Canada Post Helps Canadians Check In With Each Other

Posted on by

[press release]
Canada Post sends every household a free, prepaid postcard
Recipients can mail it for free to anyone they choose, anywhere in the country

OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 25, 2021 /CNW/ – While we keep our distance to fight the spread of COVID-19, staying connected with friends and loved ones is harder than ever. To help Canadians stay in touch now, when it matters so much, Canada Post will deliver approximately 13.5 million postcards, one to every residential address in the country.

There are six versions of the postcard, each one offering a simple message of love, appreciation or thanks. Every household will receive one randomly selected postcard. Recipients can send their postcard to anyone they want, anywhere in Canada, for free. No stamps are needed. Postcards can be mailed through any street letter box or community mailbox, or taken to a post office.

“Meaningful connection is vital for our emotional health, sense of community and overall well-being,” says Doug Ettinger, President and CEO of Canada Post. “Canada Post wants everyone to stay safe, but also stay in touch with the people who matter to them.” To watch a video explaining the importance of this initiative, please click here.

The postcards are part of the “Write Here Write Now” program, launched in September 2020 to encourage Canadians to use letter writing to connect in a heartfelt way. For more on the program, visit canadapost.ca/writenow.

Canadians are encouraged to share photos and videos of sending and receiving their postcards using #WriteHereWriteNow.

Please feel free to share our related posts on your social network platforms:

  • [en Francais]
    Postes Canada envoie une carte postale prépayée gratuite à tous les ménages
    La carte peut être postée sans frais à n’importe quelle adresse au pays

    OTTAWA, ON, le 25 févr. 2021 /CNW/ – Alors que nous gardons nos distances pour lutter contre la propagation de la COVID-19, il est plus difficile que jamais de rester en contact avec nos proches. Pour aider les Canadiens à rester près des membres de leur famille et de leurs amis durant une période où ils en ont besoin, Postes Canada distribuera environ 13,5 millions de cartes postales, soit une à chaque adresse résidentielle au pays.

    La carte postale se décline en six versions, chacune offrant un court message d’amour, de reconnaissance ou de remerciement. Tous les ménages en recevront une sélectionnée au hasard. Les Canadiens pourront l’envoyer sans frais à n’importe quelle adresse au pays et aucun timbre ne sera nécessaire. Ils n’auront qu’à déposer la carte postale dans une boîte aux lettres publique, dans une boîte postale communautaire ou à un bureau de poste.

    « Les liens significatifs que nous entretenons jouent un rôle essentiel dans notre santé émotionnelle, notre sentiment d’appartenance et notre bien-être en général, affirme Doug Ettinger, président-directeur général de Postes Canada. Postes Canada a à cœur la sécurité de tous les Canadiens, mais aussi qu’ils gardent contact avec leurs êtres chers. » Pour regarder une vidéo expliquant l’importance de cette initiative, cliquez ici.

    Les cartes postales font partie de la campagne « Écrivez un mot. Créez un moment », qui a été lancée en septembre 2020 afin d’encourager les gens au pays à semer la joie en envoyant une lettre. Pour en savoir plus sur l’initiative, rendez-vous à postescanada.ca/creezunmoment.

    Les Canadiens sont invités à partager des photos et des vidéos de l’envoi et de la réception de leurs cartes postales à l’aide du mot-clic #UnmotUnmoment.
    N’hésitez pas à partager nos publications connexes sur vos plateformes de réseaux sociaux :

CAPEX 22 Names Maresch As Auctioneer

Posted on by

[press release]
R. Maresch & Son named as official auctioneer for CAPEX 22

CAPEX 22 International One Frame Stamp Championship Exhibition (CAPEX 22) to be held in Toronto June 9-12, 2022 is please to announced that R. Maresch & Son has been named as the Official Auctioneer.

Mr. David McLaughlin, chair of CAPEX 22 stated “We are pleased that R. Maresch & Son will be continuing their 71-year support of CAPEX international exhibitions in Canada. Three generations of the Maresch family have helped Canadian and international collectors build their collections for almost a century now since Dr. Richard A R Maresch became a stamp dealer in Vienna in 1924.”

Mr. Peter Maresch, owner of R. Maresch & Son, welcomed the opportunity to continue a long family tradition, “R. Maresch & Son held an auction at Capex ’78, and were the official auctioneer at CAPEX ’87 and CAPEX ’96. Our firm is the oldest continually operating stamp auction firm and dealer in Canada and we look forward to CAPEX 22. My grandfather, Dr. Richard A R Maresch came to Canada in 1938 and opened a stamp shop in downtown Toronto in 1942, with our first public auction held on October 26, 1963.”

About CAPEX 22
CAPEX 22 will be the world’s first International One Frame Stamp Championship Exhibition. With 400+ frames CAPEX 22 will also be the largest showing of One Frame exhibits at any exhibition, ever. CAPEX 22 will be held June 9-12, 2022 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) in the heart or Toronto’s downtown entertainment district. The exhibition will also have a wonderful array of philatelic literature exhibits both in tradition print format and with four categories of digital literature including philatelic websites. CAPEX 22 will be held under the patronage of the Federacion Interamericana de Filatelia (FIAF) and the recognition of Federation Internationale de Philatélie (FIP). Further information on CAPEX 22 is available at capex22.org.

About R. Maresch & Son
R. Maresch and Son are the oldest stamp firm in Canada, having sold many of the most important stamp collections in Canada. They offer full colour catalogues, online viewing and live public auctions, with the modern convenience of online live bidding. They are located at 2 Vata Crt Unit 6, Aurora, ON, L4G 4B6, Canada and welcome the opportunity to help with your collecting or selling needs. Further information is available at www.maresch.com .

London 2022 Resumes Planning

Posted on by

[press release]
After many months with no major stamp exhibitions taking place in the UK, planning has now resumed for London to host an international stamp exhibition in 2022. Originally to be London 2020, the event should have been held last May. Now it will be known as London 2022, and will take place on 19 to 26 February next year. The venue will still be the Business Design Centre in Islington in London (nearest Underground Station: Angel).

For the latest news, particularly with regard to the competitive exhibits and sales booths, visit the exhibition website at www.london2022.co/news.

Applications can still be accepted for entries in the Literature Class. The fee is £25 per entry and, as previously, applications should be submitted via the National Commissioner (which for exhibitors from the UK is Mike Roberts: UKcommissioner@london2022.co), with applications to be received by the Commissioner General no later than 31 May 2021.

Inevitably some of the original booth holders have now had to withdraw. Those who would like to apply for a booth are invited to contact boothsales@london2022.co.

•

The U.S. commissioner for London 2022 is Jack Harwood of Sarasota, FL, jharwood222@verizon.net

The U.S. Commissioner West Coast is Dr. Akthem Al-Manaseer of San Jose, almanaseer@gmail.com

Crabapple Blossoms (Canada 2021)

Posted on by

Issue date: March 1, 2021

From Details magazine:

The sweet fragrance of a crabapple tree in bloom is one of the most pleasant reminders that spring is, quite literally, in the air. The blossoms depicted on this year’s flower stamp issue pay tribute to two Canadian-bred varieties.

The pretty bright-pink flower of Malus ‘Rosseau’ was introduced in 1928 by the Central Experimental Farm’s pioneering ornamental plant breeder, Isabella Preston. The delicate white bloom of Malus ‘Maybride’ is a dwarf cultivar bred by Preston’s successors, Daniel Foster Cameron and Dexter Reid Sampson.

While the scented blossoms are much welcomed in the spring, the trees, common to many Canadian yards and gardens, are often grown for the jams and jellies that can be made from the small, somewhat sour fruit. Serious foodies also note that crabapple wood is excellent for smoking meats and cheeses.

Designed by Sputnik Design Partners Inc., with illustration by Marie-Élaine Cusson and photography by Mark Olson, the booklet, souvenir sheet and Official First Day Cover were printed by Canadian Bank Note and the coils by the Lowe-Martin Group.

Updated March 1st: Day of Issue press release

[press release]
Stamps showcase crabapple blossoms with Canadian origins
Renowned Canadian plant breeder and her successors behind these two cultivarsClick on picture above for a larger version

OTTAWA – Today, Canada Post released the latest in its popular flower series, a two-stamp issue showcasing the blossoms of crabapple tree cultivars with a Canadian distinction, the Malus ‘Rosseau’ and Malus ‘Maybride’.

The pretty pink flower of the Malus ‘Rosseau’, bred by renowned ornamental plant breeder Isabella Preston, was first introduced at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa in 1928. The delicate white bloom of Malus ‘Maybride’, a dwarf cultivar bred by Preston’s successors Daniel Foster Cameron and Dexter Reid Sampson, was first made available to the public in 1973.

Canada is home to several wild species and hundreds of cultivars of crabapple trees, which like apple trees belong to the rose family. Gardeners plant crabapple trees for their fruit, their hardiness and their spectacular, fragrant blossoms. While sour to the taste, the tree’s fruit makes excellent jams and its wood is often used for smoking meat and cheese. Crabapples are also an important food source for mammals, birds and insects.

Introduced in 2005, the annual flower stamp issue has long been a bestseller and is often used on wedding stationery, including invitations. This year’s stamps were designed by Sputnik Design Partners Inc. of Toronto and feature photographs by Mark Olson, with background line illustrations by Marie-Élaine Cusson.

The stamps are sold in a booklet of 10 – five each of the two designs – and in a convenient coil of 50, offering 25 of each design. A two-stamp souvenir sheet is available for collectors, along with strips of four and 10 stamps from the coil. The Official First Day Cover of the combo is cancelled in Apple Hill, Ontario. 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 [direct link] and postal outlets across Canada.

Canada Post has produced a 15-second video for this issue:

[en Francais]
Deux timbres illustrent des fleurs de pommetier du Canada
Une pionnière en hybridation des plantes et ses successeurs sont à l’origine des deux cultivars illustrés

OTTAWA – Aujourd’hui, Postes Canada a lancé sa plus récente émission de la série consacrée aux fleurs, un jeu de deux timbres illustrant des fleurs de cultivars de pommetiers propres au Canada, le Malus ‘Rosseau’ et le Malus ‘Maybride’.

La jolie fleur rose du Malus ‘Rosseau’ a d’abord été introduite à la Ferme expérimentale centrale d’Ottawa en 1928 par Isabelle Preston, spécialiste de l’hybridation des plantes ornementales. La délicate fleur blanche du Malus ‘Maybride’, un cultivar nain produit par les successeurs d’Isabella Preston, Daniel Foster Cameron et Dexter Reid Sampson, a été offerte au public pour la première fois en 1973.

Au Canada, il existe plusieurs espèces sauvages et des centaines de cultivars de pommetiers qui, tout comme les pommiers, appartiennent à la famille des rosiers. Les jardiniers les plantent pour leurs fruits, leur rusticité et leurs superbes fleurs parfumées. Bien que suret au goût, le fruit du pommetier produit d’excellentes confitures et autres conserves. Le bois est souvent utilisé pour fumer la viande et les fromages. Le fruit du pommetier est aussi une source importante de nourriture pour plusieurs mammifères, oiseaux et insectes.

Introduite en 2005, l’émission de timbres annuelle consacrée aux fleurs connaît toujours un grand succès et les vignettes sont souvent utilisées sur les faire-part, notamment pour les mariages. Les timbres de cette année ont été conçus par Sputnik Design Partners Inc. de Toronto avec les photographies de Mark Olson et les illustrations au trait en arrière-plan de Marie-Élaine Cusson.

Les timbres se vendent en carnet de dix, cinq de chacun des deux motifs, et en rouleau pratique de 50, soit 25 de chaque motif. Les collectionneurs peuvent se procurer un bloc-feuillet de deux timbres ainsi que des bandes de quatre et de dix timbres de rouleau. Le pli Premier Jour officiel combine les deux timbres et porte la mention « Apple Hill, Ontario ». Le carnet, le bloc-feuillet et le pli Premier Jour officiel ont été imprimés par Canadian Bank Note et les rouleaux par Lowe-Martin.

Les timbres et autres articles de collection sont en vente à postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.

Snow Mammals (Canada 2021)

Posted on by

[press release]
Snow mammals that turn white in winter featured on new stamps
Issue date: 16 FebruarySNOW LAKE, MANITOBA – The beauty and diversity of Canada’s wildlife take centre stage in a new set of stamps issued today by Canada Post. Snow Mammals features five animals found in Canada that are uniquely adapted to surviving in our snowy climate because their otherwise dark coats turn white in winter.

These stamps feature the ermine, snowshoe hare, Arctic fox, northern collared lemming and Peary Caribou – two predators and three prey – whose camouflage makes them difficult to spot in their natural habitats, especially at this time of year. The Arctic fox and ermine are stealthy hunters that often rely on the element of surprise to sneak up on their next meal. The snowshoe hare and northern collared lemming (dietary staples of many carnivores) and Peary caribou try to blend into the background to escape detection.

These five are among only 19 species of mammals worldwide – and 12 in Canada – that undergo a change in coat colour as the result of a complex physiological process influenced by changes in daylight hours. Moulting is a gradual, twice-yearly process that starts around the time of the first snowfall and reverses in the warmer months, beginning around the time of the spring melt.

About the Stamps
Designed by Adrian Horvath, these stamps showcase an animal in its winter coat and habitat. Each photograph is the work of a Canadian photographer. Robert Postma captured the Ermine; Michelle Valberg the snowshoe hare; Dennis Fast the Arctic fox; Mathilde Poirier the northern collared lemming; and Paul Loewen the Peary caribou.

In the lower left-hand corner of each stamp, visible only under ultraviolet (black) light, is a set of the animal’s tracks as they would appear in fresh snow [right].

Printed by Canadian Bank Note, these Permanent™ domestic rate stamps are available in a booklet of 10, affixed to an Official First Day Cover, and as a souvenir sheet.

[en Francais]
Des mammifères des neiges illustrés sur de nouveaux timbres

SNOW LAKE, MANITOBA – La beauté et la diversité des espèces sauvages du Canada en mettent plein la vue dans un nouveau jeu de timbres émis aujourd’hui par Postes Canada. Les timbres consacrés aux mammifères des neiges mettent en vedette cinq animaux du Canada qui ont la capacité unique de s’adapter à nos hivers en changeant la couleur de leur pelage au gré des saisons.

Ces timbres illustrent l’hermine, le lièvre d’Amérique, le renard arctique, le lemming variable et le caribou de Peary, deux prédateurs et trois proies qui, grâce à leur camouflage, sont difficiles à repérer dans leur habitat naturel, surtout en cette période de l’année. Le renard arctique et l’hermine sont des chasseurs discrets qui ont souvent recours à la surprise pour attaquer leur victime. Le lièvre d’Amérique et le lemming variable, aliments de base de nombreux carnivores, ainsi que le caribou de Peary tentent de se fondre dans la nature pour éviter d’être détectés.

Ces 5 animaux sont au nombre des 19 espèces de mammifères dans le monde, dont 12 au Canada, qui changent de couleur grâce à un processus physiologique complexe influencé par une sensibilité à la durée du jour. Leur pelage commence graduellement à blanchir après la première neige. Ce processus s’inverse au printemps.

À propos des timbres
Conçus par Adrian Horvath, ces timbres illustrent un animal au pelage blanc dans son habitat. Chaque photo est l’œuvre d’un photographe canadien. La photo de l’hermine a été prise par Robert Postma; celle du lièvre d’Amérique, par Michelle Valberg; le renard arctique, par Dennis Fast; le lemming variable, par Mathilde Poirier; et le caribou de Peary, par Paul Loewen.

Dans le coin inférieur gauche de chaque vignette se cachent les traces laissées par l’animal dans la nouvelle neige, visibles seulement sous une lumière ultraviolette (lumière noire).

Imprimés par Canadian Bank Note, les timbres PermanentsMC au tarif du régime intérieur sont offerts en carnets de 10, sur un bloc-feuillet et sur un pli Premier Jour officiel du bloc-feuillet.

Les timbres et les articles de collection sont disponibles en ligne à postescanada.ca/achat. Above: The souvenir sheet. (Click for a larger image)Above: The booklet pane. (Click for a larger image) Above: The Official first day cover for the souvenir sheet. (Click for a larger image)

Only Fools And Horses (UK 2021)

Posted on by

[press release] [click any picture for a larger version]
Lovely Jubbly..!
Royal Mail Reveals Images of Only Fools And Horses Stamps Issued To Mark 40th Anniversary Of Popular TV Series

[Click for a larger version]

  • Eight stamps feature classic Only Fools and Horses scenes and one-liners
  • A further four stamps presented in a miniature sheet include the four main Trotter characters as individual stamps: Del Boy, Rodney, Grandad and Uncle Albert with a catchphrase for each
  • Written and created by John Sullivan, the programme ran for 64 episodes from 1981 to 2003 and at its peak was watched by 24.3 million people
  • The impact of Only Fools and Horses on the life of the nation is demonstrated by many of the show’s catchphrases and words having entered common usage – in 2003 ‘lovely jubbly’ was listed in the Oxford English Dictionary
  • The stamps and a range of collectibles are available for pre-order at www.royalmail.com/onlyfoolsandhorses,by phone on 03457 641641 and 7,000 Post Offices across the UK
  • The full set of 12 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £16.20
  • The stamps go on general sale from 16 February 2021

Royal Mail, in partnership with BBC Studios, today revealed 12 stamp images marking the 40th anniversary year of the popular TV comedy series, Only Fools and Horses.

Eight stamps feature classic Only Fools and Horses scenes and one-liners, while a further four stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, depict the main Trotter family characters as individual stamps; Del Boy, Rodney, Grandad and Uncle Albert with a catchphrase for each.The show follows the exploits of wheeler-dealer Del Trotter, his hapless younger brother, Rodney, their Grandad and later their Uncle Albert.

Written and created by John Sullivan, the show ran for 64 episodes from 1981 to 2003, and at its peak was watched by 24.3 million people. It now has a regular slot on Gold and is a firm favourite with viewers – consistently one of the most-watched shows on the UKTV-owned channel.

When Sullivan first mentioned his idea for a comedy series in which the main character was a fly-pitcher who’d sell anything to make a quick profit, the BBC turned it down flat.

Sullivan’s series, originally entitled, Readies, was set in a modern, vibrant and multiracial London, very different to the kind of forelock-tugging London that was often depicted in films and on TV at the time.

Refusing to give up, Sullivan continued to write and eventually presented his script to BBC Comedy Department boss, John Howard Davies. The Trotters – self-styled entrepreneur Derek Trotter (Del Boy to his friends), his put-upon younger brother, Rodney, and their crusty old Grandad – came to life on the page.

Only Fools and Horses got off to a slow start, but it took off after series two was repeated and, by 1985, it was such a success that it had earned a feature-length Christmas episode: ‘To Hull and Back’. From then on, Only Fools became a regular Christmas Day highlight for millions of people, from all walks of life.

In 1989, the length of each episode increased from 30 to 50 minutes, giving John Sullivan space to expand his stories. He even received letters from pub landlords telling him their pubs were deserted on Sunday evenings because so many people were at home watching the show.

The impact of Only Fools on the life of the nation is demonstrated by many of the show’s catchphrases and words having entered common usage. In 2003, the most popular of these, ‘lovely jubbly’, was listed in the Oxford English Dictionary.

As offers of other work flooded in for the show’s two main stars, it became increasingly difficult to schedule the filming of new episodes and, in 1996, three ‘final’ episodes were recorded. However, in 2001, such was the demand from the public, the team was persuaded back for three more episodes, shown over consecutive years.

Philip Parker, Royal Mail, said: “The superb writing, comic one liners and the warmth and idiosyncrasies of its characters made Only Fools and Horses one of the most loved TV comedies of all time. We celebrate 40 years of the Trotters’ wheeling and dealing, with new stamps revisiting some of the show’s classic moments.

The full set of stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £16.20 and along with a range of collectibles, are available to pre-order at www.royalmail.com/onlyfoolsandhorses, by phone on 03457 641 641 and in 7,000 Post Offices across the UK. The stamps will be on sale from 16 February 2021.

Stamp by stamp:

Episode: ‘A Losing Streak’
Del Risks it all in a game of cards with Boycie, but he has a trick up his sleeve

Episode: ‘Sleeping Dogs Lie’
The Trotters agree to look after Boycie and Marlene’s beloved dog, Duke, but soon regret it when the Great Dane falls ill.

Episode: ‘Yuppy Love’
Sharp-suited Del is keen to make an impression with the yuppies in the wine bar … which is exactly what he does

Episode: ‘A Touch of Glass’
Del and Rodney are poised to catch a priceless chandelier – unfortunately it’s not the one Grandad is unscrewing from the ceiling…

Episode: ‘The Jolly Boys’ Outing’
The Nag’s Head regulars’ annual beano to Margate goes with a bang – and Trigger loses his dolphin

Episode: ‘The Unlucky Winner Is…’
Rodney wins a holiday in a painting competition he hadn’t even entered – and membership of the Groovy Gang

Episode: ‘Three Men, a Woman and a Baby’
Del and Raquel await the birth of their first child. Rodney, however, is worried about what might actually arrive

Episode: ‘Time on Our Hands’
Raquel’s Dad spots something of value in the Trotters’ lock-up and this time Del and Rodney really do become millionaires

Products:
Stamps — AS6800 — £10.20
Miniature Sheet — MZ161 — £5.10
Stamp Set Pack — AS6800E — £10.50
Miniature Sheet Pack — MZ161A — £5.40
First Class Stamps Pack — AS6800F — £7.10
Presentation Pack — AP486 — £16.20
First Day Cover – Stamps — AF469 — £12.90
First Day Cover – Minisheet — MF157 — £6.80
First Day Cover – PSB pane — HF094 — £6.00
Stamp Souvenir Cover — AW179 — £12.90
Stamp Sheet Souvenir Cover — AW180 — £6.80
First Day Envelope — AE424 — £0.30
Postcards — AQ302 — £5.85
Collectors Sheet — AT124 — £9.60
Prestige Stamp Book — YB095 — £21.70
Limited Edition Prestige Stamp Book — YB096 — £54.99
Retail Stamp Book — UB441 — £5.10
Scripts Souvenir Folder — AW181 — £24.99
Medal Cover — AM081 — £19.99
Silver Medal Cover — AM082 — £99.99
Del Boy Gold Stamp — AS6800G — £49.99
Framed Stamps and Miniature Sheet — N3247 — £49.99
Framed Collectors Sheet — N3248 — £29.99
Boycie Framed Print Signed by John Challis — N3249 — £99.99
Del Boy Framed Print Signed by David Jason — N3250 — £239.99
Bundle (Pres Pack + PSB + Medal Cover) — PK163 — £47.89
Press Sheet — PZ051 — £78.55

The stamps include Del Boy’s fall through the bar in Yuppy Love and the Chandelier scene in A Touch of Glass both frequently voted among the funniest TV moments of all time.

Technical details – StampsNumber of stamps: Eight
Value of Stamps: 4 x 1st, 4 x £1.70
Design: Interabang
Acknowledgements: BBC and ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES (word marks and logos) are trade marks of the British Broadcasting Corporation and are used under licence. BBC logo © BBC 1996. Only Fools And Horses logo © BBC 1981. Series created and written by John Sullivan. Licensed by BBC Studios.
Stamp Format: Landscape
Number per sheet: 30/60
Stamp Size: 50mm x 30mm
Printer: International Security Printers
Print Process: Lithography
Perforations: 14 x 14
Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Gum: PVA

Miniature Sheet
• Includes the four main Trotter characters as individual stamps; Del Boy, Rodney, Grandad and Uncle Albert with a quote for each
• Perforated against a background featuring Del and Rodney with the unmistakable Trotters Independent Trading yellow three-wheeled vanTechnical details – Miniature Sheet
Number of stamps: Four
Value of Stamps: 2 x 1st, 2 x £1.70
Design: Interabang
Acknowledgements: BBC and ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES (word marks and logos) are trade marks of the British Broadcasting Corporation and are used under licence. BBC logo © BBC 1996. Only Fools And Horses logo © BBC 1981. Series created and written by John Sullivan. Licensed by BBC Studios.
Stamp Format : Landscape
Stamp Size: 41mm x 30mm
Miniature Sheet Size: 192 x 74mm
Printer : International Security Printers
Print Process: Lithography
Perforations: 14.5 x 14
Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Gum: PVA

CAPEX 22 Website Goes Live

Posted on by

[press release]
CAPEX 22 Website Goes Live

The CAPEX 22 website, www.capex22.org, is now live. Show information, visitor information, and bourse information has now been posted, and information for exhibitors and exhibit application forms are now available.

Hosted by the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC), CAPEX 22 will be held under the patronage of Federación Interamericana de Filatelia (FIAF) and the recognition of the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP). All federation members of FIAF and FIP will be invited to participate, including Canadian exhibitors.

CAPEX 22, is the world’s first fully international One Frame exhibition and, with 400 frames available, will be the largest showing of one frame exhibits at a single exhibition. In addition, CAPEX 22 will host exhibits in the literature class competition in both print and electronic media.

A full bourse of Canadian and international dealers will be provided. There will also be seminars, society presentations, receptions, and club tables. An evening auction by a major Canadian auction house is scheduled.

CAPEX 22 will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) in the heart of Toronto’s downtown entertainment district. The Constitution Hall in the 100 level of the MTCC’s North Building (255 Front Street West) will be the site of the exhibition and bourse.

Star Wars Droids (U.S. 2021)

Posted on by

These stamps will be issued Tuesday, May 4th. 10 different Digital Color Postmarks!

[press release; announced January 26th]
New ‘Star Wars’ Stamps Are Coming This Spring
Collect All 10 Character-Inspired Stamps Featuring Beloved Droids

WASHINGTON, DC — The first characters fans meet in the first “Star Wars” film, “Star Wars: A New Hope,” are droids — namely C-3PO and R2-D2 — and droids have continued to play pivotal roles throughout the “Star Wars” galaxy. With 10 dazzling new character-inspired stamps, the Postal Service salutes beloved droids from the “Star Wars” galaxy and the imagination that brings these technological marvels to the screen.

Representing more than four decades of innovation and storytelling, the droids featured in this pane of 20 stamps are IG-11, R2-D2, K-2SO, D-O, L3-37, BB-8, C-3PO, a GNK (or Gonk) power droid, 2-1B surgical droid and C1-10P, commonly known as “Chopper.”

The characters are shown against backgrounds representing settings of memorable adventures. The selvage features a passageway from the floating Cloud City above the planet Bespin, introduced in “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.”

These set of droids are a nod to Lucasfilm’s, as well as its parent company, Disney’s, commitment to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning and the continued collaboration between “Star Wars: Force for Change” and global pre-K-12 nonprofit organization “FIRST” (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).

“Star Wars: Force for Change” and “FIRST” have joined forces to expand access to STEM learning to more young people around the world, and to help them envision a brighter, more inclusive future.

Lucasfilm, the studio that created the “Star Wars” franchise, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2021.

Greg Breeding was the designer of the stamps and pane. William Gicker was the art director.

Additional details about the new “Star Wars” droids-inspired stamp collection, including the issue date, will be announced later this year.Additional information about this issue will be posted below the line, with the most recent at the top. You can click on the 10- and 20-stamp pictures for bigger versions.

Updated April 5th

Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:This DCP measures 2.89″ x 1.45″

This DCP measures 2.91″ x 1.29″This DCP measures 2.75″ x 1.48″This DCP measures 2.88″ x 1.40″This DCP measures 2.90″ x 1.41″This DCP measures 2.98″ x 1.33″This DCP measures 2.87″ x 1.30″

This DCP measures 2.85″ x 1.48″ This DCP measures 2.81″ x 1.40″ This DCP measures 2.94″ x 1.30″ The pictorial for this issue measures 2.75″ x 1.35″ The “special” postmark for cities other than Nicasio on days other than the first-day, measures 2.82″ x 1.06″

From Celia Rodriguez at USPS Cancellation Services: “There are is (1) B/W Rubber FDOI pictorial, (1) B/W Rubber FDOI bullseye, (1) Metal Killerbar FDOI, and (10) DCP FDOI pictorials available for this issue. You may request any combination of postmarks [except the “special”] for this issue to go with any of the 10 stamp designs.”

Updated March 25th, from the Postal Bulletin:

On May 4, 2021, in Nicasio, CA, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Star Wars Droids stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate) in 10 designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 577600). These stamps will go on sale nationwide May 4, 2021, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue. The Star Wars Droids commemorative pane of 20 stamps may not be split and the stamps may not be sold individually.

With 10 dazzling new stamps, the Postal Service salutes Star Wars Droids and the imagination that brings these helpful, technological marvels to the screen. Representing more than four decades of innovation and storytelling, the droids featured are:

  • IG-11,
  • R2-D2,
  • K-2SO,
  • D-O,
  • L3-37,
  • BB-8,
  • C-3PO,
  • Gonk Droid,
  • 2-1B Droid, and
  • Chopper.

The characters are shown against backgrounds representing settings of memorable adventures. The selvage features a passageway in the floating Cloud City, introduced in Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back. Greg Breeding was the designer of the stamps and pane. William Gicker was the art director.

Item 577600, Star Wars Droids PSA Pane of 20 Stamps

Automatic distribution.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Star Wars Droids Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by September 4, 2021.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Star Wars Droids Stamps
Item Number: 577600
Denomination &Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: May 4, 2021, Nicasio, CA 94946
Art Director: William Gicker, Washington, DC
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Modeler: Sandra Lane/Michelle Finn
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Flexographic
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America
Press Type: Gallus RCS
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 60,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS Cool Gray 7C
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area 1 (w x h): 0.84 x 1.7102 in./ 21.336 x 43.439 mm
Stamp Size 1 (w x h): 0.98 x 1.8502 in./ 24.892 x 46.995 mm
Image Area 2 (w x h): 0.84 x 1.2747 in./ 21.336 x 32.377 mm
Stamp Size 2 (w x h): 0.98 x 1.414 in./ 24.892 x 35.915 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 6.45 x 8.87 in./163.83 x 225.298 mm
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “B” followed by five (5) single digits in bottom two corners
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: Star Wars™ Droids • Plate number in bottom two corners
Back: Star Wars elements: © & ™ Lucasfilm Ltd. • ©2021 USPS • USPS logo • 2 barcodes (577600) • Plate position diagram (4) • Promotional text

Updated March 4th:

[press release]
May the 4th Be With You
New Droids Stamps Celebrate STEM Education; Available May 4

WHAT: Technology plays a prominent role in the “Star Wars” films, most notably with the droids. The U.S. Postal Service will recognize the loveable machines from the “Star Wars” galaxy with 10 dazzling new character-inspired Forever stamps.

These droids are a nod to the commitment of Lucasfilm and its parent company, Disney, to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning and the continued collaboration between the “Star Wars: Force for Change” philanthropic initiative and global pre-K-12 nonprofit organization FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).

Greg Breeding was the designer of the stamps and pane. William Gicker was the art director.

News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtags #StarWarsDroidsStamps and #DroidsStamps

WHO: Isaac Cronkhite, Chief Logistics and Processing Operations Officer and Executive Vice President, U.S. Postal Service

Disney/Lucasfilm representative(s) to be determined

WHEN: Tuesday, May 4, 2021, at 11 a.m. Eastern Time/8 a.m. Pacific Time

WHERE: A virtual dedication ceremony will be posted on the Postal Service’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Please visit usps.com/starwarsdroidsstamps for details.

A pictorial postmark of the designated first-day-of-issue city, Nicasio, CA, will be available at usps.com/shopstamps.

BACKGROUND: “Star Wars” droids — the beloved mechanical characters from a galaxy far, far away — are adored worldwide for their relatable, funny, quirky and sometimes emotional personalities. And they have entertained and inspired fans for more than four decades.

“Star Wars: Force for Change” and FIRST are working together to expand access to STEM learning to inspire more young people around the world, and to help them envision a brighter, more inclusive future.

Featured in a pane of 20 stamps, and arranged in staggered, horizontal rows, the stamps vary in size and depict 10 of the more well-known droids in the “Star Wars” universe — IG-11, R2-D2, K-2SO, D-O, L3-37, BB-8, a 2-1B surgical droid, a GNK (or Gonk) power droid, C-3P0 and C1-10P, otherwise known as Chopper.

Lucasfilm, the studio that created the “Star Wars” franchise, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2021.

The “Star Wars” droids-inspired stamps are being issued as Forever stamps, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.

Preorders for the Droids Forever stamps can be made online at usps.com/stamps and by phone at 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), beginning April 5.

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.

From The Virtual Stamp Club:
Nicasio, Calif., the first-day city, is located about an hour northwest of San Francisco, or 25 miles as the crow flies.

The town’s ZIP code is 94946.

Wikipedia does not list any Lucasfilm- or Star Wars-related films that were shot in Nicasio, and the only notable resident mentioned is the late Jerry Garcia, who would not have been likely to attend the first-day ceremony even if it weren’t going to be a virtual one. George Lucas does live somewhere in the same county, Marin County. Internet Movie Database (IMDB) says he lives in San Anselmo, about 10 miles away.

Lloyd’s Fun FDCs: Most Valuable, Most Silly, Most Bulky

Posted on by

Click on the pictures for much larger versions in a separate tab.

Non-collectors often ask me, “What’s the most valuable stamp in your collection?” I don’t actually collect stamps, I collect covers (envelopes with stamps and postmarks on them), but that’s too complicated for the non-collectors. And when I say, “I don’t know. I don’t collect for value,” the questioner isn’t satisfied.

However, shown here is what may be one of the most valuable first day covers in my collection: A ZIP Block first day cover for the $5 Railroad Lantern in the Americana Series of 1975-81, on a cachet designed and signed by James Schleyer, who also designed the stamp. I purchased the envelope at a stamp store near the National Mall in Washington, DC, along with his cachets for many of the other stamps in the series that he designed. I also serviced ZIP block FDCs on his cachets for the other high values in the series.

What’s it worth? Face value alone is $20. No one catalogues ZIP block FDCs, but I can’t imagine another FDC just like this one exists.

One of my collecting specialties is “official” cachets: A FDC produced by some person or entity with a connection to the stamp subject, often the force behind getting the stamp issued or the location where the first-day ceremony (launch ceremony) was held. I recently picked up this one from an American First Day Cover Society auction, although I may already have it: It was produced for the California-Pacific Exposition stamp (Sc. 773) by the exposition itself. The Planty/Mellone catalogues designate it as P11.

Also purchased in that AFDCS auction was this one, for the Transcontinental Railroad issue of 2019 (Sc. 5378-80), by Wile FDCs. The color picture is fabric.

I like train issues, although I’m hardly methodical enough to be called a train topicalist. This one appealed to me, so I bought it.

Another train first day cover (“cover” in a very broad sense) from the auction: An actual railroad spike, painted gold, with the Golden Spike (middle) stamp from 2019’s Transcontinental Railroad issue (Sc. 5379) and a circular date stamp. Cachetmaker Trevor Bills was the culprit!

And, no, it’s not my first three-dimensional FDC. Remember the FDC-in-a-bottle? Click here to read about that one.

Here’s another “official” cachet, for the 1964 Nevada Statehood centennial stamp (Sc. 1248). This also fits into my “oversized cover” specialty, because the envelope measures 9 inches by 12 inches.

Inside was a faux newspaper, with an article on the stamp “below the fold.” (For the second picture, I copied the article to the top half of the picture, to show off the paper’s masthead at the same time.)

This is bigger than most of my FDCs, and bigger than my albums, so I’m not sure where I’m going to put it.

Finally, it’s covers like the one below that I also purchased in the AFDCS auction #91 that make it hard to characterize my collection with a short, simple phrase: I bought it because it make me laugh, and it wasn’t very expensive. It isn’t official, it isn’t oversize, and it isn’t a ZIP block. It’s not actually a first day cover, in fact. For those who don’t recognize him, that veteran collector and cachetmaker Rollin Berger, having himself a ball. I also love the postmark!

It came about because Rollin noted the “CEC” signature on many recent AFDCS FDCs, and asked (tongue in cheek) if that stood for “Chuck E. Cheese.” It actually is “Cuv Evanson Cachets,” one of the tradenames used by Pete McClure. “FM” is Foster Miller, the other jokester here.

And I am proud to say that when my two sons were of that age, I never once went to a Chuck E. Cheese, even though there is one in the area. (I did, however, take them to a Chuck knockoff several times. And I bought them a subscription to Mad Magazine.)

Collecting “Any Given Stamp”

Posted on by

By John M. Hotchner

I once traveled professionally with a lady who said she loved traveling so much that when she landed at a foreign airport, she’d look up in the sky and see an airplane, and wish she were on it! I wasn’t that rabid, but I did love traveling to experience other countries; their peoples, languages, history, food, attitudes, practices, etc. And to compare what I saw on the ground with what I knew of their philatelic history.

And I feel the same way about stamps. If money and time were not an issue I would collect the entire world. That’s how I started out collecting 70 years ago, but as a matter of practicality I had to whittle my efforts down to about 25 countries that I still play with today. A few are serious collections with errors, plate varieties, multiples, sheet markings, covers, and other fodder of the specialist; but most are simply fill-in-the-blank album collections that I enjoy.

Yet all stamps are fascinating when you get behind the design, and study the printing methods and the usages of the stamp and the ways it could be cancelled. I’ve enjoyed my collecting choices but if I had to do it all over again, I believe I’d opt for the world 1840-1940, with some selected issues beyond.

Another approach was taught to me by a lady named Alma Snowa, of Richmond, Virginia, whom I got to know in the 1970s. Alma answered the “What do you collect?” question with a wonderful three-word response: “Any given stamp.”

She chose not to be boxed in by countries, dates, subjects, or art form. When it came to choosing stamps for her collection, she couldn’t provide a want list. Looking over dealer stocks, or club auction lots, stamps or sets would say to her, “Buy me.” Sometimes she knew why, and other times she didn’t, but more often than not, her response was “Absolutely!” She was not trying to build a complete or valuable collection. Rather she was engaged in maximizing her enjoyment of her hobby.

I wish I had had the confidence to collect that way from the start. But because of Alma, I do have a side collection of “anything-that-appeals-to-me.”

It’s common these days for collectors to box ourselves in from the start. We collect a country (perhaps limited to a span of years), or a theme/topic, and ignore everything outside our box. But I’d like to advocate for spreading your wings. Try something new: a country you identify with, a different theme, stamps that seem to you to be especially attractive or meaningful, stamps showing places you would like to visit but probably never will!

Discover more of the broad world of stamp collecting. Add “Any given stamp” to your repertoire.

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

Or comment right here.