The Stamp Collecting Round-Up

Memorial Day Has Its Roots in the Civil War

2012-05-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

National Geographic News reports, "Every year Memorial Day brings people together in the United States to honor fallen service members on the last Monday in May. Since its post-Civil War beginnings, the holiday has changed considerably and now may be best known as the start of summer vacation season—prompting some critics to call for moving the date away from a three-day weekend.

Reporter Brian Handwerk writes, "Unlike Veterans Day on November 11, which honors all who have served their country, Memorial Day is set aside for special remembrance of those who laid down their lives for U.S. national defense. Despite the modern spirit of patriotic camaraderie, Memorial Day has its roots in one of the most divisive events in U.S. history: the Civil War."

He goes on to say, "Soon after the bloody conflict ceased, General John A. Logan—commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans—called for a holiday to be observed every year on May 30.At the time, that holiday was known as Decoration Day, because Logan wanted to honor the fallen by 'strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating, the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion."

The first national Memorial Day holiday, designated by Congress, was held in 1971.

Shown above, Decoration Day postcards circa 1866.

For more on this story, click here.

Peculiar Postage - Unusual Stamps from Around the World

2012-05-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

For a look at some of the more peculiar, quite unusual, slightly odd and downright weird postage stamps from around the world, click here.

Lime Scented Stamps

2012-05-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

The Star Online reports, "Stamp collectors who buy the new miniature sheet from Pos Malaysia's limited edition Aromatic Plants stamp series are in for a pleasant lime scent treat. Produced in the Netherlands, the sheet is the first of its kind in Malaysia and will give out a whiff of kaffir lime leaves when rubbed."

Pos Malaysia's Stamp and Philately head Yasmin Ramli is quoted in the article as saying the collection features three aromatic plants kaffir lime on the RM5 sheet, peppermint on the RM1 stamp and kesum leaves on the 60 sen stamp set. However, only the RM5 sheet featuring the kaffir lime is printed as an aromatic sheet.

Shown above, Pos Malaysia employee Nurul Azreen Razali showing the limited edition Aromatic Plants stamp series

To learn more, click here.

Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with Patriotic Covers

2012-05-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

Janet Klug writes on the Linn's Stamp News website, "With Memorial Day approaching, this article is dedicated to all members of the armed forces who served our country and sent and received patriotic covers during their time of service.

In her "Refresher Course" article, Klug pens, "The encouragement and pride shown in the covers that emanated during World War II were, with notable exceptions, upbeat and positive. Some were poignant, some were funny, and some would be considered politically incorrect in today's world.All of these are collectable and reflect the mood of the times. They are history you can hold in your hands, and are still surprisingly affordable. Many of the people who had been creating cacheted first-day covers prior to World War II turned their attention to patriotic themes during the war."

She goes on to say, "Collecting World War II patriotic covers can be complicated because of the sheer number of cachetmakers who were producing them and the variety of subjects shown on the covers. The good news is that there is a catalog that lists and describes in detail more than 11,000 different World War II patriotic covers.The book is titled United States Patriotic Envelopes of World War II by Lawrence Sherman. Check with your favorite philatelic literature dealer to find a copy."

To read her entire article, click here.

'Delivered By Royal Mail' Postmark To Be Used on Letters

2012-05-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Alan Jones of Britain's Independent reports, "A new 'Delivered By Royal Mail' postmark is to be stamped on letters and other items to distinguish post delivered by the group and its competitors."

He goes on to say, "The company announced it will introduce the new mark to most of the 15 billion letters and parcels carried by the business every year, saying it is important that customers know the difference between post delivered by Royal Mail and its competitors."

According to Jones, "The move followed a survey of more than 1,000 people, which showed that almost four out of five would welcome clarity on which company delivered which item of mail to avoid confusion."

The change will start next month.

For more on this story, click here.

Happy Birthday Goofy! 80 Years Young!

2012-05-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

According to the Disney Insider website, "May 25 is an auspicious date because way back in 1932, a little cartoon appeared in America's movie theaters called 'Mickey's Revue.' It starred the already well-known and beloved Mickey Mouse, but there was an unfamiliar face in the audience watching Mickey. That face had long droopy ears, a protruding tooth, and looked, frankly ... goofy. Although he was originally known as Dippy Dawg, he came to be called Goofy and has been delighting audiences ever since. Whether we need a handy tutorial on how (not!) to ski or dance, or just a quick laugh, Goofy's our guy."

Happy 80th big fella!

To see Goofy and his pals on various postage stamps from around the world, click here.

Stamp Merit Badge Power Point Presentation Available

2012-05-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

Facebook friend Aimee Poitevin Devine writes to say, "The Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Clubs has a Boy Scout stamp collecting merit badge PowerPoint presentation available on its website. It follows, in order, the requirements from the merit badge book."

Based on material from Brian Jones and Carol Edholm, the 109 page, color presentation (which is also downloadable as a pdf) is filled with interesting stamps and text.

While designed primarily for use with Boy Scout groups, it's a great tool to help teach anyone - young and old - the basics of the hobby.

Shown above, the Boy Scout Stamp Collecting Merit Badge.

To take a look, click here.

Dog Bite Prevention Week

2012-05-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

Today marks the first day in National Dog Bite Prevention Week.

Did you know that of the 4.7 million Americans bitten by dogs annually, more than half are children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The U.S. Postal Service, the medical community, veterinarians and the insurance industry are working together to educate the public that dog bites are avoidable.

Mark Anderson, postmaster of Los Angeles, where 83 of nearly 5,600 postal employees nationwide were attacked last year is quoted in a USPS press release as saying,"Don’t worry — my dog won’t bite’ is often heard by our letter carriers before they’re attacked. Given the right circumstances, any dog can attack. Dog attacks are a nationwide issue and not just a postal problem. Working with animal behavior experts, we’ve developed tips to avoid dog attacks, and for dog owners, tips for practicing responsible pet ownership.”

The Postal Service, along with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP); the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM); the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA); the Insurance Information Institute (III); and Prevent The Bite (PTB); are driving home the message that dog bites are a nationwide issue and that education can help prevent dog attacks to people of all ages.

To learn how to train dogs to stop biting, click here.

Hotels on Stamps

2012-05-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

Reporter Alysia Gray Painter writes on the NBC Bay Area website, "A lot of people who oversee hotels are forever thinking about ways to get the word out about their properties. Advertising? Deals? All of the above? There are many solid paths to connecting with customers. But here's a novel one: Be on a stamp."

She goes on to pen, "Of course, getting on that stamp may take some time and some luck. And your hotel may share the small rectangle with a famous director and the cinema history's most celebrated sex symbol, which are both pluses in our book."

This week, San Diego's Hotel del Coronado will appear (along with Marilyn Monroe) on the new USPS stamp saluting legendary film director Billy Wilder.

According to Wikipedia, "Hotel del Coronado (also known as The Del and Hotel del) is a beachfront luxury hotel in the city of Coronado, just across the San Diego Bay from San Diego, California. It is one of the few surviving examples of an American architectural genre: the wooden Victorian beach resort. It is one of the oldest and largest all-wooden buildings in California and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977, and is a designated California Historical Landmark.When it opened in 1888, it was the largest resort hotel in the world. It has hosted presidents, royalty, and celebrities through the years."

The hotel has been featured in numerous movies and books in including the screwball comedy Some Like It Hot. Wilder directed the film in 1958. Monroe starred along with Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis.

For more on the Hotel del Coronado, click here.

Happy Armed Forces Day!

2012-05-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.

On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. The single day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under the Department of Defense.

Click here to visit Steven L.Ossad's Military History Depicted in US Postage Stamps website for a philatelic salute to our men and women in uniform.

Calgary Stampede Stamps Feature "Augmented Reality"

2012-05-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Canada's Calgary Herald reports, "To mark this year's centennial of the Calgary Stampede, Canada Post has unveiled two commemorative stamps. Both stamps, featuring a rodeo horse and a silver and gold belt buckle, were designed by Calgary graphic artist Xerxes Irani - who admits he broke down and cried uopn learning his designs had been chosen."

“It’s amazing for a designer to see his work reprinted millions of times,” Irani says of the estimated four million Stampede stamps that are now on sale in post offices and through Canada Post.

Canada Post’s Genevieve Latour is quoted in the article by Valerie Fortney as saying, "One unique feature of the Stampede stamp is that it comes complete with what is called 'Augmented Reality'; it’s the first time that owners of smart phones or tablets can download a corresponding app, which in this case includes a barrel race and interactive experience with a horse.

Shown above, Xerxes Irani and the stamps he designed.

To read the entire article and watch a video about Canada's first "augmented reality" stamps, click here.

Royal Mail Makes a Philatelic Fashion Statement

2012-05-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

Georgia Bobley writes on the Guest of a Guest website, "Between the Royal Wedding, the Queen's Jubilee, and the upcoming Olympics, it's been a big year for Great Britain. With so much international focus on the country, English fashion has been thrown into the spotlight -- and now it's being displayed on stamps."

Britain's Royal Mail has launched a line of stamps honoring England's top 10 fashion houses, including Alexander Wang, Vivienne Westwood, and Paul Smith.

According to Bobley, "The stamps, which were designed by London-based graphic designer Johnson Banks and shot by Solve Sundsbo, were created by photographing live models wearing the designers' clothing and later removing the models from the image."

In a related story on the Fibre 2 Fashion website, it's being reported, "When shooting the outfits that appear on the stamps Sølve Sundsbø worked with live models, but did not use their facial features, to allow the designs to speak for themselves. The shoot lasted two days, and relied on the use of the actual original clothes – either obtained directly from the designers or meticulously sourced from specialist vintage fashion stores. "

Click here for more information.

A Passion for Philately

2012-05-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

Minneapolis stamp collector Gary Haas and Fresno, Calif., stamp dealer Gary Deitz are featured in an article by Rick Bentley of the McClatchy Newspapers.

Bentley writes, "Gary Haas squeezes between a pair of ceiling-high book cases, arranged to create a small office area and a central location for his stamp collecting hobby.Haas' passion for collecting is evident. Most of the shelves are filled with volumes and volumes of stamps, categorized by date, country, color and subject matter.

He goes on to say, "The collection is so massive that Haas has no idea of the total. It's the accumulation of more than 40 years of collecting, which started when Haas received a stamp collecting starter set for Christmas when he was 8 years old."

Haas is quoted as saying, "In the 1970s, I got a stamp collecting merit badge through the Boy Scouts, where I learned some of the basics of stamp collecting.I started going to stamp shows about six times a year. It's a slow learning process."

Deitz, who turned his 65-year-old hobby into a business, says he'd like to see more people like Haas.

"I got started collecting when there were no TVs or video games, " Deitz says. "Back then maybe 1 in 10 kids collected stamps. Now it's maybe 1 in 1,000."

To read the entire article, click here.

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/05/15/2522424/stamp-lovers-passion-for-hobby.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/05/15/2522424/stamp-lovers-passion-for-hobby.html#storylink=cHaas is quoted in the article as saying, ""In the 1970s, I got a stamp collecting merit badge through the Boy Scouts, where I learned some of the basics of stamp collecting. I started going to stamp shows about six times a year. It's a slow learning process."

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/05/15/2522424/stamp-lovers-passion-for-hobby.html#storylink=cpy

From a Post Office Far, Far Away

2012-05-15T00:51:00.000-07:00

Erin Blasco posts on the National Postal Museum's blog, Pushing The Envelope, "A stamp marked 'Magyar Posta' is from Hungary. 'Deutsche Post' is from Germany. But stamps purporting to be from Tatooine or Alderaan, fictional planets from the Star Wars saga, are pure fantasy. That didn’t stop London-based graphic artist Stefan van Zoggel from creating postage stamps from the high tech world of droids and the Millennium Falcon. He even designed a fictional postmark featuring R2-D2 as postmaster general."

Blasco goes on to say the US Postal Service has issued its own Star Wars stamps, "although they're probably not enough postage to be used on interplanetary mail."

Blasco would like to know, "What fictional world do you think should get its own postage stamps next? Stamps inspired by "Lord of the Rings" for the sending of postcards between Minas Tirith and Pelennor Fields? Narnia? And how about postal service between the Twelve Colonies of "Battlestar Galactica?" And who would you appoint postmaster general?"

Click here to voice your opinion.

To view more Star War cinderellas as shown above, click here.

Blind British Photographer Takes Photo for "UK A-Z" Stamp Sheet

2012-05-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

U.K.'s Leicester Mercury reports a picture taken by a photographer who is visually impaired is on the "UK A-Z" stamps sheet

According to the article, Brian Negus, 65, who is legally blind, took the photo last year while on a trip to Belfast. He then posted it on the image sharing website Flickr, not thinking anyone would show much interest.

Well, they did.

About seven months later he was contacted by the Royal Mail to ask if they could use the shot and offered him £200. Negus, who is chairman of the Leicester sight loss charity Vista, donated the money to the organization.

Negus said he took up photography in 2000 after camera companies began putting large LCD screens on their digital SLR cameras. He uses the screen and a magnifying lens on one eye which enables him to see the image.

He's quoted as saying, "Before digital cameras I wasn't able to take photographs but now I'm hooked. I can't use the viewfinder, so the LCD screens are perfect. I still need a lens which magnifies the screen 12 times."

Shown above, UK A-Z stamps sheet. Negus' photo appears in the lower right hand corner.

To read the entire article, click here.

Happy Mother's Day!

2012-05-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

2009 Mother Day's stamps issued by Turkey.

For a history of Mother's Day on stamps, click here.

'Servicio Sanitario' Stamps

2012-05-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Stamp columnist John Weigle writes on California's Ventura County Star website, "The current issue of The American Revenuer, the magazine of the American Revenue Association, reports on two German towns that are issuing revenue stamps to show a tax levied on street walking prostitutes has been paid."

According to Weigle, "The magazine says that Bonn and Dortmund issued the stamps for prostitutes who walk the streets rather than work in brothels or sauna clubs, where it's easier to collect the taxes."

"The article doesn't say," Weigle writes, "but I suppose stamp collectors who wanted samples for their collections could buy the tickets if they visited the cities, but I'm not sure what spouses might think of the idea."

Apparently this is not a new idea and several other countries around the world have issued similar revenue stamps in the past.

Shown above a 1920 Argentine servicio sanitario (medical service) stamp that was pasted into the prostitute's libreta sanitaria (medical booklet) and cancelled in a way that showed the result of the exam.

For more on this, click here.

Handbag Designer Uses Stamps in Her New Creations

2012-05-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

Reporter Olivia Alabaster writes on the Daily Star website, "Drawing inspiration from her stamp collection, handbag designer Astrid Honein used images of vintage Lebanese stamps in her latest offering. 'Greetings from Lebanon' marks Honein’s sixth collection, but the first to be exhibited publicly.

Alabaster goes on to pen, "The vintage stamps, from the ’50s and ’60s, which depict the cedar tree, or cherries, also feature on a range of loose-fitting cotton T-shirts ($45), which would go perfectly with denim shorts for the beach, or could even be dressed up with trousers and high heels."

Honein is quoted in the piece as saying, "“I really loved this image from the stamps, and I’ve just been obsessed with using it in my work."

To read the entire article, click here.

Letters - The New E-mails

2012-05-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History believes letters are the new e-mails. That's the theme for this year's Annual Letter Writing Day on Sunday, May 20.

Recipients who received an e-mailed announcement about the event were asked, "When was the last time you wrote or received a personal letter? Do you have some letters that you have saved because they are special to you? Do your children ever write a letter rather than sending an email? Are you just tired of receiving and answering emails?"

It goes to say, "Children's book author and illustrator Jennifer Morris will read from her book about sending a letter, demonstrate how she illustrates books and show pictures of her studio. In addition, she will help both children and adults create illustrated stationery and envelopes to use to send letters to friends."

In addition, visitors are being asked to share their personal stories about favorite letters they have received and even encouraged to bring some of these to the program.

Museum Education Director Henry Lukas is quoted as saying "People should bring their friends' mailing addresses to send their letters. The Museum will pay the postage." He added, "people will use a stamp rather than hit the send button."

For more information, click here.

Collection Goes Into the Guinness Book of World Records

2012-05-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

India's Bangalore Mirror reports a philatelist and naturalist Daniel Monteiro, 50, from Bramhavar in Udupi district, who specialises in bird philately, has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for his unique collection of 4,911 stamps on birds from 263 countries.

According to the article by Deepthi Shridhar, in 2011, Monteiro had entered the Limca Book of Records for his rare collection of stamps on ducks and for securing 10 international awards. He has about 1,000 stamps on water fowls and claims it to be the largest collection of its kind in Asia.

To read the entire article, click here.

Get Ready For Summer!

2012-05-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! If you're looking for a pair of philatelic shorts to impress your stamp club buddies...Sears has them!

These colorful swimming trunks (which double as walking shorts) feature whimsical Hawaiian postcards, Hulu girls and Honolulu cancellations in their design.

Made by Trader Bay, they can be purchased for just $14.99 (normally $30) at your nearest Sears store or on line by clicking here.

Hurry! Sale ends May 12!

Keeper of The Queen's Stamps Visits Bermuda

2012-05-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Bermuda's RoyalGazette.com reports,"Mr [Micahel] Sefi, the official Keeper of the Queen’s stamps, was recently in Bermuda to oversee some of the Queen’s most valuable stamps that were briefly on display in a special exhibition at the Masterworks Museum in the Botanical Gardens.

The stamps were part of an existing exhibition at Masterworks commemorating the 200th anniversary of Bermuda’s Post Office.

Reporter Jessie Moniz pens, "In today’s world of flashy technology, few children have the patience for stamp collecting, but when Mr Sefi was a boy, stamp collecting was all the rage. It was the height of excitement to pour over the little slips of paper depicting the faraway countries they came from."

According to the article, "Mr Sefi worked in the finance industry for many years, before taking early retirement. He eventually became President of the Great Britain Philatelic Society and was on the council of the Royal Philatelic Society. He also helped with several stamp exhibitions organised in London. Meanwhile, Charles Goodwin, who was then Keeper of the Queen’s stamps, asked him if he wanted to help with the Queen’s collection, and he agreed. Then Mr Goodwin fell ill unexpectedly and had to retire and Mr Sefi stepped in."

"Mr Sefi’s job involves administering the collection, logging and filing new acquisitions, conservation work and also dealing with researchers. He has also accompanied parts of the collection to various parts of the world to oversee exhibitions," writes Moniz.

To read the entire article, click here.

Sir Paul Smith - Stamp Designer

2012-05-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Japan Times features an article about Sir Paul Smith whose "creations are more commonly found paraded on fashion catwalks or on hangers in boutiques around the world" rather than on postage stamps.

The British designer has now added to his portfolio the seven stamps shown above which he created for the Isle of Man Post Office to mark this summer's London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Smith is quoted in a recent interview as saying, ""l looked at posters and artwork from previous Olympics and realized I wanted the stamps to be positive, powerful, colorful and, above all, optimistic."

Reporter Danielle Demetriou points out, "The apparent simplicity of the diminutive designs, however, belies a string of challenges posed by the fact that stamp design is strictly governed by rules and regulations."

"Actually the job was quite huge and I worked on the project for about a year," Smith explained. "Because stamps are governed by law, you have to incorporate certain things: the Queen's head in certain size, the Olympic logo, the price. And then, in addition to those restrains (rules), stamps are very collectable, so I had to design gift sets and collectors' items."

To read entire article, click here.

George Bernard Shaw - Stamp Collector

2012-05-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

According toWikitelic, a new philatelic Facebook page that says it is "A fun place for stamp collectors to share information, ideas, resources as well as show and tells," Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was a stamp collector.

The site says Shaw was once quoted as saying, "“Words are only postage stamps delivering the object for you to unwrap.”

My Fair Lady was adapted by Lerner and Loewe from George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion.

Shown above, George Bernard Shaw working on his stamp collection.

To visit Wikitelic, click here

I Really Don't Want to See Your Collection, Thank You

2012-05-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

Columnist Adrian Chamberlain writes on Canada's Times Colonist website, "You have a friend whose hobby is stamp collecting. And he (because it will be a he) is keen to show you his collection. In a perfect world, you could say: 'I couldn't care less about tiny bits of paper once attached to that archaic form of communication known as the 'letter'. So please shut up and never raise the subject again."

According to Chamberlain, "And in this perfect world, your friend would understand. He would offer a humble apology and suggest a refreshing trip to the pub."

He goes on to pen, "But I've found such discourse doesn't wash in polite society. People label these kinds of remarks as 'rude,' 'inappropriate" and 'evidence of being socially maladjusted.' So you have no choice but to nod your head politely while your friend repeatedly uses the word 'philately' and goes on and on about his 1859 Canadian beaver stamp."

To read his entire column, click here.