Eid (Canada 2017)

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[press release]
Canada Post issues Eid stamp to recognize two festivals celebrated by Muslims in Canada and around the world
Stamp launched at events in Montréal and Richmond Hill

OTTAWA – Canada Post May 23 issued an Eid stamp that recognizes Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, two of the most important festivals celebrated by Muslims in Canada and worldwide.

The stamps were unveiled at events with members of the Muslim communities in Montréal, Que. and Richmond Hill, Ont. Montréal and the Greater Toronto Area are home to more than half of Canada’s over 1 million Muslims.

Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the month in which Muslims fast from dawn until dusk – one of the most distinctive practices of Islam. Eid al-Fitr, or the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast, falls on the first day of the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, Shawwal (around June 26, 2017, in Canada). The stamp is being issued a month ahead of Eid al-Fitr. On the day of Eid, many Muslims congregate in mosques or in open spaces, where they will perform a special ritual prayer prescribed for Eid. People dress in their finest clothes, decorate their homes with lights, give treats to children, and visit with friends and family. Eid al-Adha
With Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, Muslims commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. The festival also marks the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest site in Islam. It falls on the tenth day of the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul Hijjah (around September 2, 2017, depending on when the new moon is seen).
Like Eid al-Fitr, this celebration can include special ritual prayers, lavish meals, and visits with friends and family. It also includes gift-giving and acts of charity.

Design incorporates Islamic elements
The Arabic script on the stamp reads “Eid Mubarak,” which translates to “Have a happy Eid” or “Have a blessed Eid.” It appears under a pointed arch, which symbolizes the division between sacred and worldly space in Muslim culture. The stamp’s deep blues and warm gold and yellows, as well as its geometric pattern, are seen in Islamic architecture. The new moon atop the stamp signifies the start of Eid. Photo above, the Richmond Hill (Toronto) unveiling, left to right, Dr. Hamid Slimi, Imam, Resident Scholar and Founder of Sayeda Khadija Centre; Majid Jowhari, Member of Parliament for Richmond Hill; Deepak Chopra, President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada Post. Photo Denis Drever/Canada Post

About the stamp
Designed by Doreen Colonello and Erin Enns of Entro Communications and printed by Colour Innovations, this Permanent domestic-rate stamp measures 28 mm by 35 mm, is printed in six colours plus a varnish, and is available in booklets of 10. The Official First Day Cover is cancelled in Toronto, ON. A collectible framed enlargement is also available. Photo above, the Montreal unveiling, left to right, Alexandra Mendès, Member of Parliament for Brossard-Saint-Lambert; Cheikh Mahdi Tirkawi, Imam of the Al Rawdah mosque and the Laurentian Community Centre; Anju Dhillon, Member of Parliament for Dorval-Lachine-LaSalle; Serge Pitre, Vice-President, Sales, Canada Post. Photo Canada Post

Background: Stamps for other major religions’ holy days
Canada Post has issued annual Christmas stamps since 1964. In recent years, one Christmas stamp has depicted a sacred image reflecting the Christian faith, and another reflects a secular holiday theme.

Earlier this year, Canada Post and India Post agreed on a historic joint stamp issue featuring two stamps marking Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. One stamp from each country will be released on the same day in the fall of 2017. Canada Post had also announced earlier that it will issue a Hanukkah stamp this year, recognizing the Jewish faith’s eight-day celebration in December, which commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the second century B.C.E.

Together the Eid, Diwali and Hanukkah stamps build on the tradition of Christmas stamps and depict our pride in Canada being a land of diverse faiths, customs and celebrations.

Red Cross 150 Years (Netherlands 2017)

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[press release]
Stamps for the Red Cross depict 150 years of caring for people The Hague, 22 May 2017 – PostNL is issuing a new stamp sheetlet commemorating 150 years of the Red Cross. The various stamps refer to the aid organisation’s seven fundamental principles. The black and white photographs show situations in which the Red Cross provides emergency aid and show what the fundamental principles stand for.

Gijs de Vries, Director of the Red Cross, is very pleased with how well the daily work of the relief workers of the organisation celebrating its anniversary is depicted. “The Red Cross has based its work on the same seven fundamental principles for 150 years, like voluntariness, independence, impartiality, and humanity. In addition, we have always been in motion as an organisation. I love how photographs and text depict our fundamental principles on one stamp sheetlet, but that at the same time the movement is directly visible in the numbers of our anniversary and in the Red Cross.”

Warmth and personal connection
PostNL Marketing Director Ludo Voorn underlines that the designers Anne Schaufeli and Huub de Lang of studio026 have created a stamp sheetlet that very clearly depicts the Red Cross’s daily mission. “The photos on the stamp sheetlet illustrate the warmth and personal connection between the relief workers and those they help. In the stamp sheetlet, perceptive viewers will thus really discover how the Red Cross wants to prevent human suffering, protect lives and health and ensure respect for people.”

Availability
The ‘150 Years of the Red Cross in the Netherlands’ stamp sheetlet consists of six stamps marked with ‘Nederland 1’, which can be used for items weighing up to 20g destined for mail in the Netherlands. These stamps will be available from 22 May at all Bruna shops and via Collectclub.nl. The stamps are valid until further notice.

Beautiful Netherlands: Stream and River Valleys (Netherlands 2017)

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[press release]
Exploring five streams and rivers with stamp series

The Hague, 22 May 2017 – This year’s Beautiful Netherlands – PostNL’s annual stamp series – focuses on stream and river valleys. New stamp sheetlets will come out today on the Dommel (North Brabant) and the Geul (Southern Limburg), as well as the collection sheet from this stamp series. This collection sheet also features the previously issued stream and river valleys: the Drentsche Aa (Drenthe), the Reest (Overijssel) and the Linge (Gelderland).

Since 2005, PostNL has brought out new stamps in this series covering the local history, cultural wealth and natural beauty of the Netherlands. In recent years, stamps have featured fortified towns, ceramics, folk costumes, historic country estates and fishing villages.

Based on characteristic elements
On each stamp sheetlet of this Beautiful Netherlands series, designers Sonja Haller and Pascal Brun opted to focus on the meandering course of streams and river valleys, the cultural and historical landscape, along with a striking national monument. The stamps on the Dommel and the Geul, which came out today, feature the centuries-old Ferryhouse ’t Vaantje in Sint-Michielsgestel and a characteristic timbered house along the Geul valley.

The Netherlands at its best
“For this Beautiful Netherlands series, we wanted to make sure we had the five streams and rivers as a line on the stamps from start to finish, including on the collection sheet. That allows the twists and turns of the waters, which seem to have a mind of their own, to largely determine the look and feel of the stamp sheetlet. We also show how interesting the areas are: lots of nature, at times flat and desolate, at times forested and hilly and always with a gorgeous striking national monument. Hopefully, it will make people want to go to these stream and river valleys,” Sonja Haller says.

Availability
The five ‘Beautiful Netherlands: Stream and River Valleys’ stamps are marked ‘Nederland 1’, the denomination for items up to 20g in weight destined for mail within the Netherlands. These stamps will be available from 22 May 2017 at all Bruna shops and via Collectclub.nl. As of today, the stamp sheetlets on the Dommel and the Geul are also for sale in their respective local areas. The stamps are valid until further notice.

Israel’s June Issues (Israel 2017)

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From Israel Post:

Love is in the air with our June issue…romantic songs and, as it has been known to happen, romantic meetings between Jewish athletes at the Maccabiah!

We have selected 12 romantic Israeli Love Songs, reminding us of those special moments, and presented in a beautiful special stamp sheet with the inner design in gold foil.  Excerpts from the lyrics appear on the stamps in Hebrew. (Translation can be found in our accompanying information leaflet).

The 20th Maccabiah sports event is celebrated this month with a commemorative stamp. Jewish athletes will come from all over the world to compete in 40 different sports. This is not just a sporting event but a celebration of the never-ending relationship of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

Our historical WW1 Centenary series continues with General Allenby Entering Jerusalem 1917 and tells the story of how General Allenby entered the Old City of Jerusalem, after it was captured by the British, on foot out of respect for the city that is holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims. This moment ended 400 hundred years of Turkish rule in Jerusalem.

Cycling is a great way to get around busy cities, without the worry of parking. It’s also a fun, trendy sport so the focus of this month’s Road Safety ATM label is “Ride Safely”.

20th Maccabiah (Israel 2017)

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[press release]
The 20th Maccabiah
Faster, Higher, Stronger

When the opening whistle was sounded on March 28th 1932, no one could have anticipated that the 20th Maccabiah would take place in the State of Israel 85 years later, with 10,000 participating athletes from 80 countries, competing in 40 different sports categories, and accompanied by over 20,000 delegates and family members.

The 390 Jewish athletes from 17 countries who competed in the first Maccabiah, organized by Maccabi World Union, could not have guessed that today the Maccabiah would be the third largest sporting competition event in the world. They could not have imagined that the best Jewish athletes in the world – including world champions and Olympic medalists – would take part in this Zionist project.

However, there is one thing that has not changed in the past 85 years: the underlying connection between Israel and the Diaspora Jews, and the central role Israel plays in Jewish identity. The Maccabiah has never been just a mere sporting event, but also a celebration of the Jewish people, the never-ending relationship of the Jewish people with Eretz Israel and the State of Israel. That is why the Maccabiah is the only international sporting event that always takes place in the same place: Israel.

This year, the 20th Maccabiah will mark 50 years of the unification of Jerusalem, the beating heart of Israel. The opening ceremony, which will take place in the Teddy stadium in Jerusalem, will salute the greatest symbols of Jewish identity through the ages.

The 20th Maccabiah stamp also celebrates and combines historical elements with the latest fashions. Colorful new graphical elements are intertwined with historical pictures of the Maccabiah. In this way, the design language combines the old and the new, and creates one consistent graphical design that emphasizes the sporting spirit, the importance of the State of Israel, the social aspects of the Maccabiah, simplicity and the Israeli spirit.

The 20th Maccabiah: 80 countries, One heart.

The stamp and First Day Cover feature athletes from different sports.

Israeli Music – Love Songs (Israel 2017)

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[press release]
Israeli Music – Love Songs

The people of Israel love to sing songs of love: love for God, love for their homeland, love for the world, love between a man and a woman. Some of the most beautiful poetic verses about love are found in the biblical Song of Songs. The Levites sang songs of love for God in the Temple. Through good and bad, throughout the world, during the Holocaust and the subsequent revival of the Jews, in war and in peace, the Jewish people have never stopped singing love songs.

The Israel Philatelic Service has selected 12 romantic love songs from a wide range of genres and times, songs that remind everyone of wonderful moments.

Atur Mitzchech Zahav Shachor (Your Forehead is Decorated in Gold & Black)
Lyrics: Avraham Chalfi, Melody: Yoni Rechter
Written in the 1950’s and set to music by Yoni Rechter in 1977. This very popular song was performed by Arik Einstein, accompanied by young singers Yehudit Ravitz and Corinne Allal.

Brit Olam (Universal Covenant)
Lyrics: Ehud Manor, Melody: Matti Caspi
Ehud Manor dedicated this song to his wife, singer Ofra Fuchs. He later gave it to his friend, composer and singer Matti Caspi, who added the words to the soundtrack he was composing for the film Hagiga BaSnuker (1975). Thus this magical love song was born. Matti named his firstborn daughter Brit.

Lechol Echad Yesh (Everyone Has)
Lyrics and Melody: Uzi Chitman
One of the last hits by late songwriter Uzi Chitman, who wrote this love song in 2000 for his wife Aya when their son Yoav was drafted into an IDF combat unit. It expresses life and partnership coming full circle. Some interpret the song as one of love for Eretz Israel. It was performed as a duet by Shlomi Shabat and Lior Narkis and has become a popular wedding song.

Zemer Nogeh (Melancholy Song)
Lyrics: Rachel, Melody: Mordechai Zaira, Shmuel Kraus, Zohar Levy, Yosef Moustaki
This poem was written by poetess Rachel in the late 1920’s. It was set to music several different times, but became especially well known when Rona Ramon sent it to her husband Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut, who died in the Columbia space shuttle.

Hayu Leilot (There were Nights)
Lyrics: Yaakov Orland, Melody: Mordechai Zeira
This song was commissioned by the Kol Haruchot Theater in 1939. The songwriters met in the “Waiters Club” in Tel Aviv and completed it in the wee hours of the night, when it was first performed by the club’s waiters. Since then, the song has been sung by many singers, but it was the first song performed by Esther Ofarim as a soloist and from there she went on to be a star.

Slichot (Forgiveness)
Lyrics: Leah Goldberg, Melody: Oded Lerer
This poem appeared in Leah Goldberg’s book Shibolet Yeroket Ha’Ayin (Green-eyed Spike) in 1938. It was set to music by Oded Lerer in 1977 and sung by Yehudit Ravitz at the annual Song Festival.

Haperach Begani (The Flower in my Garden)
Lyrics and Melody: Avihu Medina
This song, which is considered to be a milestone in Eastern music, was written by Avihu Medina based on an experience of unrequited love in his youth. The song was written for the Eastern music festival “Lamenatze’ach Shir Mizmor” in 1982, where it was performed by Zohar Argov.

Kshe’or Dolek Bechalonech (When the Light is on in your Window)
Lyrics: Amos Ettinger, Melody: Alexander Argov
This song was written in 1964 for the Gesher Hayarkon trio. Ettinger wrote: “I love fairytales and the ones I don’t know, I make up… As long as I continue to believe that the light is on so that you can write your letters to me – I will keep waiting…”.

Tapuchim Ut’marim (Apples and Dates)
Lyrics: Eitan Glass, Melody: Rami Kleinstein
According to the lyricist: “In 1994, I was driving and listening to the tune from the film “Never on Sunday” and it reminded me of the bright light of Athens reflecting the colors from Mt. Lycabettus into the sea… the lyrics and the story for the song came to me in an instant, matched with a melody by Greek composer Hatzidakis. I pulled over and wrote down the lyrics. Later on, Rami Kleinstein set them to music”.

Rosa Rosa
Lyrics: Haim Hefer, Melody: Dubi Seltzer
Haim Hefer wrote this song for Yehoram Gaon, star of the 1973 film Kazablan, directed by Menahem Golan. The play Kazablan, written by Yigal Mossinson, was first performed in 1954 by the Cameri Theater, starring Yosef Yadin and Haya Hararit. In 1966 the play was turned into a musical starring Yehoram Gaon.

Pgisha Le’Ein Ketz (A Meeting to Eternity)
Lyrics: Natan Alterman, Melody: Naomi Shemer
This poem was published in Alterman’s book “Kochavim Bachutz” in 1938. Naomi Shemer set it to music and gave it to the “Shlosharim” trio in 1969. Since then it has been performed by many talented singers.

Hachnisini Tachat Knafech (Take Me Under Your Wing)
Lyrics: H.N. Bialik, Melody: Alexander Krane, Shmuel Alman, Paul Ben Haim, Menachen Avidom, Nurit Hirsch, Miki Gavrielov, folk tune
This poem was written by poet H.N. Bialik in 1905 in Odessa, for his beloved Ira Jan or for his wife Mania, or possibly for both… The words were set to music by numerous composers, including Paul Ben Haim, Nurit Hirsch, Miki Gavrielov and more, and it has been performed by many singers.

Nava Bodek Achiron, Series Editor

World War I: Allenby Enters Jerusalem (Israel 2017)

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[press release]
WWI in Eretz Israel Centenary – General Allenby Entering Jerusalem (1917)

When WWI broke out in August 1914, the Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers (Germany and Austria) against the Allied Countries (Britain, France and Russia). The Great War, as it was called at the time, lasted for more than four years and fundamentally changed world history, including the status of Eretz Israel.

After two failed attacks initiated by the Ottoman military in 1915 and 1916 against the British army in an effort to conquer the Suez Canal, the British decided to go on the offensive. In 1916, British forces made their way across the Sinai desert and in early 1917 they were poised at the southern border of Eretz Israel, facing Turkish forces holding the line from Gaza to Beer Sheba.

In March and April 1917, the British army attacked the Turks in Gaza. Two large offensives were thwarted, despite the use of advanced weapons such as tanks and poison gas for the first time in Eretz Israel, resulting in massive casualties and progress was halted for many months. The British regrouped and General Edmund Allenby took over as commander of the force. Additional troops were brought in to strengthen the Eretz Israel front and the war plans were reexamined.

In late October 1917, the British surprised the Turkish forces by attacking the city of Beer Sheba and succeeded in breaking through the front line. British forces pressed on quickly, fighting intensely against the retreating Turks as they tried to establish numerous new lines of defense. By early December the southern coast had been conquered and the British reached the gates of Jerusalem.

After a day of battle on the outskirts of the city, the Turkish commander decided to retreat from Jerusalem so as to avoid possible harm to the holy city in an anticipated British attack. On the morning of December 9, 1917 a delegation of eminent Jerusalemites left the city and went westward, waving a white flag in order to surrender to the British forces. At first the delegation came across a pair of cooks who were out searching for fresh ingredients for their commander’s breakfast, and then they met two sergeants. A number of ceremonies were held during the course of the day, including one in which the Mayor of Jerusalem surrendered to several British officers.

When General Allenby found out that Jerusalem had been captured, he called for a ceremony that he would lead the following morning, December 11, 1917. Allenby entered the Old City on foot out of respect for the city that is holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims and the official ceremony of the surrender of Jerusalem took place on the steps of David’s Tower. Thus ended 400 hundred years of Turkish rule in Jerusalem.

Description of the Stamp and FDC
The stamp features one of the two British sergeants (Library of Congress) who met the Mayor of Jerusalem at the entrance to the city, against the background of a photo of General Allenby entering the Old City through the Jaffa Gate (National Library of Israel). The tab features the emblem of the London Regiment St. Pancras 19th Battalion, to which the sergeant belonged.

The First Day Cover features a photo of the monument built by the British, on the spot where the Mayor of Jerusalem first encountered the British soldiers, which today is in the heart of the Romema neighborhood in Jerusalem. The monument is dedicated to the memory of the casualties of the British 60th Division. In the background is a British map depicting troop deployment during the campaign to capture Jerusalem (National Library of Jerusalem).

Production of the WWI in Eretz Israel Centenary stamp series is aided by The Society for the Heritage of World War I in Israel, which researches the events of the war, publishes books on the subject and hosts conferences and tours for members of the society and the general public.

WW1-ISRAEL.ORG.IL

Canada 150: Trans-Canada Highway

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[press release]
8,000 kilometres of connection: the Trans-Canada Highway celebrated in fifth stamp marking Canada 150
Country music star Dean Brody, on tour, unveils stamp honouring one of Canada’s great achievements of last 50 years

REGINA – Country music star Dean Brody, while on tour, unveiled a stamp today that captures the Trans-Canada Highway, the 8,000-kilometre ribbon of adventures, dreams and memories – and a key economic artery for Canadian business.

Brody, winner of multiple Juno Awards and more than a dozen Canadian Country Music Awards, took a few hours away from his cross-country arena tour – which is largely following the Trans-Canada – to unveil the stamp at the home of Brandt Group of Companies, located alongside the iconic highway. Headquartered in Regina with operations across the country, Brandt is an international success story that depends heavily on the Trans-Canada for its business.

The Trans-Canada Highway stamp is the fifth of 10 stamps being issued by Canada Post to celebrate Canada 150. The stamps mark unforgettable moments in Canada since our country’s centennial in 1967.

Brody has travelled thousands of kilometres on the Trans-Canada Highway, chasing his dream and touring – as he is now, from Ontario to British Columbia. The highway, and the people and places he’s encountered along it, have inspired some of his music and songwriting.

Trans-Canada connects our country
The Trans-Canada runs through all 10 provinces – from St. John’s, N.L. to Victoria, B.C. It is one of the longest national road systems on the planet, and links to roads that lead to Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Construction started in 1950 and the highway officially opened in 1962 – but it was not completed until 1971. Today, the Trans-Canada has multiple routes that connect almost every major city in Canada, and links to roads heading into the United States.

Distinguished by its white-on-green maple-leaf markers, the highway holds a special place in the hearts of those who’ve travelled it – by car, bicycle or on foot, or at the wheel of a transport truck – and even more so for those who’ve ventured along its entire length. It has fed our desire for adventure and fuelled our fascination with the open road, inviting family or buddy road trips for generations of Canadians.

A highway of dreams and possibilities
Its endless lonely stretches are legendary; its stunning vistas are unforgettable. To know this highway well is to have hard-earned respect for Canada’s weather and Canada’s immensity – and to appreciate the friendliness of its people. From singers and bands to job-seekers, junior hockey teams and students heading off to college or university, countless Canadians have taken this highway to their dreams.

A vital economic link for Canadians
Communities and Canadians also rely on the Trans-Canada for their livelihoods every day. A perfect example is the Brandt Group of Companies, which hosted Canada Post’s Trans-Canada stamp launch at one of its facilities alongside the highway. Brandt employs nearly 2,000 people across Canada and the U.S., servicing markets in over 20 countries and six continents. It relies heavily on the Trans-Canada for its agricultural, construction and railway equipment business.

Five more Canada 150 stamps to come
Each stamp in the set has been unveiled by a distinguished Canadian individual or group related to the moment being celebrated. The location of each stamp launch also directly relates to the moment being commemorated. The stamp celebrating Expo 67 was unveiled in Montréal by Habitat 67 architect Moshe Safdie on April 27, while the stamp honouring the Constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was unveiled on Parliament Hill on May 3. The third stamp, which pays tribute to the Canadarm and Canadian innovation, was unveiled by Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen at a recorded event at a Toronto school and released online May 4.

The fourth stamp, commemorating the 2005 passage of the Civil Marriage Act – which made marriage equality the law in Canada – was unveiled in Toronto on May 9 in partnership with The 519, an organization that supports the LGBTQ community. The next stamp in the Canada 150 set will be unveiled in St. John’s on May 25.

The remaining stamps will be revealed individually at cities across the country, the last of them on June 1.

About the stamp
Each of the 10 maple-leaf shaped die-cut PermanentTM domestic-rate stamps measures 40 mm x 40 mm and is printed in 6 colours plus tagging. The self-adhesive stamps are available in a booklet of 10 (4 million stamps). A gummed pane of 10 stamps, with circle perforations 4.5 cm in diameter, is also available (80,000 panes). Official First Day Covers, one for each stamp design and each cancelled in OTTAWA ON, are available in a pack of 10 (10,000 packs). The stamp issue was designed by Roy White and Liz Wurzinger of Subplot Design Inc. in Vancouver, B.C., and printed by the Lowe-Martin Group.

Recovered Jenny Invert Sells For $295,000

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The Inverted Jenny stamp stolen in 1955 and returned to its owner during World Stamp Show-New York 2016 a year ago sold May 11 for $295,000 — $250,000 plus an 18% buyer’s premium.

Position 76 was part of the “McCoy Block” of four stamps stolen during the American Philatelic Society convention exhibition in Richmond in 1955. Two of the stamps were recovered in the early 1980s. One is still missing.

The block of four was owned by Ethel Stewart McCoy and on loan to the APS when it was stolen. Shortly before her death in 1980, she donated ownership rights to the stamps to the American Philatelic Research Library, which shares facilities with the APS.

The boards of the two organizations decided last fall to sell the stamp recovered in 2016. The auction was conducted by the Robert A. Siegel firm. Bids were received by telephone, Internet and live bidding. The winning bid came in over the phone.

Bidding started opened at $120,000 and closed about 90 seconds later.

The 2018 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue values an undamaged, very fine copy of the stamp, C3A, at $450,000. This one, however, was repeforated on two sides (top and left), in an attempted to hide its identity. The presale estimate for Position 76 was $150,000-$200,000, well below the final price. No doubt its notoriety added to the value.

The Siegel firm produced a 48-page catalogue for this one item’s sale, which can be downloaded here or ordered as a printed book. Written by auctioneer Scott Trepel and Ken Lawrence, provides a history of the original 1918 discovery of the 100 error stamps, the 1955 theft of the McCoy block, and the return of three of the four stamps.

The APRL still owns Position 65, and has been displaying it at shows for years since its recovery in 1982.

Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada (Canada 2017)

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[press release]
Canada Post’s Formula One stamps honour five legends who together have won 17 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA races
Sir Jackie Stewart and Joann Villeneuve help to unveil stamps MONTRÉAL, May 15, 2017 – Less than a month before the next race in Montréal, the legendary Sir Jackie Stewart and the first lady of Canadian racing, Joann Villeneuve, helped to unveil stamps featuring five famous drivers who won the FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA. The F1™ in Canada stamps celebrate 50 years of the race in this country by honouring five winning drivers, one for each decade of F1 in Canada: Sir Jackie Stewart (Scotland), Gilles Villeneuve (Canada), Ayrton Senna (Brazil), Michael Schumacher (Germany) and Lewis Hamilton (England).

Five famous Canadian Grand Prix winners
The five are national heroes in their homelands and legends internationally. As a group, they have won 220 Grand Prix races – 17 of them in Canada – taken 216 poles, 399 podiums, and 16 World Championships.

Between 1994 and 2004, Schumacher won an unrivalled seven FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA races. Hamilton, who is still racing, has won five. He hopes to make it six at the 38th Grand Prix on Île Notre-Dame on June 11. Stewart and Senna both won two Canadian races – Stewart at Mosport in 1971 and 1972 and Senna in Montréal in 1988 and 1990. Gilles Villeneuve recorded his first Grand Prix victory at the island track that now bears his name and remains the only Canadian to win an F1 race in Canada.

F1 enthusiasts welcome Villeneuve, Stewart
About 150 guests at 1700 La Poste, an art space built in a former post office, watched Ms. Villeneuve unveil a stamp of her late husband before Stewart unveiled his own stamp.

The stamps feature head-and-shoulder images of the drivers. The cover of a booklet of 10 depicts an F1 car rocketing past a grandstand, with the Montréal Biosphère looming in the background. The set and related products are available at canadapost.ca/shop.

FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA
The first FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA was at the Mosport track near Toronto in 1967, which hosted many great drivers until 1977, including Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt and Jody Scheckter. It was also run at Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Quebec. The race later moved to a course on Île Notre-Dame in Montréal. After his death in 1982, the track was named Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in his honour.

Background:
Sir Jackie Stewart – Stewart was the man to beat in the first decade of the Canadian Grand Prix. He raced F1 from 1965 to 1973. In nine years of racing, he won 27 races, took 43 podiums, 17 poles and three World Championships. He raced in Canada’s first Formula 1 race at Mosport in 1967, where he also had the last F1 race of his career in 1973. His one-man safety crusade revolutionized safety in the sport, while his communication skills made it more popular. He set new standards of professionalism for drivers and helped Formula One® realize its commercial potential. In 2001 he was knighted for his services to motor sport.

Gilles Villeneuve – This flamboyantly aggressive driver with amazing control represents the second decade of the FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA. He raced F1® for McLaren and Ferrari from 1977 to 1982, winning six races, taking 13 podiums and two poles in a career that lasted little more than four seasons. He won the FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA at the inaugural race on Île Notre-Dame, about an hour from where he grew up in Berthierville. About 70,000 fans were bundled in blankets and tuques on that frigid October day in 1978, when Villeneuve became a national hero. On May 8, 1982, aged 32, Villeneuve was killed in a crash while qualifying for the FORMULA 1 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX. He was among the first inducted to the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1993.

Ayrton Senna – A fierce and fearless driver with spectacular raw talent and terrifying determination represents the third decade of Grand Prix racing in Canada. He dominated F1 from the mid-1980s until his fatal accident in Italy in 1994, aged 34. He raced F1 from 1984 to 1994. In 161 starts, he logged 41 wins, 80 podiums, 65 poles and three World Championships. For many fans in Brazil, his homeland and all over the world, he was the purest driver to compete in F1.

Michael Schumacher – Representing the fourth decade is the most successful driver in the sport’s history. Schumacher raced F1 from 1991 to 2006 and 2010 to 2012. In 308 races, he registered 91 wins, took 155 podiums, 68 poles and a record seven World Championships. He won his first World Championship in 1994 and his second in 1995. After breaking his leg in 1999, he mounted a comeback that saw him win five consecutive World Championships from 2000 to 2004. He retired at the end of 2006 but returned to race from 2010 to 2012.

Lewis Hamilton – In Italy, they call him “Il Phenomeno” – the Phenomenon. In terms of raw ability, few drivers compare to the man who represents the fifth decade. Hamilton won four races in his rookie season in 2007 and finished on the podium in the first nine races of his brilliant, ongoing career. In his 193 starts, the three-time World Champion has recorded 55 wins, 108 podiums and 64 poles. Hamilton has finished in the top five in points in each of his 10 years in F1. He won the World Championship in 2008 and back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015.

About the stamps
Designed by Paprika and printed by Colour Innovations, the stamps measure 24 mm by 30 mm and are available in booklets of 10, a pane of five stamps (160 mm x 200 mm) and as an uncut press sheet (358 mm x 608 mm). Official First Day Covers are cancelled in Montréal and are available as a set of five with a commemorative folder. A limited edition framed pane of stamps is also available along with limited edition framed enlargements of each stamp. Jackie Stewart signed 500 Official First Day Covers, which are only included with his framed enlargement.
About Formula 1®
Formula 1® racing, which began in 1950, is the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition and is the world’s most popular annual sporting series. In 2016 it was watched by 400 million unique television viewers from over 200 territories. The 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship™ runs from March to November and spans 20 races in 20 countries across five continents. Formula One World Championship Limited is part of Formula 1, and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship™.

Media advisory
Canada Post brings you up to speed in celebrating the first 50 years of the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada

MONTRÉAL, May 11, 2017 /CNW/ – Legendary drivers harnessing awesome power at incredible speed with skill, daring and courage: that’s how Formula 1 auto races thrill fans in Montréal, in Canada and around the world.

On Monday, May 15, Canada Post and Octane Racing Group Inc. will bring together five decades from the world of F1 racing to unveil a set of stamps commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada.

WHAT:

Unveiling of a set of stamps commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada

WHEN:

Monday, May 15, 4:30 p.m.

WHERE:

1700 La Poste
1700, rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montréalbr>
(corner of rue Notre-Dame and rue Richmond)