Monthly Archives: May 2023

2023-24 Duck Stamp (U.S. FWS 2023)

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Technically, the “Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp.”

The earlier Fish & Wildlife Service press release follows this information from the Postal Service. The Scott catalogue numbers are
RW90 $25 Tundra Swans Hunting Permit Stamp, self-adhesive
RW90A souvenir sheet of 1

From the Postal Bulletin:
On June 23, 2023, in Memphis, TN, the U.S. Department of the Interior will issue the $25 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation stamp for the 2023–2024 waterfowl hunting season. The pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) stamp will go on sale nationwide June 23, 2023, and is valid through June 30, 2024.

No automatic distribution for the pane of one (336900)

The pane of 20 (337000) will only be sold by Stamp Fulfillment Services and by consignment by Amplex Corp.

Technical Specifications (Single-Stamp Pane):

Issue:-Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp
Item Number:-336900
Denomination & Type of Issue:-$25.00, Special
Format:-Pane of 1 (1 design)
Series:-Federal Duck
Issue Date & City:-June 23, 2023, Memphis, TN 38105
Art Director:-Suzanne Fellows, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Artist:-James Hautman
Modeler:-Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process:-Offset, Flexographic, Microprint
Printer:-Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type:-Muller A76
Stamps per Pane:-1
Print Quantity:-2,468,185 stamps
Paper Type:-Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type:-Pressure-sensitive
Processed at:-Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors:-Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Invisible Fluorescent
Stamp Orientation:-Horizontal
Image Area (w x h):-1.7188 x 1.2656 in. / 43.658 x 32.146 mm
Overall Size (w x h):-1.89 x 1.417 in. / 48.006 x 35.992 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h):-6.125 x 2.625 in. / 155.575 x 66.675 mm
Plate Size:-36 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers:-N/A
Marginal Markings:
Front:-Selvage Text: 2023–2024 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp • U.S Fish and Wildlife Service • 50th Anniversary of the Endangered Species Act • Informative text • Artist: James Hautman, Tundra Swans© • If applicable, sign your stamp.
Back:-Verso text • Ordering information • Barcode • U.S. Department of the Interior logo • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service logo

Technical Specifications (Pane of 20):

Issue:-Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp
Item Number:-337000
Denomination & Type of Issue:-$25.00, Special
Format:-Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series:-Federal Duck
Issue Date & City:-June 23, 2023, Memphis, TN 38105
Art Director:-Suzanne Fellows, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Artist:-James Hautman
Modeler:-Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process:-Offset, Flexographic, Microprint
Printer:-Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd (APU)
Press Type:-Muller A76
Stamps per Pane:-20
Print Quantity:-53,600 stamps
Paper Type:-Nonphosphored Type III
Adhesive Type:-Pressure-sensitive
Processed at:-Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors:-Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Invisible Fluorescent
Stamp Orientation:-Horizontal
Image Area (w x h):-1.7188 x 1.2656 in. / 43.658 x 32.146 mm
Overall Size (w x h):-1.89 x 1.417 in. / 48.006 x 35.992 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h):-8.25 x 8.25 in. / 209.55 x 209.55 mm
Plate Size:-180 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers:-“P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front:-Selvage Text: “Artist: James Hautman” (4 locations) • “Department of the Interior 20 x $25.00” (2 locations) • Image of Swans printed in Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Invisible Fluorescent • Plate number (4 corners)
Back:-Verso text behind each stamp • Four barcodes • Plate position (9)

[FWS press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Minnesota Artist Joseph Hautman Wins 2022 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest
Federal Duck Stamp Supports Wildlife ConservationJudges and Department of the Interior representatives show off the winner of this year’s duck stamp competition. Pictured are: (top row) Walter Rhodes, Suzanne Fellows, Jerome Ford, Jen Chin, Larry Mellinger; (bottom row) Sean Murtha, Marshall Johnson, Paul Schmidt, Richard Houk, Chris Nicolai

[from September 2022]

After two days of competition, Joseph Hautman of Plymouth, Minnesota, emerged as the winner of the 2022 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest with his painting of three tundra swans flying over a wetland. The announcement was made via live stream at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia. This is his sixth win of the prestigious contest.

Hautman’s acrylic painting [on the right] will be made into the 2023-2024 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or “Duck Stamp”, which will go on sale in late June 2023. The Service produces the Federal Duck Stamp, which sells for $25 and raises approximately $40 million in sales each year. These funds support critical conservation to protect wetland habitats in the National Wildlife Refuge System for the benefit of wildlife and the enjoyment of people.

Just this past week, the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, chaired by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, approved the allocation of nearly $105 million with grants through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and funds from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. The fund is made up partly of Duck Stamp dollars, to support the acquisition of lands from willing sellers for the Refuge System. The new areas provide additional access to the public to some of the most spectacular places available for hunting, fishing, birdwatching, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

“The Duck Stamp Contest is one of my very favorite events every year!” said Service Director Martha Williams. “I am always impressed with the caliber of the art submitted, and each and every entry reminds us of the beauty of the natural world the Duck Stamp is designed to protect. I encourage everyone to buy a Duck Stamp as it makes a real impact in conserving wetlands habitats for waterfowl and many other wildlife species.”

Since it was first established in 1934, sales of the Federal Duck Stamp to hunters, bird watchers, outdoor enthusiasts, and collectors have raised more than $1.1 billion to conserve over 6 million acres of habitat for birds and other wildlife and provide countless opportunities for wildlife-oriented recreation on our public lands.

Waterfowl hunters age 16 and older are required to purchase and carry the current Federal Duck Stamp. Many non-hunters, including birdwatchers, conservationists, stamp collectors, and others also purchase the stamp in support of habitat conservation. Additionally, a current Federal Duck Stamp can be used for free admission to any national wildlife refuge that charges an entry fee.

In addition to Joseph Hautman, Frank Mittelstadt of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, placed second with his acrylic painting of tundra swans, and Robert Hautman of Delano, Minnesota, took third place with his acrylic painting of an American wigeon.

Of 187 entries judged in this year’s competition, 54 entries made it to the final round of judging. Eligible species for this year’s Federal Duck Stamp Contest were the tundra (whistling) swan, mottled duck, American green-winged teal, American wigeon, and Barrow’s goldeneye. View the online gallery of the 2022 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest entries.

The judges for this year’s Federal Duck Stamp Contest were: Sean Murtha, artist; Richard Houk, philatelist; Marshall Johnson, conservation partner; Paul Schmidt, conservation partner; and Christopher Nicolai, waterfowl biologist and conservation partner.

You can contribute to conservation and America’s great outdoors tradition by buying Federal Duck Stamps at many national wildlife refuges, sporting goods stores, and other retailers, through the U.S. Postal Service, or purchase online.

New Museum Exhibition Highlights Pacific Migration

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum Launches New Virtual Exhibition
Complete Collection of U.S. Postage Stamps Honoring Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Americans or Their History and Culture

The National Postal Museum’s new virtual exhibition, “Stamps Across the Pacific: A Visual History of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Migrations” is now available for viewing on the museum’s website.

The exhibition showcases the diversity and cultural significance of Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander American communities in the United States through the medium of postage stamps. It features every U.S. Postal Service-issued stamp commemorating their unique histories, identities and contributions to American culture. Additional objects from the museum’s vast collection place these migrations within the larger context of U.S. relations with their countries of origin, and they help to illustrate these communities’ experiences in the United States. Detailed descriptions give insights into the rich cultural traditions of these celebrated communities.

Native Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Islander immigration to the United States has a long and complex history, dating back to the mid-19th century when Chinese immigrants first arrived in search of economic opportunities. Over time, they were joined by others from countries around the Pacific Rim, including Japan, Korea and the Philippines, who began to arrive in large numbers during the 20th century.

“We are thrilled to share this new virtual exhibit with the public during Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month,” said Daniel Piazza, chief curator of the National Postal Museum. “We hope that visitors to this virtual exhibition come away with an appreciation for the diverse experiences of these communities in the United States.”

The experiences of these immigrants in America have been shaped by political and economic factors, including periodic outbreaks of violence against them and discriminatory government policies such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Despite these challenges, Native Hawaiian, Asian and Pacific Islander immigrants have formed strong communities in the United States and significantly contribute to American society in areas such as science, technology, the arts and others.

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.

Holocaust Stamps Exhibit At APS

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
APS Dedicating Holocaust Stamps Exhibit
Museum exhibit of 11 million stamps and postal relics honors the victims of the Holocaust

BELLEFONTE, Pa., May 16, 2023 – The American Philatelic Society, in partnership with Penn State University’s Hillel and the Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Education Initiative, will formally dedicate the museum exhibit “A Philatelic Memorial of the Holocaust.” The event will be on May 31, 2023, at 6 p.m. at the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.

The invitation-only ceremony will include remarks from award-winning filmmaker and director of the Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Education Initiative Boaz Dvir; Penn State Hillel; American Philatelic Society Executive Director Scott English; and educator Charlotte Sheer, who initiated the Holocaust Stamps Project with her students at Foxborough Regional Charter School. Tours of the exhibit will be offered after the ceremony.

In 2018, K-12 students of Foxborough completed a nine-year project collecting 11 million stamps representing the victims of the Nazi regime. Donations came from Holocaust survivors, their families, and others from 48 U.S. states and the District of Columbia and 29 countries. Known as the Holocaust Stamps Project, the educational initiative included peer-to-peer teaching tools created by students on various aspects of the Holocaust.

The American Philatelic Society built the exhibit “A Philatelic Memorial of the Holocaust” from the Project’s 11 million stamps and educational materials. The exhibit also includes actual postal relics sent to and from concentration camps and ghettos during the Holocaust.

“A 2020 survey showed nearly two-thirds of millennials and Generation Z lacked basic knowledge of the Holocaust,” said Scott English. “This exhibit brings to life the tragedy of the Holocaust using the voices and artifacts of the victims. We have a duty to connect the past to the future so that it never happens again.”

“A postcard mailed from a Poland ghetto might be the only surviving, tangible evidence of the life and death of a Jewish victim of the Nazi regime. To touch history like that makes it real,” said APS exhibit coordinator Susanna Mills. “The American Philatelic Society is proud to safeguard and share those stories told by stamps and postal relics.”

The American Philatelic Center is open to the public for tours on Monday to Friday, 8:30 – 5:00 pm.

A public open house for “A Philatelic Memorial of the Holocaust” will be held on June 11, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the American Philatelic Center. The open house will feature discussions of Holocaust-era postal history, the creation of the exhibit, the founding of the Holocaust Stamps Project, and the importance of human rights education. All are welcome to attend.

About the American Philatelic Society
With members in more than 110 countries, the American Philatelic Society is the largest, non-profit organization for stamp collectors in the world. Founded in 1886, the APS serves collectors, educators, postal historians and the general public by providing a wide variety of programs and services. Resources include the American Philatelic Research Library; the monthly magazine The American Philatelist; stamp authentication services; adult and youth education initiatives; and more at www.stamps.org.

About PSU Hillel and the Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Education Initiative
The Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Education Initiative at Penn State enables K-12 educators to effectively teach difficult topics such as racism and trauma. The Initiative offers sustained and customized professional learning programs and online modules. Through a trauma-informed lens, the Initiative guides teachers in helping students develop insight into the human condition and life skills such as empathy, active listening, critical thinking, civic discourse and agency by applying inquiry approaches to the instruction of difficult topics.

Penn State Hillel is the foundation for Jewish Campus Life at the Pennsylvania State University. Penn State Hillel’s mission is to enrich the lives of the estimated 5,000 Jewish students at Penn State, encouraging students to pursue tzedek (social justice), tikkun olam (repairing the world), and Jewish learning, and to support Israel and global Jewish peoplehood.

Philately’s Ear in DC Dies: Bill McAllister

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Philately’s Ear in Washington Dies
Washington Post and Linn’s Reporter Bill McAllister Was 81
by Lloyd A. de Vries

Bill McAllister, a Washington Post national reporter and correspondent for Linn’s Stamp News, died May 1, in Fairfax County, Va., from pneumonia and complications from COVID-19.

He joined the Post in 1975 covering Virginia before moving to the paper’s national staff. He soon carved out a niche covering the U.S. Postal Service, Veteran’s Affairs and labor issues, and had a column about stamps and coins in the “Weekend” section. He became the Washington correspondent for Linn’s  in 1996, often breaking stories of interest and importance to stamp collectors. He retired from the Post in 1999. He never retired from Linn’s, submitting his last story in late January, the “Washington Postal Scene” column which ran in the February 13 issue.

William H. “Buddy” McAllister’s death was first announced in a posting on his Facebook page by his four sons. He was born November 6, 1941, in Durham, N.C., and raised in Pittsboro, N.C. According to the post by his sons, “It was in Pittsboro where he discovered his lifelong fascination with the Postal Service, often visiting the local Post Office to observe the sorting of the daily mail.” He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina.

He also served in the US Naval Reserves as a Public Affairs Officer for 26 years, rising to the rank of captain.

“He was a mentor to young writers in the craft of reporting and writing,” his sons wrote, to which I can attest. Bill would often email me to pay special attention to a story of his in Linn’s or the Post, so that I could cite it on The Virtual Stamp Club. Examples are here and here; you can find others by searching on the VSC website or Facebook group for “McAllister.”

He was introduced to both stamp collecting and journalism by his aunt Margaret, who gave him a Mekeel’s beginner album and (separately) a toy printing press, on which he published a neighborhood newspaper at a penny a copy.

According to Linn’s, he began specializing in first-day ceremony programs after covering the 1987 event for the Girl Scouts stamp. He was a member of the American Philatelic Society and a former member of the American First Day Cover Society.

He is survived by Polly, his wife of 57 years, four sons — William H. IV, Christopher, Jonathan and Benjamin — and 7 grandchildren.

Broadhead Honored By Topicalists

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Broadhead Named 2023 Distinguished Topical Philatelist

Longtime philatelist, publications editor, author, presenter, and leader Thomas W. Broadhead of Knoxville, Tennessee was named the 2023 Distinguished Topical Philatelist by the American Topical Association.

ATA established the annual award in 1952 to pay tribute to individuals who have made significant contributions to topical philately and to the ATA in particular. Award recipients represent the highest and best in philatelic experience and service.

“Tom is accomplished as a collector and exhibitor, and he is generous in sharing his knowledge with others,” Hamman said. “There is not enough space here to list all of Tom’s philatelic accomplishments.”

Broadhead’s experience in the field and hobby of stamp collecting runs the gamut from personal collecting, exhibiting, writing, publication editing, presenting, and leadership in local and national philatelic organizations.

Since 1996, Broadhead has held leadership roles in the Knoxville Philatelic Society (KPS), serving as president, secretary, assistant treasurer and KnoxPEx chair. He writes and edits the club’s monthly newsletter, which received a 2022 gold Star Route Award by the American Philatelic Society. He also serves as APS and ATA chapter ambassador for KPS.

Broadhead became a member of the ATA board in 2019 and second vice president in 2020. He is the fundraising chairperson for ATA. He also serves as co-coordinator for ATA’s My One-Page Exhibit, an annual virtual exhibiting program that has engaged hundreds of new and experienced exhibitors from around the world.

He has presented numerous live and zoom presentations for ATA on topics that include Josephine Baker-Performing Artist and Hero of France, The Great Sphinx of Egypt-A Story in Stamps, and The Most Beautiful Bridge in Paris.

A prolific writer, Broadhead has published dozens of articles in philatelic journals including ATA’s Topical Time, APS’s The American Philatelist, and France and Colonies Philatelist.

In 2018, Broadhead was recognized with a Nicholas Carter Volunteer Award by APS. He has also received the Barbara R. Mueller Award for the best article published in The American Philatelist in 2008. In 2016, he received the Roland Hill Award of the Southeast Federation of Stamp Clubs.

Broadhead has also brought focus on philately in his career. Recently retired from his position as Director of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Tennessee and former a professor of Paleontology and Biostratigraphy at UT, Broadhead taught several honors classes in philately that were in high demand by students.

“Tom Broadhead is an incredible ambassador of philately,” Hamman concluded, “relaying both the educational value and the fun of the hobby. His warmth and enthusiasm embody the image ATA strives to project.”

Broadhead will be presented the Distinguished Topical Philatelist Award at the 2023 Great American Stamp Show in Cleveland, Ohio.

Radio: Rumors of Our Demise

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The Stamp Collecting Report
A radio feature by Lloyd de Vries

Download or listen to this report as an MP3 sound file.

Not dying: EVOLVING.

The Stamp Collecting Report, I’m Lloyd de Vries.

Recent news in the philatelic world has the pessimists wringing their hands, saying “The End Is Near!” These include the cancellation of the only top-level stamp collecting show in the New York City area, NOJEX, and the number of pages in a recent issue of Linn’s Stamp News, the leading philatelic periodical.

There are several factors involved in the stamp show problem: One is the high rents for venues in major cities. Most shows are now held in the suburbs: ten, twenty, thirty miles from downtown. Even those with an address in a big city are really on the outskirts.

The other problem for stamp shows is age: The committee members are old, having failed to bring in new, younger members. The “model” for their shows is old, too: Provide tables for dealers, space to exhibit collections, and maybe a few meetings.

Many of today’s dealers and collectors buy and sell on the Internet. Give them a reason to come to your stamp show, maybe special guests or rarities.

Linn’s — the weekly stamp newspaper — recently cut the number of printed issues. The others are available online. Where are today’s collectors and dealers? I just said: On the Internet. Mainstream news media are facing the same problem, competing with free news sources on the web. Linn’s needs to provide solid, accurate news and insight, and so far, it is.

Stamp Collecting isn’t dying: The old ways of doing it are. It’s not the same hobby it was in 1923 and it won’t be the same hobby in 21-23.

And those are my thoughts on stamp collecting. I’m Lloyd de Vries of The Virtual Stamp Club. For more on stamps and stamp collecting, visit virtual-stamp-club-dot-com.

The Stamp Collecting Report began in 1997 as a 60-second weekly feature distributed to CBS Radio Network stations by CBS News as part of its Weekend Feature Package. Eventually, longer versions were recorded for this website and a Christian evangelical shortwave service. The Report ended its CBS run in 2017 with only six repeats in some 1,040 weeks. It is now produced solely for The Virtual Stamp Club on an occasional basis.

Go to Report Index • Return to Virtual Stamp Club Home Page

Space (with a stamp missing) (Netherlands 2023)

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[from PostNL press materials] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Journey to The Moon

Date of issue: 21 April 2023

Format: sheet with nine stamps in different shapes
Item number: 430461
Design and illustrations: Lilian Vos, Vividblue

On 21 April 2023, PostNL issued the Journey to The Moon stamp sheet, dedicated to space. Travelling to and in space has always captured people’s imagination. This year a number of space flights have been planned once again. The Journey to The Moon stamp sheet features nine stamps with illustrations related to space. The 10th stamp featuring the moon is missing. The stamp with the moon is symbolised by the punched-out circle, and PostNL plans to issue it when man sets foot on the moon again around 2025. This tenth stamp will then complete the journey to the moon series. The denomination on the Journey to The Moon stamps is ‘1’, the denomination for items weighing up to 20g destined for the Netherlands. A sheet of nine stamps costs €9.09.

Ever since the development of the first telescopes more than 400 years ago, we have loved looking beyond what the human eye can see. Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space in 1961, while the Russian Soyuz programme was launched in 1967. In 1969, the Americans put a human on the moon for the first time with Apollo 11. The Apollo programme was followed by the space shuttle programme. The ISS International Space Station has been the site of close international cooperation since 1998.

Space is now visited more than ever before. This year, for instance, the ESA European Space Agency will be launching the Juice space probe, which will map Jupiter’s largest moons. A number of commercial organisations will also be testing their latest rockets in 2023, including the New Glenn (Blue Origin) and the Starship (SpaceX). Later this year, NASA will send space probe Psyche to the asteroid of the same name between Mars and Jupiter. The moon will also get a visit in 2023, from Japanese, Russian and Indian unmanned lunar landers, among others.

The Artemis international space programme aims to land astronauts on the moon again by 2025. The programme consists of 3 missions: an unmanned test flight (late 2022), a mission during which astronauts circle the moon without landing (scheduled for 2024) and finally a lunar landing mission (scheduled for 2025).

The stamps feature illustrations of the following nine subjects:

  • the planet Saturn
  • Orion capsule, designed to carry astronauts
  • floating astronaut in spacesuit
  • satellite with solar panels
  • view of the Earth from the moon
  • SLS launch vehicle
  • Orion capsule during ‘splash down’ with parachutes
  • moonboot, a classic part of astronaut outfit
  • walking astronaut in spacesuit.

Three of the stamps are round, the shapes of the other six follow the outlines of the illustrations. The edge of each stamp is perforated with four teeth. The stamp with the moonboot has five additional teeth, as a nod to the sole of the shoe. The illustrations are printed in warm red, cornflower blue, soft yellow, silver and copper.

A Dream Come True
The stamp sheet was created by graphic designer Lilian Vos of Amsterdam-based agency Vividblue. It is her first stamp design, an assignment that fit her like a glove. ‘My father was a collector, especially of first-day envelopes. I remember endlessly admiring the pictures on stamps when I was little. Stamps and stamp designs also definitely played a role in my decision to study graphic design. At the academy’s open day in Maastricht, I had the opportunity to view a number of enlarged stamp designs. I wanted to do that too.’

To learn more about the subject, Vos visited the permanent Space Expo space exhibition in Noordwijk, which she called ‘very impressive.’ After seeing the enthusiasm by the astronauts and staff there, she decided to focus the stamp design mainly on the human aspect of space travel. ‘Noordwijk showed that the subject is still alive, among young and old alike, especially given the ongoing Artemis space programme,’ she said. ‘Mankind is taking trips to the moon again.’

PostNL asked Vos for an innovative design, and thus, the ‘hole’ for the tenth stamp. ‘This unique idea is designed to make people curious, and it’s something we haven’t seen on a stamp sheet before,’ Vos said.

The Journey to The Moon stamps are available while stocks last at the post office counter in Bruna shops and here [direct link; in Dutch]. The ‘1’ denomination for items weighing up to 20g destined for the Netherlands. A sheet of nine stamps costs €9.09.

Technical Details:
Stamp sizes:

  • Saturn: 23.0 x 50.0 mm (h✖️w)
  • Orion capsule: 28.0 x 33.5mm (h✖️w):
  • floating astronaut: 31.8 mm diameter
  • satellite: 28.0 x 44.4mm (h✖️w)
  • Earth: 37.3 mm diameter
  • SLS launch vehicle: 45.4 x 33.4mm (h✖️w)
  • moon boot: 30.1 x 33.0mm (h✖️w)
  • Orion capsule with parachutes: 32.6 x 36.2mm (h✖️w)
  • walking astronaut: 31.8 mm diameter

Sheet size: 150 x 144mm (h✖️w)
Paper: normal with phosphor underprint
Glue: self-adhesive
Printing technique: offset
Printing colours: magenta, yellow, black, blue and silver
Edition: 110,000 sheets
Format: sheet of nine stamps in nine different designs
Design and illustrations: Lilian Vos
Printing company: Koninklijke Joh. Enschedé B.V., Haarlem
Item number: 430461

There is a set of two official FDCs for this issue:

TV Sitcom “Black Adder” (UK 2023)

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Royal Mail Celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the Superlative Comedy “Blackadder” with 12 Special Stamps

Issue date: 17 May 2023

  • Eight stamps capture moments spanning four series of the classic British sitcom that first aired in 1983. A further four stamps depict Edmund Blackadder in his various guises over each of the four series of the classic sitcom
  • The stamps feature some of the show’s best-loved characters, played by familiar names including Tony Robinson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson, Brian Blessed and the late Patsy Byrne
  • The stamps are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/blackadder, by telephone on 03457 641 641 and at 7,000 Post Office branches across the UK. A Presentation Pack including all 12 stamps in the set is priced at £19.60. The stamps go on general sale on 17 May 2023

Royal Mail has announced the launch of 12 Special Stamps being issued to mark the 40th anniversary of the classic British sitcom “Blackadder.”

From the mists of medieval England to the court of Queen Elizabeth I, from the glamour of the Georgian era to the grim trenches of the First World War, the stamps pay tribute to one of the pillars of British comedy.

Launched in 1983 by writer Richard Curtis and star Rowan Atkinson – with the vital assistance of BBC producer John Lloyd and co-author Ben Elton – the series went on to win an International Emmy Award and is regularly named among the finest sitcoms of all time – while its scheming, amoral hero has become one of our most adored TV characters.

The eight stamps in the main set capture moments spanning four series of the classic British sitcom and feature some of the show’s best-loved characters, played by familiar names including Tony Robinson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson, Brian Blessed, and the late Patsy Byrne.

In addition a further four stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, celebrate the main character, Edmund Blackadder, played by Rowan Atkinson, in his various guises over each of the four series of the classic sitcom.Blackadder co-creator, Richard Curtis, said: “We’re very amused and delighted. It’s a great relief for Blackadder to have his head on a stamp, instead of on a stake.”

John Lloyd, Producer, Blackadder, said: “The entire team behind Britain’s leading situation tragedy is deeply honoured by Royal Mail’s magnificent stamps of approval. In the words of General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett, VC KCB; ‘Let’s give them a damn good licking!’”

David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy, Royal Mail, said: “The epic saga of Blackadder spans six centuries of British history and four decades of British television and is still loved and revered by audiences old and new. We are delighted to mark the 40th anniversary of Blackadder with a set of Special Stamps.”

The Black Adder
Penned by university friends Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson – who also starred as the title character, the devious Prince Edmund – The Black Adder was set in the 15th century during the fictional reign of King Richard IV, a time of poverty, plague, religious hysteria and bloody battles over the royal succession.

Blackadder II
Moving the action forward a century and with Ben Elton on scriptwriting duties alongside Richard Curtis, Blackadder II tracks the shifting fortunes of Lord Edmund Blackadder, an ambitious courtier to the giddy young Queen Elizabeth I with a bumbling retinue of blockheaded sidekicks.

Blackadder the Third
Set in the early 19th century during the Regency of the impressively trousered royal heir, Prince George, Blackadder the Third follows the adventures of crafty butler Mr E Blackadder, who spends his days tormenting his lice-infested minion Baldrick and cooking up cunning plans to improve his social standing.

Blackadder Goes Forth
The final series, Blackadder Goes Forth, takes us to the mud-swamped trenches of the First World War, where Captain Blackadder and his doomed cadre of fellow soldiers try every trick they can think of to evade the inevitable order to go ‘over the top’. The final scene is one of the most haunting and memorable endings in TV history.

The stamps are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/blackadder, by telephone on 03457 641 641 and at 7,000 Post Office branches across the UK. A Presentation Pack including all 12 stamps in the set is priced at £19.60. The stamps go on general sale on 17 May 2023.

Kelleher Auctions Commits to Boston 2026

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Kelleher Commits to Boston 2026

David Coogle, co-chairman of Daniel F. Kelleher Auctions, LLC, has confirmed the firm’s participation in Boston 2026 by reserving the first top-end Super Booth (i.e., 20’x30’ booth nearest the show’s entrance).

Based in Danbury, Connecticut, the company was founded in 1885 in Boston by its namesake, today making it America’s oldest philatelic auction house. Their quarterly public auction sales include Club, Flagship and Collection sales, conducting a public auction each month. With additional single-owner sales, they offer bidders the opportunity to own US and Worldwide items from entry level to rarities. Weekly internet auctions provide material of interest to intermediate and more casual collectors.

Their award-winning magazine, Kelleher’s Stamp Collector’s Quarterly, was first released in September 2015. More than 30 issue covers from the past eight years are displayed at www.kelleherauctions.com/magazines-2/ with a downloadable free sample of issue #1. Yearly subscription information for both the publication’s print and digital formats is also available. More than 500,000 copies in print and many more digitally have been distributed to philatelists worldwide.

To date, three-quarters of the show’s Super Booths and Half-Super Booths have been reserved. However, most size configurations remain available on the show floor. Potential dealers are asked to immediately email Bourse Chair Mark Reasoner at Mark.Reasoner@Boston2026.org for the latest information.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org