beauty of their art. It began in 1981 and the

The original 1991 FDC

first artist honored was Ralph Dyer. There has been a new Court of Honor FDC every year since then. Stamps with Christmas themes are used because the U.S. issues new ones every year. A different artist is selected each year.

Many of the earlier years’ covers are also available.

The AFDCS is the largest not-for-profit first day cover society in the world, with members in more than a dozen countries. In addition to publishing First Days and handbooks, catalogues and You-Tube videos, the society is a co-sponsor of the annual Great American Stamp Show. It holds an annual cachetmaking contest and two mail auctions a year, and encourages philatelic exhibiting and writing about FDCs.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 57, Somerset, WI 54025-0057

What’s Missing from U.S. 2025 Program?

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Only 14 issues have been announced, many of them “mail-use” or “definitive” stamps. Undoubtedly, more issues will be announced.

What do you think will be in the program? What do you think should be in the program for 2025?

We’ll start: 2025 will be the 250th anniversary (“semiquincentennial” if you want to be fancy) of the Battle of Lexington & Concord, of the Second Continental Congress, and other American Revolution milestones. It will also be the centennial of a Great American Novel, The Great Gatsby. The radio program Grand Ole Opry went on the air in 1925, too.

American entertainers born that year include Gwen Verdon, Paul Newman, Elaine Stritch, Jack Lemmon, Kim Stanley, Hal Holbrook, George Kennedy, Rod Steiger, Tony Curtis, Maureen Stepleton, June Lockhart, Merv Griffin, Donald O’Connor, Mel Torme, B.B. King, Lenny Bruce, Angela Lansbury, Johnny Carson, Rock Hudson, Jonathan Winters, and Sammy Davis Jr. (Me, I’d put my money on Davis and — if they can figure out which wife has the rights — Carson.) Dick Van Dyke will turn 100 in 2025 but he’s still with us.

Remember that the U.S. Postal Service doesn’t like to commemorate disasters and other unpleasantness, so a stamp for the massive 1925 Ku Klux Klan rally in Washington is unlikely.

We used Wikipedia’s pages for 1925 and there are similar pages for toher years. The oft-ignored guidelines say anniversary increments of 50 years, not 25 or 75, and no corporations or organizations, which could seem to eliminate the Chrysler Corporation.

So what do you think?

Spiral Galaxy (Priority Mail) (US 2025)

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As predicted by VSC, the USPS announced a new Priority Mail stamp on December 16th:

USPS celebrates the continued exploration of deep space with an extremely high-definition image of a spiral galaxy 32 million light-years from Earth. The image, captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, helps researchers update their models of star formation and allows them to better understand the origins of our universe. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp with an image from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, the Space Telescope Science Institute, Janice Lee (Space Telescope Science Institute), Thomas Williams (Oxford) and the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS Team. Upon favorable review by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the stamp will be denominated at the new Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope rate.

The stamp will be issued January 21 in Big Sky, Montana, with a “local ceremony.” Additional information will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated February 28th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5954.

Updated January 13th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:

[The Digital Color Postmark design and dimensions is not yet available.]Updated January 9th:

On January 21, 2025, in Big Sky, MT, the United States Postal Service® will issue the $10.10 Spiral Galaxy Priority Mail® stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of four stamps (Item 123000). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 21, 2025, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This new Priority Mail stamp celebrates America’s continued exploration of deep space with another breathtaking image captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. The stamp features spiral galaxy NGC 628 located 32 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Pisces. This image helps researchers update their models of star formation and allows them to better understand the origins of our universe. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp, using an image provided by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), ESA (European Space Agency), CSA (Canadian Space Agency), STScI (Space Telescope Science Institute), Janice Lee (STScI), Thomas Williams (Oxford), and the PHANGS (Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS) Team.

No automatic distribution.

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 – Spiral Galaxy 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 May 21, 2025.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Spiral Galaxy Stamp
Item Number: 123000
Denomination & Type of Issue: $10.10 Priority Mail Rate
Format: Pane of 4 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 21, 2025, Big Sky, MT 59716
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Image: NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), ESA (European Space Agency), Canadian Space Agency, Space Telescope Science Institute, Janice Lee (Space Telescope Science Institute), Thomas Williams (Oxford), PHANGS Team
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 4
Print Quantity: 2,400,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.4200 x 1.0850 in. / 36.0680 x 27.5590 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.5600 x 1.2250 in. / 39.6240 x 31.1150 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.1200 x 3.4500 in. / 104.6480 x87.6300 mm
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in two corners
Back: © 2024 USPS • USPS Logo • Four barcodes (123000) • Plate position diagram (10) • Promotional text

Star Cluster (Priority Mail Express) (US 2025)

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As predicted by VSC, the USPS announced a new Priority Mail stamp on December 16th:

Featuring an image captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, this stamp shows a star cluster approximately 1,000 light-years from Earth. Hidden within the cloud of celestial dust are floating brown dwarfs — objects too small to be stars but larger than most planets. Studying these brown dwarfs will help scientists explore how star-formation processes operate for very small masses. Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp with an image provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, the Space Telescope Science Institute, Kevin Luhman (Penn State University) and Catarina Alves de Oliveira (European Space Agency). Upon favorable review by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the stamp will be denominated at the new Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelope rate.

The stamp will be issued January 21 in Big Sky, Montana, with a “local ceremony.” Additional information will be posted below the line, with the most recent information at the top.

Updated February 28th:
The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5955.

Updated January 17th:
The DCP postmark was revised due to an “artist correction.” The illustration in the next item has been replaced with the new version. The dimensions are the same.

Updated January 13th:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.99″ x 1.50″This is the standard “killerbar” postmark.

Updated January 9th:

On January 21, 2025, in Big Sky, MT, the United States Postal Service® will issue the $31.40 Star Cluster Priority Mail Express® stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of four stamps (Item 129400). This stamp will go on sale nationwide January 21, 2025, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This new Priority Mail Express® stamp celebrates America’s continued exploration of deep space with another remarkable image captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. The stamp features star cluster IC 348, a formation approximately 1,000 light-years from Earth within the constellation Perseus. Hidden within the cloud of celestial dust are tiny, free-floating brown dwarfs — objects too small to be stars but larger than most planets. Studying these brown dwarfs will help scientists explore how star-formation processes operate for very small masses. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with an image provided by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), ESA (European Space Agency), CSA (Canadian Space Agency), STScI (Space Telescope Science Institute), Kevin Luhman (Penn State University), and Catarina Alves de Oliveira (ESA).

No automatic distribution.

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 – Star Cluster 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 May 21, 2025.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Star Cluster Stamp
Item Number: 129400
Denomination &Type of Issue: $31.40 Priority Mail Express Rate
Format: Pane of 4 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 21, 2025, Big Sky, MT 59716
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Existing Photo: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Kevin Luhman (PSU), Catarina Alves de Oliveira (ESA)
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 4
Print Quantity: 600,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.4200 x 1.0850 in. / 36.0680 x 27.5590 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.5600 x 1.2250 in. / 39.6240 x 31.1150 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.1200 x 3.4500 in. / 104.6480 x 87.6300 mm
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in two corners
Back: © 2024 USPS • USPS Logo • Four barcodes (129400) • Plate position diagram (10) • Promotional text

French-Canadian Authors (Canada 2024)

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Scott Publishing has assigned this the following catalogue numbers:
3472 Marie-Claire Blais
3473 Jean Marc Dalpé
3474 Dany Laferrière
3475 Antonine Mallet
3476 Marguerite-A. Primeau

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
New stamps pay tribute to five important French-Canadian authors
Through their novels, plays, poetry and essays, these writers inspire and enlighten readers throughout Canada and around the world.

OTTAWA –Canada Post has issued new stamps honouring five gifted authors, each of whom brings a unique perspective to the canon of French-Canadian literature.

Through their work, they offer unique observations of humanity’s flaws and aspirations, interpreting the world around them with honesty and compassion. Recognized throughout la Francophonie for their talents and accomplishments, and recipients of national and international accolades, these distinguished writers have brought French-Canadian literature to the world stage.

Canada Post has a long tradition of celebrating Canadian cultural achievement and has featured numerous English- and French-speaking authors on stamps. This issue is a celebration of contemporary French-Canadian writing, emphasizing authors from francophone communities across the country.

Marie-Claire Blais (1939-2021)
Born and raised in the working-class Québec neighbourhood of Limoilou, Blais wrote her first novel, La belle bête, before turning 20. With raw language – new to Quebec writing at the time – the book became an instant Quebec classic. Blais’ novels, plays, scripts and poems, known for their lyricism and complexity, depict a harsh world that can also be full of tenderness and compassion. During a prolific career, she received numerous awards, including four Governor General’s Literary Awards.

Jean Marc Dalpé (b. 1957)
Playwright, actor, poet, novelist and translator, Dalpé is a leading figure in the Franco-Ontarian cultural movement. Cofounder of Théâtre de la Vieille 17, which is dedicated to developing French-language theatre in Ontario, Dalpé’s writing explores the alienation of minorities. He taught at the National Theatre School of Canada and is the recipient of three Governor General’s Literary Awards.

 

Dany Laferrière (b. 1953)
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Laferrière fled to Montréal in 1976 to escape dictatorship. His unique depiction of everyday life paints a vivid picture of the human condition, and his autobiographical and poetic novels have established him as a major chronicler of his time. He became the first Haitian, and the first Canadian, elected to the Académie française, and his internationally translated works have won numerous honours, including a Governor General’s Literary Award.

Antonine Maillet (b. 1929)
Renowned for her passion for Acadian identity, language and customs, Maillet writes in Acadian French. Her 1979 novel Pélagie-la-Charrette, about Acadians’ return home after being deported by the British in 1755, won France’s prestigious Prix Goncourt. Maillet was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1976 and promoted to Companion in 1981.

 

Marguerite-A. Primeau (1914-2011)
Born in Saint-Paul-des-Métis (now St. Paul), Alberta, Primeau was a pioneer in western Canadian French literature. Socially conscious and independent, she wrote in her mother tongue about the realities of francophone life in her region. With a focus on the marginalized and those left behind, she paints a dynamic and diverse francophone community and invites readers to embrace an inclusive perspective.

About the stamps
Designed by Stéphane Huot, the stamps feature illustrations by Martin Côté based on photographs of each author. Printed by Lowe-Martin, the issue includes a booklet of 10 Permanent™ stamps and five Official First Day Covers – one for each author. (see below)

The stamps and collectibles will be available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across the country once Canada Post’s operations resume.

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
De nouveaux timbres célèbrent cinq icônes de la littérature franco canadienne
Grâce à leurs romans, pièces de théâtre, poèmes et essais, ces grands noms inspirent et éclairent les gens au Canada et ailleurs dans le monde.

OTTAWA – Postes Canada a émis aujourd’hui de nouveaux timbres célébrant cinq plumes de talent qui apportent chacune une perspective unique au corpus de la littérature canadienne-française.

Par leur regard aiguisé sur le monde, ses failles et ses espérances, ces figures marquantes nous tendent un miroir implacable et sensible. Leur talent rayonne dans la Francophonie et élève la littérature d’ici à la hauteur de la littérature universelle. Collectivement, leur œuvre leur a valu un grand nombre de distinctions et de prix, dont certains à l’international.

Postes Canada rend hommage depuis longtemps aux personnalités canadiennes qui s’illustrent dans le milieu de la culture et a mis en vedette de nombreux écrivains et écrivaines francophones et anglophones sur des timbres. Cette émission célèbre la littérature franco-canadienne contemporaine et présente des icônes de diverses régions francophones du Canada.

Marie-Claire Blais (1939-2021)
Née et élevée dans le quartier ouvrier de Limoilou, près de Québec, Marie-Claire Blais n’a pas encore 20 ans quand elle écrit son premier roman, La belle bête. Le livre, au langage cru jusque-là inusité en littérature québécoise, devient instantanément un classique. Reconnus pour leur lyrisme et leur complexité, les romans, les pièces de théâtre et les poèmes de Marie-Claire Blais reflètent un monde dur, mais aussi la tendresse et la compassion. De nombreuses distinctions sont décernées à l’autrice durant sa prolifique carrière, dont quatre Prix littéraires du Gouverneur général.

Jean Marc Dalpé (né en 1957)
Dramaturge, comédien, poète, romancier et traducteur, Jean Marc Dalpé est l’une des figures marquantes d’un mouvement culturel franco-ontarien. Cofondateur du Théâtre de la Vieille 17, qui se consacre au développement d’un théâtre ontarien en français, l’auteur explore l’aliénation des personnes qui appartiennent à un peuple minoritaire. Il enseigne à l’École nationale de théâtre du Canada et reçoit trois Prix littéraires du Gouverneur général.

Dany Laferrière (né en 1953)
Né à Port-au-Prince, en Haïti, Dany Laferrière s’exile à Montréal en 1976 pour fuir la dictature. C’est dans sa manière unique de traiter le quotidien qu’il brosse un tableau saisissant de la condition humaine. Ses romans à saveur autobiographique et poétique l’imposent comme un témoin majeur de son temps. Il est le premier Haïtien et le premier Canadien élu à l’Académie française, et son œuvre, traduite mondialement, lui vaut de nombreuses distinctions, y compris un Prix littéraire du Gouverneur général.

Antonine Maillet (née en 1929)
Reconnue pour sa passion pour l’identité, la langue et les coutumes acadiennes, Antonine Maillet écrit en français acadien. Publié en 1979, son roman Pélagie-la-Charrette, qui raconte le retour en Acadie de gens déportés par les Britanniques en 1755, remporte le prestigieux Prix Goncourt, en France. Antonine Maillet est faite Officier de l’Ordre du Canada en 1976, puis Compagnon en 1981.

Marguerite-A. Primeau (1914-2011)
Née à Saint-Paul-des-Métis (aujourd’hui St. Paul), en Alberta, Marguerite-A. Primeau devient une pionnière de la littérature francophone de l’Ouest canadien. Socialement engagée et indépendante, elle écrit dans sa langue maternelle sur les réalités de la vie des francophones dans sa région. Mettant en avant les personnes marginalisées et oubliées, elle dépeint une communauté francophone dynamique et diversifiée, et invite le public à adopter une perspective inclusive.

À propos des timbres
Conçus par Stéphane Huot, les timbres présentent des illustrations de Martin Côté inspirées de photographies des auteurs et autrices. Imprimée par Lowe-Martin, l’émission comprend un carnet de 10 timbres PermanentsMC et cinq plis Premier Jour officiels, un pour chaque icône.

Les timbres et les articles de collection seront en vente sur postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays lorsque les activités de Postes Canada reprendront.

Winston Churchill (UK 2024)

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Royal Mail Special Stamps Mark 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Sir Winston Churchill

  • Issue date: 30 November 2024
  • Eight stamps capture the essence of Churchill’s remarkable journey – from his early years as a soldier and statesman to his leadership during the Second World War and beyond
  • Accompanying each stamp are some of Churchill’s most famous quotes, offering timeless words of wisdom that continue to inspire
  • The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/churchill and by telephone on 03457 641641

Royal Mail has revealed a set of eight stamps being issued to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of one of Britain’s most iconic figures, Sir Winston Churchill.

The stamps celebrate the life and legacy of the man who led the nation through its darkest hours and captures the essence of Churchill’s remarkable journey – from his early years as a soldier and statesman to his leadership during the Second World War and beyond.

Each stamp in the collection features carefully chosen photographs of Churchill at defining moments in his life, accompanied by some of his most memorable quotes from articles, books, letters and speeches.

These words continue to inspire and resonate, embodying the strength, determination and wit for which Churchill is renowned.

In July 1965, Winston Churchill featured on the first British stamp to feature a contemporary individual. Since then, he has also featured in the following stamp issues: Churchill Centenary, 1974; National Portrait Gallery, 2006; Britain Alone. 2010; and Prime Ministers, 2014.

David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy said: “One hundred and fifty years after his birth, this stamp issue celebrates the enduring legacy of a leader who shaped the course of history and left an indelible mark on the hearts of the British people.”

Royal Mail worked closely with Allen Packwood, Director of the Churchill Archives Centre at Churchill College, University of Cambridge. Speaking about the stamps, he said: “I think Winston Churchill would have been rather pleased to be the subject of these stamps, one hundred and fifty years after his birth. His archive certainly contains no shortage of letters.”

Winston Churchill:
Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was born at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, on 30 November 1874.

Following an early career in the army in the 1890s, he made his first attempts in politics. However, after failing to be elected as a Member of Parliament in 1899, he travelled to South Africa as a war correspondent to cover the conflict between the British Empire and the Boer Republics. His capture and daring escape made his name and saw him elected the following year. He would become a Cabinet Minister in 1908, aged 33. In the same year, he married Clementine Hozier, entering a lifelong union.

His initial political rise stalled during the First World War, when he lost office over his advocacy for the unsuccessful Dardanelles campaign. His response was to take up painting and to serve for a brief period as a commander on the Western Front. By the end of the conflict, he was back in government, taking up a succession of high-profile Cabinet positions. By the 1930s, however, he had become alienated over his opposition to Indian independence and his views on empire. Yet, his warnings about the dangers of a resurgent Nazi Germany gradually restored his reputation and raised his profile.

When war came in September 1939, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain made him First Lord of the Admiralty, only for Churchill to be propelled into 10 Downing Street the following May. While Churchill promised ‘victory’ in his inaugural speech to the House of Commons, the first weeks of his premiership were marked by military disaster, culminating in the evacuation of Allied forces from Dunkirk. With the country facing possible invasion, it fell to Churchill to rally his government and the nation. He is now remembered for several key speeches and broadcasts that have assumed an iconic status.

Churchill was defeated in the 1945 general election but used his stature on the international stage to warn of an ‘iron curtain’ descending across Europe. He argued for a ‘special relationship’ with the United States, but also urged reconciliation between France and Germany. Back as Prime Minister in 1951, his government presided over the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Churchill left office in April 1955, his health failing. A slow decline ensued and his death, aged 90, on 24 January 1965, was followed by a state funeral. His long life witnessed huge changes and he played a role in many of them, participating in events but also writing about them. He remains one of the most important figures of the 20th century.

The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/churchill and by telephone on 03457 641641. They go on general sale on 30 November. The Collectors Sheet (above) is £15.50 (current US$19.42). The first day cover, with either the Westerham of Tallents House postmark, is £13.85.The Prestige FDC, with either postmark, is £4.25. (The Prestige Stamp Book is £22.25.)There are three coin covers available, ranging from £17.50 to this one, with a gold coin, at £1,390 (US$1748.09).

AFDCS Reelects 4 to Its Board

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AFDCS Members Reelect Four to The Board

Members of the American First Day Cover Society have reelected four people to the organization’s board of directors: Michael Lake, Cynthia Scott, Ralph Nafziger and Lorraine Bailey. There were five candidates running for the four three-year terms:

Michael Lake (199)
Cynthia Scott (193)
Ralph Nafziger (190)
Lorraine Bailey (152)
Walter Douglas George (141)

In addition, Chris Calle, Michael Moticia, Michael Rosenthal, and Don Trieschmann each received one write-in vote. Moticia is already serving on the board, after election in 2022. More than 230 ballots were cast, an increase from last year.

This was the first AFDCS election for George, a former supermarket industry executive, and a member of the Convention Planning Committee.

Lake, also of Massachusetts, is also AFDCS Education Committee chair. Scott, from Indiana, is currently Chair of the board and has previously served the society in many other posts. Nafziger lives in Oregon and is also executive vice president. Bailey, a former AFDCS Sales chair from Virginia, is currently on the Honors & Awards Committee and was granted an Honorary Life Membership in 2008 for her long service to the AFDCS.

Four seats on the AFDCS Board of Directors are elected each year for three-year terms, beginning Jan. 1. In addition to the 12 elected directors, the president, the editor of the official journal First Days, and the general counsel serve on the board ex officio, if not elected to the board in their own right. The board meets in person at least once a year and as needed via the internet.

AFDCS directors are not compensated for serving on the board nor reimbursed for their travel expenses.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 57, Somerset, WI 54025-0057