Author Archives: VSC

Steam Locomotives (UK 2025)

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Full Steam Ahead: Royal Mail Celebrates the Legacy of UK Steam Locomotion

  • Issue date: 25 September
  • As Britain marks 200 years of the modern railway, six stamps celebrate British steam locomotives and the development of UK railways
  • A further four stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, mark the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, in 1825
  • The stamps and a range of collectible products are available at www.royalmail.com/steamlocomotives and by telephone on 03457 641641

Royal Mail has released a striking new set of 10 stamps celebrating the rich heritage of British steam locomotives and the pioneering development of the UK’s railway network.
The main set features six iconic locomotives that helped to shape the history of rail travel in Britain:

  • Locomotion No. 1
  • Rocket
  • City of Truro
  • Mallard
  • Duchess of Hamilton
  • Evening Star

In addition, a miniature sheet containing four stamps, marks 200 years since the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR).
The miniature sheet includes:

  • Artwork depicting the opening of the S&DR, in 1825
  • A historic image of Locomotion No. 1 at Darlington, circa 1890
  • A commemorative postcard from the S&DR centenary in 1925
  • A photograph of a replica Locomotion No. 1 from 1975

Royal Mail worked closely with the National Railway Museum and Darlington Council on the stamp issue.

Steam Locomotives:
The steam locomotive was the machine that enabled the Industrial Revolution to advance, moving goods and people around the United Kingdom as never before. Key to its development were Richard Trevithick and the father-and-son team of George and Robert Stephenson. Trevithick was the first to have a steam locomotive pull a train, while George Stephenson designed both locomotives and the routes on which they could run.

The main line of the S&DR, which opened in 1825 using the engine that came to be known as Locomotion, was powered by steam locomotives from the start. Four years later, Robert Stephenson created the prize-winning locomotive Rocket, which proved steam’s worth at the Rainhill Trials for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Steam locomotives became key to that enterprise’s financial success, prompting the rapid development of powered railways across the country.

With each passing decade, faster, heavier and more powerful locomotives were developed, including City of Truro, which was unofficially timed at 102mph (161km/h) in 1904 (the first official UK record, achieved in 1934, belongs to Flying Scotsman). This trend saw its culmination in very fast express passenger locomotives such as Mallard, as well as powerful heavy-freight engines in use on goods trains through to the 1960s, epitomised by British Railways’ last completed steam locomotive, Evening Star.

David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy, Royal Mail, said: “To coincide with the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, Royal Mail is releasing a set of stamps honouring Britain’s enduring legacy of steam locomotion. This stamp issue captures the spirit of an era that transformed travel and trade forever.”

Craig Bentley, Director, National Railway Museum, said: “We are delighted to have collaborated with Royal Mail to develop this special set of stamps with images of these iconic steam locomotives and to share with the nation in this celebration of railway history.

Mike Crawshaw, Head of Heritage and Culture, Darlington Borough Council, said: “We are truly honoured and thrilled with these commemorative stamps that celebrate the importance of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR). They beautifully capture the spirit and significance of the S&DR and Locomotion No.1, and we’re proud to see this moment celebrated in such a meaningful and lasting way.”

The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available www.royalmail.com/steamlocomotives and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 10 stamps is priced at £17.90. The stamps went general sale from 25 September.

USPS: No January 2026 Rate Hike

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service Announces No Stamp Price Changes for January 2026

  • Postmaster General David Steiner confirms no price increase for Market Dominant products in January 2026
  • Delivering For America plan continues progress in controlling costs
  • Postal Service prices remain among the most affordable in the world

WASHINGTON — A recommendation by Postmaster General David Steiner not to raise prices in January 2026 for Market Dominant products, which includes First-Class Mail, was accepted by the governors of the United States Postal Service. The price of a stamp to mail a 1-ounce single-piece First-Class letter will not increase in early 2026.

The Postal Service’s operational strategies are designed to maintain cost efficiency, boost service reliability and overall productivity.
“We continually strive to balance our pricing approach both to meet the revenue needs of the Postal Service and to deliver affordable offerings that reflect market conditions,” Steiner said. “We have therefore decided at this time to forgo a price change for First-Class Mail postage and other Market Dominant services until mid-year 2026.”

The Postal Service continues to work toward delivering on the tenets of our strategic 10-year plan, Delivering for America, and executing our public service mission — to provide a nationwide, integrated network for the delivery of mail and packages at least six days a week — in a cost-effective and financially sustainable manner over the long term, just as the U.S. Congress intended and the law requires.

The Postal Service also remains committed to continued cost-saving measures and keeping products and services affordable. We continue to take a very considered approach to pricing and note that only a handful of countries around the world offer a lower price for a domestic single-piece letter.

USPS Adds Holiday Shipping Service Surcharges

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service Announces Temporary Price Change for 2025 Holiday Shipping Season

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service filed notice today with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) regarding a temporary price change for some package services for the 2025 peak holiday season. This temporary price adjustment is to help cover extra handling costs to ensure a successful peak season.

The planned peak-season pricing, which was approved by the governors of the Postal Service on Aug. 7, would affect prices on the following retail and commercial domestic competitive parcels: Priority Mail Express (PME), Priority Mail (PM), USPS Ground Advantage, and Parcel Select. No other products or services would be affected. Pending favorable review by the PRC, the temporary rates would go into effect at midnight Central on Oct. 5 and remain in place until midnight Central on Jan. 18, 2026.

This seasonal adjustment will bring prices for the Postal Service’s retail and commercial customers in line with competitive practices.

As a strategic part of the Delivering for America 10-year plan, these temporary changes will support the Postal Service in creating a revitalized organization capable of achieving our public service mission — providing a nationwide, integrated network for the delivery of mail and packages at least six days a week — in a cost-effective and financially sustainable manner over the long term, just as the U.S. Congress has intended.

The planned price changes include:

Priority Mail Flat Rate

  • $1.45 for Large Flat Rate Boxes.
  • $0.90 for all other Flat Rate Products.

Priority Mail Express Flat Rate

  • $2.00 increase for Flat Rate Envelopes.

[For other rates (not retail, not flat-rate) see the USPS Rate Calculator.}

Notably, the Postal Service has some of the lowest mailing rates in the industrialized world and continues to offer great values in shipping.

2025 Children’s Stamps: Playing Together (Netherlands 2025)

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Jan van Haasteren designs Children’s Stamps 2025 and brings playing together to life

More than 100,000 children from grades 7 and 8 started going door-to-door on September 24.

Renowned cartoonist Jan van Haasteren has designed the 2025 Children’s Stamps. For the first time in years, Van Haasteren has designed them himself, making this stamp sheet extra special. This year’s Children’s Stamp campaign focuses on “Together Against Loneliness,” and the colorful illustration of a sandbox full of playing children powerfully brings the message of playing together and being connected to life. The 2025 Children’s Stamp campaign officially launched September 24.

Cheerful design with hidden jokes
The stamp sheet is designed in the recognizable Van Haasteren style:
colorful, friendly, and accessible, with humor that sometimes veers towards the absurd. The sheet consists of five stamps depicting twelve children playing, reading, and having fun together. Unexpected animals appear among them, from an octopus and a snake to a turtle, a snail, and a dog. As always with Van Haasteren, countless humorous details are hidden. Van Haasteren himself calls it special that his artwork is now featured on stamps: “I’ve been blessed with some of the greatest artists: Dick Bruna, Marten Toonder, Jan Kruis, and Joost Swarte, for example. I’m honored to be included in this list.”

Together against loneliness
The theme of the 2025 Children’s Stamp Campaign is “Together against loneliness.” In the Netherlands, 1 in 10 children feels lonely every day. This means that in every classroom, an average of 2 to 3 children often or always experience loneliness. Kinderpostzegels is committed to helping these children find a safe place, access to sports and play, and the support of a buddy to share their stories with.

Availability
The Kinderpostzegels were sold door-to-door from September 24th to October 1st, 2025, by over one hundred thousand children in grades 7 and 8. Starting October 6th, 2025, the stamps are also available, while supplies last, at Bruna, through the PostNL website, and on the Kinderpostzegels website. They can also be ordered by phone through Collect Club customer service: 088 – 868 99 00. A sheet of five stamps costs €9.80.

Since 1924, PostNL has been issuing children’s stamps to support the Children’s Stamps mission: promoting equal development opportunities for children, both in the Netherlands and internationally. Proceeds from the annual Children’s Stamps campaign help fund projects that strengthen children’s resilience.

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

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

Truth & Reconciliation: Bentwood Box (Canada 2025)

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
New Truth and Reconciliation stamps focus on the Bentwood Box
Survivors Circle of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation selected the Bentwood Box as the subject for this year’s stampsSee our note below about this issue’s availability. —VSC

WINNIPEG, MB, Sept. 29, 2025 /CNW/ – In commemoration of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Canada Post today released new stamps featuring the Bentwood Box as a tribute to Survivors and a symbol of healing, reconciliation and hope.

The stamps present the Bentwood Box created by Coast Salish artist Luke Marston for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada in 2009. The box travelled with the TRC to its eight national events throughout Canada. People placed personal and often sacred items in it to symbolize their spiritual journey toward healing and as gestures of truth and reconciliation. Photographs, reports, books, drums, knitted baby blankets and beaded regalia were among the thousands of items put in the box.

Bentwood box traditional uses
Bentwood boxes are traditional to Canada’s Northwest Coast. Indigenous communities used them as storage boxes for food, medicine or ceremonial regalia, water buckets, burial boxes, canoe tackle boxes and drum boxes. The boxes were also used to steam or cook food by filling them with water and adding hot stones from a fire.

Master carver Luke Marston
Coast Salish artist Luke Marston – a master carver from the Stz’uminus First Nation on Vancouver Island – steamed, bent and carved the box in the traditional style from a single piece of sacred old-growth red cedar. Marston is from a family of carvers and his art is deeply influenced by the stories, traditions and natural environment of his Coast Salish heritage.

Canada Post’s video with Marston:

Partnership with the Survivors Circle
Canada Post continued its partnership with the Survivors Circle of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) to create this fourth issue of its Truth and Reconciliation stamp series. Canada Post thanks the Survivors Circle for their guidance and for choosing the Bentwood Box for the series. The partnership helps ensure that the perspectives and voices of Survivors remain central to the stamp creation process.

About the stamps
The issue includes three unique stamps (available in a booklet of six) and an Official First Day Cover (OFDC). Each of the three stamps features a different side of the Bentwood Box reflecting the distinct cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis from across the country, and their children who attended residential schools.

On the stamp depicting the front panel of the box, crosses represent the churches that ran residential schools (with the federal government), while raised hands symbolize the helplessness felt by parents when their children were taken away from them and sent to residential schools.

Another stamp features a panel on the box that relates Inuit experiences at residential schools. The northern lights and stars in the background represent Inuit ancestors and teachings. Students were separated from this knowledge while at residential schools.

On the third stamp, a panel depicts student experiences from the Prairies and Eastern Canada. The infinity symbol, found on the Métis flag, acknowledges the Métis children who were taken to residential schools.

The back of the Bentwood Box features the Thunderbird, which is shown on the back of the OFDC [below] and inside the booklet. The carving of the Thunderbird proclaims the strong voices of Indigenous Peoples, which are essential to reconciliation. The stamps are cancelled in Winnipeg, the location of the NCTR and where the Bentwood Box is housed today. Stamp products are available at canadapost.ca and at select postal outlets across Canada.

Note: Although Canada Post was on strike when these stamps were issued, Virtual Stamp Club member Derwin Mak reports that they were available for sale and FDCs could be postmarked at “contract” post offices, that is, post office counters not operated by CPC. He prepared the FDC shown on the right here. Click on the picture to see a bigger version.

Canada Post’s video with Eugene Arcand of the Survivors Circle, National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation:

AFDCS Chooses BALPEX for Its 2026 Convention

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[press release]
AFDCS Chooses BALPEX for Its 2026 Convention

The American First Day Cover Society, the world’s largest not-for-profit FDC collecting organization, will hold its Americover 2026 exhibition and annual convention in conjunction with BALPEX 2026, the Maryland World Series of Philately show. The dates are August 7-9, at the BWI Airport Marriott Hotel in Linthicum Heights, Md.

For the past four years, Americover has been part of Great American Stamp Show, of which the AFDCS is a co-sponsor with the American Philatelic Society and American Topical Association. However, “GASS” will not be held in 2026 because of the Boston 2026 international exhibition and the AFDCS decided it wanted to continue its streak of 71 consecutive annual conventions.

That means the hotel will be hosting two WSP exhibitions that weekend, BALPEX’s and Americover. A single jury will judge both.

The Baltimore Philatelic Society has sponsored the BALPEX show and exhibition since the 1930s. Its 2017 Grand Award exhibit, “Colonial Central America” by James Mazepa, won the APS Champion of Champions competition for that year. The BWI Airport Marriott has a free shuttle from the airport and there is a free shuttle from the Amtrak BWI station to the airport.

From 1993 to 2019, the AFDCS held Americover as an independent show at locations around the country. It became a World Series of Philately exhibition in 2005. Although it will have a booth, meetings and seminars at Boston 2026, “we felt holding Americover at BALPEX would be a better fit for us than the International,” said AFDCS president Lloyd A. de Vries.

“We are happy to have the AFDCS join us for BALPEX 2026, and look forward to a great show,” said Richard Taschenberg, BALPEX exhibits chairman and program coordinator.

The American First Day Cover Society is a not-for-profit educational organization. It publishes its bimonthly award-winning journal First Days as well as handbooks and catalogues and maintains a YouTube channel. The AFDCS also promotes the collecting of both modern and “classic” issues and cachets, as well as exhibiting FDCs. It offers awards for outstanding first day cover exhibits and an annual contest for cachetmakers, and is a co-host of the annual Great American Stamp Show.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 57, Somerset, WI 54025-0057.

Bumper Crop of Candidates for AFDCS Board

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Eight members are running for the four open seats on the American First Day Cover Society’s 2025 election, only three of whom are incumbents. The ballots are now in the mail to members.

The winners of the election will serve three-year terms, beginning January 1, 2026. In addition, the fifth-place finisher will immediately join the Board to fill a vacancy caused by a resignation. Directors and officers receive no compensation for their service and are not reimbursed for expenses related to serving on the Board.

The election is only being conducted by mail; there is no online voting. Because of Pandemic-related problems, the first separate election mailing was distributed in 2020, and turnout was so much better than in previous elections that the AFDCS decided to continue the practice.

The candidates are Steven Ripley, an event and emergency coordinator from Florida; Shirley Ulling from California, a school transportation worker before retirement; Walter Douglas George, a retired supermarket executive from Massachusetts; Chris Calle, a professional artist who lives in Connecticut; Bobby Liao, retired software executive from California; Lloyd de Vries of New Jersey, a retired broadcast journalist; Jim Tatum, a former television and film professional; and Michael Moticha from California, a career Army officer. Tatum, de Vries and Moticha are incumbents.

After the results of the board election are known, the Directors will choose officers for the next calendar year — president, executive vice president, first vice president, treasurer and recording secretary — as well as a chair of the Board.

The American First Day Cover Society is a not-for-profit educational organization. In addition to its journal First Days, the AFDCS also publishes handbooks and catalogues, and promotes the collecting of both modern and “classic” issues and cachets, as well as exhibiting FDCs. It offers awards for outstanding first day cover exhibits and an annual contest for cachetmakers, and is a co-host of the annual Great American Stamp Show.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 57, Somerset, WI 54025-0057.

Scott Catalogue Update (September 2025)

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UX649 Schooner postcard
UY56 Schooner reply postcard

6023 250 Years of Delivering
a. post office loading dock
b. customers at post office entrance
c. equestrian statue
d. dogs and their walkers
e. coffee shop entrance
f. USPS driver waves
g. park bench
h. people and animals
i. carrier accesses blue curbside collection box
j. balloons at rooftop party
k. carrier at apartment cluster box
l. restaurant customers wave
m. carrier accesses green USPS relay box
n. Next Generation Delivery Vehicle in profile
o. bookstore entrance
p. USPS carrier checks her watch
q. carrier delivers to man at old house
r. winter tree
s. crowd of pedestrians in street
t. carrier holds child at home

6024 Benjamin Franklin

6025-8 SpongeBob SquarePants
6025 Bikini Bottom characters Sandy Cheeks, Patrick Star, Plankton, Mr. Krabs, SpongeBob, Gary, and Squidward Tentacles
6026 SpongeBob face with mouth open
6027 SpongeBob face with mouth closed
6028 SpongeBob and Patrick

Cachet Winners: It Runs In The Family

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Awards in the recent American First Day Cover Society cachetmaking contest for 2024 issues went to three mother-daughter pairs and one father-mother-daughter family unit. We also missed a grandfather/granddaughter combo at first, because of the difference in last names.

And the top award went to a brother-sister collaboration: Doug George and his sister Jennifer MacLellan, both of Massachusetts, produced what the judges decided was the best cachet of the year, a first day cover that was a booklet with a tiny embroidered baseball jersey for the Hank Aaron issue. It was also the winner in the Esoteric category. (Photo on the left.)

Marrah Reichert who tied for first place in the Juniors 10 and Under category, is Kevin Colton‘s granddaughter. Last year, he won the overall Top Cachet award. This year, his Holiday Joy FDCs won second in Se-Tenant Covers, third for the Big Dog Race in Event Covers, and he continued his domination of Foreign Covers with first- and second-place wins. But that’s Marrah’s Lunar New Year FDC shown here. She’s now 11 but was 10 when she produced this cachet.

Carolyn Marks designed the Miscellaneous Medium category winner for Shaker Design, while daughters Annajoy and Katelyn took home their own plaques for Juniors Ages 11 to 17 for, respectively, Bluegrass and Pinback Buttons. That’s Annajoy, Katelyn and Carolyn, left to right, in the photo.

Mother Amy Scolieri won Rookie of the Year honors, while daughter Genivieve placed second in Juniors Ages 10 and Younger. That’s Amy and Genivieve in the photo. Father Gregory Scolieri won second and third in Hand-Drawn/Hand-Colored/Hand-Painted. (His photo is below.)

Tricia Richmond won in the Printed Artwork/Design, Multicolored and Noncommercial categories, while adult daughter Darcy Richmond took second place Miscellaneous Medium and third in Noncommercial. The Richmonds were not able to attend Americover/Great American Stamp Show 2025, where the awards were presented.

There’s even a father-daughter connection of sorts. Arianna Calle, now a college student, has won in the Junior categories in the past. This year, she placed second in the Hand-Colored/Hand-Painted and Printed from Original Artwork, first and second in Hand-Colored/Hand-Painted and Printed from Non-Original Artwork, and first in the Printed/Single-Color. Her father Chris provided the artwork for the second-place Event cover of the year. (Chris ran the contest, but swears he did not get involved in Arianna’s categories. But he did get to flash a big smile while holding two of her awards.)

Back to that George family: Doug won first and third in the Hand-Colored/Hand-Painted and Printed from Original Artwork category, second and a tie for third in single-color, first place on his own in Duck covers and third in a collaboration in that category, and first and third in the Se-Tenant issues category. Sister Jennifer, on her own, won third place in Esoteric.

“Both my sister and I were shocked and amazed that we won the Top Cachetmaker award this year,” Doug told The Virtual Stamp Club. “Just being able to work with my brother and connect and learn from him is rewarding enough,” added Jennifer.

“The Hank Aaron booklet design was all Doug’s idea,” she said. ” It was great to see his vision come together.”

The Hank Aaron FDC combines her embroidery wizardry with other cachetmaking techniques.

We promised you a photo of Gregory Scolieri, here receiving his award from competition chair Chris Calle.

You can see the complete (illustrated) list of winners here on The Virtual Stamp Club, starting here.

Photos courtesy of Doug George.

McFarlane Book Wins AFDCS Literature Award

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Press Release
McFarlane Exhibiting Book Wins AFDCS Ward Award

First Day Cover Philatelic Exhibiting: A Master Class by Andrew McFarlane is the 2024 winner of the American First Day Cover Society’s annual Philip H. Ward, Jr., Memorial Award for Excellence in First Day Cover Literature. It also won the Grand Award in the 2025 Great American Stamp Show literature competition as well as a large gold. The more than 500-page book was published by Exhibitors Press and is available on Amazon in both hardcover and paperback editions. Autographed copies may be ordered from his website.

The first four volumes of Kenneth M. Stern’s ongoing series of catalogues of Walter G. Crosby First Day Covers, covering 1928 through 1943, was the runner-up. The fifth and final volume, 1944 through 1949, was published earlier this year. All are also available on Amazon and Stern publishes updates on his website.

“It’s an honor even to be considered,” said McFarlane. “Receiving the award goes beyond anything I’d ever dreamed.”

As an exhibitor, he has won more than seven national exhibition Grand Awards, including that of the American First Day Cover’s Americover in 2005, 2011 and 2013. McFarlane, an IT consultant, also is the recipient of the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors’ Diamond Award for multi-frame exhibiting. He lives in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains with his wife Caroline.

Philip Henry Ward, Jr., began servicing first day covers in 1909. An electrical engineer by trade, he wrote on new issues for The American Philatelist, Mekeel’s Weekly Stamp News and The Weekly Philatelic Gazette in the early 20th century.

The American First Day Cover Society is a not-for-profit educational organization. In addition to publishing its journal First Days, the AFDCS also publishes handbooks and catalogues, and promotes the collecting of both modern and “classic” issues and cachets, as well as exhibiting FDCs. It offers awards for outstanding first day cover exhibits and an annual contest for cachetmakers, and is a co-host of the annual Great American Stamp Show.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 57, Somerset, WI 54025-0057.