Monthly Archives: September 2014

Britain’s 2015 Stamp Programme

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[updated press release, posted December 29th]
ROYAL MAIL REVEALS ITS SPECIAL STAMP PROGRAMME FOR 2015

  • uk_ronniesThe British sense of humour is celebrated with the Comedy Greats issue. The set features iconic comedians who have provided some of the nation’s most memorable laugh-out-loud moments in television, film and theatre history, including one of the nation’s best loved comedy duos, The Two Ronnies
  • Prominent key British inventions, such as the world wide web, will be marked with the Inventive Britain issue
  • 2015 will see the second issue in the five-year series of stamps commemorating the First World War. Featured in the set is an image of the football used by the London Irish Rifles during the Battle of Loos in 1915
  • Bridges celebrates the engineering of ten of these iconic structures from across the UK
  • 175th Anniversary of the Penny Black  is to be marked with a miniature sheet of stamps
  • 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta will be commemorated with a set in June
  • The bicentenary of The Battle of Waterloo and the 75th anniversary of The Battle of Britain will also be commemorated
  • The sport of Rugby Union features in 2015, with England hosting the eighth tournament, the Rugby World Cup set of stamps launch in September

Royal Mail’s 2015 Special Stamp programme is set to showcase the Best of British from great inventions to some of our most cherished Comedy Greats.

The British sense of humour is celebrated with the Comedy Greats issue on 1 April. This set of stamps features iconic comedians who have provided some of the nation’s most memorable laugh-out-loud moments in television, film and theatre history, including one of the nation’s best loved comedy duos, The Two Ronnies.

uk_loosMay 2015 will see the second issue in the five-year series of stamps commemorating the First World War. Included in the set is an image of the actual ball used by Rifleman Frank Edwards who led his fellow troops into what became known as the Battle of Loos, by kicking a football into play on the battlefield ahead of their initial attack.

Royal Mail will also honour prominent key British inventions with the Inventive Britain issue in February. Included in the set is a stamp to mark the invention of the World Wide Web by Tim Berners-Lee. [The design is below.]

Bridges in March will see 10 stamps celebrate the engineering genius of these structures from across the UK.

May marks the 175th anniversary of the Penny Black, the world’s first ever postage stamp.

The 2015 calendar continues the military theme with Special Stamps marking the bicentenary of The Battle of Waterloo in June and 75 years since the start of The Battle of Britain in July.

The 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta will be marked by the release of a set of stamps in June, while a series of national events across the country will commemorate this historic document.

Rugby Union features in September with a set of stamps launching as England hosts the eighth Rugby World Cup.

In what is set to be a notable year of stamp issues, other sets include Bees and Christmas, which will take a religious theme.

2015 Special Stamp Programme

February                      Inventive Britain
March                          Bridges
April                             Comedy Greats
May                              Penny Black
May                              First World War: 1915
June                             Magna Carta
June                             The Battle of Waterloo
July                              The Battle of Britain
August                          Bees
September                   Rugby World Cup
November                    Christmas

About Royal Mail Special Stamp Programme
uk_webFor almost 50 years Royal Mail’s Special Stamp programme has commemorated and celebrated events and anniversaries pertinent to UK heritage and life.

Royal Mail receives many hundreds of requests for subjects for its stamps every year, from the public, collectors and organisations. In addition it researches to find the major anniversaries and events for any one year.

Royal Mail collates all the subjects and then carries out careful and extensive research to arrive at the final list of stamp subjects.

Her Majesty the Queen approves all UK stamp designs before they are printed.

Today, there are an estimated 2.5 million stamp collectors and gifters in the UK and millions worldwide.

The stamps and stamp products are available at 8000 Post Office branches, online at www.royalmail.com/stamps and from Royal Mail Tallents House (tel. 08457 641 641), 21 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB.

Guess The 2015 U.S. Subjects

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Until a few years ago, we’d know by now most of the stamp subjects for the following year. Now the U.S. Postal Service holds its cards close to its vest. In fact, sometimes it seems as if the cards are inside the vest — we’re not hearing about some new issues, their designs and first day postmarks until a few days before they’re released, and sometimes not until they are released.

Still, we can guess about next year’s stamps: What subjects do you think we’ll see on U.S. stamps and postal stationery in 2015?

Remember, there shouldn’t be a rate increase, under the agreement that allowed a three-cent hike earlier this year. (The exception is an increase in shipping services, like Priority Express and Express Mail.)

Will there be another War of 1812 bicentennial stamp? There was only one battle in 1815, New Orleans, and that was actually fought after the peace treaty was signed. But the Post Office Department did issue a stamp for it in 1965.

We know there will be a Lunar New Year stamp that won’t show a ram, goat or sheep.

There will be two Civil War sesquicentennial stamps, but for which events? Is the surrender at Appomattox a lock?

Post your guesses here.

Batman

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Added October 22nd:: These cancellations are also available, two of which may be used as first-day postmarks. They are all available from Cancellation Services in Kansas City, but requests for these five should be sent to a different post office box 449992, zip 64144-9992:

batcon09boothbatcon09octbatcon10octbatcon11octbatcom12oct

Added October 11-12:

Added October 3rd: Local post offices may use several pictorial postmarks in connection with this issue:

info_008_10 info_008_4info_008_7info_008_9info_008_10From the October 2nd Postal Bulletin:

batmansheetOn October 9, 2014, in New York, NY, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Batman stamps (Forever® First-Class Mail® priced at 49 cents) in eight designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) souvenir sheet of 20 stamps (Item 588400). The $9.80 Batman souvenir sheet may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually.

The stamps will go on sale nationwide October 9, 2014.

Showcasing eight unique designs in a pane of 20 stamps, this new issuance from the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the 75th anniversary of Batman. Four versions of the iconic DC Comics super hero are depicted from four eras of comic book history. In addition, there are four circular stamps showcasing the evolution of the Bat-Signal. The background illustration features a silhouette of Batman standing on a bridge with the skyline of Gotham City looming above him. The verso side of the pane features two illustrations of Batman and text about the history of the character. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp pane.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Batman Stamps
Special Events Coordinator
380 West 33rd Street, Room 4032
New York, NY 10199-9998

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by December 8, 2014.

There are nine philatelic products for this stamp issue:

  • 588406, Press Sheet with Die cut, $88.20 (print quantity 2,500).
  • 588408, Press Sheet without Die cut, $88.20 (print quantity 2,500).
  • 588410, Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (random), $11.95.
  • 588416, First-Day Cover (set of 8), $7.44.
  • 588421, Digital Color Postmark (set of 8), $13.12.
  • 588424, Framed Art, $39.95.
  • 588430, Ceremony Program (random), $6.95.
  • 588431, Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.
  • 588432, Stamp Deck Card with Digital Color Postmark, $1.99.

Technical Specifications:

batmansheetIssue: Batman stamps
Item Number: 588400
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever First-Class Mail
Format: Pane of 20 (8 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: October 9, 2014, New York, NY 10199
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset/Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta Model 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 80 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Block Tagged
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Round/Vertical
Image Area (w x h):
Round: 0.84 x 1.42 in./21.34 x 36.07 mm
1.04 x 1.04 in/26.42 x 26.42 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in./24.89 x 39.62 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.5 x 7.25 in./215.90 x 184.15 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 25.5 x 21.75 in./ 647.70 x 552.45 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: N/A
Marginal Markings:
Back: © 2014 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (588400)
• Promotional text • Batman logo and Trademark Information • DC Comics
• Batman images • Batman Story line

October 1st: see below for the two first-day postmarks.

Later September 28th: USPS press release, complete images.

Batman Honored by U.S. Postal Service to Celebrate 75 Years of the Timeless Super Hero
Eight Limited Edition Forever Stamps Celebrate Batman’s Evolution in Comics
[Click on the images for larger versions]

batmansheetWASHINGTON, D.C. and BURBANK, CA — The U.S. Postal Service, in collaboration with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Entertainment, is proud to announce that Batman, one of DC Comics’ most beloved characters, will be immortalized in a Limited Edition Forever postage stamp collection.

The first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the Limited Edition Forever Batman Stamp Collection Set will take place in “Gotham City,” at 10:30 a.m., Oct. 9 at the Javits Center to kick off New York Comic Con 2014.

In honor of Batman’s 75th anniversary as the protector of Gotham City, he will join the elite ranks of American pop-culture icons that have been given this honor. The stamp collection will feature multiple images of the Caped Crusader from artistically distinct periods across his comic book history, exhibiting the evolution of the Dark Knight over the past seven-and-a-half decades.

“The U.S. Postal Service has a long history of celebrating America’s icons, from political figures to pop-culture’s most colorful characters. We are thrilled to bring Batman off the pages of DC Comics and onto the limited edition Forever Batman stamp collection, marking his place in American history,” said U.S. Postal Service Chief Marketing and Sales Officer Nagisa Manabe.

“Over the past 75 years Batman has captured the imagination of fans around the world — from comic books to television, film, video games and beyond,” said Jim Lee, renowned comic book artist and co-publisher of DC Entertainment. “Today Batman is more relevant than ever and his popularity continues to expand, reaching the generations to come in the next 75 years and beyond.”

Showcasing eight unique designs in a pane of 20 stamps, the Batman Limited Edition Forever Stamps celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Super Hero. The set includes Batman depicted from the four eras of comic book history as well as the four incarnations of the famed Bat emblem:

batcircle1 batman4The Modern Age, top row.

batcircle2 batman2The Bronze Age, second row.

batcircle3 batman3The Silver Age, third row.

batcircle4 batman1and the Golden Age, bottom row.

Batman’s Legacy
First appearing in the comic book Detective Comics #27, which hit newsstands March 30, 1939, featuring artwork by Bob Kane and a script by Bill Finger, Batman emerged from the shadows to become the one of the world’s most popular Super Hero and dominate media. In feature films, television shows, radio, video games, publishing and merchandise, this most human of Super Heroes has battled some of fiction’s greatest villains using his intellect, cunning and an arsenal of gadgets to further his quest for justice.

These stamps chronicle the evolution of the character, from his origins to present day. Batman spans generations fighting for justice in the pages of the comics, on the silver screen, and in the imaginations of fans across the world.

The Batman Limited Edition stamps are being issued as Forever stamps and always will be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

batman1September 28th: USA Today has a few more details and a design image. The articles says there will be eight designs depicting four eras; the one shown here is from the bottom row.and “highlights Batman as first envisioned by creator Bob Kane…”

More designs below.

September 18th: The USPS is listing this issue on the Events Calendar on its national website. The listing says the first day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on October 9th at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. No further details are available at this time. The unannounced event listing was first reported by Jay Bigalke in Linn’s Stamp News.

However, New York Comic Con is being held at the Javits Center October 9-12. As of September 19th, there were no references or event listings about the stamp on NYCC’s website.

Earlier, as detailed here, Linn’s expected the stamp to be issued this past summer.

And at a press briefing during StampShow 2015 in Hartford in August, USPS Stamp Services chief Susan McGowan said there was one still-unannounced issue, a blockbuster, in the 2014 stamp program.

Batman made his debut in 1939, 75 years ago….although that issue of Detective Comics was published in May, 1939. McGowan indicated in August that the USPS was still negotiating with someone about that “blockbuster.”

 

First day postmarks:

batdcpvsc
DCP Size: 3.22″ x 1.38″
batbwvsc
B&W Size: 2.51″ x 1.20″

APS Editor Barb Boal To Retire

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[press release; comments below]
Barb-BoalAfter 33 years of service at the American Philatelic Society, AP Editor Barb Boal has announced her plans to retire as of December 31. In addition to the traditional editor functions, Barb has done all the layout and most of the design of the magazine. She has been our principal contact with the printer, provided graphic support for shows and other departments, assisted with social media and marketing, and taught educational courses. Barb has guided us as the magazine has moved to full color, gone computer-to-plate, overseen the development of a digital version, and most recently was the impetus behind the development of a mobile application for the magazine.

Barb says, “It has been an educational and enjoyable time for me. I learned stamp collecting and printing from the ground up from the best — Bill Welch, Charlie Rupert, and Joe Criscuoli…. During the reprinting of Fundamentals of Philately, Norman Williams joked that I must be the only one to have ever read Fundamentals cover to cover!

“Over the past thirty-three years, I have been fortunate to work with collectors from around the world. In addition to the pleasure and pride that we receive in producing the AP for members, it has been recognized by its peers, winning three International Golds and being presented with the Álvaro Bonilla Lara Award.”

This position has the primarily responsibility for the Society’s full-color 100-page monthly publication, The American Philatelist. Working with a staff of three and an Advisory Board, the position reviews and selects editorial content including articles, columns, and letters to the editor. The individual lays out editorial content and prepares ads, creating digital Indesign files for the printer. Additional preparation is required for a mobile application and bonus online content. The Editor provides oversight for the quarterly Philatelic Literature Review and is the principal contact with the printer.

The Editor also provides graphics support for other departments, such as design of digital billboards; postcards and ads; cachets; logos and show cancels; and brochures. Support and input is also expected for the monthly e-newsletter.

The position requires editing skills, excellent graphic and layout skills, and Indesign proficiency. Philatelic knowledge is very helpful. Candidates should be self-directed and possess strong organizational and problem solving skills. A Bachelors Degree is required and supervisory experience desirable. Salary range is $55K to $65K, depending on qualifications. Position reports to the APS Executive Director.

If you are interested in the position or know someone who you think should be considered, resumes with a cover letter must be submitted to Executive Director Ken Martin, kpmartin@stamps.org, by October 15. Desired starting date is December 1 to allow for a smooth transition.

The American Philatelic Society, founded in 1886, is the national stamp collecting organization of the United States, with more than 31,000 members. For more information about the Society and its services, contact the APS at 100 Match Factory Place Bellefonte, PA; e-mail (info@stamps.org) or visit APS online at www.stamps.org.

Reward Offered For Stolen Jennys

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[press release]
Sundman Offers Reward For APRL’s Stolen McCoy Inverted Jenny Stamps

Recovered C3a position 65(Camden, New York) — Donald Sundman, President of Mystic Stamp Company in Camden, New York, is offering a reward of up to $100,000 to locate the two still-missing Inverted Jenny (Scott C3a) stamps from a block of four stolen nearly 60 years ago. The block was owned at the time of theft by Ethel B. McCoy of New York City who later donated two subsequently-recovered stamps and legal rights to the other two to the American Philatelic Research Library (APRL). [One of the recovered stamps, position 65, is shown here.]

Sundman is offering the reward of $50,000 per stamp on behalf of the APRL. He made the reward announcement at the Aerophilately 2014 convention banquet, September 13, 2014, at the American Philatelic Society headquarters in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.

SundmanDon“It’s possible that the two remaining missing stamps were innocently acquired by collectors decades ago who did not realize they had been stolen. With the passage of time, the heirs of those collectors may not realize they’ve inherited stolen property,” said Sundman (left).

For 19 years the stamps were the prize possession of Ethel B. McCoy (1893 – 1980), a patron of performing arts and an avid collector whose father, Charles Bergstresser, was a co-founder of the Dow Jones company.

In the 1986 book, The Inverted Jenny: Mystery, Money, Mania, author George Amick described McCoy as “…a woman of many interests. As the only child of one of the great innovators of American business and the wife of two other successful businessmen, she could afford to indulge them.”

McCoy’s first husband, Bert A. Stewart, a coin collector, died in 1936. In 1941 she married a prominent stamp collector, Walter R. McCoy, and they were active in philatelic organizations. In 1937 she was named a director of the American Air Mail Society and was posthumously named to the American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame in 1981.

McCoy acquired the block of four 24¢ Inverted Jenny airmail stamps — positions 65, 66, 75 and 76 from the original, unique pane of 100 — for $16,000 from Spencer Anderson in 1936. It was stolen in September 1955 while on exhibit at the American Philatelic Society convention in Norfolk, Virginia.

The hobby’s greatest cold case is the subject of a cover story by Ken Lawrence in the September 2014 issue of American Philatelist, the journal of the APS.

“There is still mystery and intrigue surrounding the theft,” said Rob Haeseler, Chairman of the American Philatelic Research Library’s McCoy Reward Committee.

“The McCoy block was deftly plucked from the Norfolk exhibit in broad daylight as the show prepared to open for the day. The thief cut a cord binding two of the exhibit frames and slid back the covering sheet of glass several inches. Armed guards had been stationed in the exhibit hall. A suspect has never been named.”

The block was broken apart, and one of the stolen stamps (position 75) was discovered in 1977, another (position 65) in 1981. Both were recovered with the participation of the FBI. Before she died at the age of 87 in 1980, McCoy donated both of them along with the legal rights to the two still-missing stamps to the APRL.

In 1981, the recovered position 75 Inverted Jenny was sold at auction on behalf of the APRL for $115,000. In 1988, the APRL offered a $10,000 reward for each of the two still-missing stamps, but neither one was located.

“The Inverted Jenny stamps are a philatelic treasure, but title to the two missing McCoy stamps belongs to the APRL,” Sundman explained. “If someone tried to sell one of them now, it would be seized and they’d have nothing. This is an opportunity to turn in the stamps for a $50,000 reward for each one, assuming they have not been damaged beyond recognition.”

In 2005, Sundman traded one of the two known 1868 Ben Franklin 1¢ “Z Grill” (Scott 85A) stamps for the numbered plate block of four Inverted Jenny stamps then owned by Wall Street bonds trader Bill Gross. The exchange was valued at $6 million at the time.

The reward offer for the missing McCoy stamps is being made by Sundman for one year, through September 2015.

In his article about the theft, Lawrence wrote: “It’s likely that nearly everyone who might have personal knowledge of the theft and subsequent dispersal of the McCoy inverts has died, but perhaps they left behind evidence, or perhaps the stolen stamps reside in estates whose beneficiaries don’t know what they have. Let’s all do our best to spread the word. Recovering one or both of the missing McCoy inverts will not only benefit APRL financially, it will elevate the stature of our hobby, and it will add yet another page to an epic that is not likely to be completed in our lifetimes.”

Anyone with information about the missing stamps can contact the American Philatelic Society at (800) 782-9580 extension 246 or by email at Jenny@stamps.org.

Purple Heart – 2014 Reprint

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purple-heart-scratchVSC member Chris Lazaroff reports a 2014 version of this veteran stamp will be issued on October 11 in Dover Delaware at the Dover Stamp Club’s show. The format is not know.

From the October 2nd Postal Bulletin:

On October 11, 2014, in Dover, DE, the U.S. Postal Service® will re-issue the Purple Heart Medal stamp, Forever® First Class Mail® priced at 49 cents, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps

The Purple Heart Medal stamp design features a photograph taken by Ira Wexler of a Purple Heart medal awarded during World War II. The 2011 Purple Heart with Ribbon stamp was reworked in 2012 to display a slightly larger image of the Purple Heart medal on a pure white background. Designed by art director Jennifer Arnold, the stamp was given the name Purple Heart Medal.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Purple Heart Medal Stamp
Postmaster
Dover Post Office
55 Loockerman Plaza
Dover, DE 19901-9998

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by December 10, 2014.

There are two philatelic products for this stamp issue:

  • 125416, First-Day Cover, $0.93.
  • 125431, Stamped Deck Card, $0.95.

Technical Specifications:

purpleheart2014Issue: Purple Heart Medal Stamp
Item Number: 115400
Denomination & Type of Issue: Forever First-Class Mail
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: October 11, 2014, Dover, DE 19901
Designer: Jennifer Arnold, Washington, DC
Art Director: Jennifer Arnold, Washington, DC
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: Ira Wexler, Braddock Heights, MD
Engraver: WRE
Modeler: CCL Label, Inc.
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Printer: CCL Label, Inc.
Printed at: Clinton, SC 29325
Press Type: Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 70 million stamps
Paper Type: Prephosphored, Type I
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: CCL Label, Inc., Clinton, SC
Colors: Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, Black, Purple 266, Red 1805
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.73 x 0.84 in./18.54 x 21.34 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.87 x 0.98 in./22.10 x 24.90 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.25 x 4.83 in./133.35 x 122.55 mm
Plate Size: 420 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “C” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: © 2012 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (115400) in upper right and lower left corners of pane • Promotional text

Stamp Library Moves Toward Completion

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[press release]
APRL To Complete Permanent Library Project

library_lowerOn August 18th, 2014, the Board of Trustees of the American Philatelic Research Library unanimously approved a plan to complete the permanent library and other facilities in the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Slated for completion are 19,500 square feet of library space as well as newly built-out spaces for the APS Gift shop and APS Heritage Room. [On the right is an architect’s rendering of what the new library area may look like.]

The APRL Trustees authorized the negotiation of a construction loan with First National Bank, followed by permanent financing which will be repaid by the rents paid by third party commercial tenants in the APC complex. A team led by APRL and APS Treasurers Bruce Marsden and Ken Nilsestuen and including other members of the joint Finance Committee concluded that this project financing approach was affordable.

The APRL Trustees also directed staff to engage the project architects to prepare bid packages to be distributed to potential construction contractors.

APRL President Roger Brody noted, “The culmination of this 12 year project has been supported by APRL and APS officers and board members over more than a decade and has been made possible by significant donations from hundreds of Society members. We are hopeful that the excitement generated by the completion of the project will motivate more donors to help towards reducing the amount of permanent financing required at the completion of the project.”

In noting that the Campaign for Philately has identified numerous facility naming opportunities at different giving levels, APRL Treasurer Bruce Marsden said, “Donors who are interested in receiving permanent recognition in the completed library facility will want to act quickly.” More details about legacy naming opportunities are available in the “Preserving the Past… Building the Future” brochure which can be downloaded at http://stamps.org/userfiles/file/library/Case_for_Support.pdf .

Centrally located in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, the American Philatelic Research Library is the largest non-governmental repository of books, periodicals, and other media relating to stamp collecting and postal history in the world. Sharing 31,000 U.S. and international members with its sister organization, the American Philatelic Society, the APRL supports exhibitions and educational programs which are designed to enhance the joys of philately. More information about both organizations can be found at http://www.stamps.org.

For more information contact Tary Murray at tmurray@stamps.org

APS to Receive $1.3 Million Gift

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[press release]

The APS has been informed that it will soon receive approximately $1.3 million, the single largest gift in its history. Twenty-five year APS member Walter Weber of Bellingham, Washington, who passed away in May, designated the American Philatelic Society as the sole beneficiary of his IRA. A private investor, Mr. Weber collected the stamps of the United States, Canada and Switzerland. He was also particularly interested in Revenues.

Mr. Weber’s gift surpasses the estate of past APS president William Bauer who passed away in 2009 and left $1.2 million for the American Philatelic Society and American Philatelic Research Library. Other major gifts to the APS and APRL have come from the estates of George Fisher of Langhorne, PA ($600,000 in 2004), Osborne Morse of Leawood, Kansas ($300,000 in 2001), and Horace Harrison of Ruxton, Maryland ($300,000 in 2002).

More than 50 other individuals have expressed their love of the hobby and their belief of the importance of the APS and APRL by notifying the APS and APRL that have they included the organizations as a beneficiary of their IRA, estate or trust. APS Executive Director Ken Martin is happy to work with interested donors and their accountants and attorneys to help find appropriate ways that members and others can support the APS/APRL and fulfill their personal goals. Ken can be reached at 814-933-3817 or kpmartin@stamps.org. Information on supporting the APS and APRL is also available at stamps.org/donate.

The American Philatelic Society is the nation’s largest organization for postage stamp collectors, with more than 31,000 members. Members receive a 100-page full color monthly magazine, opportunities to buy and sell through the mail or over the internet, reduced rate services including educational courses and authentication of postage stamps, exclusive members-only offers, and full use of the American Philatelic Research Library including a growing body of digital content.

Breast Cancer Research semi-postal reprint

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Breast Cancer Research semi-postalThis will be issued some time in September, with the “2014” year on it. The design is similar to the earlier versions. It will sell for 60¢ (the current 49¢ first-class rate plus an 11¢ surcharge. The format is a pane of 20.

From the September 18th Postal Bulletin:

On September 30, 2014, in Sacramento, CA, the U.S. Postal Service® will reissue the Breast Cancer Research semipostal stamp priced at 60 cents, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 553000).

The Breast Cancer Research First-Class® semipostal stamp, is being reissued in 2014. Semipostals are stamps sold at a surcharge to raise money for a particular cause. Originally issued in 1998, the stamp art depicts a woman standing with her right arm raised, reaching behind her head in the position recommended for breast self-examination. The drawing of the woman’s body is set against a background of pastel colors from yellow to violet that cover the entire face of the stamp. Across the top of the stamp are the words “Breast Cancer.” Circling the figure’s right breast are the phrases, in all caps, “FUND THE FIGHT.” and “FIND A CURE.” Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp using original artwork by Whitney Sherman.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Breast Cancer Research Reissue
Customer Relations Coordinator
2000 Royal Oaks Drive
Sacramento, CA 95813-9998

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. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by November 30, 2014.

There are three philatelic products for this stamp issue:

555306, Press Sheet with Die cuts, $144.00
(print quantity 1,000).
555308, Press Sheet without Die cuts, $144.00
(print quantity 1,500).
555316 First-Day Cover, $1.04.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Breast Cancer Research Stamp
Item Number: 553000
Denomination & Type of Issue: Nondenominated First-Class Mail Semipostal (60 cents)
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: September 30, 2014, Sacramento, CA 95813
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Artist: Whitney Sherman, Baltimore, MD
Engraver: N/A
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 20 million stamps
Paper Type: Raflatac, USPS-P-1238
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: PMS1365 Yellow, PMS322 Light Blue, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in./21.34 x 36.07 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in./24.89 x 39.62 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.92 x 7.24 in./150.36 x 183.90 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 21.72 x 23.68 in./ 551.69 x 601.47 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in four corners of pane
Back: © 1998 USPS • USPS logo • Plate position diagram • Barcode (553000) Breast Cancer proceeds explanation • Promotional text