Monthly Archives: March 2024

Typically Dutch — Horses (Netherlands 2024)

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[from PostNL press materials] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Horses Full of Strength, Grace and Love on New Stamps

Issue: Typically Dutch – Horses
Issue date: 25 March 2024
Appearance: sheet of six stamps in six identical designs
Item number: 440461
Design: Adam Lane Edwin van Praet and Huub van Veenhuijzen from Total Design, Amsterdam

The Hague, March 25, 2024 – The horse takes center stage on PostNL’s latest stamps from the Typically Dutch series. In 2024, the series is dedicated to the animals we know best and are closest to us. Earlier this year, stamp sheets with cows and dogs were published in this series.About Horses
The horse (Equus ferus caballus or pard in Dutch) is a domesticated (tame) ungulate from the order of Perissodactyla and the Equidae family, which includes the wild horse (Equus ferus). According to most historians, domestication started approximately 6,000 years ago. Roughly 300 breeds of domesticated horse are recognised, and each breed can have a different colour variety (combination of colours and patterns) and markings.

There are four breeds of horses with origins in the Netherlands: the Friesian horse, the Gelderland horse, the Groningen horse and the Dutch draught horse. The Netherlands has approximately 400,000 active riders and 450,000 horses (2015 figures). That is quite an increase from the 40,000 horses in 1985.

In the Netherlands, horses used to be used as agricultural and carriage horses and for military purposes, but nowadays they are mainly used for recreational activities and sport. Equestrian sports’ interests are represented by the Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation (KNHS). The KNHS represents 140,000 equestrian athletes who practise a variety of disciplines including dressage, show jumping, vaulting (acrobatics), eventing (formerly military), carriage driving, reining (western riding) and endurance (long-distance riding through nature).

Neither designer belongs to the 500,000 people in the Netherlands who regularly horse ride. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have an affinity for it. Lane regularly works with horses due to his passion for nature photography. “You can find wild horses in the vicinity of Amsterdam … well, ‘wild’ as you can get in the Netherlands,” he says. “In the Geuzenbos forest to the east of Spaarnwoude, Konik horses roam freely alongside Highland ponies.”

Van Veenhuijzen says that riders and horse owners are proud of their animals. “It’s remarkable how much time, money and passion people devote to their horses. Riding, brushing, combing manes, grooming hooves, mucking out stallsb…

“People feel a great deal of affection for their horses. Perhaps it’s because of their power and majestic appearance. We get to ride them, and in return, we take care of them as best we can,” Van Veenhuijzen adds. “They’re beautiful, wonderful animals.”

For more on Delftware, see the earlier entries on 2024’s Typically Dutch Series, Cows and Dogs. There is also an explanation there of how the animals came to be portrayed in Delftware.

Design
The ‘Typical Dutch – Horses’ stamps issued 25 March were designed by the Total Design agency from Amsterdam. The stamps portray 2 horses full of strength, grace and love. They stand close together, their heads touching. The designers of the agency gave a modern twist to the stamps by using the AI program Midjourney to design portraits as statues of shiny Delft blue.

The animal shown is based on the Friesian horse, “which is a familiar Dutch jet-black horse with ‘socks’ at the bottoms of its legs,” according to Veenhuijzen. “We weren’t aiming to come up with a perfect representation of a horse breed – we simply wanted to create portraits of our favourite animals.”

As with all the animal duos featured this year’s Typically Dutch series, the animals portrayed are clearly related to each other. Initially, Van Veenhuijzen considered them sisters. But the longer he looked, the more they appeared to be mother and daughter.

Smooth lines
For graphic designer Lane, wonder and fantasy predominate. “For example, while the dogs still radiated strength and the cows geniality, here you see almost mythical creatures. This is reinforced by the flowing lines and the decorations on the skin made by Midjourney. With the other animals, the decorations have a classic character, based on, for example, flower patterns and landscapes. Something completely different has developed on the horse hides. It looks like science fiction, like seeing planets floating around in a distant galaxy.”

Availability
The stamp sheet ‘Typical Dutch – horses’ contains 6 identical stamps, with the value indication Netherlands 1, intended for mail up to and including 20 grams with a destination within the Netherlands. The stamps will be available from March 25, 2024 at Bruna stores and via the webshop. The stamps can also be ordered by telephone from Collect Club customer service on telephone number 088 – 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite. The price per sheet of 6 stamps is €6.54.

Technical Details:
Postage stamp dimensions: 30 x 40mm
Sheet size: 170 x 122mm
Paper: normal with phosphor print
Glue: gummed
Printing technique: offset
Printing colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black
Print run: 75,000 sheets
Appearance: sheet of six stamps in identical designs
Design: Adam Lane Edwin van Praet and Huub van Veenhuijzen from Total : Design, Amsterdam
Printing company: Cartor Security Printers, Meaucé-La Loupe, France
Item number: 440461

Note: PostNL does not sell directly to collectors in North America. Its website refers to a company called Nordfirm, which says it sells Dutch new issues at face value. The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.

Collectors may also wish to contact the U.S. firm Bombay Stamps, which can also obtain first day covers upon request, with lower shipping fees. The email is sales@bombaystamps.com Again, The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.

Postal History Exhibition in Eastern Pennsylvania

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[press release/donor letter] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Pennsylvania Postal History ExhibitionThe Chester County History Center (CCHC) presents the special exhibit Letters and Post Cards: 1820-1920 Chester County with a collection of postal history and picture post cards that illustrate U.S. postal delivery from and to West Chester from 1820 to 1920. This exhibit presents the rare opportunity to view hundreds of examples from the exclusive collection of renowned philatelist and guest curator William Schultz.

Visitors will also be able to view Domestic Rates – U.S.P.O. Acts of 1792 to 1863, Schultz’s nationally award-winning postal history materials. tI includes rare early examples of mail that depict pivotal moments in postal delivery in the U.S. as it changed from something affordable to only a few to a method of communication that the average person could use.

Whether you are fascinated by colorful post cards of scenes gone by or are intrigued by how far a letter traveled 200 years ago, this exhibit will capture your imagination. The exhibit is included with museum admission and open to the community.

CCHC has long been a safe keeper, partner, and supporter of postal history. Since 2019, the History Center has hosted The Philatelic Gathering in West Chester welcoming a group of stamp and postal history collectors that every month explores and shares a myriad of topics and create new philatelic friendships. This partnership underscores the value of postal history as part of the fabric of our society and asserts the History Center’s commitment to its preservation.

This region, steeped in rich American history, witnessed the emergence and development of postal services as a vital conduit for communication, trade, and cultural exchange. The evolution of postal services in the Greater Philadelphia area reflects the broader historical trends of the nation and provides a unique lens through which the growth, challenges, and resilience of these communities can be comprehensively understood.

Chester County History Center has been Chester County, PA’s resident storyteller since its founding in 1893. CCHC is a nonprofit historical institution with the mission to “Link the Past to the Present, to Inspire the Future” while engaging, preserving, educating, connecting, and imagining with our community. CCHC is responsible for three centuries of history through the preservation of documents, photographs, and newspapers in our research library and photo archives, as well as artifacts in the museum. These primary historical materials are central to the core exhibition “Becoming Chester County,” the first visible storage space, and year-round youth and adult education programs.

[From the website, the visiting hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is an admission charge. Visiting information here.]

Sundman of Mystic Donates to Boston 2026

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Sundman Donation to Boston 2026 World Expo

Donald J. Sundman, president of Mystic Stamp Company, has made a personal donation of $25,000 to Boston 2026 with an additional pledge being made on behalf of the firm.

Considered by many as one of the hobby’s most effective and enthusiastic promoters, Don comes from a family of collectors. His father, Maynard Sundman, founded the Littleton Stamp Company in 1945 catering to collectors out of his home. It greatly expanded through his approval service.

The Sundman family purchased Mystic Stamp Company in 1974 when 19-year-old Don was appointed as general manager alongside his brother, David, who managed coin operations. Today Mystic has over 110 employees at its Camden, NY headquarters and is 100% employee owned.

Don has been at the center of philately’s most notable stories of recent years. He and David broke the 1987 story of the CIA invert through details obtained through their Freedom of Information Act request. Mystic successfully filed a law suit in 1994 to prevent the USPS destruction of the Legends of the West recalled error sheets. Following the firm’s 1998 purchase of the unique U.S. 1 cent Z grill for nearly a million dollars, Don made history again by trading it for the 1918 inverted Jenny plate block in 2005. Mystic’s $50,000 reward offered for the return of two inverted Jenny stamps stolen in 1955 successfully recovered position 76 of the famous sheet of 100 and announced during World Stamp Show-New York 2016 to a worldwide audience. [The photo above is from that announcement in 2016.]

In 2004 Don was elected Chairman of the Council of Philatelists of the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, stepping down in 2021 but remaining on the Board. He was appointed a Trustee of the Philatelic Foundation in 2006. The APS honored him in 2010 with the Luff Award for Outstanding Service. He has sponsored over 8,000 APS members, a society record. His philanthropic endeavors continue to be numerous and noteworthy.

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 and on Twitter and Facebook. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.

No More Hotel Rooms in GASS 2024 Block

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The third block of rooms at a special rate obtained by the American Philatelic Society for Great American Stamp Show has now sold out. The APS does not plan to try to obtain another block for its August 15-18 show in Hartford, Conn.

However, the Capitol Hotel at 440 Asylum Street (part of the Choice group and shown on the right here) may have rooms available; it did as of March 22nd. It is located near Stop #6 of the free dash shuttle bus service and a few blocks from Amtrak’s Union Station.

Hartford is Connecticut’s capital city and has an abundance of hotel rooms for when the legislature is in session, so it should still be possible to obtain accommodations for GASS 2024.

Hank Aaron (U.S. 2024)

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According to Virtual Stamp Club member Foster Miller, a U.S. Postal Service representative said there will be a stamp for Hank Aaron. Word came at the first-day ceremony for Underground Railroad.

The person did not reveal a date. Best guess would be during “Induction Weekend” at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is Sunday, July 21. However, there are events Friday through Monday.

The photo shown here is from 1974, his last year with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves. Assuming this photo was taken during spring training, as is likely, it is from right before he broke the home run record at the Atlanta home opener on April 8, 1974.

Henry Louis Aaron died in January 2021 at the age of 86, so under current rules, this year is the first opportunity to honor him with a stamp. He has, however, been honored by the USPS before: At the end of the 1973 season, Aaron received a plaque from the postal agency for receiving more mail (930,000 pieces) than any person excluding politicians. The Wikipedia entry is here.

Further information will be posted as we get it.

Updated April 8th, the 50th of the 715th home run:

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
USPS Unveils Henry “Hank” Aaron Stamp
On 50th Anniversary of Eclipsing Homerun Record

ATLANTA — The U.S. Postal Service today announced it will honor baseball legend Henry “Hank” Aaron with a commemorative Forever stamp.

This stamp celebrates the life and career of Aaron (1934–2021), a giant both on and off the field, who rose from humble beginnings to rewrite the record books while prevailing in the face of racism.

The stamp art features a digital painting of Aaron as a member of the Atlanta Braves, showing his famous right-handed batting stance from the waist up. The selvage showcases a digital painting of Aaron watching the ball he had just hit for his record-breaking 715th home run on April 8, 1974.

Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp and pane with original art by Chuck Styles.

The Hank Aaron stamp will be issued in panes of 20. As a Forever stamp, it will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1 ounce price.

The official first day of issue and stamp dedication ceremony location will be announced at a later date.

News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #HankAaronStamp.

Age of Dinosaurs (UK 2024)

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Stunning New Special Stamps from Royal Mail Chart the Age Of The Dinosaurs

Issue date: 12 March

  • The main set of stamps feature dynamic illustrations of different species of dinosaurs, including Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus and Diplodocus
  • An additional four stamps, presented in a separate miniature sheet, pay tribute to Mary Anning, one of the greatest fossil hunters of the 19th century
  • The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/dinosaurs and by telephone on 03457 641641

Royal Mail has revealed images of eight new, stunning stamps that include dinosaurs and other prehistoric reptiles from the Jurassic and Cretaceous eras.

The new designs, by Exeter based, digital concept illustrator, Joshua Dunlop, combine scientific accuracy, provided by the Natural History Museum’s palaeontology department, with artistic brilliance in a captivating homage to the wonders of palaeontology, and include:

  • Tyrannosaurus
  • Triceratops
  • Coloborhynchus
  • Iguanodon
  • Stegosaurus
  • Diplodocus
  • Megalosaurus
  • Cryptoclidus

An additional sheet of four stamps recognises the contribution of palaeontologist Mary Anning. She was one of the first professional fossil hunters and her discoveries on the Dorset coast, near her home in Lyme Regis, paved the way for modern palaeontology and contributed to our understanding of prehistoric life on Earth.

Royal Mail worked in collaboration with experts at the Natural History Museum, consulting with scientists specialising in various areas of palaeontology.

David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy said: “We were thrilled to feature incredible dinosaurs from the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex to graceful Diplodocus as well as other fascinating prehistoric reptiles in their natural habitats. It is fitting in the week of International Women’s Day that we pay tribute to Mary Anning with four images of some of the fossils she discovered. She was one of the greatest fossil hunters of the 19th century, making a major contribution to our understanding of the majestic creatures that roamed the Earth hundreds of millions of years ago.”

Maxine Lister, Head of Licensing at the Natural History Museum, said: “We were thrilled when Royal Mail approached us to collaborate on these brilliant sets of stamps. It’s perfect timing too, as we have just celebrated the 200th anniversary since the naming of the first dinosaur: the Megalosaurus, which features as part of this collection. Our mission is to create advocates for the planet and we hope these stunning designs inspire everyone to discover a bit more about our natural world, whether that be the creatures that lived here before us, or the pioneering figures who shaped our understanding of them today.”

Age of the Dinosaurs
The Mesozoic Era, or the ‘Age of the Dinosaurs’ as it is commonly known, lasted from 252 to 66 million years ago and comprises, in order from oldest to youngest, the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. During most of this time, from the Late Triassic onwards, a group of reptiles known as dinosaurs dominated the land. Other non-dinosaur reptiles also thrived during this period, including marine reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs, as well as the flying pterosaurs.

Fossilised remains help us to unearth the secrets of these incredible creatures, and one of the greatest fossil hunters of the 19th century was Mary Anning. Anning lived during a time when it was fashionable for wealthy Georgians to visit seaside towns to acquire fossils to add to their cabinets of curiosities. It was also when palaeontology was becoming recognised as a branch of the natural sciences. Anning spent her life unearthing ‘curios’ from the fossil-rich cliffs near her home in Lyme Regis, Dorset, to sell to tourists and scientific collectors alike, and made many important discoveries. A fascination with prehistoric life continues today. Palaeontologists study all fossilised past life, including corals, fishes, mammals and plants, in addition to prehistoric reptiles. Fossils can help us not only to learn about the lives of these species, but to understand what the Earth was like in the past.

Stamp By Stamp:
Tyrannosaurus was a fierce predator that belonged to a group of dinosaurs known as theropods. One of the largest meat-eating animals ever to live on land, Tyrannosaurus lived during the Late Cretaceous period between 68 and 66 million years ago. The first known specimen was discovered in 1900 in Wyoming, USA.

Triceratops was one of the biggest horned dinosaurs. It lived around 68 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period, alongside the likes of Tyrannosaurus. Triceratops weighed about 5 tonnes and measured up to 9m in length – its head alone was about as long as a person. It had a curved, bony frill jutting out over its neck and a hard beak at the end of its nose. The word Triceratops means ‘three-horned face’ – a reference to its impressive horns, which may have been used in defence against large meat eaters.

Coloborhynchus was a type of pterosaur, a group of extinct flying reptiles that lived alongside the dinosaurs during the Mesozoic Era. Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to achieve flight over 220 million years ago and included the largest flying creatures of all time. Coloborhynchus lived during the Early Cretaceous period and was one of the earliest pterosaurs to be discovered.

Iguanodon was a large ornithopod that lived during the Early Cretaceous period between 125 and 110 million years ago. Reaching a length of about 10m, it was a very large dinosaur – longer than both Triceratops and Stegosaurus – and a herbivore that probably ate around 30kg of plants every day. It is thought that Iguanodon probably walked on both two and four legs. It was one of the most successful dinosaurs, with remains having been found in many parts of Europe. Iguanodon had a large thumb spike, which was probably used to fend off predators. It also had a very long finger that it used to gather food.

Stegosaurus belongs to a group of dinosaurs known as stegosaurs, which are defined by the bony armour plates or spines that extend along the back in two parallel rows. Despite being one of the most recognisable dinosaurs, we know relatively little about it, as remains of Stegosaurus are rare.

One of the longest dinosaurs ever to have existed, Diplodocuswas a long-necked prehistoric creature belonging to a group of dinosaurs called sauropods. It lived 150 million years ago at the end of the Jurassic Period. Reaching up to 27m in length, Diplodocus was a giant, weighing around 20 tonnes – as much as three male African elephants. It may have used its long neck to reach the tops of tall trees and its comb-like teeth to rake leaves into its mouth.

Megalosaurus was one of three species (along with Iguanodonand Hylaeosaurus) that led palaeontologist and anatomist Sir Richard Owen to coin the term ‘Dinosauria’ back in 1842, when he realised that all three creatures shared common characteristics and were their own distinct group of reptiles. His paper sparked a fascination with dinosaurs that continues today. It was William Buckland, a clergyman and palaeontologist, who, in 1824, named the creature Megalosaurus, which means ‘great lizard’. This was the first scientific description ever produced of what became known as a dinosaur. Megalosaurus was a large theropod that roamed what is now England during the Middle Jurassic period between 170 and 155 million years ago. Growing up to 9m long, it was one of the largest predators of the Middle Jurassic.

Cryptoclidus was a type of plesiosaur – a group of extinct marine reptiles that existed from the Middle Triassic to the Late Cretaceous periods. Some species reached 15m in length, although most were between 3m and 5m long. Plesiosaurs have been described as looking like a ‘snake threaded through a turtle’. Their limbs were large, well-developed paddles and it is thought that Cryptoclidus flapped these up and down in a similar way to a turtle. Plesiosaurs would have been found across the world, including in what is now Argentina, USA, Australia, France, Germany, China and Morocco. Many fossils have been found of Cryptoclidus, particularly from the Oxford Clay Formation in the UK, making it one of the best understood of all plesiosaurs.

On the souvenir sheet:

One of the 19th century’s greatest fossil hunters, Mary Anning made a series of incredible discoveries that helped the scientific community to better understand the remarkable creatures that inhabited Earth’s ancient seas and skies.

 

 

Ichthyosaurus Communis 201–198 Ma, Lyme Regis, Dorset — A complete fossilised juvenile skeleton of the marine reptile with coprolite remains inside the rib cage. Purchased from Mary Anning c.1835.

 

Dapedium Politum 199–190 Ma, Lyme Regis, Dorset —
A near-complete Jurassic fish fossil, showing scale patterning and delicate fin structures. Collected by Mary Anning c.1829.

 

 

Plesiosaurus Macrocephalus 201–198 Ma, Lyme Regis, Dorset —
A near-complete fossilised juvenile skeleton of the marine reptile lacking parts of the tail. Collected by Mary Anning in 1830.

 

 

The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/dinosaurs and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all eight stamps in the set is priced at £18.90 (about US$24.04 currently). The stamps go on general sale on 12 March.

Here are some other products and their prices:The set of 8 stamps is £13.00 (US$16.54)The souvenir sheet is £5.00 (US$6.36)TThe official first day cover, with either the Tallents House (shown) or Lyme Regis postmarks, is £16.25 (US$20.67).The miniature sheet FDC, with either postmark, is £6.65 (US$8.46)A “coin cover” is £17.50 (US$22.26), but the silver coin cover is £71.00 (US$90.32)

A set of 12 postcards is £5.85 (US$7.44), the press sheet of 12 of the souvenir sheet is £60.00 (US$76.32) and there are full- and half-sheets of the Megalosaurus, Stegosaurus, Coloborhynchus and Tyrannosaurus stamps.

Former APS President Randy Neil Passes Away

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His daughter reports on Facebook that former American Philatelic Society president Randy Neil passed away Wednesday, March 6, 2024. He was 82.

In real life, he was a professional cheerleader, helping create the Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader squad and running a shop for cheerleading supplies, The Spirit Shop, in Kansas City. In philately, he was also a cheerleader — warm, friendly, humorous and a great “front man” for our hobby. I had the pleasure of serving with him on the APS Board, and I will miss seeing him at shows.

To give you an idea of how gregarious Randy was, he told me at StampShow 1994, when he was President, that it took him two hours to cross the bourse!

Randy moved from professional cheerleading to, well, another form of cheerleading: Publicity and public relations, as well and editing and establishing a number of stamp collecting publications.

He is shown above at the first-day ceremony for the U.S. stamps promoting World Stamp Show-New York. There are some photos of him at his last board meeting as APS president in 1997 here. That same year saw a major change on the board, with five first-time members, including three women: Secretary Janet Klug, Directors-at-Large Ann Triggle and Jeanette Adams, and Directors-at-Large Wayne Youngblood and myself. There was also a hotly-contested election for President between Ken Lawrence and John Hotchner, rather than the usual “passing of the torch” successions.

Randy then became Immediate Past President, but just two years later, he stepped off the board when Hotchner decided not to run for re-election as president. During a small party after his retirement, I was standing near Randy when he muttered, “We got exactly the Board that we wanted.”

You can read or listen to The Virtual Stamp Club radio feature on him from 2016.

This story is evolving and may be updated more than once. Keep checking back for the latest.

Betty Ford (U.S. 2024)

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[On this page, because of the nature of the announcement, the latest information is at the end.]

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions] Announced March 6, 2024
USPS Unveils Betty Ford Stamp
Dedication Will Take Place April 5 in Rancho Mirage, CA

WASHINGTON — On March 6, the U.S. Postal Service revealed the artwork of a commemorative Forever stamp celebrating the life and legacy of former First Lady Betty Ford.

The stamp design was unveiled at the White House by First Lady Jill Biden, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and Susan Ford Bales, daughter of former President Gerald R. Ford and former First Lady Betty Ford.

The dedication ceremony for the Forever stamp will be held April 5 — three days before the 106th anniversary of her birth. The event will take place at the Annenberg Health Sciences Building located at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage, CA.

“Betty Ford changed the role of first lady,” said Postmaster General DeJoy. “She used the role not just as a platform to represent the nation and advance and support her husband, she used it to speak openly and honestly about issues she cared about, and about personal issues she faced.”[The stamp is unveiled by (L-R) First Lady Jill Biden, daughter Susan Ford Bales, Dr. Joseph Lee and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.]

Elizabeth Anne Bloomer Ford (1918–2011), wife of the 38th president, was first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977. After the Watergate scandal forced the resignation of President Richard Nixon on Aug. 9, 1974, and an earlier scandal pushed out Vice President Spiro Agnew, Gerald Ford became the first U.S. president who had never been elected president or vice president. In her new role as first lady, Betty Ford, impressed the American public in interviews by showing humor and frankness about controversial issues facing the country.

“Mom would be humbled and grateful beyond words for the extraordinary tribute of her commemorative stamp,” said daughter Susan Ford Bales [right], who attended the White House event. “To Mom, the stamp would be a heartwarming reminder of joys of millions of breast cancer and substance use disorder survivors who have overcome their diseases and individually added to her legacy of candor and courage.”

While the Fords never intended to inhabit the White House, Betty Ford embraced the role, becoming the most politically outspoken first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt and helping mold the position’s modern role. [First Lady Jill Biden, shown on the left, said that Mrs. Ford promised to be herself in the White House. “”That was exactly what the country needed: A warm, charming, friendly First Lady, who would help restore a wearied nation’s faith in government.”]

Throughout her husband’s political career, Mrs. Ford openly fought for women’s rights, often conflicting with the Republican Party’s stances. She campaigned tirelessly for the Equal Rights Amendment, which would have mandated constitutional equality for all Americans, regardless of gender.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Mrs. Ford underwent a mastectomy on Sept. 28, 1974. While medical issues of previous first ladies weren’t always disclosed, Mrs. Ford chose to share the story of her treatment for the once-taboo medical condition.

In 1964, Mrs. Ford had begun taking prescription pain pills for a pinched nerve in her neck, developing a substance use disorder over time. In 1978, after an intervention, she entered the Naval Regional Medical Hospital in Long Beach, CA, for treatment. As with her breast cancer, she publicly acknowledged her substance use disorder, changing its perception and putting a face to the disease.

In 1982, Mrs. Ford and former ambassador and close family friend Leonard Firestone established the Betty Ford Center for substance dependency. She agreed to lend her name to the center, hoping to destigmatize substance use disorder treatment at a time when it wasn’t spoken about openly — especially by women — and options for treatment were scarce. Her work helped change the way treatment options and those seeking it are viewed by American society. [On the left, speaking at the unveiling, Dr. Joseph Lee, president and CEO, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.]

The Forever stamp honoring Betty Ford is being issued in panes of 20. News of the stamp will be shared with the hashtag #BettyFordStamp.

Dedication [First Day] Ceremony Information

What: The U.S. Postal Service will commemorate the life and legacy of former First Lady Betty Ford with the issuance of a Forever stamp.

When: April 5, 2024, 11 a.m. PDT

Where: Eisenhower Health
Annenberg Health Sciences Building
Helene Galen Auditorium
39000 Bob Hope Drive
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

RSVP: Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to register at: usps.com/bettyfordstamp

Updated March 7th:
On April 5, 2024, in Rancho Mirage, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Betty Ford stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 484800). This stamp will go on sale nationwide April 5, 2024, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

This stamp celebrates the life of Betty Ford (1918–2011), wife of the 38th president, Gerald R. Ford, and first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977. As first lady, Mrs. Ford won widespread admiration for her candor and support for women’s rights. The stamp art is a detail from the official 1977 White House portrait by Felix de Cossio (1913–1999). The oil-on-canvas portrait shows Mrs. Ford dressed in a pale blue chiffon dress. The seated portrait was cropped to accommodate the stamp format. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp.

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at store.usps.com/store/home. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Betty Ford Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

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. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by August 5, 2024.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Betty Ford Stamp
Item Number: 484800
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: April 5, 2024, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art: Felix de Cossio
Modeler: Sandra Lane / Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 12,000,000
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, PMS 6114C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.8400 x 1.4200 in. / 21.3360 x 36.0680 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.9800 x 1.5600 in. / 24.8920 x 39.6240 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.0400 x 7.8800 in. / 153.4160 x 200.1520 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 24.1600 x 15.7600 in. / 613.6640 x 400.3040 mm
Plate Size: 160 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “B” followed by five (5) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: BETTY FORD • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: © 2024 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (484800) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text

Updated March 22nd:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.80″ x 1.48″The Pictorial Postmark measures 2.62″ x 1.37″

Keukenhof Flower Garden (Netherlands 2024)

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[from PostNL press materials] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
75 Years of Keukenhof on Flowery Stamps

Taken from Wikipedia: Literally “kitchen garden,” and also known as the Garden of Europe, it is one of the world’s largest flower gardens. Keukenhof Park covers an area of 79 acres and approximately 7 million flower bulbs are planted in the gardens annually. Keukenhof is widely known for its tulips, and it also features numerous other flowers, including hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, roses, carnations and irises.

On March 1, 1949, the beginning of the meteorological spring, it was decided to organize a flower exhibition. This is how the idea for Keukenhof came about. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the popular spring park in Lisse, South Holland, PostNL is today issuing the ‘Keukenhof 75 years’ stamp sheet.

Keukenhof director Sandra Bechtholt received the first copy of the anniversary stamp from Noud Wegman, commercial director at the postal company. Bechtholt: “It will be a festive season with an anniversary exhibition and numerous other activities. Millions of photos are taken in the park for social media, but a postcard remains a beautiful thing to connect people. Such a handwritten greeting from Keukenhof is loved by international visitors, especially this spring with this anniversary stamp.”

“The park is a must-see destination in travel programmes. Eighty percent of Keukenhof’s visitors come from abroad,” said Annemarie Gerards-Adriaansens, Project Manager for Keukenhof’s 75th anniversary celebration. “It will be a special season, with an anniversary exhibition and all sorts of other activities.”

Spring flowers: tulip, iris and daffodil
Each stamp from the ‘Keukenhof 75 years’ stamp sheetlet had the same special shape of a stylized petal with a triangular base under a circular shape with serrations. The stamps depict various flowers as large as possible against a white background: a tulip, an iris and a daffodil. The arrangement of the stamps on the stamp sheet refers to the shape of a flower with 6 petals.

The design of the stamp sheet was created by graphic designer Maud van Rossum from Amsterdam. She reflected on the varied range of flowers on the stamps by depicting an orange-red tulip, a blue-purple iris and a yellow daffodil.

Combining flowers and stamps is not an unfamiliar concept to Van Rossum. Back in 2022, she designed the 200 Years of the Mauritshuis Museum stamps featuring paintings of famous floral still lifes. “Same subject, but from a completely different perspective,” says Van Rossum. “It needed to be a colourful, joyful, special design and I think we pulled it off.”

The background of the stamp sheet features a photo of a tulip field taken at knee height. “Bend down and lower your perspective so you’re not looking down on the flowers, but straight at them, and that opens up a whole new world,” says Van Rossum.

Availability
The ‘Keukenhof 75 years’ stamp sheet contains 6 stamps in 3 different designs, with the value indication international 1 for mail up to and including 20 grams with an international destination. The stamps will be available from March 1, 2024 at Bruna stores and via the webshop. The stamps can also be ordered by telephone from Collect Club customer service on telephone number 088 – 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite. The price per sheet of 6 stamps is €10.50 (currently US$11.39). [2014 photo above: by Balou46]

Note: PostNL does not sell directly to collectors in North America. Its website refers to a company called Nordfirm, which says it sells Dutch new issues at face value. The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.