Author Archives: VSC

Anne Frank, 75 Years Later (Netherlands 2020)

Posted on by

[press release, via Google Translate]
Anne Frank, 75 Years Later

The Hague, March 23, 2020 – The Netherlands will commemorate the end of World War II in 2020, 75 years ago. With 4 gold stamps, PostNL pays attention to events that have left an indelible impression. Both to those who experienced it and to the next generations, to this day.

The Secret Annex
In the series End of World War II, the golden stamp Anne Frank, 1945 – 2020, appeared last Friday. It is 75 years ago that Anne Frank passed away. Thanks to Anne Frank’s diary, published after the war as Het Achterhuis, her name has become synonymous worldwide with the horrors of persecution.

Dear Kitty
The gold stamp contains a passport photo of Anne Frank from May 1942. Anne was 12 years old at the time. At the bottom of the photo you can read the salutation “Dear Kitty”. Kitty is the fictional friend to whom Anne Frank wrote many of her diary letters.

Gold Series
The stamp about Anne Frank is part of the series End of World War II. On January 23, the stamp about Operation Market Garden was already published, the attempt of the Allies in September 1944 to get hold of the bridges over Maas, Waal and Rijn in the Netherlands. The next stamp is about the liberation of the Netherlands. This will be released on May 5. The last stamp issue in the series is on August 15, the day that the Japanese army laid down its weapons in what was then the Dutch East Indies 75 years ago.

Anne Frank Foundation
The issue of the Anne Frank stamp, 1945 – 2020, was established in consultation with the Anne Frank House. This foundation manages the hiding place of Anne – Het Achterhuis – on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam and brings her life story to the attention worldwide.

Availability
The End of World War II series is available as long as supplies last, only through the website and from the Collect Club customer service on telephone number 088 – 868 99 00. The stamp contains value indication 1, intended for mail up to 20 grams with a destination within the Netherlands. The period of validity is indefinite.

[press release]
Anne Frank, 75 jaar later
Den Haag, 23 maart 2020 – Nederland herdenkt in 2020 het einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog, 75 jaar geleden. PostNL besteedt met 4 gouden postzegels aandacht aan gebeurtenissen die een onuitwisbare indruk hebben achtergelaten. Zowel op degenen die het meemaakten als op de volgende generaties, tot op de dag van vandaag.

Het Achterhuis
In de serie Einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog verscheen afgelopen vrijdag de gouden postzegel Anne Frank, 1945 – 2020. Het is dit jaar 75 jaar geleden dat Anne Frank overleed. Dankzij Anne Franks dagboek, na de oorlog uitgegeven als Het Achterhuis, is haar naam wereldwijd synoniem geworden met de verschrikkingen van vervolging.

Lieve Kitty
Op de gouden postzegel staat een paspoortfoto van Anne Frank uit mei 1942. Anne was toen 12 jaar oud. Onderaan de foto is de aanhef ‘Lieve Kitty’ te lezen. Kitty is de fictieve vriendin aan wie Anne Frank veel van haar dagboekbrieven schreef.

Gouden serie
De postzegel over Anne Frank maakt deel uit van de serie Einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Op 23 januari verscheen al de postzegel over de operatie Market Garden, de poging van de geallieerden in september 1944 om in Nederland de bruggen over Maas, Waal en Rijn in handen te krijgen. De volgende postzegel gaat over de bevrijding van Nederland. Deze komt op 5 mei uit. De laatste postzegeluitgifte in de serie is op 15 augustus, de dag dat 75 jaar geleden het Japanse leger in het toenmalig Nederlands-Indië de wapens neerlegde.

Anne Frank Stichting
De uitgifte van de postzegel Anne Frank, 1945 – 2020 is tot stand gekomen in afstemming met de Anne Frank Stichting. Deze stichting beheert de onderduikplek van Anne – Het Achterhuis – aan de Prinsengracht in Amsterdam en brengt haar levensverhaal wereldwijd onder de aandacht.

Verkrijgbaarheid
De serie Einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog is, zolang de voorraad strekt, uitsluitend verkrijgbaar via de website en bij de klantenservice van Collect Club op telefoonnummer 088 – 868 99 00. Op de postzegel staat waardeaanduiding 1, bedoeld voor post tot en met 20 gram met een bestemming binnen Nederland. De geldigheidstermijn is onbepaald.

Coronavirus Closures, Postponements, Cancellations

Posted on by

Most major stamp collecting shows in the U.S. in March, if not all, have been postponed or canceled. Many events in April and even May have already been affected.

The international show in Britain this year, London 2020, has been postponed to 2022.

The American Philatelic Society headquarters and the American Philatelic Research Library in Bellefonte, Pa., have been ordered closed, as part of Pennsylvania’s shutdown measures.

U.S. first-day (launch) ceremonies for new issues have been postponed or canceled, although the stamps are still being released and put on sale on schedule.

If you know of other schedule changes, please post them here as “comments.”

Meanwhile, there are many online philatelic activities. The Virtual Stamp Club‘s Facebook group has seen a surge recently in new-member requests. Give a visit for a more unstructured discussion.

Added April 1st: NAPEX 2020, scheduled for June 5-7, has been canceled, because Virginia has banned all public gatherings through June 10th.

Also canceled PIPEX (Pacific Northwest) May 8-10, Plymouth (Michigan) April 25-26, ROPEX (New York State) May 15-16, Rocky Mountain May 22-24, Westpex (California) April 24-26, Wiscopex May 2-3, Gulfpex April 17-18.

Postponed: Philatelic Show (Massachusetts) May 1-3 postponed to July 24-26, St. Louis Stamp Expo May 27-29 to August 14-16.

The APS is maintaining a comprehensive list on its website here.

Added March 27th: Gulfpex 2020, scheduled for April 17-18, has been canceled. It may be rescheduled in October. (Thanks to VSC member Lefty Dundee.)

Added March 23rd:

The U.S. Postal Service has canceled three first-day ceremonies for four stamps:

  • Contemporary Boutonniere and Garden Corsage (April 2, Crestwood, KY)
  • Earth Day (April 18, Denver, CO)
  • American Gardens (May 13, Winterthur, DE)

The stamps will still be issued (put on sale) on the first-day dates, listed above.

“Typically, Postal Service stamp events attract 200 or more attendees,” the USPS said in a press releae. “The Postal Service will try to reschedule the dedications at a later date.”

•

The American Philatelic Society is holding twice-daily live chats: •

Canada Post is making changes: “We will reduce hours of service, opening one hour later and closing one hour earlier to clean, restock and provide some relief to employees,” it said in a full press release, which you can find here.

Irish Women (Ireland 2020)

Posted on by

From the AnPost website:
Pioneering Irish Women
‘N’ Rate Strip of 5 Stamps

Irish women have long been pioneers and innovators both at home and abroad. Amongst the visionaries who encourage the continuation of their successes in a new generation of women in Ireland are:

  • Carmel Snow, pioneering Editor-in-Chief of Harpers Bazaar, was considered the most powerful fashion arbiter in America from the 1930s to the 1950s
  • Maureen O’Hara – actor, whose stellar Hollywood film career, spanning seven decades, led to an honorary Lifetime Academy Award in 2014 aged 94
  • Lilian Bland, who flew Ireland’s first powered biplane
  • Maeve Kyle – the first woman to represent Ireland at the Olympics, when she qualified for the sprints in Melbourne 1956
  • Sarah Purser – artist, in 1923 she became the first female member of the Royal Hibernian Academy

Technical Specifications:

Date of Issue: March 5, 2020
Value & Quantity: N Strip of 5 (238k)
Design: Design HQ
Size: 30mm x 51mm
Paper: TR 102gsm Yellow Green Phosphor PVA gum
Colour: Black with various spot colours
Make-up: Sheetlet of 15
Perforations: 14 x 13.25
Printing Process: Lithography
Printer: Royal Joh. Enschedé

More information here on the AnPost website.

Ireland’s 2020 Stamp Programme

Posted on by

From the AnPost website:
Each year An Post runs a programme of special and commemorative stamps on behalf of the Irish Government. We are now taking suggestions for the 2022 stamp programme.

This year the programme includes 51 stamps covering 14 different topics:

Issue Date Description Number of Stamps
23 January Galway and Rijeka – European Capitals of Culture 2020 2
30 Jan. Love and Marriage 1
20 Feb. War of Independence (Struggle for Sovereignty) 1
27 Feb. The Irish Abroad 5
5 March Pioneering Irish Women 5
9 April Centenary of the birth of Liam Cosgrave 1
23 April 25th Anniversary of Father Ted 4
11 June Ireland’s Pride Movement 2
25 June Ninth Definitive Series ‘A History of Ireland in 100 Objects’ – Phase IV 12
16 July EUROPA – Ancient Postal Routes 2
TBC Aug. GAA/County Colours 4
TBC Sept. War of Independence (Civil Society) 2
8 October U2 – A Celebration 4
29 Oct. Christmas 6
Total number of commemorative stamps, including definitives 51

Final Nail for Stamp Shows?

Posted on by

Final Nail in the Coffin for Stamp Shows?
by Lloyd A. de Vries

Is the coronavirus epidemic the final nail in the coffin for stamp shows? The short answer is no.

However, it may well be sounding the death knell for many shows. They were on life support before the large drops and outright prohibitions and restrictions on public gatherings and travel. Coronavirus, in effect, pulled the plug on them.

First, nearly all shows rely on dealers taking tables or booths. If dealers can’t travel, if dealers don’t want to sit in an enclosed area all day with people they don’t know passing through, and if dealers aren’t sure large numbers of people will attend a show, the show cannot afford to go on.

Second, many shows are staged by clubs, and rely on member volunteers for everything from taking tickets by the door to setting up frames and moving tables. These shows were already hurting for personnel, for myriad reasons that previously have been discussed here and elsewhere. Now the epidemic threat may further reduce the number of volunteers.

Third, some shows won’t be able to afford the costs of canceling this spring’s events. Most venues have cancellation penalties that may or may not be waived by the threat of disease or government restrictions to prevent contagion.

I just took a look at one of the contracts for a fairly recent past Americover, the annual show of the American First Day Cover Society until this year, when Americover becomes part of Great American Stamp Show (formerly the American Philatelic Society’s APS StampShow). Since the show was already held and the language was similar to that in other hotel/show contracts we had, I think I can quote from it.

That contract stipulated there would be no penalties for cancellation “upon the occurrence of any circumstance beyond the control of either party – such as acts of God, war, government regulations, disaster, strikes…, civil disorder, or curtailment of transportation facilities.” But does that include a state or national health emergency? Are those “acts of God?” Could a show sponsor afford the lawyers to argue the case against the venue’s lawyers?

Money spent in advance of a show on advertising, printing programs, signage and so on can’t be recouped, no matter what. How deep are the sponsor’s pockets?

Fourth, venues may not be as willing to book a stamp show as in the past, as they seek to make up for this spring’s downturn. A hotel can book four or more weddings — all with open bars and catering — in the period taken up by a stamp show. The prospect of the show being held every year and guaranteeing some income without the expense of attracting brides and their mothers may not seem as attractive after this year’s cancellations and retrenchments.

We saw hotels in particular less interested in offering discounts or even hosting shows after the Financial Meltdown in 2008. I think we’ll see more now, because the “leisure” industry is particularly hard hit by this epidemic.

My feeling is that strong shows will survive, but the weak ones won’t. We’ve seen that trend for the past several years. Now, in my opinion, it will accelerate. The APS once had an even three dozen World Series of Philately shows. Now there are 28. Next year…?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of any organization other than The Virtual Stamp Club.

ASDA Midwest Show Canceled (March 20-22)

Posted on by

Two days after sending out an announcement that the show was still on, the American Stamp Dealers Association reversed course on Friday, March 13th and sent this out: This was the earlier announcement:Other shows that have canceled are Springpex in Virginia, Westfield in New Jersey and Norwalk in Connecticut. The American Philatelic Society is keep a list on its website of canceled shows, here.

AFDCS Treasurer Fine After Tornado

Posted on by

American First Day Cover Society Treasurer Mark Thompson and his wife Linda are uninjured after the devastating tornadoes in central Tennessee March 3rd. However, a big tree fell on their house in East Nashville, crushing the two dormers. (Mark’s home office was up there.) The tree also ruptured the gas line, so power is cut in the neighborhood to any homes that might have still had it. East Nashville was one of the harder-hit areas of the city.

Some of his collection may have been damaged by the rain after the tornado opened the roof, but he believes his gold-medal exhibit, “Women of the Black Heritage Series,” is fine, “maybe a little dusty.”

That’s Mark above at the 2016 first-day ceremony in Nashville for Soda Fountain Favorites, and, as you can see, he was enjoying one of the stamp subjects.

Eric Knapp Joins Topical Association Board

Posted on by

[press release]
Eric Knapp Named to ATA Board

Eric Knapp of Anchorage, Alaska, has been named to fill an unexpired term on the American Topical Association board, through 2021.

Eric has been a stamp collector since he was nine years old. His grandmother, Blanch Snyder, was a stamp and coin collector. She had other grandchildren who were Scouts, and she knew about the Stamp Collecting and Coin Collecting merit badges. She got Eric started, he earned the merit badges and he has not stopped collecting.

Eric collects United States, the Baltic States and dabbles in Canada. He also collects Alaska Postal History, Scouts on Stamps and the occasional other thing that grabs his attention. He has exhibited at the local and national level. Most of his exhibiting has been related to the study of World War II in Alaska, but he is developing other exhibits.

He is a long-time member of the Anchorage Philatelic Society and has held several offices in the club. He is currently the secretary. He is secretary/treasurer of the Alaska Collectors’ Club and is also chairman of the board of the Northwest Federation of Stamp Clubs.

Dahlia (Canada 2020)

Posted on by

Issued: March 2, 2020

[press release]
Canada Post cultivates thoughts of spring with dahlia stamps
Popular wedding flower is a favourite with Canadian gardeners OTTAWA – Just in time to comfort the winter weary, Canada Post has released its annual flower stamp issue. This year’s offering features the colourful dahlia, a familiar standby for many Canadian gardeners.

Spikey, showy and uncomplicated, dahlias are part of the Asteraceae family, which includes sunflowers, daisies, chrysanthemums and zinnias. Single or double flowering, dahlias come in a rainbow of colours (except blue). Considered an annual in Canada, these robust plants will bloom in most parts of the country from mid-summer until the first frost. In the Victorian era, dahlias were exchanged by couples as a show of commitment. They are still widely used in weddings and are said to symbolize honesty, balance, inner strength, creativity, positive change and kindness. More recently, the dahlia has become symbol of diversity, given the seamless way each petal fits into the whole flower head.

The stamps are available in booklets of 10 – five of each of the two designs – with matching envelope seals, as well as in convenient coils of 50, offering 25 of each design, for use on wedding invitations and stationery. A two-stamp souvenir sheet is available for collectors, along with strips of four and 10 stamps from the coil. An Official First Day Cover featuring both stamps is cancelled in Bloomfield, N.L. The stamp was designed by Lionel Gadoury, Umaymah Motala and Malika Soin of Context Creative, with photography by Veronique Meignaud. The booklet, souvenir sheet and Official First Day Cover were printed by Canadian Bank Note and the coil by Lowe-Martin.

Stamps and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and at postal outlets across Canada.

Postes Canada annonce l’arrivée du printemps avec ses timbres sur le dahlia
Cette fleur très prisée par les jardiniers canadiens est souvent utilisée à l’occasion de mariages

OTTAWA – Juste à temps pour nous soulager des rigueurs de l’hiver, Postes Canada a lancé son émission de timbres annuelle sur les fleurs. Les vignettes de cette année mettent en vedette le coloré dahlia, l’une des fleurs préférées des jardiniers canadiens.

À la fois spectaculaire et simple, tout petit ou imposant et garni de pétales pointus, le dahlia appartient à la famille des astéracées, qui comprend le tournesol, la marguerite, le chrysanthème et le zinnia. Que ce soit en fleurs simples ou doubles, le dahlia existe dans un nombre infini de couleurs, à l’exception du bleu. Cette plante robuste, considérée comme une annuelle au Canada, fleurit dans la plupart des régions du pays du milieu de l’été jusqu’au premier gel. À l’époque victorienne, les couples s’échangeaient un dahlia comme promesse d’engagement. Encore très utilisée à l’occasion de mariages, cette fleur symbolise traditionnellement l’honnêteté, l’équilibre, la force intérieure, la créativité, le changement positif et la bonté. De nos jours, elle représente la diversité, en raison de la façon harmonieuse dont ses nombreux pétales forment la corolle.

Les timbres, offerts en carnets de 10 (5 de chacun des deux motifs) avec les sceaux d’enveloppe assortis, de même qu’en rouleaux de 50 (25 de chaque motif), se prêtent bien aux invitations de mariage et au papier à lettres en général. Les collectionneurs peuvent se procurer un bloc-feuillet de 2 timbres ainsi que des bandes de 4 et de 10 timbres du rouleau. Un pli Premier Jour officiel est également proposé, orné des deux motifs et rehaussé d’un cachet d’oblitération portant la mention « BLOOMFIELD NL ». Lionel Gadoury, Umaymah Motala et Malika Soin, de la maison Context Creative, signent le design et Veronique Meignaud, la photographie. Le carnet, le bloc-feuillet et le pli Premier Jour officiel ont été imprimés par Canadian Bank Note et le rouleau par Lowe-Martin.

Les timbres et autres articles de collection sont en vente à postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux d’un bout à l’autre du pays.

From Canada Post’s Details magazine: “In what has become a much-anticipated postal tradition, Canada Post welcomes spring with its annual flower issue – this year, featuring brightly coloured dahlias – just in time for the wedding season and other bloom-worthy celebrations.

“Dahlias can be found in almost every colour of the rainbow, except blue. Said to symbolize honesty, balance, inner strength, creativity, positive change and kindness, they have more recently come to be associated with diversity because of the seamless way their many petals form a single, dazzling blossom.

“According to Carolyn Cutt, President of the Hamilton & District Chrysanthemum & Dahlia Society, “Canadian gardeners enjoy dahlias for their long- blooming, show-stopping appeal, and because they provide a nectar source for pollinators until winter.”

“The fact that Victorian couples gave each other dahlias as a symbol of commitment may be a reason they’re still such a popular choice for wedding floral arrangements.”

Additional information will appear below the line, with the most-recent at the top.

Typically Dutch: Carrots (Netherlands 2020)

Posted on by

[press release, translated by Google and VSC]
Orange carrots: also so typically Dutch

The Hague, 25 February 2020 – Orange carrots really belong to our country. That is why they are depicted on the latest stamp sheet from the Typisch Nederlands series that PostNL is publishing today.

Separate aspects
Foreigners often find what is common for Dutch people very special. Those distinct aspects of our society are featured in the Typisch Nederlands [“Typically Dutch”] series by PostNL, of which the second stamp sheet has been released today. Typically Dutch is the successor of Mooi Nederland, a series that has been published for 15 years.

Willem van Oranje
The popularity of carrots in the Netherlands is mainly due to the color. Still, carrots have not always been orange, but white, yellow, red and even purple. In the sixteenth century, farmers in the Low Countries deliberately began to grow orange carrots. According to tradition it was to support Willem van Oranje [William of Orange] during the Uprising against Spain.

Heart
Typically Dutch carrots are designed by graphic designer Edwin van Praet from Total Design in Amsterdam. The photos are made by Scrambled Media, also from Amsterdam. Various formats and types of carrots were tested during the photo session. The medium-sized specimens proved to work best. Designer Van Praet: ìWe have placed them close together so that you can recognize a heart in it. With a little bit of green, because that is such a beautiful combination with orange. ”

Availability
The Typically Dutch – Carrots stamp sheet has 6 equal stamps with the value designation Netherlands 1, intended for mail up to and including 20 grams with a destination within the Netherlands. The stamps will be available from 24 February 2020 at the post office in the Bruna stores and via the website. The stamps can also be ordered by telephone from Collect Club customer service on telephone number 088 – 868 99 00. The period of validity is indefinite.