Chicago Club Book on Polish Airmail History

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[press release]
CCC Publishing Poland and Contiguous European Pioneer Aerophilately Handbook

The Collectors Club of Chicago is pleased to announce the upcoming publication of the CCC’s 36th handbook chronicling specialized philatelic subjects: The History of Airmail in Poland and Its Contribution to Airmail Services of Europe ( 1914-1939), by Dr. Jerzy W. Kupiec-Węgliński. A Synopsis and Table of Contents in the Polish and German languages accompany this English edition.

The monograph, prefaced by Oxford-based Nobel Prize nominated historian Norman Davies, focuses on the development and operations of airmail services on the Polish territories throughout 25 years of turbulent European history during the 20th century. It begins with events originating in WWI, during October 1914-March 1915, in a remote area of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire’s Galicia Province, in the small town of Przemyśl. It concludes with the German invasion of Poland in September 1939, and the outbreak of WWII. It is an in-depth encyclopedic history of the development of air post not only in Poland, but also in all of Europe and beyond.

The substantive material is presented in 12 chapters. The first chapter highlights the 1914-1915 airmail effort by the Austrian Army from the besieged by Russian forces city of Przemyśl. The following chapter includes comprehensive descriptions and illustrations of the airmail postal route in 1918 from Vienna to Kiev, via Kraków and Lviv.

Further chapters detail the development of domestic airmail operations, as well as joint services by Polish and foreign carriers to other countries and continents, air rallies, “crash” (interrupted) mail, and the Zeppelin mail from mainland Poland and the Free City of Danzig to Americas.

The handbook is hardbound in an 8½”x11″ format, and includes 424 pages containing over 700 illustrations. The book is available from the CCC website ( www.collectorsclubchicago.org/handbooks-available-for-purchase for $US79.50 postpaid to U.S. and A.P.O. addresses (Europe for €65 plus Shipping & Handling), with PayPal being accepted for payment. Shipping to other destinations will be serviced on a per order basis.

About the Collectors Club of Chicago:
Founded in 1928 and reestablished in 1944, the Collectors Club of Chicago is a group of award-winning philatelists focused on increasing knowledge and education of stamp collecting and postal history. The club owns and operates a philatelic library and clubhouse in downtown Chicago and has hosted monthly speakers from around the United States.

Bluenose sailing ship Centennial (Canada 2021)

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Updated June 29th:
A Canada Post spokeswoman tells The Virtual Stamp Club that only 40,000 of the souvenir sheets with the CAPEX22 overprint will be produced, and the only “OFDC” (official first day cover) for the issue is the one for the un-overprinted souvenir sheet.

[press release] [Picture of uncut press sheet at end of French version]
New stamps celebrate the 100th anniversary of Bluenose
Queen of the North Atlantic undefeated over 17 years of racing

LUNENBURG, N.S. – Canada Post is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the launch of Bluenose, the Nova Scotian schooner known as the Queen of the North Atlantic, with two new stamps.

Canada’s most recognized sailing vessel excelled at fishing and racing in the 1920s and 1930s. The schooner was born of a seafaring rivalry between two fishing communities: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, and Gloucester, Massachusetts. Competition over whose fishing vessels were the fastest led to the creation of the International Fishermen’s Trophy series in 1920.

Designed by naval architect William J. Roué of Dartmouth, N.S. and launched from Lunenburg’s Smith & Rhuland Shipyard on March 26, 1921, Bluenose was built to challenge the Americans, who had won the inaugural competition.

With Captain Angus J. Walters at the helm, Bluenose handily won the International Fishermen’s Trophy in 1921 and remained undefeated in four subsequent trophy series: 1922, 1923, 1931 and 1938.

CAPEX souvenir sheet

Featured on Canada’s 10-cent coin, adorning Nova Scotia’s current licence plate and immortalized in song by folk music legend Stan Rogers, Bluenose has appeared in four previous Canadian stamp issues (1929, 1982, 1988 and 1998). Generations of collectors consider the 1929 stamp one of the most beautiful ever issued in Canada.

”Bluenose” comes from a nickname for Nova Scotians dating back to the late 18th century.

Souvenir Sheet OFDC

About the stamps
The stamps by Halifax designers Dennis Page and Oliver Hill feature illustrations by Michael Little, who was inspired by the work of East Coast marine artist William E. deGarthe (1907-83). They feature two new designs: one portraying Bluenose fishing; the other competing in its first race in 1921. Printed by Colour Innovations, these Permanent™ domestic rate stamps are available in a booklet of 10, two souvenir sheets, a souvenir sheet Official First Day Cover and an uncut press sheet.

Stamps and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca [direct link] and postal outlets across Canada.

Canada Post video in English:

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
De nouveaux timbres soulignent le centenaire du Bluenose
La Reine de l’Atlantique Nord reste invaincue sur 17 ans de course

LUNENBURG, N.-É. – Postes Canada célèbre le centenaire de la mise à la mer du Bluenose, la goélette néo-écossaise surnommée la Reine de l’Atlantique Nord, avec le lancement de deux nouveaux timbres.

Navire le plus célèbre du Canada, le Bluenose, qui fascine le monde par ses prouesses dans les années 1920 et 1930, naît d’une rivalité en mer entre les communautés de pêcheurs de Lunenburg, en Nouvelle-Écosse, et de Gloucester, au Massachusetts. Cet esprit de compétition mène alors à la création de la série de courses de l’International Fishermen’s Trophy en 1920.

Conçu par l’architecte naval William J. Roué de Dartmouth, en Nouvelle-Écosse, et mis à la mer depuis le chantier naval Smith & Rhuland de Lunenburg le 26 mars 1921, le Bluenose voit le jour pour devancer les Américains, qui décrochent la victoire lors de la première édition du concours.

Avec le capitaine Angus J. Walters à la barre, la goélette remporte avec brio son premier trophée en 1921 et au cours des 17 années suivantes, elle reste invaincue quatre fois de suite, soit en 1922, en 1923, en 1931 et en 1938.

CAPEX souvenir sheet

Le Bluenose orne la pièce canadienne de 10 cents, figure sur la plaque d’immatriculation actuelle de la Nouvelle-Écosse et est immortalisé en chanson par la légende de la musique folk Stan Rogers; il est aussi en vedette sur quatre anciennes émissions de timbres de Postes Canada (1929, 1982, 1988 et 1998). Des générations de collectionneurs considèrent la vignette de 1929 comme l’une des plus belles émises au pays.

L’appellation « Bluenose » vient d’un surnom donné aux Néo-Écossais à la fin du XVIIIe siècle.

Souvenir Sheet OFDC

À propos des timbres
Les timbres par les designers haligoniens Dennis Page et Oliver Hill présentent des illustrations de Michael Little inspirées de peintures de William E. deGarthe (1907-1983), un artiste de la côte Est. Les deux nouveaux motifs montrent le Bluenose en expédition de pêche et lors de sa première course en 1921. Imprimés par Colour Innovations, ces timbres PermanentsMC au tarif du régime intérieur sont offerts en carnet de 10, sur deux blocs-feuillets, sur un pli Premier Jour officiel du bloc-feuillet et sur une planche non coupée.

Les vignettes et les articles de collection sont en vente sur le site postescanada.ca [direct] et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.

Video du Canada Post en Francaise:

Uncut Press Sheet

[press release – June 26th]
Canada Post to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Bluenose with new stamps

OTTAWA – Canada Post invites you to attend a virtual unveiling of new stamps to mark 100 years since the launch of Bluenose, Canada’s most recognized sailing vessel. Launched from the Smith & Rhuland Shipyard in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, in 1921, Bluenose excelled as a fishing and racing schooner. Today, Canadians continue to recognize Bluenose for its profile on Canada’s 10-cent coin. Join Canada Post’s webcast (link below) for the stamp unveiling on Tuesday, June 29 at 11 am, Atlantic Time (10 am, Eastern Time). Speakers will be in Ottawa and Lunenburg. Canada’s iconic stamp program shares stories that connect, unite and make Canadians proud.

WHAT: Unveiling of the Bluenose 100th anniversary stamps

WHO: Interview opportunities will be available with Alan Creaser, chair of the Bluenose 100 Committee, and Canada Post representatives.

WHERE: Speakers will be in Ottawa and Lunenburg.
Set a reminder for the webcast here.

WHEN: Tuesday, June 29 at 11 am, Atlantic Time (10 am, Eastern Time)

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Postes Canada souligne le centenaire du Bluenose avec l’émission de nouveaux timbres

OTTAWA – Postes Canada vous invite à assister au dévoilement virtuel des nouveaux timbres marquant le centenaire de la mise à la mer du Bluenose, le navire le plus célèbre du Canada. Le Bluenose est inauguré en 1921 au chantier naval Smith & Rhuland à Lunenburg, en Nouvelle-Écosse. La goélette excelle dans la pêche et la course. De nos jours, les Canadiens peuvent toujours admirer le Bluenose sur leurs pièces de 10 cents. Assistez au dévoilement des timbres en webdiffusion (lien ci-dessous) le mardi 29 juin à 11 h, heure de l’Atlantique (10 h, heure de l’Est). Des présentations auront lieu depuis Ottawa et Lunenburg. Le programme des timbres-poste canadien raconte les histoires d’ici qui relient et unissent les Canadiens et les rendent fiers.

QUOI: Dévoilement des timbres du centenaire du Bluenose

QUI: Il sera possible de réaliser des entrevues avec Alan Creaser, président du Bluenose 100 Committee, ainsi qu’avec des représentants de Postes Canada.

OÙ: Les présentateurs se trouveront à Ottawa et à Lunenburg.
Programmez un rappel pour la webdiffusion ici.

QUAND: Mardi 29 juin à 11 h, heure de l’Atlantique (10 h, heure de l’Est)

AFDCS Update on GASS Show (June 2021 Update)

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The following is an update on the Americover/Great American Stamp Show (GASS) to be held August 12-15, 2021 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. Please check the AFDCS (afdcs.org/show) and APS (stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show) websites on a regular basis as new information is being added on almost a daily basis.

Show hotels: the first two show hotels, the DoubleTree and Embassy Suites, are sold out. An additional block of rooms has been added at the Hilton Rosemont Chicago O’Hare hotel. See stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/travel for details. All show hotels are connected to the convention by a sky bridge.

Registration and Volunteers: all show attendees must register. Pre-registration is strongly recommended to avoid lines when the show opens. Pre-register at https://stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/preregistration. Register to volunteer at the show at https://stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/volunteer; it takes a lot of volunteers to run a show.

Safety: GASS will follow State of Illinois and Stephens Convention Center rules at the time of the show. If masks are required, they will be provided by the convention center. The bourse area will feature wider aisles and six-foot gaps between dealer booths.

Wednesday tour: due to uncertainty over what venues may be open in August, we will not have a pre-show tour this year. For those arriving early, the Rosemont C.T.A. subway station is a five-minute walk from the show hotels and provides service to the Chicago area attractions.

Hospitality Suite: we will have our usual hospitality suite Wednesday night through Saturday night. Location has not yet been finalized. We will again have our hospitality suite silent auction. Thanks to a number of generous donors, we already have the 128 lots of material. Due to time constraints, we will not hold a Live Fundraising Auction this year.

AFDCS Board of Directors meeting: the Board of Directors will meet at 8PM Wednesday August 11 at the Embassy Suites. This meeting is open to the public.

AFDCS Show Booth: as one of the host societies, the AFDCS will have a 10×42 foot booth immediate inside the show entrance. We will have AFDCS covers and publications for sale, including a new catalog of Carol Gordon first day covers written by Sue Jones.

Dealer bourse: 76 dealers and 4 postal administrations have signed up for the dealer bourse. This includes booths offering $1.00 covers. Booths are still available. Details at stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/dealer-booths.

Societies: in addition to the AFDCS, ATA and APS as show hosts, there are 30 society booths representing 40 societies. Over 50 societies will sponsor seminar and meetings at the show.

First day ceremonies: four first day ceremonies are scheduled for Thursday August 12. At 11AM, the USPS will issue eight stamps showing Backyard Games (the AFDCS will have a Dave Bennett designed cachet for the issue). At 1PM, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Denmark will issue souvenir sheets honoring famed engraver Czeslaw Slania. The souvenir sheets are engraved by Martin Morck, probably the best engraver today. Morck will be at the show to sign autographs. At 2PM, the Boston 2026 international stamp show will unveil a Cinderella honoring the show (with a cachet designed by Chris Calle). Finally, at 3PM, the United Nations Postal Administration will issue a $1.80 stamp honoring Mother Teresa; the stamp is also designed by Morck.

Exhibits: the Americover competition has 25 exhibits totaling 168 frames. The National Topical Stamp Show (NTSS) competition has 32 exhibits totaling 139 frames. The StampShow competition has 92 exhibits totaling 554 frames. Exhibits will also include the World Series of Philately and Most Popular Champion of Champions competitions. The Royal Philatelic Society of London will show 50 frames in the Court of Honor. Finally, there are 80 entries in the literature competition. Most award winners will be announced at a reception at 4PM Saturday August 14.

Seminars and Meetings: the AFDCS will host seminars on the Carol Gordon FDC catalog, FDC Show and Tell, Isle of Man FDCs, An FDC Exhibitors Wish List: Cachet Images that Tell the Story, 2021 First Day Ceremony Update and ACPS Catalog Update, and Collecting FDCs Topically. Meetings include the American Ceremony Program Society (ACPS) annual meeting and auction, Colorano collectors, 7-1-71 Affair chapter meeting and the annual cachet contest discussion. A schedule will be available on the AFDCS and APS websites shortly.

AFDCS President’s Banquet and Cachet Contest Results: the AFDCS President’s Banquet is scheduled for 7PM Thursday August 12. The winners of the 2020 AFDCS Cachet Contest will be announced during the banquet. Details are still being finalized; check the AFDCS website for updated information.

Co-host food events: The ATA President’s Reception will be Friday August 13 at a local restaurant. Tickets will be available on the ATA website shortly. The GASS Celebration Banquet is Saturday August 14 at 7PM at the Embassy Suites. The Americover, NTSS, and StampShow Grand, Reserve Grand, and Single Frame Grand awards will be announced at this event along with the World Series of Philately, Single Frame Champion of Champions and literature Grand/Reserve Grand awards winners. AFDCS, APS and ATA lifetime achievement award winners will be recognized. Tickets are $70.00 each and are currently available at classic.stamps.org/SS-Function-Tickets.

AFDCS Business and Membership Meeting: the AFDCS business and membership meeting will be held on Friday August 13 at 9AM. Depending on available connectivity, this meeting and other AFDCS events may be available via Zoom.

Cachetmaker Bourse: the cachetmaker bourse will be held on Saturday August 14 from 10AM to 4PM on the show floor adjacent to the USPS sales area. At present, ten cachetmakers have signed up with additional tables available. Signup information can be found at stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/cachetmakers.

Post-Convention Dinner: we will have our usual Sunday night dinner at a local restaurant. Details have not yet been finalized.

Foster Miller
Americover Show Chair
showinfo@afdcs.org

 

Below is a FDC collector-centric floorplan for the show, subject to change. Click for a larger view:

Experience Nature: Dune Residents (Netherlands 2021)

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[press release]
Dune Residents on New Dutch Stamps

The Hague, June 14, 2021 – The latest PostNL stamps have a well-deserved spot for the flora and fauna of Duin and Kruidberg. This pristine dune area in North Holland is part of the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park, which covers no less than 3800 hectares.

In the series Experience nature, PostNL will issue 4 stamp sheets this year with a total of 40 stamps. The stamps feature images of plants and animals from various Dutch nature reserves. Earlier it was the turn of the Dwingelderveld heath landscape (January 2) and the De Onlanden wetland area (February 22). The last issue of this year is about the park at the Haarzuilens city estate (August 16).

Bats in the Icehouse
The Duin en Kruidberg nature reserve is located in the South Kennemerland region in the province of North Holland. This vast dune area was the domain of the lords of Brederode for centuries. Nowadays Duin en Kruidberg is owned by Natuurmonumenten. Nature has now taken the place of the former inhabitants, with bats in the ice cellar and stinsen plants in the tree-lined avenues and roadsides.

Natural Monuments
The series Experience nature for 2021 was designed by graphic designer Frank Janse from Gouda. This year the leading role in the series is reserved for the flora and fauna of special Dutch nature reserves. Janse collaborated with nature conservation organization Natuurmonumenten in selecting them. For the stamp sheetlet Experience Nature – Duin en Kruidberg, he compiled a list of animals and plants, of which 10 eventually remained: dune fritillary, rabbit, fox, sea buckthorn, parnassia, fallow deer, nightingale, dune violet, common thyme and konik horse.

Relationship between flora and fauna
The names of the plants and animals often make it clear that they have a predilection for this environment. There are also often special relationships between the flora and fauna in this dune area. For example, the fox maintains the rabbit population, the dune violet prefers to grow in places where the rabbits leave their droppings and the dune violets are an important food source for the mother-of-pearl butterfly caterpillars.

Other vegetation
Designer Frank Janse has been able to put a special landscape on the stamps. “As a result of the salty sea air and the wind, you will encounter a completely different vegetation on these sandy soils than in the clay and peat area behind the dunes. From Santpoort-Zuid you walk or cycle for 5 kilometers through the dunes until you reach the sea. You then go through a rough landscape, with winding paths where you don’t encounter many people.”

Availability
The stamp sheet Experience nature – Duin en Kruidberg has 10 different stamps with the value indication Nederland 1, intended for mail up to and including 20 grams with a destination within the Netherlands. The stamps will be available from 14 June 2021 at all PostNL sales points, the post office in the Bruna stores and via www.postnl.nl/bijzondere-postzegels. The stamps can also be ordered by telephone from Collect Club’s customer service on 088 – 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite.Direct link for ordering these stamps

Typically Dutch: Terraced Houses (Netherlands 2021)

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[press release]
The terraced house is also really typically Dutch

The Hague, June 14, 2021- Nothing is quite as Dutch as the terraced house. No country in the world has as many terraced houses as our country. Three quarters of them date from after 1945. With the stamp sheetlet Typically Dutch – Terraced Houses, PostNL pays tribute to the type of housing where 60 percent of the Dutch feel at home.

In 2021, the Typically Dutch series will pay attention to housing types and facades that are characteristic of our country. Stamps have already been published about stolp farms, wooden houses, canal houses and houseboats. The latest postage stamps about terraced houses are the last in this year’s series.
The latest postage stamps about terraced houses are the last in this year’s series.

The newest stamps about townhomes are the last in the series this year.

Identical homes
Of the 7 million homes in our country, 4 million are listed. The origin of this type of house in the Netherlands lies in the identical houses in the courtyards, the first of which appeared at the end of the 15th century. Most terraced houses were built after the Second World War, the newest in the Vinex neighborhoods since 1995.

Brabant fortified town
The stamps Typically Dutch – terraced houses features a colorful illustration of modern terraced houses in an otherwise empty street. The young trees in front of the houses are in full leaf and the sky has a summery blue. The terraced houses on the stamps are in reality in the middle of the new neighborhood of Brandevoort in the west of Helmond. The center of Brandevoort is set up as an old fortified town in Brabant, with the accompanying city wall, canals and mansions.

Always just different
The designer of the stamps is Edwin van Praet, of Total Design in Amsterdam. In his search for terraced houses, he accidentally came across the photo of the houses in Brandevoort. “It is a colorful image, partly thanks to the sun screens,” says Van Praet. “Behind the facades, the houses are undoubtedly very similar, but the outside is always slightly different: the height, the rhythm of the windows, the type of doors, the color of the bricks.”

Historicizing Architecture
The typical mood that Van Praet evokes in his illustration is partly due to the fact that he hardly uses color gradients or shadows. The depth is in the landscape and the sky. Van Praet: “As far as atmosphere is concerned, this issue fits nicely into the series. The other housing types in the series are older, but due to the historicizing architecture of the terraced houses in Brandevoort, they still fit in well.”

Availability
The stamp sheetlet Typically Dutch – terraced houses has 6 equal stamps with the value indication Nederland 1, intended for mail up to and including 20 grams with a destination within the Netherlands. The stamps will be available from 14 June 2021 at the Bruna stores and via www.postnl.nl/bijzondere-postzegels. The stamps can also be ordered by telephone from Collect Club’s customer service on 088 – 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite.
Direct link for ordering this stamp

Prime Minister John Turner (Canada 2021)

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[press release] (video and specifications at bottom of page)

Canada Post honours the Rt. Hon. John Turner with new stamp
Canada’s 17th prime minister respected for his fairness and civility

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Canada Post unveiled a new stamp today to celebrate and honour the life of the Right Honourable John Napier Wyndham Turner (1929-2020), whose passion for public service had a lasting impact on Canada.

A Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, Turner earned a law degree before being elected to the House of Commons in 1962. He later became a key figure in the government of Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. As Canada’s justice minister, he brought in the Official Languages Act, saw through a series of important Criminal Code reforms, and proposed a national legal aid system. As finance minister, Turner stewarded Ottawa’s fiscal policy through the economic tumult of the 1970s.

booklet cover

In 1984, after an eight-year hiatus from politics, Turner staged a triumphant political comeback by winning the leadership of the governing federal Liberal Party. After Brian Mulroney’s Progressive Conservatives won the ensuing election, Turner continued to serve in Parliament as Opposition leader. He led his party through the 1988 campaign defined by the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement – which Turner called “the fight of my life.” He remained Liberal Party leader until 1990. Politicians on all sides respected Turner for his integrity, fairness and civility.

Later in his career, Turner practised law, served on several boards, advocated for conservation and urged young people to participate in the democratic process. “Democracy doesn’t happen by accident,” he often said. In 1994 Turner became a Companion of the Order of Canada and, in 2012, received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Turner died September 19, 2020, at the age of 91.

“This is a tremendous tribute to John, and an honour to our family to see his life’s work recognized in such a meaningful way,” says his widow Geills Turner. “The photo on the stamp is so special. I took it while we were sailing through a beautiful part of our country, in Haida Gwaii in 1985. It represents John and his spirit. It evokes the love he had for nature, for the water, for Canada.”

About the stamp
Designed by Paprika Design of Montréal, the stamp is based on a photograph chosen by the Turner family. The 1970 photo on the booklet and Official First Day Cover (OFDC) shows Turner as federal justice minister. The cancel on the OFDC is a reproduction of his signature.

Stamps and collectibles are available at the Canada Post website [direct link] and postal outlets across Canada.

Official FDC

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Postes Canada émet un nouveau timbre en l’honneur du très honorable John Turner
Le 17e premier ministre du Canada était respecté pour son souci d’équité et sa courtoisie

VANCOUVER, C.-B. – Postes Canada a dévoilé aujourd’hui un nouveau timbre soulignant la vie du très honorable John Napier Wyndham Turner (1929-2020), dont la passion pour le service public a profondément marqué le Canada.

Boursier de la fondation Rhodes de l’Université d’Oxford, John Turner obtient un diplôme en droit avant d’être élu à la Chambre des communes en 1962. Plus tard, il joue un rôle clé au sein du cabinet du premier ministre Pierre Elliott Trudeau. En tant que ministre de la Justice du Canada, il présente la Loi sur les langues officielles, met en place une série de réformes importantes duCode criminel, et propose un système national d’aide juridique. Par la suite, ses fonctions de ministre des Finances l’amènent à piloter la politique budgétaire d’Ottawa en réponse aux difficultés économiques des années 1970.

En 1984, après s’être éloigné de la vie politique pendant huit ans, John Turner fait un retour triomphant en étant élu chef du Parti libéral fédéral et en devenant premier ministre du Canada. Après la victoire du Parti progressiste-conservateur de Brian Mulroney, il reste sur la Colline comme chef de l’opposition. Il dirige son parti tout au long de la campagne de 1988, marquée notamment par l’Accord de libre-échange entre le Canada et les États-Unis, que l’homme politique qualifie de combat d’une vie. Il continue d’occuper la fonction de chef du Parti libéral jusqu’en 1990. Les politiciens de toute allégeance saluent son intégrité, son souci d’équité et sa courtoisie.

Par la suite, John Turner pratique le droit, siège à plusieurs conseils d’administration, milite en faveur de la protection de l’environnement et incite les jeunes à participer au processus démocratique. « La démocratie n’est pas le fruit du hasard », dit-il souvent. En 1994, il devient Compagnon de l’Ordre du Canada et en 2012, il reçoit la médaille du jubilé de diamant de la reine Elizabeth II. John Turner décède le 19 septembre 2020, à l’âge de 91 ans.

« C’est un hommage exceptionnel qui est rendu à John, et c’est un honneur pour notre famille de voir le travail de toute une vie souligné de manière aussi significative, dit Geills Turner, son épouse. La photo du timbre est très spéciale. Je l’ai prise pendant qu’on faisait de la voile dans la très belle région de Haida Gwaii, au Canada, en 1985. Elle représente John et son énergie. Elle évoque son amour de la nature, de l’eau et du Canada. »

À propos du timbre
Conçu par la maison montréalaise Paprika, le timbre s’inspire d’une photo choisie par la famille Turner. La photo de 1970 qui orne le carnet et le pli Premier Jour officiel (PPJO) montre le politicien alors ministre fédéral de la Justice. L’oblitération du PPJO est une reproduction de sa signature.

Le timbre et les articles de collection sont en vente sur le Postes Canada site [direct] et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.

U.S. Scott Catalogue Update (June 2021)

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Star Wars Droids

5573 (55¢) IG-11
a. Imperforate
5574 (55¢) R2-D2
a. Imperforate
5575 (55¢) K-2SO
a. Imperforate
5576 (55¢) D-O
a. Imperforate
5577 (55¢) L3-37
a. Imperforate
5578 (55¢) BB-8
a. Imperforate
5579 (55¢) C-3PO
a. Imperforate
5580 (55¢) Gonk Droid
a. Imperforate
5581 (55¢) 2-1B Droid
a. Imperforate
5582 (55¢) Chopper
a. Imperforate
b. Block of 10, #5573-5582
c. Imperforate block of 10, #5573a-5582a

Sealed With A Postal Clerk

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Here comes the bride — thanks to a postal clerk in Wasilla, Alaska, about 30 miles northeast of Anchorage. According to KTUU-TV, all the wedding invitations Crystle Lewis had mailed in early May had been returned because of insufficient postage.

The wax seal on the envelopes (see below) required extra postage.

Wasilla postal clerk Edward “Lee” Mayton (below right) saw the notice in her post office box, and realized no one had checked it in two weeks. He bought the needed the stamps himself and he and coworkers affixed them to the 50 invitations. They went out that night.

Lewis and her fiancé tried to repay Mayton, but he wouldn’t accept it. And he said he’d do it again.

Note that in the video, the postal clerk’s name is incorrect.

The front of the invitation package

Alex and Crystle

U.S. Seeks 3-Cent Hike

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Quick Summary:

  • Would take effect August 29, 2021
  • Domestic letters to 58¢
  • No change in additional ounces
  • Postcards to 40¢
  • Flats (non-rigid large envelopes) up 16¢, from $1.00 to $1.16 base
  • International one-ounce letters, up 10¢ to $1.30

[press release]
With Commitment to Affordability and Financial Sustainability, U.S. Postal Service Proceeds with Request for Postal Rate Change

  • Pricing actions part of balanced approach under “Delivering for America,” the Postal Service’s 10-year plan for achieving financial sustainability and service excellence
  • Following rate changes, USPS prices to remain among the world’s most affordable
  • Rate changes also contribute to $40 billion of investments in people, technology and infrastructure over the next 10 years to modernize and improve the Postal Service’s operations and customer experience
  • Rate adjustments in accordance with Postal Regulatory Commission approvals, helping to address USPS operating losses exacerbated by declines in mail volume

WASHINGTON, DC — As part of “Delivering for America,” its 10-year plan to achieve financial sustainability and service excellence, the United States Postal Service filed notice today with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) requesting price changes to take effect Aug. 29, 2021 that are in accordance with approvals provided by the PRC last year.

The proposed price changes would raise overall Market Dominant product and service prices by approximately 6.9 percent. First-Class Mail prices would increase by 6.8 percent to offset declining revenue due to First-Class Mail volume declines. In the past 10 years, mail volume has declined by 46 billion pieces, or 28 percent, and is continuing to decline. Over the same period, First-Class Mail volume has dropped 32 percent, and single piece First-Class Mail volume — including letters bearing postage stamps — has declined 47 percent.

“For the past 14 years, the Postal Service has had limited pricing authority to respond to changing market realities,” said Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy. “As part of our 10-year plan to achieve financial sustainability and service excellence, the Postal Service and the Board of Governors are committed to judiciously implementing a rational pricing approach that helps enable us to remain viable and competitive and offer reliable postal services that are among the most affordable in the world.”

The proposed Mailing Services price changes include:

Product Current Prices Planned Prices
Letters (1 oz.) 55 cents 58 cents
Letters additional ounce(s) 20 cents 20 cents (unchanged)
Letters (metered 1 oz.) 51 cents 53 cents
Domestic Postcards 36 cents 40 cents
Flats (1 oz.) $1.00 $1.16
Outbound Intl. Letters $1.20 $1.30

Under the current pricing model and the proposed rate change, the Postal Service still has some of the lowest letter-mail postage rates in the industrialized world and continues to offer a great value in shipping.

Single Piece Letter-Mail Postage Rates, International The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) of 2006 capped price increases for mailing services at the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The PAEA also required the PRC to evaluate the price cap system 10 years after the date of enactment and to modify or replace the system if it was not meeting the objectives of the law. The PRC recognized the price cap was a barrier to the Postal Service’s financial sustainability in December 2017, resulting in cumulative lost gross revenue opportunity of $55 billion. In May, the Postal Service reported a net loss of $82 million for the second quarter of 2021.

In November 2020, the PRC announced new rules on market-dominant prices, allowing above-CPI price increases on the basis of certain factors and allowing the Postal Service more flexibility in establishing prices for mailing services.

“November’s PRC ruling allows the Postal Service higher rate authority in establishing prices for mailing services,” said Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Joseph Corbett. “Aligning our prices for market-dominant products will allow us to grow revenue and help achieve financial sustainability to fulfill our universal service mission.”

With full implementation, the Postal Service’s 10-year plan is designed to reverse a projected $160 billion in operating losses over the next 10 years. The Plan’s growth and efficiency initiatives, including the proposed pricing changes, together with necessary legislation, should allow the Postal Service to make investments totaling approximately $40 billion over the next 10 years to modernize and improve our infrastructure to become more efficient and service responsive.

In 2020, the Postal Service delivered approximately 129.2 billion pieces of mail and packages to customers located in every state and territory, county, city, town and rural area in the nation.

The complete Postal Service price filings with prices for all products can be found on the PRC site. A fact sheet on the Postal Service’s rate change request is available here.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.