[press release, English from Google Translate] [full pane at the bottom]
Stamps Map First Atlases
The Hague, March 24, 2020 – In 2020 it will be 450 years since the very first atlas appeared in print, in Antwerp. Soon more atlases followed, mainly published in the 
Netherlands. With the issue of the “The first atlases” stamp sheet on March 23, PostNL pays attention to 6 notable publishers, their atlases and their maps.
Scenic from the ground
In 1570 Abraham Ortelius published the first atlas in Antwerp, with the Latin title Theatrum orbis terrarum (literally: the scene of the earth’s soil). Antwerp and Amsterdam were important centers for the atlas. That had everything to do with the prominent position of the Netherlands in international trade and shipping.
Portraits and maps
Next to Abraham Ortelius are Gerard de Jode, Gerard Mercator, Jodocus Hondius, Willem 
Jansz. Blaeu and Johannes Janssonius on the stamps The first atlases. These publishers from the low countries were responsible for all kinds of beautiful atlases published in the 16th and 17th centuries. The stamps show not only portraits of the 6 publishers, but also maps of the Netherlands from their atlases. All maps shown are from atlases from the Allard Pierson | collection The Collections of the UvA. The portraits were made available by the Rijksmuseum.
Nod in the middle
Because of the legibility, the cards have been placed on the stamp as large as possible. That is why Maud van Rossum, the designer of the stamp sheetlet, left out the page mirror of the atlas page as much as possible. She left only a small border as a frame. The kink in the heart of the page can also still be seen, after all, the map comes from an atlas.
Availability
The stamp sheet The first atlases has 6 different stamps with the international value indication 1, intended for mail up to 20 grams with an international destination. The stamps will be available from March 23 at the post office in the Bruna stores and on the website. The stamps can also be ordered by telephone from the Collect Club customer service on telephone number 088 – 868 99 00. The period of validity is indefinite.
Postzegels brengen eerste atlassen in kaart
Den Haag, 24 maart 2020 – In 2020 is het 450 jaar geleden dat de allereerste atlas in druk verscheen, in Antwerpen. Al snel volgden er meer atlassen, die vooral in de Nederlanden werden uitgegeven. Met de uitgifte op 23 maart van het postzegelvel ‘De eerste atlassen’ besteedt PostNL aandacht aan 6 opmerkelijke uitgevers, hun atlassen en hun kaarten.
Toneel van de aardbodem
In 1570 bracht Abraham Ortelius in Antwerpen de eerste atlas uit, met de Latijnse titel Theatrum orbis terrarum (letterlijk: het toneel van de aardebodem). Antwerpen en Amsterdam waren belangrijke centra voor de atlas. Dat had alles te maken met de vooraanstaande positie van de Nederlanden in de internationale handel en scheepvaart.
Portretten en kaarten
Naast Abraham Ortelius staan Gerard de Jode, Gerard Mercator, Jodocus Hondius, Willem Jansz. Blaeu en Johannes Janssonius op de postzegels De eerste atlassen. Deze uitgevers uit de lage landen waren verantwoordelijk voor allerlei prachtige atlassen die in de 16e en 17e eeuw zijn uitgeven. Op de postzegels zijn niet alleen portretten van de 6 uitgevers te zien, maar ook van kaarten van de Nederlanden uit hun atlassen. Alle afgebeelde kaarten komen uit atlassen uit de collectie Allard Pierson | De Collecties van de UvA. De portretten werden door het Rijksmuseum beschikbaar gesteld.
Knik in het midden
Vanwege de leesbaarheid zijn de kaarten zo groot mogelijk op de postzegel geplaatst. Daarom liet Maud van Rossum, de ontwerper van het postzegelvel, de bladspiegel van de atlaspagina zo veel mogelijk weg. Alleen een klein randje liet zij als omkadering staan. Ook de knik in het hart van de pagina is nog te zien, de kaart komt immers uit een atlas.
Verkrijgbaarheid
Het postzegelvel De eerste atlassen telt 6 verschillende postzegels met de waardeaanduiding internationaal 1, bedoeld voor post tot en met 20 gram met een internationale bestemming. De postzegels zijn vanaf 23 maart verkrijgbaar bij het postkantoor in de Bruna-winkels en via de website. De postzegels zijn ook telefonisch te bestellen bij de klantenservice van Collect Club op telefoonnummer 088 – 868 99 00. De geldigheidstermijn is onbepaald.
The Hague, March 24, 2020 – The latest PostNL stamps contain the favorite sandwich spread of young and old in our country: sprinkles. The issue “Typically Dutch – Sprinkles” is the third in this series this year.
U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Gerald Connolly (D-Va.) are worried the U.S. Postal Service “will not survive the summer” because of the coronavirus epidemic, and is calling for billions of dollars from the federal government. She says the postal agency has seen a “drastic” reduction in mail volume, and says the end of the USPS would imperil the delivery of prescription drugs and election ballots.
House and Senate. However, Maloney and Connoly have also introduced a bill providing $25 billion to the USPS, while requiring it to prioritize medical deliveries.
say for certain that the coronavirus cannot be transmitted from the letters, flyers and packages in the mail, especially given possible mutations of the disease and the wide variety of papers and cardboards, it appears not.
“The bottom line is that there is some hypothetical risk of viable viruses surviving on mail,” Dr. James O. Lloyd-Smith of UCLA said. “But given the time periods involved, this seems like a pretty minimal risk to the general public.”
OTTAWA, March 23, 2020 /CNW/ – Canada Post understands the important role the postal service plays and is committed to serving Canadians while taking action to keep our people and our communities safe. To do so effectively in these challenging times, we will continue to review and quickly adapt our approach with health and safety as our primary goal.
OTTAWA, le 23 mars 2020 /CNW/ – Postes Canada est consciente de l’importance du service postal et s’engage à servir les Canadiens tout en prenant des mesures pour assurer la sécurité de ses employés et de la population. Pour y arriver de manière efficace en ces temps difficiles, nous continuerons d’analyser nos approches et de les adapter rapidement en faisant de la santé et de la sécurité notre objectif principal.
The Hague, March 23, 2020 – The Netherlands will commemorate the end of World War II in 2020, 75 years ago. With 4 gold stamps, PostNL pays attention to events that have left an indelible impression. Both to those who experienced it and to the next generations, to this day.
Most major stamp collecting shows in the U.S. in March, if not all, have been postponed or canceled. Many events in April and even May have already been affected.
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First, nearly all shows rely on dealers taking tables or booths. If dealers can’t travel, if dealers don’t want to sit in an enclosed area all day with people they don’t know passing through, and if dealers aren’t sure large numbers of people will attend a show, the show cannot afford to go on.
I just took a look at one of the contracts for a fairly recent past Americover, the annual show of the American First Day Cover Society until this year, when Americover becomes part of Great American Stamp Show (formerly the American Philatelic Society’s APS StampShow). Since the show was already held and the language was similar to that in other hotel/show contracts we had, I think I can quote from it.
Fourth, venues may not be as willing to book a stamp show as in the past, as they seek to make up for this spring’s downturn. A hotel can book four or more weddings — all with open bars and catering — in the period taken up by a stamp show. The prospect of the show being held every year and guaranteeing some income without the expense of attracting brides and their mothers may not seem as attractive after this year’s cancellations and retrenchments.
