Penner Confirmed as U.S. Stamps Chief

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pennerOne year to the day after she was appointing Acting Director of Stamp Services for the U.S. Postal Service, Mary-Anne Penner has been promoted to Director, Stamp Services.

The appointment was made by Chief Marketing and Sales Officer and Exec. Vice President Jim Cochrane on Friday, April 22, 2016.

As you will read in the VSC post from one year ago, Penner has had a variety of management positions within the USPS. Since her appointment as Acting Director, she has been very visible at stamp shows and very accessible to collectors.

 

 

Queen’s 90th Birthday (UK 2016)

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[press release; newest material at the end]
Royal Mail Marks The 90th Birthday Of Hm The Queen With Specially Commissioned Family Portrait uk_4generations

  • Royal Mail celebrates the 90th birthday of HM The Queen with ten Special Stamps
  • A Stamp Sheet features four generations of the House of Windsor, photographed for Royal Mail by Ranald Mackechnie
  • The specially commissioned family portrait was taken in the summer of 2015 in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace. It features HM The Queen, HRH The Prince of Wales, HRH The Duke of Cambridge and HRH Prince George of Cambridge. This is the first time Prince George has appeared on a Royal Mail stamp
  • A further six Special Stamps are issued: three stamps focus on Her Majesty’s family life, and three honour The Queen’s official work for the country
  • The set includes images of The Queen: with her father; attending the State Opening of Parliament in 2012; with Princess Anne and Prince Charles in 1952; visiting New Zealand in 1977; with The Duke of Edinburgh in 1957; and with Nelson Mandela in 1996
  • Today, The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, will visit the Royal Mail Windsor delivery office on William St, Windsor. This visit will mark the 500th Anniversary of the Postal Service
  • Her Majesty will be presented with the first in a limited numbered edition of 90 framed sets that bring together stamps issued to mark significant achievements of HM The Queen over the years
  • The Queen is the longest reigning UK monarch and also the oldest reigning monarch in the world
  • The stamps are available to pre-order from today at www.royalmail.com/hmq90 and available to purchase from 8,000 Post Offices from 21 April

Royal Mail today celebrates the 90th birthday of HM The Queen with ten new stamps.

Photographed by Ranald Mackechnie in the summer of 2015 for Royal Mail, the specially commissioned Stamp Sheet features a family portrait of four generations of the House of Windsor: HM The Queen, HRH The Prince of Wales, HRH The Duke of Cambridge and for the first time on a Royal Mail stamp, HRH Prince George of Cambridge. The photograph was taken in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace.

The perforations in the Stamp Sheet are positioned to create a postage stamp for each member of the Family.

uk_queen90thThe six Special Stamps celebrate HRH The Queen’s birthday with three stamps focusing on Her Majesty’s family life, and three honouring The Queen’s official role.

The family stamps include an image of The Queen with her children, the young Prince Charles and Princess Anne. A stamp with the Duke of Edinburgh marks their long partnership. This is also the first time Royal Mail has issued a stamp featuring The Queen with her father.

The three remaining stamps mark The Queen’s official duties: as Head of State for the opening of Parliament; as Head of the Commonwealth where she is depicted with Nelson Mandela; and on a state visit to New Zealand. The images represent more than 100 state visits made worldwide by Her Majesty since her accession.

Today, The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, will visit the Royal Mail Windsor delivery office on William St, Windsor. This visit will mark the 500th Anniversary of the Postal Service.

Her Majesty will be presented with the first in a limited numbered edition of 90 framed sets that bring together stamps issued to mark significant achievements of HM The Queen over the years.

About the photograph:uk_4generationsRoyal Mail had to consider a number of factors in the planning of the photoshoot.

Photographer Ranald Mackechnie, was chosen due to his excellent use of light in his work and specialist portrait skills. Ranald had worked with the Royal Mail design team many times; however, this was the first time his work would feature on a stamp.

The team looked at a range of rooms within the Palace and originally selected the Yellow Drawing Room as it was the preferred choice of the photographer. However, after reviewing the initial test shots, the team felt that the White Drawing Room would best capture the sense of this special portrait, without overpowering the actual photograph.

Another challenge was the height difference within the group.8,000 Post Offices from 21 April

For both aesthetic and technical reasons Prince George couldn’t be positioned much lower within the photograph. The position of each portrait within the miniature sheet was critical due to tight technical constraints.

uk_blocksThe team undertook an initial recce of locations within the Palace and then conducted two half-day test shoots using the high density foam blocks that Ranald has as part of his kit. This ensured the shot could be composed as much as possible prior to the final shoot, which took about 25 minutes.

Using the blocks enabled the Prince to be lifted into the frame so it was a more intimate grouping.

More from Royal Mail:

Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of York was born into a world where memories of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, were still fondly held, at a time when the First World War remained painfully fresh in people’s minds.

Little more than 25 years later, the Princess would become Queen. In time, she would see it all for herself, as no other monarch has visited more countries or met more of her subjects than Queen Elizabeth II. As the longest-reigning sovereign in British history marks her 90th birthday, the Kingdom that she represents is very different from the one she inherited in 1952. But whatever the changes or upheavals, there has always been one constant at the heart of national life – The Queen herself.

Most British people did not imagine that the newborn daughter of The Duke and Duchess of York would, one day, be their Queen. Born on 21 April 1926, Princess Elizabeth was joined by a sister, Princess Margaret Rose, in August 1930. The girls enjoyed a happy childhood, alternating between London, Windsor, Sandringham and Balmoral – much as Her Majesty does today. Their lives, though, would be transformed by the abdication crisis of 1936, and the subsequent coronation of King George VI. The pressures on them were soon compounded by the Second World War, during which the whole family would become a symbol of national fortitude. Come the hard-won victory, the strain of office had taken a heavy toll on George VI.

Princess Elizabeth’s marriage to Philip Mountbatten in November 1947 was a welcome cause for national celebration, as was the arrival of a son and heir, Prince Charles, a year later. But the young couple were soon required to assume more and more of The King’s duties. In February 1952, his early death handed the crown to a 25-year-old mother-of-two. Royal duties would inevitably place great demands on the young Queen but there was always time for family life, especially after the birth of two more children.

Little more than 13 years after the birth of her youngest child, Prince Edward, The Queen would become a grandmother in her Silver Jubilee year, following the birth of Princess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips. Today, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are proud great-grandparents five times over.

Queen of the UK and 15 Commonwealth nations, Her Majesty is the epitome of duty and regal authority in public, while in private she is seldom happier than when surrounded by her family, preferably in the countryside.

Like her favoured surroundings, her interests and passions have changed little over the years. The monarch who loves blending in with the crowd at the Royal Windsor Horse Show every spring is as enthusiastic as the young Princess who won her first competition at the same event as a teenager. The eagle-eyed racegoer scanning the field at Ascot or Epsom is as well informed as the expert breeder who was Britain’s leading racehorse owner in 1954.

From childhood to the present day, dogs have also been an ever-present feature of The Queen’s life. Welsh corgis are a particular favourite, as well as a corgi-dachshund cross known as a ‘dorgi’. Less well known, perhaps, is her skill at working the gundogs that she breeds at Sandringham, some of which have gone on to be champions. Her love of animals is also reflected in her taste in art, for as well as being custodian of the treasures in the Royal Collection, The Queen is an enthusiastic collector of paintings of birds.

When it comes to holidays, Her Majesty is seldom happier than when in the Scottish Highlands. Since childhood, she has spent part of the summer at Balmoral, but it is much more than a place for relaxation. With a Scottish mother and being twice descended from Robert the Bruce himself, Her Majesty feels as much at home here as anywhere else on Earth.

Wherever she is in the world, The Queen is always on duty. Her Majesty never stops being the Head of State, Fount of Justice, Defender of the Faith, Head of the Armed Forces, Head of the Commonwealth, Head of Nation and much else. As she herself acknowledged in a speech broadcast to the Commonwealth on the day she turned 21: “My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service”. These words concluded an historic speech which, at the time, was said to have reduced former Prime Minister Winston Churchill to tears.

To this day, the words are still widely quoted – for they remain as true on the occasion of The Queen’s 90th birthday as they were on her 21st. Indeed, Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy included them in ‘The Crown’, a poem specially commissioned for the service at Westminster Abbey on 4 June 2013 to mark the 60th anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation.

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Her Majesty visited a post office delivery station on Wednesday, the day before the stamps were issued. The Daily Mail has the story.

Philatelic Foundation Honors Peter McCann

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[press release]
PF to Award Neinken Medal to Dr. Peter McCann

McCann,-Peter-#2-smile-5-03-08aOn Saturday night, May 28, the opening weekend of NY2016, The Philatelic Foundation will award its Neinken Medal to Dr. Peter McCann for meritorious service to philately. The award will be made at a joint dinner reception with The Collectors Club which will present its Lichtenstein Award to Dr. Cheryl Ganz.

Dr. McCann is known as an ambassador to the philatelic community through his tireless commitment to advance the interests of organized philately. It is fitting that he was selected as Jury President for NY2016. He is a nationally accredited chief judge with the American Philatelic Society (APS) having judged over 150 exhibitions since 1986. In addition to NY2016, he has served as a judge in numerous international exhibitions. He was the APS delegate to the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie from 1997 to 2005, and is currently completing his final term as a Board Member of the F.I.P., a position he has held since 2004. As a collector, he has won national grand awards with three different exhibits from his British Caribbean collections.

In addition to his work as a judge and exhibitor, Dr. McCann has held numerous positions within the APS, including the positions of Vice President and ultimately, President for two terms until 2003 after which he continued to serve on its board. He also served as the Co-Chairman of the Council of Philatelists of the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum. He is currently a Trustee of The Philatelic Foundation.

Over the years, Dr. McCann has been recognized by a number of organizations for his service to philately. These include being named a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London and the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada, the APS Luff Award, the AAPE Bernard Hennig Award for Excellence in Philatelic Judging, and a recipient of The Collectors Club’s Lichtenstein Award. In 2007 he signed the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists, the penultimate honor in world philately.

Philatelic Foundation Certifies Recovered Jenny Invert

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[press release]
The Philatelic Foundation Authenticates Stolen Jenny Invert Stamp
[Click here for the story about the recovery of the stamp.]

mccoy76jenny(New York, NY) On Monday, April 4, 2016, a representative of Spink USA, a leading rare stamp auctioneer, brought a Jenny Invert to The Philatelic Foundation’s New York offices for authentication on behalf of a potential consignor. The PF is widely regarded in the hobby of stamp collecting for its expertise in authenticating this iconic United States airmail rarity. Over the last 70 years, the PF has issued Certificates of Authenticity for 84 of the 100 stamps from the original error sheet of the “upside down airplane stamp,” including all six of the existing blocks of four.

The PF’s staff immediately began the expertization process led by Executipfjennyve Director Larry Lyons and Curator Lewis Kaufman (shown at right). Matched against the PF’s detailed records, photos and electronic scans of the Jenny Inverts, the evidence quickly pointed to the possibility that the stamp was one of the two missing from a famous block of four Jenny Inverts. The block, which was previously owned by Ethel McCoy, was stolen from its exhibition frame in 1955 during an American Philatelic Society convention in Norfolk, Virginia.

The PF staff determined the stamp to be position 76 from the error sheet of 100. (The actual stamp is shown above, photo courtesy the PF.) At some time following the block’s theft, it was broken into four singles, and then altered in an attempt to disguise identification as stamps from the stolen block. Upon close examination, position 76 was found to have been reperforated at its left side to remove traces of a vertical red guide line that had originally appeared on the tips of its perforations. The American Philatelic Society and law enforcement were immediately notified of the identification of this long-lost Jenny Invert.

Shakespeare (UK 2016)

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Shakespeare
Issue Date: Tuesday, 5th April 2016 uk_shakes_set

Products:

  • uk_shakes_hamlet10 x First Class Stamps £6.40
  • First Day Cover £8.16
  • First Day Envelope 30p
  • Stamp Souvenir £8.16
  • Presentation Pack £6.90
  • Set of 10 Stamp Cards £4.50
  • Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Cover £28.00

Reason and Inspiration
2016 sees the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, the most published author and most performed dramatist of all time as well as a global icon of UK culture. To commemorate this milestone, Royal Mail is issuing a set of ten Special First Class stamps on 5th April 2016, paying tribute to the genius of Shakespeare through his uk_shakes_richIIimmortal words and poetry. Having previously issued stamps that depict performances of his plays, a painting of the bard himself and the world famous Globe Theatre, for this set Royal Mail has opted to focus on selected quotes from plays and sonnets that have made him so famous and ensured an enduring popularity.

Previously issued Royal Mail stamps on the theme of Shakespeare are listed below in chronological order:
1964: Shakespeare Tercentenary
1996: Globe Theatre (buildings)
2006: National Portrait Gallery (painting of Shakespeare)
2011: Royal Shakespeare Company (performances)

uk_shakes_caesarStamps In Detail:
Price: £6.40
Code: AS1401

Technical details :

Number of stamps: Ten
Value of Stamps: First Class
Design: The Chase
Acknowledgements: Hamlet calligraphy by Peter Horridge
Stamp Format: Square
Two se-tenant strips of five
Stamp Size: 35mm x 35mm
Number per sheet: 25/50
Sheet size: 194mm x 367mm
Printer : International Security Printers
Print Process: Lithography
Perforations: 14.5 x 14.5
Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Gum: PVA

Stolen Jenny Invert Recovered

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mccoy76jennyOne of the missing “McCoy” Jenny Inverts has been recovered, after it was consigned to an auction in New York City. (The stamp shown on the right is the recovered stamp. Photo courtesy the Philatelic Foundation.)

It was one of a block of four that had been stolen while on display at a 1955 stamp show, the American Philatelic Society convention in Norfolk, Va. Two other stamps from that block had already been recovered.

jennyblockThe stamp, Sc. 3A, belongs to the American Philatelic Research Library in Bellefonte, Pa., which is associated with the APS. One of just 100 stamps for this issue with an inverted center vignette, it is worth about $150,000.

The would-be consignor is in his 20s and lives in Britain. He said he inherited the collection from his grandfather and knew little about it.

There is more about the recovery of the stamp and its background on the websites of the APRL and the Spink auction house. The story was picked up by the Associated Press and there is also a story in the Christian Science Monitor.

Added April 20th: The stamp was certified as genuine, although reperforated, by the Philatelic Foundation. That story is here.

WSS-NY16 Exhibits Listing Now Available

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April 10, 2016

For Immediate Release

Exhibits Listing Now Available

World Stamp Show-NY 2016 is pleased to announce that the listings of competitive philatelic and literature exhibits are now posted on its web site at http://www.ny2016.org/SubMenu/Exhibits_Listing.aspx?id=495.

Available in two versions, sorted by frame number and also by exhibitor last name, the details will be useful for those planning a visit to the exhibition, as well as collectors interested in seeing the depth and breadth of subjects on display and in print. These will be updated whenever possible, as minor changes are expected.

The Exhibits Selection Committee received applications for many more frames than were initially available. In fact, the initial allocation of 3,800 competitive frames was increased to meet some of the demand.

World Stamp Show-NY 2016 Commissioner General Stephen D. Schumann and Judges & Judging Chairman Stephen Reinhard commented, “These are the finest selections of competitive exhibits to be shown at a World Philatelic Exhibition in many years. The selection process was very difficult, considering we had over 6,500 frames applied for and we could only accommodate 4,125.”

A complete breakdown of frames among the 700 different exhibits is on the web site. Summarizing those results, Postal History leads the way with 204 exhibits, followed by Traditional with 159, Single Frame with 82, Thematic with 61, Youth with 52, and the remaining classes making up the difference.

Also online is the list of 175 literature entries. Like their stamp counterparts, application requests far exceeded initial estimates. These entries are in one of three classes: A: Philatelic books and research papers; B. Philatelic magazines and periodicals; and C. Catalogs. Accepted entries in each class were 103, 38, and 34 respectively.

The medal design for the exhibition was recently released. A very limited quantity of WSS-NY 2016 medals are being custom die struck in antique bronze, measuring 2” x 3” inches and weighing almost eight ounces.

Designed by Niko Courtelis, it features the show logo on the obverse within a raised stamp border, while the back features a stylized magnifying glass that creates an area for medal recipients’ names to be custom engraved.

The medals are being minted by the Northwest Territorial Mint/Medallic Art Company using 900 tons of pressure at a production facilities in Northern Nevada. Medallic Art Company (http://www.medallic.com/) was founded in 1903 and is American owned and operated.

The last of the exhibit frames are on the way from the Texas manufacturing facility to the New Jersey warehouse to join the rest that have already arrived. All will be set up by Javits Center staff and ready for loading by Wednesday, May 25. The frames are available for sale at the conclusion of the show. Anyone interested in purchasing them should email christine.jimenez@ny2016.org as soon as possible for details.

World Stamp Show-NY 2016 takes place May 28-June 4 at the Javits Center in New York City. All 8 days will be filled with meetings and seminars, 200 dealers and postal administrations to browse through, first day ceremonies, and much, much more. Check out more information on the show home page at www.ny2016.org and as well as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Thomas M. Fortunato
Rochester, NY
Chairman, Marketing and Public Relations
World Stamp Show- NY 2016
http://www.ny2016.org
Join us May 28-June 4, 2016
Javits Center, New York City

Star Trek’s 50th Anniversary (Canada 2016)

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Scott Catalogue has assigned the following numbers to this issue:

cantrek_bkltcvr2911a USS Enterprise (sheet)
2911b Klingon Battle Cruiser (sheet)
2912a Captain James T. Kirk (sheet)
2912b Klingon Commander Kor (sheet)
2912c Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (sheet)
2912d Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery “Scott” Scott (sheet)
2912e Commander Spock (sheet)
2913 USS Enterprise (coil)
2914 Klingon Battle Cruiser (coil)
2915 USS Enterprise (booklet)
2916 Klingon Battle Cruiser (booklet)
2917 Captain James T. Kirk (booklet)
2918 Klingon Commander Kor (booklet)
2919 Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (booklet)
2920 Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery “Scott” Scott (booklet)
2921 Commander Spock (booklet)
2922 Souvenir Sheet of two

From Canada Post:

Star Trek™ 50th anniversary collection ready to warp into the hands of fans and collectors
Stamp issue highlights Canadian contributions to classic sci-fi TV show

cantrek_bkltcvrOTTAWA, CANADA, PLANET EARTH, Stardate May 5, 2016 /CNW/ – Stamp collectors and fans of Star Trek will long for a working transporter on May 5, 2016. That way they could beam themselves to the nearest post office and be among the first to take home their favourites from the multi-stamp and collectible issue that pays homage to the original television series.

cantrek_sheet2Under license by CBS Consumer Products, the collections includes five stamps depicting cast members from Star Trek: The Original Series. The U.S.S. Enterprise and a Klingon D7-class battle cruiser blast their way onto the coil stamps, while two special-effect lenticular stamps allow for continuous reruns of classic scenes. Along with a prestige booklet, official first day covers, souvenir sheets, uncut press sheets, panes, and booklets, fans will discover a galaxy of memorabilia, including postcards and stamp dispensers.

cantrek_sheet1Four limited-edition items add to the fleet of collectibles: a framed print signed by William Shatner, a framed stamp pane cancelled with a gold-ink postmark of the Enterprise’s trusty shuttlecraft, a lenticular enlargement, and a lenticular uncut press sheet which is a first for any postal administration.

Three of the five characters – Captain James T. Kirk, Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, and Klingon Commander Kor – were played by homegrown actors William Shatner, James Doohan and John Colicos, who hailed from Montréal, Vancouver and Toronto, respectively. Spock too, can claim a connection to Canada via Vulcan, Alberta, which shares its name with his home planet. Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy rounds out the issue.

About the stamps
The Star Trek stamps featuring five characters from Star Trek: The Original Series measure 45 mm x 30 mm and are available in a booklet of 10 Permanent™ domestic rate stamps. They are also available in mixed rates in a prestige booklet and a souvenir sheet of five stamps. Two additional Permanent™ domestic rate stamps featuring the U.S.S. Enterprise and the Klingon battle cruiser measure 24 mm x 20 mm and are available in a souvenir sheet of two stamps, a coil of 50 stamps, a prestige booklet, and strips of four and 10 stamps. The high-value ($5) lenticular stamps measure 46 mm x 34 mm and are available in a souvenir sheet of two stamps. The stamps were printed by Lowe-Martin and the lenticular by Outer Aspect based on designs by Kosta Tsetsekas of Signal Design Group. Official First Day Covers featuring the various stamps were cancelled in Montréal, Vancouver, Toronto, and Vulcan, Alta. To download images of the stamps or to purchase philatelic products, please visit canadapost.ca/shop.

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The Official Canada Post FDCs: cantrek_kirkfdccantrek_spockfdccantrek_mccoyfdccantrek_scottyfdccantrek_korfdccantrek_lenticularfdccantrek_klingonfdccantrek_entfdcFive picture postcards: cantrek_tribblescardcantrek_actioncardcantrek_forevercardcantrek_mirrorcardcantrek_amokcard
Earlier updates:

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Canada Post will issue “several” stamps for the 50th anniversary of the television show “Star Trek.” CPC tells The Virtual Stamp Club that the designs will be unveiled over the next four weeks in places with a tie-in to “Trek.” The two stamps shown here were unveiled at the home of the ultimate Star Trek fan: She has decorated her home in Notre-Dame-des-Prairies, Quebec, to emulate the Starship Enterprise. Click here to see a video on the announcement of the first two designs at Line Rainville’s home.

The next unveiling will be held Friday night, April 8th, in Vulcan, Alberta, at 7:30 pm local (Mountain) time. [see below]

cantrek_kirkCanada Post spokesman Phil Legault said that the postal agency’s interest is, of course, on the Canadian aspects of the series: Captain James T. Kirk was played by William Shatner, a Montreal native, and picture in one of the stamps (shown on the right). Legault would “neither confirm nor deny” that another stamp might feature “Scotty,” the engineering chief who was played by Vancouver native James Doohan.

The stamps will be issue sometime this spring, but should be available for sale at World Stamp Expo-NY 2016; it does not appear they will be issued at the show.

•

cantrek_spock“Canada Post had a special little surprise for star gazers tonight at the Vulcan Trek Station,” the postal agency’s Phil Legault tells The Virtual Stamp Club. “They were the first to publicly see the “Spock” stamp, the third to be released this week celebrating Star Trek’s 50th anniversary. The Mayor of Vulcan, Tom Grant, Town Councillors and members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada were also on hand.” Spock-buststamp

There will be more Star Trek stamps.

Updated April 18th: “There haven’t been any more “sightings” since Spock in Vulcan on April 8,” Legault told VSC. “Expect more in the coming weeks and the full series in May.”

Updated April 22nd: As expected, Canada Post is including the other Canadian actor featured in the Original Series: James “Scotty” Doohan. cantrek_scottyThe stamp was “unveiled” by Chris Doohan, James’ son, in downtown Toronto: ChrisDoohan

Updated April 26th: This morning, Canada Post was joined by The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (CMHF) and Cloud DX, a leading competitor in the digital healthcare market (based in Kitchener), to unveil the Dr. “Bones” McCoy stamp in the 50th anniversary of Star Trek™ series. This took place at the CMHF location in London. (More after the illustration.) cantrek_mccoyCanada Post is working on a special project to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek™ this year. The full line-up of stamps and collectibles will be available in early May, but a number of “stamp sightings” have already been seen across Canada in social media – check them out here www.CanadaPost.ca/StarTrek.

The presenters today included Jim Phillips, Director of Stamps Services at Canada Post, Lissa Foster, Executive Director of the CMHF, and Dr. Sonny Kohli, Cloud DX co-founder and project lead for their Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE project. They were joined by 24 Grade 8 students from London’s Chippewa Public School, who are on-site taking part in “Museum School” all week.

Cloud DX is one of seven finalists (and the only Canadian company) in the running to win the $10 million Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, a global competition to revolutionize digital healthcare. The winning team will develop a Tricorder device that will accurately diagnose 13 health conditions (12 diseases and the absence of conditions) and capture five real-time health vital signs, independent of a health care worker or facility, and in a way that provides a compelling consumer experience.

Updated April 28th: From Canada Post:

Tonight, during the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo panel on Conversational Klingon, presenter Joseph W. Windsor’s discussion was interrupted when the latest 50th Anniversary Star Trek™ stamps materialized in front of the audience.cantrek_klingonWindsor, a University of Calgary PhD student in linguistics and expert in the Star Trek Klingon language, and more than 175 enthusiasts got the first look at the Klingon Commander Kor and Klingon D7-class battle cruiser stamps (attached here) with a photo from tonight. cantrek_korThese are the sixth and seventh stamps “sighted” to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek and Canada’s connection to the series this year. Kor, one of the most powerful enemies, was played by Toronto-native John Colicos. The first five stamps include the U.S.S. Enterprise itself and crew members Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy.

Check out the summary here of the stamp sightings from Montréal to Calgary – canadapost.ca/startrek.

The Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo continues through the weekend and a special presentation is planned for Friday afternoon. We hope to see you there.

Finally, keep an eye out next Thursday (May 5) when the remaining stamps and product for the 50th anniversary of Star Trek™ series is launched.

Updated April 29th: From Canada Post:

“This afternoon at the beginning of William Shatner’s appearance at the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo, Canada Post made a special delivery to the Canadian actor.

cantrek_shatner“Flanked by two delivery agents carrying the special parcel, Siân cantrek_kirkfdcM. Matthews, Chairperson of Canada Post’s Board of Directors and who resides in nearby De Winton, Alta., presented Mr. Shatner with a framed memento of his stamp, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Star Trek™ – and Canada’s connection to the series.”

And on the easel, is that what the Kirk/Shatner OFDC will look like?

Mystic Stamp Now Belongs To Its Employees

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SundmanDonMystic Stamp Company is now owned by its employees, with the formation of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. According to the National Center for Employee Ownership, ESOPs can be used to buy the shares of a departing owner, borrow money at a lower after-tax cost, or create an additional employee benefit. In the press release below, Mystic president Donald Sundman (shown on the left) says he’s not going anywhere.

[press release]
Mystic Stamp Company becomes an ESOP Employee-Owned Company

mystic_cat2(Camden, N.Y.) Mystic Stamp Company, America’s largest postage stamp dealer and based in Camden, N.Y., today announced the formation of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

Owners Donald and Chacea Sundman have sold all their Mystic stock to the ESOP. They will continue in their current roles with the company. Donald is President of Mystic Stamp Company and Chacea is Director of Human Resources. They will stay at Mystic and continue to manage the business.

Donald Sundman said, “The only change is ownership. There are no changes operationally or with our staff. We’ve got a great team, a very successful business, and don’t want to change that. I’m very excited about the ESOP because it will help our employees save for retirement.”

He added “We made this change to position Mystic for the future. This rewards our hard-working colleagues and promises to keep Mystic a positive force in the stamp world and central New York for many years.”

Chacea Sundman said “The ESOP will be wonderful for our colleagues, the greater Camden community, and our customers. It fits our guiding principles. The ESOP is an added benefit as we are keeping our 401K retirement plan and our twice-yearly profit sharing bonuses.”

Mystic’s core purpose is to bring the fun of collecting to a wide audience. Its guiding principles are:

  • Customers. We provide excellent products and service to our customers.
  • Colleagues. We respect our fellow colleagues.
  • Ethics. We act in an ethical manor.
  • Growth and Profits. We strive to increase sales and profits.
  • Citizenship. We strive to make contributions to Greater Camden and the stamp world.

Mystic Stamp Company became an employee-owned company effective April 1, 2016.

Mystic Today
Mystic Stamp Company employs about 150 people at its headquarters on Mill Street in Camden, New York. Mystic has grown to become the largest dealer in postage stamps in the U.S. by bringing the fun of collecting to a wide audience.

Mystic History
Camden, New York, native and stamp collector Lawrence Shaver founded Mystic in 1923. In 1974 he sold Mystic to his friend and fellow stamp dealer Maynard Sundman, of Littleton, New Hampshire.

Maynard Sundman was a pioneer in the world of mail order marketing. His innovative methods of advertising in everything from comic books to matchbook covers introduced the little-known hobbies of stamp and coin collecting to millions of people. Other media he used to bring the joy of collecting to a huge audience were the Sunday supplements, Parade and National Geographic magazines, and late-night coast-to-coast radio commercials.

Maynard sent his 19-year-old son Donald to run Mystic as general manager. David, his oldest son, became president of Littleton Coin Company, today a leader in the coin hobby with 350 employees.

In 1980 Mystic started buying stamp collections aggressively, becoming America’s largest buyer of stamp collections and dealer stocks.

Later Mystic created its Mystic’s U.S. Stamp Catalog, distributing hundreds of thousands a year, broadening its reach and introducing stamp collecting to tens of thousands of people. In late 1986 Sundman purchased a quantity of the newly discovered $1 Candleholder error stamp, known as the CIA Invert. He donated one copy to the Smithsonian National Stamp Collection and filed a Freedom of Information Act request to learn how the error happened. The report revealed CIA employees bought the error stamps at a Virginia post office. Within days the story made the front pages of the N.Y. Times and was featured on national TV.

In 1998 Zachary Sundman, 11-year-old son of Donald, bid a record price for the rarest U.S. stamp, the 1868 1c Z Grill, for $935,000.

In 2005 Mystic traded the 1c Z Grill in exchange for the unique Jenny Invert Plate Number Block, worth $3 million, with well-known collector Bill Gross. Gross had purchased the block at a Siegel auction two weeks earlier for a record $2,970,000. News of that trade received worldwide attention. Mystic sold its Jenny block for around $5 million in 2015 to famed shoe designer Stuart Weitzman.

Mystic purchased the Fleetwood First Day Cover business in 2006 from Unicover in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Mystic moved Fleetwood to Camden, and continues to sell new and older First Day Covers.

Mystic remains a strong supporter of the stamp hobby. Company President Donald Sundman has sponsored over 5,800 American Philatelic Society members, a record for the APS. Sundman is Chairman of the Smithsonian National Postal Museum Council of Philatelists and Vice-Chairman of the Philatelic Foundation of New York. He is a member of the Club de Monte Carlo and a fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society. The American Philatelic Society gave Sundman the Luff Award for Outstanding Service to the American Philatelic Society in 2010.

Mystic’s Contributions to Greater Camden and Central New York
Mystic strives to make life better for its neighbors and is actively involved in the Camden and Central New York community, through donations of both time and money, to many worthy causes. [Camden is about 40 miles northeast of Syracuse.]

Some ways in which Mystic contributes to the quality of life in the area include sponsoring its own Camden Relay for Life and American Heart Run/Walk teams; involvement in Camden Chamber of Commerce activities; and fundraising for the public library, as well as contributing to school sports and theater programs.

Other Mystic donations include those made to Imagine Greater Camden, Cluster 13, local fire departments, veteran’s groups, and service organizations such as Lions and Rotary clubs. Mystic awards a scholarship annually to a college-bound high school senior, in addition to providing scholarships for children of Mystic colleagues. Central New York hospitals and the United Way are also recipients of Mystic support.