221JANAP_web

THE
JANUARY 2021 $6.95
THE WIDE WORLD of
STamp Collecting
WWW.STAMPS.ORG

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BE PREPARED TO HELP THE SELLER, IF NEEDED, BETTER UNDERSTAND THE
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THE
AMERICAN PHILATELIST
January 2021
VOLUME 135 • NO. 1 • WHOLE NO. 1,440
Table of Contents
PAGE
20
A PHILATELIC QUEST FOR
EVERYWHERE
BY JOHN SEIDL
When presented the challenge of a “one
from everywhere” collection, John Seidl
stepped up to the plate – and now he has
some words of advice for other collectors
who wish to try their hand at such a
worldwide collection.
PAGE
24
LIECHTENSTEIN: A TALE
OF ERRORS, FREAKS AND
ODDITIES… AND POLITICS
BY JOHN R. SHOTLIFF
John Shotliff’s philatelic journey may have
begun with Liechtenstein Michel 11-16,
but he quickly realized that the story of
this tiny country’s early issues is anything
but tiny. Follow along as Shotliff takes us
through WWI and post-war Liechtenstein,
its early independent stamp issues, and
the amazing errors and oddities that
resulted in some of the most interesting
stamps in philately.
PAGE
34
THE ALLURE OF AMG
COLLECTING
BY RICHARD PEDERSON
Just a few short years, just a few countries
and military zones… yet Allied Military
Government (AMG) collecting has
something to appeal to any collector (not
to mention history buffs).
PAYING A TAX OR TAX EXEMPT
BY RON LESHER
Continuing his introduction to the wide world of
U.S. revenues, Ron Lesher explains the first purpose
of revenues: to show that a tax has been paid or
that it is exempt from taxation. Worthy of special
note are revenue stamps for certificates and luxury
goods, not to mention special tax stamps that
measure over 36 square inches!
PAGE
52
3¢ OKLAHOMA STATEHOOD
(SCOTT 1092)
BY CHARLES POSNER
Continuing his long-running column “U.S.
Commemoratives of the 1950s,” Charles Posner dives
into Scott 1092, the 50-year commemorative of
Oklahoma’s statehood and one of the
PAGE
least-popular stamp designs of 1957.
Other Features
60
FROM HUBBLE TO HALE-BOPP
AND OTHER STORIES
BY KATRIN RAYNOR-EVANS
One year after her debut article in the
AP, Katrin Raynor-Evans is back with a
astrophilatelic sequel, inspired in part
by the contributions of other generous
readers.
PAGE
44
66 Adventures in Expertizing
72 APRL Notes
91 Books & Catalogs
75 Bridges
70 Buy and Sell
81 Classified Ads
6 Editing Philately
74 In Touch
12 Letters to the Editor
77 Membership Report
68 My Stamp Story
94 New World Issues
18 Our Story
4 President’s Column
89 Show Time
96 Worldwide in a Nutshell
2 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

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P HILATELIST
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©2020, The American Philatelic Society, Inc.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 3

President’s Column
BY Robert Zeigler
President
RZeigler@zcklaw.com
Don’t Resist the Urge to Specialize
Some brave collectors still try to collect the world –
and as you’ll see in this issue, the definition of “collecting
the world” can vary depending on who you
talk to. But if your goal is a complete
world collection, you’ve probably
found that the volume and cost of new
issues is such that a very high budget
is needed just to keep up. The temptation
is extremely strong to draw
the line somewhere, whether in time
(1940 is a popular stopping point)
or by singling out a continent (easy
enough if you choose “Antarctica”!),
or, more likely, a country. If you decide
on a country, well – it is very likely
that you will become a specialist.
Often, you arrive at specialization
in easy stages.
You try at the beginning to
collect every stamp that happens
to fall into your hands.
But then – the urge to complete
arises, and you begin to
appreciate the inherent conflict
between the breadth of what you
have desired to collect and the
limits imposed by time and expense.
Specialization represents a
compromise; you narrow your
Switzerland 333
focus to what you think you
can handle. But as you focus on
something less broad, the true depths of collecting any
major country becomes ever more apparent. Even the
“narrowed” focus is just the tip of the iceberg.
4 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021
Switzerland Scott B11
In my own case, I started by collecting United States
and Europe. As time went by, I passed through ever more
narrow phases, dropping the pursuit of one country after
another. The United States was an early casualty as I realized
that I could not possibly do justice to my native land
because it is so vast and varied, and also because so many
of our American collectors are such experts in the area.
I could spend the rest of my life, not
to mention my money, trying to catch
up. True, if I had been a little more discerning,
I could have been careful to
select some more limited area within
the United States, maybe a single state,
a city or a county.
Instead, after passing through an
intermediate phase that included Scandinavia
and Australia, I decided to
pursue Switzerland. Why? It is fairly
small, has a rich history, has three major
languages (German, French and
Italian), plus a minor language derived
from Latin and only spoken in a small
portion of the country, and has a
great stamp-issuing heritage and
an enthusiastic following of collectors,
both at home and elsewhere.
I found it especially interesting
because of its neutrality
during the two great wars of the
twentieth century.
So I ended up with one country,
and a rather small one at
that! But I have not regretted my
choice. So went my journey into
specialization. Everyone has a
different journey – and there is
no harm in choosing to remain
a worldwide collector! There is a mutual respect among
collectors no matter what they have chosen, because everyone
is affected by the urge to collect, no matter how
differently that urge might strike. The drive to collect and
bring order to your collection is a hallmark of an inquiring
mind.
Happy New Year and happy collecting!

Keeeher & Rogee, Ltd.
Fine Asian Auctions
presents
Two Special and Profoundly Serious China Auctions
at our Danbury, CT Galleries in February 2021
Every now and again, a truly special collection from
long-ago resurfaces to capture the imagination and
rekindle the collecting passions of days gone by.
Such is the case of the remarkable “Legend of the Dragon”
collection.
As the name would suggest, the overriding emphasis
of this stellar collection is based around the iconic Large
Dragon issues of the Ching Dynasty. The collection, which
has not seen the light of day in well over a generation, begins
with a splendid array of the Large Dragon first issues proper,
featuring sheets and blocks of the 1878 thin paper issues—in
addition to a multitude of select quality mint sets for the
1878 issue, as well as representation of the 1882 Wide Margin
and 1883 thick paper printings.
Not to be outdone, the 1885 and 1888 Second Customs
Small Dragon Issues feature wonderful coverage, include
panes, dual panes, a superb showing of mint blocks of 4, rare
imperforate proofs, in addition to lovely Small Dragon surcharges,
which feature numerous sets of blocks of the Small
Figure issues, in addition to a lovely and rare set of blocks of
4 of the Large Figure surcharges.
Perhaps the most fascinating portion of the ample Small
Dragon section are the nearly dozen lots of the elusive
“Taiwan Postage Stamp” or “Formosa” issues, which feature
Laurence Gibson started in
the stamp business
multiples, varieties etc.
professionally in the early
1980s with Earl P.L.
Apfelbaum. Laurence
became Far Eastern
specialist, and heavily
involved in the Asian
Philatelic market. Laurence
oversaw many important
“One Owner” sales and
brokered the famous “Sun”
collection of Red Revenues
for $2.5 million to a collector. Other notable single owner
collections that Gibson has worked with include The Lois Evans
Exhibition Collection, The “Knight” Sale of Select Rarities from
China, The Fred Freilicher Collection of Hong Kong, The
Michael Eugene Ruggiero Collection of Classic Japan, The
Bruce Lee Memorabilia Collection, The Lee Yuen Wong
Collection of China and The Dr. Steven J. Berlin Collection of
Karl Lewis Covers. His experience and knowledge in the
industry sets him apart in the philatelic market place.
Following the Customs Issues is a specialized section of
the 1894-1897 Empress Dowager Issues including a rare,
complete set of First Printing Large Mother Die Proofs
in addition to outstanding Black Second print proofs of
re-drawn designs, exquisite “cigarette” paper proofs, Second
print proofs on white paper etc. A wonderful study of the
9ca tete-beche pairs are noted, including a lovely block of 4,
Buy • Sell • Consign
stamps@kelleherasia.com • www.kelleherasia.com
USA Office: Daniel F. Kelleher Auctions
22 Shelter Rock Ln., Unit 53,
Danbury CT 06810
T: +1.203.830.2500 F: 203.297.6059
as well as examples of all six types. Impressive surcharges also.
A powerful section of the 1897 Red Revenue issue is
included, highlighted by select quality examples of the Small
4c surcharge as well as the $5 value.
Perhaps the most extraordinary portion of this legendary
collection lies in the remarkable assembly dedicated to the
incomparably diverse and wide ranging 1897-1914 postal
history of the Coiling Dragon issues. Within the approximately
110 individual lots, we will find some of the finest
sections of Large & Small Dollar Chops, Pa-kua cancels, Sun
& Moon chops, Tomb stone cancels and Railway postmarks
ever offered in one place. The usages and varieties of this
issue, in addition to the enormous range of postmarks, designate
these issues as some of the most significant in Chinese
postal history.
The second portion of the Kelleher & Rogers lineup
features issues of the Peoples Republic of China formed by
a lady presently residing in New York City. In addition to
a fine offering of scarce issues, we often find duplicated offerings
of the ever-popular miniature sheets, along with full
sheets of select issues etc.
The collection was formed contemporaneously to the
time of issue, and includes five positional blocks of four of
the 1981 Monkey New Year issue, imperforate, marginal
Buy • Sell • Consign
In 1996, David Coogle
co-founded, with Andrew
Levitt, the Nutmeg Stamp
Sales mail auction firm. In
2004, Greg Manning
purchased the Nutmeg bran
and later merged the H.R.
Harmer and Nutmeg
companies, positioning Dav
as President. During this
period, John Bull Stamp
Auctions (amongst other
firms) were acquired by the
Manning firm and under the
Philatelic Divisions Management Team which included
David. He began calling auctions in Hong Kong for the
newly founded Dynasty Auctions Company, Ltd., with
his friend and business Partner Laurence Gibson as
co-owners and enjoys being an owner Director and
Auctioneer at Kelleher & Rogers, Ltd.
Mei Lan-tang issues, and a choice block of 4 of the second
Military Stamp issue.
Without any doubt, this K&R fabulous February Public
Auction is of such pre-eminent importance that it will clearly
set the pace for China philately in 2021. Send for your free
catalog today.
All inquiries for these two sales should be directed to
Laurence Gibson at Kelleher’s Danbury offices.

Editing Philately
BY Gary Wayne Loew
Editor-in-Chief of APS Publications
gary@stamps.org
A Journey Around-the-Philatelic-World
More, more, and still more…
Since I began writing this column several months ago, I have ended by reminding APS
members that this is your American Philatelist. I’ve encouraged you to write and let us know
what you like and don’t like about the AP. And many of you have done just that.
I learned that you want more articles about stamps and more articles about postal history.
You want more articles about U.S. stamps and more articles about foreign stamps. You want
more in-depth articles and more articles for beginners. The ambitious full-year editorial calendar
we introduced was well received by all who wrote. About half of the members liked the idea
of the special issues and half did not like the idea.
So this month, you are all going to get what you wanted! Welcome to January’s “Wide World
of Stamp Collecting: a potpourri of collecting topics.” To achieve that, we start with an article
on collecting the world. We will be visiting the United States, of course, examining a single
commemorative stamp of the 1950s and an entire genre of stamps (revenues). We will visit the
Principality of Liechtenstein and explore collecting Allied Military Government stamps. And,
because planet Earth is not big enough for stamp collectors, we will visit the Hubble Space Telescope,
Hale-Bopp and (almost) to the universe and beyond – philatelically speaking, that is.
In this issue
Many of us began collecting with an enormous scope – perhaps you were given a worldwide
stamp album as a child, or perhaps you began by collecting every stamp that fell into your
hands. No matter where you take your collection next, this issue is
proof that there is no wrong way to collect. APS President Bob Zeigler
gives some advice for the collector who prefers to specialize, but we
also find that “collecting the world” can be very rewarding. John Seidl
offers his thoughts on different ways to specialize in worldwide stamp
collecting. John has been participating in and giving back to the hobby
for many years. One of the ways that he gives back is by serving as
the president of the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors
(www.iswsc.org). Check out their interesting website.
From collecting the world, we shift focus to the opposite extreme.
Liechtenstein is the sixth-smallest independent nation in
the world, but its philately will support as deep a dive as any specialist
could wish for. To prove that, author John R. Shotliff tells “A Tale of
Errors, Freaks and Oddities… and Politics.”
CALL FOR WRITERS
The American Philatelist depends on our members, who provide much of the
content of this magazine. I’d like to encourage more members to join our roster of
philatelic writers. If you have an idea, please send your article idea, an outline and
a brief description of what would make it interesting to our audience. Send your
proposal by email to aparticle@stamps.org or mail to The American Philatelist, c/o
Article Submission, 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, PA 16823.
APS Official Family
2019–2022
PRESIDENT
Robert Zeigler
rzeigler@zcklaw.com
BOARD OF VICE PRESIDENTS
Cheryl Ganz
cherylganz@yahoo.com
Patricia (Trish) Kaufmann
trishkauf@comcast.net
Jeff Shapiro
dirtyoldcovers@aol.com
SECRETARY
Stephen Schumann
stephen.schumann@att.net
TREASURER
Bruce Marsden
mail@brucemarsden.com
DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE
Michael Bloom
mbloom@sinotech.com
Rich Drews
richbear427@hotmail.com
Peter P. McCann
ppm103226706@aol.com
Mark Schwartz
mark.schwartz1@verizon.net
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Stephen Reinhard
sreinhard1@optonline.net
STAMP THEFT COMMITTEE
Nicholas A. Lombardi
P.O. Box 1005
Mountainside, NJ 07092
stamptheft@stamps.org
APS INSURANCE PLAN
Hugh Wood Inc.,
220 Match Factory Place
Bellefonte, PA 16823
Toll Free: 888-APS-6494
Phone: 212-509-3777
Fax: 212-509-4906
aps@hughwood.com
ADDRESS CHANGES
To change your address online
visit stamps.org and log into your
My APS account. Or mail your
new address information to
APS, 100 Match Factory Place,
Bellefonte, PA 16823
(Fax: 814-933-6128).
Please try to give us four weeks’
notice. You can also add an
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your APS record.
CONNECT ONLINE
6 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

APS-7.qxp_APS 06.05.20 14:30 Seite 1
If you have interests that transcend national boundaries,
there are many ways to philatelically satisfy those
interests. For example, let me quote from Richard Pederson’s
intriguing article, “The Allure of AMG Collecting”:
“The Allied Military Government (AMG) specialty…
has something for everyone, spanning multiple
geographic and political states, several languages,
changes in government and administration, and a
rich historical situation – over the course of just a
few years.”
Pederson is editor of the A.M.G. Courier, the
journal of The Allied Military Government Collectors’ Club (www.
AMGcollectors.org).
If going cross-border or collecting the whole world isn’t expansive enough
for you, then perhaps the realm of astrophilately will slake your philatelic questing.
When Katrin Raynor-Evans appeared in these pages exactly one year ago (“A
Stamp on the Universe”) her article resonated with APS members. Many sent her
astrophilatelic artifacts that they thought she might enjoy. In this issue, she shares
her adventures in learning about new off-planet philatelic subjects. This is yet another
rocket-propelled article from Katrin. I am sure you will enjoy the ride.
Ron Lesher returns with the second installment in his column “The Collector
of Revenue.” “Paying a Tax or Tax Exempt” shows us how a revenue stamp
might verify that a tax has been paid or might confirm that no tax is due. The
world of revenue stamps tells us so much about how governments achieved their
fiscal requirements through diverse means of taxation. The subject may appear
specialized, but it broaches vast swathes
of society.
Longtime contributor Charles
Posner resumes his journey through
the meaningful commemoratives of
the 1950s. This time he settles on
the year 1957 and the stamp commemorating
the 50th anniversary
of Oklahoma Statehood. This is a
tale of postage, politics, and design
planning. There is a lot to be
learned about the creation of this
3¢ stamp.
Your areas
of interest can be
saved, and you
receive notifications
for newly listed
items.
Helping APS members to learn more
One thing that all collectors appear to have in common is an endless quest to
learn more about the stamps they collect or are considering collecting. We – and
the APRL staff – frequently get inquiries about the topics that appeared in the
prior month’s AP. So, beginning this month, many of the articles will end with a
new feature, a sidebar titled “For Further Reading.” The talented researchers on the
APRL staff will recommend books, articles, websites, presentations from the APS
YouTube channel, and perhaps courses available on our C3a educational archive.
APS members can borrow books and obtain copies of articles, as well as sign up
for C3a courses.
Helping APS members find stamp dealers
One observation that I made earlier struck a favorable note with many readers.
You appreciate our new attention to balanced focus between content to help
you be better collectors while simultaneously enabling you to more readily locate
www. philasearch.com
Ad 7 of 7
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 7

Kelleher’s World Renowned Public Auctions Since 1885 • Online Auctions • Many Personalized Services
The New Year 2021 Rings in
With Philatelic Good Cheer and
Unprecedented Offerings...
Above: The covers for the huge catalogs of public auctions
(Our Nos. 745 and 750) Parts I and II of the Stock and Private
Holdings of the late William S., Langs. More major auctions
of the Langs properties are forthcoming.
January 2021:
William Langs Part 3: United States Essays, Proofs and Trial Colors Including Revenues
and Private Die Proprietary Issues. An important sale not to be missed.
William Langs Part 4: EFOs, The most comprehensive Holding of Errors
EVER to be offered at Public Auction
Flagship Sale of United States & Possessions, British & Worldwide Stamps and
Postal History—Features include selections from the following collections:
Allen Fink, Proprietor of Philatex • Allenwood Investment Holdings
Leo Malz further offerings including Yemen
Brian McGrath Extensive Collection and Stock • “Bradstreet” Worldwide Collection
• Stanley Richmond—His personal collection
Plus many other consignors’ material
January – April 2021:
William Langs Part 5 and Beyond: More Postal History, FDCs, Airmail Flights, Singles,
Plate Blocks, Sheets, Coils, Possessions

The Oldest Continually Operated Philatelic Auction House in the United States of America
Kelleher’s
As usual, Multiple Spectacular
Auctions from America’s Oldest
Philatelic Auction House:
Some examples of the 1,712 lots in
Part II of the public auction held on
Dec. 8-11 of the
William S. Langs holdings.
February 2021:
Aero-Philatelists and Astro-Philatelists alike will be pleased
with a separate catalog Featuring:
“Caruso” Collection of Aerophilately, Early Pioneer through Zeppelin Flights
Leo Malz Collections of Rocket Mail and Astro Philately
March 2021:
An immense Collections, Stocks and Accumulations of the World Sale which
will begin to unveil the true depth and value of the Langs private holding,
along with material from the above consignors and many others.
Also Beginning in January:
Weekly Internet Sales to include Portions from the immense stock and private
holdings of the late William S. Langs. With sales closing each Sunday evening at
9PM there will be something for everyone!
Call, email or write
for your free
Daniel
Join Good Company
F.
and
Kelleher
Sell or Consign now!
Auctions
Call Us Toll Free!
catalogs of the 2021
sales listed here—
or view & bid
America’s Oldest Philatelic Auction House • Established 1885
online!
22 Shelter Rock Lane • Unit 53 • Danbury, CT 06810
Phone: 203.830.2500 • Toll Free 800.212.2830 • Fax: +203.297.6059
Email: info@kelleherauctions.com
www.kelleherauctions.com

TH
stamp dealers who can match your individual collecting
needs. Coming in the March issue, we will be introducing a
sidebar accompanying many of our articles: “Where To Buy.”
At the end of these articles, we will list the AP advertisers
that offer philatelic material related to the contents of the article.
These brief citations will key to dealers’ websites as well
as their display ads throughout the AP. We want to make
it easy to grow from knowledgeable collectors to informed
buyers.
More, More, And Still More (Redux)
The messages you sent to us all had one thing in common:
AP readers want more. More articles. More access to
the right dealers for you. When you contact a stamp dealer
or philatelic auction house, please tell them that you saw
their ad in The American Philatelist.
* * *
I have said this before: if you wish to see a perpetuallyimproving
American Philatelist, you – our readers and APS
members – must become a part of this exciting journey.
Reach out to me with your questions, concerns, and suggestions.
Contact us to write for the AP. More importantly, volunteer
to participate. This is your American Philatelist. My
email is Gary@stamps.org.
1847–1945
Quality U.S. Stamps
Singles (mint and used), Plate Blocks, Booklet Panes
plus Complete Booklets, Price lists $2 each category or
free online. We also buy quality U.S. & foreign stamps.
Mountainside Stamps, Coins and Currency
P.O. Box 1116 • Mountainside, NJ 07092
Tel: 908-419-9751 or 908-232-0539
E-mail: tjacks@verizon.net • www.mountainsidestamps.com
Tom Jacks, owner; member APS, ASDA
GUERNSEY STAMPS
AND COLLECTABLES
New Issues: 21 July 2020
100th Anniversary
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Guernsey
100 YEARS OF
Rupert Bear
50
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100 YEARS OF
Bill the Badger
85
On November 8, 1920, a small, furry brown bear wearing
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We are delighted to celebrate the centenary of this most
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Order Guernsey & Alderney stamps online or by
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BATTLE TH
OF BRITAIN
A N N I V E R S A R Y
80 TH
68 ALDERNEY
ALDERNEY
85 ALDERNEY
ALDERNEY
Supermarine Spitfire
& Hawker Hurricane
BATTLE OF BRITAIN
A N N I V E R S A R Y
Heinkel He 111
bomber under fire
BATTLE OF BRITAIN
A N N I V E R S A R Y
The Battle of Britain took place
between 10th July and 31st October
1940, Nazi Germany’s failure to destroy
Britain’s air defences or force Britain to
negotiate an armistice was one of the
crucial turning points in the war.
This emotive issue comes with an
informative prestige booklet.
80 TH
80
80 TH
TH
10 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Letters to the Editor
lettertotheeditor@stamps.org
Oh Pongal
I was both surprised and delighted to
read Dhatri Iyer’s article “Oh Pongal: Celebrate
the Pongal Festival With Us” in
the December AP. I really enjoyed reading
about this festival and love Dhatri’s enthusiasm and
willingness to share her culture and traditions. And to think,
she was inspired by an FDC! The future of philately is in
young people like Dhatri. I am a huge fan of Indian food
and Indian festivities, having studied Indian cuisines and
cultures for over 30 years. I am fortunate to live in a town
with a large Indian population and excellent markets so I
will be putting the Pongal dates on my calendar and preparing
some traditional, festive foods. I am very inspired by
Dhatri’s article and enjoyed seeing the FDC. I sincerely hope
to see more articles from this enthusiastic young lady. Vanakkamm
Dhatri!
I also hope to see articles about other cultures and their
traditions as seen on stamps and philatelic items. Such a fun
way to learn about our friends and neighbors.
(P.S. Vanakkam is a Tamil word used in greeting as a sign
of respect - similar to Namaste in Hindi.)
Marion Rollings, PhD
Hillsborough, NJ
Practical applications of
stamp collecting
My father bought me a small paperback
album when I was around 10 years old and
this began a lifetime learning experience.
I was working on a degree in Criminal Justice and needed
to take an elective. Friends suggested that I take a course
called “The Economic Development of the People’s Republic
of China.” Taught by an Emeritus Professor, the course
was used as a learning process using China’s economy as the
subject.
There were 13 of us taking the course, 12 of which were
MBA candidates. Made me feel out of place. During the
first class the professor began talking about Sri Lanka. After
about five minutes it became obvious that none of the
other students had any idea what or where Sri Lanka was.
He asked if anyone knew anything about this country. I was
the only one to raise a hand. I told him about the island, its
name change from Ceylon, its location and its products. I
talked for about five minutes and got a lot of nasty stares
form my fellow students.
During the first break I was grilled by the others who
were annoyed that an outsider had shown them up. The reason
I remembered Sri Lanka was because one of the first sets
of stamps my father gave me was a set of florals from this
country. How could I ever forget the beauty of the stamps
and how could I forget that each stamp was printed twice?
– once in their native language and then in English. These
stamps still have an honored place in my collection.
I prefer stamps that were purchased by someone, put
on an envelope or package, and mailed. The person who received
the stamp saved it and passed it on. One can only
imagine the journey each stamp has taken. It has a history
that can only be imagined.
By the way, I was one of the few students in the class to
get an “A” at the end of the semester.
David L. Shoemaker
Fogelsville, PA
Santa to the rescue
I grew up in the suburbs of Washington
DC, in the 1940s and 50s and even though
I have long ago become a Texan, I still have
a lot of family and friends on the East Coast. Some
years ago, I was visiting the area when I picked up a copy of
the Washington Post newspaper. While idly reading, I noticed
a full page listing of people with unclaimed property in
the State of Maryland. As one is wont to do, I skimmed the
list for my name, not really expecting to see it.
But there it was - “TERMINI, BENEDICT, WEST VIR-
GINIA AVE.” - my name and the street I had lived on when
I was a child in Bethesda, Maryland. I had not lived at that
address since the early 1950s when our rapidly growing family
had moved to a larger house. I could not believe that there
was unclaimed property in my name, now held by the State of
Maryland, dating from my childhood, over half a century ago.
12 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

I called the telephone
number listed
in the notice and spoke
with an employee of
the State Comptroller’s
office. She said there
was indeed a nice sum
of money (over $400)
in their unclaimed
property fund with my
name on it, although she did not have any idea where it came from. She said all I
had to do was go online, download the appropriate form from their website and
send it in with a copy of my driver’s license. I did so.
But I had not reckoned with the obstacles of government bureaucracy. Six
weeks later I received a response stating that in order for them to send me a check
I would have to document that I had lived at the specified address on West Virginia
Avenue.
This was easier said than done. My parents were deceased, and I had only lived
at that address as a small child. How do you go about proving where you lived
when you were five years old? After a thorough search I located some of my report
cards from grade school. Alas, they only listed my name and age, and helpful comments
like, “Could do much better.”
But while searching for my report cards, I came across a letter to Santa Claus
that I had written, with the help of my father, in 1947. At the age of four, I sat on my
father’s knee while he carefully wrote out my letter to Santa, listing all the presents
I wanted for Christmas – a sail boat, toy trucks, a bag of candy, and others. I have
no idea how the pair of size 11 slippers got on the list. I found the letter with my
father’s papers after his death - he had saved it all his life. And yes - it did give an
address, on West Virginia Avenue, for Santa to deliver my presents. It even had a
couple of torn 1947 Christmas seals at the top.
I copied the letter and sent it to the State Comptroller’s office with an explanation
and the comment that, “If you can’t trust Santa Claus, who can you trust.”
Three weeks later I received my check.
Benedict (Benny) Termini
Fort Worth, TX
Fancy cancels and fancy revenue stamps
I have thoroughly enjoyed every issue of The American Philatelist
since re-joining the APS a number of years ago, but the November 2020
issue was spectacular in my humble opinion! I especially want to thank
you, and Nick Kirke, for the very educational article on “New York Foreign
Mail Cancels on the Large Bank Note Issues, 1870-75.” I had run across “foreign
mail cancels” terminology before and had made a mental note to do some research
on exactly what that entailed, so this article, in all its detail and examples, was extremely
interesting and informative. Very useful is the “Further Reading” section
at the end. I can’t wait for Mr. Kirke’s Part Two!
The next article that impressed me was the very next article, “Revenues and
Who Authorized Them,” part of a new “The Collector of Revenue” series, by Ron
Lesher. A relatively new area of collecting for me, so there was much new info in
the article. I especially appreciate the portion dealing with the plethora of nonpaper
revenue materials. Who knew? Certainly not me! Very much looking forward
to this series!
WHY NOT HAITI?
POURQUOI PAS
HAÏTI?
POUKISA PA
AYITI?
• Start collecting Haiti!
• Inexpensive. Even
the rarities are
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• Meet other Haiti
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• Exclusive auctions.
• Membership includes
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Join HPS
www.haitiphilately.org
JANAURY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 13

Thank you, again, and keep up the excellent work!
Vincent Cox
Greensboro, GA
Pandemic philately
The cover shown depicts a new German
cancel on the topic of the coronavirus,
from Briefzentrum 30 (Postal Center
30), which serves the Hannover area. It
reads: “Gemeinsam gegen Corona” (together against
corona) and “sich selbst und andere schutzen” (protect yourselves
and others) with a heart formed by two arms hugging-
-from a distance. The stamp is a 110 Eurocent value from the
flower series and pays the standard letter rate to the US from
Germany. It is an interesting postal sign of the times.
Ken Gilbert
Columbus, OH
(Editor’s note: Many nations have issued stamps or cancellations
about the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Philatelist
will be publishing information on this philatelic topic
in coming months.)
Memories for the tongs…
After reading the spate of letters in the
December issue of The American Philatelist
commenting on FDR’s lack of tongs when
handling a stamp, particularly that of Mr. Fred
Korr, I recalled an event that I was lucky to observe. I had
an occasion to be in New York on a day in April in the early
1980s. I had a morning to kill so I decided to visit the offices
of the Philatelic Foundation whose expertizing services
I had used several times. While I was scanning their
bookshelves, Mortimer Neinken (Chairman of the Foundation
at the time, I believe) strode in. He announced that he
was there to look at a stamp that had been submitted for
expertizing. It was not too many minutes later when Mr.
Herb Bloch (lot describer for the H. R. Harmer auction of
FDR’s stamp collection) arrived for the same reason. After
some casual banter, Mr. Neinken retrieved the patient and
began to huddle with Mr. Bloch. Call me “nosy” but I sidled
as close as I dared to where they began their investigation – I
wanted to know how two Doctors of Philately went about
diagnosing a patient.
As I watched, Mortimer picked up the stamp in his fingers
– no tongs – and placed it on the bottom of an overturned
black-glass ashtray that happened to be handy. He
then poured some watermark-detecting fluid over the stamp.
At that point the real analyzing began. Sad to say, thirty-plus
years later, I don’t remember the stamp or what the prognosis
was.
I suppose Mr. Neinken washed his hands before coming
into the offices – I know he didn’t do so while I was there.
At first I was appalled, remembering the things I was taught
along the same lines as Mr. Korr’s Dad taught him. But I later
became more philosophical about it and accepted that Mortimer
and Herb had a lot more experience in these matters
than I and for them it was “no big deal.” But I have not abandoned
my lessons and, while on very rare occasions I will handle
a stamp with my fingers, my tongs are a part of my hands.
Michael A. Rainer
Huntington Beach, CA
The challenges of publishing a
stamp magazine
Today, November 16, 2020, my wife
came in with the mail and said “you
got another stamp magazine.” I could not
figure out which one it would be because none were due.
Much to my surprise, it turns out it was the October issue
of The American Philatelist. It was a little rumpled but other
than that it was ok.
A comment on the November issue. Two long main articles
on esoteric subjects did not catch my attention. The
magazine needs more variety and shorter articles to serve
a larger audience. The same thing seems to be happening
to the American Stamp Dealers Association magazine. The
last one had two long articles on CSA material. Not my cup
of tea.
Bob Marousky
Ocean Springs, MS
Do not throw away stamps
Recently a widow whose husband had
recently passed contacted me to tell me
to remove his name from my mailing list.
When I asked her about her husband’s specialty
stamp collection, she told me a dealer had come by,
purchased the other stamps and told her the specialty collection
was worthless and to throw those stamps away. This she
had done. Thirty years ago, he had shown me a small portion
of his specialty collection and I would have gladly paid her
$300 just for that portion.
Please do not tell someone a collection is worthless.
Please do not throw stamps away just because they are of
no interest to you. If you do not want them, donate them. A
good place which I recommend is “Stamps for the Wound-
14 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

ed” P.O. Box 297 Dunn Landing, VA 22027. This is part of
the Stamps for Wounded Veterans program whose mailings
most of us have received.
David W. Smith
Trumansburg, NY
Crypto confusion
The “New World Issues” column on
page 1138 (Dec 2020) noted the June 2020
“Crypto” issue from the Austrian Post Office.
The United Nations (Nov. 24, 2020)
also released a set of Crypto currency postage stamps. You
can read details at the UN website: https://crypto.unstamps.
org/
Likely, most APS members are not familiar with crypto
currency issues, yet alone what “Blockchain” means or how it
works. When I copied the text “cryptocurrency” and “blockchain”
from the UN website’s description of the stamps, Microsoft’s
hotmail email service rejected that email, which I
sent 3 times to 3 different email addresses of friends with
whom I regularly correspond. Clearly there must be something
problematic about those words, although the Yahoo.
com email system does not block emails with these “darned,
problematic” words.
I have no computer expertise, but one of the purposes
of encryption programs, especially as it relates to allowing
secure transmission of information from banks, is to allow
the consumer to do ATM transactions. The use of 27 digit
random-number generators, which are not kept or tracked,
allows such secure transactions. Similarly, the “attraction” of
Bitcoin transactions is that they are secure and not traceable.
Can someone kindly explain WHY (or how) this crypto
postage is of any value to anybody, especially if there is no
way to track it – and thus confirm delivery of, for example,
money sent?
Fred Korr
Oakland, CA
A message of mutual support
Many years ago, forty or more, my wife and I began to
save stamps from the mail we received. During that same
time, we were raising our four teenage children. We had a
couple of starter stamp albums, but they were not generally
Errata
NOVEMBER
Page 1048. The heading for the “Taiwan Can Help” stamp
should be “Republic of China (Taiwan).”
DECEMBER
Page 1091. The correct date in the Figure 4 caption is 1919.
Page 1104. The image described as the reverse of the Figure
17 cover is incorrect.
Page 1134. The 2020 Kwanzaa stamp is the 14th Kwanzaa
stamp to be issued and the eighth unique design.
used. But we kept the
stamps, and in fact my
wife found a couple of
world stamp albums
at a local place that
bought and sold articles
from estates. She
also found envelopes
with stamps from
countries around the
world.
In March 2020, when we were told to stay home because
of the pandemic and COVID-19, I decided it was time to explore
stamp collecting again, this time in earnest. I purchased
Mystic’s 3 Volume American Heirloom Album, and began to
educate myself about the many aspects of stamp collecting.
I went online, discovered the American Philatelic Society,
and promptly joined when I discovered they have a wealth of
educational information for stamp collecting. I also quickly
learned how helpful Mystic’s Guide to Stamp Collecting, particularly
“Stamp Collecting Thoughts from Don Sundman”
which states:
“Stamps, like tiny mirrors, reflect what we as Americans
feel is important. The people, places, and events that have
shaped us and our society, as well as those of the world beyond
our borders, and highlighted on postage stamps.”
Here are some of my favorite United States stamps that I
discovered and which I believe reflect what was once important,
and still is important today:
1956 Children’s Stamp (Scott 1085) - Friendship - the
Key to World Peace.
1960 World Refugee Year (Scott 1149) - Family Walking
Towards New Life
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
We encourage readers to send their comments, questions
and feedback to The American Philatelist.
Submission of a letter implies consent to publish, unless
specifically prohibited by the sender. The decision of
whether to publish is made by the editorial staff of The
American Philatelist.
Generally, letters will be published unless determined
to be offensive, disrespectful, libelous, slanderous or not
chiefly related to the stamp hobby.
The opinions expressed in a Letter to the Editor are
those of the author and not The American Philatelist. We
do not publish or accept requests for the publication of
anonymous letters.
To allow more Letters to the Editor, you are respectfully
requested to limit submissions to 500 words or less.
If your submission is longer, the editorial team will ask you
to resubmit a shorter version, or provide you a copy of an
edited version to review prior to publication.
Submit your letters to letterstotheeditor@stamps.org
or mail a typewritten copy to: Letter to the Editor,
The American Philatelist,
100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, PA 16823.
JANAURY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 15

1962 World
United Against
Malaria (Scott
1194) – This stamp
publicized the Malaria
eradication
drive of the World
Health Organization.
1993 AIDS
Awareness (Scott 2806) reflects compassion for those suffering
from complications caused by AIDS.
These four are an exceedingly small sample of the many
wonderful stamps that reflect positive important themes reflected
on stamps. In this fast paced world we live in, with
cell phones, e-mail and social media it seems that some of
the more important and simple messages from stamps get
lost.
The past months have been a learning experience for me.
Now I am starting to delve into the stamps from around the
world that we have collected over the years. Having begun
with United States stamps and having the benefit of Mystic’s
2020 U.S. Stamp Catalog, I thought collecting and placing
world stamps would be straight forward. I subsequently
learned that there is no similar free catalog for world stamps.
And I also discovered
that my world
stamp albums do
not, could not,
have pictures and
places for all the
stamps from each
country. I’m still
learning.
People from all around the world are going through
this terrible time dealing with COVID-19. Can we all share
a message of mutual support, respect, and love for all our
sisters and brothers regardless of race, creed or color? That
is what I believe is most important! For example, would it
be possible for a new stamp to be designed
for the World United Against
COVID-19 with a picture of a person
wearing a face mask? Or a stamp that
says, “Stay strong, we’ll get through
this together!”
Happy Collecting!
Deacon Alfred R. Manzella
Slingerlands, NY
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among more than
80 million collectibles!
two two and and FIVE DoLLAR SPECIALS
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479 VF/XF, bold 479 479 VF/XF, F/VF bold OG NH, 479 F/VF OG 479 NH, F/VF 479 OG F/VF NH, OG NH,
480 F-VF OG NH, NH, 480 F/VF 480 OG F/VF NH, OG NH, 480 VF OG NH, 480 VF 480 OG VF/XF NH, OG NH, 480 VF/XF OG NH,
color, Nice! $85 color, bold Nice! color! $85 $349 bold color! Super $349 Nice! Super Nice! $359 $359
Nice! $245
super super color! $335 color! $335 CHOICE! $375 CHOICE! Choice! $375$450
Choice! $450
479 VF/XF, bold
color, Nice! $85
479 VF/XF, bold
479 F/VF OG NH,
bold color! $349
479 F/VF OG NH,
479 F/VF OG NH,
Super Nice! $359
479 F/VF OG NH,
480 F-VF OG NH,
Nice! $245
480 F-VF OG NH,
480 F/VF OG NH,
super color! $335
480 F/VF OG NH,
480 VF OG NH,
CHOICE! $375
480 VF OG NH,
480 VF/XF OG NH,
Choice! $450
480 VF/XF OG NH,
color, Nice! $85 bold color! $349 Super Nice! $359 Nice! $245 super color! $335 CHOICE! $375 Choice! $450
480 SUPERB OG 480 SUPERB OG
NH, CERT $790 NH, CERT $790
480 SUPERB OG
NH, CERT $790
523 VF, lovely 523 VF, lovely 523 VF JUMBO 523 VF JUMBO face face
523 VF/XF OG OG Hr, Hr, 523 VF/XF 523 OG VF/XF LH, OG 523 LH, F/VF OG 523 NH, F/VF OG NH,
cancel, NICE! $245 free cancel free cancel $275 $275
terrific color! $385 $385 Nice! $675 fresh color! $715
cancel, NICE! $245
523 VF, lovely
cancel, NICE! $245
523 VF JUMBO face
free cancel $275
Nice! $675
523 VF/XF OG Hr,
terrific color! $385
fresh color! $715
523 VF/XF OG LH,
Nice! $675
523 F/VF OG NH,
Super Color! $825
523 F/VF OG NH,
fresh color! $715
523 F/VF OG NH,
Super Color! $825
523 F/VF OG NH,
Super Color! $825
480 SUPERB OG 523 VF, lovely 523 VF JUMBO face 523 VF/XF OG Hr, 523 VF/XF OG LH, 523 F/VF OG NH, 523 F/VF OG NH,
NH, CERT $790 cancel, NICE! $245 free cancel $275 terrific color! $385 Nice! $675 fresh color! $715 Super Color! $825
523 F/VF OG NH, 523 524 F/VF OG XF-SUPERB,
NH, 524 XF-SUPERB, 524 F/VF 524 OG F/VF VLH, OG VLH, 524 524 VF VF OG LH, super super 524 F/VF 524 OG F/VF VLH, OG VLH, 524 F/VF OG 524 NH, F/VF 524 VF OG OG NH, nice 524 VF OG NH, nice
strong color $910523 strong F/VF large color OG margins! $910 NH, large $65 524 margins! XF-SUPERB, nice $65 color nice $125 color 524 $125 F/VF OG VLH, centering! 524 $145
VF OG fresh LH, fresh color super $150 color 524 $150 deep F/VF color! OG VLH, $299 deep color! 524 $305 F/VF $299OG NH, 524 $305 VF OG NH, nice
strong color $910 large margins! $65 nice color $125 centering! $145 fresh color $150 deep color! $299 $305
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523 F/VF OG NH, 524 XF-SUPERB, 524 F/VF OG VLH, 524 VF OG LH, super 524 F/VF OG VLH, 524 F/VF OG NH, 524 VF OG NH, nice
524 VF OG NH, nice strong 524
524
VF color VF 524 OG
OG
NH, VF/XF NH, $910 nice
nice OG large 524 NH, 524
VF/XF margins! VF/XF
OG 524 NH,
OG VF/XF $65 NH,
524 OG VF/XF
524 nice NH, OG
VF/XF color NH,
OG $125 547
NH,
F/VF OG 547
LH, centering! LH, F/VF
547
OG $145 VF+ 547 LH,
OG VF+ H, fresh OG 547
547 H, VF+ color VF
OG
OG $150 VLH,
H, 547 VF OG 547 deep 547 VLH, SUPERB
VF color! OG VLH, $299547 SUPERB 547 SUPERB $305
color! $315 color! color! Fresh! $315 $315 $410Fresh! Fresh! $410 GRD $410 85 GRD CERT 85 GRD $510 CERT 85 $510 CERT $510
Fresh! $99
Fresh! Fresh! $99Fresh! $110 $110 Fresh! bold color! $110 $120 bold color! JUMBO, bold $120 color! Used! $135 $120 JUMBO, JUMBO, Used! Used! $135 $135
547 XF OG H, bold 547 547 XF 547a XF OG OG H, H, F/VF bold OG 547a VLH, 547a F/VF F/VF OG 547 VLH, OG Fine+ VLH, 547 OG Fine+ 547 NH, OG Fine+ NH, OG 572 NH,
F/VF OG 572 NH, NH, F/VF 572 OG XF 572 OG NH, XF NH, OG GRD 572 NH, 572 XF GRD XF-SUP OG NH, 572 OG GRD NH, XF-SUP 573 572 VF XF-SUP OG NH, gum OG 573 NH, VF 573 OG VF NH, OG gum NH, gum
color, fresh $135 524 color, VF color, OG fresh fresh NH, Nice! $135 nice $145524 Nice! Nice! VF/XF $145 SUPER $145 OG NH, NICE! SUPER SUPER 524 NICE! $165 VF/XF $165 NICE! OG $165
NH, nice! $130
547 nice! F/VF 90 $130 OG CERT 90 LH, CERT $225 90 $225 547 GRD95 CERT VF+ CERT $225 OG GRD95 $425 H, CERT GRD95 bend 547 $425 $185 VF CERT OG $425 VLH, bend bend $185 547 SUPERB $185
color! $315 Fresh! $410 GRD 85 CERT $510 Fresh! $99 Fresh! $110 bold color! $120 JUMBO, Used! $135
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573 F/VF+ OG NH, 573 VF OG NH, 573 VF/XF OG NH, 573 XF OG NH, GRD 573a F/VF+ OG NH, 573 XF-SUP OG NH, 573 XF-SUP OG NH
573 F/VF+ OG NH, 573 nice! F/VF+ 573 $199 OG VF NH, OG NH, terrific 573 VF OG color! 573 NH, VF/XF $225 573 OG VF/XF GRD NH, OG 85 NH, CERT 573 573 $235
XF OG NH, 90 GRD GRD CERT 573a $295 573a F/VF+ OG F/VF+ NH, car OG 573 lake! NH, XF-SUP $299 573 OG NH, XF-SUP 573 XF-SUP GEM! OG NH, OG $325 NH 573 XF-SUP GRD95 OG CERT NH $499
nice! $199 nice! terrific $199 color! terrific $225color! GRD $22585 GRD CERT 85 $235 CERT $235 90 90 CERT $295
car lake! car $299 lake! $299GEM! $325 GEM! GRD95 $325 CERT $499 GRD95 CERT $499
ASK 547 US XF ABOUT OG H, bold OUR 547a NO F/VF INTEREST OG VLH, 547 PAYMENT Fine+ OG NH, PLAN!
ASK US ABOUT Terms: ASK color, OUR Payment US fresh ABOUT NO $135 with INTEREST OUR order NO Nice! (Check, INTEREST $145
MO, VISA, PAYMENT SUPER MC NICE! or PLAN! DIS). $165P&H add
Terms: Payment with $1.50. Terms: order Payment 10-day (Check, with Guarantee! order MO, (Check, VISA, SASE MO, MC for VISA, or complete MC DIS). or DIS). P&H U.S. P&H pricelist! add
$1.50. 10-day wE Guarantee! $1.50. BUY 10-day / SASE Guarantee! SELL for complete SASE StAMPS for complete U.S. U.S. and pricelist! CoINS P.o. Box P.o.
607-862-9441 5628, Box Endicott, 5628,
(Ph/Fax) NY Endicott, 13763 • STEVE@MALACK.COM
NY 13763
wE BUY / wE SELL BUY StAMPS / SELL StAMPS and and CoINS
607-862-9441 (Ph/Fax) (Ph/Fax) • STEVE@MALACK.COM
• STEVE@MALACK.COM
572 F/VF OG NH, 572 XF OG NH, GRD 572 XF-SUP OG NH, 573 VF OG NH, gum
nice! $130 STEVE 90 CERT $225 GRD95 MALACK
CERT $425 bend $185
STEVE P.o. MALACK
Box 5628, Endicott, NY 13763
PUB_EN_A4_AmericanPhilatelist_185.67x254_2020_NEWText.indd 6 23-10-20 15:06:37
16 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021
573 F/VF+ OG NH,
nice! $199
573 VF OG NH,
terrific color! $225
573 VF/XF OG NH,
GRD 85 CERT $235
573 XF OG NH, GRD
90 CERT $295
573a F/VF+ OG NH,
car lake! $299
573 XF-SUP OG NH,
GEM! $325
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SG - Auctions - AMS US A4 - 25.11.20.indd 1 25/11/2020 15:24:55

Our Story
BY Scott English
Executive Director
scott@stamps.org
A Remarkable Step for Civil War Philately
IN
November, the Confederate Stamp Alliance’s
membership voted overwhelmingly to change
its name to the Civil War Philatelic Society.
With 365 total votes cast, 310 supported the move while 55
members opposed it. Beginning in 2021, the quarterly journal
for the Society will become the Civil War Philatelist.
When the CWPS Board proposed the name change, they
recognized the reality of where we are today. Among the
reasons were national efforts to remove Confederate statues,
collections losing value, a loss of advertisers for the journal,
and even difficulty booking hotels. It rightly noted the word
Confederate “equates to pro-slavery and
racism to most citizens.”
For full disclosure, I’ve been a member
of the Society since 2017, and I voted
in favor of the name change. Though
I’m hardly a high-level philatelist in any
subject, I am a historian. In college, I focused
on the landscape of the Civil War
and Reconstruction through every lens
possible. It is an important subject to understand,
given the nation continues to
struggle with the War and its aftermath.
We cannot deny the Confederacy’s
cause has been hijacked by those who
want hate to keep the nation as divided
as it was then. We should not deny what
the Confederacy represents to many fellow
Americans.
When I joined the South Carolina Governor’s staff in
2003, the State had just voted to remove the Confederate flag
from flying over the Capitol Dome. The flag was relocated to
the State House grounds by the Confederate Veterans Memorial.
Throughout my time in the Governor’s Office, different
groups lobbied to remove the flag altogether, while others
wanted to restore it to the Dome. Though I had hoped we
could restart the discussion of full removal, but other crises
got in the way. I learned to regret that we didn’t at least try.
On June 17, 2015, a young white man walked into a bible
study at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston,
SC. He sat through the study before murdering nine people,
including the minister and state senator Clementa Pinckney,
whom I’d come to know as a friend. We would learn
18 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021
Scott 77 15¢ Abraham Lincoln
this young man, fueled by anger and brandishing the Confederate
flag as a symbol of pride, believed he would start a
race war, 150 years after the end of the Civil War. The South
Carolina legislature voted to remove the flag from the State
House grounds later that year.
It was then the first effort to change the name of the Society
began and failed. APS Vice President Trish Kaufmann,
who has served the Society in various capacities, including
President and editor of the journal, was one of the outspoken
leaders to the change. Over time, she’s remained an advocate,
and in November, her efforts and those of countless
others accomplished that goal.
For me, I didn’t support the change
because of hotel reservations, advertising,
or even my dear friend, Clem, but
rather because I thought it was the right
thing to do. History needs perspective
and focusing on one aspect of the Civil
War, rather than the whole story, fails to
teach. Stamp collectors are some of the
most important historians because we
preserve the direct connections between
people and tell their stories. By transitioning
to the CWPS, the Society opens
the door to collectors of Union philatelic
material and postal history from
the same era. We know the War divided
families, but in some ways, the country
remained intertwined.
We also know that philately should be apolitical. Though
politics invade too many corners of our world today, philately
is a welcome escape for most of us. In time, politics
would have found its way to the CWPS, gradually eroding
its membership and relevance. We do not need to celebrate
the Confederacy’s cause, but we need to understand it and
hand those lessons to the next generation and on. As George
Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are
condemned to repeat it.”
On the occasion of his second inaugural address to the
nation, our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, offered these
words:
“With malice toward none, with charity for all,
with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the

ight, let us strive on to finish the work we are
in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for
him who shall have borne the battle and for
his widow and his orphan, to do all which
may achieve and cherish a just and lasting
peace among ourselves and with all nations.”
Lincoln delivered those words on March 4, 1865.
The timing of his comments is remarkable. In February,
he had signed the Joint Resolution to send
to the states the 13th amendment for ratification,
which outlawed slavery in the U.S. Constitution. In
April, he was assassinated, and in May, the War ended.
When he said those words, the question was no
longer whether the Union would prevail, but when.
Given that, he wanted to frame what peace had to
look like for a nation in need of healing. After all this
time, the work is still not done, but if philately can
lead by example, it should.
Thank you to the CWPS Board, Trish Kaufmann,
and countless others, and the members of the Society
for taking this critical step in the hobby. I look
forward to seeing the organization chart this new
course.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 19

A Philatelic Quest
for Everywhere
JOHN SEIDL
Like many stamp collectors, I started out with worldwide
packets as a young boy. Unlike most stamp collectors,
50+ years later I still avidly collect worldwide: all years,
all countries, all issues. While this may in fact be a bit crazed,
there is a challenge that I know you will find much harder than
you’d first think: Collect one issue from every stamp issuing entity
that has put forth stamps to move the mails.
I first climbed this mountain many years ago, both as an
exercise in philatelic exploration but also as a way to give
myself something to look for at stamp shows. I have several
specialist country and topical collections but after some time
and money have been invested, it becomes difficult to find new
material without converting to postal history. So I took on the
“everywhere hunt” as a new way to engage with our hobby.
20 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Where is everywhere? Defining the scope of your
quest is the first problem. What do you want to include
or exclude? For my personal definition, I decided on the
following: existing countries, dead countries, military occupations,
government agencies, and international organizations.
I chose to exclude philatelic fantasies, cinderellas,
micronations or political entities that tried to create credibility
though issuing postage stamps such as Mantanzas or
the Republic of South Moluccas. One of the great aspects of
stamp collecting is each stamp collector is free to make their
own decisions about what to include in their collection and
that certainly applies here.
Now that you have your categories, you must determine
which entities actually qualify to be included in each. There
are many sources to follow and even a few albums have been
published that seek to answer this question. You can create
“the list” by consulting any of the following:
• Entities included in your favorite catalog (Scott,
Michel, Unificado, Yvert, Gibbons, etc.)
• Included on your favorite online resource (Stampworld,
APS StampStore, Stamp Atlas, eBay, Wikipedia,
etc.)
• UPU membership
• Published specialized albums (see below)
You will find yourself in a personal debate as you define
your own criteria for which entities should make your list
or not. As an example, I chose to exclude some recent “puppet”
states like Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria,
but I suspect some of the people in what most consider to
be Georgia or Moldova would not agree with me.
I am aware of two specialized “one-from-everywhere”
albums that have been published. The Single Specimen
World Gazetteer Stamp Album published by Cliff Brown
(Terra Nova Publishing) in the early 1990s is now long out
of print and would fail to include some recent global changes
like South Sudan, Kosovo or Timor-Leste. More recently
in 2013, the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum website
published an electronic album titled A Stamp for Every
Country Album (Figure 1).
The Smithsonian album was inspired by the William H.
Gross Stamp Gallery exhibit of “A Stamp for Every Country.”
While no longer directly available from the Smithsonian’s
website, you can download a copy from the APS web
site: https://aps.buzz/EveryCountryPDF.
Both albums had spaces for about 800 stamps. While
the Gazetteer is alphabetical for “active” and “dead” countries,
the NPM album is sorted by geographic region and
does a better job of showing the lineage of a region. Here is
a sample page from each (Figures 2 and 3).
I am also aware of one enterprising philatelist who created
his own album. Mark Jochim’s work from 2015 is a
thing of beauty, with each stamp-issuing entity getting two
full pages of background information, a map of the country
and even an illustration of their flag along with room for the
example stamp (Figure 4). The point is that this is a creative
Figure 1. A Stamp For Every Country album, published by the
Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum.
Figure 2. From
the “M” section of
the alphabetized
Gazetteer album.
Note the maps
and brief historical
details.
Figure 3. Page 94 of the Smithsonian album - Malaysia. The album is
sorted alphabetically within regions, includes precedent countries
and other subcategories with dates, and is cross-referenced where
necessary.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 21

Figure 4. Jochim’s two-page spread includes impressive detail to
give the collector the proper context of each stamp-issuing entity.
exercise as well as a quest to find the stamps themselves.
It took me 10 years to fill in my copy of the Gazetteer,
and I’m just beginning to fill in the NPM version. I am sure
that will take just as long. The experience was far more
difficult than I anticipated but more rewarding as well. I
learned a few facts about each country on my list as I added
to the collection and increased my knowledge of history and
geography. To complete my collection I used a combination
of stamp shows, the APS StampStore, and online auction
sites. I was willing to utilize mint or used stamps and tried
to limit my expenditure to under $10, with most costing less
than $1. None of this represents a serious financial outlay
– just a massive investment in fun philatelic time to decide
what to pursue, the actual pursuit, and of course the display.
I take my completed album when I teach the Boy Scout
Stamp Collecting Merit Badge program and every time the
Scouts are amazed by the history of our world and how it
has evolved – and how that story can be told via stamps.
The Internet will make the quest easier this time around
– or perhaps not, if the list of included entities also expands.
The greatest part of our hobby is that we can each seek out
what we enjoy. I hope you will consider joining me on this
journey.
Images in the header include: Canada Scott E3, Brazil
Scott C67 Rotary, Russia Scott C38, and Democratic Republic
of the Congo Scott 429.
T
he Author
John Seidl is the president of the International
Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors (www.iswsc.org).
The International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors
serves the interests of all worldwide collectors. It
strives to promote the fun and fascination of worldwide
stamp collecting to young and old alike, and has an active
outreach program serving youth, their leaders and
stamp collectors of all ages and experience levels. John
is also the president of the British Caribbean Philatelic
Study Group. He is a member of dozens of other philatelic
societies including the APS, the New York Collector’s
Club and the Royal Philatelic Society. He can be reached at
john.seidl@gmail.com.
22 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

RENEW YOUR APS
MEMBERSHIP NOW BY
• Mail
• Online at stamps.org
(Log-in, then click My APS)
• Phone (814) 933-3803
Thanks for being a member!

Liechtenstein
A Tale of Errors, Freaks and
Oddities… and Politics
JOHN R. SHOTLIFF
Introduction
The Principality of Liechtenstein is one of six European
microstates known for its beautiful stamps. Indeed, a select
few stamps issued each year still employ line engraving.
Approximately the size of Staten Island, a borough of New
York City, Liechtenstein’s neighbor to the west and south is
Switzerland, and to the east and north is Austria. Its western
border with Switzerland is the Rhine River, and its eastern
border with Austria is the Austrian Alps. Liechtenstein is a
panoramic valley paradise nestled on the northern border of
the Swiss/Austrian Alpine mountain range.
The subject of this article was initially Michel catalog
numbers MI 11-16 (Scott 11-16), a set that has what I
believe is a most unique oddity in philately. However, as
I researched MI 11-16, I became fascinated by the events
surrounding the issuance of this set and concluded the
evolution of Liechtenstein’s postal system and the resulting
impact upon the Liechtenstein philatelic community pivoted
upon post WWI events of late 1917 through early 1924.
For collectors new to Liechtenstein philately, the story surrounding
this issue provides an overview of the transition
from Austrian to Swiss administration of Liechtenstein’s
postal system and the resultant breadth of stamps available.
Likewise, collectors of errors, freaks and oddities (EFOs)
will seldom see a more diverse range of errors produced by
a printer and released to the public.
Calm before the Storm
Prior to the end of World War I
Postal Administration. On September 1, 1817, the first
post (messenger) office was opened by Austria in the village
of Balzers, Liechtenstein, and was subsequently closed
on August 31, 1819, due to a lack of profitability. Almost a
decade later, on January 1, 1827, the Balzers office reopened
followed by a second in Vaduz, Liechtenstein’s capital, on
March 1, 1845. During this period, Liechtenstein’s fledgling
postal system was unofficially administered by the Austrian
government due to its legacy ties to Austria.
In 1852, Liechtenstein executed a customs treaty with
Austria. Among other things, the 1852 treaty officially
integrated Liechtenstein’s postal system under Austrian
administration. The Principality’s postal system began to
flourish, and additional post offices were opened, as listed
in Liechtenstein Briefmarken Katalog (LBK): Nendeln on
October 1, 1864, closed February 29, 1912, and reopened
February 1, 1960; Schaan on October 15, 1872; Triesen on
July 1, 1890; and Eschen on March 1, 1912.
Postage Stamps. In 1850, Austria issued its first postage
stamps (MI 1-9) which were distributed for sale in Liechtenstein
post offices (Figure 1).
24 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Figure 1. Austria MI 4
(Scott 4), distributed for
use in Liechtenstein.
Figure 2. Liechtenstein MI 1-3 (Scott 1-3).
In philatelic parlance, the Austrian stamps used in
Liechtenstein post offices during this period 1850 to 1912,
MI 1-177, are referred to as “Vorlaufers” or “Forerunners”
to Liechtenstein’s own stamps to follow.
In October 1911, the customs treaty was amended, and
an important milestone was achieved for the Principality.
It was now allowed to have its own stamps (Note 1). On
February 1, 1912, the first set of stamps specifically for sale
in Liechtenstein was issued, MI 1-3 (Figure 2).
This set depicted the image of Prince Johann II with
the annotation “K.K. OESTERR POST im Fürstentum
Liechtenstein” indicating the set was printed by the Austrian
State Printing Office, Österreichische Staatdruckerei,
in Vienna under the auspices of the Austrian Department of
Commerce. As part of the 1911 agreement, the Principality
recognized the resulting net income (or loss) from the sale
of its stamps. For the duration of this agreement, Austrian
stamps, MI 178-315, were used concurrently with Liechtenstein
stamps MI 1-60. These Austrian stamps are referred to
as “Mitlaufers” or “Followers.” I prefer to call them “Transition”
stamps as it is more descriptive of the period.
Currency. As per the 1852 treaty, Liechtenstein formally
adopted Austria’s currency (Gulden = 60 Kreuzer) which
underwent two subsequent changes during the period prior
to WWI: decimalization circa 1857 (Gulden = 100 Kreuzer)
and then adoption of a new Krone (Crown) currency
(Krone = 100 Heller) on January 1, 1900.
Everything went well until the assassinations of the
Archduke of Austria and his wife on June 28, 1914. The
“thunderheads” began to build on the horizon… World
War I.
The Perfect Storm
Post WWI, 1917 through 1922
The “storm” was World War I. The war’s aftermath certainly
took its toll on the citizens of Liechtenstein. Liechtensteiners
experienced political and economic isolation due to
its association with the Austro-Hungarian Empire (formed
in 1867), and the resultant devaluation of Austrian currency.
However, from a philatelic perspective, the majority
of the “storm” about to unfold was self-inflicted.
Postal Administration continued under the 1852 treaty...
for a while. As WWI came to a close and the Austro-Hungarian
coalition began to unravel, Liechtenstein looked to
the west, across the Rhine River to Switzerland for assistance.
On April 22, 1919, Liechtenstein commenced treaty
discussions with Switzerland to replace the 1852 treaty with
Austria. The Principality was anxious to terminate the customs
treaty with Austria as customs revenue had fallen dramatically.
Furthermore, the Austrian government no longer
wanted the responsibility of administering Liechtenstein’s
postal system (Note 2). On August 2, 1919, Liechtenstein
moved to terminate the 1852 treaty with Austria, to which
Austria agreed on August 30. On May 1, 1920, the existing
(October 1911) postal agreement was terminated, and
Liechtenstein was now free to issue its own stamps.
Currency and Postal Rates. Since the Austrian currency
had been severely devalued, Liechtensteiners unofficially
began using Swiss currency (Franc = 100 Centime or
Rappen) for daily transactions circa 1917. The Liechtenstein
government unofficially followed suit in 1920 for its
national accounts, for example, taxes (Note 3). The postal
rates established September 1, 1918, were 20 and 25 Heller
for domestic and international mail, respectively.
Censorship
Liechtenstein remained neutral during WWI, albeit
tenuously. The Allies were suspicious, believing Liechtenstein
was aiding and abetting the Austro-Hungarian cause,
and restricted commerce crossing the Swiss border into
Figure 3. At right: Jam jar label.
Bottom left: Gemeinde-Boten-
Post Vaduz-Sevelen MI 1, and
right: MI 1a with error – “Pest” not
Post. Certified: Marxer 95B082.
The stamp was expertized and
authenticated by Peter Marxer,
the late expert on Liechtenstein
stamps.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 25

Liechtenstein (Note 2). The Austro-Hungarian coalition
was cautious too. Internationally bound mail originating
in Liechtenstein was subject to censorship, which, in turn,
greatly delayed delivery to its intended destination as well as
the subsequent responses.
In mid-1918, a group of Liechtenstein businessmen and
Vaduz authorities convened to address the issue. A mechanism
to identify internationally bound mail and a process to
circumvent censorship were established.
First, the mechanism to identify international mail
was to overprint an existing label sold in village stores and
used by housewives to label their “jam jars,” among other
things. The label assumed its clandestine role when it was
overprinted by J. Kuhns Erben in Buchs, Switzerland, with
“Schweizer Post/Vaduz” (Swiss Post, Vaduz). The resulting
“stamp” is today known as a “Gemeinde-Botenpost” or
community messenger (Figure 3).
Next, the process:
1. The sender affixed the necessary Swiss postage to
any letter bound for an international destination.
2. The sender purchased the “Botenpost stamp,” for 10
Heller and affixed it to the letter, and deposited the
letter in a mailbox installed in Vaduz specifically for
this purpose.
3. A member of the Vaduz village government collected
the mail once or twice a week and passed the
mail along to a “community messenger” who had
the proper identification to pass Swiss authorities
without risk.
4. The mail was transported across the Rhine River by
the messenger and deposited at the Sevelen post office.
This solution, which was used for only a few months, was
not endorsed by either the Swiss or Liechtenstein governments.
Indeed, the Principality had to “look the other way”
as it was a violation of the 1852 customs treaty with Austria.
Even this little “stamp” was not without controversy.
First, was the “stamp” truly necessary at the time to facilitate
uninterrupted mail service and thus a postal necessity,
or unnecessary and thus just a philatelic curiosity? In favor
of the former, all six perforation variations and the error
shown above are included in the Liechtenstein Briefmarken
Katalog (LBK). Additionally, letters with the Gemeinde-
Botenpost stamp affixed and postmarked in late 1918 are very
rare, and the “stamp” has sufficient collector cachet to attract
counterfeiters due to its simple design: caveat emptor.
Secondly, was the assigned cost of 10 Heller a fee for
the messenger service, or a revenue tax for the village of
Vaduz? Why the use of this stamp was limited to Vaduz is
not addressed in the literature. There were five other post
offices open at that time, and the mail did not seem to be
impeded crossing the Swiss border, just the Austrian border
to Feldkirch. Were the village elders being opportunistic?
Rise of the Consortium
Postage Stamps. In October 1919, a group of Liechtenstein
and Austrian men, collectively called the “Consortium,”
petitioned the Liechtenstein government to assume responsibility
for the design, production and domestic distribution
of Liechtenstein stamps as well as worldwide sales. The
political objective was the provision of stamps “for Liechtenstein
by Liechtenstein.” The more important, practical
objective was to generate badly needed revenue for the Principality…
and, of course, for the Consortium. After more
than three months of negotiations, the terms and conditions
of the contract were established, including: the duration of
the contract; revenue guaranteed to the Principality; the
percentage of the revenue due the Consortium; and the
amount of funds to be held in escrow in the event of a shortfall
in expected revenue for the Principality. In addition, the
contract specified certain quality control requirements. The
contract between the Principality and the Consortium was
finally executed January 31, 1920.
Murphy’s Law (“anything that can go wrong will go
wrong”) prevailed. It took longer than expected to design,
develop, print, and distribute the first set of stamps, MI
11-16, to be issued by the Consortium. As a result, Liechtenstein
had to strike an informal agreement with Austria
extending the use of Austrian stamps, Mitlaufers, to fulfill
the need for postage stamps in its post offices (Note 4).
Postal Rates. To compensate for inflation during this
period, the postal rates were raised to 40 Heller for domestic
mail and 100 Heller for international mail, effective January
15, 1920, and a second time to 80 and 200 Heller for domestic
and international mail, respectively, on April 15, 1920.
Finally, on March 3, 1920, the Consortium issued MI
Table 1. First Set Issued for the Principality, March 3, 1920
MI No.
1917
Scott No
1917.
Original
Value
Overprint
New
Value
MI No.
1920
Scott No.
1920
5 5 5 Arabesque 5 11 11
6 6 10 Arabesque 10 12 12
9 9 25 Arabesque 25 13 13
4 4 3 “40” 40 14 14
7 7 15 “1 KRONE” 1 K 15 15
8 8 20 “2½ KRONEN” 2½ K 16 16
26 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

11-16. The selected approach was to overprint an earlier
set of six stamps depicting Prince Johann II, issued in 1917,
MI 4-9.
Overprinting was probably selected to minimize the
“time to market” as well as the design and development
(pre-production) costs. The Consortium may have also
selected overprinting in order to re-tool the stamps more
quickly and cheaply if further increases in postal rates
demanded changes in stamp values. Or perhaps they simply
wished to increase their profit.
Paulussen & Co. in Vienna was contracted for the development
of the letterpress plates and production of this set
of six stamps. The 5, 10 and 25 Heller values of MI 4-9 were
preserved, and the new issue was simply denoted by an arabesque
overprint. The remaining three values from 1917,
the 3, 15 and 20 Heller, were repurposed by overprinting
them with the values of 40 Heller, 1 Krone and 2½ Kronen,
respectively. To avoid possible confusion, the overprints of
the top three values were designed to obscure the original
values of the 1917 set. The “mapping” from the original set
(MI 4-9) to the new overprinted set (MI 11-16) is summarized
in the following chart and shown in the subsequent
figures (Table 1 and Figure 4).
MI 11-16 Errors
Several errors were produced, much to the dismay of
many in the Liechtenstein government and the general
public. Some error types were noted as early as Sieger’s
1943 catalog, Liechtenstein Handbook and Catalog, but did
not receive recognition in other catalogs until much later.
The errors include:
• inverted overprints (Figure 5);
• double overprints (Figure 6);
• interchanged overprints (Figure 7);
• inverted overprint at the bottom (Figure 8);
• overprinted twice with top one inverted (Figure 9);
• “strongly” offset overprints (Figure 10); (The description,
“strongly,” is subjective and not clarified in LBK.
For my collecting purposes, I consider the overprint
strongly or severely offset when it impinges upon the
vertical perforations, i.e. horizontal offset. A severe
vertical offset would reveal the original values of MI
Inverted Overprints
Figure 4. From left: Liechtenstein MI 11, MI 12, MI 13, MI 14, MI
15, and MI 16, denoted by overprint on MI 4-9.
Double Overprints
Figure 5. Inverted overprint errors can be found on MI 11-16. From
left: MI 11 KI, MI 12 KI, MI 13 KI, MI 14 KI, MI 15 KI, and MI 16 KI.
Interchanged
Overprints at Bottom
Figure 7. Interchanged
overprints at bottom.
Note that the left and
right stamps should
have the opposite
overprints. Left: MI 12 I.
Right: MI 15 I.
Figure 6. Double overprint error. From left: MI 11 DD, MI 12 DD,
and MI 13 DD.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 27

Inverted
Overprint at Bottom
Figure 8. Inverted
overprint at
bottom, MI K II.
Double Overprints
with Top Inverted
Strongly Offset Overprints
Figure 10. A “strongly” offset overprint error on MI 11-16. From left: MI
11 II, MI 12 II, MI 13 II, MI 14 II, MI 15 II, and MI 16 II.
Damaged Overprints
Figure 9.
Double
overprint error.
MI 11 DK.
Figure 11. The overprints have noticeable breaks in the letterpress
plates. From left: MI 14 III and two MI 16 III.
4, 7 and 8, or impinge upon the bottom horizontal
perforations.)
• Broken/damaged (letterpress plates) overprints (Figure
11).
• Drying error - occurs when sheets of stamps are stacked
before ink has dried. The result is a mirror image of the
overprint from the sheet below appearing on the gum
(side) of the sheet above it, resulting in a setoff (Figure 12).
• Printer’s waste (Figure 13).
Oddities - Chads
This is probably one of the most unique oddities in the
philatelic realm. The definition of a chad is a small paper
disk or rectangle, formed when a hole is punched in paper
tape or punch card, respectively. Therefore, the by-product
of the perforation process is a chad. I worked with both
punch cards and paper tape early in my career as a computer
engineer and I can attest to the mess they can make.
The following images (Figure 14) show examples of the
random patterns of chads that can be found on each of the
six stamps in the 1920 set. The air at Paulussen & Co. must
have been thick with chads as many stamps can be found
with multiple chad “patterns.” Or, maybe, was it deliberate?
Curiously, by examining photographs on eBay and auction
websites, I have noticed some patterns re-occur, i.e., the
chad remained in place (glue from the stamp adhesive?) for
more than one printing.
The chads were noted in Sieger’s 1943 catalog: “due to
perforations falling on the printing plate, black dots have
formed at all possible places during printing…” I do not
know if Sieger visited Paulussen to witness the chad issue
during production, but his notes certainly make sense.
The diameter of the chad print closely matches that of the
perforation, ~0.98 mm measured with a Dino-Lite model
AM4515ZT USB microscope.
A note to collectors: Given the number of stamps with
chad imprints and their randomness which defies cataloging,
stamps with chad imprints have no incremental
market value. However, they are relevant to this discussion
as they represent a symptom of the Consortium’s performance
vis-à-vis quality control…
Quality Control
At this time, it may be appropriate to take a moment
to review the impact of quality control, or the lack thereof,
on this unfolding drama. Prior to the existence of the
Consortium, Österreichische Staatsdruckerei had been
printing stamps for Austria since 1850. By contrast, the
only reference I have found pertaining to Paulussen &
Co., other than LBK, is in the online list of (Austrian)
printers with the notation that Paulussen was in existence
for only one year, 1920 (Note 5).
So why the selection of Paulussen & Co. over
Österreichische Staatsdruckerei? A few points for consideration
(Note 6):
28 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

1. The Consortium was endorsed by stamp collectors/dealers who
influenced the Principality to pursue a contract with the Consortium.
2. The Consortium had a “great deal of latitude” concerning the
design, production, and distribution of stamps during the term of
their contract with the Principality.
3. The contract with the Consortium included terms and conditions
pertaining to Quality Control.
4. The Consortium argued the Austrian State Printing house (PTT)
did not offer “precise control.”
The result was the Consortium “produced in violation of the contract
numerous misprints and varieties in large quantities.”
Therefore, I conclude that Paulussen was selected because the Consortium
could manipulate the release of stamp errors and varieties while
Österreichische Staatdruckerei would not be willing to compromise its reputation.
Who knows, maybe Paulussen was not actually selected but established
specifically to print the Consortium’s stamps, and the owners of Paulussen
were either members of the Consortium, or were related to members.
Postage Stamps. Besides MI 11-16, Austrian “Mitlaufers” continued to
be used until January 31, 1921, at which time Swiss “Mitlaufers” (some of
MI 95-213, see LBK) became available in some Liechtenstein post offices
to augment the supply of stamps available for postage.
Concerning Liechtenstein stamps, how does one describe what followed
MI 11-16? Continuing the stormy weather metaphor, I think it
would be the squall that hit when the following sets were released in
rapid succession:
Drying Errors
Figure 12. Reverse of MI 11, MI 13 – a drying
problem resulting in setoffs appearing on the
reverse.
Printer's Waste
Figure 13. Printer’s
waste on MI 11.
MI 11-16 Error
Identification Quiz.
Examine this letter dated
April 21, 1920. How many
of the stamps have errors,
and how many unique errors
are there? Answer key is on
page 33.
On the reverse of the
envelope, there are five more
stamps, for a total franking
of 200 Heller. On the front,
you can see the sender’s
post office was Schaan, and
the recipient’s was Mauren,
a distance of approximately
five miles as the crow flies.
The postal rate for domestic
mail at the time was 80
Heller, so the additional 120
Heller (revenue for the Principality)
was for the registered
mail delivery service.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 29

Figure 14. The chads on the Paulussen & Co.-printed stamps are
a by-product of the perforation process, but indicative of the
company’s quality control of MI 11-16. From left: MI 11-16, and
below, overprint errors with the chad oddity, MI 13 KI, MI 11
DD, and MI 12 DD.
All but MI 43-44 were printed by Paulussen & Co. MI
43-44 were printed, at the direction of the Consortium, by
Fa. Capri, a printing house for which I have not found any
references other than LBK.
MI 17-60 are a bonanza for EFO collectors as there are
numerous examples that can be found, including, but not
limited to, depending upon the set:
• “Primary” plate errors - my term for those listed in LBK;
• “Secondary” plate errors – my term for those identified
in Hughes’ Liechtenstein the 1920 Issue (or in Ring der
Liechtenstein Sammler (RLS) – published by the Liechtenstein
Collectors Club) but not in LBK;
• Color proofs;
• Black & white proofs;
• Perforation variations, i.e. perf count;
• Perforation varieties - I have examples of MI 21 & 24
rouletted 7½;
• Perforation errors including:
• Missing horizontal or vertical;
• Double horizontal or vertical;
• Mis-registered perforations;
• “Crazy” perforations due to paper folds;
• Overprint errors (MI 43-4);
• Other production errors, e.g. paper creases and folds;
• Paper varieties;
• And gum varieties.
LBK covers MI 17- 60 in nine pages, including the “primary”
plate errors. In the quarterly publication by the Ring
der Liechtenstein Sammler, it was reported that coverage
of these sets and all the errors, varieties, etc., required 103
pages. In my collection, I have allocated 169 pages - two
Lighthouse binders - which allows ample spacing for presentation.
To date, I have found approximately 50% of the
“secondary” plate errors.
Postal Administration. As mentioned earlier, in April of
1919, Liechtenstein and Switzerland began discussions to
replace the Treaty with Austria. The Swiss Treaty commenced
February 1, 1921, amidst this deluge of Consortium
stamps that were released.
Demise of the Consortium
On February 16, 1921, the Liechtenstein government
commenced an investigation of the Consortium and a
response was requested within three days. The underlying
issues of the complaint against the Consortium included:
• Failing to meet its contractual revenue goals.
• The deliberate distribution of stamps to collectors and
possibly speculators (in Salzburg).
• Resulting in an inadequate supply of stamps at the Post
Offices which, in turn, required the use of Austrian and
Swiss “Mitlaufers” which diminished the revenue recognized
by the Principality.
• Inadequate supply of high value stamps to satisfy the
increasing postal rates.
• The number of errors, freaks and oddities (EFOs)
released, that is, poor quality control.
• The release of varieties including proofs, etc.
• The continued production and distribution of stamps,
MI 43-60, after the Swiss Treaty was in effect February
1, 1921, to the dismay of the Principality.
• And, the “bottom line,” damage to the reputation of
Liechtenstein stamps.
To add further fuel to the fire, on February 26, 1921, 800
citizens demonstrated in the capital. The two political parties
of that time were involved: the in-power Citizens’ party and
the opposing People’s party. The People’s party was represented
by approximately 200 citizens protesting the Consortium’s
performance. The Citizens’ party was concerned about
the possibility of more nefarious objectives of the demonstrators
for the People’s party, and rallied 600 citizens in their
support (see Note 1). Regardless, this is probably the first
and only time philatelic activities sparked civil unrest. After
a lengthy investigation, the Consortium’s contract was finally
30 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

terminated on April 25, 1922, and the remaining Consortium
stamps were supposedly destroyed (Note 8).
Calm Seas and Fair Winds
After 1922
Postal Administration. The Treaty with Switzerland went
into effect on February 1, 1921. Switzerland assumed
the responsibilities of its predecessor, Austria, including
administration of Liechtenstein’s postal system, which
continued to grow, adding six additional post offices: Triesenberg
on February 1, 1921; Mauren on July 1, 1925; Ruggell
on January 1, 1926; Schellenberg on August 10, 1946;
Gamprin-Bendern on February 1, 1960; and Schaanwald on
April 30, 1970 (LBK).
Currency. On May 26, 1924, Liechtenstein officially adopted
Swiss currency.
Epilogue. The political climate remained tense during the
period between World War I and II. Since World War II,
the microstate of Liechtenstein has enjoyed a period of
stability, growth and tranquility. From my perspective,
Liechtenstein has avoided much of the turmoil in Europe
due possibly to its relatively isolated location, but more
likely due to the excellent stewardship of its Princes: Prince
Johann II until February 11, 1929; Prince Franz I until July
25, 1938; Prince Joseph II until November 13, 1989; and
currently, Prince Hans Adam.
Notes.
1. Liechtenstein’s postal contracts prior to WWI are described in Marxer’s
“Postal Contract” and Agreement Concerning the Management… (1911).
2. As narrated by David Beattie in Liechtenstein, A Modern History.
3. As described to the author by Liechtenstein National Museum Head of Collections
and Research Donat Buchel in July 2020.
4. As explained in the RLS catalog, Adams’ 50 Years Liechtenstein Post, and
Marxer’s “Postal Contract.”
5. A reference to Paulussen & Co. can be found in Morgan’s “Stamp Printers
By Country: Austria” article online.
6. Details of the printing agreement with Liechtenstein can be found in Adams’
50 Years Liechtenstein Postal Material (1962), Hassler’s “Philately,” and
Gabriel von Werner’s Principality of Liechtenstein History of the Postal
System… (1937). Quotes are from Adams.
7. More information is available on the supposed destruction of MI 11-16 in
Liechtenstein Handbuch (RLS).
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Cynthia Shotliff Tanta-Nanta, Professor
Heinz Rennenberg (Chairman, RLS) and Donat Buchel
(Curator, Liechtenstein National Museum).
References
Adams, Bertrand (ed.). 50 Years of Liechtenstein Postal Material, 1912-1962
(Vaduz: Liechtenstein Government; 1962): 102 – 105.
Agreement Concerning the Management of the Postal, Telegraph and Telephone
Service in the Principality of Liechtenstein, Article IV (October 4, 1911): 2.
Beattie, David. Liechtenstein, A Modern History. (van Eck Publishers; 2004):
26, 50-7, 381-2.
Benedikt Zäch. “Money,” Historisches Lexicon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein
online. (Published December 31, 2011). https://historisches-lexikon.li/Geld
Dittrich, Dr. Gerhard. Lexikon zur Liechtenstein-Philatelie (Reutlingen: Ring
der Liechtensteinsammler; [1970]).
Hassler, Hermann. “Philately,” Historisches Lexicon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein
online (Published December 31, 2011). https://historisches-lexikon.li/
Philatelie
Hughes, H.S. Liechtenstein: the 1920 Issue (Birmingham: Hughes, H.S.; 1962).
LBK MICHEL Liechtenstein-Spezial 2018/2019 (Michel / Schwaneberger
Verlag GmbH).
Liechtenstein Handbuch (Ring der Liechtensteinsammler e. V. (RLS); February
1995): 8-10.
Marxer, Roland. “Postal Contract,” Historisches Lexicon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein
online. https://historisches-lexikon.li/Postvertrag
Morgan, Glenn H. “Stamp Printers By Country: Austria,” Stamp Printers Info
(Updated 2016). https://www.stampprinters.info/SPI_country_austria.
htm#AUSTRIA
Otto, Rudolf. Gemeinde-Botenpost Vaduz-Sevelen 1918 (RLS Booklet: Ring der
Liechtensteinsammler; 1966).
Quaderer, Rupert and Lenherr, Stefan (interviewer). “For Liechtenstein, its
very existence was at stake,” Liechtenstein. https://www.liechtenstein.li/en/
economy/foreign-trade/interview-ruper-quaderer/
Quaderer, Rupert. “Museum Stamp Affair,” Historisches Lexicon des Fürstentums
Liechtenstein online (Published December 31, 2011). https://historisches-lexikon.li/Briefmarkenaff%C3%A4re
Ray, Michael. “Timeline of World War I,” Britannica. https://www.britannica.
com/list/timeline-of-world-war-i
Sieger, Hermann E. Liechtenstein Handbook and Catalog 1943 (Lorch/Wurttemberg:
Sieger-Verlag; 1953): 52-3.
Sluszkiewicz, Anna and Tom. “World Paper Money Catalog and Austrian
Currency History,” ATS Notes. http://www.atsnotes.com/catalog/banknotes/
austria.html
“The postal stamps and postal history of Liechtenstein,” Postal Museum.
https://stamps.postmuseum.li/history
Voss, Werner. Principality of Liechtenstein: History of the Postal System with
Especial Consideration to the Stamps (Book Printer of Fr. Kaiser): 28-37
Table II. The "Squall that Hit" - Liechtenstein's rapid stamp issues.
MI No. Scott No Issue Date Design
17-24 18-25 May 5, 1920 National Coat of Arms & Castle (Imperforate)
25-39 32-46 June 1920 National Coat of Arms, Castles and Prince
1 – 12 J1-J12 June 1920 Postage Due
40 – 42 47-49 Oct. 5, 1920 Madonna, Birthday of Prince Johann II
43 51 Feb. 1, 1921 National Coat of Arms
44 52 Feb. 27, 1921 National Coat of Arms
45 – 52 54-61 Feb. - April, 1921 National Coat of Arms & Cherubs
53 – 60 62-69 Feb. – Nov. 1921 Castles & Princes
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 31

The Author
In summer of 1965, John Shotliff was hosted by
Dr. and Mrs. Wagner of Stuttgart, Germany. Their son,
Thomas, and John were both stamp collectors. During
their return from a week in Locarno, Switzerland, they
stopped at the post office in Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein.
John was intrigued by Liechtenstein’s stamps,
and bought every stamp for sale at the time. (Needless
to say, he had to borrow a few Marks from Dr. Wagner.)
He has been collecting and studying Liechtenstein
stamps ever since with special interests in Errors, Freaks
and Oddities (EFO), and the artifacts of the design,
development on production processes. He is a member
of the America Philatelic Society (APS), (European)
Liechtenstein Collectors Club (RLS), Error, Freaks and
Oddities Collectors Club (EFOCC) and the Institute for
Analytical Philately (IAP).
MI 11 KII MI 11 KII MI 11 KII MI 11 KII MI 14 II
MI 13 DD
MI 12 DD
MI 12 DD
Answer sheet. Answer: 8 and 4,
respectively: 2 each of MI 12 DD;
4 each of MI 11 KII; MI 14 II; MI
13 DD
For Further Reading
Recommendations from the APRL research staff:
Katalogue des Timbres Suisses: Suisse, Liechtenstein, ONU
Geneve, Campione by Verband des Schweizerischen
Briefmarken-Handels (VSBH); Association suisse de
negociants en philatelie (ASNP). (Basel : VSBH/ASNP
(Multipress Verlag AG), 1998. G6040 .A1 V476s 1998
Katalog uber die Maschinenstempel 1911-1969 Schweiz,
Liechtenstein by Max Ziesel and Verein Schweizerischer
Maschinenstempelsammler (VSM). (Aarau: VSM),
1970. G6041 .M149 V489k
Handbuch der Werbedatumstempel Schweiz: Liechtenstein
by Schweizerischer Verein der Poststempelsammler,
Association suisse des collectionneurs
d’empreintes postales, and G. Balimann. (Olten: SVP
and ASCEP), 1993. G6041 .P857 S413h 1993
Faroe Islands Stamps
New September 2020 Stamp Issues
FØROYAR 12KR
FØROYAR 27KR
FØROYAR
26KR
Ludwig van Beethoven 250 Yrs
The Faroese artist, Heiðrik á Heygum
has designed the mini-sheet. He has
dressed the great composer up in the
Faroese national costume, placed him in
quintessential Faroese surroundings. Also
available as a poster - A3.
Buy Faroese Stamps at www.stamps.fo
Posta Faroe Islands - one of the smallest Postal Services in the world, yet known for its
unique, beautiful and creative stamps, which have gained worldwide recognition since 1976.
Posta Stamps, Óðinshædd 2
FO-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Tel. +298 346200
stamps@posta.fo
Faroese Chess Traditions
In the Faroe Islands, the chess tradition
also gained its local characteristics and
these stamps describe two of them: the
“Rook” and “Four-Player-Chess”. Design:
Ole Wich.
125 Years of Motion Pictures
2020 marks the 125th anniversary
of the first public motion picture
screening. The stamps display 2
movies by a Faroese film director,
Bye Bye Blue Bird and Ludo.
Our agent in the US: Nordica Inc./ David Bein
E-mail: nordicad@optonline.net
32 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Carriers and
Locals Society
The Society’s mission is to
encourage the collecting
and study of United
States carriers and locals.
THE NEXT SOCIETY
AUCTION WILL BE
HELD FEBRUARY 2021
ON OUR WEBSITE.
Its principal areas of interest are:
• U.S. official and semi-official Carrier services
• U.S. Independent Mail Companies
• U.S. Local Posts of the 19th century
• U.S. Eastern Expresses of the 19th century
• Fakes and forgeries of U.S. Carriers and Locals
• U.S. and Canadian fantasy stamps of the 19th
century
Benefits of membership include the C&LS’s award winning journal,
its auctions and on line access to back issues of The Penny Post.
To join, or renew your membership, visit
our website at www.pennypost.org.

The Allure of
AMG
Collecting
RICHARD PEDERSON
There are many reasons why a stamp or postal history
collector might select a specific area on which to focus.
The Allied Military Government (AMG) specialty,
more than most collecting areas, has something for
everyone, spanning multiple geographic and political states,
several languages, changes in government and administration,
and a rich historical situation – over the course of just
a few years. The AMG either issued or sanctioned the issuing
of stamps in Italy, the Free Territory of Trieste (FTT),
Venezia Giulia (VG), Austria, France, Germany, Korea, and
the Ryukyu Islands. Figure 1 pictures stamps issued or sanctioned
by the AMG for use in each of the areas that were
under AMG administration – just a few of the numerous
stamps and postal stationery items issued under AMG authority
between 1945 and 1972. Before discussing those areas,
some background on what the AMG was and the role it
played during and following World War II (WWII) is necessary.
During the latter part of WWII, as the Allied forces
liberated territory that was previously held by the Axis powers,
military representatives from the Allied forces filled a
temporary vacuum by providing administrative functions
normally supplied by local and national governments until
newly constituted governments could be established. The
term AMG refers to the representatives from one or more of
the Allied military forces supplying administrative services
until those local and national governments were able to
resume normal services under new leadership. Among the
services provided were law enforcement, taxation, judicial
services, and postal services. Postage stamps were issued
to allow people to communicate with those within and
outside liberated areas and revenue stamps were created to
Figure 1. Examples of AMG issues for Italy
(pictured from left to right and top to bottom)
Italy (Scott 1N10, 20 Centesimi, 1943), Austria
(Scott 4N1, 1 Groschen, 1945), France (Scott
476H, 10 Francs, 1944), VG (Italy Scott 1LN10,
20 Lire, 1946), FTT (Italy Trieste Scott 9, 10 Lire,
1947), Germany (Scott 3N6a, 8 Pfennigs, 1945),
Korea (Scott 56, 5 Cheun on Japan 14 Sen,
1946), and the Ryukyu Islands (Scott 3, 20 Sen,
1949).
34 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Map 2. Map showing U.S., British, French, and Soviet zones in Austria.
Map 3. Map showing
U.S., British, French,
and Soviet zones in
Germany.
Map 1. Map of the FTT (from VFW, September 1991)
showing areas under AMG control (Zone A) and
Yugoslavian control (Zone B).
facilitate payment of taxes and fees collected on business
transactions, licenses and permits. Those postal and revenue
stamps were issued under the authority of the AMG
in liberated areas administered by the AMG.
The AMG administered various areas in Europe and
Asia following the liberation of Sicily in 1943 and the defeat
of Japan in 1945. The administered areas, dates of administration,
and AMG forces responsible for administration
are shown in Table 1. The area of VG, which included the
city of Trieste, was jointly administered by U.S. and British
forces until the creation of the FTT in 1947. The FTT (see
Map 1) was split into two parts, Zones A and B. Zone A was
governed by the U.S. and British militaries (the AMG) and
Zone B by the Yugoslav forces. In October 1954, the FTT
was divided between Italy and Yugoslavia in the London
Memorandum, which was signed by the U.S., Britain, Italy,
control, the two countries and the German city state of
Berlin were broken into areas administered by the U.S.,
British, French, and Soviet military forces (see Maps 2, 3,
and 4). The areas administered by the U.S., Britain, and
and Yugoslavia. Most of FTT Table 1. AMG-administered areas.
Zone A, which included the city
Administered Area AMG Administrator(s) Dates of Administration
of Trieste, went to Italy and Zone
Austria U.S., Britain, France, USSR 4/27/1945 - 7/27/1955
B, along with a small portion of
Zone A, went to Yugoslavia. The
1975 Treaty of Osimo formally
ended all disputes regarding the
France
Free Territory of Trieste (FTT)
Germany
Free French Forces
U.S., Britain, Yugoslavia
U.S., Britain, France, USSR
1944 - 1945
9/15/1947 - 10/5/1954
1945 - 1949
areas around Trieste by legally Italy, including Sicily U.S., Britain 8/17/1943 - 1945
ceding the previously divided
Korea U.S. 9/8/1945 - 8/15/1948
areas to Italy and Yugoslavia.
Ryukyu Islands U.S. 1945 - 5/14/1972
In 1945, once Austria and
Germany came under Allied Venezia Giulia (VG) U.S., Britain 6/1945 - 9/14/1947
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 35

Map 4. Map showing U.S., British, French, and Soviet sectors in
Berlin.
France were then unified as the Federal Republic of Germany
(West Germany) in 1949. The area administered by
the Soviets became the German Democratic Republic (East
Germany) and remained under Soviet influence until October
3, 1990, when the German Democratic Republic became
part of the Federal Republic of Germany. The four Allied
forces remained in Austria until it was given full independence
in 1955, after assurances that it would remain neutral
in political conflicts between the communist Soviet Union
and the three democratic powers.
When the AMG collecting area first evolved shortly
after the conclusion of WWII, many of those attracted to it
were people who served in the Armed Forces or supported
the war effort during the war. In the U.S., the collecting of
AMG stamps and postal history was primarily driven by the
efforts of a single individual, Joseph V. Bush, who founded
the Joseph V. Bush Co. while recovering from injuries sustained
when stationed in Britain during WWII. Many of
his early customers had a direct personal connection to the
AMG postage and revenue stamps as, in some instances,
they served or worked in the liberated areas and used or
Figure 2. Italy Scott 1N1, 15
Centesimi, released by the
AMG in August 1943 for use
in Sicily.
Figure 3. Italy Scott 1N11,
35 Centesimi, overprinted
“GOVERNO MILITARE ALLEATO”
on Italy Scott 217 in December
1943 for use in Naples.
received the AMG stamps on mailings. Although most of
those directly involved in the conflict are no longer with
us, there are still many who had parents and grandparents
or other relatives that fought in World War II. Since many
of those relatives were involved in the conquest and/or
occupation of lands previously held by the Axis Forces, it
is only natural for their descendants to have an interest in
the stamps and postal history associated with those efforts,
an interest that might be increased if those descendants also
had family roots in the occupied areas.
The very first stamps issued by the AMG (Figure 2,
Italy Scott 1N1) were designed and printed by the Bureau
of Engraving and Printing (BEP) and released in Sicily on
August 24, 1943, after the island was fully secured by Allied
military forces. Although those stamps were valid for use in
any liberated areas of Italy, very few were ever used outside
of Sicily. Once an armistice was agreed upon with the provisional
Italian government
on September 8,
1943, the AMG did not
think it appropriate to
issue the Sicily stamps
on the mainland as that
was the responsibility of
the provisional government
with the sanctioning
of the AMG. For
example, stamps from
the Italian Royalist issue
of 1929-1942 (Figure 3,
Italy Scott 1N11) were
overprinted “GOVERNO
MILITARE ALLEATO”
Figure 4. Italy Scott 439,
watermarked 50 Centesimi Bari
Wolf issue, authorized by the
AMG in 1944 for use in liberated
areas of Italy.
(ALLIED MILITARY
GOVERNMENT) for use
in Naples under the authority of the AMG. The provisional
government also issued stamps sanctioned by the AMG,
picturing the Bari Wolf (Figure 4, Italy Scott 439), for use in
other liberated areas of Italy.
Many of the earlier issues for use in Europe have a significant
tie to the U.S. as they were designed and/or printed
by the U.S. BEP in Washington, D.C., including the Italian/
Sicilian, French, German AM Post (i.e., Allied Military
Post), and the Austrian issues. Figure 5 shows examples of
stamps from each basic set produced by the U.S. BEP. Later
printings of the AM Post issues were printed in London,
England, and Brunswick, Germany. The London printings
used the same designs and the Brunswick printings used
slightly altered variations of the BEP designs. Many AMG
collectors believe that the BEP-designed stamps should
be included in the Scott Specialized Catalogue of United
States Stamps & Covers since it is the reference used by
most advanced U.S. collectors. Unfortunately, there is currently
no good single source of information for those issues,
forcing collectors who require in-depth information to use
36 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Figure 5. Examples from each set of stamps designed and produced by the U.S. BEP (from left
to right), issues for Italy (Scott 1N7, 2 Lire, 1943), France (Scott 476C, 1 Franc, 1944), Germany
(Scott 3N5a, 6 Pfennig, 1945), and Austria (Scott 4N10, 20 Groschen, 1945).
Figure 6. Examples of (from left to right) inverted overprint (Italy
Scott 1LN1, 10 Centesimi, 1945), doubled overprint (Italy Scott 1LN8,
60 Centesimi, 1945), and closed “G” errors (Italy Scott 1LN12, 50 Lire,
1946) on AMG VG stamps.
multiple catalogs, including those produced by Scott, the
German publisher Michel, the French publisher Yvert et
Tellier, and Italian publisher Sassone.
For those who enjoy collecting errors, freaks, and oddities,
there is an abundance of AMG material that fits within
this collecting area, particularly the many overprint errors
and varieties on the stamps issued by the AMG for use in
VG and the FTT. Many of the stamps for those areas were
created by overprinting Italian stamps. VG errors include
inverted overprints, doubled overprints, overprints printed
on the reverse side of the stamp, and overprints with a
closed “G”. Varieties include horizontally and vertically
misplaced overprints, printing offsets on the reverse, and
overprints with broken or malformed letters. The stamp
on the left in Figure 6 (Italy Scott 1LN1) has an inverted
overprint, the middle stamp (Italy Scott 1LN8) has a double
overprint, and the right stamp (Italy Scott 1LN12) has a
closed “G”. Figure 7 pictures several overprint varieties with
the pair of stamps on the left (Italy Scott 1LN14) containing
a horizontally displaced overprint, the center stamp (Italy
Scott 1LN5) has a vertically displaced overprint, and the
stamp on the right exhibits an offset of an overprint on the
reverse. Many of these errors and varieties have the benefit
of being affordable for the average collector.
Back-of-book (BoB) stamps and postal stationery are
popular with many collectors and there is an abundance
of AMG BoB material. In particular, the FTT offers a wide
variety of BoB items as it was governed by the AMG for over
seven years and a broad range of BoB items were needed
to finance a full range of government services. AMG BoB
items include airmail, special delivery, postage due, parcel
post, authorized delivery, semi-postal, Christmas seals,
and revenue stamps, plus letter sheets, air letter sheets, and
postal cards. A few of those BoB AMG issues are shown in
Figure 7. Examples of (from left to right) horizontally displaced overprint (Italy Scott 1LN14, 25
Centesimi, 1947), vertically displaced overprint (Italy Scott 1LN5, 2 Lire, 1945), and overprint offset
varieties on AMG VG stamps.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 37

Figure 8a. AMG Austria postage due (Scott
J200 , 60 Groschen, 1946), VG special
delivery (Italy Scott 1LNE1, 10 Lire, 1946),
FTT airmail (Italy Trieste Scott C20, 10 Lire,
1949), and FTT air letter sheet.
Figure 8a anf 8b. For those desiring
to start an AMG BoB collection, the
easiest place to start is with some of
the more basic issues such as airmail,
special delivery, postage due, and
parcel post, since most are listed in
the Scott catalogs. When those areas
are exhausted, the collector can turn
to postal stationery and the wide
range of revenue and fiscal issues,
which will require access to specialized
catalogs, many of which are not
available in English.
Revenue stamps were issued in
abundance in the AMG-administered
areas of VG and the FTT. At the left in
Figure 9 are the left and right sides of
used 100 Lira Industrial-Commercial
tax stamps (Bush AMG-VG IC11)
and at the right is an intact mint
5 Lira FTT stock transfer se-tenant
stamp (Bush AMG FTT ST24). Both
Industrial-Commercial and Stock
Transfer stamps were printed as setenant
pairs. For both the Industrial-
Commercial tax stamps and the Stock
Transfer stamps, the left side of the
pair was attached to the portion of
the invoice retained by the seller and
the right side of the pair was attached
to the piece of the invoice given to
the purchaser. Some AMG collectors
have spent decades building specialized
collections of the revenue issues.
A particular challenge is finding many
of the revenue issues properly used
on-document. Only a limited number
have survived, as the stamps were
Figure 8b. FTT air letter sheet.
Figure 9. AMG VG Industrial Commercial tax stamps (Bush AMG-VG IC11, 100 Lire) and FTT
Stock Transfer stamps (Bush AMG FTT ST24, 5 Lire).
Figure 10. Scott Trieste 166 with “FTT”
overprint on Italy Scott 622 issued to
commemorate the 1953 running of the
annual Mille Miglia (1,000 mile) motorsport
endurance race which was won by drivers
Giannino Marzotto and Marco Crosara in a
Ferrari 340 MM Spyder Magnale.
38 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Figure 11. The 3 Franc value of the second AMG issue for France picturing the Arc de
Triomphe (France Scott 523J, 3 Francs, 1945), Austrian AMG Post Horn issue (Scott 4N2,
3 Groschen, 1945), and the Italian AMG Bari Wolf issue (Scott 440, 50 Centesimi, 1944,
unwatermarked).
Figure 12. Censored, registered letter to Vienna, Austria with a 12 Groschen (Scott 4N8) and a
30 Groschen (Scott 4N12) paying the domestic surface rate and registration fee.
either removed from the documents or the documents
were destroyed after they were no longer of use. For those
interested in the emissions for Korea, there are also numerous
provisional and local issues, although many are quite
expensive.
Another popular collecting area involves issues with a
topical or thematic interest. Many of the AMG issues have
simple, practical designs, such as those created for use in
Italy/Sicily and Germany, and do not lend themselves to
topical or thematic collecting. Despite that, there is still
plenty of material for the topical collector to pursue. The
regular, commemorative, and BoB issues for the FTT and
VG, along with many Ryukyu Islands stamps, fit nicely
in topical or thematic collections. Figure 10 shows a 1953
FTT stamp (Trieste Scott 166) picturing racing cars, which
according to the Scott catalog was issued in commemoration
of the 20th annual Mille Miglia (1,000 mile) auto race.
Figure 11 pictures examples from the French issue depicting
the Arc de Triomphe (France Scott 523J is pictured),
Austrian issue picturing a post horn (Austria Scott 4N2 is
pictured), and Italian Bari Wolf issue (Italy Scott 439 is pictured),
which all have a place in topical collections.
Postal historians wishing to specialize in the AMG area
have a wide variety of AMG issues to focus on. Finding the
many varieties of the AM Post issues for Germany on cover
could keep you occupied for many years, especially if you
want examples where the stamps are used to pay fees such
as registration, special delivery, insurance, and postage due.
Although some AMG issues are not hard to locate on cover,
such as many AM Post and FTT Zone A issues, there are
others that are quite challenging. Finding on-cover Korean
stamps issued during the relatively short period of U.S. military
administration from 1945 to 1948 is not easy, as there
were only 26 different stamps issued and it is likely that
most of those used were removed from the envelope or the
envelope containing them was thrown away. Many revenue
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 39

Figure 13. Domestic surface letter to Eschenbach, Germany with three 8 Pfennig AM Post
stamps (Scott 3N6a, 1945) paying the 24 Pfennig domestic surface rate.
Figure 14a. Ryukyu Islands classic opera
issue (Scott 196, 3 Cents, 1970).
Figure 14b. FTT Festival of the Mountain
issue (Scott Italy Trieste 181 with “FTT”
overprint on Italy Scott 634, 25 Lire, 1953)
FDCs.
40 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

issues for VG and FTT Zone A are also quite hard to find
used on-document as many of those documents were not
retained after the need to show payment of the tax or fee
had passed. Figure 12 pictures a cover mailed from Villach
to Vienna in Austria and censored by the British military
censor. The cover, which has 30 Groschen (Scott 4N12) and
12 Groschen (Scott 4N8) AMG stamps paying the domestic
surface rate and registration fee, was mailed on October 18,
1945, and received on October 20, 1945, in Vienna. Covers
showing payment of postal fees, such as registration,
are much harder to find than those just paying the basic
domestic rate. Figure 13 shows a typical AM Post cover
with three 8 Pfennig Washington-printed stamps (Germany
Scott 3N6a, 1945) paying the 24 Pfennig domestic surface
rate for a letter sent on March 22, 1946, from Auerbach to
Eschenbach, Germany, both within the U.S. occupied zone.
First day cover (FDC) collectors will not feel left out,
as there are FDCs available for many AMG regular issues,
commemoratives, and some BoB issues. There are both
addressed and unaddressed FDCs, with and without cachets.
In many instances, there are multiple cachets for a single
issue and cachet artists/creators who designed cachets for
a wide range of issues. Thus, it is possible to develop a collection
that is focused on either a single AMG issue or a
cachet designer. FDCs are easiest to locate for the issues of
the FTT and Ryukyu Islands, as those areas issued stamps
over a longer time frame than any other AMG-administered
areas.Figures 14a and b show FDCs for the 1953 FTT 25 Lire
mountain festival issue and the 1970 Ryukyu Islands 3 Cent
classic opera issue (Scott 196).
Since AMG stamps and postal history cover such a
broad range of collecting interests, it is only natural that
many different types of collectors are drawn to AMG collecting.
Despite the breadth of the AMG collecting area, a
basic AMG collection containing one of each face-different
AMG-issued stamp, although a challenge, is possible to
complete, unlike a worldwide collection or even many
country collections. An AMG collection also offers the
opportunity to specialize, whether it be in the issues and
postal history for a given country (e.g., Italy, Germany) or
in a specific type of stamps (e.g., all revenue issues). Since
my goal is to introduce readers to AMG collecting, I have
only touched on a few of the possible ways to collect AMG
stamps. Once you have started down the AMG collecting
path, many other options will present themselves.
If you’re having trouble finding affordable new material
for your current collecting area(s) or you are looking for
an interesting new challenge, AMG collecting may be the
solution. There is a group dedicated to the study of AMG
collecting, the AMG Collectors’ Club (AMGCC), which is
also an APS chapter. Dues in the AMGCC are only $20 a
year and it publishes the A.M.G. Courier, a quarterly awardwinning
journal (Large Silver at 2017 APS StampShow and
Vermeil at 2020 Chicagopex). The AMGCC website (www.
amgcollectors.org) also has an abundance of reference
material, including album pages and back copies of the
journal, available for download by members. Do yourself
a favor and become an AMG collector today. You will not
regret the decision.
For information on joining the AMGCC, either go to
the club website or contact the club Secretary/Treasurer,
David Arking, via email at arkmail@comcast.net or mail at
223 Williamsburg Rd., Lansing, MI 48917.
Comments about this article or general question regarding
the AMGCC or AMG collecting area may be sent to me
via email at rich@pedersonstamps.com or by mail at PO
Box 662, Clemson, SC 29633.
The photo negative in the header is of Catania, Sicily,
in 1943, by photographer Nick Parrino. The Allied military
government supplied flour for the towns hardest hit by the
war after all local sources had been exhausted. Courtesy of
Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information
photograph collection (Library of Congress).
References
Wilcke, Harry W., M.D. (ed.). Bush A.M.G. Catalog – Handbook (Joseph V.
Bush, Inc.; 1993).
Cass, Harry, and Bush, Joseph (eds.). Bush – Cass Catalog of AMG Revenue
Stamps (Joseph Bush; 1956).
Houseman, Donna (ed.). Scott 2018 Specialized Catalogue of United States
Stamps & Covers (Amos Media Co.).
Snee, Charles (ed.). Scott 2015 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, volumes 1-4
(Scott Publishing Co.)
The Author
Richard Pederson is editor of the A. M. G. Courier,
webmaster for the AMGCC, the club’s APS representative,
and a past president and vice president of the AMGCC.
For Further Reading
Recommendations from the APRL research staff:
A.M.G. Catalog-Handbook by Harry Cass. (Bonita, CA:
Joseph V. Bush, 1958. G5700 .A1 C343am
The AMG Story: The Philatelic Story of the Allied Military
Government in Europe at the Close of World War II by
Harry Wilcke. (Columbus, OH: United States Possessions
Philatelic Society, 1994. G5701 .O15 W667a
1994
A.M.G. Courier: The Journal of the AMG Collectors' Club by
AMG Collectors' Club. (Clemson, SC: AMG Collectors'
Club, 2015-Present). JOURNAL AMG Courier
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 41

From Hubble to
Hale-Bopp and
Other Stories
KATRIN RAYNOR-EVANS
Figure 1. Visions of the Universe, designed by Robert Ball and issued in February 2020 by Royal Mail.
44 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

A
year ago, my article “A
Stamp on the Universe”
appeared in the January
2020 issue of The American
Philatelist. Many readers have
sent me parcels of their astronomy-
and space-related philatelic
material. I decided to write about
some of the covers, and stamps
that I have received.
These gifts form an incredible
historical timeline of achievements
in space and have
encouraged me to read deeply
into the history of U.S. space
research, comets, astronauts
and Apollo missions, many of
which are subjects I knew little
about before now. I have also
included a recent set of astronomy
and space stamps issued on
my side of the pond, which will
allow me to kick off this article
with a rather lovely set of colorful
astronomy stamps issued at the
beginning of 2020 in the United
Kingdom.
The Bicentenary of the
Royal Astronomical Society
On February 11, 2020, the Royal Mail issued a set of
stamps to commemorate the bicentenary of the Royal
Astronomical Society (RAS). Formed on January 12, 1820,
at a tavern in London, the society has now grown to 4,000
members and is one of the most eminent societies in the
world, promoting astronomy and geophysics.
The issue, called Visions of the Universe, has eight stamps
in total illustrating astronomical phenomena: Comet 67P,
the Cats Eye Nebula, geysers on Enceladus, pulsars, Jupiter’s
auroras, the galaxy Cygnus, gravitational lensing and black
holes (Figure 1). Each stamp includes one simple line of
text that describes phenomena which have been discovered
or investigated by British astronomers and astrophysicists.
For example, the 1st class Black Hole stamp displays the text
“Black holes are super-dense regions of space” and is a nod
to the English natural philosopher John Michell who first
suggested their existence in 1783 and the famous late British
professor and theoretical physicist, Stephen Hawking, who
made predictions about their behaviour.
Illustrated by London-based artist Robert Ball, the
stamps are colorful in hues of blues and red and bring to
life these amazing phenomena in a way that photographs
certainly could not. In particular, the Black Hole stamp is
based on the work of Dr. Ziri Younsi of University College
London, who was part of the Event Horizon Telescope
team that captured the ground-breaking first image of a
black hole in 2019. Younsi shared computer models of his
work on black holes with Robert Ball to inform the illustrated
design. These stamps are a fitting celebration for the
bicentennial of a prestigious society and the contributions
of British scientists to research in this field.
Figure 2. The Black Hole pictorial cancellation used here
pays homage to Stephen Hawking’s work in the study of
black holes.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 45

Figure 3. The 1981 Space Achievement issues (Scott 1912-9) include
one premature stamp depicting the Hubble Space Telescope (Scott
1919), which would not be launched until nine years after the issue.
Companies such as Benham and The Westminster Collection,
and private organizations that produce their own
official first day covers, can sponsor their own special handstamps
or pictorial handstamps. These sponsored astronomy-themed
handstamps have been used to cancel the
stamps on certain Visions of the Universe covers and add
to the delightful theme of the stamps. To obtain a special
handstamp, the collector must affix the stamps to a cover and
send it to special handstamp centers located throughout the
UK, where it is stamped and returned to sender.
For this issue, special handstamps include the original
logo of the RAS – Herschel’s 40-foot telescope (the RAS
unveiled a new, updated logo in January for its bicentenary)
– an image of a black hole, and an illustration of the solar
system (Figure 2).
Figure 4. Three custom covers canceled on important dates in
the Hubble Space Telescope’s history: April 24, 1990, the date of
Discovery’s launch; April 25, 1990, the date of the Hubble Space
Telescope’s deployment; and April 29, 1990, the date that Discovery
touched back down to Earth.
Figure 5. This combo cover marks
three additional dates in Hubble Space
Telescope’s history: May 21, 1981, the date
of issue of the Comprehending the Universe
stamp depicting the HST; April 24, 1990, the
date of Discovery’s launch; and December 2,
1993, the date of Endeavor’s launch with the
servicing team.
46 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Hubble Space Telescope
On May 21, 1981, eight stamps were issued by the USPS
at the Kennedy Space Center to commemorate the nation’s
achievements in space (Scott 1912-9). One of the stamps
depicts the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), which was set
to be launched in October 1986; however, the Challenger
disaster halted all space shuttle programs until a full investigation
of why the shuttle broke apart 73 seconds after
launch had been carried out. Hubble was finally launched
on April 24, 1990. The 18¢ stamp displays the text “Comprehending
the Universe” (Figure 3).
The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) celebrated its 30th
anniversary on April 24, 2020. In 1990, the telescope launched
from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the orbiter
Discovery. The telescope’s launch was the 35th mission of
the space shuttle program and massively transformed our
understanding of the universe and our place within it. Orbiting
340 miles above the Earth, the telescope has discovered
moons orbiting Pluto, collected data about galaxies and even
contributed data for research on black holes.
In the past months I’ve received postmarks and signatures
on covers that tell the story of Hubble to an extent.
What follows are three custom covers depicting printed
Figure 6. These autographed covers were a gift to the
author from collector John Macco. The four covers, all date
stamped February 11, 1997, were signed by four Mission
Specialists who were aboard Discovery. Macco sent the
covers individually to the Astronaut Office at the Johnson
Space Center with a request for signatures.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 47

Figure 7. A full sheet of the Apollo 11 airmail stamps (Scott C76), issued September 9, 1969.
cachets of the HST and date stamped with three key dates of
the mission: April 24, 1990, the date of Discovery’s launch;
April 25, 1990, the date that the telescope was deployed; and
April 29, 1990, the date that Discovery touched back down
to Earth (Figure 4). Each postmark is at Greenbelt, Maryland,
which is home to the Goddard Space Flight centre, the
control center for the HST.
The custom covers are printed with an image of the
HST orbiting the Earth. The mission number is printed
below the image - Space Transportation System STS-31/
Space Shuttle Discovery, the shuttle that launched the HST
into orbit. Two of the covers are embellished with a stamp
that was issued for the 20th Universal Postal Congress on
November 27, 1989, and depicts a shuttle involved in a midspace
mail transfer. This stamp was issued as a set of four
with each stamp illustrating what postal delivery may look
like in the future.
The stamp affixed to the cover dated April 25, 1990, has
an interesting history. It is a self-adhesive stamp depicting
an Eagle and Shield (Scott 2431). Costing 25 cents, this selfadhesive
imperforate stamp was unveiled on November 19,
1989, at the annual VAPEX stamp show in Virginia after a
15-year hiatus in the production of self-adhesive stamps.
“Why the hiatus?” you may ask. One of the first selfadhesive
stamps (Scott 1552), issued in 1974 and depicting
a dove weathervane on the top of George Washington’s
home, Mount Vernon, was deemed a failure due to the
expense of production, the gum bleeding through onto the
stamp paper and ease of re-using the stamps. Production
was halted until 1989, when the USPS decided to try again,
48 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

this time using an acrylic-based adhesive. The Eagle and
Shield was available to only fifteen cities in Virginia and
deemed another failure because of the higher premium that
customers had to pay for the stamp booklets. The USPS
finally issued its first nationally distributed self-adhesive
stamp, the 29¢ Eagle and Shield stamp, in 1992.
When the first images from the HST were returned to
Earth, there was a noticeable problem. The images were not
as clear as they should have been and were significantly below
the expected quality. Further analysis showed that the mirror
had been ground into the wrong shape ever so slightly – a
minor flaw, but enough to compromise the telescope’s use
almost entirely. So, on December 2, 1993, with seven astronauts
aboard Endeavour, Servicing Mission 1 was launched
from the Kennedy Space Center to correct the problem
(Figure 5).
On February 11, 1997, seven further crew members
were launched aboard Discovery to undertake repairs and
upgrades of the HST. This was the 82nd mission of the
space shuttle program. Four covers in my collection have
been signed by four of the five Mission Specialists - Joseph
Tanner, Mark Lee, Steven Smith, and Steven Hawley. Mark
Lee and Steven Smith carried out three of the five EVAs
(Extra Vehicular Activity) while Gregory Harbaugh, also a
Mission Specialist and Joseph Tanner undertook the other
two. Steven Hawley, already an accomplished astronaut,
was part of STS-31, the mission that launched the HST in
1990 (Figure 6).
Apollo 11
One of the greatest achievements in U.S. space history,
the Apollo program ran from 1961 to 1972. The Apollo 11
mission in particular will forever be stamped firmly in the
Figure 8. Mission patch for Apollo 11, courtesy of NASA on the
Commons Flickr.
Figure 9. An cover autographed from Luboš Kohoutek, discoverer of Comet Kohoutek in
1973. The cover is date stamped January 15, 1974, the date of the comet’s closest approach
to Earth.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 49

Figure 10. This cover is date stamped March 24, 1995 – two days after Hale-Bopp’s closest approach to Earth,
and eight days before the comet passed perihelion. The cachet’s artwork comes from Alan Hale’s book
Everybody’s Comet: A Layman’s Guide to Hale–Bopp.
history books in more ways than one for successfully sending
mankind to the moon on July 20, 1969. An abundance of
stamps, covers and other memorabilia were created to mark
this occasion.
Thanks to an exceptionally generous APS member, I
have been sent a large amount of Apollo 11 material spanning
50 years, including a mint sheet of thirty-two 10¢
Moon Landing stamps issued on September 9, 1969, which
is a wonderful new addition to my collection (Figure 7). The
single stamp, designed by Paul Calle, was issued to celebrate
mankind’s historic visit to our celestial neighbor and illustrates
Neil Armstrong setting foot on the Moon, embarking
from Eagle, the lunar lander. This stamp’s design was the
subject of Chris Calle’s 50-year retrospective, published in
the July 2019 issue of The American Philatelist.
Using some of the Apollo 11 material that had been sent
to me, I entered a Stanley Gibbons competition in May.
The aim of the competition was to display, on a single page,
a window into a significant moment in history. Judged by
Peter Cockburn, vice president of the Royal Philatelic Society
and Graham Winters, chair of the Association of British
Philatelic Societies, I was one of the eight winners in the
Master class with my exhibit called “We Choose to Go to
the Moon in This Decade.”
While working on my exhibit and sorting through the
material, the most interesting detail that I came across
relates to the Apollo 11 logo that had been designed for the
mission by Aldrin, Collins and Armstrong (Figure 8). The
logo depicting an Eagle clutching an olive branch appears
regularly on covers and philatelic memorabilia, but it may
have gone unnoticed to some that the illustration of Earth
from the Moon is incorrect. The Earth phase, or “Terra
phase” is a term used to describe the sunlit portion of the
Earth. During these phases, the shadow would never fall on
the “left-hand side” of Earth. This mistake was never corrected,
for reasons I have yet to find out!
Comets
Comet Kohoutek is perhaps best remembered as the
comet that never was. Discovered in 1973 by Luboš Kohoutek,
a Czech astronomer, this icy visitor from the outer Solar System
is a long-period comet, which means that it has an orbital
period exceeding 200 years and we won’t see it again for
another 75,000 years. The comet was hyped to be the comet
of the century but unfortunately, it was not to be. The nakedeye
comet largely disintegrated upon its approach to the Sun
and consequently was not as bright as expected.
I was sent a homemade cover signed by Kohoutek along
with a note from the sender, dated July 15, 1974, asking
Kohoutek to autograph the cover. An 8¢ black and orange
stamp (U.S. Scott 1488) celebrating the 500th anniversary
of the birth of Copernicus, famous 15-century astronomer,
is affixed to the cover. The cover has been date stamped
on January 15, 1974, the date of Kohoutek comet’s closest
approach to Earth (74,940,000 miles) and a pictorial
postmark cancels the stamp. Kohoutek returned the signed
cover to the sender on August 25, 1974 (Figure 9).
It has been 25 years as of July 2020 since comet Hale-
Bopp was discovered; I remember in my teens, whenever
nights were clear, gazing up at the comet hanging effortlessly
in the dark. Moving across our skies for approximately
18 months, Hale-Bopp was the most observed comet of the
twentieth century. Discovered independently by Alan Hale
and Thomas Bopp in the United States on July 23, 1995,
the comet passed perihelion, its closest approach to Earth,
50 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

on April 1, 1997, and
shone bright at magnitude
of +2, roughly the same
brightness of Polaris, the
North Star. However, due
to its size (approximately
80 km) and proximity to
Earth, even in light-polluted
towns and cities, it was
visible to the naked eye.
I was sent a cover date
stamped at Cloudcroft,
New Mexico, where Alan Hale first made his discovery
(Figure 10). Earlier this year, I had the privilege of interviewing
Alan for the Sky at Night and The Society for Popular
Astronomy. I asked him how he felt when he made the
discovery:
“I was very excited about the discovery. The
comet was dim, at only 11th magnitude so I had no
way of knowing at the time that it would turn out to
be such a bright object . . . I figured that, at best, it
might be a newly found short-period comet which
would be returning every few years.”
At the time of the discovery, Alan was observing two comets,
71P/Clark and 6P/d’Arrest.
“I had finished observing 71P/Clark, and I had an
hour or so to wait before 6P/d’Arrest became high
enough to observe, so I passed the time by looking
at deep-sky objects. When I turned the telescope to
the globular star cluster M70 in Sagittarius I noticed
a dimmer, fuzzy object in the same field of view.”
Alan confirms that we have learned a great deal from the
comet’s visit from the outer Solar System:
“Many of the substances identified in Hale-Bopp
have also been detected in interstellar gas and dust
clouds and in forming planetary disks within those
clouds, so study of the comet has certainly helped fill
in gaps in our knowledge about how planets form.”
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the discovery of
Hale-Bopp, Alan has compiled Ice and Stone 2020, a weekly
series of online presentations throughout 2020 covering
small bodies of the solar system such as comets and asteroids.
It is available at no charge to educators and students
around the world from earthriseinstitute.org.
What Will the Future Bring?
The celebration and commemoration of space achievements,
technological advancements and discoveries
throughout history has produced an endless, beautiful cornucopia
of stamps, covers, postmarks and even numismatic
delights. There are some really exciting events to look forward
to in the coming years, as those who have followed the
recent SpaceX launch in the U.S. will agree. This includes
the launch of the James Webb Telescope on October 31,
2021, the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter, which
will begin scientific operations in November 2021, and the
Mars Rover 2020 Perseverance landing on the red planet
in February 2021. There is so much scope for future commemorations
and celebrations of space exploration and
astronomy. I think it is a rather exciting time for us stamploving
astronomers, and I for one cannot wait to see what
the world of philately holds.
The Author
Katrin Raynor-Evans is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical
Society and Royal Geographical Society. She is a
member of the European Astronomical Society and Astro
Space Stamp Society. She writes articles and interviews for
popular astronomy magazines including the BBC Sky at
Night, Stanley Gibbons and is the Features Editor for the Society
for Popular Astronomy’s magazine, Popular Astronomy.
She is co-authoring her first book. Asteroid 446500 Katrinraynor
was recently named after her.
For Further Reading
Recommendations from the APRL research staff:
Astronomy and Philately by Astro Study Unit, American
Topical Association. (Milwaukee: American Topical
Association, 1977). HE6183 .A1 A512a (ATA) No.90
Space Weather, A Philatelic Journey: Solar and Space
Effects on Earth and Other Planets and on Humans
and Their Technology by Garry Toth and Don Hillger.
(Carterville, IL: American Topical Association, 2017).
HE6183 .A1 A512a no.166
Astronomy on Stamps by Alphonse Mayernik. (Cambridge,
MA: Harvard College Observatory, 1962).
HE6183 .A859 M468a
The Official Halley’s Comet Collection Postage Stamp
Catalog by InterPostal Philatelic Corporation. (Sag
Harbor, NY: InterPostal Philatelic Corporation, 1989.
HE6183 .S732 O32
Astrofax - Bulletin of the ATA Astronomy Study Unit by
ATA Astronomy Study Unit. (San Antonio, TX: ATA
Astronomy Study Unit, 1972-Present). JOURNAL
Astrofax
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 51

The Collector of Revenue
BY RON LESHER
PAYING A TAX
OR TAX EXEMPT
IN
the last column, I examined the first aspect
of the definition of revenues, governmental
authority. Let us begin the current exploration
with the first of the many purposes of revenue stamps,
namely to show that a tax has been paid or that something is
exempt from taxation.
Stamps that were intended to pay a tax on various kinds
of transactions that are recorded on paper are commonly
called documentary stamps. Most stamp collectors attracted
to revenues begin with the so-called First Issues Revenues,
the first issues that collectors encounter in the revenue
section of the Scott Specialized Catalogue of U.S. Stamps
& Covers listings (Scott R1-102). Most, but not all of these
are documentary stamps. That list of stamps is so lengthy
because all were inscribed with the kind of document on
which they were to be placed. In Figure 1, we see a stamp
inscribed Bank Check and placed on the intended type of
document, a bank check. The tax on bank checks, regardless
of the amount to be paid, was two cents, and is appropriately
covered by the documentary stamp.
The wide variety of variously inscribed documentary
stamps, often in multiple denominations, made equal distribution
to all parts of the country difficult. The requirement
for the tax stamp to match the usage proved impractical,
and was discontinued after a mere three months, at the end
of December 1862. Nonetheless, most collectors of the First
Issue relish finding these stamps on the intended type of
document, even after the matching usage requirement was
discontinued.
Figure 2 shows a certificate stamp on a marriage certificate,
another matching usage. Certificate stamps were
required on any certificate with legal implications or standing.
Interestingly, this marriage certificate is written in
German, reflecting the large German immigrant population
in the state of Pennsylvania, many of whom were still
speaking German, or a dialect, Pennsylvania Dutch, which
by the 1860s was no longer a written language. As a young
boy, well I remember Pennsylvania Dutch being spoken by
my grandparents when they did not wish me to understand
what was going on!
Most, but not all, of the First Issue revenue stamps
were intended to be used on documents. Stamps inscribed
Figure 1. Check drawn on the Bank of the Republic with a 2¢ stamp (Scott R6c) inscribed Bank Check.
52 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Fgure 2. German language marriage certificate with a 10¢ stamp inscribed Certificate (Scott R33c).
“Proprietary” or “Playing Cards” were reserved for use on
certain consumer goods such as matches, medicines, perfumes,
or playing cards. Figure 3 shows an improper use
of a 2¢ stamp inscribed “Playing Cards,” used on a bank
check. This was in violation of the regulations. Since the tax
was paid and there was no attempt to evade the tax, these
improper uses appear to have been tolerated. Most collectors
of the First Issue revenues seek to add such improper
uses to their collections.
In spite of collectors dubbing these stamps the First
Issue revenue stamps, they were not the first adhesive revenue
stamps used in the United States. The state of California
used adhesive stamps as early as 1857 to collect taxes on bills
of exchange, bills of lading (receipt of cargo shipments), and
insurance policies. These adhesive stamps were validated
with a handstamp showing the initials of the state controller.
The example on a Second Bill of Exchange shown in
Figure 4 is stamped with S.H.B, the initials of Samuel H.
Brooks, who served from March 16, 1860, to November
20, 1861. Bills of Exchange functioned somewhat like bank
checks, and were sent from California and other western
states across the country for payment at a bank in New York
City. Because of the uncertainty of arrival in New York, the
normal practice was to send two Bills of Exchange by different
routes to the bank in New York and save a Third Bill
in the company records for the unusual case that neither
of the other two arrived safely. The Figure 4 example is a
Second Bill of Exchange, and includes wording that it was
to be paid, provided that the First Bill was unpaid. In other
words, the first that arrived would be paid and the second
that arrived would be ignored. There is no evidence that
this particular bill was actually paid, so we can assume that
the First Bill arrived and had already been paid. Nevertheless,
all three bills were subject to the tax. California’s tax in
this case was $1.00 for each of the bills over $400, up to and
including $500.
For the convenience of taxpayers, Internal Revenue
also contracted with printers to imprint stamps on checks
and other taxable documents during the Civil War era and
lasting until June 30, 1883. In this way, the taxpayer did
not have to worry about licking a stamp and pasting it on
their check (Figure 5). In the example illustrated here, the
contractor A. Trochsler of Boston used a design featuring
the USS Monitor in the right portion of the design. Almost
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 53

Figure 3. Bank check with a 2¢ stamp inscribed Playing Cards (Scott R11c), a nominal improper use of a stamp reserved for playing cards,
matches, medicines or perfume. CAR are the initials of check signer, canceling the stamp.
Figure 4. An 1861 Second Bill of Exchange sent from California for payment at the Bank of the State of New York,
subject to the California state tax of $1.00 for bills over $400 and not exceeding $500.
all the recorded examples of this particular imprinted stamp
are from the New England states. Significantly, there is one
1880 example recorded used in Savannah, Georgia. The
USS Monitor could not have been a popular sight in Georgia
ten years after the end of the Civil War, which makes the
provenance of this imprint curious. Although we do not
know for certain, I can easily imagine that a “carpetbagger”
from New England went south after the end of the war
and set up a business in Savannah. When it was time to get
checks printed with imprinted stamps, the “carpetbagger”
recalled his roots in New England and had them produced
back home!
Although the examples just described are all stamps for
use on documents, these are still not the earliest examples
of documentary taxes in the United States. Figure 6 shows
a 1798 foreign bill of exchange written in Alexandria,
Virginia, for 230 pounds sterling payable in Liverpool,
England. There is an embossed seal for 50¢ (Scott RM102)
in the upper left corner, the amount of federal tax due for
bills of exchange for $500 to $1000. My research shows that
the value of 230 pounds sterling in 1798 was about $1,000
in United States currency (over $21,000 today). Perhaps
of greater interest is that the embossed seal or stamp is
inscribed for Maryland; the tax was collected by the federal
Supervisor of Revenue for Maryland, even though there was
a Supervisor of Revenue for Virginia. Such uses are fairly
unusual.
In the World War I era and after, the tax laws specified
that the stamps for several of the documentary taxes
had to have the name of the specific tax on them. This
included taxes on future delivery transactions and stock
transfers. Because of the enormous demands on the Bureau
of Engraving & Printing because of the war, an expedient
solution was implemented: one set of stamps for general
documentary taxes, overprints for the stamps to be used for
future delivery (Figure 7) and a different overprint for the
stamps for use on stock transfers (Figure 8). This temporary
measure for stock transfer stamps lasted thirteen years until
54 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Figure 5. An example of a check which has had the 2¢ tax stamp imprinted on the check before it was delivered to
the New England News Co. of Boston for its use.
Figure 6. An example of a bill of exchange subject to a fifty cent tax, with the payment
shown by an embossed 50¢ stamp at the upper left corner. Paid in 1798, a very early use of
documentary tax stamps.
1940, when they were replaced by a permanent design for
showing the tax on stock transfers. These separate stamps
easily allowed for Internal Revenue to track how much was
collected for each tax category and advise Congress about
the revenue implications of possible tax rate changes for
these categories.
All of the above examples involve taxes on some form of
financial transaction or on legal documents, like the marriage
certificate. These examples follow the pattern of the
initiation of taxation in most countries. As societies evolved
a middle class, additional taxes on consumable products
were initiated. These are often referred to as excise taxes.
Excise taxes generally target two kinds of products: luxury
goods and goods that the government is trying to discourage.
Perfumes were one of the luxury items taxed under the
general category of proprietary taxes during the Civil War
era. Playing cards, sometimes known as the Devil’s cards
because of their use in gambling, are an example of something
in the same Civil War era that the government was
trying to discourage.
General proprietary stamps were issued for these excise
taxes during the Civil War era – Figure 9 shows proprietary
stamps canceled by Thomas Kensett & Co. and Ruth &
Fleming, two canners in Baltimore, an example of luxury
goods that were taxed beginning August 1, 1866. The tax
was eliminated on most canned goods on March 1, 1867.
Although canned goods may not seem like a luxury good
today, after the Civil War canned goods grew in popularity
due to their ubiquity and convenience for soldiers. In Figure
10 we see an example of a proprietary stamp canceled by a
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 55

Figure 7. Several examples of stamps used to pay the taxes on the contracts for the future delivery
of commodities. The first example, with the handstamp “F.D.” (unlisted in Scott), was a provisional
in use prior to the delivery of the proper stamps from Internal Revenue.
Figure 8. Several examples of stamps (Scott RD10, 12, and 21) used to pay the taxes on the sale or
transfer of ownership of stocks.
Figure 9. The use of general proprietary stamps (Scott R3c) to
pay the tax on canned goods by two Baltimore canners, Thomas
Kensett & Co. and Ruth & Fleming.
Figure 10. The use of a general
proprietary stamp (Scott R29c) to
pay the tax on playing cards by
Samuel Hart & Co.
playing card manufacturer, Samuel Hart & Co. Samuel Hart
later ordered a stamp from the government with a design to
be used by only one firm (Figure 11). This so-called private
die proprietary stamp served the dual function of paying
the tax and acting as trademark protection to discourage
anyone who wished to imitate Hart’s cards and try to trade
on the name of that firm.
The taxation of alcohol and tobacco products are two
more areas that fit into this discussion. Each of these
encompasses a very large number of stamps. Both beer
stamps and wine tax stamps are well covered in the Scott
U.S. Specialized. But the area of distilled spirits – including
alcohol warehousing, distilled spirits, wholesale liquor
dealing, and rectified spirits stamps – for the most part is
not covered in Scott. There is also a whole area of stamps
that were applied to bottled spirits which are not truly tax
stamps, even though they denote that the taxes have been
paid. The catalogers of state revenue stamps have dubbed
these “liquor seals,” to differentiate them from the stamps
that actually collected the taxes on alcohol. In addition, the
field of United States tobacco taxpaids is totally untouched
by the Scott U.S. Specialized. This includes stamps for Class
A and Class B cigarettes, cigars, small cigars, snuff, and
pipe or chewing tobacco. I leave each of these fields for a
56 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Figure 11. The use of a private die
proprietary stamp (Scott RU9b) for
paying the tax on the playing cards
manufactured by Samuel Hart & Co.
later discussion, because in number of
stamps each comes close to the size of
the entire listings of revenue stamps in
the Scott U.S. Specialized.
Instead, I move to the interesting
area of special tax stamps that most
stamp collectors, when they encounter
them, say are not stamps. These are
known as special tax stamps because
those three words appear on these
overly large pieces of paper (Figure
12). The item in Figure 12 measures
about 6 1/4 inches wide by 6 inches
tall. Before 1920 these special tax
stamps measured about 11 1/2 inches
wide and 7 1/4 inches tall. These are
much better understood if we look
at their function: to collect annual
taxes on certain occupations. Once
again, this is a vast field of revenues,
embracing occupations dealing with
tobacco, alcohol, and medicinal narcotics.
There are additional occupations,
but this will suffice for this
overview of paying these annual occupational
taxes. The size of the special
tax stamps are a turnoff to many collectors;
those in use prior to 1920 were
even larger!
There is an interesting story from
about forty years ago, when the president
of the American Revenue Association
decided to enter his exhibit of
special tax stamps in a World Series
of Philately show. When the judges
saw this exhibit, they told the show
committee that they were not going to
judge this exhibit, because it was not
an exhibit of stamps. When informed
Figure 12. Special tax stamp for paying the annual occupational tax for a Brewer of at least
500 barrels of beer (15,500 gallons).
Figure 13. Export beer stamp from the Act of June 1890 used to designate that the beer was
exempt from taxes.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 57

Figure 14. Export beer stamp for bottled beer used in the 1890s to designate that it was
exempt from tax.
For Further Reading
Recommendations from the APRL research staff:
An Introduction to Revenue Stamps by Bill Castenholz.
(Pacific Palisades, CA: Castenholz & Sons, c1994).
G3701 .R451 C349i
Introduction to United States Revenue Stamps by Richard
Friedberg. ( Sidney, OH: Linn’s Stamp News,
1994). G3701 .R451 F899i 1994a
Documentary State Revenue Stamps of the United States
of that decision, the exhibitor asked the show committee to
open the frames so he could remove his exhibit. He then
told them that not only would he never exhibit again, but
that he did not plan to attend any national level stamp
shows again. To the best of my knowledge that exhibitor
kept his word. Today, an exhibit of special tax stamps would
be accepted and judged.
Just as we have explored these stamps that were issued to
pay a tax, there are several stamps used by Internal Revenue
to designate that something was exempt from a tax. We will
look at just two of these stamps, both used to identify that
beer (“fermented liquor”) was exempt from tax because
the beer was designated for export. There were advantages
for both the brewery and government. The nonpayment of
taxes only to be refunded upon export was (1) preservation
of the brewery’s capital and (2) elimination of paperwork
for the government. These export stamps for beer were first
initiated by a law passed in June 1890. Stamps issued for
this purpose could be used on different sizes of kegs by cutting
off the coupons on the left. It appears that this stamp
(Figure 13) was intended for a quarter barrel of beer but
was never used. The export beer stamp in Figure 14 was to
be applied to beer that had been bottled. Again, this stamp
could be used for multiple sized containers. It has been cut
off for six gallons. Neither of these stamps should appear
in a local store or tavern. Only kegs of beer with a taxpaid
stamp on them should have ever been seen at the local bars
in this country. Both of these beer examples and stamps
for export of various kinds of tobacco products are rather
scarce in general – especially used examples, which would
have had to make their way back to this country after they
had been exported.
This concludes our brief survey of stamps issued to
show the payment of a tax or to designate that a product is
exempt from tax because it will be exported. My purpose
here was not to be comprehensive, but to illustrate a broad
range of examples that fulfill this one of many possible functions
of revenue stamps.
by Brewster Kenyon. (Long Beach, CA : Brewster C.
Kenyon, 1920). G3701 .R451 K37d
An Historical Reference List of the Revenue Stamps of the
United States, Including the Private Die Proprietary
Stamps by George Toppan. (Pacific Palisades, CA:
Castenholz and Sons, 1990). G3701 .R451 T675h
1899 Reprint 1990
The Revenue Stamps of the United States by Christopher
West and Elliot Perry. (Pacific Palisades, CA:
Castenholz and Sons, 1979). G3701 .R451 W516r
197
58 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Gary Posner
Wish Central
“Making Buying & Selling Wishes a Reality!”
From Classics to Back-of-Book, please visit www.garyposnerinc.com
where you will find to the right on our home page a “CLICK HERE” link to
the many singles and multiples we have listed at Collectors Corner.
Enjoy another Great Resource for Buyers—
Our eBay Store: www.ebay.com/str/garyposner—with a Best Offer Option !
Bob Prager
#8A. 1851-56 1¢ Blue,
Mint, Very Fine, No
Gum, Beautiful Deep
Rich Color, Scarce,
with a Philatelic
Foundation Certificate.
Scott $2,250
Our List Price $1,899
Special Ad Price
$1,750
Have
Similar?
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We are ALWAYS
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from $5,000 to
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#28. 1857 5¢ Red Brown,
Mint, Fine, Hinged Original
Gum, Tiny Corner Margin
Crease Bottom Right and
Small Stain Spot, Still an
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Scott $60,000
Our List Price $18,000
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#17. 1851 12¢ Black,
Beautiful Left Sheet Margin
Copy, Very Faint
Crease, Mint, Very Fine
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with Full Original
Gum and a Philatelic
Foundation Certificate.
Scott $6,250
Our List Price $3,100
Special Ad Price $2,850
No. 61—Mint, Full OG
(100% Sound)
#119b. 1869 15¢ Pictorial
Invert, Used, Fine to
Very Fine, Reperfed at
Top and Right, Vignette
Showing Nicely Through
a Neat Circle of Wedges
Cancel. A Handsome
Invert of Which Only 103
Are Known, with a PSE
Certificate.
Scott $22,500
Our List Price $14,000
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#160. 1873 7¢ Orange
Vermilion, Used, Extremely
Fine to Superb
Jumbo with a Spectacular,
Light, New York
Foreign Mail Star Cancellation
(Weiss Type ST–
MP3). With Enormous
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Graded 95J with a PSE
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Our List Price $1,400
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Gary Posner, Inc.
They’re all here!
#193. 1880 2¢ Black
Brown Soft Paper Special
Printing, Unused,
Extremely Fine, No Gum
As Issued, Couple of
Tiny, Trivial, Thin Spots
at Top. One of Only 48
Known, a Fantastic Example
with Rich Color
and a Philatelic Foundation
Certificate.
Scott $16,000
Our List Price $10,000
Special Ad Price $$8,850
#144. 1870 90¢ Carmine,
Mint, Fine-Very Fine, Expertly
Reperfed At Left, a
Few Tiny Gum Spots Removed
Opposite Perry’s
Eye, Immaculate Fresh
Full Original Gum With a
Clear Grill Impression–
Rare Thus. With Philatelic
Foundation and PSE
Certificates, this Stamp
is Missing From Even
Advanced Collections.
Scott $25,000
Our List Price $8,000
Special Ad Price $7,250
#172. 1875 10¢ Pale Brown
Special Printing, Unused,
Fine to Very Fine, No
Gum As Issued, Scissor
Separated as Usual, an
Extremely Handsome Example
of Which Only 38
Are Known, with a Philatelic
Foundation Certificate.
Scott $17,000
Our List Price $12,000
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#64. 1861 3¢ Pink, Mint,
Extremely Fine, Hinged
Original Gum, Quite
Trivial Vertical Crease
at Center, an Incredibly
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Scott $14,000
Our List Price $4,500
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#243a. $3 Columbian, Olive Green
Shade, Mint, Very Fine, Lightly Hinged
Original Gum, Extremely Fresh And
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GARY POSNER, INC.
265 Sunrise Highway, Ste. 1-308, Rockville Centre, NY 11570
Cell: No. 314A Used—Sound 917-538-8133 No. 363 Never Hinged • Phone 800.323.4279 • Fax 516-599-2145
www.garyposnerinc.com • GaryPosnerInc@aol.com

1950s
Cataloging U.S. Stamps
CHARLES POSNER
3¢ OKLAHOMA
STATEHOOD
(Scott 1092)
The making of the stamp
When Postmaster General Arthur Summerfield issued
a statement on November 2, 1956, of five commemorative
stamps his department intended to issue during 1957, it
came as no surprise that one was to be included to mark
the golden anniversary of the granting of statehood to the
Oklahoma Territory. The enthusiasm of Oklahoma institutions
combined with the skillful advocacy of its energetic
governor Raymond Daniel Gary (1908-1993) was behind
Summerfield’s announcement.
In May 1953, the Drumright newspaper publisher and
editor Lou Stockton Allard (1909-1974), an enterprising
member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives,
secured the unanimous support of that legislative body to
establish an Oklahoma Semi-Centennial Commission to
arrange statewide events in honor of Oklahoma’s admission
to the American Union. Oklahoma Governor Gary named
the commission charged with coordinating local events,
which included rodeos, parades, festivals, pioneer days and
Native-American ceremonial dances. It was inevitable that
Allard should serve as its chair.
The first land rush in what is present-day Oklahoma
occurred on April 22, 1889, and statehood came into effect
on November 16, 1907. As a result, the Commission scheduled
a bevy of statehood semi-centennial events to take
place between April 22 and November 16, 1957.
The Commission’s foremost goals were to ensure that
each city and town would organize its own celebrations,
that a statewide fair be organized at the State Fair Grounds
in the capital, and that tourists from all over the country
would be attracted by slogans such as “Visit Oklahoma
First,” “From Tepees to Towers,” and, what became the
central theme of the celebration, “From Arrows to Atoms.”
From the outset, it pressed for the Post Office Department
to give philatelic recognition to the event. In this endeavor
the Commission had the unanimous support of the state
government, in particular of the governor and the business
community and trade unions.
While it was a foregone conclusion that a stamp would
be issued, there was considerable discussion about how
Figure 1. Three vertical essays for
the Oklahoma stamp, courtesy
of the Smithsonian’s National
Postal Museum Library, the Third
Assistant Postmaster General
Stamp Design Files.
60 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Figure 2. The slightly odd horizontal design
that was approved for the Oklahoma
statehood stamp. Courtesy of the
Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum
Library.
many stamps should be issued. Oklahoman business interests
and the state’s congressional delegation would have
preferred two stamps: the first to be issued at Oklahoma
City on April 22, the date of the 1889 land rush when the
territory of Oklahoma was opened to settlement by European
Americans, and the second on November 16, the date
when statehood was granted, to be issued at Guthrie, the
former state capital. The two dates were widely promoted
by the tourist industry, as it meant that visitors would come
from spring to autumn.
It was proposed that the design of the April 22 stamp
would feature the semi-centennial theme “Arrow to Atoms.”
The lawyer Earl P. Enos suggested that the November stamp
have as its centerpiece a map delineating the Indian and
Oklahoma territories that coalesced to form a single entity.
On the left the map would be flanked by an image of the
bronze sculpture by Percy Bryant Baker (1881-1970) called
the “Pioneer Woman”; on the right, a portrayal of the
statue by Jo Davidson (1883-1952) of the Oklahoma-born
humorist and prominent member of the Cherokee Nation,
William Pen Adair “Will” Rogers (1879-1935). Will Rogers
already appeared on a 3¢ postage stamp in 1948 as an extension
of the Famous American Series
(Scott 975). To complicate the process
of deciding the venue for the first
day of issue ceremony, the Oklahoma
Philatelic Society announced that, as
Tulsa would be the site of its annual
convention to be held during the week
of November 16, the stamp should be
issued there.
When it became clear that the policies
of the Post Office Department
would allow only one stamp to be
issued, the tourist industry weighed in.
Its representatives argued that April 22
was too early in the year and November
16 too late. They wanted a date that
coincided with the June state fair organized
by the Commission. For that reason,
Postmaster General Summerfield
opted for the date of June 14, to coincide
with the opening of the exposition
Figure 3. Scott 1092 and 1087
(Polio Prevention) shared
the dubious honor of “Worst
Design” from a Linn’s poll of
that year.
in Oklahoma City – exactly
51 years after Congress had
passed an Enabling Bill to
set in motion the march
towards statehood.
On February 9, 1957,
Bureau of Engraving and
Printing artists submitted
four designs for Summerfield’s
consideration, and he
promptly made his choice.
Three of the submissions
were vertically arranged and
one had a horizontal layout
(Figure 1). Each of the
designs featured the theme
“Arrows to Atoms” and the
wording “50th Anniversary
of Statehood” or, in the case
of the horizontal model,
“50th Anniversary of Oklahoma Statehood.” The centerpiece
of the vertical stamps was the exposition logo, consisting
of a symbolic arrow piercing an atom. Two of these
designs contained a tiny map of Oklahoma at the center of
the atom atop the shaft of the arrow. One had a larger map
located behind the symbol. They were true to the impressive
190-foot-tall steel and corrugated arrow and atom sculpture
that was erected to tower over the fairgrounds. Located at
the heart of the exposition site, it served as its symbol and
centerpiece.
One might ask why BEP designer William Schrage
proposed a horizontal layout (Figure 2). The vertical layout
allows the depiction of the tower in its full glory. In
the horizontal version, however, the tower, flipped on its
side, looks at best like an arrow about to be fired or an
Figure 4. The official semi-centennial emblem, right, uses the
slogan “Teepees to Towers,” as does the Artmaster cachet on
the first day cover, left. Emblem courtesy of Oklahoma City
Chamber of Commerce Collection, and cover courtesy of APS
StampStore.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 61

oddly designed parliamentary mace. Schrage also included
a much-enlarged map of the state in his design. His model
was accepted by the Post Office Department on February 9
and the die proof was approved on April 5.
The design
The awkward design of the semi-centennial stamp is a
good example of what happens when there are too many
cooks in the kitchen. The Commission made several suggestions,
and Governor Gary intervened at an early stage of the
process. He wanted the stamp to serve as publicity for the
June 14-July 7 “America’s New Frontiers Exposition,” to be
held at the Oklahoma City fairgrounds.
The central motif of the stamp is a horizontal arrow
superimposed on a solid outline map of the state of Oklahoma.
The arrow pierces the atomic symbol of interwoven
ellipses, representing electron paths that supposedly symbolize
atomic energy. The arrow epitomizes the frontier
days of Oklahoma prior to its attainment of statehood in
1907, and the atomic symbol represents the promise of science,
a veritable new frontier. Across the top of the stamp
the text reads, “1907 Arrow to Atoms 1957” and across the
bottom, “3¢ United States Postage.” Both are in dark Gothic
typeface. Arranged over five lines within the eastern half of
the map of the state is the wording “50th Anniversary of
Oklahoma Statehood” in white-faced Gothic.
The design was not wildly popular with philatelists. In
the annual poll undertaken by Linn’s, it shared the accolade
of worst design of the year with the Polio stamp (Scott 1087,
Figure 3). For members of the newly constituted Citizens’
Stamp Advisory Committee, it represented everything they
wished to change in postage design.
The subject
The history of modern Oklahoma begins with the forced
removal during the 1830s of the “five civilized tribes” – the
Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, Chickasaw, and
Choctaw nations – from their lands as a result of the Indian
Removal Act of 1830, which resulted from an insatiable
hunger for land and the discovery of gold in Georgia in
1828. Historians have compared the forced removals to
“death marches” because of the large number of people
who died on route. They were dragooned into present-day
eastern Oklahoma. In this land, called “Indian Territory,”
the “five civilized tribes” enacted their own constitution and
established democratic systems of government and courts
of law. However, this did not stop incursions by European
Americans, particularly when oil was discovered in 1857.
The land to the west of “Indian Territory” was opened
for settlement in 1889 and European American settlers
3¢ OKLAHOMA STATEHOOD
Technical information:
Date of issue: June 14, 1957
Catalogue numbers: Scott 1092
Designer: William Karl Schrage
Vignette engraver: Matthew Daniel Fenton
Letter engraver: George L. Huber
Color: dark blue (Scott); blue (Post Office Department)
Format: Electric eye plates of 200 divided into 4 post
office panes of 50 by horizontal gutters - arranged 5
horizontally by 10 vertically
Perforation: 11 x 10 ½.
Size: 0.84 x 1.44 inches (21.34 mm x 36.58 mm)
Printing: Bureau of Engraving and Printing, using a
Cottrell Electronically Actuated Web Press
Anomalies: None.
Quantity issued: 102,219,500
Plate. No. Impressions
Printed
25683 140,542 May 21, 1957
25684 145,655 May 17, 1957
25685 145,655 May 17, 1957
25686 140,542 May 21, 1957
First day site: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
First day covers serviced: 327,172
Figure 5. The “Arrows to Atoms” semicentennial of statehood arrow,
courtesy of Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce Collection.
62 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Figure 6. The Oklahoma Philatelic Society
designed the blue and gold cachet on
this first day cover canceled from the
Boomtown Post Office.
staked claims to what previously had been Native American
territory. Further land runs occurred between 1891 and
1895. The area became Oklahoma Territory.
In 1905, representatives from the Cherokee, Seminole,
Creek, Choctaw and Chickasaw nations submitted a draft
constitution for the state of Sequoyah, which Congress
refused to consider. The tribes joined representatives of the
Oklahoma Territory to promote the acceptance of a single
state. On June 14, 1906, after years of attempting to obtain
statehood for Oklahoma and the Indian territories as one
or two states, Congress passed an enabling act calling for
a constitution convention of members from the Oklahoma
and Indian Territories and the Osage nation to draft the
fundamental law required for admittance to the Union.
On September 17, 1907, in a referendum, the residents of
the two territories voted in favor of statehood, and on the
following November 16, President Roosevelt issued Presidential
Proclamation 780 admitting Oklahoma as the fortysixth
state of the Union.
First day ceremony
Almost two months prior to the
first day of issue ceremony, on April
22, 1957, statewide events were inaugurated
in Guthrie with a parade
(Figure 4). The “Arrows to Atoms”
two-hundred-foot-tall tower at the
Oklahoma City state fairgrounds was
dedicated and lit (Figure 5). Actor Joel
McCrea, who starred in the movie The
Oklahoman (1957), participated in the
Guthrie parade, and joined the lighting
ceremony at the state fairgrounds.
On opening day of the four-weeklong
fair, the entrance to the 320-acre
site was arranged to resemble pioneer
stockades. Governor Raymond Gary,
wielding a golden tomahawk, split the
lone barrier at the entrance for the
formal inauguration of the festivities. Towering above the
fairground was the flamboyant symbol of the semi-centennial,
an elongated arrow piercing an atom, erected in the
center of the grounds. Banners abounded, including one
proclaiming that the purpose of the exposition was to bring
the “frontiers of science to the man in the street.”
The stamp was issued on the second day of the exposition
at State Fair Grounds in Oklahoma City. On the designated
day, at 1:30 pm, Friday, June 14, 1957, despite an
intermittent dousing by rain, Master of Ceremonies Harold
B. Groh (1908-1999), president of Oklahoma City Chamber
of Commerce and general manager for Southwestern Bell,
opened the proceedings.
Governor Raymond Gary and Mayor Allen Morgan
Street (1885-1969) of Oklahoma City extended a welcome
to the assembled guests. Following a presentation of
the dignitaries, Abe McGregor Goff (1899-1984), general
counsel of the Post Office Department, mistakenly declaring
that more than one postage stamp had been issued,
delivered the principal address saying, “Today’s opening
Figure 7a. A combo cover canceled in Oklahoma City on June 14, 1957, the first day of
issue of the semi-centennial stamp, and November 16, 1982, the actual 75th anniversary of
Oklahoma’s statehood.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 63

of this magnificent America’s New Frontiers exposition will
further serve to remind the entire world of the strides made
by this and other areas of the dynamic southwest.” He then
proceeded to the ceremonial presentation of the traditional
leather-bound souvenir albums. As always, each album contained
a sheet of stamps autographed by Postmaster General
Summerfield.
In terms of philately, beginning on January 1, 1957, the
Oklahoma City post office placed a cancellation publicizing
the exposition in use. The towns of Enid and Guthrie also
applied special cancellations.
There was an exhibit in a railway
mail van, and a highway mail bus was
used to dispatch mail from the fair. A
marking of “HPO” for Highway Post
Office or “PTS” for Post Transportation
Service was applied.
Twenty-seven year old Ray Yanosko,
an instructor at Fort Sill 617th Field
Artillery Observation Battalion, who
helped man the Boomtown Post Office,
designed official blue and gold first
day covers for the Oklahoma Philatelic
Society (Figure 6). On the left side
of the cachet is a drawing in blue of
the exposition’s Boomtown. Above it
was the contemporary Oklahoma City
skyline. The Arrow and Atoms symbol
was in gold. As for the lettering,
“Oklahoma” is on the far left of the
design and “Semi-Centennial Exposition
June 14-July 7” across the top. A
special non-official “Boomtown USA”
cancellation in red ink was affixed on
request. The Oklahoma Philatelic Society
also arranged an exhibition of early
covers from the Oklahoma and Indian
Territories.
The Post Office Department sent
a special crew, led by Ralph David,
to assist the Oklahoma authorities in
dealing with the influx of request for
first day covers (Figures 7a-c). Enthusiastic
officials of the Oklahoma City
For Further Reading
Recommendations from the APRL research staff:
“Indian Territory, Oklahoma, and the Neutral Strip” by
George H. Shirk., 1955. American Philatelic Congress
Book.
The Butterfield Overland Mail through eastern Oklahoma
by I.C. Gunning. (Oklahoma City: Eastern Oklahoma
post office claimed that the stamp would be “more valuable
for collectors than ordinary issues” because initially only
80 million were printed. The Post Office Department was
half expecting a rise in the cost of first-class postage and
therefore printed fewer stamps than the 120,000,000 that
had become common by the middle of the 1950s. When it
became clear that the request for an increase in the cost of a
first-class stamp would not be accepted, however, the printing
was jacked up to 102,219,500.
Figure 7b. FDC with cachet by Ken Boll. Courtesy of APS StampStore.
Figure 7c. FDC with block of Scott 1092s and an Artcraft cachet, courtesy of APS StampStore.
Historical Society, 1965. G4021 .E968 G976b Oklahoma
Post Offices by Sharon McAllister. Oklahoma City:
S. McAllister, 2001. G4021 .P855 M114o
First Post Offices within the Boundaries of Oklahoma by
George Shirk, George H. -- [Oklahoma City? OK]: Oklahoma
Philatelic Society, 1948. G4021 .P855 S558f
64 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Adventures in Expertizing
BY Ken Martin
APS Director of Expertizing
kpmartin@stamps.org
I
get lots of phone calls, the majority of which are from
individuals who believe they have very valuable stamps.
One caller this month claimed he has at least 50 copies
of U.S. Scott 596. I told him I did not think it was likely as
only 15 copies of the stamp are known and ten of those have
Kansas City bureau precancels. To avoid disappointment I
suggested that he just submit one example each of three or
four of his rarities and wait for the results rather than submit
hundreds of stamps at once.
This individual was not a collector and not familiar with
the Scott catalog. However, if he were, I also would have suggested
that he review the identifier of definitive issues at the
front of the Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps
& Covers. Scott 596 is design
type A155 and there
are 16 catalog numbers issued
for this design (which
is not quite as overwhelming
as the 43 listed for the
2¢ Washington Franklin
design type A140.)
Disappointment may
be avoided if the other
catalog numbers for the
design type can be eliminated.
And when there are
tremendous differences
in value for the different
catalog numbers, think
about whether a relatively
low value stamp could be
altered to resemble a more
valuable variety. For example,
could perforations
have been added to an
Figure 1. The Kiusalas gauge
measures U.S. perforations
and offers a more accurate
measurement, as not all “perf
11s” are created equal.
inexpensive imperforate
stamp? Or perhaps could
perforations have been
trimmed off one or more sides of a sheet stamp to resemble
a coil or imperforate?
A very narrow stamp or very small margins may be a sign
that perforations have been added to an imperforate or coil
stamp. For United States stamps, an investment in a Kiusalas
perforation gauge could also pay dividends (Figure 1). Perforations
were first measured in Europe and the European
method uses the number of perforations per two millimeters.
In contrast, U.S. perforating machines have had pins that do
the perforating spaced in 1000s of an inch – NOT in millimeters.
The Kiusalas gauge measures U.S. spaced perforations.
Your stamp may appear to be properly perforated 11,
but there are three different sizes of U.S. perforated 11 U.S.
stamps. Perforated 11-72 (72 represents the thousands of an
inch between the center of perforation holes) was first used
Figure 2. The same stamp measured against perf 11-72 and 11-70.
The 11-72 is the correct measurement.
Table 1. Specialist Gauge readings of the 1908-1923
Washington-Franklin designs for easy identification. Courtesy
of stampexpertizing.com.
SCOTT No.
SPECIALIST GAUGE
331-342 12-66
348-356 12-66
357-366 12-66
374-382 12-66
385-389 12-66
390-396 8.5-95
405-407 12-66
410-413 8.5-95
414-423 12-66
424-440 10-79
423A 12-66 X 10-79
423B 12-66 X 10-79
423C 12-66 X 10-79
423D 10-79 X 12-66
423E 10-79 X 12-66
441-447 10-79
448-458 10-80
66 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

SCOTT No.
SPECIALIST GAUGE
460 10-79
461 11-72
462-478 10-79
486-497 10-80
498-518 11-72
519 11-72
525-530 11-72
536 12.5-63
538-541 11-72 X 10.80
542 10-80 X 11-73
543 10-80
544
11-72 or 11-73 at top or bottom
or both X 11-72
545-546 11-72
546a 11-72 X 11-72 X 11-72 X 10-80
Figure 3. The same block measured against perf 11-70 and 11-73.
Perf 11-70 is the correct measurement.
in 1915 on two cent watermarked stamps and became generally
used in 1917 on all flat plate issues (Figure 2). It was also
used from 1918-22 on offset printings and rotary and more
recently on Giori Press Stamps.
Perf 11-73 was also used from 1917-22, though it is not
as common as 11-72. The diameter of the perf holes are larger
than the 11-72, being the same size as perf 10s. And perf
11-70 was used in combination with 10½ - 75 Rotary issues
(Figure 3). If your stamp has the wrong perforations, they
have probably been added.
In addition to phone calls, other inquiries come by email.
Earlier this week, a member asked me: “I have nine Sardinia
stamps, which, according to the catalog have a high value. Is
there any way of knowing if they are legitimate without paying
for expertizing?” With reference materials and study, she
might be able to form an educated opinion, but if the catalog
notes that counterfeits or forgeries are common for a high
value stamp, it will not sell easily without an expert certificate.
We also recently had an inquiry about becoming an expert
on the APEX Expert Committee. We are always happy
to hear from members who are qualified and interested in
helping. Offering expertizing services for all countries is
very challenging. Many of our 180 experts cover only a single
country, and in a few cases, only a single issue of stamps.
In order for all items to be reviewed by at least two outside
experts, we realistically need at least three experts for every
area, in case of vacations, health issues (unfortunately, some
of our experts have had COVID-19), or even dangerous
weather evacuations. Also, several of our experts are dealers
and cannot be consulted on stamps that they sold.
More experts are needed for areas with significant submissions.
We currently have 75 experts for United States
stamps but only three primary experts for U.S. Washington
Franklins issues – and that really is not enough. We currently
have five experts for the German area and would welcome
additional help.
APEX does not have a single test to determine if someone
is qualified, but we do expect positive recommendations
and references. In some cases, we may be able to find
a mentor to help a potential expert. A large percentage of
our experts are dealers, exhibitors and/or authors. Several
have previously or presently provide their expertise for other
expertizing services. Most have collected the stamps they review
for 30 years or more and have their own reference collection
and library.
Because of postage and insurance issues, APEX experts
need to reside in the United States, although occasionally we
turn to an expert abroad to help with typing or plating of a
stamp or review of an overprint based on scans.
We ask experts to review and return items within two
weeks of receipt (we provide the return postage), complete
a checklist for each item, and when they find an item to be
a forgery or counterfeit to give a brief explanation of why to
share with the submitter. For this work we pay them $2 per
item (and many generously donate the payment back to the
APS). Our external experts’ names are not included on our
certificates and some ask that their name not be released as
an APS expert.
A few areas where additional experts are currently
sought:
Belgian Congo
Belgium
British Commonwealth Bulgaria
Canal Zone
Czechoslovakia
Diego Suarez
France
Haiti
Germany
Italy
Japan
Middle East
Monaco
Netherlands
Rouad, Ile
Samoa
Scandinavia
Switzerland
Member questions related to expertizing are welcome
and can be sent to me at kpmartin@stamps.org. If you are
interested in becoming an expert (for the listed or any other
philatelic areas) please contact me at the same address or at
814-933-3817. Please include a list of the types of material
you would like to expertize as well as a brief description of
your qualifications.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 67

My Stamp Story:
Ardis Quick
I
started collecting U.S. stamps when I was ten. Mystic
Stamp Company was my go-to dealer for new stamps.
My “album” at the time was a photo album where you
pull back the cover sheet to expose the tacky page where
you mount pictures, or in my case, stamps. Oh, do I hear
you all groaning? – what did I know, I was only ten!
Four years ago, at age 62, I attended my first stamp
show. I was invited to join the Maplewood Stamp Club of
White Bear Lake, Minnesota.
One meeting a month and $5
dues, what could I lose? I did
not lose anything, but gained
the friendship of a whole bunch
of people who enjoy stamp collecting.
After the first year in the
stamp club, I decided to get serious
and bought my first Scott
Minuteman album for my U.S.
stamps. I understood quickly
my mistake at age 10 as I pulled
my first two stamps out of the
photo album. They were demolished,
of course. With great care I was able to remove most
without damage. I am still working to fill a few holes in
my 20th century book. That’s where my collection started
but it has since grown to 15 albums
that include the Canal Zone (I find the
engineering of the Panama Canal interesting),
an eclectic Abraham Lincoln
collection of stamps, covers, coins and
other Lincoln materials, U.S. revenue
stamps (still waiting to be organized)
and cats.
One of my first Mystic Stamp packets
was cats on stamps. As I began attending
more stamp shows in my area,
I started looking for cat stamps to add
to my slowly growing collection. I am
a big cat person and look for all felines,
whether wild or domestic. My cat collection
now has over 2,600 stamps – I am
known as the “Crazy Cat Lady” by several
dealers. I am no longer surprised to
hear, “Hey, I’ve got something for you,”
and discover a packet of cat stamps they
have laid aside for me. I share any duplications
with two teenage girls in the club
or put them into a topical
book at the Northern Philatelic
Library located in Minneapolis.
I have been a member at
the Library for the past three
years and volunteered to organize and load donated stamps
into over 90 Red Boxes. I’ve added a small topical collection
of donated stamps to the library.
Presently I am working on designing
and pulling together games, puzzles,
etc. that are stamp related and making
an activity book that can be given to
kids, young and old.
One of my other hobbies is quilting.
I found some postage stamp fabric
and decided to make a lap quilt for an
upcoming stamp club auction. However,
our club hasn’t met in person
since February because of COVID-19,
Handmade masks with postage stamp fabric. so instead of making the quilt, I made
100 face masks and mailed one to each
member as a little surprise with our
July newsletter. We have had the pleasure of resuming
meetings and auctions over Zoom in recent months.
A stamp club member introduced me to another stamp
A cover sent through the Art Cover Exchange.
68 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Ardis with an exhibit for the Minnesota state fair.
related group last year called ACE, otherwise
known as Art Cover Exchange. Members design
cachets to send to each other. As I love to draw
and collect stamps, this was a perfect fit. I correspond
and share my art with members in New
Zealand, Israel, and across the U.S.
I would like to acknowledge the Maplewood
Stamp Club members and the Northern Philatelic
Library. Through them I have learned so
much about collecting, displaying and identifying
stamps. Over the last two years I have entered
exhibits in the Minnesota State Fair (earning a
ribbon for each entry), given a presentation on
topical stamp collecting with a highlight on cats,
and helped identify and file stamps at the library.
Now stamp collecting is so much more to me
than just sticking a stamp in an album!
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL YOUR STAMP STORY?
Please send us yours, in 500 words or less. Please include a picture of yourself and your stamp collection.
Email your submission to aparticle@stamps.org or mail a typewritten copy to: American Philatelic Society,
100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, PA 16823 Attn: Stamp Story
Albums! Boxes!
Collections!
Chris knows that many collectors
and dealers like to buy their stamps by
the book full, or the box full.
That’s why our regular Auctions are
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Buying China, Japan
Korea: stamps & covers
PR China Buy Price
for Mint, NH XF
Scott # We Pay
344a 100
357a 200
542-59 400
566a 400
620-7 800
620i-7i 2,500
628 8,000
716-31 450
782 800
798a 1,400
967-80 1,500
996a 2,500
Scott # We Pay
1211-14 150
1399 250
1433 130
1452 140
1483 70
1492 300
1518 700
1540 100
1586 900
1607e 200
1647a 90
1761 100
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We will travel for large holdings.
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JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 69

Buy and Sell
BY Carol Hoffman
Director of Sales
choffman@stamps.org
A New Year for Circuit and Internet Sales
Happy New Year! Let me introduce myself. I am
Carol Hoffman, the new Director of Sales. I have
been with the American Philatelic Society in
Circuit Sales since 1979, where I started as a Retirement
Clerk. Since then, I’ve moved on to various positions in
between, and to my current position as Director of Sales.
I never pictured myself becoming a collector, but as years
passed, I became a collector of pigs on stamps. Some people
have asked, “Why pigs?” and my response is that they are
fascinating animals. I find myself leaning towards pig-related
postal history and have found some neat items at stamp
shows.
The best part of my job is interacting with members,
whether it be by phone, email, at shows, or the American
Philatelic Center. So, let me offer you a suggestion for the
holiday season: Why not make a New Year’s resolution to add a new country
or work on your existing stamp collection?
The APS is here to help you to carry out this resolution through Circuit
Sales and StampStore – and both can be enjoyed from the comfort of your
home.
Circuits are mini stamp stores sent to your home for a hands-on shopping
experience. Each circuit book caters to specific collecting interests and
areas, and the contents are sold by APS members like you. Join by simply filling
out a circuit request form at: https://classic.stamps.org/Circuit-Request.
StampStore is an online shopping experience at stampstore.org. The
search page gives users the opportunity to find very specific items, look for
topicals, or browse through the offerings of different stamp-issuing entities.
Each item has a high quality scan so you can get a closer look before you buy.
Both StampStore and circuit books are excellent resources for anyone whose
resolution is to add to their collection.
Maybe your resolution is to downsize your collection. If so, both Circuit
Sales and StampStore can help you sell your extra stamps or collection – and
as you’ve read in the column many times before, the Circuit and Internet Sales
team takes this work right out of your hands. To sell through Circuit Sales
visit https://stamps.org/how-to-sell-thru-mail, and to find out how to sell
through StampStore, visit https://stamps.org/services/how-to-sell-online.
Don’t Forget!
Club schedules for 2021 were mailed in October 2020. If your club has not returned
its schedule, do so as soon as possible to avoid circuit book interruption.
70 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

72 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021
APRL Notes
BY Scott Tiffney
Librarian & Director of Information Services
stiffney@stamps.org
IT
goes without saying that the year 2020 was a
challenging one for all of us. COVID-19 introduced
us to regularly wearing masks, social distancing,
contact tracing, and herd immunity to name a few
societal shifts. Here at the American Philatelic Center and
the American Philatelic Research Library it was no different.
From being closed entirely for the initial two months of the
pandemic to being open with a partial staff, finally by the
end of the year, a little more normality set in with the library
and the library staff.
Keeping in Contact Through Service
Along the way we repositioned our services to focus on
those requests that came in remotely via mail, phone and
email, even going so far as to introduce curbside pickup and
drop-off services for those members that could come by the
APC. Here at the APRL, the staff made every effort to reach
out and keep in contact with our library patrons through
the new work environment – and the response received
from library users was overwhelming. In the months after
the staff returned to the library, there was a steady increase
in the number of reference and research requests received
Figure 1. Library requests have been slowly but consistently
increasing.
A Year of Digital Growth
“The chief beauty about time is that you cannot waste it in advance.
The next year, the next day, the next hour are lying ready for you.
You can turn over a new leaf every hour if you choose.” -Arnold Bennett
by the library, each month surpassing the next (Figure 1).
So too, back in June it was decided to open the library’s
digital collections database, APRL Digital, to both members
and non-members. The results were dramatic. Normally
reserved as a benefit of APS membership, due to the pandemic
and the fact that many of our members and regular
library visitors could not use the library and its resources in
person, the APRL provided free access to the database, giving
everyone the opportunity to research their own library
requests from home. Starting in late June and early July,
the database saw an exponential increase in the number of
unique users using the database (Figure 2). In addition to
that, roughly a third of those using the database in the last
six months of 2020 were non-APS members, giving the APS
and APRL the opportunity for member recruitment.
Continuing the Outreach and Looking Ahead
The growth of remote interactions with the library at
the close of 2020 has the APRL looking forward to 2021 and
the opportunity to provide even more content and access
for our users. As has been stated in the past, our mission
for APRL Digital is to grow both the size and scope of the
database, which in turn will grow the digital presence
of the APRL. In the former case, the APRL has received
permissions from societies and organizations for 34
complete journal runs, which are currently in a queue
to be uploaded to the database. These journals are in a
variety of formats – some are still in paper form, some
in paper and digital form (i.e. pdf file format) and
finally some are in complete digital form. Each journal
provides our staff with unique challenges to prepare the
complete run for upload to the database but the APRL
is excited by the opportunity to grow the journal content
of the database significantly in 2021.
In terms of the scope of the database, we are also
looking in 2021 to grow the types of research resources
that are in the database to include a larger number of
books, exhibits, maps, photographs, and video files.
In the case of exhibits, we have received permissions
from 54 exhibitors who participated in the 2020 Virtual
Stamp Show presented by the APS back in August to

Figure 2. The APRL Digital collection has roughly doubled its monthly unique
users (members and non-members alike) since June.
include 72 digital exhibits. In addition, there are a number
of books that we will pursue to digitize and upload into
the database. For 2021, the APRL is also looking into the
inclusion of the Annual Postmaster General Reports, and if
funding becomes available, will begin the task of digitizing
the American Bank Note Company files which
are housed in the Archives section of the library.
Help Us to Grow
As we improve the database and make some of
the aforementioned additions, we need your help
to make this happen. Your one time or continuing
donation to the Adopt-A-Book campaign (support.
stamps.org.adoptabook) will help the library begin
and further its digitization goals for the year and
enable the APRL to bring its resources to members
worldwide in the future. In addition to donating to
the Adopt-A-Book campaign, clubs, societies and
organizations can also assist us by contacting the
library (stiffney@stamps.org) to begin the process
of having their journal, newsletter or publication
become part of the digital collections database.
We look forward to hearing from you and continuing the
services, content and access that our members expect and
demand from your philatelic library.
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JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 73

Making Friends at the Friends School
While in-person outreach may be suspended for
the near future, coming up with outreach ideas,
especially for youth, is always a good idea.
“Teaching” stamp collecting can be broad and overwhelming,
so when talking with a group of children, its best to
come up with a “theme”
or specific track within
the hobby.
Over a year ago,
the APS Education
team was able to take
part in the enrichment
program at the local
Friends School. This
program gives students
from Kindergarten to
4th grade a chance to
choose a topic of learning
for a four-week session.
From recycling
74 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021
Bridges
BY Kathleen Edwards
Education Coordinator
kedwards@stamps.org
Figure 1. Owney, mascot of the Railway Mail Service, rode the rails and
traveled the world until 1897. Scott 4547.
to puppet-making, the
Friends School offers a
wide variety of handson
learning experiences.
In January 2020, one of the topics the kids could choose was
stamp collecting!
Our first task to assist the program was coming up with
what “theme” we wanted to tackle. The story of Owney the
Dog is always a favorite among children, especially ones who
are new to stamp collecting (Figure 1). So we decided to focus
the first three weeks on mail delivery, beginning with a
short and catchy Owney video and then sharing the various
places Owney traveled with the mail, including countries all
over the world. Stamps from foreign countries are always
fascinating to children – especially because the country
names on the stamps are in the language of that country and
not in English. You can find a Country ID worksheet and
Country Key on Collecting and Connecting Central (C3a, at
aps.buzz/C3aPlatform), under the “Bridges - Activities For
Sharing” folder for your own use in youth programs.
To continue on the topic of mail delivery, the next lesson
focused on other animals delivering mail. From the Pony
Express to dog sled mail, the students were fascinated by the
animals that play a big role in mail delivery throughout history.
A Mule Mail cancel is also a great example of a unique
way mail can travel (Figure 2). After seeing the special cancellation,
the students learned about the meaning of a stamp
cancel and then designed their own animal cancellation and
cachet.
In the third lesson,
planes, trains and automobiles
delivering mail
were a big hit. We discussed
how mail went
from carriage to train to
plane and to the current
USPS vehicles. The kids
were particularly entertained
by the threewheeled
Mailster (Figure
3)! But the highlight
of the lesson was talking
with the students
about how they think
mail will be delivered
in the future. The kids
designed futuristic mail
delivery devices on paper and explained their use – children
truly have amazing imaginations!
At the end of each of the lessons, the idea of actually
COLLECTING stamps was broached by handing each child
their very own mini stamp album. Each week they added
some new stamps to their albums related to the topics we
covered in the day’s lesson. After the program was over, the
Figure 2. A Mule Mail cancel. Supai, Arizona, capital of the Havasupai
Indian Reservation, rests inside the Grand Canyon and is the only
place in the U.S. to still receive mail delivered by mule.

Figure 3. The “Westcoaster Mailster” was used in the
1950s to 60s by the USPS and could carry up to 500
lbs of mail. Despite the risk of tipping over when
turning corners, the Mailster was extremely popular.
Courtesy of the Smithsonian’s National Postal
Museum, Flickr.
kids were able to take their stamp albums home, partially
filled with stamps, but with plenty of space for future collecting.
You can find mini stamp album PDF print outs on C3a
in the “Bridges - Activities for Sharing” folder.
The Friends School enrichment program runs four
weeks, so what did we do on the last week? A field trip to the
American Philatelic Center, of course! The students were
able to visit the APS headquarters, learn all about the historic
Headsville Post Office, write, cancel, and mail a postcard
in the APS mail room, and learn about some unique finds
in philately by checking out the Alphabetilately exhibit. We
captured the visit on video, which you can watch at aps.buzz/
FieldTrip.
The Friends School outreach was a success, and your
outreach efforts can be too. Here are a few
basic tips to help you begin:
Find out what the children like to do
or learn about. Is it animals (Owney and
Mule Mail), arts and crafts (stamp design
and cachet-making), technology (pneumatic
mail and micro printing) or history
(the Penny Black and the Inverted Jenny)?
You can create a stamp collecting activity
to go with any interest, no matter how
niche.
Always plan more activities than the
time allotted for the lesson! Things can
go faster than you anticipate. Don’t get
stuck with 20 minutes left on the clock
and nothing more to present. Bring some
back-up activities. It can be as simple as a
Design a Stamp worksheet or just a box of
stamps the kids can dig into.
Keep it simple! Most children have
no prior knowledge of stamp collecting or know very much
about stamps in general. If you get too detailed in describing
the hobby that you know inside and out, the kids might not
“get it” and tune you out.
Connect and share. Many kids are collectors. Ask them
about what they collect. They will tell you all about their
rock, comic, and Pokémon collections! By appealing to their
collecting nature, they may just become stamp collectors
themselves.
Do you have tried and true tips for youth outreach programs?
Share them with us! Email education@stamps.org,
we would love to hear your ideas!
Director of Education Cathy Brachbill, Education Coordinator Kathleen Edwards, and
Development Assistant Erin Seamans teach a mini-lesson about stamps at the Friends
School.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 75

In Touch
BY Wendy Masorti
Director of Membership and Shows
wendy@stamps.org
Embracing Change
Join me in my next APS adventure! I began with the Society 31 years ago
in membership administration and have since transitioned to several departments.
For the past five years, I’ve served as the Director of Sales working with
our sales team to streamline processes, introduce new features, and reach some
record high sales. While I will miss working directly with the Sales team, I look
forward to again working with Membership and Shows.
I’ve titled this column “In Touch” as the Membership team works to communicate
with and grow relationships among our community of members, dealers,
clubs and specialty societies. Communication is the essence and strength of all
great teams and organizations. In this article, we will share ideas on how together
we can promote and support our hobby, we’ll celebrate milestones and awards,
feature member exclusives you may have missed, give quick tips for using the
website, discuss ways to give back, provide stamp show updates and more. We encourage
you to share your experiences so that we can share with our community.
Congratulations to our 25 and 50 year members!
Each year we honor those who have
reached 25 and 50 years of membership
with the APS. The honorees are invited
to attend the annual show to be presented
their award. Unfortunately with the pandemic
this past year, the annual show was
canceled and all awards were mailed. In
2020, 497 members who joined in 1995
received a “25 Year Pin” and 331 members
who joined in 1970 received a “50 Year Medallion.”
Visit aps.buzz/Milestones to see
an alphabetic listing of those honored in
2020. The 2021 recipients will receive invitation
letters in April.
SAVE
THE
DATE
Great American
Stamp Show
August 12-15, 2021
LOCATION:*
Donald E. Stephens
Convention Center
5555 N River Rd •
Rosemont, IL 60018
*Pending COVID restrictions.
Web Tip
Want to stay up-to-date?
Visit www.stamps.org and click
the “News” link located in the
upper right of the navigation.
Here you will find the most current
APS news and happenings.
Also, be sure you are signed up
to receive the weekly member
newsletter– full of reminders,
specials, featured groups and
more!
Ways to give back
Amazon Smile is a simple and automatic
way for you to support
the APS every time you shop on
Amazon. It's free for you and it
all adds up for the APS.
See details at
aps.buzz/AmazonSmile
Member Reminder
If you haven’t already paid your
2021 membership dues, you can
pay online or contact our Membership
team at 814-933-3803.
Stay in touch
If you or your group has recruiting
ideas or experiences you
would like to share, email to
InTouch@stamps.org or mail to
Attn: In Touch, at the APS address.
Ideas will be considered
for possible use in future columns
or newsletters.
76 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Membership Report
No. 11, NOVEMBER 30, 2020
NEW APPLICANTS
The following applications were
received during November
2020. If no objections are
received by the Executive
Director (814-933-3803) prior
to January 31, 2021, these
applicants will be admitted to
membership and notice to this
effect will appear in the March
2021 issue.
Ahlers, John P. (232634) Cle Elum,
WA Austria-Air Mails-19th
Century-20th Century-Civil War
Covers-Used US; 69; Lawyer
Aitken, Frances A. (232579)
Reading, PA Commemoratives-
First Day Programs-Cut Squares;
56; Accountant
Allen, Stephen (232614) Harlan,
IA US-Iceland-Greenland-Israel-
Egypt; 68; Retired
Ash, Mylon (232649) Bella Vista,
AR; 50
Axel, Frank (232668) Stamford,
CT USA-Canada-Israel-
Czechoslovakia-Poland-Austria-
Germany-Korea-Japan-UK-
Worldwide-Dead Countries; 76;
Exec.
Barten, Chris M. (232628) Mc
Callsburg, IA Science Fiction-
Famous People-US-Sports-
Disney-Childhood-Movies; 50
Benjamin, Ludy T. (232608)
Keswick, VA Canadian
Provinces-Canada-19th Century-
20th Century
Bernard, Michael J. (232669)
Fairmount, IL US-Antarctic
Territories; 62; Retired Senior
Accountant
Borozenski, Anthony (232665)
Chicago, IL Air Mails-19th
Century-20th Century-
Errors, Freaks, Oddities-Used
Worldwide-US; 61
Bortz, Mary (232595) Glenview,
IL; 76
Bosevich, Joseph (232659) Easton,
PA 19th Century-20th Century;
60
Brassey, Joyce (232666) Carlsbad,
CA US-Americana-Foreign
Covers-Europa/Cept-
Commemoratives-Foreign
Postal History; 61
Brouwer, Albert (232585) Wichita,
KS Precancels-US/Canada
Classics; 66; Program Mgr -
Aerospace (Retired)
Brown, David F. (232656)
Maynard, MA US; 71
Brown, Karen Sheaffer (232615)
Snow Camp, NC
Carroll, James (232676)
Manorville, NY 20th Century-
19th Century-Air Mails-US-
Revenues/Tax Paids (State/
Local)-Officials/Official Mail
Carver, Charles (232630)
Montgomery, AL US-European-
Germany-Great Britain-France-
Balkans; 78; Retired Military/
Business
Chapman, Charles L. Jr. (232663)
Warner Robins, GA US; 86;
Retired
Chapman, David (232664) New
York, NY First Day Covers-Plate
Blocks-Commemoratives-
Occupation Issues-Triangles/
Odd Shapes-Former/Dead
Countries; 66
Compton, Jeanne (232643) San
Diego, CA 88; Retired
Connors, Richard (232603) Halifax,
MA Air Mails-20th Century-19th
Century-Plate Blocks
Cooper, Gary M. (232596) Tucson,
AZ US
Cooper, Karen M. (232616)
Davenport, FL US Statehood-
US Flags-Flowers; Caregiver/
Homemaker
Crutchfield, Diane V. (232642)
Southport, NC Used US-
Used Worldwide-Overprints
& Surcharges-Errors, Freaks,
Oddities-Bulls Eye/Son Cancels-
Foreign Perfins; 76
Dahlberg, John (232631) Fort
Mohave, AZ US; 74; Retired
Davidson, Bob (232644) Statham,
GA US; 78; Retired
Deheegher, Andreas G. (232652)
Roosdal, Belgium 19th
Century-20th Century-First Day
Covers-Flight Covers-Cancels;
82; Retired
Demmer, Richard (232670)
Newport, TN 19th Century-20th
Century-Errors, Freaks, Oddities-
Air Mails-Postage Dues-US; 71;
Diaz, Robert (232590) Carlsbad,
CA 19th Century-20th
Century-Air Mails-British
Commonwealth; 52; US Navy
Dice, Leroy (232651) Nokesville,
VA
Dilks, Lawrence S. (232607) Lake
Charles, LA 19th Century-
Covers-Canal Zone; 69;
Neuropsychologist
Douglas, Russell (232605)
Mountain Brook, AL Christmas
Seals-20th Century-Christmas
Eisinger, Stephen M. (232636)
Tucson, AZ US-Classics-
Germany; 66; Retired Military/
Army
Ekstrom, Mark (232671) Omaha,
NE Commemoratives-Austria-
French Colonies-Bahamas-
Bermuda-Christmas; 61; Retired
Ellerston, Joel M. (232679)
Phoenix, AZ 20th
Century-19th Century-Air
Mails-Confederate States-
Definitives; 57; Accountant
Elwell, Jonathan (232589)
Midlothian, VA; 38; Stamp
Dealer
Emnett, Charles (232681) Lutz,
FL Commemoratives-Scouts-
Definitives-Orchids-Nurses;
69; Retired
Esselstrom, S. Dallen (232594)
Portland, OR Oregon-19th
Century-20th Century-Air
Mails-Errors, Freaks, Oddities-
Sheets/Small Panes; 62
Farah, George S. (232633)
Madison, WI 19th Century-
Air Mails-Occupation Issues-
Aviation-Ships/Boats-Trains
Fiattarone, Vincent (232662) Boca
Raton, FL; Retired
Fischer, Martin (232635) Pleasant
Hill, CA 19th Century-20th
Century-Cancels-Great Britain-
France-Germany; 77
Frum, Carlos M. (232647)
Northbrook, IL Amateur/Ham
Radio; Retired
Frye, Linda (232617) Grand
Junction, CO; 72; Retired
Gauthier, Lori A. (232584) Grants
Pass, OR Classics; 59; Dental
Admin
Giannini, Kari (232678) Daly City,
CA; 34
Gordy, John C. (232611) Yuma, AZ
Commemoratives-Classics-Naval
Covers-Louisiana-US-Ukraine; 60
Greenbaum, Gary M. (232604)
Fairfax, VA Aden; Retired
Greenberg, Julian H. Jr. (232685)
Lone Pine, CA US; 72; Retired
Harrison, Richard C. (232618)
Montville, ME Early US Stamps;
81; Retired
Hegedus, Katrina (232657) Parker,
CO 60; Retired
Henderson, Rodney (232601)
Laceys Spring, AL 73; Retired
Military
Hershey, Patricia (232637)
Georgetown, TX; 57
Hey, Stephen C. (232586) Baileys
Harbor, WI US; 78; Professor
Emeritus
Hromada, April A. (232680) Tinley
Park, IL; 78
Ibieta, Jaime (232591) Rm-
Metropolitana, Chile South
America-Chile-Europe-Asia-
Central America; 58; Agricultural
Engineer
Irani, Amy (232602) Nevada City,
CA 19th Century-US Postal
History-Cancels; 52
NEW MEMBERS
Applications 232292 through
232340 and 232342 through
232453 as previously published
have been accepted for
membership by the Board of Vice
Presidents.
SUMMARY
Total Membership,
October 31, 2020................. 27,264
New Members 161
Reinstated 26
Deceased 57
Resignations 8
Drop Non Payment of dues 39
Total Membership
November 30, 2020 27,347
(Total Membership, November 30,
2019 was 27,968 a difference of
621)
Janairo, Elizabeth (232674)
Shorewood, WI Art-Astronomy-
Mushrooms-Music/Musicians/
Instruments-Mythology; 51
Karow, James S. (232619) New
London, WI Monaco-French
Colonies-US; 69; Retired
Klega, Debra (232613) Bremerton,
WA Plate Blocks-Covers-Blocks/
Guideline Blocks-US-First Day
Covers-Postal Cards; 48
Kok, William L. (232672) Windsor,
CO German Federal Rep.-
German 3rd Reich/Occupations-
Germany
Kolze, Kathleen M. (232660) Lake
Zurich, IL US-Foreign; 59;
Human Resources Mgr.
Landers, Jerry (232581)
Collingswood, NJ Germany-
Foreign Perfins-First Day
Covers-Precancels (City)-Lots &
Collections-Picture Postcards-
Transportation; 65; Retired
Leber, Philip (232593) Bradenton,
FL Plate Blocks; 70; Realtor
Lewis, Robert W. (232577)
Sterling, VA Classics-Used
US-Air Mails-Bureau Issues-
Definitives; 64
Lo, Charles (232597) Elk Grove,
CA Hong Kong-China-Japan-
Manchukuo-Taiwan-Far East; 59
Logan, Douglas G. (232667)
Vernon Center, NY Revenues/
Tax Paids (Federal/State/Local)-
Aviation-Space-Photography-
Ships/Boats; Retired
Love, Larry W. (232648) Dallas,
TX Advertising Covers-19th
Century; 61
Macneil, Kelly S. (232645) San
Antonio, TX US Postal History-
Europe-Military-Occupation
Issues-War Covers/Stamps-
United Nations; 50; Information
Technology
Magnifico, Dennis (232621)
Bridgewater, MA Italian
Colonies-Italian States-Ireland-
Japan-Brazil-Russia
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 77

Manning, Gary L. (232625) Durham,
NC 19th Century-Air Mails-Space
Covers-Plate Blocks; 65
Mashoud, Mike (232587) San
Francisco, CA US-Middle East;
71; Retired
Mcginnis, Charles E.
(232646) Ocean City, MD
Commemoratives-Revenues/Tax
Paids (Federal); Retired
Mcrae, Arthur S. (232606) Dallas,
TX 19th Century-20th Century-
Air Mails-Revenues/Tax Paids
(Federal)
Murphy, Iain R. (232629) London,
United Kingdom Middle East-
British Commonwealth-British
Asia; 33; Head Of Philatelic
Auctions
Murray, Bryce L. (232598)
Spring City, PA Covers-US
Postal History-19th Century-
Advertising/Illustrated Covers-
Ephemera-Foreign Covers; 19;
Student
Nurmi, Karen L. (232588) Stayton,
OR Worldwide-Wildlife-
Transportation; 71; Retired USPS
O’Hara, Henry Thomas (232583)
Cavan, Ireland 19th Century-
Bulls Eye/Son Cancels-Patriotic
Covers-Confederate States-Civil
War Covers-Ireland; 25
Ocampo, Victor (232684)
Cambridge, MA
Commemoratives-French
Colonies-British Colonies-
Sports-Space-Butterflies/
Insects-Wallis And Futuna-New
Caledonia
Patti, Ronald (232609) Berlin, MA
US
Pecchold, Engelbert (232592) West
Grove, PA Blocks/Guideline
Blocks-Austria-German Federal
Rep.-Germany-Switzerland; 87;
Retired
Pelaez, Michael (232675) Hialeah,
FL
Pfurtscheller, Hilde (232661)
Seattle, WA 19th Century-20th
Century-Air Mails-Booklets/
Panes; Retired
Pressley, Jackson R. (232640)
Albuquerque, NM Mexico-
Jamaica; 69
Recksiek, David J. (232654) West
Covina, CA; 48; Coin And Stamp
Dealer
Reiss, Helene (232627) Trenton,
NJ; 74; Team Member At Six
Flags Great Adventure
Remein, Warren (232686) Bay
Village, OH Commemoratives-
Netherlands-Hungary-Duck
Stamps-Space; 72; Retired
Architect
Rice, Christopher A. (232626)
Laramie, WY Duck/Hunting/
Fishing Stamps-Military-
Revenues/Tax Paids (Federal)-
US-Wyoming-Propaganda
Stamps/Covers; 36
Romanowicz, Stephanie S. (232677)
Marstons Mills, MA; 34
Sandgren, Gilbert R. (232620)
Kenosha, WI US-19th Century;
70; Retired Tax Attorney
Saulich, Jeff (232612) Tallahassee,
FL US; Semi-Retired/Web
Designer
Scoble, Rod A. (232578) L’original,
ON Canada Canada-20th
Century-Russia/USSR/
Independent Republics-China
(People’s Rep.)-Germany-British
Commonwealth; 75
Shimmin-Okey, Susan G. (232655)
Rescue, CA 19th Century-
California-Stampless Covers-
Express Covers-Western Covers-
Commemorative Panels; State
Park Interpretive Specialist
Smith, Rilda J. (232623) Shawnee,
OK Kenya-Uganda-Tanzania; 59
Spencer, Mark J. (232682) Kansas
City, MO First Day Covers-Plate
Blocks-Space Covers-Art; 63
Speyer, Adrian (232580) Dollard-
Des-Ormeaux, QC Canada
Canada-Canadian Postal
History-Canadian Plate Blocks;
43; Head Of Community
Stanley, Edward J. Jr. (232624)
Reisterstown, MD Plate Blocks-
Lots & Collections-Sports-
Commemoratives-Definitives-
Officials/Official Mail; 63
Stevens, David (232599) Otsego,
MN 20th Century-19th Century-
Air Mails-Blocks/Guideline
Blocks-Booklets/Panes-
Commemorative Panels; 77
Stopka, Thomas C. (232687) Elk
Grove Village, IL US-Bureau
Issues-Cancels-Canal Zone-
Astronomy-Naval Covers
Stych, Ed (232600) Concord, NC;
59
Tebow, Kenneth R. (232658)
Hayward, CA US-US Postal
History-Commemoratives-
Definitives-Air Mails-Used US;
74; Retired
Tietjen, Matt (232638) Durham,
CT Coils-Covers-Vatican City-
Christmas Seals-Christmas-
Madonnas; 41
Tolbert, Robert W. (232582) Santa
Fe, NM Plate Blocks-British
Oceania-New Zealand-Canada; 59
Tousignant, Katie (232632) Austin,
TX Cats-Triangles/Odd Shapes-
Fakes & Forgeries-Worldwide-
Postage Dues; 31
Viggiano, John A. (232650)
Milford, NH Worldwide; 73;
Retired
Confederate Stamps
and Postal History
www.trishkaufmann.com
302-422-2656 • trishkauf@comcast.net
10194 N. Old State Road • Lincoln, DE 19960-3644
FULL RETAIL
STOCK ONLINE
Professional Philatelist Since 1973
Life Member: CWPS, APS, APRL, USPCS
Member: ASDA, NSDA, CCNY; FRPSL
78 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Vollbrecht, Michael (232520)
Lawrence, KS Art-
Commemoratives-First Day
Covers-Coins; 39
Weber, Peter (232653) Minneapolis,
MN Hawaii; 69; Mapmaker
Weiss, Lawrence M. (232639)
Pasadena, CA Classics-Israel-
Canada-Australia; 64
Westby, James O. (232641) Reno,
NV US-Plate Blocks; 78; Retired
White, Max E. (232610) Demorest,
GA; 74
Wilkinson, John (232622)
Schoharie, NY US
Yang, Yang (232673) Wynnewood,
PA 19th Century-China (People’s
Rep.)-Korea-Austria-Belgium-
China; 35
Zamzow, Lois (232688) Byron
Center, MI Commemoratives-
Definitives-US
Zimmerman, Gary B. (232683)
Lewisville, TX 19th Century-20th
Century-Washington/Franklins-
Air Mails-Bureau Issues-US; 53;
Arborist
NEW CHAPTER
Connecticut Cover Club (232405),
New Haven, CT. CONTACT:
Michael Clark, 130 Horseshoe Hill
Rd., Pound Ridge, NY 10576
DECEASED
Baker, Bruce R. (5390-155556),
Pittsburgh, PA
Berenson, William (146124),
Shelburne Falls, MA
Blood, John M. (1750-046778),
Holyoke, MA
Calhoun, Robert L. (116820),
Alexandria, VA
Chinnery, Donald G. (7104-050399),
Marinette, WI
Christiaansen, Amy L. (228702),
Gilman, VT
Cleveland, Grover (8836-061251),
Burlingame, CA
Cutler, Morris (11187-060440), N.
Las Vegas, NV
Damkaer, Donald M. (8052-123002),
Olympia, WA
Davis, Winston R. (106345),
Longwood, FL
Day, Richard D. (130484), Apple
Valley, MN
Day, Robin W. (11838-047814),
Plattsville, ON
Donahue, Nancy J. (8389-056995),
Madill, OK
Doring, Martin R. (6346-046055),
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Eggleston, C. T. (11654-048611),
Riverview, FL
Etkind, Irving M. (6218-041579),
Cambridge, MA
Fritz, Cerel M. (212265), Charlotte,
MI
Gagliardi, Fred R. (128360),
Stamford, CT
Genuit, Marian A. (193386),
Stockton, CA
Glasofer, Stan I. (139438), Newport
News, VA
Gleason, Fred C. (10071-069495),
Cascade, ID
Gottesman, Michael H. (11618-
062031), Sonoita, AZ
Gottlieb, Julian (6808-059112), Cos
Cob, CT
Green, Art J. (226958), Roseville, CA
Hancock, George (230202), Tempe, AZ
Hankey, Joan R. (9664-053097),
Gettysburg, PA
Hemmings, John A. (126209),
Swedesboro, NJ
Holzbauer, Herbert (5971-044540),
Grand Junction, CO
Homola, Gerhardt (183675),
Bottineau, ND
Irwin, Harold E. (225595), Oaklyn, NJ
Johnson, Tom D. (125279), Palm
Harbor, FL
Joyce, Edward R. (5973-044123),
Jacksonville, FL
Kleasen, Hubert W. (198072),
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Koglin, Herbert H. (6652-043600),
Qualicum Beach, BC
Krause, Richard G. (11360-058102),
Waddell, AZ
Krazeisen, Roland R. (220946),
Webster City, IA
McClarren, Robert R. (9494-065953),
Perrysburg, OH
Monroe, Charles P. (213411),
Blacksburg, VA
Nagaran, Michael (223706), San
Diego, CA
Nowak, Roy E. (7288-049381), Fort
Gratiot, MI
Packard, Donald H. (211304),
Pocasset, MA
Parks, Larry C. (8097-061399),
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pezza, Peter P. (180594), Little Rock, AR
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Poulson, Meredith M. (8298-
057729), Salt Lake City, UT
Rayburn, David A. (9517-065618),
Jefferson, TX
Reinhardt, Richard R. (095143),
Forest Lake, MN
Rocawich, George (186223),
Millersville, MD
Sauer, William K. (0937-040734),
Johnson City, TN
Sexton, Robert A. (5175-157593),
Chicago, IL
Shalimoff, George V. (7929-053540),
Sebastopol, CA
Sheaffer, James C. (227366),
Whitesboro, NY
Stowe, Tamara (229529), Boerne, TX
Thomas, C. Stetson (7117-045285),
Middleboro, MA
Todaro, Nicholas J. (7769-055046),
Liverpool, NY
Vida, Kenneth J. (180305), Port
Charlotte, FL
Wacinski, Andrew K. (10708-
084830), Lakewood, CO
Wallenhaupt, Tom (6674-177890),
Coeur D Alene, ID
APPLICATION
REJECTED
Prosser, Jeffrey (232341)
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80 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

Classified Ads
www.stamps.org/Classified-Ads
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cards and paypal accepted. John
Brown. Northwoods Stamps. PO
Box 823 Rochester, MN 55903.
brown55902@aol.com.( 507 ) 252-
5956 (1440)
20-33% OF SCOTT $1,000,000
WW inventory. Lots of 19th cent
US & officials, many at CV $200++
Catalog avail. www.BillsStamps.
com Unconditional money-back
Classified advertising in
The American Philatelist is a
cost-effective way to get the
attention of nearly 26,000
American Philatelic Society
members around the world.
Call or email Chad today for
more details (CCowder@
stamps.org).
Payment in advance. No change of copy.
No refunds.
guarantee doctoryes007@aol.com
214-213-8066 (1440)
U.S. CLASSIC PRICE LIST
FREE. Seconds to superb, 40 pages.
No. 1 through B.O.B., Illustrated
grading, special discounts. Specify
mint or used. Layaways and credit
cards accepted IOWA STAMPS by
Pfohl’s, PO Box 343, Dubuque, IA
52004-0343. Phone: 563-582-6247
E-mail: sales@pfohls.com (1446)
US USED+ Low Prices Contact
hrbrooks68@gmail.com Send list or
email (1439)
TRADE BETTER QUALITY
STAMPS mounted in books with
advanced long-time collectors.
Pete’s Exchange, 4470 Chippewa,
Boulder CO 80303 (1439)
www.triple-sonline.com 25,000
WORLDWIDE COVERS (1458)
US APPROVALS Beginners welcome.
Lowest prices. Lists welcome. John
Barkdoll POB 751024 Petaluma CA
94975 (1447)
5-20% of Scott. All Stamps, Avg-
XF, are accurately described. For
catalog contract E-Z’s Stamps POB
1052 West Seneca NY 14224 or
mzim@roadrunner.com (1440)
Wanted: US#231 CDS with readable
names, mcarthur@cox.net (1442)
Surprising! www.JaySmith.com
(1451)
U.S. POSSESSIONS
www.stampstore.org Seller ID
738268 (1444)
CANADA
CLASSIC CANADA ON APPROVAL.
See it before you buy it. Philatelic
Friends, Box 802, Bear, DE 19701
(1442)
www.nfldstamps.com
Walsh Specialized eCatalogues
2022 Newfoundland 2022 BNA
Canada (1451)
stampsforcollectors.net (1447)
BRITISH COMMONWEALTH
BRITISH EMPIRE – Extensive stock
with emphasis on pre-1960.
GET NOTICED WITH CLASSIFIED ADS
1 month 6 months 12 months
1 line $ 3.94 $ 21.28 $ 37.82
2 lines $ 7.88 $ 42.55 $ 75.65
3 lines $ 11.82 $ 63.83 $ 113.47
4 lines $ 15.76 $ 85.10 $ 151.30
5 lines $ 19.70 $ 106.38 $ 189.12
6 lines $ 23.64 $ 127.66 $ 226.94
7 lines $ 27.58 $ 148.93 $ 264.77
8 lines $ 31.52 $ 170.21 $ 302.59
9 lines $ 35.46 $ 191.48 $ 340.42
10 lines $ 39.40 $ 212.76 $ 378.24
11 lines $ 43.34 $ 234.04 $ 416.06
Advise us of your wants. TOGA
ASSOCIATES, Box 396, Fairfield,
CT 06824 203-255-8885 e-mail:
tbansak@aol.com (1455)
www.commonwealth-stamps.com
(1458)
GREAT BRITAIN & Channel Islands,
Request list from GG Campman,
10608 Rio Puerco Tri, SW. ABQ, NM
87121 or Email: glencampman@
yahoo.com (1440)
www.triple-sonline.com 25,000
WORLDWIDE COVERS (1458)
20-33% OF SCOTT $1,000,000
WW inventory. Lots of GB & cols.
Catalog avail. www.BillsStamps.
com Many finer sets & singles up to
$1,000 Unconditional money-back
guarantee doctoryes007@aol.com
214-213-8066 (1440)
AFRICA
ETHIOPA. Request list from GG
Campman, 10608 Rio Puerco
Tri SW, ABQ, NM 87121 or Email:
glencampman@yahoo.com (1445)
PITICAIRN ISLAND – selling
complete, MNH collection
thru April 5, 2018 in archival,
transparent stock sheets, 5900. –
danchaij@epbfi.com (1440)
ARMENIA
www.ArmenianStamps.com (1440)
AUSTRALIA
www.stampstore.org Seller ID
738268 (1444)
stampsforcollectors.net (1447)
AUSTRALIAN STATES
stampstore.org Seller ID 502981
(1440)
AUSTRIA
AUSTRIA AND RELATED AREAS
— Ask for our free price lists.
RSchneiderStamps@gmail.com.
1000s of stamps online at www.
RSchneiderStamps.com (1439)
www.StampsAustria.com (1440)
To calculate the number of lines for
your ad, count all letters, numerals,
punctuation and blank spaces
between words. Divide the total
by 34 and round up to the next
whole number. Advertising is
restricted to current APS members;
please include your APS number.
All classified ads must be prepaid.
The best way to submit classified
ads is online at www.stamps.org/
Classified-Ads. Classified ads are also
BALKANS
WANT LISTS FILLED, Year
Sets, Extensive stock www.
buyhungarianstamps.com, HSE,
POB 4028, Vineyard Haven, MA
02568, 888/868-8293 (1450)
BALTICS
WANT LISTS FILLED, Year
Sets, Extensive stock www.
buyhungarianstamps.com, HSE,
POB 4028, Vineyard Haven, MA
02568, 888/868-8293 (1450)
BELGIUM
www.StampsBelgium.com (1440)
BRAZIL
www.castlerockstamps.com (1442)
CANAL ZONE
JOIN: www.CanalZoneStudyGroup.
com (1444)
www.canalzonestamps.com (1440)
CHINA
BUY STAMPS at www.
ChinaStampSociety.org (1441)
stampsforcollectors.net (1447)
CHINA TOP $.
jon@chinesestampbuyer.com
www.chinesestampbuyer.com
(1443)
www.Stamps-China.com (1440)
www.castlerockstamps.com (1442)
BUY/SELL, washingtonstamps.com
(1445)
COLOMBIA
www.castlerockstamps.com (1442)
JOIN: www.COPAPHIL.org (1443)
CUBA
www.stampstore.org Seller ID
738268 (1439)
www.ilastamps.com (1441)
www.castlerockstamps.com (1442)
accepted via mail by sending your ad
text and payment to AP Advertising,
100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte,
PA 16823. When submitting your ad,
please include your card number
(VISA, MasterCard or Discover only)
and expiration date. Checks must be
drawn on a U.S. bank.
Renewal Notice: If (1439) appears
after your ad, it expires after this
issue. Deadline for the February
issue is December 24.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 81

CZECHOSLOVAKIA
WANT LISTS FILLED, Year
Sets, Extensive stock www.
buyhungarianstamps.com, HSE,
POB 4028, Vineyard Haven, MA
02568, 888/868-8293 (1450)
EASTERN EUROPE
stampsforcollectors.net (1447)
FRANCE
FRANCE and colonies, Request list
from GG Campman, 10608 Rio
Puerco Tri SW, ABQ, NM 87121 or
Email: glencampman@yahoo.com
(1445)
www.StampsFrance.com (1440)
stampsforcollectors.net (1447)
ALL PERIODS, washingtonstamps.
com (1445)
FRENCH COLONIES
www.stampstore.org Seller ID
738268 (1444)
www.disler.com (1441)
stampsforcollectors.net (1447)
20-33% OF SCOTT $1,000,000 WW
inventory. Lots of France & cols.
Catalog avail. www.BillsStamps.
com Many finer sets & singles up to
$1,000 Unconditional money-back
guarantee doctoryes007@aol.com
214-213-8066 (1442)
GERMANY
GERMAN AREA ON APPROVAL.
See it before you buy it. Philatelic
Friends, Box 802, Bear, DE 19701
(1442)
stampsforcollectors.net (1447)
www.Stamps-Germany.com (1440)
GREAT BRITAIN
www.british-stamps.com (1458)
HUNGARY
WANT LISTS FILLED, New Issues,
Extensive stock of all Eastern
European countries. www.
hungarianstamps.com, POB
4028, Vineyard Haven, MA
02568, 888/868-8293 (1445)
stampsforcollectors.net (1447)
ICELAND
stampsforcollectors.net (1447)
IRAN/IRAQ
www.stampsofIRAN.com (1440)
82 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

ITALIAN COLONIES
20-33% OF SCOTT $1,000,000 WW
inventory. Lots of Italy & colonies
Catalog avail. www.BillsStamps.
com Many finer sets & singles up to
$1000 Unconditional money-back
guarantee doctoryes007@aol.com
214-213-8066 (1440)
ITALY
www.StampsItaly.com (1440)
www.gdgphila.it sell at 10%
of Sassone Catalogue on your
wantlist (1440)
JAPAN
https://myjapanstamps.com (1441)
LATIN AMERICA
ALL LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES.
Sets, singles, mint, used. Guy Shaw,
P.O. Box 27138, San Diego, CA
92198 www.guyshaw.com (1441)
www.castlerockstamps.com (1442)
MEXICO
stampsforcollectors.net (1447)
www.castlerockstamps.com (1442)
NEW ZEALAND
stampsforcollectors.net (1447)
PANAMA
JOIN: www.COPAPHIL.org (1444)
PERU
www.castlerockstamps.com (1442)
PHILIPPINES
www.stampstore.org Seller ID
738268 (1440)
POLAND
POLAND SPECIALIZED: Classics
to New Issues, Year Sets, Back of
Book. Lubelski Philatelic LLC 111
Helen Drive, Rossford, Ohio 43460
Ph: 419-410-9115, Web: www.
Lubelskistamps.com Email: Dan@
Lubelskistamps.com (1440)
WANT LISTS FILLED, Year
Sets, Extensive stock www.
buyhungarianstamps.com, HSE,
POB 4028, Vineyard Haven, MA
02568, 888/868-8293 (1450)
PORTUGAL
www.StampsPortugal.com (1440)
stampsforcollectors.net (1447)
ROMANIA
WANT LISTS FILLED, Year
Sets, Extensive stock www.
buyhungarianstamps.com, HSE,
POB 4028, Vineyard Haven, MA
02568, 888/868-8293 (1450)
RUSSIA / USSR /
INDEPENDENT REPUBLICS
WANT LISTS FILLED. Extensive
stock. www.buyhungarianstamps.
com. HSE POB 4028, Vineyard
Haven, MA 02568. (888) 868-8293
(1448)
SCANDINAVIA
HUGE STOCK AND GREAT SERVICE
since 1973. Price lists: js@JaySmith.
com or 2880-page website www.
JaySmith.com (1451)
UNITED NATIONS
U.N. PRICE LIST, Wm. Henry Stamps,
POB 150010, Kew Gardens, NY
11415 www.allunstamps.com
(1445)
WORLDWIDE
www.philbansner.com (1456)
www.dickkeiser.com (1439)
stampsforcollectors.net (1441)
www.stampconnections.com
(1442)
COLLECTOR FRIENDLY Foreign
Packets & Special Monthly Offers!
Order Now! www.Lake-Edge-
Stamps.com (1439)
1840/1940 60%-80% off Scott cat.
Used stamps, covers, labels, US,
Canada, Britain & Col, Europe. S.
Cal, CP 864 Succ B, Montreal, Que.
H3B 3K5 Canada (1439)
60% OFF SCOTT 2019-20, WW
pricelist, early to modern, many
topicals, Quality stamps, Les
Timbres J&M, 1200 Louis-Cyr,
Joliette, QC, Canada, J6E 7B2,
breaultjg@videotron.ca (1440)
20-33% OF SCOTT $1,000,000 WW
inventory. Lots of Euro cols. 19th
century. US, Russia (1920-70),
Japan, Iceland, Liech., Souv. Sheets
Catalog avail. www.BillsStamps.
com Many finer sets & singles up to
$1,000 Unconditional money-back
guarantee doctoryes007@aol.com
214-213-8066 (1440)
SELLER ID 534232: US, Polynesia
(1450)
gardencitystamps@yahoo.com,
worldwide, M @ U USA, 1st Day
Covers. (1442)
www.triple-sonline.com 25,000
WORLDWIDE COVERS (1458)
US/UN COLLECTIONS STAMPS &
extras from old collection & newer
set, For CD of items, 2buystamps@
gmail.com HH PO Box 4 Scotland
VATICAN CITY YEAR SETS
Year Mint
2018 $105.00
2017 $91.00
2016 $97.00
2015 $87.60
Entire Vatican catalog is stock; 1929 to today
Please add 3% postage & shipping
PENNY BLACK STAMP COMPANY
P.O. Box 78, Dexter MI 48130-0078
Phone: (734) 424-3043
www.pennyblackstamp.com
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 83

CT 06264 Prices 1/2 Scott 2020.
(1441)
SELLER ID 534232: US, Ireland
(1441)
SURPRISING! www.JaySmith.com
(1451)
FILL IN THOSE EMPTY ALBUM
SPACES at a mere fraction
of catalog. Receive my free
comprehensive catalog of
thousands of US + WW stamps
priced at 5-20% of the Scott 2019
catalog. Also listed are country
collections priced at 2-5 cents
per stamp. All stamps, whether
Avg-XF, are accurately described.
Contact E-Z’s Stamps POB 1052
West Seneca NY 14224 or mzim@
roadrunner.com (1440)
ALBUMS
SEARCH “MAC’S ALBUM
SUPPLEMENTS” on eBay, U.S.
2017-2019; Ducks 2010-2020;
White Ace topical blank pages
(1441)
APPRAISALS
WORLD WIDE STAMP APPRAISALS
Valuation and written report
provided. Sellers agent services
info@hungarianstamps.com
(888)868-8293 HSE PO Box 4028,
Vineyard Haven MA 02568 (1446)
APPROVALS
Worldwide Books of Mounted
Singles by country. Pre 1941 to
2000’s. Some sets available. Many
books with issues of last 10 years.
State interests. Howard Mundt, 415
N Lenfesty, Marion IN 46952 (1450)
WORLDWIDE APPROVALS
DISCOUNT 66 2/3% from Current
Scott. Send APS# to Robert
Ducharme, C.P. 592, St. Jerome, QC
J7Z 5V3, Canada (1447)
US AND WORLDWIDE. See it before
you buy it. Philatelic Friends, Box
802, Bear, DE 19701 (1442)
US AND WORLDWIDE. Great prices
beginner to advanced. Sets and
Singles. State interest. Larry
Serenari, 766 Nestle Quarry Rd.,
Falling Waters, WV 25419 (1445)
GREAT STAMPS FAIR PRICES
Personal Service, Global sets &
singles. Emporium, 10 Wilmington
Ave., Apt. 109W, Dayton, OH 45420
(1442)
CUSTOMIZED WW APPROVALS
Strong collections, Pick @ 50% All
countries & levels to advanced
AKM PO Box 30010, Mesa, AZ
85275 kenstampneb@cox.net
www.akmstamps.com (1447)
AUCTIONS
www.auctions.sterlingstamps.com
(1442)
CENSORED
www.dickkeiser.com (1439)
COVERS
www.philbansner.com (1456)
www.dickkeiser.com (1439)
www.triple-sonline.com 25,000
WORLDWIDE COVERS (1458)
DONATIONS
BOYS TOWN invites donations of
U.S. and foreign stamp collections,
coins, currency, and mint U.S.
postage. Help us help kids! Leon
Myers Stamp Center, 13628
Flanagan Blvd., Boys Town, NE
68010. Email stampcenter@
boystown.org Phone 402-498-1143
(1441)
EXCHANGE
TRADE BETTER QUALITY STAMPS
mounted in books with advanced
WWW.MOZIANSTAMPS.COM
UNITED STATES,
POSSESSIONS,
BRITISH, FOREIGN
Lawrence J Mozian
PO Box 5774
Williamsburg, VA 23188
E-mail lmozian@cox.net
Phone (757) 220-2007
Serving philatelists since 1901
Our website is finally up and running
PO Box 8689 Cranston, RI 02920
Phone: 888 262 5355 (Toll Free)
Phone: +1 401 688 9473 (Mobile)
Email: info@ INDIA and STATES.com
Many Graded Stamps from 80–100
QUALITY U.S. STAMPS
HB Philatelics
Proofs & Essays • Federal & State Hunting Permits
Guy Gasser
P.O. Box 2320 • Florissant, MO 63032
Phone 314-330-8684
E-mail: guy@hbphilatelics.com
www.hbphilatelics.com
Official APS Web Sponsor
1 st $68 FREE
So You Can
TEST UPA
www.upastampauctions.co.uk
Most of my stock has been scanned
Click on “New Material” on my website
USA Postal History Colonial to Prexies:
Transatlantics, Destinations, Expos, Inland Waterways,
Railroads, Express, Possessions & Military
STEPHEN T. TAYLOR
5 Glenbuck Road, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 6BS England
Phone: 011-4420-83909357
info@stephentaylor.co.uk https://stephentaylor.co.uk
Your American Dealer in Britain
84 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

long-time collectors. Pete’s
Exchange, 4470 Chippewa, Boulder
CO 80303 (1439)
EXCHANGE YOUR DUPLICATES at
Scott catalog value, 10% in stamps.
Joe Thatcher, P.O. Box 38, Ironton,
MN 56455 (1447)
INTERNET
BLUE MOON PHILATELIC WW
selection w affordable pricing Fast
& Friendly ServiceBMAStamps2.
com (1439)
LITERATURE
www.philbansner.com (1456)
www.pbbooks.com Leonard H.
Hartmann (1451)
MAIL BIDS SALES
100 COLLECTORS sell discounted
packets, country collections
on pages/sets in 36 page free
newsletter. Great description.
Alfins, 168 Eaglecrest Drive, Buffton
SC 29909 (1444)
FREE CATALOG. US, British, Europe,
W/W. Many Starter Collections.
Various Sized Lots. No Buyers Fee.
Jarema PO Box 359100, Gainesville,
FL 32635 (1441)
MILITARY
www.dickkeiser.com (1439)
NEW ISSUES
ALWAYS FUN getting new stamps
from your favorite countries. Free
info, radio97208@gmail.com
Dave Becker, 731 NW 209th St.
Ridgefield, WA 98642 (1439)
POSTAL HISTORY
www.philbansner.com (1456)
www.dickkeiser.com (1439)
www.triple-sonline.com 25,000
WORLDWIDE COVERS (1458)
www.mgjpostalhistory.com
+ephemera (1446)
www.castlerockstamps.com (1442)
REVENUES
www.dickkeiser.com (1439)
World Revenues Liquidation
collections, sets, singles, of
everywhere from A-Z. also
documents and Cinderellas.
Gordon Brooks. box 100, Station
NDG,Montreal, Quebec, Canada
H4A 3P4. (1452)
SUPPLIES
PHILATELIC SUPPLIES All major
brands. B and G Sales $35+ order
gets free U.S. shipping. www.ebay.
com/str//bandgsales or call 317-
627-5242 (1450)
TOPICALS
EJstamps@gmail.com (1442)
www.westernstampco.com (1450)
WANTED
FOREIGN POSTAL STATIONERY. I
can use almost anything in foreign
postal stationery. Steve Schumann,
2417 Cabrillo Drive, Hayward, CA
94545 stephen.schumann@att.
net (1439)
Lighthouse SELECT S3 stock sheets
(now out of production)... will pay
a premium. Contact Bob Dix at
dixiex22@gmail.com (1440)
DC AREA Stamp Collections; Alex:
301-309-3622; ARogolsky@gmail.
com (1444)
WANTED Clipper airmail to or from
Shanghai 4th Regiment – jonpac@
aol.com 954-547-0544 (1440)
Duck Sheet I am needing a RW-6
sheet. Please call or email Gerald
R. Forsythe, 847-541-6215 or
gforsythe@newmidwestgroup.
com (1442)
1939-1945
BOHEMIA &
MORAVIA
Complete (181 different)
181 diff Mint NH $190.00
181 diff Mint $125.00
181 diff Used $250.00
www.DonSCal.com
Don S. Cal
PO Box 1732 • Port Angeles, WA 98362
Tel: 250-383-6211 • E-mail: dcal@victoriastamp.com
Dealer member APS since 1985
FREE
NEW 200-PAGE
WORLDWIDE
PRICE LIST
Find out why most collectors place
orders when they receive our lists.
We have the stamps you need at the prices you like.
Martin Winter
800 W. Willis Rd., Apt. 1045 • Chandler, AZ 85286
E-mail: winter310@aol.com
Established in 1960 APS Life Member
Auctions
Stamp Shows
Retail Store
Internet
215CAL10 Bohemia Moravia.indd 1
Next Auction January 30 th
sterlingstamps.com
auctions.sterlingstamps.com
Sterling Stamps• Mark Vervaeke
455 E Grand River, Suite 103
Brighton, MI 48116
810-220-6000
mark@sterlingstamps.com
APS Dealer, ATA, MSDA
8/27/2015 8:50:38 AM
D & P Stamps
Specializing in France & Colonies,
Portugal & Cols, Italy & Cols, Spain
& Cols, British Cols & Latin, Central
& South America.
We also carry a large variety
of Middle East & Worldwide.
Please check out our new website
where you can now shop at our online store!!
www.dpstamps.com
2220 Otay Lakes Rd Suite 502-411
Chula Vista, CA 91915
619-987-1019 • Pat@dpstamps.com
Please send us your Want List
APS ATA, ISPP, NSDA Members
Stamps, stationery, postal history,
die proofs from around the World.
Send a note of your interests and we’ll
advise you of suitable items we have.
If in London, please visit our
offices and browse our stock.
Have you visited our DELCAMPE STORE?
1, Wardour Street
London W1D 6PA Great Britain
Phone: 011-44-20-7930-6100
Fax: 011-44-20-7494-2881
E-mail: philatelists@argyll-etkin.com
Website: www.argyll-etkin.com
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 85

Quality U.S. Stamps
215rubber01.indd 1
We Sell &
Buy Stamps
U.S. & Worldwide
RUBBER STAMPS
TRADITIONAL & SELF-INKING
CUSTOMER SERVICE & ORDERS CALL TOLL-FREE
1-877-373-1212
MOST ORDERS SHIP WITHIN 24 HOURS
Visit us online: SHOP.WCP-NM.COM
CKstamps
ck stamps LLC
42-14 Union St. #2A
Flushing, NY 11355
ckstampsLLC@yahoo.com
www.CKstamps.com
11/25/2014 9:10:16 AM
Competitive Prices
New Issue Service Available
Scott A. Shaulis
P.O. Box 549 • Murrysville, PA 15668
scott@shaulisstamps.com • www.shaulisstamps.com
Stamps Auctions
from $0.01 on eBay
APS #216955
Rocky Mountain
Philatelic Library
Announcing their Auction Web Site
Featuring Stamps and Covers
http://www.rmplauctions.org
next auction closes February 27, 2021
No Buyer’s Premium
INDIA
AUCTION
www.stampbay.com
. RETAIL . PRIVATE TREATY
PO Box 50848, Palo Alto, CA 94303
Ph: (650) 387-3885 Email: info@stampbay.com
Canada Revenues
Massive Inventory
E.S.J. van Dam Ltd
P.O. Box 300-P
Bridgenorth, ON, Canada K0L 1H0
toll free phone 1-866-382-6326
www.canadarevenuestamps.com
Mexico
New and Lower Prices
www.greggnelsonstamps.com
707-894-5273
WANTED
C46 80¢ Diamond Head
on cover non-philatelic
SOLO USAGE ONLY
jonpac@aol.com
cell:954-547-054
#C10 Proof.
Are You on our
Mailing List ?
Suburban Stamp Inc.
P.O. Box 425
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
413-785-5348 • E-mail: suburbanstamp@verizon.net
buyers and
builders of great
stamp collections
visit
www.columbianstamp.com
New Zealand’s Leading
Auction
House
offers you free monthly postal auctions with 3000+ lots!
Join our mailing list NOW!
www.mowbraycollectables.co.nz
Private Bag 63000, Wellington,
New Zealand 6140
Ph: + 64 6 364 8270 • mowbray.stamps@xtra.co.nz
U.S. Possessions
CZ, Cuba, Guam, Hawaii, PR, Philippines, & Spanish Era
Whether you want that elusive issue to complete
FSDA
ASDA
a set or sell your collections. Free price list.
FRANK BACHENHEIMER
6547 Midnight Pass Rd., #89, Sarasota, FL 34242 • Ph: 941-349-0222
www.astampdealer4u.com • frankb@astampdealer4u.com
VATICAN CITY YEAR SETS
Year Mint Year Mint
2019 $100.00 2017 $91.00
2018 $105.00 2016 $97.00
Entire Vatican catalog is stock; 1929 to today
Please add 3% postage & shipping, minimum $0.75
PENNY BLACK STAMP COMPANY
FREE
price list.
Remember the APS and
APRL in your Will
Call (814) 933-3803 for info
on estate planning
P.O. Box 78, Dexter MI 48130-0078
Phone: (734) 424-3043
www.pennyblackstamp.com
U.S. Revenues
R1 to RZ18, Telegraphs, Savings
Whether you want that elusive issue to complete
FSDA
ASDA
a set or sell your collections. Free price list.
FRANK BACHENHEIMER
6547 Midnight Pass Rd., #89, Sarasota, FL 34242 • Ph: 941-349-0222
www.astampdealer4u.com • frankb@astampdealer4u.com
When in Naples (Florida)
stop in and examine our large stock of U.S. and
Foreign Stamps, Covers, Collections, Wholesale Lots
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Village Falls Professional Ctr., Naples, FL 34113
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Vogt Stamps
1301 Broadway • Burlingame, CA 94010
650-344-3401
Full website www.vogtstamps.com
86 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

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Index of Advertisers
Amos Media—www.linns.com
—www.amosadvantage.com 88
Antonio M. Torres
—www.antoniotorres.com 85
APS Estate Advice
—www.stamps.org/Estate-Advice 86
Argyll Etkin Limited
—www.argyll-etkin.com 85
Auktionshaus Christoph Gärtner GmbH & Co.
KG—www.auktionen-gaertner.de 80
Carries & Locals Society
—www. pennypost.org 33
Champion Stamp Co.
—www.championstamp.com 42-43
Century Stamps
—www.century-stamps.com 82
CK Stamps —www.CKstamps.com 86
Colonial Stamp
www.colonialstamps.com 85
Columbian Stamp Company
—www.columbianstamp.com 86
Daniel F. Kelleher Auctions
—www.kelleherauctions.com 5, 8-9
Davidson’s Stamp Service
—www.newstampissues.com 86
D&P Stamps —www.dpstamps.com 85
Delcampe —www.delcampe.com 16
Denali Stamp Co.
—www.denalistamps.com 86
Deveney Stamp
—www.deveneystamps.com 85
Don S. Cal —www.DonSCal.com 85
Dutch Country Auctions
—ww.DutchCountryAuctions.com 73
Dr. Robert Friedman & Sons
—www.drbobfriedmanstamps.com 11
E.S.J. van Dam, Ltd.
—www.canadarevenuestamps.com 86
ebay —www.ebay.com/philately 71
Eric Jackson— www.ericjackson.com 89
Frank Bachenheimer
—www.astampdealer4u.com 86
Gary J. Lyon (Philatelist) Ltd.
www.garylyon.com 19
Gary Posner, Inc.
— www.garyposnerinc.com 59
Gregg Nelson Stamps
— www.greggnelsonstamps.com 86
Guernsey Post/Guernsey Stamps
www.guernseystamps.com 10
Haiti Philatelic Society
— www.haitiphilately.com 13
HB Philatelics
— www.hbphilatelics.com 84
Hipstamp — www.hipstamp.com
C3
Hugh Wood Inc. Insurance
— www.hughwood.com 90
India and States
—www.indiaandstates.com 84
James E. Lee — www.jameslee.com 92
J.R. Mowbray, Ltd.
—www.mowbrays.co.nz 86
Jon Krupnick 86
Kay & Co. — www.kaystamps.com 10
Kelleher & Rogers, Ltd.
— www.kelleherasia.com 5, 8-9
Nieser Stamp and Coin
—www.kennieser.com 84
Laurence L. Winum 83
Lawrence J. Mozian
— www.mozianstamps.com 84
Markest Stamps—www.markest.com 1
Martin Winter 85
Michael Eastick & Associates Pty. Ltd.
— www.michaeleastick.com 86
Miller’s Stamp Company
— www.millerstamps.com 86
Mountainside Stamps, Coins & Currency—
— www.mountainsidestamps.com 10
Mystic Stamp Company
— www.mysticstamp.com C2, 3
New England Stamp
— www.NewEnglandStamp.com 86
Noble Spirit — www.noblespirit.com 65
Palo Albums Inc. — www.paloalbums.com 93
Paradise Valley Stamp Company, Cornerstamp,
Inc.—www.stamp-one.com 80
Patricia A. Kaufmann
—www.trishkaufmann.com 78
Penny Black Stamp Company
—www.pennyblackstamp.com 83, 86
Philasearch.com
— www.philasearch.com 7
Posta Faroe Islands
— www.stamp.fo 32
Postal Stationery.com
— www.postalstationery.com 83
Randy Scholl Stamp Co. Have Tongs Will Travel
— www.randyschollstampcompany.com/
have-tongs-will-travel.asp
C4
Rasdale Stamp Company
— wwwrasdalestamps.com 83
Rising Sun Stamps
— www.risingsunstamps.com 69
Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc.
— www.siegelauctions.com 86
Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library
— http://rmplauctions.org 80, 86
Rubber Stamps —shop.wcp-nm.com 86
Scott A. Shaulis
— www.shaulisstamps.com 86
Space Cover Store
— www.spacecoverstore.com 86
Stampbay, Inc. — www.stampbay.com 86
Stanley Gibbons Auction House
—auctions.stanleygibbons.com 17
Stephen T. Taylor
— www.stephentaylor.co.uk 84
Steve Malack Stamps
— www.malack.com 16
Sterling Stamp
—auction.sterlingstamps.com 85
Suburdan Stamp 86
Tropical Stamps, Inc.
— www.tropicalstamps.com 86
United States Postal Service
— www.USPS.com 79
Universal Philatelic Auctions
—www.UPAstampauctions.co.uk
84
Vance Auctions Ltd
—www.vanceauctions.com 69
Vogt Stamps —www.vogtstamps.com 86
Westpex —www.westpex.org 19
This index is included to help readers find advertisers
included in this edition of The American Philatelist. The
support of these dealers and services is very important to
the APS and to The AP. Advertising is a privilege of membership
and each business represented here is a member in
good standing of the Society. Some postal organizations,
like the U.S. Postal Service, are not directly members, but
are afforded the opportunity to advertise because of their
standing, reputation and impact on the hobby. Advertising
is open to any member of the American Philatelic Society.
For any advertiser that maintains a website, that web
About the Index of Advertisers
address is listed with their information above. Additionally,
the online version of the journal includes clickable links
for each of these companies and individuals. These links
make visiting the advertisers’ websites easy and avoids the
possibility of mistyping the web address from these listings.
As you interact with these advertisers, please tell them
you saw their ad in The American Philatelist and let them
know that you appreciate their support of the journal and
the hobby in general.
88 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

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Show Time
stampshow@stamps.org
The “Show Time” Calendar features a list of
upcoming shows and APS events (shown in
green). To obtain a listing, please submit a “Show
Time” form, available online at www.stamps.org/
Show-Calendar or by mail from APS headquarters.
Information must be received 60 days before
desired publication time.
The listings are free to World Series of Philately
and other shows that are sponsored by an APS
chapter or affiliate. Other shows/bourses may
purchase listings for the month of the show/
bourse and the month prior only. The listing fee
is $25 per show per issue. Shows designated *B*
are bourse only.
Grand award winners from *WSP* shows
(shown in blue) are eligible for the annual APS
World Series of Philately Champion of Champions
competition. Visit www.stamps.org/Show-
Calendar for a complete listing of shows and APS
events.
Pennsylvania January 5
APS Virtual Course: Philatelic Research: Best
Practices and Best Resources, Part 1 American
Philatelic Society, Educational Offering. *APS*
Email: education@stamps.org
Website: stamps.org/learn/c3a-online-learning
Pennsylvania January 12
APS Virtual Course: Philatelic Research: Best
Practices and Best Resources, Part 2 American
Philatelic Society, Educational Offering. *APS*
Email: education@stamps.or
Website: stamps.org/learn/c3a-online-learning
Indiana January 16-17
Indiana Stamp Show Ann Arbor Stamp Club,
Northside Events & Social Club, 2100 E. 71st
Street, Lawrence. *B*
Contact: Rusty Shoaf
Email: rusty.shoaf@rshoaf.com
Pennsylvania January 19
APS Virtual Course: Philatelic Research: Best
Practices and Best Resources, Part 3 American
Philatelic Society, Educational Offering. *APS*
Email: education@stamps.org
Website: stamps.org/learn/c3a-online-learning
Florida January 22-24
Virtual Sarasota National Stamp Exhibition Sarasota
Philatelic Club, Philatelic and Literature
Exhibits & Seminars *WSP*
Contact: Liz Hisey
Email: lizhisey@comcast.net
Website: www.sarasotastampclub.com/
the-exhibition/general-info/
Pennsylvania February 1
APS Virtual Course: Pressing Issues: An Introduction
to Printing Types, Part 1 American Philatelic
Society, Educational Offering. *APS*
Email: education@stamps.org
Website: stamps.org/learn/c3a-online-learning
Michigan February 13-14
Ferndale Stamp Show Birmingham Stamp
Club, Royal Oak Elks Lodge # 1523, 2410 E.
Fourth Street, Royal Oak. *B*
Contact: Fred Como
Email: karate1dad@netscape.net
Pennsylvania February 15
APS Virtual Course: Pressing Issues: An Introduction
to Printing Types, Part 2 American Philatelic
Society, Educational Offering. *APS*
Email: education@stamps.org
Website: stamps.org/learn/c3a-online-learning
Louisiana February 26-27
2021 New Orleans Stamp Show Pontchartrain
Center, 4545 Williams Blvd, Kenner. *B*
Contact: Eric White
Email: ericwhitegypsymoth@yahoo.com
Website: ccsc.nola@org
Nebraska February 28
LINPEX 2021 Lincoln Stamp Club, College View
Adventist Church, 4801 Prescott Ave, Lincoln.
Contact: Dale Niebuhr
Email: dale.niebuhr@gmail.com
Website: www.lincolnstampclub.org
Oregon
March
Virtual Willamette Valley Stamp Exhibition
Greater Eugene Stamp Society and Salem Stamp
Society.
Contact: George Struble
Email: gstruble@willamette.edu
Website: www.salemstampsociety.org/WVExh1.
html
Pennsylvania March 1
APS Virtual Course: Pressing Issues: An Introduction
to Printing Types, Part 3 American
Philatelic Society, Educational Offering. *APS*
Email: education@stamps.org
Website: stamps.org/learn/c3a-online-learning
Ohio March 6-7
McKinley Club Stamp Show McKinley Stamp
Club of Canton OH, St. George Serbian Orthodox
Social Hall, 4667 Applegrove St. NW, North
Canton.
Contact: Dave Pool
Email: lincolnway@sssnet.com
Website: http://www.mksc.webs.com
Pennsylvania March 8
APS Virtual Course: Getting the Most Out of the
Scott Catalogue, Part 1 American Philatelic
Society, Educational Offering. *APS*
Email: education@stamps.org
Website: stamps.org/learn/c3a-online-learning
Illinois March 13-14
Rockford 2-3-4 Stamp Expo Rockford Stamp
Club, Forest Hilla Lodge, 1601 West Lane Rd,
ATTENTION:
The APS Events Calendar (aps.buzz/
Calendar) remains fairly sparse as COVIDrelated
restrictions continue, but is regularly
updated with cancellations and postponed
show dates. We encourage readers to stay
updated on the status of future shows. This
is an opportunity for stamp clubs to consider
how they can gather safely for events and
meetings by using video conferencing tools
like Zoom or GoToMeeting. To see how the
APS is meeting this challenge, visit stamps.
org/news and check the “Video” tab for
recent recordings of APS Stamp Chats and
register to attend future Chats.
We are happy to offer our expertise and
the APS video conferencing platforms to help
clubs connect. For more information, please
reach out to APS Community-Grassroots
Specialist Heidi Lauckhardt-Rhoades for
more information at heidi@stamps.org.
Loves Park.
Contact: Tim Wait
Email: t.wait@comcast.net
Website: http://www.rockfordstampclub.com
Pennsylvania March 15
APS Virtual Course: Getting the Most Out of the
Scott Catalogue, Part 2 American Philatelic
Society, Educational Offering. *APS*
Email: education@stamps.org
Website: stamps.org/learn/c3a-online-learning
Website: http://www.mksc.webs.com
Missouri March 19-21
St. Louis Stamp Expo, Area Clubs, St. Louis
Renaissance Airport Hotel, 9801 Natural Bridge
Rd., St. Louis. *WSP*
Contact: Mike Peter
Website: http://www.stlstampexpo.org
Washington March 27-28
Apple Blossom Inland Empire Philatelic
Society, Eagles, 16801 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane
Valley. *B*
Contact: J Wilson Palmer
Email: ICKYBURG@COMCAST.NET
Website: http://www.ieps-stamps.com
The Gold Standard in
ERIC JACKSON
the hobby’s premier dealer
of revenue stamps since 1975
Holloway & Co., New York, N.Y.
1862-83 1c black die essay on india,
89 x 40mm, VF • $600.00 (INV-034707)
PA residents add 6% sales tax.
Visit us online at
www.ericjackson.com
Browse our amazing stock —
73,000+ items, including
first issue revenue stamps.
Buying & Selling
Eric Jackson
P.O. Box 728 • Leesport PA 19533-0728
Phone: 610-926-6200
E-mail: eric@revenuer.com
Online: www.ericjackson.com
Established 1914
90 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021
2020 Jackson ad for December AP.indd 1 10/18/2020 5:25:23 PM

Books & Catalogs
BY Gary Wayne Loew
gary@stamps.org
Generally Speaking – All 33 columns,
plus a few philatelic words from
Keller by Lawrence Block. 286
pages, 6 x 9 inches, published by LB
Productions, January 7, 2020. Available
from amazon.com in print, audiobook
and eBook formats.
Philatelic columnists have long collected their writings
in books and thus revealed their writings to broader audiences.
Some of these writers wrote columns of lasting interest
and the resulting books remain in demand. The most
notable of these, perhaps, is Herman Herst, Jr., whose books
The Best of Herst’s Outbursts and Nassau Street recount the
philatelic scene of the mid-20th century. Although written
in the moment, Herst’s collected columns represent a
charming history of the period. Other authors write columns
that are intended to serve as educational guides for
collectors. Some retain their value retrospectively while
other such columns are dated.
But sometimes a philatelic columnist comes along and
simply shares their individual collecting experiences as a
month-to-month stream of personal vignettes. One such
author is Lawrence Block, the internationally acclaimed
mystery writer. Block is also the author of many nonfiction
books on writing as well as a writer-in-residence at Newberry
College in South Carolina.
Lawrence Block collected stamps as a child, stopped,
and resumed his collecting as an adult. Most of us can relate
to that philatelic evolution. Block returned to collecting in
the 1990s and, as the first decade of the new millennium
drew to a close, found himself writing a monthly column
for Linn’s Stamp News. I almost said a “stamp column,” but
that is not quite right. Although he writes about stamps,
Block’s writings are more about collecting. More specifically,
about his collecting. There was no particular theme to
the columns and that is reflected best by the column’s title,
“Generally Speaking.”
Block’s string of columns lasted for nearly three years,
until he ran out of motivation to continue his musings.
There were a total of 33 columns and in 2019 he assembled
them into an eponymous book, the eponym being to the
column’s name and not the author’s.
Many of you will know Block best (or solely) as the
author of the Keller series of novels. Keller is the assassinfor-hire
who is also a dedicated stamp collector. I would
hope that we don’t relate well to Keller via his vocation, but
his avocation renders Keller as someone that we can understand.
There are five novels and one novella in the “Keller’s
Greatest Hits” (if you’ll excuse the expression) series: Hit
Man, Hit List, Hit Parade, Hit & Run, Hit Me, and Keller’s
Fedora. Block thought it appropriate to include vignettes
from each of the novels in “Generally Speaking.”
Keller’s development as a stamp collector seems remarkably
similar to Block’s own philatelic evolution. But while
Block eventually stopped collecting and sold his many
stamp albums, Keller has remained doggedly devoted to
his collecting. At one point, Keller had considered retiring
from his rather stressful career. But once he caught the
collecting bug, he decided to continue his profession as a
means to afford slaking his philatelic passions.
If one were seeking to learn about philately, perhaps
one would not think to turn first to “Generally Speaking.”
That might be a mistake. Stamp collecting centers around
gaining knowledge and then buying wisely. But every hobbyist
understands the self-actualization and fulfillment that
arises from time spent with the hobby. Reading Block’s 33
columns will reaffirm why we do what we do. Oh, and you
might also pick up a few pointers about gaining knowledge
and buying wisely. Of equal importance, you might learn
how to avoid not buying wisely.
The book begins with Keller walking into a stamp store
JANUARY 2021 AMERICAN PHILATELIST 91

and deciding to become a collector. Block then moves on
to his narratives about collecting. These columns are a
delightful blend of strictly autobiographical philosophizing
and tutorial sessions. Block collects worldwide ending
with 1940. He strives to fill all the spaces in his albums,
not spending foolishly (most of the time), upgrading to
stamps in better condition, and coping with the challenges
of “album bulge.” He shares with us his debates over which
countries to concentrate on, when to collect major or minor
varieties, mint vs. used, condition, gum, hinges vs. mounts,
and other philatelic nuances.
Block speaks about his world travels with his wife and
how they try – often with success – to visit local post offices
and get a canceled stamp for their “littlest stamp album.”
He uses the vehicle of an imaginary classroom to illustrate
the historical relevance and semiotics of several countries.
His “students” ask both penetrating and naïve questions;
Block the professor always has sage answers.
Perhaps many of you had the opportunity to read these
columns as they originally appeared in Linn’s. I submit
that it is worthwhile to reread the collected columns as an
entity. In addition to understanding the mind of Keller, the
philatelist/assassin, you will gain insight into the evolution
of the real-world philatelist, Lawrence Block. You might
also learn a bit about your own philatelic journey. You will
definitely learn why Keller named his daughter Jenny.
There are six Keller vignettes in Generally Speaking.
By the time the book ended with the sixth vignette, I knew
which actor I wanted to portray Keller in the hoped-for
movie. I recommend that you buy the book and decide for
yourself who that actor should be. You will also grow to
understand more about being a stamp collector: the why
and the how of the pleasure we experience. Generally Speaking
is quite simply a delightful read.
Our Unique Newsletter
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116-E1j
10c Lincoln, Orange-red and Black
die essays on green veined marbled
white ivory card. This is the first time
since about 1990 that these have been
publicly offered. Originally sold by
the Nassau Stamp Company as part of
the Earl of Crawford collection. They
then passed through the Juhring and
then Lopez collections. The catalog is
decades behind. (EP95-04)
$3,000.00 each
63 – Great Central Fair Apr 12, 1864
Clear strike of CDS ties 1¢ blue (63), Straight edge at
top and with part of adjoining stamp at bottom, on red
Great Central Sanitary Fair illustrated cover to local
Philadelphia street address, with original printed enclosure
of a Resolution of the Executive Committee. One
cent franking pays the printed matter rate. Illustrated
in “The United States 1¢ Franklin 1861-1867” by Don
Evans on page 290, fig. 14-60. With 1985 P.F. certificate.
A gem! Ex-Morris (PH95-01) $2,750.00
P.O. Box 3876 • Oak Brook, IL 60522-3876
79-E30o Spencer Patent Imperforate Singles
3c “Rainbow” plate essays, imperforate
on wove paper. $150.00 each
Phone: (847) 910-6048
Email: jim@jameslee.com
www.JamesLee.com
James E. Lee’s Philately • Whole No. 95 • 1
The 96th edition of our full-color quarterly
newsletter will be mailed on Friday, January
8th, 2021. Everyone can freely view the
latest issue on our HOME PAGE!
It always features special offers
from our vast inventory.
JamesLee.com
63 – Strip of three – Philadelphia, Aug. 18. 1863
To Captain A. L. Case, Fleet Captain, “Flagship Minnesota”, Norfolk,
Va. The USS Minnesota was a wooden steam frigate, flagship for the
North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. Ex-Emerson, Grunin $700.00
P.O. Box 3876 • Oak Brook, IL 60522-3876
Call: (847) 910-6048
Email: jim@jameslee.com
92 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

New World Issues
BY William Silvester
ARMENIA – Armenian Cultural Heritage
A wave of Armenians moved to Singapore from Malacca, Penang, Java, Madras and Calcutta in the
1820s and 1830s. In tribute to Armenian cultural heritage around the world, this stamp was issued on
September 17, 2020, depicting the facade of the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Church in Singapore.
Inscribed in English and Armenian, the stamp was issued in sheetlets of 10, printed by Cartor, France.
The church is the oldest standing building in Singapore, built in 1835, and considered the most famous
masterpiece of Irish architect George Coleman. The surrounding tropical gardens contains a
small cemetery where prominent 19th and 20th century Singapore Armenians rest. The stamp is
available online from: https://aps.buzz/ArmeniaJan21.
AUSTRIA – 125 Years of Swarovski
Czech-born Austrian glass cutter and jeweler, Daniel Swarovski, patented an electric cutting machine in
1892 to facilitate the production of lead crystal jewelry, which previously had been cut by hand. He emigrated
to Austria in 1895 to partner with Armand Kosmann and Franz Weis to form A. Kosmann, D. Swarovski &
Co. They built a crystal-cutting factory in Wattens, Tyrol, where they had access to local hydroelectricity for
the energy-intensive grinding processes. Even today Swarovski crystals are known for their extraordinary
radiance. Austria issued a €4.30 commemorative stamp on July 18, 2020, printed by offset with silver foil and
available from: https://aps.buzz/AustriaJan21.
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – Butterflies
Croatian Post Ltd. Mostar issued four commemorative stamps in a sheet
of eight on November 1, 2020, featuring butterflies native to the territory
of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Designed by Ernesto Markota, the 2,90 BAM
stamps show diurnal butterflies, endangered due to the disappearance of
their habitats as traditional livestock farming decreases. The insects include
the common Yellow-banded skipper (Pyrgus sidae Esper); the Dalmatian
argus (Proterebia afra dalmata) found near Buško Jezero lake; Freyer`s
Purple Emperor (Apatura metis Freyer) from northern Bosnia near Srbac;
and Assmann’s fritillary (Melitaea britomartis Assmann), first recorded
near Vještić Gora. These stamps and accompanying material may be purchased
online at www.epostshop.ba.
GERMANY – 50 Years of Tatort
Tatort (meaning “Crime Scene”) is a German television series that has been running continuously
since 1970, making it the longest-running German TV drama. In each episode, different
detectives in different cities attempt to solve a murder case. Issued by Deutschepost in
panes of 10 on November 2, 2020, the image on the moisture activated €0.80 stamp is from
the opening credits of the show over a test pattern. The stamp is the latest in the German TV
Legends series and can be purchased online at: https://aps.buzz/GermanyJan21.
GIBRALTAR – 2020 Definitive Set
An increase in postal rates for Gibraltar on June 1, 2020, necessitated
the issuing of a new definitive set. The set is color coded with the crest of
Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar, the version adopted in 2014, as the
main feature. The design combines the coat of arms of Her Majesty’s Government
above that of Gibraltar, consisting of an escutcheon and a threetowered
castle above a hanging golden key symbolizing Great Britain’s possession
of The Rock since 1704. Designed by Stephen Perera, the set ranges
from 12p to £4 and is available online from https://post.gi/shop/.
94 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

SOUTH KOREA – 100th Anniversary of the Death of Martyr Yu Gwansun
To mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Yu Gwansun (December 16, 1902 – September 28, 1920),
known as Korea’s Joan of Arc, a single 380 won stamp was issued on September 28, 2020. Also known as Ryu
Gwan-sun, the teenaged girl was a Korean independence activist and organizer of what would become known
as the March 1st Movement against Imperial Japanese colonial rule of Korea. Though a peaceful demonstration,
it led to her arrest, torture and death at the hands of the Japanese occupiers, resulting in her martyrdom
for Korea’s fight for independence. The design on the stamp shows part of the shrine built in her honor at
Byeongcheon-myeon, after Korea finally achieved independence in 1945. The stamp can be found online at
http://www.koreapost.go.kr/.
MARSHALL ISLANDS – Race to the White House
The 2020 United States presidential election was still to be held when Marshall Islands issued
a set of three sheetlets of four $2 stamps to commemorate the event on October 16, 2020.
Staying as non-partisan as possible, the sheetlets gave equal time to all candidates, showing
each an equal number of times with separate views of the White House prominent in the selvage.
One sheet depicts the two Democrats, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and U.S.
Senator Kamala D. Harris with two different photographs; a second sheet shows two views
each of President Donald J. Trump and VP Michael R. Pence; the third sheetlet (shown here)
features all four candidates with former VP Biden and Senator Harris on the left and President
Trump and VP Pence on the right side of the sheetlet. Readers will note one faux pas: the party
logo and names are placed under the opposing candidates. The stamps are available from the
Marshall Islands exclusive philatelic agent at: https://www.igpc.com/thumbs.cfm
SPAIN - Urban Architecture -
Atlético de Madrid stadium
Spain has begun a new series of stamps dedicated to urban
architecture with the latest issue reviewing five stadiums
that have served Madrid since 1903. Issued in panes of nine
with a history of the stadiums and important dates in the top
selvage, the design of the €2 stamp features an aerial view of
the entire stadium with the red and white colors of Atlético
de Madrid in the background. The stadium has an unusual
design, constructed at different heights rather than horizontally
giving it a wave-like appearance. The roof covers 96% of
the 68,000 spectators, prioritizing safety, comfort, and space
over large crowds. The stamp is available from https://aps.
buzz/SpainJan21.
UNITED NATIONS –
Women in Peacekeeping
“Women in Peacekeeping: A Key to
Peace” is the theme of a pane of 10 $1.20
(U.S.) stamps issued to pay tribute to
United Nations uniformed and civilian
personnel on the International Day of
United Nations Peacekeepers, May 29,
2020. The five designs are used twice on
the sheetlet and feature images of worldwide
UN peacekeeping services. The tab
showing the UN logo can be personalized.
2020 also marks the 20th anniversary
of the UN Security Council Resolution
on Women, Peace and Security. The
sheetlet can be found online at https://
aps.buzz/UNJan21.
• • • • •
New worldwide stamps are presented for information and are not necessarily shown at the correct scale. The quality of images available
at the time of release varies widely and we resize to achieve the best possible reproduction.
JANUARY 2021 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 95

Worldwide
in a Nutshell
BY BOB LAMB • AP Columnist
MADAGASCAR
(Malagasy Republic)
Status: Presidential Republic
Population: 26,955,737 (2020 est.)
Area: 226,658 sq. miles
Currency: 5 iraimbilanja = 1 ariary. (US$1 = 4000 ariary)
Madagascar is an island about the size of Texas off the southeast
coast of Africa. It was settled largely by migration from Indonesia.
There were short-lived British and French coastal settlements
before the island became a haunt for pirates in the late 17th century.
Madagascar consisted of numerous unconnected settlements until
the early 19th century, when Radama I, a reform-minded chief in Antananarivo,
sought British help in modernizing his country. The British
recognized him as “King of Madagascar.” Among his reforms was the
establishment of a royal mail service.
In 1840, the French established a naval base on the island of Nossi Be (Nosy Be) off Madagascar’s
western coast. This was the main transit hub for mail until 1882 when a monthly steamer
service was set up from Tamatave (Toamasina) to Réunion. The maritime office in Tamatave received
mail from the French Consulate in Antananarivo. After 1859, this service used French stamps, and after
1864, French Colonies stamps.
In 1883, when the ruler of northern Madagascar refused to accede to French protection, the French invaded.
As a result, they acquired Diego Suarez where they built a naval base in 1885. France had previously
established coastal enclaves in Nossi Be (1840) and Ste Marie de Madagascar island (1750). The three enclaves
had post offices and briefly issued stamps. They were integrated into Madagascar in 1896.
The French invasion disrupted regular mail operations. As a result, in May 1883 the British Consulate
arranged for the French to transport their mail. For use by this service, the British
Consul in 1884 began selling locally printed stamps inscribed British Consular
Mail or BCM. These stamps were discontinued in 1888 when the national Post and Telegraph service was
opened in Antananarivo. From January to September 1895, the British operated a local mail service from
Antananarivo to Natal, via the port of Vantomanry. For this, they produced 13 stamps inscribed British
Inland Mail Madagascar.
In 1894, the Norwegian consulate authorized a postal service for its missionaries. Four stamps were
produced locally, inscribed N.M.S. (for Norwegian Missionary Society). Their use was discontinued in
1896 when Madagascar was annexed by France.
On June 29, 1891, six locally produced values - the first Malagasy stamps - were released. By 1894,
twelve government post offices were operating country-wide. On February 28, 1897, Madagascar became
a French colony.
During World War II, French officials in Madagascar were loyal to the Vichy
government. British and South African forces occupied the island in September
1942. After Gaullist forces arrived in January 1943, “Free French” overprints
were placed on sale.
France established an autonomous “Malagasy Republic” in 1958. On June 26,
1960 it became independent. In 1993, its name was changed to the Republic of
Madagascar.
Upon independence, Madagascar used the CFA Franc. In 1963, it adopted the
Malagasy franc. In 2003, the ariary became the official currency. Since that time, its
stamps show both currencies. The ariary is fixed at 5 Malagasy Francs (FMG).
96 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JANUARY 2021

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