Monthly Archives: September 2018

Lennon Exhibition at U.S. Postal Museum

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[press release]
“John Lennon: The Green Album” Opens at National Postal Museum
Special Showing Coincides With U.S. Postal Service Issue of Music Icons Stamp

“John Lennon: The Green Album” opened Sept. 7 at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum and coincides with the U.S. Postal Service’s issuance of the John Lennon Forever Stamp, honoring the legendary singer and songwriter. The stamp is the latest in the Music Icons stamp series. The exhibition will be open through Feb. 3, 2019.

Lennon (1940–1980), along with Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, achieved superstardom as the rock and roll band, The Beatles. However, before Lennon travelled the globe playing music with The Beatles, this boy from Liverpool, England, saw the world in a completely different way—through stamps.

Lennon’s childhood stamp album, which includes 565 stamps on more than 150 pages, will be on display, along with a tribute to previously issued U.S. Postal Service Music Icons stamps, including those honoring Lydia Mendoza, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Sarah Vaughn and Elvis Presley.

W. Wilson Hulme, the museum’s curator who acquired Lennon’s album for the museum in 2005, said at the time, “There are people who think stamp collecting isn’t cool, and maybe this will cause them to think twice about that. It just doesn’t get any cooler than John Lennon.” During the intervening years, the museum has shown the album in Stockholm and New York City, but it has not been displayed in Washington, D.C., since 2006. Years before his rise to fame as a musician and member of the Beatles, Lennon was a schoolboy in Liverpool, England, when his older cousin, Stanley Parkes, inspired Lennon’s interest in stamp collecting and gave him his stamp album. Lennon rubbed out Parkes’ name and address on the album’s flyleaf, replacing it with his own signature and the address at Mendips, the home he shared with his aunt Mary (“Mimi”) Smith and her husband George. Already a budding artist, Lennon sketched beards and mustaches in blue ink of the likenesses of Queen Victoria and King George VI on the album’s title page. Lennon continued to collect and trade stamps for several years after receiving this album. According to Parkes, Lennon began collecting at about age 9 and actively collected stamps for several years. There is evidence throughout the album that Lennon added and removed stamps. Lennon’s handwritten notes on the flyleaf indicate the album may have contained as many as 800 stamps at some point.

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

Lost Jenny Invert Comes In For Landing

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[Philatelic Foundation press release]
Long Lost Jenny Invert Reappears

Unseen for the last 100 years, one of the famous Jenny Airmail Invert stamps, known around the world to collectors as the stamp with the “Upside Down Airplane,” has now reappeared. It comes to light just in time to celebrate the centennial year of the stamp’s issuance in 1918 at the very beginning of air mail service in the United States.

The stamp was recently submitted to The Philatelic Foundation in New York. The PF’s experience and expertise in authenticating this iconic United States rarity is unrivaled, having previously issued Certificates of Authenticity for 86 of the 100 stamps from the original sheet, including all six of the existing blocks of four.

Matched against the PF’s detailed records, photos, and electronic images, the PF’s expert staff determined that the stamp is the long lost position 49 from the original sheet of 100 that was purchased by collector William T. Robey in a Washington, DC post office in May 1918. The sheet was sold by Robey to stamp dealer Eugene Klein for $15,000, a fortune in those days, and was later broken up for sale to collectors. Klein’s pencil notation, the position number “49” is still visible at the lower right back of the stamp. At NY 2016, the international stamp show held at the Javits Center in New York, an extremely fine example sold at auction for a record $1.3 million dollars.

Many of the Jenny Inverts have small faults, having been repeatedly bought, sold and often mishandled during the last 100 years. However, position 49 is in pristine mint condition. It was held by three generations of an anonymous Chicago area family in a safe deposit box where it remained untouched, its whereabouts unknown, until now. Because the stamp was never mounted in an album, it is coveted by collectors as a mint, unhinged copy with its original gum. Only six unhinged Jenny Inverts, including this example, are recorded from the original sheet of 100. Based on its centering, bright colors, and its pristine gum, the PF awarded the stamp the Grade of 90 “XF” meaning extremely fine condition. It is the highest graded Jenny Invert which still remains in mint unhinged condition 100 years after it was issued.

“This Jenny, position 49, had not been seen since the original sheet of 100 was sold in 1918 and then broken up for sale. The same family has owned this stamp since then. Its whereabouts were unknown for 100 years!” Bob Rose, chairman of the PF board of trustees, told The Virtual Stamp Club.

Still missing is Position 66, the fourth stamp from the stolen “McCoy” block. The third of the four stamps was recovered in 2016.

Larger picture of Position 49:

Hotchner: What Is A Stamp?

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By John M. Hotchner

What do you see when you receive a stamp on an envelope or at a post office? The average user of the mails might notice a bit of color; maybe even the subject or design, but by 20 minutes later most could not tell you what the design illustrated.

Stamp collectors are different. We look at the stamp, classify it according to whether it is a common variety or something more interesting, and decide whether to keep it. And perhaps at the subconscious level, we also evaluate modern stamps in the context of what has gone before — and for many of us, the comparison is often not positive.

For most people, stamps are a means to an end. For collectors, they can be that, but most importantly, they are an end in themselves. So, what is it that collectors find attractive and unattractive about these objects of our affection? At the most obvious level, which the non-collector also sees but may not appreciate, there are ten factors:

a. Color, either monocolor or multicolor. Most of today’s stamps are a mix of colors because the general public has voted for this with their wallets. They find multicolor more pleasing and attractive, regardless of what the colors may be. Collectors tend to notice the colors used, and make judgments about the attractiveness, the appropriateness, and the arrangement of the colors.

b. Print Quality, Part I For collectors, especially those of the old school, the Gold Standard is single color that has been printed by recess engraving. We find these examples of the engraver’s and printer’s art near irresistible. Unfortunately, they are more expensive to produce and have become a victim of the Postal Service’s bean counters. The USPS budgeting process values cost avoidance before all else; second, revenue, and then in third place they may evaluate how customer preference might intersect with the other two. They see collectors more as cash cows to be milked than as a constituency to be pleased (though I don’t think the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee totally buys into that), so we don’t see many recess engraved stamps among the new issues of the United States. Of the majority, whether we can identify them or not, we tend to react better to photogravure printing than offset.

c. Print Quality, Part II Advances in printing technology have over the years since our first postage stamps in 1847, improved the uniformity and the quality of stamps coming off the presses. It used to be that a collector could make their life’s work the study of a single stamp in all its varieties. On most of today’s stamps, it is a struggle to find an example that differs in any significant way from all its brothers and sisters.

d. The Topic/Subject may be the first thing we all consciously notice and react to. For the general public, it may be the only criterion for what to buy, while collectors have more subtle and more complicated reactions. All buyers/viewers like a pretty flower stamp. But for the general public, that is where it ends. For collectors, a little of that (puppies, lighthouses, birds, costumes, etc.) goes a long way. We prefer topics with some gravitas: history illustrated though events and the people who excelled in their fields and contributed to making America great, events that advance the human condition like space stamps, scientific discoveries and medical advances.

e. The Design is of little importance to the general public, but of supreme importance to collectors. The Postal Service has two responsibilities here: First, to convey the subject clearly on a small palette, and second, to reflect the full range of American art styles in its stamps. That includes, among others, abstract art, comic art, impressionism, pop art and photography. But a large percentage of collectors are traditionalists; not fond of anything not, well, traditional. So, collectors have a full range of thoughts and feelings on the art used for any given subject. While cocktail parties talk Trump, stamp club meetings talk stamp design trends, especially as represented on new issues.

f. The Size which is always “the bigger the better” unless you are the public, having to carry around giant Priority Mail, Express Mail or large commemorative stamps. Now, the reality is that the extra weight and size of large commemoratives is hardly worth considering, but the general public has its concerns and this is undeniably one of them. Collectors on the other hand generally revel in ‘bigger is better’ when contemplating stamps they liked, but will immediately jump to critic mode when the stamp is a large version of something they don’t like.

g. Stamp Shape which draws the same kinds of complaints when non-traditional circular, especially tall or wide, or triangular stamps are issued. The USPS sees these as interesting variations on what might otherwise be a boring theme, and believes they bait the stamp collecting hook (of which more later), but collector reaction is by and large not complimentary.

h. Stamps In Souvenir Sheets clearly intended by the USPS not for postal use but for collectors. Few such sheets are used on mail, but then, it requires real effort to remove the postage from the excess paper for use. So, while many collectors enjoy them as philatelic souvenirs, the same collectors may be annoyed, feeling that they are being fleeced.

i. Face Value has risen with inflation, and has risen even faster if Priority Mail, Express Mail and souvenir sheets are counted in. The public buys what they need and it is fee for service. But it requires a real act of will for a collector to lay out over $80 for a new Express Mail plate block (every 18 months or so), and in this way, the USPS is pricing itself out of the market as the vast majority of stamp collectors are not in that league.

j. Multi-Stamp Sets combined with face value, make even relatively inexpensive stamps an investment when there are 10 or 20 different pets, Harry Potter characters, Peanuts Christmas stamps, etc. It used to be this was limited to commemorative subjects, but in recent years the Postal Service has extended it into the domain of definitives. All of this tends to encourage stamp collectors to avoid mint stamps, and to concentrate on used. (But even this is more difficult to swing now that most self-sticks can’t be washed.)

At the second level are the technical details of the stamp. These are almost totally ignored by the general public if they are noticed at all. Again there are multiple aspects:

a. The Paper Used, And Its Color which can be bright to dull, thin to thick, coated or not, and pregummed or gummed after printing. In the olden says, there was also the issue of watermarks.

b. The Tagging which can be in the paper, on top of the paper, overall or block, and can fluoresce in many colors.

c. The Gum which can be flat or shiny, ridged or not, and self-stick (with the consequent problems of aging and nonwashability). On this one there is a sharp split between collectors and non-collectors. The latter generally love self-sticks. Collectors are ok with them if used stamps can be washed from envelops, but unalterably opposed, with flashes of anger, if they don’t wash.

d. The Means Of Separation which used to be simple perforations (holes between the stamps), but has now moved on to die cuts of various shapes and sizes often with several variations on the stamps of a single issue.

e. Added Factors such as plate numbers and what they represent, the copyright or issue date, secret marks to deter counterfeiting (often in the form of microprinting, or opticalvariable devices), and backing paper which is now an integral part of collecting a “mint” stamp.

Collectors may ignore or study the multiple variations in each of these second level categories.

At the third level; some of which are obvious even to the non-collector, and many of which are not, are unintended production varieties. These are often termed in philately EFOs, for Errors, Freaks and Oddities. Each of these is a term of art that has a lengthy definition, and if you want to learn more about this area, visit www.efocc.org, the website of the EFO Collectors Club.

To the extent that the general public cares about these at all, it is because they have found something really obvious like a missing color, or unintended imperfs. Sometimes they will turn these back into the post office, saying something like, “Take these back and give me good ones that I can use.” For the more philatelically aware, the immediate question is how do they turn these into money?

Collectors are more likely to keep EFOs, as even minor examples are relative rarities. The truly dedicated will also use EFOs as a window on the production process; as a means of understanding the fascinating world of stamp printing.

Can we learn anything from this brief review of the properties of a stamp, and the differences in how stamps are seen by collectors and non-collectors?

I think a primary lesson is that the USPS is in a no-win situation. In order to get the attention of non-collectors and to draw them into the hobby, they have to produce an unending stream of stamps with popular themes that the general public will pay attention to, but which dyed-in-the-wool collectors often find annoying and manipulative.

Another is that there is much more to stamps than the general public ever thinks about, and much more for collectors to think about and enjoy than most have time, money or inclination for.

The “old” way of collecting a mint example of every stamp the United States has issued is now a huge challenge (with over 5500 different stamps; many of the earliest examples beyond the ability of our wallets to acquire). So country collecting — even in used-stamps form — is giving way to topical collecting and discreet time period-collecting.

Very little of this is obvious to us as we look at a stamp we buy or receive on an envelope today.

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

Or comment right here.

The Old Vic (UK 2018)

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[from Royal Mail]
Issue Date: Friday 30th August 2018

Products/Price/Code

  • 8 Special Stamps (2x 1st, 2x 1.25, 2x 1.45, 2x 1.55) £9.84 AS3967
  • First Day Cover Stamps £12.23 AF437
  • Presentation Pack £10.35 AP450
  • Stamp Souvenir £12.23 AW083
  • First Day Envelope £0.30 AE392
  • Set of 8 Postcards £3.60 AQ267

Reason and Inspiration:
To mark the bicentenary of one of the most important venues in the UK’s performing history, where most of our greatest actors have played.

The Old Vic has played an important part in the development of modern British theatre, with many great actors making their names on its influential stage. This stamp issue commemorates eight of these actors in some of their greatest performances at The Old Vic, from the 1950s to modern day:

  • Richard Burton – Henry V, 1955
  • Judi Dench and John Stride – Romeo and Juliet, 1960
  • Laurence Olivier – The Dance of Death, 1967
  • Maggie Smith – Hedda Gabler, 1970
  • Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud – No Man’s Land, 1975
  • Albert Finney – Hamlet, 1975
  • Sharon Benson – Carmen Jones, 1991
  • Glenda Jackson – King Lear, 2016

About the subjects:

The Dance of Death, 1967
By August Strindberg
Translated by CD Locock
Directed by Glen Byam Shaw
Starring Laurence Olivier (featured on stamp).

King Lear, 2016
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Deborah Warner
Starring Glenda Jackson

 

Hamlet, 1975
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Peter Hall
Starring Albert Finney

 

Hedda Gabler, 1970
By Henrik Ibsen
Translated by Michael Meyer
Directed by Ingmar Bergman
Starring Maggie Smith

 

No Man’s Land, 1975
By Harold Pinter
Directed by Peter Hall
Starring John Gielgud and
Ralph Richardson

Carmen Jones, 1991
By Oscar Hammerstein II
Directed by Simon Callow
Starring Sharon Benson

 

Romeo and Juliet, 1960
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli
Starring Judi Dench and
John Stride

Henry V, 1955
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Michael Benthall
Starring Richard Burton

 

Technical details:

  • Number of stamps: Eight
  • Value of Stamps: 2 x 1st class, 2 x £1.25, 2 x £1.45, 3 x £1.55
  • Design: hat-trick design
  • Acknowledgements: The Dance of Death – photograph of Laurence Olivier © Zoë Dominic, used with kind permission of Catherine Ashmore; costume design by Motley; King Lear – photograph of Glenda Jackson © Marilyn Kingwill/ArenaPAL; costume design by Zeb Lalljee; content used with kind permission of The Old Vic; Hamlet – photograph of Albert Finney © Donald Cooper/Photostage; costume design by John Bury; Hedda Gabler – photograph of Maggie Smith © Zoë Dominic, used with kind permission of Catherine Ashmore; costume design by Mago; No Man’s Land – play by Harold Pinter used with kind permission of FPinter Limited; photograph of Sir John Gielgud and Sir Ralph Richardson © Nobby Clark /ArenaPAL; costume design by John Bury; Carmen Jones – play by Oscar Hammerstein II used with kind permission of Hammerstein Properties LLC; photograph of Sharon Benson © Neil Libbert/ ArenaPAL; costume design by Bruno Santini; Romeo and Juliet – photograph of Dame Judi Dench and John Stride © Express Newspapers/N&S Syndication; costume design by Peter J Hall; content used with kind permission of The Royal Victoria Hall Foundation; Henry V – photograph of Richard Burton by Angus McBean © Houghton Library, Harvard University; content featured with kind permission of The Royal Victoria Hall Foundation; costume design by Audrey Cruddas
  • Stamp Format: Portrait
  • Stamp Size: 35mm x 37mm
  • Number per sheet: 30/60
  • Printer: International Security Printers
  • Print Process: Lithography
  • Perforations: 14.5 x 14
  • Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
  • Gum: PVA

Birds of Canada (Canada 2018)

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[press release]
Birds of Canada stamp series ends with homage to plumage
Five unmistakeable species spotted stretching wings on last issue

VANCOUVER – One bears our country’s name and migrates in formations that point the way from one passing season to the next. Another, bold and curious, given a name that imitates its song, will perch on your outstretched arm. A third stands as an example of a single population thriving in Canada even though the species is endangered.

Canada Post’s Birds of Canada stamp series took flight three years ago and now glides to a smooth landing with a final issue that features five birds:

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) – Named for its hat-like marking and cheery “chickadee-dee-dee” call, the black-capped chickadee is found across most of Canada but holds a special place in New Brunswick, where it earned official status after a provincial Federation of Naturalists contest. Campers and hikers know this ever-curious bird will come perch nearby – or on your arm.

Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) – Chosen by Quebec as a symbol of its dedication to wildlife protection, the snowy owl nests on the Arctic tundra and feeds mainly on lemmings.

Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) – Declared the avian emblem of British Columbia after a province-wide vote, the brilliant-blue Steller’s jay is a common sight in campgrounds and coniferous forests in western Canada.

Canada Goose (Branta Canadensis) – Seen nationwide, the Canada goose is known for its noisy honk and V-shaped flight formation during migration, a sign of the changing seasons.

Whooping Crane (Grus Americana) – The largest and only self-sustaining population of the endangered whooping crane – once one of the rarest bird species in the world – nests in Wood Buffalo National Park, located in Alberta and the Northwest Territories.

The first three birds on the list above are official provincial birds; the three-year series has now celebrated the official bird of each province and territory.

The Official First Day Cover is cancelled in Vancouver, the location of the 27th International Ornithological Congress. The conference, held every four years, is bringing roughly 2,000 avian researchers and conservationists from around the world to the city.

The stamps are available for purchase on canadapost.ca and at postal outlets across Canada – and can be easily spotted without binoculars and identified without a guide book.

Emergency Responders (Canada 2018)

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See the stamp designs and descriptions below the postmarks .

[Media Advisory]
Canada Post is paying tribute to emergency responders with five stamps to be unveiled at events across Canada

OTTAWA, Sept. 4, 2018 /CNW/ – Over five consecutive days starting Monday, September 10, Canada Post will unveil a stamp issue to pay tribute to five groups of Canada’s emergency responders. One stamp will be unveiled each day at a separate event across the country to honor a different kind of emergency responder.

The stamps express the respect and gratitude of Canadians to emergency responders, professional and volunteer. With their skills, with their service and by their sacrifices, they find and rescue the lost; treat and save the seriously ill and injured; and protect us, our homes, businesses, and communities.

What: Canada Post’s iconic stamp program is paying tribute to emergency responders with five stamps

Who, When, and Where:

  • Paramedics: Monday September 10 – Fredericton, New Brunswick
  • Canadian Armed Forces: Tuesday, September 11 – Valcartier, Quebec
  • Search and Rescue: Wednesday, September 12 – Banff, Alberta
  • Firefighters: Thursday, September 13 – Halifax, Nova Scotia
  • Police: Friday, September 14 – Ottawa, Ontario

All events will begin at 10.30 am local time. You can read more on the stamps and emergency responders in the Canada Post online magazine.

Here are the first-day postmarks:
Updated September 10th:

Paramedics

From Canada Post:
Canada’s highly trained paramedics deliver life-saving care to individuals experiencing medical emergencies in the critical minutes before they arrive at a hospital. They’re ready to face almost any situation – from heart attacks and drug overdoses to accidents, natural disasters and incidents involving multiple casualties. As front-line medical experts, they make a vital contribution to public health and safety. From treating patients and transporting them to health care facilities to delivering community paramedicine programs in areas of need, the duties of paramedics put them at the centre of our most vulnerable moments. Thanks to their courage, compassion and expertise, we know we’re in good hands.

[press release]
Canada Post stamp honours the country’s paramedics
This is the first of five stamps to be unveiled this week to reflect Canadians’ gratitude for all emergency responders

FREDERICTON, N.B. – Canada Post today unveiled a stamp that honours the country’s paramedics for providing life-saving medical care to Canadians.

These skilled, highly-trained and compassionate front-line emergency responders provide medical care on the scene and en route to hospital. They respond to natural disasters and emergencies in our communities. They attend virtually any situation – from heart attacks, drug overdoses, trauma events, and incidents involving multiple casualties. Once dispatched to an emergency, paramedics have some daunting expectations to meet, including arriving quickly, assessing and treating their patients with urgency, expertise and empathy, and co-ordinating with other emergency responders. Their expertise and professionalism has saved countless lives.

The stamp was unveiled at the Ambulance New Brunswick headquarters in Fredericton.

Canada Post and the stamp designers consulted with the Paramedic Association of Canada, which represents more than 20,000 practitioners, to ensure the stamp image is representative of paramedics in Canada.

The five Emergency Responders stamps

The other Emergency Responders stamps pay tribute to the Canadian Armed Forces, search and rescue experts, firefighters and police. All five stamps reflect Canadians’ respect and gratitude for the skills, service and sacrifices of the men and women who protect Canadians, sometimes by risking their own lives.

The stamp honouring members of the Canadian Armed Forces will be unveiled at Base Valcartier in Quebec tomorrow. A stamp honouring search and rescue experts will be unveiled in Banff, Alta. on Wednesday. The firefighters stamp will be unveiled in Halifax on Thursday and a stamp paying tribute to police officers will be unveiled in Ottawa on Friday.

The stamps will be available for purchase on canadapost.ca and at postal outlets across Canada as of Friday, September 14.

Updated September 11th: From Canada Post:
Floods, forest fires, ice storms and other natural disasters sometimes cause so much destruction that local emergency-response efforts become overwhelmed. Members of the Canadian Armed Forces are then ready to assist. Deployed around the world in international combat operations and peacekeeping missions, the Forces serve as a critical last line of defence at home. Experts in such areas as engineering, health services, aviation, logistics and the use of specialized equipment, regular and reserve members help conduct evacuations, deliver aid, provide transportation, execute search and rescue missions, and perform other critical tasks during emergencies in Canada and abroad.

[press release]
Canada Post honours Canadian Armed Forces as “last line” of help in emergencies
This is the second of five stamps to be unveiled this week that reflect Canadians’ gratitude for all emergency responders

BASE VALCARTIER, Que. – Canada Post today unveiled a stamp that pays tribute to members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) for their critical role in responding to emergencies across Canada, such as wildfires, floods and ice storms.

Dedicated members of the CAF, both Regular and Reserve members, are a last line of defence when natural disasters occur. Trained in engineering, health services, aviation, logistics and the use of specialized equipment, they conduct evacuations, deliver aid, provide transportation, execute search and rescue missions, among many other tasks. Following Government of Canada approval to a provincial or territorial government request, the CAF can deploy members and assets – including ships, aircraft and vehicles – from the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Canadian Navy. These missions are known as Operation LENTUS.

This year alone, the CAF have answered the call for help in August (almost 600 forest fires in B.C.); May (the evacuation of 140 people threatened by fire in Manitoba, and flood relief in B.C. and New Brunswick); and April (floods at Kashechewan First Nation in Ontario).

The stamp was unveiled at 2nd Canadian Division Support Base Valcartier, near Quebec City, which is home to roughly 6,000 members mainly from the 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and the 2nd Canadian Division Support Group. Members from the base have assisted in Operation LENTUS missions, most recently in the spring floods of 2017 in Quebec.

The five Emergency Responders stamps

The other Emergency Responders stamps pay tribute to paramedics, search and rescue experts, firefighters and police officers. The paramedics stamp was unveiled at the Ambulance New Brunswick headquarters in Fredericton, N.B. yesterday. The next stamp will be revealed in Banff, Alta., tomorrow, and all five will be unveiled by Friday.

The stamps will be available for purchase on canadapost.ca and at postal outlets across Canada as of Friday, September 14. Click here for high resolution images of the announced stamps and their Official First Day Covers.
For more details on Operation LENTUS, see http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/operations-canada-north-america/op-lentus.page

From Canada Post September 12th:Visit Canada’s magnificent coastlines, mountains, forests and waterways and you’ll see why they attract so many outdoor enthusiasts. But changing weather, challenging terrain and human error can sometimes spell disaster. When that happens, Canada’s search and rescue technicians are there to help, trained extensively in survival, first aid, parachuting, diving and mountain climbing. Whether from the Canadian Coast Guard, Canadian Armed Forces, Parks Canada or a provincial, territorial or volunteer organization, these elite experts do their best to find and save those who are lost, hurt or stranded.

[press release]
Stamp honours Canada’s search and rescue experts
This is the third of five stamps to be unveiled across Canada this week to reflect Canadians’ gratitude for emergency responders

BANFF, Alta. – Canada Post today unveiled a stamp that pays tribute to the country’s search and rescue experts, and their willingness to spring into action with skill, determination and courage whenever called upon.

Every year, millions of Canadians and visitors explore this country’s forests, mountains, waterways and oceans, while others work daily in remote conditions. Whether in the wilderness for recreation or work, changing weather, human error or other factors can quickly result in these individuals being lost, injured, stranded or otherwise endangered.

Search and rescue experts find, rescue and treat people in life threatening situations, and transport them to safety or advanced medical care as need be. In performing their life-saving duties, search and rescue experts often find themselves in dangerous conditions such as avalanches, extreme weather or high seas.

The stamp was unveiled in Banff, Alta., a centre for Parks Canada’s Mountain Safety Program. While the stamp portrays a helicopter extraction in the mountains, a wide variety of search and rescue operations are also performed by many Canadian groups, including the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Coast Guard, as well as volunteer organizations across the country. Search and rescue experts also educate Canadians about safety, particularly in wilderness settings.

The five Emergency Responders stamps
The additional four Emergency Responders stamps pay tribute to paramedics, the Canadian Armed Forces, firefighters and police officers. All five stamps reflect Canadians’ respect and gratitude for the skills, service and sacrifices of those who protect Canadians, sometimes by risking their own lives.

The paramedics stamp was unveiled at the Ambulance New Brunswick headquarters in Fredericton, N.B. on Monday, and a stamp honouring members of the Canadian Armed Forces was unveiled at Base Valcartier in Quebec yesterday. A stamp honouring firefighters will be revealed in Halifax, N.S. tomorrow, and a stamp paying tribute to police officers will be unveiled in Ottawa on Friday.

The stamps can be purchased on canadapost.ca and at postal outlets across Canada as of Friday, September 14. Click here for high resolution images of the stamp and Official First Day Cover.

From Canada Post September 13th:
Part-time, full-time and volunteer firefighters protect lives, property and environments across Canada. At the ready 24 hours a day, they spring into action at a moment’s notice, regardless of when or where disaster strikes. Although firefighters are well known for bravely facing off against flames, their duties go beyond fighting fires and rescuing victims trapped in burning buildings. They assist with many other life-threatening events, including rescue operations, motor vehicle accidents and hazardous-material emergencies. Firefighters also make Canada a safer place by educating us about fire prevention, escape planning, and building and fire codes. [press release]
Canada Post honours the country’s firefighters with stamp
Fourth of five stamps to be unveiled this week to reflect Canadians’ gratitude for all emergency responders

HALIFAX, N.S. – Canada Post today unveiled a stamp that honours the country’s firefighters for saving lives and protecting property and the environment with their skills and courage.

Few emergencies trigger such an immediate sense of threat as a fire breaking out in our homes or communities, or being injured and trapped in a vehicle after a serious collision. In situations that might make most people panic, firefighters arrive well equipped and trained to intervene as a cohesive team.

Able to respond to emergencies at a moment’s notice, firefighters do much more than fight fires and rescue victims from burning buildings. They also provide emergency medical services and perform difficult technical rescues and extractions. They respond to vehicle collisions, overdoses, hazardous-material emergencies and other life-threatening events. As well, they make Canada safer by educating people about fire prevention, investigating fires and enforcing fire codes.

The stamp was unveiled in Halifax with the participation of Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency, Canada’s oldest firefighting department, established in 1754.

Canada Post and the stamp designers consulted with the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, whose members represent roughly 3,500 fire departments across Canada, to ensure the stamp accurately represents firefighters.

The five Emergency Responders stamps
The other Emergency Responders stamps pay tribute to paramedics, the Canadian Armed Forces, search and rescue experts and police. All five stamps reflect Canadians’ respect and gratitude for the skills, service and sacrifices of those who protect Canadians, sometimes by risking their own lives.

The paramedics stamp was unveiled at the Ambulance New Brunswick headquarters in Fredericton, N.B. on Monday, and a stamp honouring members of the Canadian Armed Forces was unveiled at Base Valcartier in Quebec, Tuesday. A stamp honouring search and rescue experts was unveiled in Banff, Alta. yesterday, and a stamp paying tribute to police officers will be unveiled in Ottawa tomorrow.

The stamps will be available for purchase on canadapost.ca and at postal outlets across Canada as of Friday, September 14.

From Canada Post September 14th:
Canada is one of the safest countries in the world due in large part to the civilian and sworn members of our police forces, who perform critical – and often dangerous – work with compassion, integrity and professionalism. Their many duties include providing emergency assistance in cases of crime, natural and human-caused disasters, accidents and other life-threatening situations. Through community patrols, security services, investigations and other means, police officers work tirelessly to protect Canadians and visitors from harm. Internationally respected for their expertise, our police officers are also deployed to countries around the world to assist in times of crisis.

[press release]
Stamp honours police and civilians who support them
Final reveal in five-stamp issue concludes a week-long celebration of selfless emergency responders who protect and save lives

OTTAWA – Canada Post today unveiled the fifth and final stamp in an Emergency Responders issue that pays tribute to the brave people who protect and assist Canadians and visitors to our country during times of emergency.

The stamp honours our police and the civilians who support them. These highly skilled emergency responders assist in cases of crime and during accidents and disasters. They act with compassion, integrity and professionalism and are respected around the world for their international contributions.

Their efforts to prevent crime through community outreach, security patrols and modern investigations make Canada one of the safest countries in the world.

The Police stamp was unveiled at the Ottawa Police Association in the nation’s capital, home to the Canadian Police and Peace Officers Memorial. The stamp’s unveiling completes a week-long celebration of our emergency responders at separate events held across the country.

Canada Post and the stamp designers consulted with the Canadian Police Association, whose members represent roughly 60,000 police personnel from across Canada, to ensure the stamp represents policing accurately.

The five Emergency Responders stamps
Paramedics were honoured in Fredericton, N.B. on Monday; the Canadian Armed Forces were celebrated at CFB Valcartier, Que. on Tuesday; our Search and Rescue experts were honoured in Banff, Alta., on Wednesday; and Firefighters were celebrated in Halifax, N.S. yesterday.

The stamps express the respect and gratitude Canadians have for professional and volunteer emergency responders. As a group, with their skills, and by their sacrifices, they find and rescue the lost; treat and save the seriously ill and injured; and protect us, our homes, businesses, and communities.

The stamps are available for purchase on canadapost.ca and at postal outlets across Canada.

APS Leadership Reorganization

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In a blog entry, American Philatelic Society executive director Scott English has announced formation of a “Senior Leadership Team” comprised of three already-employed staff directors, and giving them broader assignments:

  • Rick Banks transitions from Comptroller and Director of Internal Operations to Chief Administrative Officer. He joined the APS staff in 2004.
  • Ken Martin goes from Chief Operating Officer to Chief Membership Officer. He went to work for the APS in 1995, and has been its shows and exhibition Director and executive director.
  • Martin Kent Miller moves from American Philatelist/Philatelic Literature Review editor to Chief Content Officer. He was hired in 2017 and has since added the website and other digital and online efforts to his portfolio

The reorganization is part of English’s efforts to transform the APS into a viable 21st century collectors organization. In the past, the APS had as many as a dozen “staff directors” responsible for specific areas, all of whom reported directly to the executive editor.