Diwali (Canada 2022)

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Canada Post heralds arrival of Diwali with luminous new stamp
Festival celebrated with fireworks displays and lighting of lamps

CALGARY, AB, Oct. 6, 2022 /CNW/ – Canada Post 6 October issued a new commemorative stamp in honour of Diwali, a major festival observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and other communities. Also known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali is a celebration of light over darkness and good over evil.

About the festival
Diwali, which falls on October 24 this year, is celebrated over a period of five days. During the festivities, small clay oil lamps called diyas are often lit in rows in homes and temples. Fireworks are also set off, signifying the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. Colourful geometric Rangoli patterns are created in entrance ways, living rooms and courtyards using rice, paint, coloured sand or powder, or flower petals. Families and friends also gather to exchange gifts and give food and goods to those in need.

About the stamp
Featuring an illustration by Arthur Grivel, of Montréal design firm Paprika, the stamp design highlights two traditions that are central to the celebration of Diwali: fireworks displays and the lighting of diyas. Fluorescent ink applied to parts of the stamp intensifies its colour and gives it a glowing appearance when exposed to black light.

This is Canada Post’s fourth Diwali stamp; the first three were issued in 2017, 2020 and 2021. The stamp is just one of several annual issues that celebrate Canada’s cultural diversity by recognizing events of importance to Canadians. Others include Christmas, Hanukkah and Eid. The stamp issue is cancelled in Calgary, which is home to a large population of Indo-Canadians.Printed by Colour Innovations, the stamp issue includes a booklet of 6 Permanent™ domestic rate stamps and an Official First Day Cover. Stamps and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Postes Canada souligne l’arrivée de Diwali avec un nouveau timbre lumineux
Le festival est célébré par l’allumage de feux d’artifice et de lampes

CALGARY, AB, le 6 oct. 2022 /CNW/ – Aujourd’hui [6 Octobre], Postes Canada a émis un nouveau timbre commémoratif pour souligner Diwali, un festival d’importance célébré par les hindous, les sikhs, les bouddhistes, les jaïns et d’autres communautés. Aussi connue sous le nom de fête des Lumières, Diwali marque le triomphe de la lumière sur les ténèbres et du bien sur le mal.

À propos de Diwali
Diwali, qui se tient le 24 octobre cette année, est célébrée sur une période de cinq jours. Pour l’occasion, de petites lampes à huile en terre cuite, ou diyas, sont souvent allumées en rangées dans les maisons et les temples. On illumine aussi le ciel de feux d’artifice pour célébrer le triomphe du bien sur le mal, de la lumière sur les ténèbres et de la connaissance sur l’ignorance. Des rangolis aux formes géométriques colorées sont tracés dans les entrées, les salons et les cours à l’aide de riz, de peinture, de poudre ou de sable coloré, ou de pétales de fleurs. Les gens se réunissent aussi en famille et entre amis pour échanger des cadeaux et donner de la nourriture et des produits à ceux qui en ont besoin.

À propos du timbre
Le motif du timbre, qui présente une illustration d’Arthur Grivel de la maison de graphisme montréalaise Paprika, met en valeur deux traditions qui sont au cœur de la fête de Diwali, soit l’allumage de feux d’artifice et des diyas. L’encre fluorescente appliquée à certains endroits du timbre en intensifie la couleur et lui donne un aspect brillant sous la lumière noire.

Il s’agit du quatrième timbre consacré à Diwali émis par Postes Canada; les trois premiers ont paru en 2017, 2020 et 2021. Le timbre est l’une des nombreuses émissions annuelles qui célèbrent la diversité culturelle du Canada en soulignant des événements importants pour la population canadienne. D’autres émissions soulignent notamment Noël, Hanoukka et l’Aïd. L’émission est oblitérée à Calgary, où vit une importante communauté indo-canadienne.

Imprimée par Colour Innovations, l’émission comprend un carnet de six timbres PermanentsMC au tarif du régime intérieur et un pli Premier Jour officiel. Les timbres et les articles de collection sont en vente sur le site postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.

U.S. Scott Catalogue Update (October 2022)

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5714 (60¢) Elephants
a. Convertible booklet pane of 20

5715 (60¢) Pony Cars – 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302
a. Imperforate
5716 (60¢) Pony Cars – 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
a. Imperforate
5717 (60¢) Pony Cars – 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
a. Imperforate
5718 (60¢) Pony Cars – 1967 Mercury Cougar XR-7 GT
a. Imperforate
5719 (60¢) Pony Cars – 1969 AMC Javelin SST
a. Imperforate
b. Vert. strip of 5, #5715-5719
c. Imperforate strip of 5, #5715a-5719a

5720 (60¢) James Webb Space Telescope
a. Imperforate

Radio: Thank You, Charles M. Schulz

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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.

A stamp set that touches my heart.

The stamp collecting report. I’m Lloyd de Vries.

[Music: Opening theme of Broadway show; establish and under]

New U-S stamps celebrate the centennial of the birth of Charles M. Schulz, the creator of the “Peanuts” cartoon strips. The comics still run in newspapers today, even though Schulz stopped creating new ones in Two Thousand. It’s a testament to just how beloved Peanuts was and is.

“Peanuts” means a lot to me personally. You see, my brother had what today are called “learning disabilities.” Back around 1960, he was written off by the education system. My mother was told her child could never be taught how to read.

Mom didn’t accept that. She bought several of the Peanuts compilation books that reprinted the daily comic strips and yes, from those, Jeremy learned how to read. I read them, too, of course, and decades later, he and I were still sharing jokes from “Peanuts.”

Peanuts is kind, gentle, funny and literate. The jokes are never mean or nasty. I’m not sure any other comic strip could have done the job for my family.

I doubt Schulz ever knew what he had done for us, but there have been many other tributes to him. These ten stamps are the latest, and I can’t think of someone who deserves it more.

[Music: “You’re a good man, Charlie Brown….”]

And so were you, Charles M. Schulz.

And that’s stamp collecting. I’m Lloyd de Vries.

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

Children’s Welfare Stamps (Donald Duck) (Netherlands 2022)

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[excerpted from the press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
2022 Children’s Welfare Stamps

Date of issue: 10 October 2022
Appearance: sheetlet of five special stamps in five different designs, marked with ‘1’, the denomination for mail up to 20 g in weight destined for delivery in the Netherlands, with a € 0.48 surcharge
Item number: 420960
Illustrations: Tim Artz, Nijmegen
Design: Ellen Hagenaars, Amsterdam
Colouring: Dorith Graef, AmsterdamOn 10 October 2022, PostNL will issue a new stamp sheetlet with Children’s Welfare Stamps marked with ‘1’ for destinations within the Netherlands. This year, the five stamps are dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Donald Duck magazine. Since 1924, PostNL has been issuing Children’s Welfare Stamps to raise money for projects aimed at improving the welfare of vulnerable children. This is achieved by adding a € 0.48 surcharge to each stamp. The proceeds from all surcharges will be used for projects developed by the independent Stichting Kinderpostzegels Nederland. The foundation is committed to giving children in both the Netherlands and in other countries a chance of a better life. To make this aid possible, the foundation organises, among other things, the Children’s Welfare Stamps campaign. The campaign has been listed in the Dutch National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2017.

This year, more than 140,000 pupils from the last two years of primary schools will be taking orders for the Children’s Welfare Stamps from 28 September up to and including 5 October. PostNL will deliver all orders from 11 October. The proceeds from the 2021 campaign amounted to 8.5 million Euro. This year’s Children’s Welfare Theme is ‘give children the wind in their sails.’ Some children have difficulty concentrating or lack self-confidence due to personal circumstances. As a result, they do not manage to achieve their full potential. The Stichting Kinderpostzegels helps these children by, for example, coaching them individually or training them to increase their self-confidence and motivation.

The first Dutch Donald Duck weekly magazine was published on 25 October 1952, 70 years ago this year. In other countries, similar monthly or weekly magazines had already existed for some time, such as Topolino in Italy, Micky Maus in Germany, Mickey Magazine in Belgium and Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories in the US. Over the first few years, the Dutch pages were alternately printed in colour and black-and-white, but in 1954 the first issue appeared entirely in colour.

The current Donald Duck magazine is published by DPG Media Magazines B.V. in the Benelux. Nowadays, most of the stories in the magazine are conceived and drawn in the Netherlands. According to DPG Media, Donald Duck weekly magazine is the largest family and men’s magazine in the Netherlands, with a circulation of over 200,000. Through the use of both offline and online media, the magazine’s brand awareness is almost 100%, and the loyalty of its readers is incredibly strong.

This year, the Museum of Comic Art in Noordwijk aan Zee has organised a special exhibition dedicated to the Netherlands’ most cheerful weekly magazine until 30 October 2022.

Previous Dutch Disney Issues
This isn’t the first time PostNL has issued stamps and stamp products featuring Walt Disney characters. In 2009, for example, a stamp booklet dedicated to the 101 Dalmatians appeared, followed in 2010 by the first issue in a long-running series of personal stamps starring Donald Duck. In 2012, PostNL issued a 12-part series with post sets featuring cards and stamps about Donald Duck in relation to the 12 Dutch provinces.

Background
Pascal de Smit, Director of Stichting Kinderpostzegels: ‘For the first time in the long history of Children’s Welfare Stamps, they feature a true international cartoon hero: Donald Duck, and with a story to boot. We see May help Huey with his homework: children helping children. Louie, April and June go to school without a care in the world: this is the mission we are so passionate about.’

Ferdi Felderhof, editor-in-chief of Donald Duck magazine: ‘These Children’s Welfare Stamps are truly the icing on our anniversary cake. We are incredibly proud that Donald Duck and his family are appearing on the Children’s Welfare Stamps. There are few magazines for young people that are read by multiple generations. We want these stamps to exude that family feeling and the happiness of children too.’

The Design
The 2022 Children’s Welfare Stamps feature various characters who appear in the comic strips in Donald Duck magazine. The sheetlet includes four equally sized stamps and one double-sized stamp in the middle. The following inhabitants of Duckburg make their appearance: Donald Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Huey, Dewey and Louie, April, May and June, Chip and Dale and Neighbor J. Jones.

The action takes place in Donald Duck’s house and front yard. The illustrations on the stamp sheet feature various recurring themes of Stichting Kinderpostzegels Nederland, including children helping each other and every child getting to school safely. The illustration continues on the edge of the sheet, which also features the logos of 70 years of Donald Duck, the Children’s Welfare Stamps campaign, and PostNL. On the stamps themselves, the denomination and the surcharge are printed in the top left-hand corner, with the country (Netherlands) in the bottom right-hand corner.

Just like last year, the illustration on the Children’s Welfare Stamps was created by comic strip artist Tim Artz from Nijmegen. While Tom Puss and Olivier B. Bommel took centre stage in 2021, Donald Duck plays the lead in 2022. The focus on the Disney comic characters coincides with the 70-year anniversary of the most cheerful weekly magazine in the Netherlands: Donald Duck.

Every child in our country is introduced to Disney sooner or later. ‘You can’t avoid it,’ says Artz. ‘You’re bound to bump into it at some point. I was about 6 years old when I first watched Disney cartoons on België 2, including episodes of the animated series “Duck Tales” and short films from the 1930s and 1940s. I loved them all. Later, we also had a subscription to the magazine at home and I started collecting albums with the best stories. These were drawn by Carl Barks. That’s when I became a true fan.

‘Barks was not only a very good artist, but also a proper storyteller. Just like Marten Toonder. Barks created Duckburg characters like Scrooge McDuck, Neighbor Jones, Gyro Gearloose, the Beagle Boys, and so on. All incredibly fascinating.’

Artz published his drawings on Internet forums, so his talent was quickly noticed, first by Disney, later by the Toonder Company. ‘I now work for both. The comics I create for Disney have a strong cartoony character. It’s mainly slapstick. I can have a lot of fun with it, also by adding my own details and little jokes.’

The basic idea for the illustration on the 2022 Children’s Welfare Stamps came from the editorial staff of Donald Duck magazine. ‘They provided me with a sketch of the house, with Donald standing in the door. Other Disney characters had also been put where the other stamps were supposed to go. I started to elaborate on that, also by adding new characters. Like Neighbor Jones on the edge of the sheet on the left, for example. And Chip and Dale on the edge of the sheet on the right. In the original sketch, Scrooge McDuck was missing. I included him because to me he is an important figure in the Duckburg stories. ’

More about Children’s Welfare Stamps
Children’s Welfare Stamps were first issued in 1924 to give children orphaned due to the Spanish flu a safe home. The rich history shows many milestones. Stichting Kinderpostzegels Nederland helps thousands of children become more confident, in both the Netherlands and beyond.

Technical Details
Stamp size: 4 stamps measuring 36 x 25 mm and 1 stamp measuring 36 x 50 mm:
Sheet size: 144 x 75 mm
Paper: normal with phosphor print
Glue: synthetic
Printing technique: offset
Printing colours: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black
Print run: 1,232,000 sheets
Format: sheet of 5 stamps in 5 different designs
Illustration: Tim Artz, Nijmegen
Design: Ellen Hagenaars, Amsterdam
Colouring: Dorith Graef, Amsterdam
Printing company: Koninklijke Joh. Enschedé B.V., Haarlem
Item number: 420960:

Royal Marines (UK 2022)

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Royal Mail Reveals Stamp Images Showcasing the Royal Marines Commandos – Britain’s Elite Fighting Force

  • Eight stamps in the main set showcase some of the key roles and operations of the Royal Marines today
  • These include: aviation operations; cold-weather operations; mountain operations; arid-climate operations; commando training; Band Service; amphibious operations; and maritime security operations
  • A further four stamps are exclusively illustrated by Graham Turner, a leading military artist. Presented in a miniature sheet, the stamps explore the history of Royal Marines’ uniforms
  • Royal Mail worked closely with the Ministry of Defence on the stamp issue
  • The stamps are available from today (29 September) at
    www.royalmail.com/royalmarines and by phone on 03457 641 641
  • The Presentation Pack, containing all 12 stamps, retails at £17.70

Royal Mail have revealed images of a set of stamps that showcase the history and modern-day operations of the Royal Marines.

Eight stamps in the main set depict some of the key roles and operations of the Royal Marines today.

These include: aviation operations; cold-weather operations; mountain operations; arid-climate operations; commando training; Band Service; amphibious operations; and maritime security operations.

A further four stamps are exclusively illustrated for Royal Mail by Graham Turner, a leading military artist. Presented in a miniature sheet, the stamps explore the history of Royal Marines’ uniforms from 1664 through to 1944. The miniature sheet features a backdrop of Denis Nighton’s painting of The Fall of Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, on the upper deck of ‘Victory’.
Royal Mail also worked closely with the Ministry of Defence on the stamp issue.
David Gold, Director of Public Affairs and Policy, Royal Mail said: “Throughout their history the Royal Marines have served around the globe by sea and by land, as sea soldiers and now as commandos. These stamps showcase some of the key roles and operations of the Royal Marines today.”

The Royal Marines:
The Royal Marines were formed in 1664 as The Duke of York and Albany’s Maritime Regiment of Foot, and new regiments were raised whenever Britain needed them. In 1755 they became a permanent part of the Royal Navy and throughout their long history have served on land and sea.

In 2020 the Royal Marines became the Future Commando Force, their most significant transformation since the Second World War. Today, commandos are ready to deploy anywhere at a moment’s notice, be it warfighting, combat missions or humanitarian duties.

They are based close to trouble spots, on special operations, supporting the UK Carrier Strike Groups or supplying special NATO contributions. The Marines have returned to their roots as small groups of determined individuals; self-sustaining and self-sufficient, thinking on their feet, they move fast and with the initiative, cunning and boldness needed to seize opportunities that present themselves when an operation is underway.

Royal Marines have the longest infantry training period in the world. Scaling cliffs, finding inaccessible areas adversaries think are secure, coming from the sea in small boats and helicopters, working at night to conduct raids, moving in quickly, taking the enemy by surprise, getting out just as fast – these skills are the key elements of the Force.

Marines access areas that aren’t available to ordinary units. Commandos integrate the very latest defence technology: precision missiles, drones, bullet- and blast-proof shields, surveillance and communication systems all build on traditional commando skills, helping to ensure that the Marines are equipped for the 21st century.

The stamps are available now at www.royalmail.com/royalmarines and by phone on 03457 641 641. The Presentation Pack, containing all 12 stamps, retails at £17.70.

Hotchner: The Future Of Catalogues

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The Future of Catalogues and Their Importance to The Hobby
by John M. Hotchner

It used to be that I could carry an annotated United States Scott Specialized Catalogue of the current year when I went to a stamp show. It was my record of what I had and its condition level, my want list, guidance on value, my reference on varieties to look for, and a handy reference on design types and measurements from the first 80 years of US stamps.

No longer! The 2022 US Specialized now weighs six pounds and stretches to over 1300 detailed and information-packed pages. In fact the entire Scott Catalogue (13 soft covered books including the Specialized, plus the 1840-1940 hardcover Classic Specialized), now takes a foot and a half of shelf space and weighs in at about 58 pounds.

I recently had to bring the catalogues from one floor to another so a dealer doing an evaluation could have them for handy reference. It took three trips! And don’t get me started on the price – just under $1000 for the complete run.

Is it any wonder that as the newly updated catalogues come out each year, prior year’s catalogues – deeply discounted – are eagerly sought by collectors who are satisfied to have a reference for most of what is in their collections.

Given that the catalogues are an essential for any serious collector, and that they can only grow as the nations of the world pump out ever more stamps and souvenir sheets even as mail volumes decrease, I got to wondering about their future.

I’m on the margins of the digital revolution and prefer looking at hard copy, but Scott has now converted the catalogues to digital form – and offers them in addition to hard copy at about three quarters the price of hard copy. But this is still a stretch for even established collectors who would much rather spend that kind of money on stamps for their own collections.

For the present time, Scott continues to sell both hard copy and digital, but how long can they afford to produce and sell hard copy at an affordable price, as digital takes hold and eats into those sales? It is bound to happen that fewer and fewer hard copies will be sold each year, and there will come a time that hard copy will go away. I don’t have Scott’s sales numbers, but it seems logical that Scott will get to a point where only digital will be available.

But will the current format of digital versions of the full catalogues match up with collector demand? Possibly for some time to come, as we are used to this as the retail model. But I think back to the old Minkus Catalogs which briefly gave Scott some competition in the 1960s into the early 1970s. In a way it was doomed from the start as Scott numbers were the industry standard, but Minkus album pages were popular. Labeled with Minkus catalog numbers, they helped to sell the catalog.

But Minkus did something that I wish Scott would consider: Minkus brought out a series of country-specific catalogs. Undoubtedly, that negatively affected sales of the

Scott 1955: Complete in two volumes

comprehensive catalogs. They were not updated yearly, but it was a real service to collectors who specialized in one or only a few countries, and saved megabucks for collectors who did not need the comprehensive catalogs.

Scott is a business, and I don’t minimize the cost of providing the products they do. I’m sure that the economics of catalogue production are unforgiving. They put a terrific amount of human effort and investment into keeping their products up to date, and it is right and proper that they cover those costs with their pricing, and that they make a profit. But I am troubled by what catalogues – hard copy and digital – cost the collector.

At the same time that the products are an essential for the hobby, they are as a practical matter not available to the great majority of people who might be interested in getting started in stamp collecting – especially young people who are still in school or just starting out in a career.

Does this play a role in the steadily decreasing market share that stamp collecting commands these days? I think so. Sure, there are other factors involved in that: the delayed gratifications of stamp collecting can’t hope to compete with the immediate gratifications of video games. But we as a hobby are not making it easy for new people to join up and prosper when the tools of the hobby are priced beyond what new collectors can afford.

To repeat, Scott must cover its costs and make a profit or we will lose the substantial benefits of having the continually updated critical reference upon which we all depend. But I hope they also factor in somehow, (may I call it) their responsibility to also support the future of the hobby.

If this means they bring out hard copy only every two years, or alternate years between hard copy and digital, or a host of other possible ways to cut costs for both producer and user, they are worth thinking about.

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

Or comment right here.

World Animal Day (Netherlands (2022)

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[excerpted from the PostNL press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
World Animal Day

Issue date: 4 October
Sheet of five stamps in five different designs marked ‘Internationaal 1’, the denomination for items up to 20g in weight destined for delivery outside the Netherlands
Design: Sandra Smulders – Vormgoed, Gouda
Item number: 820057

With the issue of the World Animal Day stamp sheet on 4 October 2022, PostNL highlights the celebration of this unique day dedicated to animals. World Animal Day was introduced in 1925 and has been celebrated in the Netherlands since 1930. On the five stamps, five different animal species draw our attention to animal welfare, along with practical tips on how we can offer help to animals in need. These stamps are marked ‘Internationaal 1’, the denomination for items up to 20g in weight destined for delivery outside of the Netherlands.

The World Animal Day stamp sheet features five postage stamps in five designs within the fixed frame of the personal stamp. The stamps feature photographic portraits of different animals, with

  • ducklings,
  • a goat,
  • a seal,
  • a cat and
  • a hedgehog

from left to right. On all pictures on the stamps, the animal looks at the viewer, just like the dog on the edge of the sheet. The square green text logo of World Animal Day is featured alternately on the top right and bottom left of the stamps. The short texts on the tabs below the stamps give practical tips on how people can truly help animals. This is the first time PostNL has issued a sheet of personalised stamps with tabs. To the right of the large portrait picture of the dog on the edge of the sheet, the call to help us is featured in large letters. To the left of the dog appears the same World Animal Day text logo as on the stamps, with the date, 4 October, below it. The top left features the international logo of World Animal Day: a hand holding a globe that radiates sunbeams, featuring silhouettes of different animal species.

World Animal Day was conceived by journalist and author Heinrich Zimmerman (1888-1942). This animal rights activist and publisher of Mensch und Hund magazine organised the first World Animal Day, which took place on 24 March 1925. In 1929, he moved the date to 4 October. At the 1931 International Animal Protection Congress in Florence, the proposal to celebrate the day on 4 October all over the globe received unanimous support. The Netherlands held its first large-scale celebration of World Animal Day a year earlier, with an impressive parade through the Hague. The choice of 4 October has everything to do with the fact that this date is the feast day of Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), founder of the Franciscan monastic order and patron saint of animals. According to legend, St Francis once preached a sermon to animals and befriended a wolf.
Source: Origin of World Animal Day, Delpher, Dierenbescherming, Heiligennet, Wikipedia

The World Animal Day sheetlet was designed by graphic designer Sandra Smulders from Gouda. Her design incorporates the goals of World Animal Day, the organisation behind the international celebration of World Animal Day. ‘We know Animal Day or World Animal Day mainly as a day on which you do something extra for your pet,’ says Smulders. ‘But it is way more multifaceted than that. I featured the most important facets on the stamp sheet, including the importance of animal rights and animal welfare. And also the practical help we can offer animals in need. In this way, I want to increase awareness of the problems animals can get into and of the fact that we can do something about it.’

Based on these principles, Smulders chose the theme Help Us? as the common theme for her design. ‘This way you appeal to people directly. With such a theme, you must obviously choose images of animals that are looking at the viewer. And that is exactly what the Labrador puppy on the sheet edge and the various animals on the stamps are doing. On the tab next to each stamp is a brief text about practical ways to help animals. That’s the idea behind it, that people actually spring into action.’

The advantage of tabs is that you can tear them off along the perforation and stick them on a card or letter together with the stamp. Smulders: ‘That way you don’t only reach the senders but also the recipients with the practical tips. Of course, there is limited space to tell the whole story, but the key issues around animal welfare are there. It is also quite fitting that I was able to design international stamps for a subject like World Animal Day. It suits the subject.’

Availability:
The stamps are available while stocks last at www.postnl.nl/collect and can be ordered by telephone from the Collect Club customer service on telephone number +31 (0)88 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite.

Technical Details:
Stamp size: 30 x 40mm (w x h)
Sheet size : 170 x 122 mm (w x h)
Paper: normal with phosphor print
Gum: gummed
Printing technique: offset
Printing colours: cyan, magenta, yellow, black
Appearance: personal stamps with the denomination ‘Internationaal 1′, : the denomination for items up to 20g in weight destined for : delivery outside the Netherlands.
Print run: 5000 per issue
Item number: 820057
Issue date: 4 October 2022

Britain Issues QE2 Memorial Stamps (UK 2022)

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
In Memoriam: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth

  • Royal Mail reveal images of four new portrait stamps in memory of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth
  • The images of the stamps feature:
    – 2nd Class – photograph taken by Dorothy Wilding in 1952
    – 1st Class – photograph by Cecil Beaton – taken in 1968
    – £1.85 – portrait of HM The Queen taken in November 1984 by Yousuf Karsh
    – £2.55 – photograph of HM The Queen taken in 1996 by Tim Graham
  • These are the first stamp images to be approved by King Charles III
  • All four stamps feature images that were used in the 2002 Golden Jubilee stamp issue
  • A Presentation Pack of all four stamps will retail at £6.95 and are available to pre-order at www.royalmail.com/inmemoriam
  • The stamps will go on general sale from 10 November 2022

Royal Mail has revealed images of four new stamps being issued in memory of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

All four stamp images were released in the Golden Jubilee stamp issue in 2002. As with all stamps released during Her Majesty’s reign, they were approved by her for issue in 2002.

This is the first set of stamps approved by His Majesty King Charles III.

The images feature Her Majesty through the years:

  • 2nd class – photograph taken by Dorothy Wilding in 1952. To mark her accession and coronation, Her Majesty the Queen posed for Wilding 59 times, wearing evening gowns designed by Norman Hartnell.
  • 1st class – photograph by Cecil Beaton – 1968. The Queen is pictured standing in her admiral’s cloak with her head tilted to the left. Cecil Beaton took this stark, simple and direct image of HM The Queen for use in his first major retrospective at the National Portrait Gallery in London. He hoped that the final section of the exhibition would be the highlight and therefore wanted to ‘try something different’ when photographing HM The Queen. There are no familiar regal trappings such as tiaras, jewels or lavish interiors, but despite this simple approach, HM The Queen remains instantly recognisable.
  • £1.85 – portrait of HM The Queen taken in November 1984 by Yousuf Karsh.
  • £2.55 – photograph of HM The Queen taken in 1996 whilst she attended a banquet at Prague Castle during her visit to the Czech Republic. It was taken by Tim Graham.

Simon Thompson, CEO, Royal Mail said: “For the past seventy years every British stamp has been personally approved by Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth. Today we are unveiling these stamps, the first to be approved by His Majesty The King, in tribute to a woman whose commitment to public service and duty was unparalleled in the history of this country.”

None of the stamps in the issue include the silhouette of The Queen normally required on Special Stamps. This is because The Queen’s image is used in the design of the stamp, therefore removing the need for the silhouette to denote the country of origin.

A Presentation Pack of all four stamps will retail at £6.95. The stamps and a range of collectible products are available now to pre-order from www.royalmail.com/inmemoriam

The stamps will go on general sale from 10 November 2022.

Eastern Pennsylvania Show Resumes

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Regional stamp show set for Oct. 29

After a two-year hiatus due to Covid, the Allentown Philatelic Society will resume sponsoring its biannual Eastern Pennsylvania Stamp Show (EPASS) from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29 at the Schnecksville Fire Company, 4550 Old Packhouse Road, Schnecksville, PA 18078. There is free parking and no admission fee. Food service will be provided by the fire company.

EPASS will feature 12 dealers, 25 tables, a youth and beginners area offering free stamps and collecting materials, hundreds of dollars in door prizes and an historical exhibit. The club will also accept donations of stamps and supplies that will be used to promote the hobby.

Individuals that have inherited collections are encouraged to bring their material to the show for evaluation and possible sale to club members and participating dealers.

The stamp club meets on the first Tuesday of every month at the American Legion Post No. 367, 609 Fullerton Ave., Whitehall, PA 18053. Meetings include auctions, visual presentations and trading among members. The club also maintains a philatelic library for research and information.

The organization will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year and plans are underway to mark that milestone. The Allentown chapter is one of the oldest continuously operating stamp clubs in the country.

For more information please call contact Brian Gaydos at ‭(201) 981-9444‬‬; briangaydos1971@gmail.com or visit the website: http://aps-lv-stamps.org/epass/.‬‬

ATA Seeks Top Award Nominations

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Nominations Sought for ATA Award

The American Topical Association is accepting nominations for the Distinguished Topical Philatelist award. The ATA’s highest award is presented each year to a person who has made outstanding contributions to philately, especially topical philately. It will be presented at the awards banquet at the Great American Stamp Show in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 12, 2023.

Individuals, study units and chapters/stamp clubs may nominate a person who they think is qualified. The recipient is chosen by a committee made up of past recipients. Letters of nomination should be sent to the chair of the selection committee, Vera Felts at vera_1102@yahoo.com or mail to 211 Petal Lane, Sequim, WA 98382-3612. Deadline for nominations is December 31, 2022.