First UK Stamps with Charles Silhouette

Posted on March 19, 2023 by VSC

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
HM King Charles III Silhouette Takes Its Place on UK Stamps

The creation of the new HM King Charles III silhouette was a collaboration between the illustrator Andrew Davidson, Head of Design and Editorial at Royal Mail, Marcus James, and Ian Chilvers, from design agency, Atelier Works.

The project began with Andrew Davidson working on a likeness that would work at stamp size.

The second major stage of development was the digitising and fine-tuning of the detail in the silhouette. This was conducted by both Royal Mail and Atelier Works with visual adjustments that were tested at actual size to ensure the silhouette would work at the diminutive dimensions required.

The final image was adjusted to ensure a likeness to the new Definitive ’everyday’ stamp.

OSIRIS-REx (U.S. 2023)

Posted on March 18, 2023 by VSC

Announced by the USPS on March 14^th. No issue date was given. (See May 31 entry.)

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
OSIRIS-REx Stamp Announced

The Postal Service has announced an additional stamp to its 2023 stamp program honoring NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission to deliver asteroid samples to Earth. OSIRIS-REx — a collaboration between NASA, the University of Arizona, and Lockheed Martin — exemplifies American ingenuity, perseverance, and teamwork. Details of the issue date and location are forthcoming.

With this new stamp, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates NASA’s seven-year OSIRIS-REx mission to study and map the asteroid Bennu and deliver a sample of the surface to Earth in September 2023. The sample will help scientists learn how the solar system formed.

OSIRIS-REx is an acronym for the mission’s goals: Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer. More simply, “Origins” refers to the study of the pristine carbon-rich material the spacecraft collected. “Spectral Interpretation” means measuring the composition of the asteroid. “Resource Identification” is assessing potential fuel, oxygen, water, and minerals on the asteroid. “Security” relates to scientists’ calculating the odds that Bennu might collide with Earth. The final part of the mission’s name, REx, is short for “Regolith Explorer,” and it refers to studying the regolith—or layer of loose material on the asteroid’s surface.

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which is the size of a large passenger van, left Earth aboard a rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on September 8, 2016. Once released from the rocket, it orbited the Sun for a year until it passed by Earth again. At that point, our planet’s gravity helped propel the spacecraft toward Bennu, which also orbits the Sun but at a different angle than Earth. Our planet and the asteroid come closest to each other every six years. After OSIRIS-REx arrived in the asteroid’s orbit, in December 2018, it got to work. With its special cameras and spectrometers, it began photographing and mapping Bennu’s surface to determine the best site from which to collect samples. [Below left] Scientists were surprised to learn, from the photographs the spacecraft sent back, that the asteroid’s surface was much different from what they had expected. Instead of being relatively smooth, it was rocky and cratered, so finding a sample-collection site posed challenges. Eventually they chose a site about the size of a tennis court, located in a crater.

OSIRIS-REx stowing samples. (Courtesy NASA)

collection device, which then closed and retracted into the spacecraft. Even though this seems like a miniscule amount considering the effort involved, it’s the largest sample ever collected from an asteroid, and the first asteroid sample by the United States.

On May 10, 2021, OSIRIS-REx began its flight back toward Earth. Its container of asteroid dust and rocks, enclosed in a special capsule, is expected to parachute down to the Utah desert on Sept. 24, 2023.

The OSIRIS-REx pane of 20 stamps will be issued as Forever stamps. Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1 ounce price. News of the OSIRIS-REx stamp is being shared with the hashtag #OsirisRexStamp.

The latest information will be posted below the line, the most-recent at the top.

Updated November 7:
The Scott catalogue number for this issues is 5820.

Updated September 8:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.57″ x 1.20″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.75″ x 1.24″

Updated August 19:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service to Issue OSIRIS-REx Stamp

What: The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft and the samples of the asteroid Bennu that it will deliver to Earth in September 2023.

The first-day-of-issue event for this Forever stamp is free and open to the public. News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #OSIRISRExStamp.

Who: Robert Raines, Business Solutions vice president, U.S. Postal Service

Lori Glaze, Planetary Science Division director, NASA

Michael Puzio, Engineering student who named the asteroid Bennu in 2013 at age 8.

When: Friday, Sept. 22, at 11 a.m. MDT

Where:
Clark Planetarium
110 S 400 W
Salt Lake City, UT 84101

RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/osirisrex

Background: This new 20-stamp pane from the U.S. Postal Service celebrates NASA’s seven-year OSIRIS-REx mission to study and map the asteroid Bennu and return a sample of the surface to Earth in September 2023. This is the first pristine sample of an asteroid collected by the United States, and it will help scientists learn how our solar system formed.

The stamp artwork shows the capsule containing the sample parachuting to the Utah Test and Training Range, a U.S. Department of Defense facility in the desert. A depiction of Bennu’s surface appears at the bottom of the pane’s selvage with outer space above — deep blue and dappled with celestial bodies. A view of the asteroid is in the upper right corner.

OSIRIS-REx left Earth aboard a rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, FL, on Sept. 8, 2016, then orbited the sun for a year before passing close to Earth for a gravity assist. The spacecraft arrived in the asteroid’s vicinity in December 2018 and got to work. With its special cameras and spectrometers, it began photographing and mapping Bennu’s surface to determine the best site from which to collect samples.

The time for the rendezvous arrived in October 2020. To carry out its task, the spacecraft did not actually land on the asteroid but instead slowly descended toward the surface and extended a robotic arm. A collection device at the hand-end of the arm then released a sudden puff of nitrogen gas that sent up a cloud of dust and rocks from Bennu’s surface. More than 2 ounces of these materials were captured in a special container in the collection device, which then closed and retracted into the spacecraft. On May 10, 2021, OSIRIS-REx began its flight back toward Earth. Its container of asteroid dust and rocks, enclosed in a special capsule, will parachute to the Utah desert on Sept. 24, 2023.

Alan Dingman illustrated the stamp and pane, basing his work on images supplied by NASA. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp and pane.

The OSIRIS-REx stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce rate.

From the Postal Bulletin:

On September 22, 2023, in Salt Lake City, UT, the United States Postal Service® will issue the OSIRIS-REx stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 484200). This stamp will go on sale nationwide September 22, 2023, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This new stamp celebrates NASA’s 7-year OSIRIS-REx mission to study and map the asteroid Bennu and return a sample of its surface to Earth in September 2023. The sample will help scientists learn how our solar system formed. The stamp artwork shows the capsule containing the sample parachuting to the Utah Test and Training Range in the desert. A depiction of Bennu’s surface appears at the bottom of the pane’s selvage with outer space above. A view of the asteroid is in the upper-right corner.

Along the left side of the pane are four images that illustrate crucial milestones in OSIRIS-REx’s mission. On the reverse side of the pane is text courtesy of NASA that describes the OSIRIS-REx mission and explains each image. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp and pane with illustrations by Alan Dingman, who based his work on images supplied by NASA.

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 store.usps.com/store/home. 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 – OSIRIS-REx 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 22, 2024.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: OSIRIS-REx Stamp
Item Number: 484200
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 22, 2023, Salt Lake City, UT 84199
Art Director: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Designer: Antonio Alcalá, Alexandria, VA
Artist: Alan Dingman
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 18,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Pantone Warm Grey 2
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in / 21.336 x 36.068 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in / 24.892 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.50 x 8.50 in / 109.50 x 215.90 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 23.00 x 26.00 in / 584.20 x 660.40 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by five (5) single digits in two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: “OSIRIS-REx” • Mission to Asteroid Bennu and Return to Earth • Plate number in bottom 2 corners
Back: ©2023 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (484200) • Plate position diagram (9) • Promotional text • Verso text

Updated May 31:
This stamp will be issued Friday, September 22nd, in Salt Lake City.

Typically Dutch: Flower Fields

Posted on March 12, 2023 by VSC

[from PostNL’s press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Typically Dutch – Flower Fields

Date of issue: 20 March 2023
Appearance: sheet of six stamps in six identical designs
Item number: 430361
Design: Adam Lane and Edwin van Praet, Total Design, Amsterdam

On 20 March 2023, PostNL will publish the Typically Dutch – Flower Fields stamp sheet. This issue is the third in the Typically Dutch series this year. The multi-annual series started in 2020 and, in 2023, will be dedicated to a variety of sights and attractions that are significant for and typical of the Netherlands. The six identical postage stamps will be marked ‘Nederland 1’, the denomination for items weighing up to 20g destined for the Netherlands. A sheet of ten stamps costs €6.06. The Typically Dutch – Flower Fields issue was designed by senior graphic designer Adam Lane and creative director Edwin van Praet from Total Design in Amsterdam. As part of this stamp series, stamps featuring museums (2 January) and mills (13 February) were published earlier this year. Stamps featuring cheese markets (15 May) and the wadden mud flats (14 August) will follow later this year.

The first flower fields were created between Leiden and Haarlem on geest lands at around 1850. Geest land soil consists of sand mixed with clay or peat, a type of soil that proved very suitable for growing flower bulbs. Such bulb fields can also be found elsewhere in the Netherlands, including in northern Noord-Holland, near Venlo, on Texel, in north-western Friesland, in the Noordoost Polder and on the Zeeland and Zuid-Holland islands. The flowering of the fields annually attracts around 2 million tourists. After the crocuses in February, tulips, daffodils and hyacinths bloom from March to May. In late summer, gladioli, dahlias, carnations and asters take over for the next colourful period.

Flowers may be lovely, but really, cultivation is all about the bulbs themselves multiplying underground.

The floriculture of flowers and plants is an important economic sector in our country, with an export value of €7.3 billion in 2021. The Netherlands also plays an important role in the trade of flowers grown elsewhere. 52 percent of the world trade in cut flowers, both home grown and imported from other countries, passes through Dutch hands. The FloraHolland cooperation is the world’s largest flower auction, handling over 90 per cent of Dutch trade. The history of Dutch flower culture dates back to the 16th century, when the tulip first arrived in the Netherlands. The famous flower originated in the Ottoman Empire (present-day Turkey) and was first planted by Carolus Clusius in the hortus botanicus in Leiden. Its name, tulip, also comes from the East. Ottoman sultans wore the flower on their turban – dūlbend in Persian – which is what the word tulip is derived from, meaning white tulip.

Design: The Typically Dutch – Flower Fields stamp sheet features colourful illustrations of stylised tulips. Each stamp features three tulips side by side. The stem and leaves of the tulip on the left and right continue on the stamp below. The iconic shapes of the tulips are grouped in a tight pattern across the stamps. The pattern is interrupted on the sheet edge. The background of the stamp sheet and stamps is a soft shade of green. The other colours match the background: purple, yellow and pink for the tulips’ flowers, dark green for the stem and leaves. Along the bottom of each stamp runs a white strip containing the sorting hook, the year 2023, the country (Nederland) and the denomination (1). The logo for the Typically Dutch series is printed above each stamp, with a folded Dutch banner on the left and right. The Typically Dutch logo appears once more on the top edge of the sheet, while the right edge features a short explanatory text. The title of this issue on flower fields in the Netherlands is printed in dark green on the sheet border between the large pictorial logo at the top of the stamp sheet and the stamps.

The choice of the tulip as the flower on the stamps of Typically Dutch – Flower Fields was pretty obvious, stamp designer Edwin van Praet believes. ‘It is a typically Dutch flower. In fact, you won’t find a flower that’s more Dutch than the tulip. Moreover, it is pretty easy to turn the tulip into an iconic shape. Tulips are at their most beautiful when you see them outside together. I often travel along the geest lands by rail, from The Hague to Amsterdam and back. In spring, you can admire the flower fields with their gorgeous colours through the train window. You really get the best views from the train.’

The other stamp designer, Adam Lane, has also got to know the Dutch flower fields. ‘I cycled there once, from Amsterdam to Lisse. In England, where I come from, flowers are a lot less important than they are here. And when you see flowers in England, they usually come from the Netherlands. For the design of the flower field stamps, I used the simplest geometric tulip shape. It is the art of leaving things out – the balance between slightly too much and too little detail. When you put multiple tulip shapes in a pattern, they become easily recognisable. It also helps that the colours remind you of a bouquet. Or rather, of a field full of flowers.’

The Typically Dutch – tulips stamps are available while stocks last at the post office counter in Bruna shops and through the webshop. The stamps can also be ordered by phone from the Collect Club customer service on telephone number +31 (0)88 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite.

Technical Details:

Stamp size: 40 x 30mm:
Sheet size: 122 x 170mm
Paper: normal with phosphor print
Gum: gummed
Printing technique: offset
Printing colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black
Print run: 75,000 sheets
Appearance: sheet of 6 stamps in 6 identical designs
Design: Adam Lane and Edwin van Praet, Total Design, Amsterdam
Printer: Cartor Security Printers, Meaucé-La Loupe, France
Item number: 430361

Flying Scotsman (UK 2023)

Posted on March 4, 2023 by VSC

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Royal Mail Marks Flying Scotsman’s Centenary with a Set of Special Stamps
The Final Set Of Special Stamps Featuring Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Silhouette

Steam locomotive Flying Scotsman celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2023
The 12-stamp set features the National Railway Museum’s Flying Scotsman in various locations across the UK:
- Pickering Station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
- In the Yorkshire Dales National Park
- Crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct in the Yorkshire Dales National Park
- Steaming through the town of Blyth in Northumberland
- In a blizzard at Heap Bridge on the East Lancashire Railway
- Crossing the Royal Border Bridge at Berwick-upon-Tweed
- At London’s Victoria Station
- In close-up at Shildon, County Durham
A further four stamps presented in a miniature sheet show images of Flying Scotsman and London North Eastern Railway (LNER) poster artwork from the 1920s and 1930s
These will be the final Special Stamps to feature Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s silhouette
The stamps are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/flyingscotsman and by telephone on 03457 641 641
All 12 stamps in a Presentation Pack go on general sale from 9 March and are priced at £17.70

Royal Mail and the National Railway Museum are marking the 100th anniversary of steam locomotive Flying Scotsman with a set of 12 Special Stamps.

The images feature Flying Scotsman in various locations across the UK:

Pickering Station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
The ‘Christmas Dalesman’ steam special in the Yorkshire Dales National Park
The ‘Cathedrals Express’ crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct in the Yorkshire Dales National Park
Steaming through the town of Blyth in Northumberland
In a blizzard at Heap Bridge on the East Lancashire Railway
The ‘Cathedrals Express’ excursion crossing the Royal Border Bridge at Berwick-upon-Tweed
At London’s Victoria Station
In close-up at Locomotion in Shildon, County Durham

A further four stamps presented in a miniature sheet feature images of Flying Scotsman and London North Eastern Railway (LNER) poster artwork from the 1920s and 1930s.

‘Scotland by the Night Scotsman’ poster, artwork by Robert Bartlett, 1932
‘LNER train service to and from Scotland’ advertisement, designed by HL Oakley, 1923
‘Edinburgh: Mons Meg’ poster, artwork by Frank Newbould, 1935
‘Refuelling the Flying Scotsman’ poster, artwork by Frank Newbould, 1932

David Gold, Director of External Affairs & Policy, Royal Mail, said: “Flying Scotsman is a national treasure of engineering and design that conjures up the golden age of steam travel. This remarkable locomotive epitomises the romance of rail travel and is loved all by people over the world. We are honoured to mark this landmark milestone with a set of Special Stamps.”

Royal Mail worked closely with Bob Gwynne, Associate Curator at the National Railway Museum, (part of the Science Museum Group), to select the images featured on the stamps that were chosen from amongst hundreds of period photographs.

About Flying Scotsman:
The steam locomotive Flying Scotsman left the LNER’s Doncaster Works in February 1923.

It was named the following year after the principal express which ran between London and Edinburgh. In 1928, it hauled the first regular non-stop service from London to Edinburgh.

Built as an ‘A1’ class engine with a boiler pressure of 180psi (pounds per square inch), it was rebuilt in 1947 as an ‘A3’, with a higher boiler pressure of 220psi.

The engine ushered in an era of big locomotives, and its long history of operation has included several ‘firsts’, such as being the first steam locomotive to achieve a speed of 100mph (161kmh).

Over a 40-year career on British rails, Flying Scotsman travelled over two million miles (3.2 million km) and became the first steam locomotive to reach a speed of 100mph (161kmh).

After Flying Scotsman’s retirement from scheduled service in 1963, it was bought by businessman Alan Pegler and given a1920s LNER livery and the number 4472. Pegler was ambitious, and in 1969 he took his loco on a ‘Buy British’ tour of the United States. The journey attracted big crowds, and over several years the engine steamed from Texas to Canada and then over the Rockies to San Francisco, garnering publicity but losing Pegler his fortune.

The locomotive was rescued from an uncertain fate by British millionaire Sir William McAlpine, who returned it to the UK in 1973, determined that this national treasure would never again be threatened with exile. In 1988, Flying Scotsman went to Australia for the country’s bicentenary and visited Sydney, Melbourne, Alice Springs and Perth. The tour ‘down under’ was a triumph, with the return journey via Cape Horn ensuring another ‘first’: the locomotive had circumnavigated the globe.

Since 2004, Flying Scotsman has been part of the collection of the National Railway Museum in York, following a global public campaign to save the engine for the nation. As the oldest operating steam locomotive on the main line, it remains a potent symbol of the steam age and an inspiration to many.

Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s silhouette:
Flying Scotsman’s stamp issue will be the last to feature the silhouette of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

The silhouette has been in constant use on Special Stamps since 1968 (55 years).

The first version of Queen Elizabeth’s silhouette to appear on Special Stamps was adapted from a 1953 design by sculptor and medallist, Mary Gillick, used on coinage from 1953 to 1967. It was first used on the Landscapes stamp issue in May 1966.

Stamp illustrator, David Gentleman, re-worked the Gillick Head silhouette. The updated design was first used on the British Bridges issue in 1968 and has remained in use until today.

The only occasion on which the silhouette has not featured on a Special Stamp is when an actual image of The Queen was used in the design of the stamp.

Future Special Stamps will feature a silhouette of His Majesty King Charles III.

The stamps are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/flyingscotsman and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 12 stamps in the set is available on general sale from 16 February and priced at £17.70.

VSC adds:

There are 32 philatelic products available for this issue, including three different first day covers, each available with one of two postmarks (Doncaster and Tallents House). The third cover above is a “Prestige FDC.” There is also a set of postcards:

Experience Nature: Skrok and Skins (Netherlands 2023)

Posted on February 9, 2023 by VSC

[from the PostNL press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Experience Nature – Skrok and Skrins

Date of issue: 13 February 2023
Appearance: sheet of ten stamps in ten different designs
Item number: 430261
Design: Frank Janse, Gouda
Photography: Buiten-Beeld

On 13 February 2023, PostNL will publish the Experience Nature – Skrok and Skrins* issue: a sheet of ten stamps in ten different designs. The denomination on these stamps is ‘1’, the denomination for items weighing up to 20g destined for the Netherlands. A sheet of ten stamps costs €10.10.

The Skrok and Skrins stamp sheet is part of the Experience nature 2021-2023 perennial series. In the series, four stamp sheets are issued every year, each comprising ten different stamps. The stamps feature images of plants and animals in unique Dutch nature reserves across the country. In 2023, it is the turn of the provinces of Flevoland, Friesland, Overijssel and Noord-Brabant.

This sheet focuses on the grasslands of the Skrok and Skrins nature reserves, located in the province of Friesland. The stamp sheet issued earlier this year (2 January 2023) featured Marker Wadden in Flevoland. Stamp sheets featuring the Wieden in Overijssel (12 June 2023) and the Oisterwijkse Bossen en Vennen in North Brabant (24 August 2023) will be published later this year.

The Skrok and Skrins nature reserves are located in the Greidhoek. This region in Friesland is known for its vast meadow landscape scattered with grasslands and terps. The meadows in these nature reserves are a favourite habitat for meadow birds such as golden plover, black-tailed godwit, lapwing, pied avocet and common redshank. Skrok and Skrins are bird reserves owned by Natuurmonumenten and are each about 100 hectares in size. Visitors can observe the meadow birds and migratory birds from the bird hide at the Swyns pond. The hut is accessible from an old mass path from the hamlet of Skrok. Natuurmonumenten keeps Skrok and Skrins wet, making them ideal feeding and resting areas for many bird species. Skrins, which is a similar nature reserve to Skrok, lies in an old estuary that was reclaimed during the Middle Ages. The area consists of wet ditches and convex fields. In some places, salt water still reaches the surface, causing unusual plants such as seaside arrowgrass and brass button to grow there. From January to May, Natuurmonumenten floods a large part of Skrins, which attracts large numbers of geese and thousands of golden plovers, which also benefit. The Skrins bird hide is situated between Hinnaard and the hamlet of Skrins.

Ranger Simon de Winter is around Skrok and Skrins very single day, as he manages the meadow bird reserves on behalf of Natuurmonumenten. ‘

“They are both special areas – old farmland that has been farmed for hundreds of years, says ranger Simon de Winter, who is around Skrok and Skrins very single day, as he manages the meadow bird reserves on behalf of Natuurmonumenten.
The preserve is much as it always was, de Winter added, and “each season there is always something going on. Of course, the best time to come is in the spring, when it’s teeming with black-tailed godwits, Northern shovelers, pied avocets, common redshanks and many more species of meadow birds.”

The ten residents of this nature reserve featured on the Experience Nature – Skrok and Skrins stamps are the

hare,
common redshank,
sea milkwort,
golden plover,
black-tailed godwit,
pied avocet,
lapwing,
water horsetail,
brass button and
ruff.

The stamp sheet also features many more images of typical flora and fauna from this area. The following are shown as monochrome images in a separate graphic layer: water horsetail (top right), flowering rush (top centre), lapwing (just above centre left), brass button (just above centre right), golden plover (centre left), hare (bottom left) and sea milkwort (bottom centre and right).

The Experience nature – Skrok and Skrins stamp sheet was designed by graphic designer Frank Janse from Gouda. On the sheet, the ten plants and animals are depicted in their natural environment, each on their own stamp. In some cases, the image or background colour continues onto the adjacent stamp and onto the sheet edge. All photos are incorporated in a graphic layer of different-sized overlapping circles, which break through the boundaries of the perforations. The circle pattern returns as small droplets on the sheet edge and the tabs. There is another graphic layer on top of the circles featuring monochrome images of animals and plants from this area. These images are almost abstract as they cross the perforations and connect the stamps to each other.

In Friesland, nature is diverse, with vast meadows, large lakes, the Wadden Sea and small landscapes featuring forests, wooded banks and heaths. Both the mainland and the islands are important stopover sites during bird migration. There are large national parks, including the Drents-Friese Wold National Park, the Lauwersmeer National Park, the Alde Feanen National Park and the Schiermonnikoog National Park. The entire Wadden Sea area has also been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The stamps in the Experience nature – Skrok and Skrins series are available while stocks last at all PostNL sales outlets, the post office counter in Bruna shops and at www.postnl.nl/bijzondere-postzegels [in Dutch].

Technical Details:
Stamp size: 40 x 30mm:
Sheet size: 122 x 170mm
Paper: normal with phosphor print
Glue: self-adhesive
Printing technique: offset
Printing colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black
Print run: 285,000 sheets
Appearance: sheet of 10 stamps in 10 different designs
Design: Frank Janse, Gouda
Photography: Buiten-Beeld
Printing company: Koninklijke Joh. Enschedé B.V., Haarlem
Item number: 430261

* PostNL media relations says “skroks” and “skins” are the names of nature preserves and also hamlets in the region, and the words don’t translate by themselves.

King Charles III Definitives (UK 2023)

Posted on February 9, 2023 by VSC

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions] [most recent items are at the bottom]
Royal Mail Reveals Image of the New King Charles III Definitive Stamp

Date of Issue: 4 April
[addition at the end, 10 February]

The image of HM The King is an adapted version of the portrait created by Martin Jennings for The Royal Mint for the obverse of the new UK coinage and shows the new monarch facing to the left
A definitive stamp, often referred to as an ‘every day’ stamp that consists solely of the monarch’s head and value of the stamp on a plain coloured background
The use of the coin image is a continuation of a long tradition stretching back to the creation of the Penny Black in 1840
The King’s effigy appears alongside a barcode printed in matching colour alongside the main body of the stamp, separated by a simulated perforation line
The colours for all four values are retained from the Machin definitive stamp that featured HM The Late Queen Elizabeth
- 1st Class – Plum Purple
- 2nd Class – Holly Green
- 1st Class Large – Marine Turquoise
- 2nd Class Large – Dark Pine Green
Retailers will continue to sell their existing stocks of definitive stamps featuring Her Late Majesty The Queen and will be supplied with the new stamps when existing stocks at Royal Mail have been exhausted
Customers can register their interest at www.royalmail.com/hmkingcharlesregister
The stamps will go on general sale from 4 April
The new 1st Class King Charles definitive stamp will form part of a special exhibition of Great Britain’s definitive stamps at the Postal Museum. Called ‘The King’s Stamp’, the exhibition is now open and runs until 3 September 2023

Royal Mail has revealed the image of new definitive stamp featuring the image of King Charles III. A definitive stamp is a stamp that consists solely of the monarchs’ head and value of the stamp on a plain coloured background.The image of HM The King is an adapted version of the portrait created by Martin Jennings for The Royal Mint for the obverse of the new UK coinage and shows the new monarch facing to the left.

The new coin effigy was carefully adjusted and digitally re-lit to make it suitable for use on definitive stamps, with the aim of creating a worthy successor to Arnold Machin’s classic image of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

The King’s effigy appears alongside a barcode printed in matching colour alongside the main body of the stamp, separated by a simulated perforation line. The colours for all four values are retained from the Machin stamps:

1st Class – Plum Purple
2nd Class – Holly Green
1st Class Large – Marine Turquoise
2nd Class Large – Dark Pine Green

To minimise the environmental and financial impact of the change of monarch, existing stocks of definitive stamps that feature Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth will be distributed and issued as planned and will remain valid for use in line with our recent transition to barcodes on definitive stamps.

Retailers will continue to sell their existing stocks of definitive stamps featuring Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth and be supplied with the new stamps when existing stocks at Royal Mail have been exhausted.

The use of the coin image is continuation of a long tradition stretching back to the creation of the Penny Black in 1840 [right].

Since the release of the world’s first adhesive postage stamp, the Penny Black, in 1840, there has been a close association between British coins and Definitive stamps. The portrait of Queen Victoria on the Penny Black was based on that designed by William Wyon, chief engraver at The Royal Mint, for the ‘City’ medal of 1838, which commemorated Queen Victoria’s first visit to the City of London the year before.

During successive reigns, many artists worked on both coins and stamps or had their designs for the former adapted for use on the latter. In the 1960s, Arnold Machin created an effigy of The Queen for decimal coinage and then designed new definitive stamps, which became an iconic symbol of the United Kingdom around the world, reproduced billions of times.

King Charles III becomes the seventh monarch to appear on a Definitive stamp. The first was Queen Victoria who appeared on the Penny Black in 1840, followed by Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, George VI, Queen Elizabeth II and now King Charles III.

Simon Thompson, CEO, Royal Mail said: “Ever since the Penny Black was issued in the reign of Queen Victoria, British stamps have carried the image of the reigning monarch. The Definitive stamp has become a recognisable symbol of each reign. Uniquely, British stamps do not have the country of origin printed on them as the image of the monarch is sufficient. So today is a hugely important milestone for Royal Mail and the country as we reveal the image of the new King Charles Definitive.”

Customers can register their interest now at www.royalmail.com/hmkingcharlesregister

The stamps will go on general sale from 4 April 2023.

The Postal Museum Exhibition:
The new 1st Class stamp forms part of an exhibition of Great Britain’s definitive stamps at the Postal Museum, London. Called ‘The King’s Stamp’, the exhibition coincides with the release of the new King Charles III 1st Class definitive stamp. and runs until 3 September 2023.

The display will celebrate the newest stamp design with a unique chance to see a sheet of King Charles III 1st Class definitive before they are in public circulation.

The exhibition tells the story of definitive stamps from the very first design, the famous Penny Black featuring Queen Victoria, to today. Visitors will see rare stamps from the reigns of seven monarchs, including King Edward VII’s Tyrian Plum, which was never released, and Queen Victoria’s Two Penny Blue. It will culminate in the newest design for the reign of King Charles III.

Visitors can explore how stamps have been designed and produced with works from Edmund Dulac, Bertram Park and Dorothy Wilding. They can also discover how past monarchs have influenced the design process, shaping their royal identity through these ubiquitous objects.

The exhibition is included with entry to The Postal Museum and is perfect for all ages. For tickets, visit postalmuseum.org

Added 10 February:
From the Royal Mail register-your-interest page, “A range of collectibles with all four new King Charles III stamps including a Presentation Pack and First Day Cover will be available to pre-order from 3 March. The stamps will go on general sale from 4 April.”

Added 4 March:
Royal Mail sent out a promotional email:

The very first definitive stamps to feature the new portrait of His Majesty King Charles III are now available to pre-order.

This is a defining moment in philately that you’ll not want to miss.

The stamps feature a portrait of King Charles III, created by Martin Jennings for the UK’s coinage and adapted for use on postage stamps, continuing a tradition dating back to the creation of the Penny Black in 1840. Don’t miss your chance to order from this issue.

Under that are illustrations and links to four of the products Royal Mail is offering:The “Shop Now” links don’t work in the above illustration, but you can see these and more collectibles on the Royal Mail site’s page for this issue.

X-Men (UK 2023)

Posted on February 4, 2023 by VSC

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Royal Mail Reveals Images of Marvel’s X-Men Special Stamps
Stamp designs are exclusively illustrated by renowned British comic book artists, Mike Mckone and Lee Garbett

The X-Men franchise celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2023
The 17-stamp set celebrates some of the most iconic characters to have featured in the comic book franchise since 1963
MARVEL is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies with a catalogue of iconic Super Hero characters
The stamps are available to pre-order at www.royalmail.com/xmen and by phone on 03457 641 641
All 17 stamps in a Presentation Pack go on general sale from 16 February and are priced at £16.35

Royal Mail is marking the 60th anniversary of X-Men, with a new set of 17 Special Stamps.The stamps celebrate some of the most iconic characters to have featured in the comic book franchise since 1963.

The 12 stamps in the main set are original illustrations and were created exclusively for Royal Mail by renowned British comic book artist Mike McKone. They feature: Professor X; Kitty Pryde; Angel; Colossus; Jubilee; Cyclops; Wolverine; Jean Grey; Iceman, Storm; Beast; and Rogue.

An additional set of five stamps is included in a miniature sheet. These images were exclusively illustrated for Royal Mail by Eisner-Award-nominated artist, Lee Garbett. The miniature sheet stamps feature some of the mutant enemies faced by the X-Men: Juggernaut; Mystique; Magneto; Emma Frost; and Sabretooth.David Gold, Director of External Affairs & Policy, Royal Mail, said: “Generations have grown up, enamoured by the adventures and the personalities of the X-Men and their enemies. We celebrate the X-Men Universe with these stylish new stamps featuring some of its iconic characters.”

The stamps are available now at www.royalmail.com/xmen and by phone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 17 stamps in the set is available on general sale from 16 February and priced at £16.35.

Where it all began:
The X-Men were founded by mutant telepath Professor Charles Xavier. His first team consisted of Cyclops (Scott Summers), Marvel Girl (Jean Grey), Angel (Warren Worthington III), Beast (Hank McCoy) and Iceman (Bobby Drake) and was based in Xavier’s home, which was transformed into the School for Gifted Youngsters and dubbed the X-Mansion. After many of the original X-Men were captured by the mutant island of Krakoa, Professor X formed a new squad to rescue them, bringing heroes such as Wolverine and Storm into a new international team. Xavier’s school soon became a refuge for mutants from all over the world, forming and inspiring teams such as the New Mutants, Excalibur and Generation X. Now the X-Men live in a new home — a reborn Krakoa — that welcomes all mutants. Cyclops and his allies still fight the good fight as the world’s premier mutant heroes the X-Men, keeping Xavier’s dream alive.

Stamp-by-stamp:
Professor X: One of the world’s most powerful telepaths, Charles Xavier lost the use of his legs while fighting a super villain named Lucifer. Charles, aka Professor X, formed the X-Men to train young mutants and show the world that they could also be heroes.

Kitty Pryde: For many years, Kate ‘Kitty’ Pryde was the X-Men’s youngest member, joining when she was a teenager. Her mutant ability allows her to phase through objects. She was taught martial arts by Wolverine’s teacher Ogun and by Wolverine himself, and she adopted an alien dragon named Lockheed.

Angel: Sprouting wings while at college, Warren Worthington III fought crime as Avenging Angel before Professor X recruited him for the X-Men. He once lost his wings and was transformed by Apocalypse into a more fearsome entity but eventually regained his angelic appearance.

Colossus: Hailing from Siberia, Piotr Rasputin has the mutant ability to transform his skin into an organic steel-like substance. His mutation also gives him exceptional strength and power. A gentle soul, Piotr has developed a close friendship with fellow mutant Nightcrawler.

Jubilee: An expert gymnast, Jubilee was the daughter of Hong Kong immigrants to the USA and raised in Beverly Hills. She joined the X-Men shortly after her parents’ death, when her mutant ability to create explosive balls of light kicked in.

Cyclops: When he was a teenager, Scott Summers’s deadly optic-blasts threatened those around him. Once Professor X invited him to join the X-Men, he learned to control his powers with the use of a ruby quartz visor. Codenamed Cyclops, he was the X-Men’s first team leader.

Wolverine: Wolverine’s mutation gives him an amazingly quick healing ability and wild, feral traits. Born James Howlett, he later took the name Logan. His virtually indestructible adamantium metal skeleton and claws — coupled with a warrior-like fury and exceptional martial arts skills — make him one of the world’s deadliest mutant heroes.

Jean Grey: Jean Grey was one of Professor Xavier’s first students, and she learned to control her exceptional telepathic and telekinetic powers under his guidance. She was once also Phoenix, a powerful and fearful cosmic entity. She now leads a team of X-Men with Cyclops.

Iceman: Bobby Drake was the youngest of the original X-Men. Able to freeze both himself and the world around him, he saw his abilities become increasingly powerful as he matured. Now he can not only create weapons made of ice but also transform his body into sentient ice.

Storm: Ororo Munroe’s parents were killed in an explosion. The orphaned child survived as a thief on the streets of Cairo until her mutant ability to control the weather made some believe that she was a goddess. Soon after joining the X-Men, she became one of the key members.

Beast: Gifted scientist Hank McCoy was one of the X-Men’s founding members. He gained a more beastlike form while trying to rid himself of his mutation. He has since come to terms with his appearance and revels in the extra strength and agility it gives him.

Rogue: As a teenager, Anna Marie discovered that she had the mutant power to absorb other people’s memories and abilities — including any superpowers they possessed. After starting out as a villain alongside Mystique, she turned to the X-Men for help, becoming one of their greatest heroes.

[end of press release]

The 37 X-Men items available from Royal Mail include:

X-Men Silver Plated Ingot – Professor X [shown right], £24.99. Limited to only 5,000
“Fan sheets” for Jean Grey [shown above] and Wolverine (but not others?), each £7.00. These are also limited to just 5,000 (each)
X-Men Silver Plated Medal Cover — Professor X, £19.99, and also one for Magneto. These, too, are limited to — you guessed it — 5,000.
First day covers of all 16 stamps, with Muir of Ord or Tallents House postmarks, each £12.40
Prestige sheet FDC with either postmark, each £4.70

as well as postcards, cacheted envelopes at £0.30 each, press sheets, and full- and half-sheets of the 1st Class or 2nd Class stamps.
VSC editor’s notes:

There is no attempt in the press release to link the X-Men or their creation with the United Kingdom; that is, no justification for these stamps other than “it’s an anniversary and we want to issue these.”
The highest-priced item is the press sheet at £67.80. Some previous UK pop-culture issues have had products at much, much higher prices.
The FDC for the Prestige Booklet stamps [below] is the only illustration on the Royal Mail site of the prestige stamps.
Royal Mail warns that its “international export services continue to be disrupted following a cyber incident. There is currently a limited service.”

Eid (Canada 2023)

Posted on January 29, 2023 by VSC

From Canada Post’s Details magazine:

Crafted nearly 700 years ago in medieval Iran, the elegant, hand-painted ceramic bowl on this year’s Eid stamp became part of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) collection in 1909. Made during Ramadan – one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar – it would likely have served many owners over the centuries as a vessel for foods eaten to break the fast each night.

The bowl has a special connection to the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which celebrates the end of Ramadan. Made of stonepaste – a hard material invented by Middle Eastern potters from a mixture of ground quartz, glass and clay – it is inscribed with a dated poem written for its owner.

“There’s a deep sense of humanity in this bowl that still rings true, especially with all the turmoil in the world today,” says Dr. Fahmida Suleman, Islamic World curator at the ROM. “The poem urges us to take a moment to forget our sorrows and be grateful for what we have – and wishes us protection and a bit of luck. Blues are auspicious in Islam, so even the colours the artist chose were meant to uplift the soul.”

Ranunculus (Canada 2023)

Posted on January 29, 2023 by VSC

Canada Post’s day-of-issue (March 1) announcement
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Annual Flower Stamp Issue Highlights Double-Flowered Ranunculus

OTTAWA – Canada Post’s latest stamp issue welcomes spring with the lavish, rose-like blossoms of the ranunculus. The stunning plant is a favourite of florists and gardeners and a popular choice for wedding bouquets, centrepieces and containers.

[Shown on the right: The booklet pane of 10 which includes small stickers.]

Ranunculus asiaticus, the variety pictured on this year’s flower issue, is also known as Persian buttercup. Native to southwestern Asia, southern Europe and northern Africa, the plant may have arrived in northern Europe during the Crusades but was not widely cultivated until the 17th century.

While the wild ranunculus is usually yellow, cultivated blooms can be orange, red, violet or pink. This two-stamp issue depicts Ranunculus asiaticusas a single flower and a bouquet, in many shades of pink.

Designed by Stéphane Huot, with images by Veronique Meignaud, the stamps are available in booklets of 10 and coils of 50, as well as collectible coil strips of 4 and 10 stamps. The Official First Day Cover is cancelled in Goderich, Ontario, considered one of the prettiest towns in Canada.

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Une émission de timbres consacrée aux fleurs met en vedette des renoncules doubles

OTTAWA – La plus récente émission de timbres de Postes Canada annonce le printemps avec de somptueuses renoncules. Ces magnifiques fleurs semblables à des roses figurent parmi les fleurs préférées chez les fleuristes et dans les jardins, et elles sont populaires dans les bouquets de mariage, les centres de table et en vase.

Le Ranunculus asiaticus, la variété présentée sur les vignettes de cette année, est aussi appelée la renoncule des fleuristes. Originaire du sud-ouest de l’Asie, du sud de l’Europe et du nord de l’Afrique, la plante serait arrivée dans le nord de l’Europe pendant les croisades, mais n’est cultivée à grande échelle que depuis le XVIIe siècle.

Bien que la renoncule sauvage soit habituellement jaune, la fleur cultivée peut être orange, rouge, violette ou rose. Cette émission de deux timbres présente le Ranunculus asiaticus seul et en bouquet, dans une variété de teintes de rose.

Conçues par Stéphane Huot et ornées d’images de Veronique Meignaud, les vignettes sont offertes en carnets de 10, en rouleaux de 50, ainsi qu’en bandes de collection de 4 et 10 timbres provenant de rouleaux. Le pli Premier Jour officiel est oblitéré à Goderich, en Ontario, qui est considérée comme l’une des plus jolies villes canadiennes. From Canada Post’s Details magazine:

Once again, Canada Post welcomes spring with its annual flower issue. The 2023 stamps feature the lavish, rose-like blossoms of Ranunculus asiaticus, one of the many varieties of ranunculus that are a favourite of florists and gardeners and a popular choice for wedding bouquets, centrepieces and containers.

Native to southwestern Asia, southern Europe and northern Africa, Ranunculus asiaticus is also known as Persian buttercup. The name Ranunculus comes from the Latin words for “little frog,” since many species grow near streams – although the variety shown on the stamps is more partial to sunny hillsides and pastures. While the wild Ranunculus is usually yellow, cultivated blooms can be orange, red, violet or various shades of pink.

Designed by Stéphane Huot, with images by Veronique Meignaud, the stamps are available in booklets of 10 and coils of 50, as well as collectible coil strips of 4 and 10 stamps. The Official First Day Cover is cancelled in Goderich, Ontario, considered one of the prettiest towns in Canada.

Chloe Cooley (Canada 2023)

Posted on January 28, 2023 by VSC

Hours after we posted Danforth’s story, Canada Post issued a press release confirming his story.]

By Danforth Guy

An enslaved woman who became a symbol of resistance to slavery and a catalyst to the abolition movement will be featured on Canada Post’s 2023 Black History stamp, to be issued January 30. Chloe Cooley’s violent protest to being sold by her Ontario owner to one in New York in 1793 led directly to a law restricting slavery in the province known as Upper Canada, at the time.

Cooley was forced into a boat in Queenston, Ontario, screaming and flailing. She was then bound and gagged, and could not escape her captors, who took her across the Niagara River to owners in New York.

The scene was witnessed on the Ontario shore by a free Black veteran of the American Revolution, Peter Martin, and by a white employee of Cooley’s Loyalist slave owner. They reported the disturbing scene to Lt.-Governor John Simcoe.

The law that resulted was a compromise, as many in the government were slave-owners, themselves. The 1793 Act did not free a single slave, but it did prohibit the importation of slaves, and freed the children of slaves at age 25. This eventually created a safe haven that made southern Ontario the ultimate destination on the Underground Railroad.

The first day issue location has not been announced, but it’s a good guess the postmark will read “Queenston, ON.” The self-adhesive stamp will be issued in a booklet of six at the first-class domestic rate (92¢), using the ‘P’ indicia.

Chloe Cooley was named a National Historic Person in 2022, and will eventually see a federal plaque in her honour. Meantime, the Ontario Heritage Trust erected this plaque [shown on the left; click to see a much larger version] in 2007 along the Niagara Parkway, near the site of her unwilling removal.

Note: There are no known pictures of Cooley.

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Black History Month Stamp Honours Chloe Cooley
Although unable to escape her own bondage, Cooley’s resistance helped forge a path to freedom for enslaved people in Upper Canada

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON, Jan. 29, 2023 /CNW/ – Today, Canada Post unveiled a new Black History Month stamp honouring Chloe Cooley, who had a profound impact on the history of enslavement in Canada. Her act of resistance on the evening of March 14, 1793, ushered in legislation that would lead to the gradual abolition of enslavement in Upper Canada and provide a refuge for freedom-seekers from abroad.

Cooley was a young, Black enslaved woman who lived in Queenston, Upper Canada, in the late 18th century. Although enslavement in Upper Canada was on the rise at the time, attitudes toward it were shifting and the abolitionist movement was gaining momentum.

Rumours were growing that enslavement could soon be banned. Fear of losing their investments prompted some enslavers to sell what was legally considered their property. Among them were Sergeant Adam Vrooman, who enslaved Chloe Cooley.

On that chilly March evening, Vrooman abducted Cooley. He violently bound her and, with the assistance of two other men, dragged her to the shores of the Niagara River. But Cooley was defiant. [The booklet pane is shown below.]

She had been known to bravely challenge her enslavement in the ways that she could, such as leaving Vrooman’s property without permission and refusing to do some tasks. So, when her enslaver abducted her, she fought back hard, screaming and yelling for help as she struggled to get free. Her protests were so loud that they drew the attention of those nearby.

Ultimately, however, Cooley was overpowered and taken across the river to New York State, where she was sold.

Although history doesn’t tell us what happened to Cooley after that night, witnesses recounted what they saw to Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe, an avowed abolitionist. He was able to use their testimony to introduce new legislation. [The Official First Day Cover is shown below.]

On July 9, 1793, what became known as the Act to Limit Slavery in Upper Canada was passed.

Cooley herself did not benefit from the legislation, but it opened a pathway to freedom for others, as it set the stage for the gradual ending of enslavement in Upper Canada. It also created a legal refuge for those fleeing enslavement in other countries – helping to pave the way for at least 30,000 freedom-seeking Black Americans to make the dangerous journey north to Canada over the decades to come.

In 1833, enslavement was officially abolished throughout the British Empire, and the last remaining enslaved persons in Upper Canadawould finally be freed.

About the stamp
The Chloe Cooley stamp was designed by Lime Design and features the illustrative work of Rick Jacobsen. With no photographs of Chloe Cooley in existence, the illustration was painstakingly created through extensive consultation with experts in local and regional history, Black history and period fashion, as well as through the use of archival maps, paintings, illustrations and other documents. Printed by Lowe-Martin, the issue includes a booklet of six PermanentTM domestic rate stamps and an Official First Day Cover. The cancel site is Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, which includes Queenston.

The stamp and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Un Timbre Du Mois De L’histoire Des Noirs En Hommage À Chloe Cooley
Bien qu’incapable d’échapper à son esclavage, Chloe Cooley a contribué par sa résistance à la mise en liberté des personnes asservies dans le Haut-Canada.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON, le 29 janv. 2023 /CNW/ – Aujourd’hui, Postes Canada a dévoilé un nouveau timbre du Mois de l’histoire des Noirs en l’honneur de Chloe Cooley, qui a eu une grande incidence sur l’histoire de l’esclavage au Canada. Sa résistance le soir du 14 mars 1793 a contribué à l’adoption d’une loi qui allait mener à l’abolition graduelle de l’esclavage dans le Haut-Canada et offrir un refuge aux esclaves d’autres pays.

Chloe Cooley était une jeune femme noire asservie comme domestique à Queenston, dans le Haut-Canada, à la fin du XVIIIe siècle. Bien que l’esclavage dans le Haut-Canada gagnait en popularité à l’époque, l’attitude à l’égard de la pratique changeait et le mouvement abolitionniste prenait de l’ampleur.

Alors que commençaient à planer des rumeurs d’abolition, des maîtres craignaient de perdre ce qui était légalement considéré comme leur propriété. Le sergent Adam Vrooman, le maître de Chloe Cooley, était de ce nombre.

Un soir frisquet de mars, Adam Vrooman a enlevé la jeune femme, l’a violemment ligotée et, avec l’aide de deux hommes, l’a traînée sur les rives de la rivière Niagara. Mais Chloe Cooley s’est débattue.

Elle avait la réputation de lutter courageusement contre son esclavage de toutes les manières possibles, notamment en quittant la propriété d’Adam Vrooman sans permission et en refusant d’accomplir certaines tâches. Alors, quand son maître l’a enlevée, elle s’est débattue et a crié à l’aide pour tenter de se libérer. Ses protestations bruyantes ont été entendues dans les environs.

Malgré sa résistance, Chloe Cooley a été maîtrisée et transportée de force par bateau de l’autre côté de la rivière, dans l’État de New York, où elle a été vendue.

Bien qu’on ignore ce qui est arrivé à la jeune femme après cette soirée, des témoins ont raconté l’événement au lieutenant-gouverneur John Graves Simcoe, un fervent abolitionniste. Ce dernier s’est servi de ces témoignages pour déposer un projet de loi.

Le 9 juillet 1793, la mesure législative qui est devenue la loi visant à restreindre l’esclavage dans le Haut-Canada a été adoptée.

Si Chloe Cooley n’en a pas profité, la loi a ouvert la voie à la liberté pour d’autres en menant à l’abolition graduelle de l’esclavage dans le Haut-Canada. Elle a également créé un refuge légal pour les personnes qui fuyaient l’esclavage dans d’autres pays et a aidé au moins 30 000 Américains noirs en quête de liberté à faire le périlleux voyage vers le Canada au cours des décennies qui ont suivi.

En 1833, l’esclavage a été aboli officiellement à l’échelle de l’Empire britannique, et les derniers esclaves du Haut-Canada ont finalement été libérés.

À propos du timbre
Le timbre consacré à Chloe Cooley a été conçu par Lime Design et est orné d’une illustration de Rick Jacobsen. En l’absence de photos de la jeune femme, les images ont été créées avec soin à la suite de consultations approfondies avec des experts en histoire locale et régionale, en histoire des Noirs et en mode d’époque, ainsi qu’à l’aide de cartes historiques, de peintures, d’illustrations et d’autres documents d’archives. Imprimée par Lowe-Martin, l’émission comprend un carnet de six timbres PermanentsMC au tarif du régime intérieur et un pli Premier Jour officiel oblitéré à Niagara-on-the-Lake, en Ontario, où se trouve Queenston.

La vignette et les articles de collection sont en vente sur postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.

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