by Lloyd A. de Vries
Both the U.S. and Canada have been teasing with the subjects and designs for two multi-stamp issues coming out this year: The U.S. for its National Park Service Centennial set and Canada Post for “Star Trek.”
Each country is handling this differently: The USPS told us in advance there would be 16 stamps, and one would be “unveiled” each weekday starting April 4th. Canada Post has not told us how many “Star Trek” stamps there will be, and the “unveilings” are at no set interval. The USPS Parks are announced in a press release; Canada Post seems to be creating “photo ops” for each announcement.
My first reaction (kept mostly to myself) was, “Aw, c’mon, just give us the *(&^@! information.” But as we’ve gone along with the announcements, and posted them one-by-one on The Virtual Stamp Club website, I’ve found myself enjoying it, particularly trying to guess what subjects are next.
The U.S. Parks were announced in alphabetical order. I was hoping for Great Falls in Paterson, NJ, one of the newest National Parks, and I was sure the Statue of Liberty would be included — after all, Lady Liberty is the symbol of World Stamp 
Show-New York 2016, at which the stamps are being issued. I was wrong on both, although I was fairly sure Yellowstone would be the 16th subject announced, and it was.
When I saw that one of the Canadian stamps would show “Star Trek” star William Shatner, a Canadian, I was also fairly sure another Canadian in the cast, James “Scotty” Doohan would be honored, and I was right. The Spock (Leonard Nimoy) stamp made me suspect a DeForrest Kelley stamp was coming; it is.
Kelley was born in Atlanta, Nimoy in Boston, so the hangar deck doors have been opened to other non-Canadians. If a supporting character like Scotty is included, can Sulu, Uhura and maybe Chekov be excluded? How about Majel Barrett, who was associated with “Star Trek” longer than any other actor. She appeared in all five of the TV series (including the pilot, which was nixed by NBC), was married to creator Gene Roddenberry, and supplied the computer voice.
Oops, there I go again, speculating on who will be in the set.
I’m having fun! And isn’t that a good part of what stamp collecting is about?
One year to the day after she was appointing Acting Director of Stamp Services for the U.S. Postal Service, Mary-Anne Penner has been promoted to Director, Stamp Services.
The six Special Stamps celebrate HRH The Queen’s birthday with three stamps focusing on Her Majesty’s family life, and three honouring The Queen’s official role.
The team undertook an initial recce of locations within the Palace and then conducted two half-day test shoots using the high density foam blocks that Ranald has as part of his kit. This ensured the shot could be composed as much as possible prior to the final shoot, which took about 25 minutes.
On Saturday night, May 28, the opening weekend of NY2016, The Philatelic Foundation will award its Neinken Medal to Dr. Peter McCann for meritorious service to philately. The award will be made at a joint dinner reception with The Collectors Club which will present its Lichtenstein Award to Dr. Cheryl Ganz.
(New York, NY) On Monday, April 4, 2016, a representative of Spink USA, a leading rare stamp auctioneer, brought a Jenny Invert to The Philatelic Foundation’s New York offices for authentication on behalf of a potential consignor. The PF is widely regarded in the hobby of stamp collecting for its expertise in authenticating this iconic United States airmail rarity. Over the last 70 years, the PF has issued Certificates of Authenticity for 84 of the 100 stamps from the original error sheet of the “upside down airplane stamp,” including all six of the existing blocks of four.
ve Director Larry Lyons and Curator Lewis Kaufman (shown at right). Matched against the PF’s detailed records, photos and electronic scans of the Jenny Inverts, the evidence quickly pointed to the possibility that the stamp was one of the two missing from a famous block of four Jenny Inverts. The block, which was previously owned by Ethel McCoy, was stolen from its exhibition frame in 1955 during an American Philatelic Society convention in Norfolk, Virginia.
10 x First Class Stamps £6.40
immortal words and poetry. Having previously issued stamps that depict performances of his plays, a painting of the bard himself and the world famous Globe Theatre, for this set Royal Mail has opted to focus on selected quotes from plays and sonnets that have made him so famous and ensured an enduring popularity.
Stamps In Detail: 
The stamp, Sc. 3A, belongs to the American Philatelic Research Library in Bellefonte, Pa., which is associated with the APS. One of just 100 stamps for this issue with an inverted center vignette, it is worth about $150,000.
2911a USS Enterprise (sheet)
Under license by CBS Consumer Products, the collections includes five stamps depicting cast members from Star Trek: The Original Series. The U.S.S. Enterprise and a Klingon D7-class battle cruiser blast their way onto the coil stamps, while two special-effect lenticular stamps allow for continuous reruns of classic scenes. Along with a prestige booklet, official first day covers, souvenir sheets, uncut press sheets, panes, and booklets, fans will discover a galaxy of memorabilia, including postcards and stamp dispensers.
Four limited-edition items add to the fleet of collectibles: a framed print signed by William Shatner, a framed stamp pane cancelled with a gold-ink postmark of the Enterprise’s trusty shuttlecraft, a lenticular enlargement, and a lenticular uncut press sheet which is a first for any postal administration.
Five picture postcards: 
“Canada Post had a special little surprise for star gazers tonight at the Vulcan Trek Station,” the postal agency’s Phil Legault tells The Virtual Stamp Club. “They were the first to publicly see the “Spock” stamp, the third to be released this week celebrating Star Trek’s 50th anniversary. The Mayor of Vulcan, Tom Grant, Town Councillors and members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada were also on hand.” 
The stamp was “unveiled” by Chris Doohan, James’ son, in downtown Toronto: 
Canada Post is working on a special project to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek™ this year. The full line-up of stamps and collectibles will be available in early May, but a number of “stamp sightings” have already been seen across Canada in social media – check them out here 
Windsor, a University of Calgary PhD student in linguistics and expert in the Star Trek Klingon language, and more than 175 enthusiasts got the first look at the Klingon Commander Kor and Klingon D7-class battle cruiser stamps (attached here) with a photo from tonight. 
These are the sixth and seventh stamps “sighted” to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek and Canada’s connection to the series this year. Kor, one of the most powerful enemies, was played by Toronto-native John Colicos. The first five stamps include the U.S.S. Enterprise itself and crew members Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy.
“Flanked by two delivery agents carrying the special parcel, Siân 
M. Matthews, Chairperson of Canada Post’s Board of Directors and who resides in nearby De Winton, Alta., presented Mr. Shatner with a framed memento of his stamp, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Star Trek™ – and Canada’s connection to the series.”
