2026-06 American Philatelist

Own Scarce Modern Rarities… Imperforate Armed Forces Stamps

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The USPS doesn’t announce how many imperforates they produce, so these stamps could be even more scarce than we know. Plus, they weren’t sold in post offices and were only available in large uncut press sheets of 120 stamps, requiring you to buy multiple sets. Many previous imperforate stamps have sold out, and we can only get so many. So you’ll want to get your Armed Forces stamps now while we still have them at this special price.

Stamps honoring our military are always popular. That

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War.

AMERICAN PHILATELIST THE

CENSORSHIP DURING AN EMERGENCY

BY KARL WINKELMANN

Despite remaining neutral during World War II, Ireland took great pains to censor mail, particularly letters and packages involving the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe.

A LOOK AT IRELAND’S EARLY REGISTERED MAIL

BY STAN CHALLIS

Growing postal systems underwent many changes and advancements in the mid1860s. Registered mail pieces in Ireland during this time period included stamps and cash displayed with a variety of markings.

KICK BACK AND ENJOY

BY KENNETH GILBERT

Line up for a meaningful topical collection: Take a sport you enjoy (soccer, aka football), add in a country and culture of great affinity (Germany), finish with a worldwide special event (World Cup). Our author hopes to add more winning items (and memories) this month!

IRISH CENSORSHIP TO THE U.S.

BY BILL O’CONNOR

Ireland – just two decades since gaining independence from Great Britain – found itself managing censorship of mail to the U.S. during World War II. The author offers a key to deciphering postal markings and labels. PAGE

IRISH STAMPS OFFER MANY SEA TALES

BY JOHN B. SHARKEY

From explorers, conquerors, and heroes to tragedies, famed ships, and lighthouses, Irish stamps offer a deep connection to the island’s surrounding waters.

THE LIFE OF ST. PATRICK BY LAURELEI FOX

St. Patrick is one of the most famous cultural and religious figures in the world. Youth author Fox shares insights into his life and legacy through stamps and covers.

UNASSUMING POSTCARDS YIELD IRISH TREASURE

BY ROBERT BENNINGHOFF

A 60-year collection of correspondence not only tells a family history and its connections to Ireland, but also yields some early 20th century philatelic rarities and a lasting friendship.

POSTAL CRISIS IN BOSTON

BY VERN MORRIS

Historians tell us that Princeton (in New Jersey) was once Prince-Town, only renamed to the modern spelling in 1724. But what do we know about “Prince*Ton” postal handstamp?

COLLECTING COAST TO COAST BY WAYNE YOUNGBLOOD

We know what stamps are supposed to be for, but sometimes people use them for other things, like advertising or greeting cards – which seem to be a good way to grab some attention.

Designed by Chad Cowder. A page from Ireland’s cultural treasure, the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript from 800 C.E. Folio 124r is reproduced here with permission from the Board of Trinity College Dublin. Trinity College Dublin reserves all rights for Book of Kells reproductions. Accompanying the page, an An Post stamp from 2023 depicting a detail from the Book of Kells.

Other Features

BID NOW

BY Mark Banchik APS President president@stamps.org

Next Steps for the APS President’s Column

With the once-a-decade U.S. International extravaganza concluding only a few short days ago, we can reflect on the experience, and where we go from here.

For those who made the journey to Boston, there are many positive takeaways, ranging from the successful hard work of the Organizing Committee and volunteers to the social interactions over the course of the event. Many will be sharing their experiences and impressions going forward on a wide array of outlets. APS outreach, including the newsletter, the Hub, and, of course, this journal, will be filled with Boston 2026 content as we reflect on the once-adecade experience.

Keep in mind that the Boston show is only a small part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration. There are many other ways to commemorate the event, from local to national experiences.

As we wrap up this major effort, we ask “where do we go from here?” We are already planning the 2027 Great American Stamp Show, to be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico next August.

Many have asked about how we arrive at our choice of GASS location each year. As discussed in prior columns, events involving large numbers of participants require greater preplanning and logistics than smaller ones. These discussions begin several years in advance of the actual event dates. Factors that show committees must take into consideration include availability of facilities, lodging and transportation, sightseeing opportunities, cost, and regional variation.

No location could suit 100 percent of our members perfectly, but we have tried to balance these varying considerations and will continue to do so going forward to provide the best show experience for as many of our members as possible. Given the multiyear planning periods for events like GASS, there are always some circumstances that necessitate tweaks to the plan.

At the most recent APS annual general meeting held at Boston, Executive Director Kirk Gillis shared strategic plan insights for the years ahead; I’m particularly pleased that he has embedded benchmarking and metrics into the process so that we can see how we are doing as we go forward. Our strategic plan is a living document, and timely reports will allow for better, more informed decision making as we

implement the particulars of the plan.

We appreciate your involvement and support for the APS, whether you travel to events, join in for online sessions, participate in local philatelic activities, or enjoy the APS outreach and services at home. As a direct result of member feedback, we are continuously looking at how our services can better meet your needs and expectations.

There are upcoming APS Town Hall sessions at both NAPEX in August and CHICAGOPEX in November, dates yet to be determined. We hope to see you there!

LOTSLOTS!

all of the time! Send us your WANTLIST for advanced notices! Over 30 years of HONESTY, INTEGRITY and CUSTOMER SUPPORT! All

or Steve@Malack.com

Sheet of 100, a very fresh stamp, no problems, Getting Hard to Find! 2875 834 VF/XF OG NH,

NIOur Story

Kirk Gillis Executive Director KGillis@stamps.org

It Takes a Village

March, the APS and APRL Boards approved the 2026-2030 Strategic & Operations Plan, available on our website at stamps.org/about/strategicplan. In the last month, the APS staff has begun to make meaningful headway toward achieving several of the initiatives laid out in the plan, particularly in the areas of technology and innovation!

Every initiative and goal laid out in the strategic plan takes the APS mission statement as its foundation: To grow, nurture and empower a thriving community of stamp and postal history collectors across all experience levels. This growth and empowerment of our collecting community doesn’t happen on its own. It requires strategic investments in key areas, including technology, staff, and services, to enable us to provide maximum value to APS members and prospective members.

In order to make smart investments and succeed in the execution of the plan, we need the help and input of members like you in a variety of areas, especially as we seek to improve our member services. In the coming months, we will share many opportunities for you to get involved, participate in our process, and provide valuable feedback.

The following are the first few upcoming opportunities where your support will make a difference.

Call for images

When we’ve asked APS members what their favorite part of the hobby is, the nearuniversal answer is: Community. Friendships. The people.

It's the people who makes the hobby special, and the opportunity to join a vibrant community of like-minded people is a big draw for prospective new members! We want to showcase the power and camaraderie of the APS community as we rebuild the APS website, improve our social media, and invest in marketing the APS and the hobby to potential new members.

We are looking for photos that will showcase the friendships and joy in the hobby. If you have photos of APS members having fun and connecting with their friends, please share them with us at aps.buzz/memberphoto by July 15.

Join the APS Education Collaborative

Our new education director, Jeff Puhala, has been busy creating the curricula for two online courses to introduce new collectors to the hobby: an introductory course called “Discovering the World Through Stamps,” and an intermediate course called “Understanding Stamps.” The courses, which will both be free for participants, will help people learn the basics of the hobby so they can be more knowledgeable and confident as they navigate the philatelic world.

An internal APS team and Education Task Force are taking first and second looks at the introductory and intermediate courses. The next step is where you come in! We invite you to join the “APS Education Collaborative” discussion group on the Hub @ Stamp SCHOOL, our online discussion forum. Participants in the group will get to see new course outlines and scripts first and get the chance to review the pilot modules and offer feedback at every stage.

Anyone is welcome to participate! Join the group at aps.buzz/HubEdCollaborative.

AMERICAN PHILATELIST THE

Published Continuously Since 1887

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF APS PUBLICATIONS

Susanna Mills, ext. 207 • smills@stamps.org

SENIOR EDITOR

Jeff Stage, ext. 221 • jstage@stamps.org

MANAGING EDITOR

Nora Bryson, ext. 256 • norab@stamps.org

GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST

Chad Cowder, ext. 223 • ccowder@stamps.org

ADVERTISING SALES

Steve Schwanz Fox Associates, Inc. 800-440-0231 x114 adinfo.theamericanphilatelist@foxrep.com

American Philatelic Society

American Philatelic Research Library

100 Match Factory Place • Bellefonte, PA 16823 814-933-3803 • 814-933-6128 (Fax) STAMPS.ORG • STAMPLIBRARY.ORG

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Kirk Gillis, ext. 316 • kgillis@stamps.org

VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS

Wendy Masorti, ext. 218 • wendy@stamps.org

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Mark Yucha, ext. 216 • myucha@stamps.org

MEMBERSHIP INQUIRIES

membership@stamps.org, ext. 201

DIRECTOR OF EXPERTIZING

Ken Martin, ext. 205 kpmartin@stamps.org

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

Jeffrey Puhala, ext. 239 jpuhala@stamps.org

DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES

Marian Mills, ext. 246 • mmills@stamps.org

DIRECTOR OF SALES

Carol Hoffman, ext. 270 stampstore@stamps.org

DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Stephanie Katz, ext. 237 skatz@stamps.org

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

Shannon Lake, ext. 275 • slake@stamps.org

EVENT & GIVING COORDINATOR

Amy Larimer, ext 225 • amy@stamps.org

The American Philatelist (ISSN 0003-0473) is published monthly by the American Philatelic Society, Inc., 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, PA 16823. Periodicals postage paid at Bellefonte, PA 16823 and at additional mailing offices. Price per copy $6.95. Canadian Distribution Agreement Number 40030959. Opinions expressed in articles in this magazine are those of the writers and are not necessarily endorsed by the society and/or the magazine. The American Philatelist cannot be responsible for the accuracy of any information printed herein

Postmaster: Send address changes to: The American Philatelist 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, PA 16823. ©2026, The American Philatelic Society, Inc.

Have Tongs, Will Travel!!

BY CAR

BY BUS

BY TRAIN BY PLANE

“SELLING

A STAMP COLLECTION SHOULD BE A REWARDING EXPERIENCE.”

The “BEST SALE” is when the buyer will personally visit your city and view your collection. The dealers listed below will travel to “any city” to view appropriate holdings.

UNFORTUNATELY

many collections in the $2,000.00 to $20,000.00 range do not economically justify the time and expense for a professional buyer to travel long distances to personally view your collection.

WE OFFER A SOLUTION:

Each dealer listed below has designated a state, and region, he will make every effort to personally visit. Contact that dealer direct and discuss your collection and options.

YOUR GUARANTEE:

While each dealer listed is an independently owned business, all are members of either the ASDA or APS (most - both), insuring fairness and integrity in purchasing your collection.

If you lIve In: Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New England, New Jersey, New York and Canada

Call or WrIte: Randy ScHoll Randy ScHoll STaMP co. 7460 Jager Court | Cincinnati, OH 45230

Email: randyscholl@fuse.net Phone: (513) 624-6800 www.randyschollstampcompany.com

If you lIve In: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, South/North Dakota, Missouri, New Mexico, Wisconsin Colorado and Arkansas

Call or WrIte: coinS, STaMPS ’n STuff llc

JeRRy KoePP

P.O. Box 42037 | Urbandale, IA 50323 1-847-778-5519

If you lIve In: California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Oregon and Washington

Call or WrIte: neWPoRT HaRboR STaMP

P.O. Box 3364 | Newport Beach, CA 92659 (800) 722-1022 (Dave) newportharborstamps@gmail.com

scrib1@yahoo.com Coins also wanted

Coming soon – Join the website discussion group

Like Jeff, Director of Technology & Innovation Stephanie Katz has been making great strides in the APS initiative to overhaul and restructure stamps.org, the APS website. We’ve heard your concerns about our current website and understand that it’s been difficult to navigate and find the information that you need. In collaboration with the Technology & Innovation Task Force, we have recently completed an extensive and thorough procurement process and selected a website development partner to help us keep the momentum up.

As we move forward with the new website, we will be creating a website-focused discussion group on the Hub as well. Participants in that group will be able to offer feedback on useability, navigation, design, and more, so we can build the website that will best serve you.

Stay tuned! We will announce the launch of this and other discussion groups on the Hub in our weekly newsletter.

Final thoughts

Your support in this building time is extremely important, even more so than you may think. When you test a beginnerlevel online course or offer feedback on the functionality of the website, you help us refine and adjust now, so we can avoid challenges down the road. Every piece of constructive feedback and thoughtful advice from our members will make our services and strategic initiatives more effective. Thank you in advance for helping us achieve our mission!

$10,000

I am looking to buy U.S. and Foreign collections, accumulations and dealer stocks that have a minimum Scott catalog value of $10,000. I am only interested in pre-1922 material (for U.S. - will consider more recent on foreign lots) although I will accept the later material as part of a larger collection. I am not interested in large accumulations of packet-type or inexpensive stamps. I will buy Mint, Used or Plate

Block collections.

If you have such material for sale, I can be contacted either by phone, email or on my Facebook page (under Southwest Stamps). Please do not ship any material until we have discussed a possible sale.

I do not travel but will cover any expense of having your collection shipped to me.

Not interested in selling outright? I also take material on consignment for inclusion in my weekly eBay auctions. Feel free to contact me for details.

Did you know that we offer 200-300 lots of U.S. and Foreign stamps PER WEEK in our Ebay

auctions?

We also maintain a nice selection of better singles and sets in our Ebay Store which are available for immediate pur chase. Here are just a few of the items currently available. Just head on over to our Store for the full inventory listing at

www.ebay.com/str/southweststamps

Editing Philately

BY Susanna Mills Editor-in-Chief of APS Publications smills@stamps.org

On the Book of Kells and Creating a Legacy

Like the March issue themed around polar philately, this issue on Ireland was particularly enjoyable for our team to put together, thanks to our shared special interest in various parts of Irish history and culture. Add in our interest in medieval literature, archival practice, and medieval art, and it only seemed right that we look into philatelic connections to the Book of Kells.

The Book of Kells, currently on display at Trinity College Dublin, was written and illustrated by monks around 800 C.E., more than 1,200 years ago – most likely begun in a monastery on the Scottish island of Iona, and completed in a monastery in Kells, County Meath. Not only has it survived the years, the elements, and a Viking raid in the ninth century which resulted in the deaths of 68 monks, but its delicate and brightly colored pigments are still in excellent shape. The Book tells the story of the four Gospels of the Christian New Testament and is inarguably Ireland’s greatest treasure and cultural inspiration.

We know of several stamps issued by Ireland’s An Post that draw from the illustrations in the illuminated manuscript: a Christmas issue in 1972 depicting the Madonna and Child; and two 2023 stamps for St. Patrick’s Day depicting lions. Each is excerpted from a page in the manuscript; you can tell from the stamps that the manuscript has immense fine detail, barely visible to the naked eye.

Thank you to Trinity College Dublin for granting us permission to reproduce Folio 124r, from which the internationalrate Irish stamp was derived, for editorial use.

In this issue

Folio 124r from the Book of Kells. Reproduced with permission from The Board of Trinity College Dublin. The stamp, courtesy of An Post, showcases the fantastic detail of the illuminated manuscript.

Many thanks are owed to Robert Benninghoff, president of the Éire Philatelic Association and editor of the Irish Philatelic Circle’s journal, for his help suggesting article topics and authors for this issue on Ireland philately!

Our first features in this article are siblings, in a way. From Karl Winkelmann, we have “Censorship of Irish Mail, 1939-1945,” in essence a survey covering the topic of postal censorship during World War II. We learn that Irish censorship of its citizens’ mail was a function of the country’s neutral status in the war; meanwhile, due to the integration of Ireland’s mail with

PRESIDENT Mark Banchik president@stamps.org

BOARD OF VICE PRESIDENTS

Greg Galletti unstampz1@gmail.com

Ronald Klimley ron.klimley@gmail.com

Dwayne Littauer dl@kullmanlaw.com

SECRETARY Ed Kroft ed.kroft1955@outlook.com

TREASURER Larry Haber treasurer@stamps.org

DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE

Steve McGill steve.mcgill@comcast.net

Michael Cortese mcortese@noblespirit.com

Bruce Wasserman bruce@brucearlenwasserman.com

David Klauber klawbohr@gmail.com

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Cheryl Ganz cherylganz@yahoo.com

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 CONNECT ONLINE 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 email address or website to your APS record.

aps_stamps @american.philatelic.society stamps.org/news stamped.pub

1. 2.

As the nation’s largest buyer and seller of country stamp collections for over 50 years, we urgently need to buy new material to satisfy our customers. We are paying exceptional prices for valuable United States and foreign stamp collections- often at or above auction realizations.

We offer full payment on the spot by either bank cashier’s checks or corporate checks, whichever is preferred. Over ninety-five percent of our offers have been accepted by collectors and their heirs over many decades.

3. 4. 5.

No collection should be considered too large or too valuable for us to purchase. Over $5,000,000 is generally available for immediate payment.

We offer to buy everything of value in your stamp collection, not just the most valuable material.

We can immediately come to you anywhere in the United States and make cash offers within hours

Even if you are not presently interested in selling your collection, we will be glad to discuss and help with future planning to maximize the realization of your collection.

the British postal system, British censorship is also highly common on these covers.

The sibling of Winkelmann’s article is by Bill O’Connor, on Irish censored mail to America during the WWII period. O’Connor shows some excellent examples that offer a glimpse of different uses, routings, and styles of censorship.

Our next feature comes from youth author Laurelei Fox, who graduates from 10th grade this spring. Laurelei has won awards for her exhibit on St. Patrick and his life and legacy; her article in this issue further explores that legacy with a variety of philatelic material.

Next, from author Stan Challis, a feature on Irish registered mail, from around 1830 to 1864. In this period, we witness multiple changes in the Irish postal system, including multiple reforms that aligned Irish with British practice, until the British postal service subsumed the Irish post office – all reflected in the registered mail shown.

From John Sharkey, our next article is on Ireland and the sea, a topical exploration of famous sailing ships, Irish mariners, lifeboat crews, fishing, lighthouses, and more. The section on maritime disasters is my favorite, including Irish connections to the Lusitania and RMS Titanic

The final Irish-themed article is from Robert Benninghoff. While combing through shoe boxes of postcards holding family correspondence between an Irish Jesuit priest and his sister, Robert found several postal uses of one of the rarest Irish stamps ever issued! The lesson: extraordinary things may be hiding in the most humble of places, if you take the time to look.

Also in this issue, an article by Ken Gilbert that is perfectly timed for the FIFA World Cup 2026 competition, held in North America from June 11 to July 19. Ken goes through Germany’s history with the World Cup competition and the philatelic commemorations created over the years.

We have the next installment in the Revolutionary Warera postal crisis series from USPCS President Vern Morris. In this month’s column, Vern shows off a 1775 cover sent from New Jersey to Philadelphia with a very rare handstamp. Finally, in Wayne Youngblood’s “Collecting Coast to Coast” column, he shares a handful of examples where stamps were used for promotional purposes, like advertising a company’s products, or a gift to clients/staff members.

Farewell to Jeff Stage

Jeff Stage started his career with the APS in spring 2015, with the July issue his first as editorial associate under Jay Bigalke. Jeff came to us from a background in journalism, with decades at The Post-Standard and Herald-Journal in Syracuse, New York, under his belt. He also had authored a stamp collecting column for many years as well as a philatelic mystery novel, Chasing Jenny, published in 2013. At the time, the APS didn’t have the technology to make remote work a consistently viable option (something that changed during the COVID pandemic); Jeff said goodbye to the APS editorial team in 2018 in order to lessen the amount of time

split between Bellefonte and his family in Syracuse.

Fast forward to January 2022, Gary Loew’s retirement as editor-in-chief. With our newfound ability to handle remote work, Jeff was our first choice to “come out of retirement,” so to speak, and join the editorial team again when I took on the editor-in-chief role.

I haven’t known a time at the helm of the AP without Jeff by my side. We worked on many ambitious issues and redesigned the Philatelic Literature Review together. We got into more than one argument about my use of italics. His wisdom and experience were always there for our team to fall back on, and there was always comfort in seeking his opinion. He’s an expert interviewer, an expressive and quick-witted writer, and a favorite collaborator with our many authors.

Jeff, I speak on behalf of the entire APS membership, and of course your colleagues, in thanking you for your years of service to the APS. It’s been a great joy!

Meet Nora Bryson

Meet Nora Bryson, the new managing editor of The American Philatelist and the Philatelic Literature Review! Nora is not new to the APS, nor to the editorial team; she joined us in May 2023 as the APS content specialist, then soon became the digital editor. In this role, she helped to create, edit, and write for the digital magazine StampEd, and ran social media accounts for the publication and for the APS as a whole. She also managed the APS newsletters and online news stories as the APS’s marketing manager until officially rejoining the editorial team with this issue.

Every editorial team-up has a different flavor. I think you will notice Nora’s humor and creativity reflected in the AP, as well as her appreciation of philatelic material that others might overlook.

Our new team is looking forward to our first several months of collaboration. In the AP, you can expect to see upcoming issues on independence movements, collecting basics, and revenues. We’ll be planning new columns, testing editorial and design features, and looking into future projects for the good of the hobby. Watch this space!

Many Graded Stamps from 80–100

Mark Eastzer President

Letters to the Editor

Two covers linked to Centennial

I received my edition of The American Philatelist and, as usual, read it cover to cover. Thank you. I am specifically writing in regard to Jeff Stage’s May article.

As additional illustrations, attached are two scans of covers from my collection. The first is a reduced cover front of a Centennial envelope (Scott U19), as described in the article, with a Philadelphia Centennial Station cancellation dated Nov. 3, 1876. This was dated one week before the Centennial Exposition opened, and this branch station of the U.S. Post Office Department, closed.

Note also the typewritten address on the envelope. Introduced at the Exposition was the Remington #1 “Type Writer.” It only printed capital letters, and as a souvenir, fairgoers could pay 50 cents (about $15.50 in 2026) for a personalized letter or envelope.

The second scan is an 1875 postal card (Scott UX5) used commercially and mailed from and canceled at the Exposition station on October 6, 1876.

Richard D. Martorelli

Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania

Ukraine has a polar presence

The March Polar Exploration issue of The American Philatelist was most timely for me, coinciding with a delivery of stamps from the Ukrainian Postal Service, Ukrposhta.

One of the items I received is a souvenir sheet commemorating the 30th anniversary of the acquisition by Ukraine of the Faraday Antarctic Station, from the United Kingdom. (The station is on Galindez Island in the Argentine Islands.)

Now renamed the Vernadsky Research Base, research has continued there year-round, despite the war with Russia and the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to the research base, Ukraine also maintains a polar research vessel called the Noosfera.

Walter Ford

Washington, D.C.

Collectors are savvy; no need for black blot

I read with interest the letter from member John Hayes about the proliferation of stamps from Sierra Leone and that he doesn’t know anyone who collects them (neither do I, John), so the black blot is unnecessary.

I feel that the black blot belongs in the past and never should be resurrected. Collectors are savvy enough that they don’t need someone to tell them what they should be doing. I am a longtime collector and APS member and I enjoy The American Philatelist.

John Schlitt

Morris Plains, New Jersey

Polar issue revived memories of a year living on ice

I have to say that articles in the March edition about the southern polar region are of special interest to me. By 1970, the pure exploration had evolved into scientific inquiry, a year spent in the Antarctic was still an adventure for a 24 year-old Navy radioman.

Here, I will share some covers from my time there at the

Richard Martorelli shares a pair of covers linked to Centennial envelope of 1876.

A recent stamp from Ukraine notes the country’s 30-year presence in the southern polar region.

When attending APS StampShow 2022 in Sacramento, don’t miss the largest stock of fish and game stamps, licenses and prints. Check the website for booth #

McMurdo post office. I obtained them while on the ice, so they are personal. They are:

1. Canceled June 21, 1970, which is Mid-Winter Day. This day is basically an international holiday celebrated at all stations on the ice. The New Zealanders at Scott Base would come over to McMurdo (about two miles away) since our facilities were much larger. The two postal clerks set up a table and were cancelling covers.

2. Canceled at Scott Base (New Zealand) and Dumont Surville Station (France). Part of my job was running radio teletype communications with several foreign stations and exchanging weather observations. The head radio operator at Dumont Durville was also their postal clerk.

3. Sunrise Day was also an important date as the year passed. It was when we got to see the sun come over the horizon a couple of minutes then disappear once again.

4. Brockton Station was a summer-only station on the Beardmore Glacier. It was manned by just a handful of people and served as a weather reporting station about halfway to South Pole. This cachet was kept at the station and was applied by the Navy radioman that was there.

These are probably among the philatelic items that hold the most memories for me.

Ken Trettin

Rockford, Iowa

Clarifying USPS rules

Regarding John Walbridge’s letter in the April issue, my son is a USPS letter carrier. According to him and USPS regulations, any mail picked up is supposed to be taken to the local station and sent on to the regional processing center. As a bureaucratic institution, any variation from regulations is frowned upon by USPS and may result in disciplinary action, but individual carriers know the people on their routes very well and may hazard exceptions; but at their own risk.

We have actually experienced next-day delivery to the Olympic Peninsula from Seattle, about 65 driving miles not including routing to the processing center.

My son is enthusiastic about his job and we have learned a lot about the whole process at family gatherings.

Jeff Van Gilder

Seattle, Washington

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, or not chiefly related to the stamp hobby.

Per Section 5.5 of the APS Bylaws, The American Philatelist will not print letters to the editor endorsing specific candidates or which are political in the editor’s judgment.

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.

Ken Trettin collected an array of covers while serving in the Navy and stationed in the southern polar region.

United States Early Commemoratives

230P-4-245P4

233

234

234

234

235

Censorship of Irish Mail, 1939-1945

KARL WINKELMANN

Most countries refer to the conflict between 1939 and 1945 as World War II. However, in Ireland, this period is known as the “The Emergency.” Ireland remained neutral during this time, but censorship of communications was introduced shortly after hostilities began.

Some people ask, why was there censorship in Ireland at all? Frank Aiken (Figure 1), head of the Office of the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures, explained the purpose of these steps as follows:

The Postal censorship, like the telegraph censorship and the Press censorship, is designed to keep us out of trouble, to prevent trouble being created here amongst ourselves, or to prevent trouble being created between us and our neighbours in the outside world.

A more complete and detailed reasoning appears in a previously unpublished eight-page memorandum written by Aiken titled, “Neutrality, Censorship and Democracy.” It is dated January 1940 and published in Robert Fisk’s book, In Time of War (1987).

The Irish neutrality policy formed the broader framework within which censorship operated.

Under the leadership of Statesman Éamon de Valera (1882-1975), Ireland sought to remain outside the conflict while maintaining diplomatic relations with both Allied and Axis powers. Neutrality was intended not only to preserve its quite recent sovereignty, but also to avoid internal political tensions that participation in the war might cause.

Because Éire (the official name of the country in the Irish language) shared a land border with the United Kingdom through Northern Ireland, Irish ports and airspace were of strategic interest to the Allied powers, especially Britain and the United States.

Any perception that Ireland was allowing its territory or communica-

Figure 1. Irish Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures, Frank Aiken.

tions to be used for intelligence gathering or propaganda could have threatened its neutral status. By monitoring communications, the government sought to prevent the transmission of sensitive information that might compromise Irish neutrality or help the belligerents. Concurrently, censorship served a domestic purpose by limiting the spread of rumors or politically sensitive commentary.

Neutrality and censorship

Ireland’s government introduced postal censorship primarily to protect its neutral status. As a young state situated beside wartime Britain, Ireland faced pressure from both Britain and the United States. Officials feared that uncontrolled communications might damage diplomatic relations or compromise its neutrality.

We need to remember the mail system on the island of Ireland was fully integrated into the British postal system, which had been established for centuries. Most, if not all, mail – both surface and airmail, to and from the island – circulated through British hands. There is extensive evidence of British censorship on a large proportion of Irish mail, as shown by the regular appearance of British P.C.90 censor tapes on mail from the period (Figure 2).

Perhaps to affirm its independence from Britain, Ireland began preparing its own censorship system well before the war began. In November 1935, Thomas Coyne, a principal officer in the Irish Department of Justice, was appointed to a censorship committee. By September 1938, a secret “Handbook for the use of Postal Censors” (Figure 3), was virtually an exact copy of a July 1938 British handbook, had been prepared. On September 4, 1939, Coyne was appointed assistant controller of censorship, and later served as controller, beginning on September 15, 1941.

When did Irish censorship begin?

Some collectors have suggested censorship in Dublin began slightly before September 3, 1939, based on covers that predate Britain's declaration of war on Germany, which was passed that day. In practice, it would have been simple for postal officials to hold mail temporarily at the central sorting office on Pearse Street before sending it to the censor office about a mile away.

However, I interviewed one of de Valera’s attorneys general, the father of a friend, and he sincerely doubted mail censorship had taken place before the enabling legislation was in place.

Irish censors who opened covers sealed them with one of the familiar pink S.P.1. censor labels. A very early example from the second day of censorship is a surface-rated cover from Dublin (Baile Átha Cliath in Irish), to San Diego,

Figure 2. A typical registered cover censored by both British and Irish authorities on mail from Dublin to Peru in 1945.

Figure 3. The Irish "Handbook for the use of Postal Censors" with a warrant number dated 1938.

showing the censor ID number “35” added in manuscript (Figure 4).

Nine main varieties of the S.P.1 label are known. Early labels use both Irish and English text, while those issued from 1944 onward are printed in Irish only. Censor identification numbers may appear in manuscript, printed form, or applied with a sixdigit numbering device. Some labels lack identification numbers entirely and are worth finding.

How many Irish censors were there?

Because only one Irish censor handstamp includes an identifying number, researchers must rely largely on the numbers found on censor labels to estimate the size of the staff as censor labels were used throughout the period.

Although a few numbers greater than 200 have been recorded, the Dublin Censor Office probably employed about 150 censors at any given time. The office operated from Phoenix Hall, on Exchequer Street, in central Dublin.

Some outlier ID numbers – such as 0750, 750, and 751 appear on labels applied with a six-digit numbering device. Some outlier ID numbers –such as 0750, 750, and 751 appear on labels. These were applied using a six-digit numbering device. Partial impressions, such as clearly shown in Figure 5, indicate use of a numbering machine capable of producing numbers with more than three digits as indicated by the slight impressions of the bottom of other unused adjacent digits. There are very few censor IDs known between the low 200s and these “75” outliers.

Mail transfer

Most Irish mail passed through Dublin before leaving the country. Surface mail typically traveled by mail boat from nearby Dún Laoghaire to Holyhead in Wales. It continued by rail to Aintree on the outskirts of Liverpool or to the King Edward Building (KEB) in London, which handled

Figure 4. A censored cover mailed to the U.S. on September 4, 1939, the day after Great Britain declared war on Germany.

Figure 5. An airmail cover inscribed "via American Clipper," franked with six 5-cent booklet stamps, mailed from New York to Dublin on September 2, 1939 — the day after Germany invaded Poland. It has an S.P.1. label with censor ID number 35 and clearly shows four other numeral positions.

Figure 6. Trains delivered mail to a boat at Dún Laoghaire; this snapshot from 1958 was taken by an unknown photographer. (Via Trainiac on Flickr).

much airmail traffic and sometimes marked such mail with the red oval marking “O.A.T.,” Onwards Air Transmission.

The Dublin Central Sorting Office in Pearse Street backed directly onto the platform of the railway line that served the mail boat pier, allowing mailbags to move efficiently between the postal and transport systems (Figure 6).

In September 1939, airmail, especially transatlantic airmail, arrived directly at Foynes Flying Boat terminal on the River Shannon in County Limerick. Later on, the route arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, and mail was transferred to the United Kingdom for onward transmission by land and sea until the Summer transatlantic route was reestablished in 1942. Direct routes ceased in October of that year, but in 1942, the direct Summer route to Foynes was seasonally reestablished.

A recently discovered traveler’s letter bearing censor number 295 suggests that censorship operations may also have occurred at Foynes.

How Irish censorship worked

The three main operations of censorship were the opening, reading, and resealing of mail. Processed mail was marked with rubber censor handstamps, and envelopes typically were resealed with pink S.P.1. censor labels. Postcards and exempt mail were marked to indicate they had been reviewed even when not opened.

Evidence shows that censor labels like the S.P.1. label were printed in sheets. In some instances, censor numbers were added later to sheets. Differences in ink density between the printed text and the applied numbers support this conclusion.

An order was placed on June 16, 1939, for a two-week supply of 800,000 S.P.1. labels and 8,000 S.P.2 labels (discussed later in this article). This shows the readiness to implement postal censorship months before the European conflict started.

There were five commonly used censor handstamps in Ireland; some variation on these five, with different layouts but essentially the same wording, appear (Figure 7).

The censor handstamps are bilingual. Most are boxed handstamps, though the earliest example, used in 1939 and 1940, lacked a frame and had a space where a censor ID number could be added. That identification scheme did not appear on other censor hand-

Figure 7. The five most commonly used Irish censor handstamps.

Figure 8. One of five known oval “Passed by Censor” handstamps from Dublin to Amsterdam.

Figure 9. The only known chief postal censor’s handstamp on postally used mail, sent May 7, 1943 via undercover address to P.O. Box 506, Lisbon. It was likely forwarded to Dublin inside an ambulance cover.

stamps, nor did it continue throughout the period.

Two particularly rare markings are known. The first is an early English language mark that only exists within a small oval frame, with five recorded to date (Figure 8).

The other is a “Chief Postal Censor” handstamp, of which only two example are known, and which only uses Irish text. One cover was postally used (Figure 9), while the other was surrendered for censorship at a port.

A recent acquisition of a censored press photo, intended for the Cork Examiner newspaper, shows several German POWs disembarking a ship at Newhaven in the UK. I have never seen an example like this one in my 45 years of collecting Irish censored material, nor had the censor handstamp (located on the reverse with the photo’s caption) been previously recorded (Figure 10).

Special categories of mail

Diplomatic and ecclesiastical mail was typically reviewed but not opened by the Irish censors, though the British often opened such mail. These items received a bilingual “Exempt from Censorship” handstamp as shown on a cover from Tangiers with a French language corner card, franked with overprinted British stamps and addressed to Dublin (Figure 11).

Censor handstamps are also seen on aerograms and telegrams, while mail from people who were blacklisted for some reason was retained by the Department of Defense. In the case of amateur radio communication verification, QSL cards were marked with the words “stop” or “stopped” added in manuscript (Figure 12).

Several financial regulations demanded many different requirements on both inbound and outbound transactions, as described in the “Handbook for the use of Postal Censors.”

Collectors may also encounter internee mail from Ireland. Internees were held in the Curragh Camp in County Kildare, where both German

Figure 11. A piece of 1944 diplomatic mail addressed to the French minister in Ireland was passed as exempt by the Irish, but opened by the British censor.

Figure 10. A censored press photo shows several German POWs disembarking a ship. A previously unrecorded censor handstamp is on the reverse with the photo’s caption.

and British military were held. Also held were a smaller number of Polish and Canadian military along with a single New Zealander and a Frenchman.

Their mail was censored by military authorities at the camp and then examined again by the Dublin Censor Office after entering the postal system. Prior censorship at the Curragh Camp did not preclude their mail being opened in Dublin.

British censorship of Irish mail

The British Office of Censorship employed roughly 10,000 people and operated 17 Provincial Censor Units. Fourteen of these units were mainly concerned with Irish correspondence. Belfast was one such unit, though little surviving mail from Northern Ireland can be confidently attributed to that office.

As a result of these arrangements, Irish mail frequently bears both Irish and British censorship markings. A pink Irish censor label on one side and a white British P.C. 90 tape on the other is particularly common on covers between Ireland and foreign countries, though terminal mail also is seen with such double censorship (Figure 13).

Effectively, Ireland was postally segregated from the rest of the world and there was an almost 100 percent rate of censorship for Irish mail opened or passed by British censors.

Research conducted in the British Post Office Archives about 30 years ago revealed there was an illegal arrangement between Britain and the United States, whereby they agreed to bag the Irish à découvert airmail going into Foynes as British and have it collected by the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) for censorship in Britain.

In 1945, the British even billed the U.S. for the over-carrying of the Irish airmail to Britain. U.S. Chief Postal Censor William Preston Corderman scribbled a note that was attached to the request – now preserved in the

Figure 12. A censored amateur radio communication verification item, a QSL card, is marked with the word “stopped” in manuscript.

Figure 13. Twice-censored covers – with labels on each side of the envelope – between Ireland and the U.S. are very common.

Figure 14. “They asked for it, and they should pay,” states a memo initialed “WPC” by William Preston Corderman, the United States’ chief postal censor.

U.S. National Archives – stating simply, “they asked for it, and they should pay” (Figure 14).

I created a 10-frame exhibit, “Postal Isolation of Ireland: British Censorship of Irish Mail.” It shows the extensive British control of Irish mail; any such mail shown in this article is purely incidental to the main topic of Ireland’s own postal censorship.

What other labels exist?

Besides the S.P.1. censor label used to reseal opened covers, easily recognized by its pink color, a label designated S.P.2. was used to seal covers being returned to the sender (Figure 15).

Printers’ proof books record additional informative slips with designations up to S.P.7., a slip that indicated the mail was open when it reached the censor. This was enclosed to allay any suggestion that the censor was responsible for something missing from the mail (Figure 16).

In the last 40 years, I have discovered a handful of other labels and forms. The first higher numbered form was an S.P.10. (acquired in 1984), of which around a dozen or so have surfaced. This, and other higher numbered forms, are printed in English, while the lower numbered forms are all bilingual with the exception of the S.P.1s., first seen in August 1941 but in more general use from April 1943.

An S.P.12. was discovered in 2018 that was inserted into a letter that contained checks, which were banned from being mailed without permission from the finance minister (Figure 17). An S.P.16. form confirmed the export of bank notes was not allowed. In 2022, an S.P.18. surfaced, a form that required any payment originally due to a recipient in dollars must be remitted through approved channels.

Some of the higher-numbered slips have only one recorded example; it is likely that others exist, but have yet to be reported.

16. A cover sent in November 1942 from Dublin to the U.S. with an Irish label used by censor No. 187 and a label from a British censor (right). The S.P.7 memorandum with manuscript censor ID 187 was inserted into the cover with the date of receipt, or possibly the response date, noted as April 6, 1943, which seems very long for airmail.

Figure 15. An October 1940 cover sent to London with its S.P.2 label was returned to sender in Cork.

Figure

Dublin Postal District staff

The censorship office in Phoenix Hall – later converted into a radio studio for Radio Éireann in 1947 – was staffed not only by censors but also by postal employees responsible for handling incoming and outgoing mailbags.

About 16 postal employees performed postal duties there; we see examples of postal markings applied to some covers that passed through their hands. Fred Dixon, one of the doyens of Irish philately, confirmed mail could be submitted at the censor office and their stamps required cancellation (Figure 18).

Termination of censorship

On May 8, 1945, the Irish government cabinet decided to terminate postal censorship, and that decision was announced May 30 in national newspapers.

British Empire terminal censorship ended on June 7 of that year. However, Great Britain continued to censor all Irish mail until July 31, 1945.

On September 29, 1945, British authorities finally ended censorship requirements for mail between Ireland and several neutral countries, including Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Bulgaria, and Romania.

Resources

“Irish Airgraphs,” O.E.78 5 (April 2001) (Irish Airmail Society).

“The Irish Pink Censor Labels,” Die Harfe Journal 21 (Winter 2013) (Forschungsgemeinschaft Ireland e.V.).

Moxter, Hans G. Censorship of Mail in Ireland (2003).

Moxter, Hans G. “Irish Censorship of Civil Mail,” The Revealer 52, no. 3 (Winter 2002).

Rycroft, Sean. “Passed by Censor,” Post News, no. 23 (Jan./Feb. 1990).

Verge, Charles J.G. The Irish S.P.1 Censor Labels (1989).

Winkelmann, Karl. “Irish Passed by Censor Handstamps,” Civil Censorship Study Group Bulletin 46, no. 3 (July 2019).

Winkelmann, Karl. “Some Irish Censor Discoveries,” Irish Philately (April 2023).

Winkelmann, Karl. “SP10 Enclosure Memo,” Civil Censorship Study Group Bulletin 12, no. 3 (February 1985).

Wittreich, Paul. “Censorship on Irish Mail in World War II,” Postal History Journal (June 1990).

Figure 17. The only recorded S.P.12 enclosure slip was enclosed in a Cork-to-UK cover and dated two days after it was mailed.

A.G.

the

The Author

in

Karl Winkelmann is an Irish philatelist and postal historian specializing in the censorship of Irish mail from 1939 to 1945. Originally from Ireland, he spent almost 30 years living in the United States and now resides in France. His five-frame exhibit, “Dublin Censor Office – 1939-1945,” was awarded a large gold medal and the David Feldman Trophy for best-in-show at STAMPA 2023, the Irish national stamp show. He is a founding member of the “Irish Brigade” of exhibitors at American national shows, where he has been awarded several large gold and gold medals and received multiple American Philatelic Society Research and Excellence awards. An avid collector since the early 1980s, he is a member of the Irish Philatelic Circle (UK), the Éire Philatelic Association (USA), and the Forschungs- und Arbeitsgemeinschaft Irland (Germany), as well as the UK-based Civil Censorship Study Group.

Figure 18. A group photo of post office staff assigned to the Censor Office in 1939 with Superintendent

Woodman,

man

the gray suit in the middle row (Photo by Dick Deegan, as published in a 1990 edition of PostNews, by An Post.)

Irish Censored Mail to America During World War II

BILL O’CONNOR

Censored mail from Ireland to the United States during World War II presents some interesting philatelic tales. Irish censorship began at the beginning of the war in September 1939, and continued until after the surrender of Germany in May 1945.

The Irish government was very determined to stay neutral during the war, and continued its policy to be neutral in word and deed, irrespective of conditions and attitudes that may have changed due to the revelations of the actions of the Axis and Allies.

Ireland weathered an insurrection in 1916, became an independent country in 1922, waged a civil war right after, and terminated all British naval bases by the late 1930s. The new Constitution of Ireland, adopted in 1937, severed all lingering relations to the British crown. It should be added that the Irish government was still trying to incorporate the northern six counties of Ireland (present-day Northern Ireland) into the new republic.

With the continued threat of German expansion and other international crises in the late 1930s, Ireland attempted to remain neutral in case a new global war ensued. The people of the new republic were overwhelmingly supportive of neutrality; even so, many Irish citizens joined the British armed forces or took jobs in factories and households in the United Kingdom. This was due in part to the lingering effects of the Great Depression, which still haunted many countries.

Hindsight offers some justification for the policy of neutrality: Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, was devastated by German bombing during the war. Meanwhile, Dublin was bombed only occasionally, typically followed by an apology from Germany. Behind the scenes, however, Ireland freed Allied serviceman who happened to land in the republic; German airmen, though, were interned for the duration of the war. Ireland also secretly provided weather reports to the Allies before D-Day, which were extremely important to the success of the Allied invasion of Normandy.

The Irish censorship of foreign mail was mostly conducted in Dublin. A pink label with the text “opened by censor” in black capital letters, along with a number that identified the person who provided the service, was applied to most outbound mail.

British censors also examined mail from Ireland to America, applying a white paper label reading "opened by examiner" along with the censor's identification number. Such mail was most commonly sent to and censored in Liverpool, England, before traveling to America.

The major form of communication during this time was letters and cards, which emanated from all people, businesses, and organizations that wished to communicate across borders. This article illustrates 14 covers: five sent via surface rate, six sent via airmail, and three with added registration.

Cover From Dublin to California, 1941

The first example is a cover that was sent to Gene Autry, the famous Western movie star of the period. We may surmise that a request for an autograph was included in this correspondence.

Based upon the number of censored mail pieces I have from many countries, letters to movie stars were very popular, even during the war. The normal method of censorship was to open and read the mail inside and close the opening with printed label to cover the opening. The Irish labels were pink and the English ones were white.

Cover to a Roman Catholic Monastery, Dublin to Illinois, 1943

Shown is a cover to Roman Catholic monastery. One sees many examples of religious mail during this time. Ireland was largely Catholic, and huge numbers of Irish emigrants had moved to America beginning with the Great Famine in the 1840s. This cover has an additional British censor label to the right.

Both Irish and English Censor Labels on Mail, New Ross to New Jersey, 1942

Business mail from Ireland to America seems to have been abundant during the war. The stamp used is a commemoration of the Easter Rebellion of 1916. It’s interesting to see the use of aluminum in products during this period in Ireland.

The Society of Friends: From Dublin to Whittier, California, 1943

The Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers, had a large presence in Whittier. California. President Richard Nixon, from a Quaker family, was born in Whittier. The Irish and British censor labels are very common on mail between the two countries.

From Dublin to New Jersey, 1943

The censor marks on this cover can be normally be seen on postcards and third class mail. The British mark on the upper left corner of the envelope has a crown with a letter and number underneath. The 7-pence rate indicated by the stamps on the envelope may relate to the cost of postcards via airmail, but nothing specific is indicated on this envelope.

Postcard from Limerick to Nebraska, 1943

This is a postcard of the Manor House, Adare, County Limerick. This has a very clear British censor mark with “Passed, P 131.” The 7 pence paid in postage indicates the postcard rate for airmail at this time.

Airmail, Dublin to California, 1943

This cover without the airmail etiquette was sent to a major producer of seeds in California. It may surprise some that Los Angeles was a major producer of agricultural products in California. The British censor label on this envelope has the crown indication on the back of the censor label.

From County Westmeath to New Jersey, 1940

This cover to New Jersey has the appropriate rate for airmail, 1 shilling and 3 pence. Additionally, it has the “O.A.T.” mark, meaning “Onward Air Transmission.” I have another censor mail from Belgium to America with this indication, which seems to indicate a scarcer application.

I was informed many years ago that this mark was applied only to the first airmail cover on a pile of letters, thus indicating the scarcity. I do not know if the mail was organized into specific size groups. I have read that some British mail was organized into sizes of 100, with a diamond mark on top of groupings of 100. This, I believe, was for business or advertising mail.

Airmail Mourning Cover, Waterford to Pennsylvania, 1940s

This cover has only the British censor label showing mostly on the back of the cover, number 5993. Another interesting aspect of this cover is the person to whom this letter was sent, “Princess Taxis,” who was Princess Lida, of Thurn and Taxis, an American heiress.

The princess (1875-1965) who was born Lida Eleanor Nicolls, first married General Gerald Purcell Fitzgerald, and then moved up in the world, perhaps, to Prince Victor, of Thurn and Taxis, who died in 1928. She was involved in several interesting civil suits, one concerning a showgirl, the other slander, not to mention a jewelry robbery or the dispute with the IRS! Along with lavish residences in Europe and New York City, the princess also maintained a house in her hometown of Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Mourning covers with black borders were often sent as part of a condolence.

First Day Cover, With Other Stamps, Dublin to Washington, D.C., 1941

An interesting combination of stamps make the 1-shilling, 3-pence airmail rate: The Constitution set of 1937, an Irish overprinted British stamp, a regular issue stamp and three stamps relating to the Easter Rebellion of 1916. This is perhaps the only philatelic mail shown in this article..

Airmail Cover, Indicating German on Back; Dublin to Smith College, 1941

One sometimes finds correspondence in covers from the past. The letter found inside this cover is written in German, and was sent to Professor Kurt Koffka at Smith College before being re-routed to Matunuck, Rhode Island. Koffka was a German-born psychologist and a co-developer of the Gestalt school of psychology; he moved to the United States from Germany in 1924.

Registered Cover, Dublin to New York, 1944

Thomas Cook & Son, Ltd., was one of the largest travel organizations of the period. This registered cover, sent from the Dublin office to the New York office, was no doubt routine. The rate is correct with 3 pence for registration and 2½ pence for postage. Business registered covers come my way infrequently, so I was pleased to find this.

Airmail Registered Cover, Wexford to New York, 1941

Taghmon, County Wexford, is a relatively small town in southeast Ireland. One does not come across too many airmail registered covers from small towns in Ireland. The 1-shilling, 6-pence postage is absolutely correct. Although the last name of the person on this address is the same as mine, my family is more from Limerick and Kerry, so there probably is no direct relation.

Preprinted Registration Envelope, Waterford to California, 1940

The final example of a piece of censored mail is a 5-pence preprinted envelope, which appears to have been sent to WWI veteran and disgraced Congressman John Henry Hoeppel; Hoeppel was the editor of National Defense magazine until at least 1941. One does not see too many of these. This only has the Irish censor label.

A cover sent from Ireland during World War II with no indication of censorship.

A Final Note

This short look at Irish censor mail hopefully has been informative. I must also note here that many Irish citizens did participate in World War II, and their sacrifices were not acknowledged by the Irish government for decades. My mother, in the last few days of her life, casually mentioned her participation in assembling Norden bombsights at an establishment in or around London during the war.

I do have a number of covers that do not have any censor marks applied during this time. Nothing is absolute, as I have a cover dated March 27, 1944, from Dublin to Beverly Hills, addressed to the 1928, 1932, and 1936 Olympic gold medal winner in figure skating, Sonja Henie (above). She made a few movies in Hollywood after she became a professional skater, as the Olympics were only for amateur athletes at this time.

As no stamps were applied in Dublin for mailing, a

10-cent postage due mark was applied in America. There are no censor marks, even though the date indicates this cover was sent during World War II. I like the U.S. postage due indications of 10 cents, which is double the first class rate at that time. I must assume the fee was paid.

Resources

Moxter, Hans. Censorship of Mail in Ireland (Self-published, 2003).

Schaaf, Joachim, and Brian Warren. Irish Postal Rates: 1839-2014. (FAI Literature Series Vol 31).

Verge, Charles J. G. The Irish S.P.1. Censor Labels, 1939-1945 (1989).

The Author

Bill O'Connor has been a stamp collector since his youth. He focuses on Ireland, the United States, Great Britain, and France. He is a 50-year member of the American Philatelic Society and the Éire Philatelic Association, and an active member of the San Diego County Philatelic Library and the Poway Stamp Club.

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My article explores the life, journeys, and legacy of St. Patrick, from his childhood as a slave in Ireland, to his return to Ireland in the early fifth century as a missionary bishop, until his death in the mid-fifth century. The article traces how his travels and mission reshaped the island’s spiritual and cultural landscape, and examines how Patrick became not only Ireland’s patron saint, but also a lasting symbol of Irish identity (Figure 1).

A Youth in Captivity

St. Patrick’s life is shrouded in mystery, and while there are many legends about him, very little is known for certain. We do know from Patrick’s writings that he was born in the late fourth century to a wealthy, Christian, Romano-British family. They lived in a settlement called Bannavem Taburniae, which might have been located in modern-day Wales. As a teenager, Patrick was kidnapped from his home by raiders and brought to Ireland as a slave. He spent six difficult years in captivity, working as a shepherd (Figure 2), before making his escape and returning to Britain.

The Journey to Priesthood

After escaping slavery in Ireland and returning to his childhood home, Patrick soon claimed to have visions calling him back to the island he had fled (Figure 3). He understood these visions as a call to the priesthood and traveled to Gaul (modern-day France), where he studied either at Lérins Abbey, a Cistercian monastery near Cannes, or in Auxerre, a Gallo-Roman center south of

Figure 1. A registered airmail cover sent from Dublin to Liberia on November 13, 1937, with a complete set of the first Irish-designed high-value stamps, commemorating St. Patrick and the Easter fire at the Hill of Slane.

LAURELEI FOX

Paris (Figure 4). According to legend, Patrick’s religious education and training spanned 30 years. In this time, he was ordained a priest and was eventually granted a bishopric in Ireland.

A Triumphant Return

Now a bishop, Patrick returned to Ireland in the early to mid-fifth century, answering the call that had drawn him back to the land of his captivity. From the moment he arrived, his life became one of constant travel, preaching, teaching, and building communities of faith across the island.

Tradition holds that he first preached in County Wicklow (Figure 5) before founding what is considered his first church at Saul, County Down (Figure 6), marking the true beginning of his Irish mission.

From there, Patrick journeyed south to County Meath and the pagan holy site at the Hill of Slane (Figure 7), where his bold preaching challenged long-held beliefs.

St. Patrick is said to have spent several years around Westport, County Mayo (where a mountain associated with him, Croagh Patrick, remains an important pilgrimage site), then traveled east toward County Sligo and Lough Derg, continuing to teach and establish Christian communities.

His path next led him to County Armagh, which would become the spiritual heart of his mission, and onward through Newry to Newcastle, where he is said to have founded several churches, including one at Warrenpoint.

Finally, Patrick is believed to have returned to the town now known as Downpatrick (“Patrick’s Fort”), where he established his last great church on the site of what is now Down Cathedral, a lasting marker of a journey that helped shape the spiritual history of Ireland.

St.

is thought to have studied) dated March 4, 1844, to

The 1D handstamp in black is known as a rural decile, meaning it was intended for delivery to a place without a post office. The handstamps were used from April 1830 until January 1847.

Figure 2. A first day cover produced by S & T Cachets Ltd, Dublin for an Irish St. Patrick’s Day commemorative, issued in 2016. The stamp and cover show Patrick in captivity in Ireland.

Figure 3. A first day cover of stamps from the Spirit & Faith issue of the United Kingdom’s Millennium Projects series. The cover was postmarked in Downpatrick, County Down, where St. Patrick is said to be buried.

Figure 4. A letter from Auxerre, France (where

Patrick

Yonne.

The Death of a Bishop, the Birth of a Saint

After a lifetime spent traveling, preaching, and building the foundations of Christian Ireland, St. Patrick died in the mid-fourth century; his death date is not known, but is often marked as 461. Where he died is also uncertain, but common wisdom holds that he passed in County Down, and was buried at Downpatrick, on the grounds of what is now Down Cathedral (Figure 8). The site has remained closely associated with his memory for centuries.

In the early Christian world, sainthood did not follow the long, formal canonization process used today; instead, holy men and women were often recognized as saints by the faithful immediately after death. Patrick, his legacy already firmly established in the hearts of the people he had served, was honored in this way, and his grave quickly became a place of remembrance for the man who had done more than any other to shape Ireland’s Christian identity (Figure 9).

In the 17th century, the Irish Franciscan friar Luke Wadding, a native of Waterford (Figure 10), played an important role in securing St. Patrick’s feast day in the Roman Catholic Church’s calendar of saints.

Through Wadding’s influence and scholarship in Rome, March 17 was formally recognized as the feast day of St. Patrick, giving lasting structure to a celebration that had already lived in

5. An 1874 mourning cover (the black outline is part of the cover) from Wicklow, where St. Patrick is thought to have preached, to New York. A threepence stamp, canceled with a Wicklow No. 443 diamond cancel, paid the postage to the U.S.

Figure

Figure 6. A postcard shows St. Patrick's Church, Saul, built in 1933 on the site of what is said to be the first church St. Patrick established in Ireland. The card was printed for N.P.O. Belfast by Dexter USA in 1964.

Figure 7. A postcard printed in 1984 by Aero-Views Ltd., Dublin, showing the Hill of Slane holy site in County Meath.

Enduring Symbols of St. Patrick

Over the centuries, many legends have grown around St. Patrick, blending history with symbolism and storytelling. Among the most lasting and well-known are the Celtic cross, which unites Christian and pre-Christian Irish symbolism (Figures A and B); the banishing of snakes and serpents from Ireland (Figure C); and the shamrock, which (legend holds) Patrick used to explain the Holy Trinity (Figure D). These simple images remain powerful symbols of his legacy today.

Figure D. A 1937 cinderella created by the Bison Philatelic Society of Buffalo, New York, features a green shamrock “overprint” of the society’s logo in orange.

Figure A. A Sinn Fein propaganda label mailed in 1908, featuring a Celtic cross, shamrocks, and Celtic knots. The label, designed by Lily Williams, was the forerunner to the Irish Celtic Cross definitive.

Figure B. A 3-pence Celtic Cross definitive stamp proof signed by designer Lily Williams on the day of issue, March 16, 1923.

Figure C. This Isle of Man souvenir sheet celebrating the Year of the Snake, issued January 22, 2001, includes Saint Patrick and a reference to the saint driving out snakes from Ireland.

Irish tradition for centuries. From that point on, St. Patrick’s Day grew from a religious observance into a day of cultural remembrance, eventually becoming one of the most widely celebrated feast days in the world (Figure 11).

Today, St. Patrick is honored not only in history books, but in living traditions around the world. His name is carried by cathedrals and colleges, churches and schools, and countless organizations dedicated to faith, culture, and community (Figure 12). Each year, parades fill city streets, green banners and music mark the day, and people of Irish heritage, and those who love the Emerald Isle, join in celebrating a legacy that began with one man’s journey and grew into a global tradition of remembrance and pride.

References

The History of St. Patrick. (n.d.).https://asburyparkstpatricksparade.com/history-of-stpatrick/ Royal Irish Academy. “Confession,” St. Patrick’s Confessio. Published 2011. Accessed May 5, 2026. https://www.confessio.ie/etexts/confessio_english

Saint Patrick, References Celebrations bishop and patron saint of Ireland. (n.d.). www.britannica.com. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Patrick

St Patrick – The most celebrated Welshman in America? (n.d.). www.historic-uk.com. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/ HistoryofWales/St-Patrick-The-most-celebrated-Welshman-in-America/ Who Was St. Patrick? (n.d.). www.history.com. https://www.history.com/articles/who-wassaint-patrick

Figure 9. Three stamps issued by the Irish post office for the 1500th anniversary of St. Patrick's death. The 1961 cover has 3 shillings (36 pence) total postage: 1 shilling, 3 pence for airmail, 1 shilling for the additional half ounce weight, and a balance of 9 pence for the registration fee.

Figure 8. A postcard of what is said to be St. Patrick’s grave in Downpatrick, published by Lawrence, Dublin in 1905.

Figure 10. A first day cover honoring Franciscan friar Luke Wadding, who campaigned for St. Patrick to be officially recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. The stamp and cachet design were inspired by a portrait of Wadding by Jusepe de Ribera.

Today, St. Patrick is honored not only in history books, but in living traditions around the world.

The Author

Laurelei Fox is a 10th-grade homeschooled student whose passion for Irish history and heritage has shaped her academic and creative pursuits. Having traveled extensively throughout Ireland to visit family and explore historical sites, she has developed a deep connection to her roots. A dedicated Irish dancer, Laurelei’s commitment to preserving and celebrating Irish culture earned her the honor of being named Burlington County, New Jersey’s Miss St. Patrick 2026.

Her scholarly interests are reflected in her award-winning two-frame stamp exhibit on the life and legacy of St. Patrick, which inspired her debut novel, The Children Who Became St. Patrick. The novel explores the untold story of St. Patrick and his sister during their time as Irish slaves. In summer 2026, she will release her second book in the Saints of Ireland series, Before She Was St. Bridget, examining how St. Bridget’s childhood shaped her future ministry.

Figure 11. A V-mail St. Patrick’s Day greeting sent by an American soldier to his daughter in 1945. The drawing appears to reference Dragon Lady from Terry and the Pirates, a character modeled after actress Joan Crawford.

Figure 12. A postcard featuring St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne, Australia, printed by Nucolorvue Production Pty and mailed to the United States.

Irish Registered Mail to 1864

STAN CHALLIS

When I mentioned to Dublin dealer David MacDonnell some years ago that I was planning to collect Irish registered mail, there was a short intake of breath.

“Oooh! You’ll need a Browning then,” was the response. Further inquiry elucidated that a maximum of about three Irish “Brownings” are known to exist, and sadly, I cannot show you an example as I decided to move on.

By way of background, Samuel Browning of the Inland Office, London, made proposals in 1809 for a “registered” system of mail, providing proof of posting and delivery, but these were rejected by Francis Freeling, secretary of the London General Post Office (GPO). His proposals found more favor in Ireland, where

Figure 1. A July 1830 stampless and registered cover from Shinrone to Portaferry.

the system was tried out from 1809 to 1811; this short period is represented by only three known examples.

The detail of his short-lived, unsuccessful scheme is contained in the Registered Post of the British Isles, published in 1982 by author James A. Mackay. I do lean very heavily on that work, known familiarly as “the bible,” throughout this article.

In 1823, at a time when the Irish Post Office was independent of Britain, a system of “registration” was introduced. This was more akin to “recorded post,” for it provided no compensation in the event of loss. Officially, it would seem, no extra charge was made for this service. However, the actual charges recorded on such letters are often hard to reconcile. The Irish Post Office was, at this time, independent of Britain until it was “taken in hand” in 1831.

Shown (Figure 1) is an example with the Dublin “Register’d” mark of 1830 applied at top right.

The distance charge from Shinrone, County Offaly, to Portaferry, County Down, was 10 pence (10d) for 163 miles via Dublin (Note: one Irish mile is equivalent to 1.27 statute, or imperial miles). That fee doubled to 1 shilling, 8 pence for a doubleweight letter. Yet, 2 shillings (2/-) has been charged on delivery. Why the extra 4 pence? We do not know, as so few examples survive; any records that may have existed were likely lost during the Irish Civil War. What we do know is that the registration system was immediately suppressed upon the takeover by the British Post Office in March 1831. In its place came the money letter, examples of which can be found with relative ease.

An example of a money letter from November 1831 is shown (Figure 2). The cover went from Drogheda to Dublin and was paid at 8 pence (the double rate for 22 miles) with an additional 4 pence charged on delivery, the item being found to be a tripleweight.

One might suspect that the short payment was intentional so as to ensure delivery. The money letter system applied only to letters containing coins, for which the extra protection was provided. There was no supplementary fee for the service and once again no compensation was offered in the event of loss.

The system survived until the reforms of 1839-1840, when the Irish “registered system” ceased operation. British rates and regulations now applied in Ireland, with British stamps coming into use in May 1840, as indeed they did across the United Kingdom.

Hereafter, Irish registered mail is simply British registered mail but used in the 32 counties that made up the island of Ireland. Rates and treatment

were identical for the entire United Kingdom. For details on rates, I refer readers to Mackay’s work, noted earlier.

There had been a general demand for a registration system for some time. Registration meant simply a system whereby there was proof both of posting and proof of delivery. In the U.K., this is known as “recorded,” or “tracked,” mail today.

Irish Registration Fees

Note: At various times, different rates applied for some foreign mail.

January 6, 1841 1 shilling (1/-)

March 28, 1848

August 1, 1862

February 1, 1866

6 pence (6d)

4 pence (4d, inland mail only)

4 pence (4d, extended to foreign mail)

2. A stampless registered “money letter” sent in November 1831 from Drogheda to Dublin. It has three postpaid markings, but was also postage due 4 pence, as indicated by the large “4” manuscript to the lower left of “Drogheda.”

Figure

Figure 3. A registered cover sent in October 1841 from Shinrone to Dublin with postage and registration both paid in cash.

Initially, there was no suggestion of any compensation for loss or non-delivery. After the usual debates, a system was established to operate from January 6, 1841, for which the hefty charge of 1 shilling was made in order to provide the service, but discourage its use for fear that the volume of mail sent would overwhelm the ability of postal authorities to provide the service. The fee was to be paid in cash, but the actual postage could be paid in stamps or cash at the wish of the sender. All items to be sent registered had to be so endorsed in manuscript (the once familiar blue labels and lines did not come about until 1878).

Shown (Figure 3) is an early use of the service where 1 shilling and 1 penny has been paid in cash, per the diagonal straight-line strikes at top right. Strangely, this item originates, as does the item in Figure 1, at the tiny office of Shinrone, a town of just a few hundred people in Kings County (now County Offaly). Clearly a local, for the handwriting may well be the same on both items, and someone who felt the need for greater security!

The new service was little used initially and Irish examples from the early years are relatively hard to come by. 1 shilling was seen as a lot of money in 1841 — although just 14 months earlier, before the Postal Revolution of 1840, it had been the norm to pay 1 shilling, 4 pence for a simple single letter to travel between Dublin and London. An example from early 1842 shows (Figure 4) showing postage paid with a Penny Red and the registration fee, paid in cash as the law prescribed, noted in red manuscript.

Use of the registration system was minor in the early years. Mackay notes that in a week in December 1841, 1,170 registered letters were delivered in London. On that basis one might assume no more than 100 to 150 delivered in Dublin, and perhaps only triple that number on the entire island of Ireland.

As a general guide, total mail volumes in Ireland in 1840 were some 8 percent of the figure for the whole of the United Kingdom and fell sharply after the famine years 1845-1849 to around 4 to 5 percent by 1900. By then, the proportion for registered mail would be

broadly similar and certainly no higher but was, I suspect, far lower in the early years.

It is not known how registered mail was separated from other mail initially, but clearly there was a need for the service and it was determined that as of January 1, 1842, all registered mail should be enclosed within a “green envelope” addressed to the postmaster responsible for delivery. Once an attached receipt for delivery had been cut out of the envelope and returned to the originating office, the envelopes were meant to be destroyed. Few have survived and it is believed that the item shown (Figure 5) may be one of just two surviving Irish examples. This somewhat cumbersome system survived until 1856.

Figure 4. Franked with a Penny Red to pay the postage, this cover was sent in January 1842 from Celbridge to Dublin, with the registration fee paid in cash as indicated by the PAID marking at lower right.

Figure 5. This green envelope carried the registered item sent in September 1851 from Ennistymon.

There was much pressure to reduce the 1-shilling charge, and authorities finally relented. The fee dropped to 6 pence in March 1848.

Payment of the fee was still required in cash, officially until 1854. However, the practice, certainly in Ireland, became such that stamps could be used by about 1851.

Shown (Figure 6) is an example from March 1849 of 6 pence paid for postage in stamps and the 6-pence registration fee in cash. The cover shows an endorsement at left from Clonegal, County Carlow, and stamps canceled with the 451 numeral of that office sent via Tullow to Dublin.

Another cover (Figure 7) shows a 2-pence blue for postage and three more stamps paying the 6-pence registration fee. The cover traveled about 10½ miles from Camolin, County Wexford to nearby Enniscorthy in October 1852.

Collecting registered mail does, of course, give an excuse to collect colorful covers.

The next two items are examples over the first weight step sent in 1855 from Dublin and Armagh.

The first (Figure 8), from April, carries franking for 1 shilling, 2 pence, which represents a weight of up to 7 ounces. The red Registered/Dublin horseshoe mark with the number “32” inserted by hand was used circa 1845 to 1856, and is known in both black and red. It was unique to Dublin.

The second (Figure 9), from August, carries postage of 1 shilling, 4 pence, which accommodated a weight of up to 8 ounces. Interestingly, both are addressed to Scotland. There also is an early usage of the 4-pence stamp, which was only issued on July 31.

The next item (Figure 10), meanwhile, shows a more typical use at the combined 7-pence rate. The postmark is the Dublin Spoon, of which eight were initially brought into use in late May 1855. The Spoons were the first duplex cancellations, normally with the town name and date forming a fat oval (thus, the spoon shape) at the left. However, in Dublin alone, there was no town name and the lefthand portion of the postmark was in the shape of a

One shilling was seen as a lot of money in 1841, although just 14 months earlier, before the Postal Revolution of 1840, it had been the norm to pay 1 shilling, 4 pence for a simple single letter to travel between Dublin and London.

Figure 6. The handwritten “registered” with the large 6 indicated cash was paid for the fee on this cover sent in March 1849 from Clonegal. The three 2-pence blues only satisfied the postage.

Figure 7. A registered cover in 1852 went from Camolin to Enniscorthy, both in County Wexford. The 2-pence postage and 6-pence registration fee were both paid via stamps.

diamond with the office number (186 for Dublin) in bars at the right. The Spoons were used until late 1857 but were only struck in bright green for a short period ending in early October 1855.

Arrangements in these years for overseas registration were complex, varying from country to country. Examples provide much scope for research of the various markings collected en route.

Shown (Figure 11) is a cover from November 1849 addressed to the president of the Irish College in Rome that has postage of 5 shillings, 10 pence in stamps, with the 6-pence registration fee paid in cash.

Registration was, in fact, only possible to Calais, and the remaining postage paid only took the item as far as the border between Lombardy-Venetia and Modena at Benedetto. The diagonal cross indicates “payment to destination,” but a charge of 198 baiocchi (Papal States) was seemingly levied on delivery in Rome to cover foreign registration fees and onward transmission to that city.

Registration to the Netherlands was somewhat simpler. A cover shown (Figure 12) shows a charge of 1 shilling, 2 pence in August 1856 and collected a London “registered crown” in transit. The charge represents 8-pence postage and 6-pence registration fee.

I was pleased to obtain the next item shown (Figure 13), sent in September 1857 and also showing the registered crown cancel, which was routed via Belgium and Germany to Trieste. The attraction was enhanced by usage from a small town (New Ross, County Wexford, shown with the 398 numeral cancellation). New Ross was a fairsized inland port at the time. The port not only carried on trade with Europe, but also provided a regular service for emigrants to the United States. Conditions on board these emigrant ships were crude, to say the least. A visit to the Dunbrody Museum moored on the town quay will tell you more.

Sent by the same route into Germany was the item to Vienna shown (Figure 14). This very busy cover from

Figure 8. A registered cover sent in April 1855 from Dublin to Edinburgh, with the postage (8 pence) and registration (6 pence) paid by two stamps.

Figure 9. An August 1855 registered cover from Armagh to Kilbirnie. This shows an early use of the 4-pence rose (Scott 22 on bluish paper; a white paper version, Scott 23, was issued in 1856), which had only been released the previous month.

Figure 10. A September 1855 cover from Dublin to London shows a duplex diamond Spoon cancel struck in green.

March 1857 with multiple postal markings was paid to its destination with 1 shilling, two pence (8-pence postage, 6-pence registration) and collected a fine selection of marks along its route. The use of stamps was still not obligatory. Note the crisscross mark to indicate “postage paid to destination,” as was the practice of the Austrian Post Office.

An envelope sent in January 1858 from Portadown to Canada (Figure 15) also attracted a charge of 1 shilling, 2 pence, which represents the 8-pence British packet rate to Boston and 6 pence for registration, the charge being paid by the 1-shilling stamp and 2-pence cash, a less common method of making payment. The number 241 at lower left would have been the local list number applied at Portadown.

Later uses of the 6-pence fee are shown in the next two items. One cover (Figure 16) shows a doubleweight use internally in 1861 from Tullow, County Carlow. Another cover (Figure 17) shows a use from Rathangan, County Kildare, to Wisconsin in the United States in July 1862. This was the last month of the general 6-pence fee, which was reduced on August 1 to 4 pence, but only for inland mail.

The stampless cover in Figure 18 is one of my favorites. It is one of those covers that one might ignore at first glance.

including the registered

cancel, was sent in September 3, 1857, from the small town of New Ross to Trieste. The cover was routed through Belgium and Germany.

Figure 11. A September 1849 cover from Derry to Rome is franked with five 1-shilling stamps (Scott 5) and a 10-pence stamp (Scott 6). The 6-pence registration fee was paid in cash, per the large manuscript in red at left.

Figure 12. An orange “registered” crown postmark serves notice that the 6-pence registration fee has been paid on this August 1856 cover from Belfast to Amsterdam.

Figure 13. This cover filled with postal markings,

crown

Figure 15. A January 1858 cover to Osprey, Canada (also noted as “west America” at bottom) of which 2 pence of the 6-pence registration fee was covered by the single 1-shilling stamp, an unusual payment. The destination, Osprey, was then a township in Grey County, in southwestern Ontario.

Figure 16. A doubleweight inland cover from 1861 sent 60 miles north from Tullow to Dublin is franked with two Penny Reds for postage and a 6-pence stamp for registration.

Posted in January 1862 in the village office of Killyleigh in County Down, the sender paid the somewhat unusual rate of 1 shilling, 8½ pence (1/8½). It is addressed to Alpha, a silver-lead mining settlement in Nevada, where the first find was made in 1850. The town peaked in the mid-1870s, but was abandoned by the late 1870s.

The routing was via Down(patrick) and Newry to Dublin and then London, where a bag was made up for California. One suspects that at this early date, it was unlikely to have contained more than a few dozen items. Whether or not registered mail got any special treatment beyond being put on the top of the pile is not known.

The cover made its way by ship to New York and was routed to St. Joseph, Missouri, where the overland mail started. Sadly, there are no U.S. transit marks. Delivery is likely to have taken around three weeks.

Buy why the rate of 1/8½ pence The U.S. east coast rate was 1 shilling. Another 2½ pence (5 cents in the U.S.) was added for the U.S. overland charge and a further 6 pence was paid for registration, thus adding up to 1 shilling, 8½ pence. Of course, there was

Figure 14. Another busy foreign cover was sent in March 1857 from Dublin to Vienna. The crossed X in the center was added in Austria indicating postage had been paid.

no half-penny stamp before 1870, so it was easier to pay the whole charge in cash.

Although it had been possible to register mail to the U.S. from May 1, 1856, as far as is known, this might be the sole surviving registered item from Ireland to the U.S. west coast prior to the Civil War.

The overseas registration fee remained at 6 pence until January 31, 1866.

Shown (Figure 19) is a pleasant 1864 example to the state of Illinois in the U.S. Charged at 1-shilling postage and 6 pence for registration, the stamps are canceled with two strikes of the “211” diamond duplex of Ennis. The number in the top cancellation is faint, but it’s there.

What is nice, at least to my eye, is the endorsement at top left, “registered at Lissycasey.” Unless they were money order offices, many postmarks in use at village offices were withdrawn in March 1860, not only in Ireland but also throughout the United Kingdom.

The amount of registered mail, even internal mail, from such offices would have been minimal. There is a hand annotation on the cover, which may just show in the scan. This indicates credit to the U.S. Post Office of 5 cents for internal postage, and 6 cents being one half of the registration fee. The British Post Office received the transatlantic fee as the item was car-

Figure 17. A July 1862 cover from Rathangan, County Kildare to Oshkosh, Wisconsin is franked with stamps to cover postage and the registration fee, which dropped the next month from 6 to 4 pence.

Figure 18. A January 1862 cover to the mining town of Alpha, Nevada, with the somewhat odd postage paid of 1 shilling, 8 ½ pence. The charges were 1 shilling for standard postage, 6 pence for the registration, and 2½ pence for the inland U.S. rate of 5 cents.

Figure 19. A cover sent in October 1864 to Illinois features two stamps, both struck with a duplex “211” cancellation from Lissycasey, County Clare. There is a very light handwritten annotation of “5” and “6” at lower left in red. This indicates the amount due to the U.S.: 5 cents for internal postage and one half of the registration fee of 6 cents.

ried on a British ship, per the red cancellation at top: Boston Br Pkt (British Packet).

Finally, our final cover (Figure 20) shows the proverbial “dog's dinner” (or for those of you not from the U.K., "a complete mess").

This August 1857 item came to me from a mixed auction lot and was suggested by the optimistic or misguided previous owner to have been sent at the soldiers’ rate of 1 penny, plus 6 pence for registration.

Stamps have in fact been lost both at the right side, which has been cut down, and also from the back. One glance at the back will tell you all is not well. In any case, an ensign (to whom this is addressed in Sydney) did not qualify for the 1 penny rate.

Yet, the cover does pose a question with which I leave you: Has anyone ever seen a proper registered cover sent at the soldiers’ rate? Let alone an Irish one? This canine repast also serves to provide evidence of the earliest use I have seen of Irish registered mail sent to Australia. The service was available by the Long Sea Route via the Cape of Good Hope from 1852, but only extended to items sent via Marseilles, which this is assumed to be, from January 1857. What a pity it is not whole!

Resources

Irish Philately, journal of the Irish Philatelic Circle. Mackey, James A. Registered Post of the British Isles (Dumfries, Scotland: Self-published, 1982). Moubray, Jane and Michael. Overseas rates: British Letter Mail to Overseas Destinations 1840 to UPU, second edition (London: Royal Philatelic Society London, 2017).

Post Office Archives, London (The Postal Museum).

The Revealer, journal of the Éire Philatelic Association.

“Summary of UK postage rates,” Great Britain Philatelic Society. https://www.gbps.org.uk/. Tabeart, Colin. United Kingdom Letter Rates, Inland and Overseas, 1635 to 1900 (Bradford: HH Sales, 2003).

The Author

Figure 20. The Dog’s Dinner, a potentially wonderful 1857 cover to Australia has been reduced by cutting down, losing at least one stamp.

Stan Challis has collected Ireland’s postal history for over 50 years. His interest began when in the late 1960s, almost by accident, he found himself being regularly given 20 or 30 envelopes with Irish stamps from a neighbouring business’s post. The stamps were repetitive but the postmarks, all in Irish, were more interesting and required translation.

Today, his main interest is British stamps and covers used in the 32 counties of Ireland, pre-partition in 1922, especially registered mail. He exhibits regularly for local societies in the U.K. and has written Irish Diamonds, the story of Ireland’s numeral postmarks used during the reign of Queen Victoria. He also served as editor of Irish Philately (2008-2020) and has penned numerous articles on a variety of Irish postal history topics for several journals.

He is a past president of the Irish Philatelic Circle, a signatory to the Roll of Distinguished Irish Philatelists, and a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London.

Ireland and the Sea

JOHN B. SHARKEY

IThas been said that Ireland sits in the North Atlantic like a deepgreen jewel, its coastline constantly shaped and reshaped by the surrounding waters. This is shown in one of Ireland’s first definitive stamps, which was issued in 1922 (Figure 1).

Ireland’s solitude helps to protect against invasions, but presents challenges and danger for those who have made their living on the sea. Being surrounded by the sea means Ireland’s weather is famously changeable.

And yet, the sea keeps the island lush. Even in winter, the landscape holds onto the green in its fields, mossy stone walls, rolling hills, and boglands.

As one would expect, an island with

"Keeling over," oil on canvas attributed to Richard Brydges Beechey (1808-1895), an Anglo-Irish painter and admiral in the Royal Navy.

Figure 1. The map of Ireland, shown on its first definitive stamp, issued December 6, 1922 (Scott 68).

Figure 2. The Celtic Cross design was used on the definitives of 1922-1923 and revived in 1940-1941 in booklets (Scott 111).

more than 3,000 miles of coastline, situated in one of the world’s largest and richest oceans, would have a strong sea-faring tradition. Ireland’s association with the sea has been commemorated by many different stamps, which show early maritime travelers, trading vessels, Irish mariners, maritime disasters, and fishing fleets, as well as lighthouses, lifeboats, and related services.

Though there is evidence of human habitation in Ireland stretching back 34,000 years, the tribe most associated with the island, the Celts, arrived from the European mainland between 600 and 300 B.C.E. Shown (Figure 2) is the Irish Celtic Cross on a 1967 cover postmarked in Dublin.

Irish monks were famed for longdistance ocean journeys – sometimes intentionally, sometimes drifting with currents. These voyages contributed to cultural assimilation and the spread of Christianity in the North Atlantic. St. Brendan of Clonfert, called “the Navigator” (c. 484-577 C.E.), is primarily known for his legendary voyage on the Atlantic with 16 monks to search for the Garden of Eden. In 1994, as part of the Europa series celebrating discoveries, Ireland issued two stamps in a joint issue with the Faroe Islands and Iceland, where St. Brendan is said to have made voyages of discovery (Figure 3).

Ireland was inhabited back to prehistoric days, but settlement picked up in the 10th century when Vikings began colonizing in the area where today’s Dublin exists. Despite ongoing conflict with the native Irish, the area remained at least partially under Viking rule until the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland was launched from Wales in 1169.

Dublin celebrated its official millennium in 1988, meaning the Irish government recognized 988 as the year the city was settled. Shown (Figure 4) is a first day cover celebrating the millennium with a cachet that depicts a Viking ship approaching early Dublin, and a 28-pence stamp showing an assemblage of buildings from various periods of Dublin’s history.

Ireland’s association with the sea has been commemorated by many different stamps, which show early maritime travelers, trading vessels, Irish mariners, maritime disasters, and fishing fleet, as well as lighthouses, lifeboats, and related services.

Figure 3. A first day cover features Irish stamps issued for the Europa 1994 theme, Great Discoveries (Scott 923-924). They show St. Brendan and his crew of fellow monks approaching an "island of fire" (Iceland) in a coracle, and landing on an "island of sheep" (one of the Faroe Islands).

Figure 4. The 1988 Dublin Millennium stamp (Scott 708) with a cachet of a Viking ship.

Figure 5. This 46-pence stamp (Scott 728) issued in 1988 for the 400th anniversary of the Spanish Armada, shows the Duquesa Santa Ana off the coast of County Donegal, where she was wrecked near Rosbeg in September 1588.

Figure 6. The 32-pence Mari cog stamp (Scott 858) of 1992.

Ireland’s An Post, formerly the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, issued two more stamps related to the Vikings, both in 2007. A 55-cent stamp shows a stylized illustration of Skuldelev 2, an oak warship built in Dublin around 1042 and recovered from a waterway in Denmark in 1962; a 3-euro souvenir sheet shows a painting of what Skuldelev 2 might have looked like under sail. The stamps commemorate a replica of the ship, named Havhingsten fra Glendalough (“The Sea Stallion from Glendalough”), and the replica's journey from Denmark to Dublin in 2007.

The Spanish Armada also was a maritime visitor to Ireland, although not by choice. In September 1588, part of a 130-strong fleet sent by Philip II to invade England instead made landfall on the Irish coast.

Following its defeat at the naval battle of Gravelines, the Armada was attempted to return home through the North Atlantic when it was driven off course by violent storms, toward the west coast of Ireland. As many as 24 ships of the Armada wrecked on the rocky coastline, from Antrim to Kerry. Some of the sailors who survived the wrecks fled to Scotland, while others were captured and executed; an estimated 6,000 Spanish lives were lost. A 46-pence stamp was issued in 1988 for the 400th anniversary of the wreck of the Armada. It shows the carrack Duquesa Santa Ana off the coast of County Donegal, where she was wrecked near Rosbeg in September 1588 (Figure 5).

Sirius or Savannah?

Trading Vessels

Ireland has been involved in maritime trading for over a millenium, and sailing ships were their form of transportation since medieval times. One of these ships was the Mari cog, a type of trading vessel common in Waterford and Cork during the 13th and 14th centuries. The ship is shown on the

The SS Savannah is officially recognized by some as the first steamship to cross the Atlantic, undercutting the claim of the SS Sirius by a full 19 years. However, the American Savannah was a hybrid sailing ship/sidewheel steamer and made most of the trip under sailing power. Similarly, the Dutch Curaçao crossed the Atlantic in 1827 with partial steam power, and the Canadian SS Royal William made the journey in 1833 almost entirely with steam power alone.

Meanwhile, Sirius and the SS Great Western, both sidewheel steamships using only steam power, raced to New York in 1838; Sirius finished the trip one day sooner than Great Western

Figure 7. Two stamps on a cover show the 30-pence Polly Woodside stamp (Scott 1169) and the 35-pence Ilen (Scott 1170) of 1999.

Figure 8. A 1982 first day cover for a set of four Irish Boats stamps shows the Asgard II on the 26-pence stamp (Scott 531).

Figure 9. The 19th-century paddle steamer Severn on a 1986 stamp (Scott 665) honors the 150th anniversary of the British and Irish Steam Packet Company (B&I).

32-pence stamp in 1992 celebrating Irish maritime heritage (Figure 6).

Several other trading vessels are part of a four-stamp Maritime Heritage set issued in 1999 (Figure 7).

The Polly Woodside, a three-masted, iron-hulled barque built in Belfast in 1885, was intended for deep water trade around the world. She was restored to her original glory and today is a floating museum on the Yarra River in Melbourne, Australia. She is shown on the 30-pence stamp.

Like the Polly Woodside, the Ilen today serves as a floating exhibit moored at the Hunt Museum, Custom House, Limerick. Her working life, however, was spent in the rugged seas of the Falkland Islands, where she circumnavigated the globe south of the capes. This 56-foot long wooden ketch designed in 1926 is shown on the 35-pence stamp.

The Asgard II, shown on the 26-pence stamp on a 1982 first day cover (Figure 8) celebrating Irish boats, was the Irish national sail-training vessel until she sank in 2008 in the Bay of Biscay. She was named after the Asgard, a yacht that smuggled weapons for the Irish Volunteers in 1914.

As the age of sailing vessels came to a close, steamships became common for trading and other purposes.

The 150th anniversary of the founding of the British and Irish Steam Packet Company (B&I) was celebrated on a 1986 stamp (Figure 9) that shows a hybrid sail and steam ship. It operated passenger and livestock services between Ireland and Great Britain.

The B&I introduced a “Motorway” service in 1968 using new car ferries like the MV Leinster to revolutionize vehicle transport between Liverpool and Dublin (Figure 10).

A 24-pence stamp issued in 1988 celebrates a transatlantic crossing by the 178-foot long wooden-hulled sidewheel steamship SS Sirius (Figure 11). In 1838, the Sirius became the first steamship to cross the Atlantic, making the journey in just 18 days and four hours, less than half the usual 40-day

sail of a sailing packet. She was wrecked in 1847 when she struck rocks in a dense fog in Ballycotton Bay, County Cork.

Irish Mariners

William Brown (1777-1857) was an Irish-born Argentine admiral with victories in the Independence War and the Cisplatine War (Figure 12). The creator and first admiral of the country’s maritime forces, he is commonly known as the “Founder of the Argentine Navy.” Brown is shown on a pair of Irish stamps commemorating the centenary of his death.

John Barry (1745-1803) was born in Tacumshane, County Wexford, and became an officer in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. After the war, he continued to serve in the U.S. Navy (Figure 13) and is credited as “The Father of the American Navy.” Shown on this postcard are two stamps issued in 1956 commemorating the unveiling of a monument to Barry in County Wexford.

Richard Roberts (1803-1841) was an Irish sea captain (Figure 14). He entered the Royal Navy in his youth and served until he gained the rank of lieutenant and was given command of the Sirius. Roberts was at the helm in April 1838 when the Sirius became the first steamship to travel

Figure 10. A cover posted at sea shows the maiden voyage of the MV Leinster on June 1, 1969.

Figure 11. The first steamship to cross the Atlantic, the Sirius, is shown on this 1988 stamp (Scott 716) celebrating the 150th anniversary of the crossing.

Figure 12. A pair of 1957 stamps (Scott 161-162) commemorate Argentine Admiral William Brown.

in a 2003 four-stamp set. The stamps were sold as both gummed and self-stick, the latter of which were denominated at 48 cents (Scott 1509 shown). The gummed Roberts stamp (Scott 1505), as well as one depicting Captain Robert Halpin, were denominated 57 cents.

across the Atlantic to America. Shortly afterward, he was transferred to the SS  President which was lost at sea in March 1841. Roberts is presumed to have gone down with the ship.

Maritime Disasters

All ships, including those of the military, are vulnerable to problems from weather conditions, faulty design, or human error. Some of the disasters occurred during periods of conflict.

The Great Famine of 1845 to 1849 caused more than 1½ million people to leave Ireland. Many were carried in worn-out ships, known as “coffin ships,” used for transporting lumber from Canada and the United States. Conditions were often hazardous, with large loss of life; as the name implies, it was akin to traveling in a coffin. A joint Ireland and U.S. first day cover (Figure 15) commemorates emigration and immigration.

The White Star Line’s RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Titanic was the most luxurious liner of the day and advertised as “unsinkable” (Figure 16). The ship met her end on her maiden voyage in 1912 with a loss of 1,500 people. An Post issued a four-stamp set commemorating the centenary of her sinking. The last stop the Titanic made before crossing the Atlantic was Queenstown, Ireland (now called Cobh). She departed from there on

Figure 13. A pair of 1956 stamps on this first day cover honor Commodore John Barry (Scott 155-156).

Figure 14. Richard Roberts was among four mariners honored

Figure 15. Irish immigration to the U.S. (emigration from Ireland) is recognized with a joint issue between the countries (Ireland Scott 1168; U.S. Scott 3286). The stamps were released in both countries on February 26, 1999.

Figure 16. Stamps commemorating the RMS Titanic were issued April 12, 2012, on the centenary of the ship’s sinking (Scott 1957-1960). Shown are Thomas Andrews; Father Browne, who disembarked before the fatal sail; Captain Edward Smith; and Molly Brown, who survived the sinking.

April 11, 1912, after taking on passengers and mail.

World War I saw the loss of the liner Lusitania, of the Cunard Line, torpedoed in 1915 by a German U-boat off the Irish coast. A total of 1,198 passengers and crew were lost. Although denied at the time, the Lusitania was carrying munitions. The sinking was one of the reasons the United States entered WWI. The ship was commemorated with a postcard at the 2015 Royal Dublin Society stamp show (Figure 17).

The RMS Leinster led a routine life shuttling between Dún Laoghaire and Holyhead for the City of Dublin Steam Packet Line. On May 30, 1918, a German U-boat torpedoed it 10 miles from Dublin. The ship carried 771 crew and passengers, including 22 mail workers, of which only one survived. The loss of life – currently set at 564 or 565, depending upon sources – was the largest ever recorded in the Irish Sea. An Post issued a stamp to commemorate the Leinster in 2008 and another in 2018 to mark the centenary of the war tragedy (Figure 18).

Lifeboats and Related Services

When a ship is in trouble, ocean-capable lifeboats are often the first on the scene. Lifeboat crews, mainly unpaid, risk life and limb, night and day, in all weather, to rescue stricken sailors and travelers.

Founded in 1824, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) represents the noblest aspect of sea-faring. In 1974, the

from An

2237-2238).

Figure 17. A 2015 recreation postcard shows RMS Lusitania, of the Cunard line.

Figure 18. A commemorative marked the 2018 centenary of the wartime sinking of the RMS Leinster (Scott 2153).

Figure 19. A cover commemorates the 150th anniversary of the founding of the RNLI. The stamp (Scott 338) features the crew of the Daunt Island lightship and the doomed Mary Stanford in one of the most famous Irish rescues.

Figure 20. Two stamps

Post in 2019 celebrated the Irish Coast Guard (Scott

Irish Post Office issued a special postage stamp to mark the 150th anniversary of the creation of the RNLI (Figure 19).

On March 7, 2019, An Post issued two stamps (Figure 20) to recognize the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG), which has been in service since the 1850s. One of the stamps is based on a painting by the late Catríona Lucas, a volunteer with the Doolin Unit of the IRCG. Lucas died while on a rescue mission on September 12, 2016. The stamps are a tribute to both her and the crew of an IRCG helicopter that was lost in March 2017.

Another vital protection of Ireland’s waterways is the Irish Naval Service. Created as part of the country’s Permanent Defense Forces in 1946, it patrols one of Europe’s largest maritime zones. It has five main missions: national security, fishery protection, maritime safety, environmental protection, and drug interdiction. A set of stamps was issued in 1996 for the 50th anniversary of the service (Figure 21).

The Fishing Fleet

The green and fertile fields of Ireland always have provided an abundance of land-produced food in relation to the population. However, as the population rose sharply in the 18th century, Irishmen turned to Ireland’s inland and coastal waters for an additional source of food.

Lighthouses have contributed greatly to minimizing the risk to shipping by clearly marking dangerous reefs and shallows, whatever the conditions.

The Irish Lighthouse Service, which dates to an Act of George III in 1786, became the Commissioners of Irish Lights in 1867. It is the body that serves as the General Lighthouse Authority for Ireland, plus its adjacent seas and islands.

The importance of lighthouses in Ireland’s relation with the sea has been recognized by An Post several times. The Kish lighthouse (opened in 1965) on the 24-pence stamp, and the Fastnet lighthouse (1854) on the 30-pence were

Despite Ireland’s late entry into fishing as an industry, today there are more than 900 points on the coast where fish are landed for commercial sale by 1,600 registered engine craft and about 1,000 others.

One of the earliest fishing boats was the currach, a skin- or cloth-covered wicker boat, used for fishing off the west coast of Ireland. The currach is shown on the left-hand 22-pence stamp on the cover in Figure 8, from the Irish boats set issued in 1982. The second 22-pence stamp on the cover features the Galway hooker, a wooden built boat with a large gaffed mainsail and two headsails. The hookers, built during the 19th century, were used for fishing off Ireland’s west coast. The cover’s cachet shows a golden model boat of Irish origin, circa first century C.E.

In 1991, An Post issued a prestige stamp booklet describing Ireland’s maritime fishing fleet (Figure 22). There are many fishing methods used by Irish fisherman and these, by necessity, dictate the design of the fishing vessels.

Lighthouses

Lighthouses evoke a colorful but dangerous world, where the glamor of luxury cruises and the pragmatism of trade are never far removed from the threat of shipwreck.

Figure 21. The Irish Naval Service stamps (Scott 1019-1021) of 1996 depict a Coast Guard ship (32-pence), a corvette (44-pence), and a torpedo boat (52-pence).

Figure 22. A prestige booklet from 1991 honors the modern Irish fishing fleet (Scott 844-847). Shown are a boatyard (28-pence), inshore trawlers (32-pence), a lobster boat (44-pence), and a fish factory ship (52-pence).

commemorated in 1986 in celebration of the Commissioners of Irish Lights (Figure 23).

In 1997, An Post issued four stamps and a booklet celebrating Irish lighthouses. Shown on a booklet page (Figure 24) are the Tarbet Lighthouse (1834), the Bally (1814), the Hook Head (dating back to 1172), and the Fastnet (1854).

So ends a brief history of Ireland’s relationship with the sea. It is not a complete history because I have not covered all of the areas that have appeared on Irish stamps. Additional Irish stamps showing marine wildlife, marine conservation and environmental issues, and coastal landscapes have been issued and would make an interesting follow-up article.

Resources

AnPost. www.anpost.com.

Boylan, Henry. A Dictionary of Irish Biography, third edition (Roberts Rinehart Publishers, 1998).

Brady, Karl, Charise McKeon, James Lyttleton, and Ian Lawler. Warships, U-Boats & Liners: A Guide to Shipwrecks Mapped in Irish Waters (Dublin: History Ireland, Department of the Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, 2012).

“Irish Coast Guard,” Mekeel’s & Stamps Magazine (April 26, 2019).

The Author

John Sharkey is emeritus professor of chemistry and a fellow of the American Chemical Society. A lifelong collector of stamps and a member of the APS since 1980, he collects stamps and covers related to Ireland, and chemistry on stamps. He is past president of the Chemistry and Physics on Stamps APS Affiliate 123 and secretary emeritus of the Éire Philatelic Association APS Affiliate 21. He also serves as archivist for the Historic Preservation Committee for the town of Mountainside, New Jersey. This is his second contribution to The American Philatelist, following his “Science and Technology on Irish Stamps” article that appeared in the July 2015 issue.

Figure 23. The Kish lighthouse, shown with a helicopter, is located in the Irish Sea (Scott 667). The 177-foot tall Fastnet lighthouse (Scott 668) went into service in January 1854 and is situated on the isolated Fastnet Rock in the Atlantic Ocean. The stamps honored the Commissioners of Irish Lights.

Figure 24. In 1997, An Post issued four stamps and a booklet celebrating Irish lighthouses (Scott 1072-1074). Shown on a booklet page are the Tarbet Lighthouse (1834), the Baily (1814), the Hook Head (dating back to 1172), and the Fastnet (1854).

Ihave been collecting, exhibiting, and writing about Irish material for over 40 years; during that time, I have discovered that sometimes philately and history can be found together in the humblest of places. In this particular case, I found them in two shoe boxes filled with postcards from an Irish Jesuit priest to his sister.

I will begin with the history. A few years ago, I acquired said collection of postcards from David MacDonnell in Ireland. The boxes contained 60 years of correspondence between a Jesuit priest, Father Matthias Bodkin, S.J., and his older sister, Emma.

Matthias McDonnell Bodkin (“Mattie” to his sister) was born in Ireland on June 26, 1896, the youngest of six children. His secondary education was accomplished at the Jesuit boys’ school of Clongowes Wood College near Naas, County Kildare, from 1910 to 1914 (Figure 1). The school, opened on May 18, 1814, features

60 Years of YieldsCorrespondenceFamily Irish Rarities

ROBERT BENNINGHOFF

The address, stamp, and postmark – note the use of the British half–penny stamp.

Figure 1. An Easter greeting postcard sent to Emma from Father Bodkin in April 1913, while he was a student at Clongowes Wood College.

prominently in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by Clongowes Wood alumnus James Joyce.

Bodkin entered the novitiate at St. Stanislaus Collage in 1914 and received degrees in history (University College Dublin) and philosophy (Milltown Park) before returning to teach at Clongowes Wood College in 1926. He was ordained a priest in 1931, and took his final vows to become a permanent member of the Jesuits at the college in 1934 (Figure 2). During his life, he wrote many articles and books on religious subjects, as well as adventure stories for boys.

In 1943, Bodkin became a chaplain in the British Royal Navy, serving as base chaplain in Londonderry (currently Derry), Northern Ireland, as well as on several destroyers patrolling off the coast of Iceland. He joined the HMS Anson in 1945, and saw duty in Malta, Australia, and Hong Kong. In December 1945, he wrote to Emma about his impressions of the atomic bombing of Japan while the Anson was stationed there on post-war duties (Figure 3).

The earliest correspondence that I have between Bodkin and his sister Emma is the 1913 Easter greeting postcard in Figure 1; their correspondence continued until at least 1970 (Figure 4). Emma appears to have saved most of the postcards, which now fill two shoe boxes. Though he had struggled with his eyesight since his return from the war, Bodkin’s sight began to fail in earnest in the 1960s; his postcards show a distinct change in handwriting over the decade. This possibly explains why a June 1970 card is the last from Bodkin to Emma found in the collection. Bodkin passed away in November of 1973, at the age of 77.

Figure 2. A postcard sent by a fellow Jesuit priest, postmarked at Naas on April 14, 1938. The front of the card shows Clongowes Wood College in the 1930s.

Figure 3. Censored postcard sent by Bodkin from HMS Anson, discussing his views of atomic warfare while the ship was stationed in Japan in December 1945.

Figure 4. Postcard from Bodkin to Emma dated June 18, 1970, welcoming her home from her vacation. Emma regularly vacationed in Austria and Germany for over 50 years. The card shows Bodkin’s altered handwriting due to failing eyesight.

Sometimes philately and history can be found together in the humblest of places.

Most of the postcards sent to Emma had a religious or art theme. Bodkin’s older brother, Thomas Bodkin (1887-1961), was a lawyer, avid art collector, and the director of the Irish National Gallery in Dublin from 1927 to 1935 (Figure 5). This may explain the family interest in art and the art themes on postcards to Emma spanning 60 years (Figure 6). I found more than a dozen postcards to Emma from her brother Thomas in the collection, again with an art theme.

While a fascinating study in personal history, you may be wondering what these postcards can add to the world of philately – only the postal use of one of the rarest Irish stamps ever issued!

Included in the Bodkin collection were three postcards bearing the 1935 “Map of Ireland” 2-pence vertical coil (Scott 68b, SG 74b). Currently, only four examples are known of this coil stamp on cover or postcard (Figure 7), and two are in my collection.

Ireland’s Department of Posts and Telegraphs began experimenting with the use of continuous rolled coil stamps in 1933 (Figure 8) to replace the coil stamps made from pasting sheet stamps together. The last stamp produced in the series was a 2-pence vertical coil. Initially pegged to a 1934 issue (Figure 9), philatelic scholar Joseph Foley discovered the warrant for the 2-pence vertical coil was issued in 1935 (Figure 10). Only 10 to 15 rolls of this stamp were produced, fewer than 300 used copies are known, and fewer than 30 mint copies have survived (Figure 11).

It would appear that Clongowes Wood College was one of eight organizations that received the 2-pence vertical coil rolls in 1936. Two postcards (one is in my collection) with

Figure 6. The front of the postcard in Figure 12, showing a religious theme from a painting in the National Gallery of Ireland, where Thomas Bodkin was the director from 1927 to 1935.

Figure 5. Biography of Thomas Bodkin listed in Clongownians of Distinction, published by Clongowes Wood College. Thomas was the older brother of Emma and Father Bodkin, and was the eighth director of the National Gallery of Ireland.

the 2-pence vertical coil were mailed to Emma from Bodkin in June 1936 while she was on vacation to Austria, and a third one was mailed to her home in Dublin in November 1936. All three postcards were canceled with a Naas postmark; in one of his messages, Bodkin reminds Emma that she should address her replies to Naas for speediest delivery (Figure 12). It is interesting to note that 2 pence paid the letter rate and 1 ½ pence paid the foreign postcard rate from Ireland in 1935. The postcard to Austria shown in Figure 7 was overpaid by a halfpenny, and we are fortunate that the college did not have any 1 ½-pence coil stamps or there might not be any 2-pence vertical coils on postcard.

Figure 7. Postcard written to Emma (who was vacationing in Austria) in June 1936, using Scott 68b to pay the postage. This is one of four known examples surviving on cover or postcard.

Figure 8. Examples of the continuous rolled coil stamps produced for the Department of Posts and Telegraphs in the 1930s. These are commonly known as the experimental coil stamps.

Figure 9. A clipping from the March 1937 The Stamp Lover, mentioning the first documented discovery of SG 74b (Scott 68b) by Michael Leonard of Sligo, Ireland. Above, Leonard’s discovery copy of the 2-pence vertical coil stamp discussed in the March 1937 magazine article.

Clongowes Wood College had coil dispensing machines for both 1-pence and 2-pence stamps, with 2 pence paying the letter rate within Ireland as well as to Great Britain and the United States (I often wonder if there is a cover somewhere in the U.S. with a 2-pence vertical coil stamp from the college). The 1-pence coil stamps, which paid the Irish postcard rate, were also dispensed vertically and were imperforate on two sides (Figure 13). In November 1936, Father Bodkin again used a 2-pence vertical coil stamp on a card to Emma, possibly because the college ran out of the 1-pence coil stamps (Figure 14).

I had the honor and privilege of visiting Clongowes Wood College during a trip to Ireland in May 2016. I was greeted by Margaret Doyle, who formerly taught at the college and is

A close-up of the note about addressing to Naas.

Figure 10. Letter from the Irish Revenue Commissioners dated July 1956 to the Irish Post and Telegraph Department confirming the production and distribution of the 2-pence vertical coil stamp in 1935.

Figure 11. One of the mint copies of Scott 68b/SG 74b. Fewer than 30 mint copies are known to have survived.

Figure 12. Postcard to Emma from Bodkin discussing family matters upon the death of their father in June 1933, including a memorial service at Clongowes Wood College. The message shows the connection between the college and the main post office in Naas, as Bodkin asks Emma to address cards to Naas rather than the town of Sallins, where the college is located.

Figure 13. The 1-penny vertical coil (Scott 87, SG 71c) was issued 1934 and paid the Irish domestic postcard rate in 1936. The stamp is imperforate on the left and right sides, similar to the 2-pence vertical coil.

Irish Philatelic Organizations & Events

By Robert Benninghoff

There are three principal Irish philatelic organizations, each with their own publication and website. Each society also has a member-only auction tied to each publication issue.

Éire Philatelic Association (ÉPA)

North America’s premier Irish philatelic association, ÉPA publishes The Revealer four times a year. The Revealer has over 20 pages of articles and news about philately in Ireland and Irish philately in North America, edited by Steven Friedenthal.

Website: www.epaphilatelicassoc.org

Contact: careystea@gmail.com (Tim Carey, membership information), eparevealer@gmail.com (Steven Friedenthal, editor)

Irish Philatelic Circle (IPC)

IPC, which primarily serves members in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, publishes Irish Philately three times a year. Irish Philately has over 30 pages per issue covering all aspects of philately in Ireland, edited by Robert Benninghoff.

Website: www.irishphil.com

Contact: irishphilateliccircle@gmail.com (Chris McDonagh, membership information), robertmb.editor@gmail.com (Robert Benninghoff, editor)

Forschungs- und Arbeitsgemeinschaft Irland (FAI)

now the college archivist and historian. We spent several hours searching the school records for information about Bodkin, and found several of his books in the college library, along with his obituary in the school’s quarterly journal, The Clongownian. Bodkin’s brother, Thomas, is honored with a plaque on the college Wall of Fame; I was told that Father Bodkin refused the honor because of his religious devotion to humility.

My visit ended with lunch with several retired Jesuits, one of whom, Father Bernard McGuckian, S.J., stayed at my home during his visit to the United States later that year. It was during his visit that we discovered how many connections we shared: my family had vacationed in a cottage in Ireland that was part of his family’s estate, one of my classmates from TCD was now a Jesuit and a colleague at Clongowes Wood, and, astonishingly, Father McGuckian was a celebrant in the funeral Mass for Father Bodkin in November 1973.

FAI (German Research and Study Group on Irish Philately and Postal History) publishes Die Harfe three times a year in both German and English. Die Harfe has between 60 and 100 pages covering all aspects of the hobby in Ireland and Germany, edited by Hans-Jurgen Goebelbecker. Website: fai-germany.com

Contact: w.w.fielder@web.de (Wolfgang Fiedler, membership information), haju@goebelbecker.eu (Hans-Jurgen Goebelbecker, editor)

Philatelic Society of Ireland (PSOI)

In addition to the three international societies, collectors of Ireland and Irish collectors may be interested in PSOI, a recent merger of two older societies (Irish Philatelic Society and Dublin Stamp Society). PSOI runs regular in-person meetings in Dublin and provides topical updates on their website.

Website: www.psoi.ie

Contact: philatelicsocietyofireland@gmail.com (Chris McDonagh, membership information)

STAMPA

STAMPA, the Irish national stamp exhibition, has been held annually since 1972. The three-day show, held at Griffith College in Dublin, brings visitors and exhibitors from around the world. STAMPA 2026 will be from September 10-12.

Website: www.stampa.ie

Contact: info@stampa.ie (Show committee)

My family has continued correspondence with Father McGuckian over the years, and he recently sent us a postcard with an aerial view of the college (Figure 15). Last June, Father McGuckian helped my wife and I celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary in Limerick, Ireland.

References

Bugg, Peter E. The First 55 Years of Irish Coils (United States: Éire Philatelic Association, 1996).

Foley, Joseph E. The Rare Coil (United States: Joseph E. Foley, 1995).

Hamilton-Bowen, Roy and Lee R. Wolverton. Hibernian Handbook and Specialised Catalogue of the Postage Stamps of Ireland 1922-2019 (Germany: Rodgua Philatelie, 2020).

Jesuits Ireland. “Fr Matthias Bodkin, SJ,” Irish Jesuits Archive. Published 2020. Accessed March 8, 2026. https://jesuitarchives.ie/papers-of-fr-matthias-bodkinsj-1896-1973

The Author

Figure 14. Postcard from Bodkin to Emma postmarked November 25, 1936, using a 2-pence vertical coil stamp, possibly because the college ran out of the 1-pence stamps typically used to pay the Irish postcard rate. This is the only known card with a 2-pence vertical coil stamp used in November 1936, and one of only three known postcards with the stamp.

Robert Benninghoff is the president of the Éire Philatelic Association, Vice President of the Irish Philatelic Circle, and editor of the Circle’s journal, Irish Philately. He is also a founding member of the Irish Brigade, a group of Irish, American, and British exhibitors that participate in many WSP shows each year. He has several large gold-winning exhibits on Irish history that are shown internationally.

Robert moved to Ireland on his twelfth birthday, in 1965. He attended six years of secondary school at Villiers School in Limerick, followed by four years of university at Trinity College Dublin. His collecting interests are influenced by his Irish education and keen interest in Irish history and literature.

Robert recently retired after 47 years in the family business; he resides in Maple Shade, New Jersey, with his wife of 51 years, Jean, whom he met at Trinity College. They have three daughters and six grandchildren, including philatelic exhibitors and writers Laurelei and Tabitha Fox.

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

Figure 15. A recent postcard from Father McGuckian, a fellow Jesuit and celebrant at Bodkin’s funeral, showing an aerial view of Clongowes Wood College.

Germany in the World Cup

The official 1938 World Cup poster designed by French artist Henri Desmé. The poster's Art Deco style echoes political propaganda of the era.

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. From June 11 through July 19, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This is the world championship for soccer (a.k.a. football) held every four years by FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Association Football Federation). More than 200 national federations competed in the most recent qualifying rounds.

In this article, we’ll be taking a philatelic look at the World Cup history of one specific country, Germany.

Rising from an inauspicious start, Germany has become one of the world leaders in soccer, with four World Cup championships (1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014). Germany has played in the most finals, with eight appearances, and has hosted the tournament twice, in 1974 and 2006.

Beginnings

The German Football Association (Deutscher Fußball-Bund, or DFB) was formed January 28, 1900 (Figure 1), in Leipzig. The DFB organized competitions in Germany, set basic rules for associated clubs and players, and fielded the first German national team in 1908.

Four years after the DFB was founded, in 1904, FIFA was formed in Paris on May 21 to organize international competitions in the sport (Figure 2). While the DFB was not present at this meeting, they joined by telegram that same day as a charter member. The first worldwide competition FIFA organized was at the 1924 Olympics.

First World Cups: 1930-1950

In 1930, Jules Rimet, president of FIFA, organized the first World Cup. Uruguay was chosen as host for three reasons. First, Uruguay was the two-time defending Olympic champion. Second, 1930 was Uruguay’s 100th anniversary of independence. Finally, Uruguay was willing to host the tournament. Due to the Great Depression and the difficulty of travel, many European teams, including Germany, did not attend, though the United States did, finishing third.

In 1934, the tournament moved to Italy, where Germany finished third, with a 3-2 win over Austria, its first success.

France held the World Cup in 1938, the last World Cup staged before the outbreak of World War II; Germany was expected to do well in the competition. Before the competition in June, on March 12, Nazi Germany forcefully annexed Austria (known as the Anschluss, or joining) and decided to field a combined team. On paper, it was a strong team, given Austria’s fourth place finish in 1934. In reality, the teams played very different styles that did not mesh, and Germany was knocked out in the first round. This was Germany’s last appearance until 1954, as the World Cup

Note: All translations from German to English are the author’s.

Figure 1. A stamp celebrating the 100th anniversary of the DFB, issued in 2000 (Scott 2063). It is overprinted “Muster” (“Specimen”), and is Germany’s first round stamp.

Figure 2. A first day cover honors the 100th anniversary of FIFA (Scott B935). The semipostal surcharge funded the Deutsche Sporthilfe (German Aid for Sports).

Figure 3. A 50th anniversary of the 1954 Miracle of Bern stamp (Scott B934) and cover from 2004 shows Max Morlock’s first goal in the final, with a cancel showing the goal from a different angle.

was not held in 1942 or 1946 due to World War II and both East and West Germany were banned in 1950.

The tournament has grown over its lifetime. The 1930 World Cup was by invitation only, with 13 nations fielding teams. Thereafter, qualifying matches have been held to involve 54 nations by 1952 and a record high 211 in 2022. The final field also has grown from 16 teams from 1934 through 1978, to 24 in 1982 through 1994, 32 in 1998 through 2022, and 48 this year.

1954: The Miracle of Bern

In the decade following World War II, a divided Germany, with cities still in ruins, was rebuilding. The Marshall Plan and “Economic Miracle” (Wirtschaftswunder) of the early 1950s brought economic recovery, but the nation’s psyche was sorely damaged by the war and the horrors of Nazism. From 1954 to 1990, Germany was represented in the World Cup by the Federal Republic of Germany, the democracy commonly known as West Germany. East Germany, the German Democratic Republic, was under communist rule, heavily influenced by the Soviet Union, and appeared just once in the World Cup (1974) before reunification.

While West Germany qualified for the World Cup in Switzerland, there were few expectations of success. Indeed, West Germany lost 8-3 to Hungary (the tournament favorite) in the group stage, but managed to qualify for the quarterfinals via a playoff with Turkey. Both Hungary and West Germany won their quarterfinal and semifinal matches, setting up a return match for the title in Bern on July 4, 1954.

was “the moment the Federal Republic of Germany was really born.” I gave a more detailed look at this event in the December 2022 issue of The American Philatelist.

1958 and 1962

In 1958, West Germany automatically qualified for the World Cup in Sweden as champion. But this was Pelé’s year. West Germany lost to the host, Sweden, in the semifinals, with only three of the 1954 heroes playing, but 17-year-old Pelé (Edson Arantes do Nascimento of Brazil) stole the show with two goals in the final as Brazil won, 5-2.

In 1962, the World Cup returned to the Americas, to Chile. While played during the European summer break, it

The result was the German equivalent of the United States’ 1980 Olympic hockey “Miracle on Ice” championship, as West Germany came from 2-0 down after only 8 minutes of play to win the title for the first time. Max Morlock scored in the 10th minute (Figure 3) followed by two goals by Helmut Rahn, with the third and winning goal coming in the 84th minute.

The win lifted Germany’s spirits, and as German historian Joachim Fest said in a Deutsche Welle article in 2020, this

Figure 4. Two postcards show the official FIFA posters for the 1958 World Cup in Sweden (left) and the 1962 World Cup in Chile, put out by the Deutsche Bundespost as part of the 2006 World Cup celebration.

Figure 5. A postcard with a special cancel showing the Rimet Trophy recognizes the 1966 West German team (including Uwe Seeler, far right) as Vizeweltmeister, or vice world champions. Low-value stamps (here, 1 pfennig) were allowed to obtain special cancels without meeting a specific postal rate.

was actually winter in Chile. West Germany was knocked out in the quarterfinals, 1-0, by Yugoslavia. Brazil won its second consecutive World Cup, 3-1 over Czechoslovakia (Figure 4).

1966: The Goal That Was … or Wasn’t

England, the birthplace of soccer, was host in 1966, which would lead to one of the most legendary and controversial finals in World Cup history.

Captain Uwe Seeler, known at home as “Our Uwe,” led the West Germans into the final. The legendary “Kaiser” –Franz Beckenbauer – made his World Cup debut. England was led by their captain, Bobby Moore.

Both teams came into the final undefeated, having drawn one game each in the group stage. The scene was set for the final on July 30 in Wembley Stadium. West Germany took a quick lead, but England struck back, first tying the match and then going ahead in the 78th minute. However, a last minute goal by West German defender Wolfgang Weber sent the match into overtime.

Then came the crucial 101st minute.

A cross from Alan Ball fell to the feet of Geoff Hurst. A sharply struck shot from Hurst hit the crossbar and went straight down. Goal or no goal? The entire ball must completely cross the goal line – between the goalposts and under the crossbar – for a goal to be awarded in soccer. After discussion with the linesman, the goal was given. West Germany and its fans were crushed! England celebrated.

The Hurst goal is still debated 60 years later (if you want to judge for yourself, check out the goal on YouTube at aps.buzz/Hurst). Many studies have been done, using footage of the time, and the results are inconclusive. The goal stood. Hurst then scored his third goal of the match in the waning seconds (there was no sudden death as in U.S. sports), and the 4-2 victory made England a champion for the first time. West Germany settled for runners-up medals (Figure 5).

1970: Mexico

The first World Cup in North America was hosted by Mexico. West Germany – led by Gerd Müller, who scored 10 goals in the tournament –breezed through its qualifying group. West Germany gained its revenge versus England in the quarterfinals, winning 3-2 in overtime.

The semifinal against Italy was dubbed the “Game of the Century.” A late goal in regulation by West Ger-

many’s Schnellinger (his only career international goal) tied the match at 1-1 and sent it into overtime. Although Müller would score the first goal in overtime, it was not sudden death. Italy tied it and went ahead, while a second Müller goal would re-tie the game at 3-3. Rivera’s winning goal for Italy in the 111th minute sent West Germany to the third place match, while Italy lost to Brazil in the final, giving Brazil its third World Cup and permanent possession of the Rimet trophy. West Germany defeated Uruguay, 1-0, for third.

1974: Home Field Advantage

After Munich’s successful hosting of the Olympics in 1972, West Germany was awarded the right to host the 1974 World Cup. The Bundespost issued its first two soccer stamps, although there had been many special cancellations relating to soccer before this date. East Germany, which also qualified for its only Cup finals appearance, never issued a World Cup stamp.

The 30-pfennig (pf) West German stamp depicts a div-

Figure 6. A postcard with a 1974 West German stamp (Scott 1146) and special cancellation honors the West German World Cup champions.

Figure 7. Uli Hoeness’s autograph on a cover bearing a 1974 German stamp (Scott 1147). The design was taken from photo of Hoeness in a match against France in 1973.

ing goalkeeper (Figure 6), while the 40-pfennig stamp shows a scene from an actual game (Figure 7).

The pressure was immense on West Germany. It was at home and had won the European Championships in 1972 with the core of the 1970 team.

West Germany won its first two group matches in the finals. The third match was against East Germany, the only time the senior national sides would meet. National pride was on the line for both teams, especially given the Cold War and the fact that West Germany’s coach, Helmut Schön, was from Dresden in the east. East defeated West in this match, 1-0, on a late goal by Jürgen Sparwasser (“If one day my tombstone reads simply ‘Hamburg 74’, everybody will still know who’s buried below,” he said).

Both teams qualified for the second group stage, though East Germany did not advance. West Germany went undefeated in its group, playing though some terrible weather, setting up the final with the Netherlands and Johann Cruyff, its star player, in Munich’s Olympic Stadium.

The final opened in a shocking manner for West Germany. The Dutch took the opening kickoff down the field and Hoeness fouled Cruyff in the penalty area. Johan Neeskens converted the penalty, and Holland led without the Germans even touching the ball – but West Germany came back. Bernd Hölzenbein was fouled in the box, and Paul Breitner converted the penalty in the 25th minute. Then, “Der Bomber,” Gerd Müller, scored his final goal for West Germany in the 43rd minute, giving Germany the win.

1978: “Buenos Dias Argentina”

from the national team, and Beckenbauer was playing for the New York Cosmos. At the time, West Germany would not select players playing outside Germany. That decision had consequences as the team crashed out in the second group stage with a 3-2 loss to Austria.

1982 and 1986: Twice Runner-Up

West Germany continued its good run in 1982 and 1986, first making the World Cup final in Spain in 1982. The Germans had a controversial win against France in the semifinal as West German goalie Toni Schumacher knocked out France’s Battiston on a goalmouth challenge. Germany

West Germany flew to Argentina (Figure 8) with high hopes, as it was the defending champion. The team recorded an Udo Jürgens song, “Buenos Dias Argentina,” which was a hit at home (Figure 9). The song can be heard and footballers seen on YouTube at aps.buzz/Argentina1978.

Three key members of the 1974 team did not play in Argentina. Müller and Breitner had retired

The Germany Philatelic Society (https:// www.germanyphilatelicsocietyusa. org/) is dedicated to the documentation, preservation, advancement, and promotion of the stamps and postal history of Germany and its related areas through education, study, research and services. It is APS Affiliate AF-0048.

Figure 8. A flight cover from the Argentine Embassy in Bonn commemorating the West German team’s flight to Argentina for the 1978 World Cup.

Figure 9. The cover of the record “Buenos Dias Argentina,” sung by pop star Udo Jürgens and the West German National Team. The song was one of Jürgens' biggest hits..

came from two goals down in extra time to win on penalties, but lost 3-1 in the final to Italy (Figure 10).

In 1986, West Germany again made it to the final, losing to Maradona-led Argentina, 3-2, in the final in Mexico City. West Germany did not issue a stamp for either World Cup.

1990: The Third Star

Italy 1990 was West Germany’s final World Cup, as East and West Germany were in the process of reunification after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. East Germany failed to qualify, but West Germany made it to the final, again vs. Argentina, in Rome’s Olympic Stadium. A late penalty kick by Andreas Brehme led to a 1-0 victory. Coach Beckenbauer became the first person to win a World Cup as captain and coach (Figure 11).

1994: United States

For the first time since 1974, Germany, now unified, issued a stamp for the World Cup (Figure 12). Germany came into the tournament with high hopes. I attended the opening match vs. Bolivia in the group stage, with President Bill Clinton in attendance, and the 3-2 victory over Belgium, in the round of 16, both in Chicago. Unfortunately for West Germany, the loss to Bulgaria in Dallas in the quarterfinals ended a chance to repeat as champs.

1998: France

Germany also issued a stamp for the 1988 World Cup (Figure 13). In the group stage, Germany won its group, including a 2-0 victory over the United States. However, as in 1994, Germany did not get past the quarterfinals, with a surprising 3-0 loss to Croatia.

2002: Korea/Japan

There was no official German stamp for the 2002 World Cup. How-

12. A German philatelic-numismatic cover (Scott B795), called a numisbrief, for the 1994 World Cup in the United States, issued by the DFB, with a U.S. commemorative half dollar minted in Philadelphia.

Figure 10. The West German team in 1982 with a special cancellation noting the team’s second-place finish.

Figure 11. A cover with a special cancellation for the third German World Cup title, along with an Italian stamp (for Italian club AC Milan), a special match cancel, and a FIFA label.

Figure

ever, a pair of se-tenant stamps to honor all of the World Cup champions of the 20th century was produced as a joint issue with a common design by the postal services of all of the champion nations except for England (Figure 14). Germany made it to the final in Yokohama, but lost 2-0 to Brazil.

2006: Da Hoam (At Home)

Germany again hosted the World Cup in 2006 (Figure 15), with the motto “Die Welt zu Gast bei Freunden,” literally meaning “the world as a guest with friends,” but which was translated to “A Time to Make Friends” in English-language media. Goleo, a lion, and Pille, a talking football, were the mascots for the World Cup (Figure 16). The final was held in Berlin. Unlike in 1974, it was finally acceptable to be patriotic in Germany and show the flag (Figure 17).

Germany had a new coach, Jürgen Klinsmann, who was himself a World Cup champion, having played on the 1990 team. He brought American training ideas and a different attacking style to Germany (Klinsmann lived in California after his career as a player). This was criticized by German media, but the fans loved the attacking style.

Germany gained revenge on Argentina for losses in previous cups with a win on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals and earned a spot in the semifinals, where it lost a close match to Italy, 2-0 in overtime. Germany won the third place game vs. Portugal, 3-1. While Germany did not win the “Cup at Home,” as it had in 1974, 2006 was still considered a successful campaign (Figure 18).

2010: South Africa

Klinsmann’s protégé, Joachim Löw, became the next national coach when Klinsmann chose not to renew his contract. Germany finished third again in South Africa, losing to Spain, 1-0, in the semifinal, but beating Uruguay 3-2 for third (Figure 19).

2014: The Fourth Star

Germany did not originally issue a

Figure 13. A Germany booklet cover for the 1998 World Cup (Scott B827).

Figure 14. A cover from the August 2002 Philakorea show held in conjunction with World Cup 2002. It is franked with a stamp that was a joint issue with five other nations that hold World Cup titles (Scott 2163).

Figure 15. A cover with five semipostals honoring soccer issued for the 2006 World Cup (Scott B915-B919).

stamp for the 2014 championship. The Germany national team shocked host Brazil in the semifinals by taking a massive 5-0 lead in the first 30 minutes and finished with a 7-1 victory. Germany then defeated Argentina, 1-0, in the final at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Mario Götze scored an overtime goal in the 113th minute to secure the championship.

That win led to the creation of a special stamp (printed before the final!) honoring the victory (Figure 20). Germany became the first European team to win a World Cup tournament outside Europe.

2018 and 2022: Double Trouble

Germany went into the 2018 tournament in Russia with high hopes as defending champions. However, Germany finished last in the preliminary group, the team’s worst showing ever at a World Cup. While Germany did not issue a specific stamp for this World Cup, it did issue a souvenir sheet and individual stamps and postal stationery celebrating their four prior World Cup championships (Figure 21), with famous quotes from the broadcasts of these games.

Four years later, in Qatar, Germany again had a poor showing, finishing third in its preliminary group. No stamp was issued.

2026: United States/Canada/ Mexico

At press time for this article, there were no official plans for Deutsche Post to issue stamps for the 2026 World Cup. Will Germany win a fifth World Cup championship? The hunt will begin on June 14 in Houston vs. Curaçao.

References

DFB (German Football Association). “Heute vor 50 Jahren: Weltmeister Dahoam,” (“50 Years Ago Today: World Champions at Home”), DFB (July 7, 2024). https://www.dfb.de/news/ detail/heute-vor-50-jahren-weltmeisterdahoam-262984.

“Did Geoff Hurst’s famous strike in the 1966 World Cup final cross the line? Scientists give their verdict on the most controversial goal in football history.” Daily Mail (July 6, 2024). https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/

Figure 16. Semipostals (Scott B948-B949) issued in 2005 as part of a five-stamp set show World Cup mascots Goleo VI (a lion) and Pille (a talking soccer ball) and soccer scenes.

Figure 18. A postally used PIN Mail AG (private post from Berlin) cover showing German players celebrating their third place finish in the 2006 World Cup.

Figure 17. A postal card with the indicia for a Crowd Waving Flags stamp (Scott B967), canceled in the host city of Hannover.

article-13599645/Geoff-Hurst-goal-WorldCup-final-Scientists.html.

Die Weltmeister: Fussball im Spiegel der Philatelie (The World Champions: Football in the Mirror of Philately) (Bonn, Germany: Deutsche Post AG, 2002).

Gilbert, Ken. “The Miracle of Bern: West Germany and the 1954 World Cup,” The American Philatelist (December 2022). Includes references within.

Henshaw, Richard. The Encyclopedia of World Soccer (Washington, DC: New Republic Books, 1979).

Honigstein, Raphael. Das Reboot: How German Soccer Reinvented itself and Conquered the World (New York: Nation Books, 2015).

TTheAuthor

Ken Gilbert is president of the Germany Philatelic Society. He has written for the German Postal Specialist and The American Philatelist. He is a member of the Columbus Philatelic Club, the Worthington Stamp Club, the Indiana Stamp Club, the Association of Philatelic Exhibitors, and APS Writers Unit #30. He grew up playing soccer and fell in love with German soccer through Toby Charles’ PBS show of the late 1970s, Soccer Made in Germany. He collects Germany and exhibits German postal history from his exchange student “home town,” Lehrte, and, of course, soccer. His wife, Catherine, also exhibits on the topics of elephants and red pandas.

Figure 19. Private postal stationery using the indicia for the semipostal stamp (Scott B1033) issued for the 2010 World Cup, on a cover for the International Stamp Fair in Essen in 2010, with a cancel for Germany’s game against Australia.

Figure 20. An official first day sheet (Scott 2798) celebrating the 2014 World Cup victory.

Figure 21. A souvenir sheet showing three stamps and a label commemorating Germany’s four World Cup wins with famous broadcast lines.

What is so special about the stampless cover in Figure 1? The cover originated in Princeton, New Jersey, and was addressed to Philadelphia circa 1775. A handstamp on the cover reads June 17, not even two months after the outbreak of the Revolutionary War at the now-famous Battles of Lexington and Concord.

Later that year, December 1775, the British Post officially ceased its land mail in the colonies; however, they had started to apply the brakes on the Royal postal service around the time of the “shot heard ’round the world” at Lexington. On July 26, 1775, the Continental Congress voted to establish a colonial postal system, to take effect October 1775. At the same time, Congress approved Ben Franklin for a special role, established on July 26, declaring that a “Post-MasterGeneral be appointed for the United Colonies, who shall hold his office at Philadelphia.”

The months between the earliest skirmishes of the Revolutionary War until late fall 1775 represent a transitional period for mail service, with many short-term patriot posts established in several provinces, as well as private independent

A Mid-1770s Postal Crisis, Part 4

A view of the south part of Lexington," by Amos Doolittle. One of Doolittle's engravings of the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775.

VERN MORRIS

Figure 1. From the author's collection.

The stampless cover survived a tumultuous era of war, distrust, and transition, including postal transition

posts. My research showed the common thread to these many short-lived services was payment upon delivery in coin, rather than the British account system in terms of theoretical pure silver.

The route from Princeton to Philadelphia was only 25 miles. The rate for a single letter under 60 miles was 4 pence sterling coin; a doubleweight letter was 8 pence. This cover was double-weight, as seen by the manuscript “N-/8.”

The cover also has a manuscript “1/4” in the top left corner, which was added upon delivery in Philadelphia, meaning one shilling and four pence. “1/4” is the Philadelphia local rate equivalent of “N-/8,” plus two pence to pay the local delivery boy, all to be paid by the recipient.

The postal marking is very special, although not unique. The “Prince*Ton” handstamp marking was the first one used in all of New Jersey as a province, colony, and state. Only three are known, and all were applied in 1775: June 17; July 5; and September 11. Figure 1 is the earliest recorded example of the first postal handstamp marking of New Jersey.

The Figure 1 stampless cover survived a tumultuous era of war, distrust, and transition, including postal transition. The early days of the war were centered around the Boston area, but tensions were high in New Jersey and Pennsylvania in the early days. A few weeks before this cover was mailed, the Second Continental Congress began on May 10

in Philadelphia. Just a few days before, George Washington was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, on June 15.

Figure 2 shows the second of three examples, courtesy of Robert Rose, president of the New Jersey Postal History Society. This was sent September 11, 1775. The September 11 cover is rated “N4” or 4 pence paying the single letter rate.

Inflation and Local Currency

Analyzing postal history material from the colonial era is challenging, and for many good reasons. One of these is complications regarding the currency used in the 13 colonies at the time. To make a long story short, colonial pounds were not worth the same in every colony, and many colonies were also at the time printing paper money. The inflation rate and local currency equivalence, therefore, would be calculated upon a cover’s arrival to its destination. In Philadelphia at that time, paper money was inflated by a factor of 1.66.

U.S. PHILATELIC CLASSICS SOCIETY

Articles written by members of the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, an APS affiliate, appear periodically in The American Philatelist.

The U.S. Philatelic Classics Society is a non-profit association of people interested in the pre-1894 stamps and postal history of the United States. Our goal is to encourage philatelic research and the exchange of information among our members and other philatelic organizations. We welcome anyone interested in the classic era of United States philately to join. More information can be found on the society website at www.uspcs.org.

Figure 2. Courtesy of Robert Rose.

COLLECTING COAST TO COAST

BY WAYNE YOUNGBLOOD

INon-Philatelic Uses of Stamps as Promotional Tools

have studied the uses of stamps as promotional tools for many years and have periodically featured some in the pages of this journal.

There’s no question that collectors typically respond favorably to stamp-related collector promotions. A great example of this is the item shown (Figure 1), a U.S. Post Office Department official registry seal, with the printed name of Wm. Leckie & Co., a Chicago stamp dealer active primarily during the 1880s.

Examples exist of several different obsolete stamps and postal stationery items from around the world that were overprinted for use, essentially, as business cards for various stamp dealers.

But what about non-philatelic uses of stamps? While the hand of a collector may have been involved with the creation of some of these items, there are quite a few examples of advertising material relying on the use of actual postage stamps that had absolutely nothing to do with philately.

Shown (Figure 2) is one of the earliest examples I’ve found. It is a full-sized, full-color flyer (8½ inches by 11 inches), with six different stamps from Japan affixed. The printed letter, dated San Francisco in 1898, is addressed to “Madam,” from the M.J. Brandenstein Co. (forerunner of today’s MJB Coffee), extolling the virtues of its “Pride of Japan” tea and asking the recipient to insist her local grocer carry the brand. I don’t know whether this was mailed, included with packages of tea, or distributed otherwise, but the stamps were obviously intended to capture the attention of female shoppers.

The company, as it appeared in the early 1900s, is shown (Figure 3). The building was extensively damaged in the 1906 earthquake and later rebuilt.

Next (Figure 4) is one of my favorite items. It is a 1933 Christmas card, addressed to a Mr. Redner from Harry Latz.

The front of the card has six stamps affixed from Serbia, Hungary, France, Ukraine, Germany, and Austria, each partially overprinted by letterpress in black ink and forming the body of a cartoonish character from each country.

The inside, dated December 25, 1933, features a Christmas greeting in a dozen languages, with the return address of Harry Latz in the Scribner building (597 Fifth Ave.). The Harry Latz Service was a New York City-based advertising and direct mail firm active primarily during the 1930s. It participated in various industry conferences and was known for creating specialized and innovative advertising materials, such as this item. One of the things I find particularly interesting is that “Mr. Redner” is printed. The firm must have had a tool for changing the name for each card printed.

As the clouds of World War II began to gather and darken over the United States, Motor Service magazine (1920s-1960s) sent a form letter (Figure 5) to potential advertisers promoting the opportunities available in the January 1941 issue of the magazine.

“The larger portion of the automotive export market is still at peace,” the letter begins. “Or if not at peace, it has not been subjected to blockade restrictions.” The let-

Figure 1. This USPOD official registry seal (Scott OXF1), has been overprinted to promote a stamp business.

ter goes on to describe opportunities for marketing in Central and South America, Australia, New Zealand, southern hemisphere British Commonwealth, and Asia. These countries, as the letter described, were now looking to have their needs, previously fulfilled by European businesses, met by American manufacturers. The central portion of the body of the letter is flanked by stamps from Chile, Peru, South Africa, New Zealand, China, and Mexico. No doubt, each letter had country-appropriate stamps affixed.

In 1960, Tuborg beer created an interesting New Year’s card for 1961 that was presumably sent out to many clients and, perhaps, distributors. The card (Figure 6) features the image of a bottle of Tuborg beer with a line drawing in the background. At left, six stamps are affixed, along with the inscription “Three Danish Kings,” referring to the rulers under which Tuborg was “the golden beer of Danish kings,” by appointment to the Royal Danish Court.

Appropriately, there are stamps affixed showing Frederick VIII (190612), Christian X (1912-47), and Frederick IX (1947-72), who was still king in 1961. The reverse of the card reads “Godt Nytar 1961,” as well as “Happy New Year” in 17 additional languages.

Chase Personal Financial Services took a slightly different approach for its holiday card in 2002. The company included a mint copy of the 2001 55-cent Art Deco Eagle in a glassine that shows through a windowed card the same golden shade as the stamp. The card (Figure 7) simply reads: “Growth and Appreciation.”

When opened, the card reads “This ‘Art Deco American Eagle’ collectible postage stamp is meant to grow in value over time. Please accept it as a token of our appreciation for your relationship with us. Happy Holidays from Chase Personal Financial Services.”

My favorite recent find is also one of the most unusual and inventive nonphilatelic promotions I’ve seen. It is a simple glassine envelope containing a

Figure 2. Although it is unclear how this colorful and attractive flyer was distributed, it used actual postage stamps, affixed to the page, as part of a promotion for Japanese tea.

Figure 3. M.J. Brandenstein & Co., of San Francisco, California, which created the Figure 2 flyer.

business card and a stamp, as shown, front and back (Figure 8).

In 1959, Taiwan (officially the Republic of China) released a pair of stamps honoring Sun Yat-Sen and Abraham Lincoln as “Leaders of Democracy.” Around that same time, Jimmy Wu’s New China Inn restaurant (Figure 9), hit upon the idea of promoting itself and two then-recently opened take-out locations in Baltimore by using the low value of this set.

Wu’s (1948-1983) was an extremely popular Chinese restaurant that served “American Chinese” dishes, such as egg foo young, egg rolls, shrimp toast, and more. Wu was a standard fixture at his main restaurant, frequently greeting and visiting with guests. He was known for being warm and outgoing and for his sense of humor.

By all accounts, Wu, who emigrated at the age of 14, was truly thankful for friendly international relations. Another series of ads stated, “One language that anyone can understand is the universal language of good food.” So, when the stamp was released, a related promotion was a natural move.

The front of the card is a simple business card design, with names, addresses, and locations of all three shops. But the reverse side is a promotion of the stamp and what it stood for. After the basic description of the stamp and a suggestion that you pass it on if

Figure 4. This creative Christmas card, by a 1930s direct-mail pioneer, used actual postage stamps to form the bodies of the nationalities they represented.

Figure 5. On the eve of America’s involvement in World War II, Motor Service magazine sent this letter to potential advertisers. The letter made use of appropriate stamps for the countries it discussed.

Figure 6. Tuborg beer of Denmark made clever use of common definitive stamps to illustrate the monarchs who enjoyed the “golden beer of Danish kings.”

Figure 7. Chase Personal Financial Services utilized a mint stamp – the 55-cent Art Deco Eagle (Scott 3471) – that “is meant to grow in value over time” as a central design element of its 2002 holiday card.

Figure 8. The front and back of a clever 1959-60 promotion by Jimmy Wu’s New China restaurant of Baltimore shows the use of a Taiwanese stamp showing Sun Yat-Sen and Abraham Lincoln (Scott 1248).

you do not collect, is this simple statement, “This stamp is humbly presented to you as a token of Chinese-American friendship through the courtesy of Jimmy Wu’s New China Inn and Carry-Out Shops.”

I can easily envision these packets either delivered with your order, or in a bowl at the checkout counter. We may never know whether Wu was a collector or simply a good marketer, but he created a nice item for us to appreciate nearly 70 years later.

The Author

Wayne Youngblood is a professional philatelist who has spent many decades collecting, researching, writing, editing, publishing, teaching, and in sales. He was a 2018 recipient of the Luff Award, the American Philatelic Society’s highest honor. For more of Wayne’s stories and columns, become a free subscriber to his ongoing blog at wayneyoungblood. substack.com.

Figure 9. Jimmy Wu’s, a popular Chinese restaurant, which operated from 1948 to 1983.

Books & Catalogs

BY Dr. Dane S. Claussen, Guest Contributor

The Madman’s Guide to Stamp Collecting (2025), by Robert Irwin. Pushkin Press, London. 237 pages, hardcover and eBook. ISBN: 9781805337744. From Amazon: Kindle, $13.99; hardcover, $22.84; paperback, $17.95. Available for loan from APRL, call number: HE6184 .C697 I726m 2025.

The late author Robert Irwin claims that the idea for this book was a joke between himself and his literary agent about what book Irwin would write next, except that the joke was turned into a finished, published book … weighing in at 237 pages. Given Irwin’s sense of humor, perhaps even this anecdote about a joke is a joke itself, but I will make the leap of faith that said author-agent exchange was real.

Irwin also writes at the start that this book is not a book about stamps or stamp collecting. Well, that’s true, if one thinks books about stamp collecting are limited to books such as Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue; The Mulready Postal Stationery, by Huggins & Holyoake; or New York City Foreign Mail 1845-1878, by Nicholas Kirke.

Meanwhile, an early factual error, when Irwin states that 68,000 Penny Blacks were printed (actual number: 68 million), assures the reader that the author was not a lifelong stamp collector, nor was the book proofread by one (as we eventually find out, Irwin was a stamp collector when he was a child).

Before I go further, who was Irwin (1946-2024)? The dust jacket tells us that he was a “novelist, publisher, reviewer, Arabist and historian. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, worked for many years as the Middle East editor of the TLS and was author of 10 novels,” including The American Nightmare, Satan Wants Me, and Tom’s Version, as well as many works of non-fiction, among them The Arabian Nights: A Companion and Memoirs of a Dervish (TLS is, to us American rubes, the Times of London’s literary supplement).

The Madman’s Guide to Stamp Collecting is a disorganized survey of sorts — with plenty of commentary — of stamp collectors and stamp collecting as they have appeared, even incidentally, in English-language fiction, poetry, and essays of the last 175 years or so. (Its dust jacket professes only that it is “a book of wonders; of labyrinthine digressions, good humour and a delight in small things. It is a meditation on the stuff of life.”) As such, it is something of a companion to those essays and lists that have been assembled of postage stamps, stamp collectors, and stamp collecting appearing in English-language films and television shows in the last 100 years. Irwin couldn’t care less about TV and film, but he has a lot of fun with novels and other works.

Irwin’s book also would be a half-baked companion of a

kind to philatelic social-scientific books, if they existed, on the politics and political history of stamp collecting, the economics and business history of stamp collecting, the anthropology of stamp collecting, the journalism of and about stamps and stamp collecting, etc. (Stamp collectors and stamp collecting have, to greater and lesser extents, been analyzed by sociologists and psychologists, though usually as part of the larger group of “collectors” who collect everything from matchbook covers to antique automobiles.)

So when Irwin protests that his book is not about stamp collecting, he is wrong.

As he describes often passing references to stamp collectors and stamp collecting, he shows us how various novelists, essayists, poets, and others have perceived and portrayed the hobby in their times. And, as stamp collecting and collectors have not completely changed their characteristics since 1925, or even 1875, modern collectors who read this book will recognize themselves and their hobby in it, if often only as known misconceptions or stereotypes.

Best of all, even long-time collectors reading the book will have moments in which they will say to themselves, “Oh, that’s interesting! I hadn’t really thought about that way. I’ll have to think more about that!” I certainly had at least several of those.

For example, on page 81, Irwin writes, “Dullness is part of the charm of stamp collecting and the fustian dignity of early Dutch and British stamps has been appropriately paralleled by the dullness of hobby magazine prose.” It is the book’s only complaint about philatelic periodicals, but far from the only time the author calls early stamps dull or even ugly (which I think even many collectors would concede), yet couches his complaints within a favorable context, in this case, stamp collecting’s “charm.”

Overall, I’d say the book portrays adult collectors as people who are willingly, even eagerly, at least mildly eccentric, if they are not simply oblivious to how they are perceived.

George Orwell thought stamp collecting was highly educational and very English, but also wrote in 1936, “stamp collectors are a strange, silent, fish-like breed, of all ages, but only of the male sex; women, apparently, fail to see the peculiar charm of gumming bits of coloured paper into albums.”

Ayn Rand wrote “Why I like Stamp Collecting” (1971), in Minkus Stamp Journal, about returning to the hobby in her early 60s. “Only now the feeling had the eagerness of childhood combined with the full awareness, freedom and confidence of age,” she wrote. “...The pleasure lies in a certain way of using one’s mind. Stamp collecting is a hobby for busy, purposeful, ambitious people … because, in pattern, it has the essential elements of a career, but transposed to a clearly delimited, intensely private world.”

The German independent scholar Aby Warburg (18661929) is said to have “set himself … to trace the afterlife of ancient Greek and Roman iconography in, among other things, the postage stamps of his own time.” Art historian Kenneth Clark described Warburg as “without doubt the most original thinker on art history of our time, and entirely changed the course of art-historical studies” by focusing not on artistic representations but on the “origins, meaning and transmission of symbolic images.” (Warburg found fascist Italy’s symbols to be menacing, particularly in contrast to what Irwin calls “the emotional health of an imageless democracy and how that could be understood.”)

We find out that as early as the 1920s, collectors and others were complaining about stamps’ artistic standards slipping, and that stamps were already being issued by certain countries primarily to make money from collectors.

Skipping forward several decades, Irwin tells us that Susan Sontag’s most popular novel, The Volcano Lover (1991), included the “collector par excellence” Sir William Hamilton (also referred to as Cavaliere), who as a child, as Sontag wrote, “collected coins, then automata, then musical instruments. Collecting expresses a free-floating desire that attaches itself and re-attaches itself – it is a succession of desires. The true collector is in the grip not of what is collected but of collecting.”

Sontag later added, “Collecting is both a sociable and a piratical activity. Women are reared not to feel competent at or gratified by the questing, the competing, the outbidding (as distinct from large-scale acquiring) demands. The great

collectors are not women, any more than are the great joke tellers. Collecting, like telling jokes, implies belonging to the world in which already made objects circulate, are competed for, are transmitted. It presumes confident, full membership in such a world.”

And on and on.

Irwin’s book thus has enough raw material to make all readers think a lot and be annoyed at least a little, if not more. To limit the latter, I will not quote or paraphrase here any of the psychoanalytic nonsense that Irwin recounts and to which he, unsurprisingly as a British literary scholar, devotes far too much space.

Readers will connect in various specific ways to Irwin’s book, not only generally about collectors and collecting. It mentions many individual stamps and cinderellas that readers may own.

For example, I found trivial specific connections in the book to my collecting life. Starting on page 203, Irwin devotes six pages to the Mail Art Movement, in which artists use postcards and envelopes as their canvasses (and sometimes invent nonexistent postage stamps) and mail them to each other and others. Irwin says mail art had its “heyday” in the 1960s, but in 1984 I reviewed a mail art exhibit shown in the University of Oregon student union, quite probably the last mail art exhibit on that campus (which many people said was stuck in the 1960s anyway) and the only one to ever receive a UO student newspaper review. (Disclaimer: what did, or do, I know about reviewing art?)

Then on pages 179 to 181, Irwin tells the story of “Bruce Conde” (1913-1992), real name: Bruce Chalmers, an American World War II veteran who designed stamps for Sharjah and the kingdom of Yemen and was a royalist general in the war between the kingdom and the Yemen Arab Republic (which won).

Conde, apparently long stateless after renouncing his U.S. citizenship, then moved to Morocco, where he was tolerated until he died of cancer a few years later. Conde wrote for many years about Moroccan new issues for Stamp Collector newspaper, including when I was its editor in 1989-90. His columns would irregularly arrive in envelopes marked “H.R.H. The Prince of Conde,” as Conde claimed descent from the French royal house of Bourbon-Conde; this was absurd, but twice I even received mail (at least one Christmas card) from him claiming that he was vacationing with other Bourbon-Condes in Switzerland (or somewhere), surely at their expense.

In any case, reading Irwin’s book is something like wandering through an enchanted forest with no destination and no schedule; ignore formalities and enjoy the walk while it lasts.

Dr. Robert Friedman & Sons

As always we would like to thank the collectors whose lifelong collections are included in this ad with special appreciation to our former customers who put their faith in us when it was time to sell their lifelong collections. Welcome to our 184th sale containing over $500,000 of fine collections which as always are sold at WHOLESALE PRICES — UNDOUBTEDLY THE BEST BARGAINS IN THE STAMP INDUSTRY.

A special thank you to our collectors for making our last sale one of our very best! We realize that many of our customers are frustrated when they call and learn that many of the lots they wish to buy have already been sold. We suggest you save yourself frustration and order as quickly as possible after you have made your selections. Since the collections sell quickly we suggest you having a list of alternative selections to insure a pleasant buying experience.

As has been our policy for 40 years, satisfaction is absolutely guaranteed and any lot may be returned for immediate refund within 5 days of receipt for any reason — but I must say our return rate is less than 2%, perhaps the lowest in the stamp business. Please call or fax quickly since we generally sell well over 60% of the collections in the first four days. For collectors who are known to us, payment can be spread over a 3 month period interest free.

FABULOUS WHOLESALE PRE-1940 WORLDWIDE SPECIAL OFFERS

OUR PRE 1940 $4995 “MONSTROSITY” – This is our specialty and a carton of this old desirable material is offered each sale. All old and valuable material other than our large collections are sold in our monstrosity which is filled with mint and used material on album pages, dealer stock-cards, old auction lots, stockbooks, etc. – all of which will be disorganized which is why it is sold so very inexpensively. Hundreds and hundreds of stamps in the $20-$500 range in mixed condition will easily be found and lurking gems await the astute collector. Over 40 pounds of disorganized happiness. Expect immense catalogue value. The best value in the stamp industry!

OUR PRE 1940 $8995 “SUPER MONSTROSITY” – Think of the above monstrosity, then think of two such cartons with very different types of material. For the serious pre 1940 worldwide collector –enough for an entire year. Nuff said!

A MAMMOTH VALUE FOR MODERN WORLDWIDE COLLECTORS

THE WHOLESALE BARGAIN IN MINT MODERN WORLDWIDE STAMPS: A huge box, zillions of mint nearly all never hinged stamps from the entire world, most of which were bought over decades as new issues. We are talking some 30-40 pounds of philatelic excitement in every box! The majority content will be in glassines, a minority in albums or stockbooks. From defins to booklets to topicals and everything in-between, there is no telling what you might find!

A MAMMOTH VALUE FOR ONLY $1995!

WHO WANTS A SUPER BARGAIN?

WOULD YOU LIKE A FORTY POUND CARTON OF AREA COLLECTIONS & ACCUMULATIONS AT LESS THAN 10% OF CATALOG VALUE? This is an excellent opportunity. My pooped-out staff has asked me to box up loads of collections from different areas of the world and to sell them at bargain prices in large 40+ pound cartons. AREAS OFFERED: Germany & Area • France & Area • Scandanavia Italy & Area • Europe • Great Britain & Commonwealth We guarantee over $50,000 catalog value excluding minor duplication in each carton. A SUPER BARGAIN at only $4995

BRITISH

001 ADEN – Majority mint F-VF collection of 150 stamps on Scott specialty pages 1937-1965 including Kathiri and Qu’aiti states. Used highlights #1727a, etc. 2026 Scott $493. NET $170

003 AITUTAKI – 22 F-VF mint stamps on vintage pages 1903-1927. Highlights: #5, 6, 13, 28-33, used not counted. 2026 Scott $274. NET $95

005 ANTIGUA – 75 mint and 35 used F-VF stamps on Minkus album pages 1862-1966. Highlights: mint #26, 37; used #19, 167-182, etc. 2026 Scott $561. NET $140

007 ASCENSION #1-9 – Rare used complete set. #3 has creases; otherwise, sound VF. 2025 Scott $635. NET $225

009 AUSTRALIA – Collection of over 550 F-VF mint (70%) stamps on Scott specialty pages 1913-1990. Highlights: mint #377 NH, 378, 1156b, CO1, J92, J94; AAT mint #L8-18; used #4, 6, 7, 97, 218-21, etc.

2023 Scott $1636. NET $325

011 AUSTRALIA #13 – Rare mint o.g. hinged stamp with creases. VF, seldom seen or offered. 2026 Scott $1600. NET $375

013 AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC TERRITORY – Collection of 140 F-VF mint NH stamps on album pages 1957-2015. Highlights mint #L8-L18 NH, L94-L97b NH. Good variety of sets & topicals. 2023 Scott $317. NET $130

015 AUSTRALIAN STATES: NEW SOUTH WALES – Eight mint and 65 used Fine or better stamps on vintage pages 1851-1906. Highlights: used #13, 16, 17, 27, 29, 31, 38, 41, 44c, 55A, 97c, F1, J7, J10A, O32, etc. 2026 Scott $2080. NET $425

017 AUSTRALIAN STATES: QUEENSLAND – Six used F-VF stamps on dealer stockcards. Includes #5-6, 10-11, 53, F3. 2025 Scott $492. NET $140

019 AUSTRALIAN STATES: TASMANIA – Mint and 75% used Fine or better collection of more than 80 stamps on Scott specialty pages 1853-1912. Usual perfs and unused cataloged at 50%. Highlights: mint #29 unused, 32, 64, 83, 115; used #4 corner fault away from design. 11-13, 14-15, 17, 23a, 29g, 30-2, 34d, 34f, 54-9, 71, 92-3, 116, etc. 2026 Scott $3075. NET $695

021 AUSTRALIAN STATES: WESTERN AUSTRALIA – Small (25 stamps, 2 mint) classics collection on pages and stock cards 18571912. Dupes not counted. Highlights: mint #14 unused; used #2, 6, 16, 55, etc. F-VF. 2026 Scott $2022. NET $450

023 BAHAMAS – Collection of 94 mint, 11 used mostly F-VF stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages, 1861-1967. Highlights: mint #11b, 65-69, 113 NH (high value), 132-147, 158-173, 185-200, 252-266 NH; Used #2, 7, 8, 15, 20, 25, etc. 2026 Scott $2,258. NET $595

024A BAHAMAS – Collection of two mint, four used in usual mixed condition, 1861-1898. Highlights: Unused #11, Used #10, 12, 14. 2023 Scott $829. NET $170

025 BAHRAIN – Collection of over 150 F-VF mainly mint on Scott specialty pages 1933-1976. Highlights: mint #20-37, 62-63, 96-98, 167-70, 224, 247A-B; used #6, 9, 52-61A, 72-80 m/u, etc. An interesting and colorful collection. 2023 Scott $1581. NET $575

027 BARBADOS – Classics collection on stock cards, 47 different (12 mint) 1852-1896. Highlights: mint OG #2, 16, 21, 50; mint no gum #3, 13, 17c imperf single, 24, 45, 51b, 52; used #1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 14, 17, 18, 34, 36, 37, 38, 43, etc. Nice group, nearly everything fresh, VF. 2023 Scott $4,415. NET $1095

029 BARBADOS – Mint and used (70%) mainly Fine or better collection of more than 130 stamps on Scott vintage repro pages 1855-1935, with a few unused mint, plus a few later issues. Highlights: used #6, 14, 36, 38, 125, 186-9, etc. 2023 Scott $1325. NET $350 031 BECHUANALAND – Mint (65%) and used fine or better collection of around 55 stamps on Gibbons specialty pages from 1885-1913. Mint highlights #25, 34-7, 40-2, 51, 53, 68, 69-74; used #1, 3, 7-8, 17, 28, 54, 65, etc. 2024 Scott $1665. NET $395 033 BECHUANALAND – Mint VF collection of 50 stamps, all complete sets or singletons, on Scott specialty pages from 1953-1965. Highlights #154-65 and 180-93. 2024 Scott $252. NET $79 035 BERMUDA – Mostly mint collection of 104 F-VF stamps on dealer stock cards. Highlights: mint #1 unused, 1A, 7, 14-5, 19c, 20, 50, 71-6, 143-62; used #6, 13, etc. 2024 Scott $3351. NET $695 037 BERMUDA – Mostly used Fine or better collection of close to 260 stamps on Minkus specialty pages from 1865-1972 with some varieties. Highlights: mint #127a unused; used #31-9, 58, 69, 93, 94, 126a, etc. 2024 Scott $1225. NET $325

039 BRITISH GUIANA – Mint primarily NH, F-VF collection of close to 105 stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages from 1866-1966 with earliest stamp unused. Dupes not counted. NH highlights: #129, 158, 164, 205-9, 230-4, 257-67; hinged #58, etc. 2024 Scott $980. NET $350 041 BRITISH GUIANA – Collection of 34 mint & 60 used F-VF stamps on album pages 1860-1937. Highlights: mint #148-151B, 152-6, 230-41; unused #24, 33B; used #48, 79, 82, 221, O1, etc. 2025 Scott $1202. NET $275

043 BRITISH HONDURAS/BELIZE – Nice mint collection of 456 stamps and S/S from 1866-2006 in a padded Lighthouse stockbook. Lots of dupes not counted. Highlights: BR. Honduras #1, 8, 13-14, 24, 30, 115-25, 155, 167-78, B1-5; Belize #345-59, 449-50, 469-70, 488-89, 609-14, 638-45, 1119-30, etc. 2023 Scott $1513. NET $450

045 BRITISH OFFICES – A 99% mint collection on Scott specialty pages from 1940s to 1950, or in the case of Morocco 1898 to the 1950s. Lots of highlights, including mint Eritrea #14-26, Tripolitania #14-26, 27-34, Morocco #12-19, 34a-45b, 201-208, etc. Nice eclectic material. 2023 Scott $3,790. NET $1350

047 BRITISH OMNIBUS: 1949 UPU – Nice collection of over 250 F-VF MNH stamps, all sets, in small stockbook 1949. Highlights: Hong Kong #180-3. 2025 Scott $394. NET $140

049 BRUNEI – Collection of five used and 34 mint F-VF stamps on album pages 1906-1933. Highlights: mint #6, 21, 29, 34, 37, 51, 59-61; used #3, etc. 2026 Scott $580. NET $180

051 BURMA – Collection of over 275 F-VF mint 80% in mounts on album pages 1937-1976. Highlights mint #13, 14, 15, 51-65 NH, 197-208, O11, O13, O94-O104, etc. 2023 Scott $1050. NET $295

053 BUSHIRE – Attractive collection of two mint, nine used F-VF stamps in mounts on Scott specialty page 1915. Highlights: used #N1, N3, N4, N5, N6 signed & w/photo cert, N7, N8, N9, N14; mint #N11, N13, etc. 2026 Scott $5290. NET $1395

054 CANADA – Very strong mint collection on Scott specialty pages from 1859 to 1990. Around 1050 F-VF or better with some very strong highlights, including mint #14, 15, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 40, full set mint Jubilees, E1, F1-F3, etc. Some seldom seen high quality material. 2022 Scott $38,600. NET $7295

056 CANADA – Over 160 F-VF mint stamps in mounts on H.E. Harris album pages 1897-1951. Highlights: MNH #54, 56, 67, 80, 97, 98, 13940, 152, 160-1, 171, 268-73, E8; mint #51, 53, 57, 59, 60, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73, 78, 79, 81, 85, 89, 90, 93, 94, 101, 102, 103, 174, 177, 195-201, C2, C4, E7, etc. 2025 Scott $8,309. NET $1895

058 CANADA – Unusual F-VF collection of 51 early MNH blocks of four. Highlights: #85, 86, 135, 144-6, 152-3, 157, 171-3, 192-4, 209, 2445, 260-2, 269-73, etc. 2025 Scott $5279. NET $1495

060 CANADA – 1937-1951 mint collection of over 115 F-VF mint stamps on album pages 1937-1951. Highlights: #241-5, 249-62, 268-73, 302, E78, EO2, O1-O4, O6-10, O16-25, etc. 2025 Scott $1123. NET $195

061 CANADA – A special “Thank You” to all those who submitted want lists for the recently purchased very large and valuable Canadian classical stock. There are still many prized items available for the empty spaces in your collection or dealer inventory. As you may have observed, we have been adding more of these to our Latest Offerings released every eight weeks. Fill those spots with quality stamps at very attractive pricing! To participate, call 800.588.8100

062 CANADA #9 – Used VF centering with four margins and clean Sismondo cert stating “Completely free from hidden faults or repairs.” Cancel is very light and attractive. 2026 Scott $3,250. NET $1995

063 CANADA #11 – Rare mint o.g. hinge remnant stamp with creasing and small thins, otherwise sound VF for this issue. Seldom offered. 2026 Scott $10,500. NET $1095

065 CANADA #96-103 MINT BLOCKS – The good news is that we have sound mint blocks ranging from Fine to VF centering. The bad news is the gum on all are so bad that we must consider them to be “no gum”. The catalog price is $3900. NET $350

066 CANADA #110 – Mint never hinged VF+. 2026 Scott $145. NET $110

067 CANADA #111 – Mint LH XF+ stamp w/large margins. 2026 Scott $210. NET $195

068 CANADA #112 – Mint never hinged VF-XF. 2026 Scott $110. NET $95

069 CANADA #115 – MNH sound XF stamp. 2026 Scott $100. NET $75

070 CANADA #120 – MNH sound VF stamp. 2026 Scott $200. NET $130

071 CANADA #122 – Mint hinged VF-XF centered. 2026 Scott $85. NET $69

072 CANADA #211A – Rare MNH sound VF imperf pair. 2025 Scott $425. NET $250

073 CANADA #241B – Rare MNH imperf pair with vertical creasing on left, otherwise sound VF-XF. 2025 Scott $750. NET $175

074 CANADA #252d – Scarce MNH imperf pair with mild pencil on reverse, otherwise sound VF. 2025 Scott $750. NET $175

075 CANADA #614A – Scarce MNH sound VF imperf pair. 2025 Scott $375. NET $225

076 CANADA UNITRADE #71P

082 CANADA: BOOKLET PANES & COIL PAIRS – All mint F-VF collection of over 95 different booklet panes & coil pairs in mounts on quadrilled pages 1898-1953. Highlights mint #77b, 104A, 105A, 105b, 106A, 107b, 107c, 108A, 125 pair NH & HR, 127 pair NH, HR, 129 pair NH, HR, 130 pair NH, HR, 131-134 pairs NH, LH, 136-138 VF & pairs, 149A, 150A, 153A NH, 160-16 pairs, 163A, 163c NH, 164A NH, 165 NH, 166A, 166c NH, 178-183 pairs, 195A NH, 196A NH, 197d NH, 205 pair NH, 206 NH pair, 207 pair, 217A-217b NH, 218A-218b NH, 219A, 231A-231b NH, 232A, 238-240 pairs NH, 263-267 pairs NH, 297-300. Dupes & misc. booklet covers not counted. A fantastic collection. 2024 Scott $6,560. NET $1195

084 CANADA: POSTAGE DUES – 19 F-VF mint stamps in mounts on White Ace pages 1906-1965. Highlights: #J1-5, J6-10, J11-14, etc. 2025 Scott $524. NET $180

086 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE – Specialized collection of 19 generally F-VF triangles, each in a dealer stockcard. Highlights: #2a, 3, 3a, 5, 5c, 6, 6a, 12, 12a, 12b signed, 13a, 13b, 14, 15 signed. 2026 Scott $7315. NET $1695

088 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE – Nice selection of 13 different used triangles on stock cards, 1853-1864. Includes #2, 2b, 3, 4, 4b, 4e, 5b, 6 w/thin, 6a, 12, 12a, 12b, 13 light crease. Attractive group, F-VF. 2026 Scott $3635. NET $650

090 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE #4 – Rare mint o.g. hinged F-VF sound stamp. 2025 Scott $1000. NET $325

092 CAYMAN ISLANDS – Attractive collection of over 100 F-VF mint stamps mostly in mounts on album pages 1900-1950. Highlights: #3-7 m/u, 8-12, 13, 15, 26, 28, 29, 62, 94 NH, 100-11, 122-34, etc. 2025 Scott $1173. NET $325

094 CAYMAN ISLANDS #47 – Scarce MNH sound F-VF fresh stamp with side sheet margin selvage. 2026 Scott for hinged $130+. NET $150

096 CEYLON – Useful earlies selection of six stamps on stock cards. Includes: unused #49d; used #3, 3a, 6, 55a, 58a, VF. 2026 Scott $463. NET $95

097 CEYLON #5 – Rare used lightly cancelled sound avg. centered stamp, signed. 2026 Scott $5250. NET $1795

098 CEYLON #12 – Rare mint no gum sound Fine stamp. 2025 Scott $1000. NET $325

100 CYPRUS – Over 700 mint (75%) mostly F-VF stamps on H.E. Harris pages 1880-1989. Highlights mint #2 pl#201, 4, 8 pl#201, 10 pl#215, 13 no gum, 20A, 35, 36, 43, 45, 47, 57, 58, 69, 83, 84, 85, 106, 107, 108, 121, 122, 125-135 mixed, 206-218 mixed, 226A NH, 229-231 mixed, 244-246, 640654, 737-751; used #1 pl#15, 7, 11, 12, 14, 16-17, 19-25A, 13A, 16A, 33, 34, 44, 46, 70, 136-139, 143-155, 146A, 159, 168-182 (182 mint), 183-197 mixed. Dupes not counted. Great variety here. 2022 Scott $6,978. NET $1395

102 CYPRUS – Around 235 mostly mint stamps on Scott specialty album pages 1903-1969 in VF condition. Dupes are uncounted. Highlights: #mint #39, 76, 79, 83, 159 NH, 181, 182, 195-97, 231 NH, 246; used #45, 68, 69, 139, etc. 2025 Scott $1289. NET $395

104 DOMINICA – 80% mint collection of over 290 F-VF stamps on album pages 1874-1972. Highlights: unused #8, 11, 12; mint #31, 79, 114-5, 122-36, 157-60; used #3, 4, 6, 38, 164-80, etc. 2026 Scott $1465. NET $450

107 FALKLAND DEPENDENCIES – VF mint collection of 105 stamps and s/s in a Lighthouse hingeless album 1963-1979. Dupes, gutter pairs not counted. Highlights: South Georgia #1/16 (no 14) NH, 17-30, 17b-30b, etc. 2026 Scott $392. NET $125

109 FALKLAND ISLANDS – Over 250 mint all sets on Scott pages 1935-1981. Highlights mint #77-80, 84-96, 99-100, 107-120, 122-127, 128-142, 166-179, 1L19-1L33, 2L1-2L8, 3L1-3L8, 4L1-4L8, 5L1-5L8, etc.

An attractive & clean collection. 2024 Scott $1727. NET $550

111 FALKLAND ISLANDS – Mint collection of 130 stamps in mounts on Minkus pages 1955-1978. Highlights: #128-42, 166-79, 197-209, 210-22, 227-30, 237-40, etc. 2026 Scott $539. NET $180

113 FIJI – Mint and used (85%+) fine or better collection of over 230 stamps on Scott specialty pages from 1876-1971. Used multiples #334, 47, 50 and 117-31B. 2024 Scott $980. NET $225

115 GAMBIA – 99% mint collection of over 275 F-VF stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1869-1979. Highlights: mint #3, 7, 12-9, 20-7, 28-39, 65-66, 96, 102-20, 132-143, 153-67, 175-87 NH; used #1 red cancel. Dupes not counted. 2026 Scott $3049. NET $1095

117 GAMBIA – Almost all mint F-VF collection of close to 175 stamps, five early used, in mounts on Scott quad pages 1880-1970. Highlights: mint #10, 12-8, 32-5, 41-55, 62-4, 78-85, 153-67; used #18a, etc. 2025 Scott $1240. NET $395

119 GHANA – Over 325 F-VF MNH stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1957-1968. Highlights: #247-50A, 259-63A, etc. 2025 Scott $322. NET $110

121 GIBRALTAR – Mostly mint collection of 165 F-VF stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1886-1977. Highlights: mint #2, 3, 25, 28, 35, 36, 38, 54, 73, 96-99, 100-3, 118, 121-22 NH, 132-45 NH; used #85A, etc. 2025 Scott $1963. NET $595

123 GIBRALTAR – Collection of over 300 mostly F-VF mint (80%) stamps on Scott specialty pages 1886-1990. Highlights mint #13, 241a-272A NH; used #12, 19, 22, 37, 41, 43, 84, 89, 145, etc. Attractive & clean collection. 2023 Scott $964. NET $210

125 GOLD COAST – Almost all mint Fine or better collection of close to 110 stamps, one used, on Scott specialty hingeless pages 1884-1954, with some NH. Highlights: mint #38-42, 56-65, 63a, 6975, 98-160, J1-4 NH, etc. 2023 Scott $950. NET $295

127 GOLD COAST #115-127 – Mint NH F-VF. 2023 Scott $110. NET $59

129 GREAT BRITAIN – VF mint collection of 1452 stamps, S/S and booklets from 1887-2011 in mounts in two Scott specialty albums. Mostly NH after 1960. Highlights #111-22, 126, 127-38, 139-49, 205a7a, 249-51A NH, 286-89, 292-308, 309-12, 317-33, 356cp-60ap, etc. 2023 Scott $8,984. NET $2195

131 GREAT BRITAIN – Nice collection of over 775 F-VF mint in mounts in a Palo album 1881-1980. NH Highlights: #132, 193, 203-04, 205-08, 210-20, 249, 267-8, 286-9, 292-308, 317-33, 317c-322d, 317cp-320cp, 353c-360a, 356cp-60ap, 387p-89p, 395p-97p, J48, J79-91; mint #120, 136, 137, 310, 311, 312, 398p-400p, etc. A beautiful and clean grouping. 2024 Scott $2801. NET $950

133 GREAT BRITAIN #4 – Rare mint average o.g. HR stamp with crease, small thin, mild gum toning, and cut in at right and close to top. 2022 Scott $6250. NET $750

135 GREAT BRITAIN #22 – Rare used sound VF-XF right margin stamp with usual heavy cancel. Seldom seen this nice. 2026 Scott $500. NET $160

137 GREAT BRITAIN #110 – Rare used stamp with heavy cancel, substantial creases, small thins. VF. 2026 Scott $3500. NET $550

139 GREAT BRITAIN OFFICES – Attractive mint collection of around 500 VF stamps from 1885 to 1921 for Turkey and 1942 to late 1950 for the rest. Total of nine issuing entities. Highlights include Eretria 14-26, Tripolitania 14-26, Morocco 12-19, 20-26, 49-57, 201-208, 226-229. Tangier 531-549, Turkey 8-12, etc. Highest quality. 2024 Scott $4,815. NET $1495

141 GREAT BRITAIN OFFICIALS – Strong used nice condition, F-VF collection of 36 stamps with many highlights includes #O29, O33, O36, O37a, O46, O49, O50, O67, O70, etc. 2022 Scott $13,753. NET $1695

143 GREAT BRITAIN POSTAGE DUES – All F-VF MNH collection of 55 stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1959-1964. Highlights: #J55-67, J79-91, J104-12, etc. A beautiful collection of all sets. 2023 Scott $162. NET $89

145 GRENADA – Collection of over 300 F-VF mint 80% on Scott album pages 1861-1972. Highlights mint #1A, 3, 9 NG, 21, 27 NG, 29, 32, 132-142 M/U, 151-163, 199 NH, 294-309; used #1, 2 signed, 5B, 5D, 6, 7, 31, 32A, 34, 54, 85b, 122, etc. 2023 Scott $7,353. NET $1695

147 HONG KONG – 65% mint Fine or better collection of about 170 stamps on Lighthouse hingeless blank pages 1862-1971. Highlights: mint #95, 105, 109-16, 120-2, 124, 127, 129-44, 146, 178-9, 180-3 NH, 154-62, 163-66A, 225-8; used #1-3, 17, 24, 52, 54, 65, 69-70, 76-81, 85, 99-102, etc. 2026 Scott $6775. NET $1995

149 HONG KONG – Around 250 generally F-VF stamps on Scott quad pages 1882-1973. Appears 85% used with a few mint singles and sets after 1903. Highlights: mint #46; used #80, 100, 103, 121, 128, 154166A, 179, etc. 2025 Scott $1981. NET $550

151 HONG KONG – Over 100 F-VF used stamps on album pages 1862-1952. Highlights: #4, 26, 47, 52, 56, 81, 135, 164, etc. 2026 Scott $1189. NET $295

153 HONG KONG #326-327 – Scarce MNH sound fresh VF-XF stamps, seldom offered. 2026 Scott $265. NET $175

155 INDIA – Mint and used (70%) collection of over 395 F-VF stamps on album pages 1854-1938. Highlights: used #2A, 4, 5, 18, 35, 75, 8098, 167, C1-6; Nabha #80; mint #2, 43, 44, 50-2, 142-8, M1-10; Gwalior #11; Jind #148, O10, etc. 2026 Scott $2148. NET $475

157 INDIA #206 – Rare mint o.g. hinge remnants, large thin and crease otherwise sound VF. 2023 Scott $500. NET $69

159 INDIA & RELATED – Useful selection of earlies on dealer stockcards, 1854-1900, 38 different (17 mint, 21 used). Highlights included India mint (many NH, cataloged as hinged) #42 NH, 44 NH, 49 NH; used #1, 2, 4, 4C, 5, 15, 18, 29, 34, Chamba mint #10; used #8, Jhind mint #55, Patiala mint #9, 12, Bhopal mint #12, Bundi mint #3. Generally, F-VF. 2023 Scott $1369. NET $350

161 INDIA & STATES – Nice collection of over 1600 mint and used generally F-VF stamps 1855-1970 in black mounts in a Scott specialty album. Dupes not counted. Highlights: mint #142-8 NH, 150-67 (151 used), 203-5, 223-6, 227-30, 237-42, 275-88, 302-19, C1-6, M12-20, M44-55; used #34-35, 129-34, 207-22, M28; Chamba mint #20-9, 3243; Faridkot #O8; Gwalior #O12-18, Jind #49-58, 116-23, 145-9, 16577, O45-7; Namba #27-36; Patiala #7-12; Cochin #58; Soruth #O1-8, etc. 2025 Scott $5038. NET $1195

163 INDIAN STATES – Collection of over 375 Fine or better mint and used stamps identified on black stock sheets 1869-1946. Highlights: used Hyberdad #3; Jaipur #O16, Jammu Kashmire #79, Jind #30; Las Belah #1, Sirmoor #O4; Soruth #19A, O26; Travancore #1-3; Mint Jaipur #28, 29; Jammu Kashmire #1 NG; Jind #19 NG; Morvi #2; Sirmoor #18; Travancore #O11 NG. Good variety. 2023 Scott $2727. NET $695

165 IRELAND – Nice collection of around 510 stamps in a Scot specialty album 1922-1979. About 94% mint and 97% complete. Highlights: used #34, 92, 93; mint #7, 10A, 11, 22, 22a, 56-8, 74, 76, 87 NH, 96-8, 105, 105a, 117, 119, 121, 122, J3, etc. 2026 Scott $2840. NET $995

167 IRELAND – Mint and used mostly F-VF collection of more than 70 stamps, close to 40 used, on Scott Vintage repro pages from 19221940. Used highlights #65-76 and J1-3. 2022 Scott $650. NET $150

169 JAMAICA – Over 180 mint (65%) F-VF stamps on album pages 1860-1964. Highlights mint #1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, 45, 51, 53, 69, 103-105, 106-108, 116-128, 138-139, 140-141, 159-174 mixed, MR1-MR3 mixed, MR7c; used 1b, 1d, 2A, 4, 16-23 mixed, 49, 54, 64, 87, 109-112 mixed. Revenues not counted. A wonderful collection with good variety. 2024 Scott $2,743. NET $595

171 JAMAICA – Fine mint (65%) and used collection of around 250 stamps in mounts on Minkus specialty pages from 1860-1968. Duplicates are free and not counted. Mint highlights #17, 20, 44, 86, 10608, 159-74; used #3-4, 69-70, 85, etc. 2024 Scott $1640. NET $295

173 JERSEY – Complete MNH VF collection of over 950 stamps and s/s in mounts in a Scott 3-ring binder 1941-2000. Pages with BOB have some light stains which do not affect stamps. 2026 Scott $1026. NET $375

175 KENYA, UGANDA & TANGANYIKA – Collection of over 110 F-VF mint stamps on pages 1921-1960. Highlights mint #33, 34, 35, 36, 66-85, 92-93, 103-117, 120-135, J1-J6; used #37, 85, etc. 2023 Scott $1679. NET $550

177 KENYA, UGANDA & TANZANIA – Collection of over 260 F-VF majority used stamps in mounts on album pages 1921-1975. Highlights used #5, 34, 36, 37, 46-59, 120-35, J1-6 m/u, J7-12 m/u, etc. 2024 Scott $1895. NET $475

179 KUWAIT – Selection of 32 mint and used F-VF stamps on an album page from 1939-1948. Includes used #52, 56, etc. 2024 Scott $576. NET $175

181 LABUAN – Over 76 mint (75%) F-VF stamps on Vintage repro pages 1879-1904. Highlights mint #2, 16, 23, 24, 33-39, 49-57 mixed, 60, 63, 66-71, 73, 76, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 99A-109, 110-118, J4; #79 unpriced used, list for $25 mint. 2024 Scott $1935. NET $550

183 LABUAN – Collection of over 75 mostly F-VF used (70%) on Minkus pages 1880-1904. Highlights mint #5, 24, 28, 49-57, 66-71 M/U & 87-95; used #33-39, J1-J9, etc. Dupes not counted. An attractive & clean collection. 2023 Scott $1029. NET $275

185 LAGOS #6 – Mint no gum VF stamp on the original British dealer sales card. 2025 Scott $425. Also included are two used copies, one VF w/a beautiful cancel, which were purchased for £324. NET $180 186A LEEWARD ISLANDS – Mint F-VF collection on Scott specialty pages 1935-1954 with #96 to #147. Dupes are free. 2025 Scott $275. NET $95

188 MALAYA & STATES – Beautiful collection of over 925 F-VF mint and used stamps on Scott specialty pages 1900-1955. Highlights: mint #J8, NJ8-13, NJ14-20 NH; Johore #5, 9, 67, 128-9, J1-5; Kedah #18-47, 55-6 NH, 80, 83-93; Kelantan #14-26, 38, 45 NH; Malacca #2 NH; Negri Sembilan #36-7; Pahang #11-3 m/u, 44-5, N20; Penang #12, 56-66, 97, 79-100, 119, N3; Perlis #1-2; Selangor #5 unused; Sungei Ujong #23; Terengganu #23, 37, 47-8; Used Malaya #34, 35, 36, 75, J6, 2N1, 2N3, 2N4; Johore #11, 45, 46, 51, 100, 109; Kedah #40, 41, 95105 m/u; Kelantan #13, 72-82 m/u; Malacca #43, 54; Negri Sembilan #38-58 m/u, 64-74 m/u; Pahang #1, 17, 36A, 43; Penang #3-22, 56-66 m/u; Perak #55, 56, 85A; Selangor #9 red cancel, 10, 12, 44, 59, N20, etc. 2026 Scott $8229. NET $2495

190 MALAYA: MALACCA – Over 60 mint and used F-VF stamps on album pages 1948-1960. Highlights: mint #1-2 NH, 3-17 mixed, 22-6 NH, etc. 2026 Scott $386. NET $125

192 MALAYA: PAHANG – Mint F-VF collection of more than 50 stamps on Minkus specialty pages 1889-1950. Highlights: #6, 29-42, 50-70, etc. 2026 Scott $445. NET $225

194 MALTA – Valuable classics collection of 27 mint and used stamps on an old album page 1860-1901. Dupes uncounted. Highlights: mint #1, 2, 3, 3b (plus other listed shades m/u), 4, 11, 14, 15-16, 17-18; used #6, etc. Nice, F-VF selection. 2025 Scott $4470. NET $1395

196 MALTA – Over 100 F-VF mint and used stamps on album pages 1863-1978. Highlights mint #16, 35; used #3 var, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9A, 14, 17-18, 21-27, 166, 182, etc. 2023 Scott $1630. NET $375

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198 MAURITIUS – Nice collection of over 180 F-VF stamps, 65% mint, in mounts on album pages 1849-1950. Highlights: mint #7-8 (7 NG), 20 NG, 22 NG, 48 NG, 56 NG, 57 NG, 59 wing margin NG, 80-2, etc. 2023 Scott $2087. NET $375

200 MAURITIUS – Over 90 F-VF mostly mint stamps on Minkus pages 1849-1954. Highlights: mint #204-7, 211-22, 235-49, 251-65, etc. 2025 Scott $374. NET $110

202 MAURITIUS #9 – Rare mint o.g. HR sound VF four margin stamp. 2025 Scott $550. NET $160

204 MONTSERRAT – 70 mint, four used F-VF stamps on album pages 1876-1938. Highlights: mint #2, 42, 52, 54-74, 65-74, etc. 2026 Scott $646. NET $225

206 MUSCAT – 79 used and 25 mint F-VF stamps on Scott specialty pages 1944-1966. Highlights: used #37, 56-64, 56A, 79-93 m/u, 94105, O10 on piece, etc. 2025 Scott $1379. NET $350

208 NATAL – Valuable classics collection of 66 stamps (14 mint) on three old album pages 1857-1895. Plenty of useful material. Highlights: unused # 10, 10a, 14, 52a; mint #60, 64; used #1 mixed condition, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 15a, 16, 17, 19, 20, 31, 34a, 35, 36, 38-40, 44, 48, 49a inverted ovpt, 56, 57, 61b inverted ovpt, Gibbons F1 postally used fiscal cats for £85. One or two in mixed condition; otherwise, F-VF. 2025 Scott $6255. NET $1995

210 NATAL – Mostly used collection of 17 generally Fine stamps from #7 through #77 on dealer stockcards. Highlights: used #9, 11, 17, 30, 33, 38, 40, 45, 63, 68; mint #74A, 76; unused #16A, 57, etc. 2026 Scott $1090 NET $240

212 NAURU – Over 550 F-VF mostly mint stamps in mounts on album pages 1916-2008. Highlights: NH #514-517A, 534-6, 565, 589-92A; mint #4c, 13-15 (13 NH), 17-30A; used #16, etc. 2025 Scott $1924. NET $695

214 NEPAL – Very nice collection of over 125 F-VF mint and used stamps on Minkus album pages 1881-1959. Highlights: used #1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10-10A, 13, 14, 15, 17 block of 6, 19, 21, 22, 44-50, 51-9; unused #4, 5; mint #84-8, 90-101, 104-17, etc. 2026 Scott $3263. NET $695

216 NEVIS – 10 mint & 12 used mostly F-VF stamps on Scott specialty page 1861-1890. Highlights: used #10, 12, 14A, 15, 17, 22, 24, 25, 26, 31, 32 pair on piece; mint #7, 14Ab, 27, 29, 30; unused #5, 9, etc. 2026 Scott $1261. NET $450

218 NEW BRUNSWICK – Three Fine or better stamps in mounts on a Harris album page 1851-1863. Consists of unused #7 and 8 and used #2. 2025 Scott $1262. NET $210

220 NEW BRUNSWICK #1 – Rare mint o.g. H.R. stamp with repaired upper right corner and faults otherwise average-fine. 2024 Scott $5,500. NET $650

222 NEWFOUNDLAND – Some 200 mostly F-VF mint stamps on Scott specialty pages. Highlights: #19, 20, 24, 28-9, 35-6, 38, 41-2, 47, 49, 57, 59, 61-74, 115-126; used #1, 27, 30, 32, 43, etc. 2026 Scott $3,042. NET $995

224 NEWFOUNDLAND/PROVINCES – Over 95% mint F-VF collection 1857-1944 of about 215 stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages with several better VF mint sets including #61-74, 87-97, 104-14. Also New Brunswick #8-9 mint, and Nova Scotia #1 used, etc. 2022 Scott $5,039. NET $1295

225 NEWFOUNDLAND #3 – Rare mint stamp with toned disturbed o.g. & minor defects, otherwise sound avg-fine. 2023 Scott $1000. NET $210

227 NEW HEBRIDES – Over 240 F-VF mint stamps mostly in mounts on Scott specialty album pages 1908-1977. Highlights: mint #1-16, 31, 41-9, 50-61, 66-76, 96-107 NH, 155-166, 217-29 NH, J11-15 NH, etc. 2026 Scott $1016. NET $395

229 NEW ZEALAND – Over 190 stamps mostly F-VF mint and used on album pages 1874-1940. Highlights: used #14e, 30, 31, 36, 56, 77, 78, 119, 120, 147, 198, 203-16, AR7, AR12, AR54, O27, O28, O31, O37, O49, O56; mint #74, 80, 124, 130E, 151c, 152, 157, 159, 165-70, 179-81, 229-41, B2, B3-4, C1-3, C5, E1-1A, J5, J22-5, O53, etc. 2026 Scott $4178. NET $995

231 NEW ZEALAND – Mostly mint (67%) collection of 1410 stamps, SS and mini sheets from 1862-2000 in a Scott specialty album. Earlies mixed condition, most F-VF. Dupes not counted. Highlights mint #39, 63a, 64, 80, 165-70, 179-81, 229-41, 333-52, C1-3, C1a, C5, E1, O69, O92-99; used #14, 14d, 14e, 19, 31a, 35, 37, 41, 118, 121A, AR12, AR15, AR89, B4, O31, O38 and OY5. 2023 Scott $6,236. NET $895

233 NIGER COAST PROTECTORATE – F-VF group of 13 desirable stamps. Includes: mint #2-5, 37-8, 40-2, 45, 47-8; used #6. 2026 Scott $369. NET $150

235 NIUE – Mint and used F-VF collection of around 95 stamps (5 used) on Scott specialty pages 1911-1940. Highlights: mint #10-13, 89A-D NH, etc. 2026 Scott $530. NET $160

237 NORTH BORNEO – Useful F-VF earlies collection 1883-1899 on two old album pages with 97 different (41 mint, including seven imperf pairs and 56 used). Highlights include mint #10, 25-30, 35//43 (seven imperf pairs), 42, 76-78 (part set); used #1, 31, 32, 53, 56, etc. A few duplicates (but with different perforations) included but not in count or catalog totals. 2023 Scott $1221. NET $375

239 NORTHERN RHODESIA – Mint F-VF collection of 84 stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1925-1964 with many NH. Highlights: #25-45, 61-88 NH, etc. 2025 Scott $402. NET $150

241 NOVA SCOTIA #2 – Rare mint o.g. hinge remnant sound four margin clear of design fine stamp. Signed. 2022 Scott $1750. NET $495

243 NYASALAND – 77 F-VF mint stamps on pages 1934-1963. Highlights: #38-46, 47-50, 63-7, 80, etc. 2026 Scott $381. NET $150

245 NYASALAND PROTECTORATE – Mint collection of 78-F-VF stamps from #2-122 on dealer stockcards. Highlights #2-8, 12-22, 3850, 54-62, 68-80, 97-122, etc. 2024 Scott $703. NET $210

247 PAKISTAN #1-4, 5-6, 8-19 – Scarce MNH sound F-VF stamps missing only #4A & #7 for completion. Seldom offered. 2023 Scott Classic $233. NET $75

249 PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Beautiful collection of over 440 F-VF mint mostly NH stamps in a Lighthouse hingeless album 1935-1996. Highlights: #188-98 NH, 208-20 NH, 265-79 NH, etc. 2023 Scott $790. NET $295

251 PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Around 60 stamps (80% mint) on quadrilled pages from 1901-1997 in VF condition. Highlights include mint #4, 71, etc. 2022 Scott $325. NET $59

253 PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND – Collection of one used and 11 mint F-VF stamps on an album page 1861-1872. Highlights: mint #4, 10, 11-16; used #2, etc. 2026 Scott $1015. NET $275

255 RHODESIA – Valuable collection on old album pages 18901923, with around 131 different F-VF (41 mint, 90 used) including shade and perf varieties (and a few uncounted dupes). Highlights include mint #3, 4, 11, 11a, 13, 28, 56, 78a, 79, 80, 105, 109a, 111; used #10, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 23, 35, 36, 46, 49, 69, 70, 74, 84a, 86c, 98, 103b, 106, 106d, 108, 109, 110, 111c, 112, 113, 117a, 125, 133, and a number of mint & used Admiral issues including type & shade varieties (plus some dupes not counted). 2024 Scott $6,051. NET $1595

257 RHODESIA – Beautiful collection of 13 F-VF mint double heads on black stock sheet 1910. An attractive and clean group with good colors. Highlights: #102, 103, 104-4A, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 115. 2023 Scott $1079. NET $350

259 ST. CHRISTOPHER – Three used, 17 mint Fine or better stamps in mounts on a Minkus page 1870-1889. Highlights: mint #1-3, 4-7 m/u, 17, 18-20, etc. 2025 Scott $1249. NET $375

261 ST. HELENA – Over 105 F-VF mint and used stamps on album pages 1879-1949. Highlights: mint #7, 24, 31, 39, 40-6, 53, 54, 91, 97, 118-27, 130-31; unused #11, 18, 30; used #5, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 26, 28, 32, etc. 2025 Scott $2032. NET $495

262A ST. HELENA – Mostly mint F-VF collection of more than 110 stamps, five used, in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1884-1967. Highlights: mint #33-8 (unused, cat at 60%), 159-72, etc. 2026 Scott $372. NET $110

264 ST. LUCIA – Mint collection of 59 generally F-VF stamps from #5–148. Highlights #5, 8, 10; mint #17, 28, 76-89, 110-126, etc. 2024 Scott $1165. NET $250

266 ST. VINCENT – Mint primarily NH F-VF collection of close to 135 stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages from 1871-1966. Mint highlights #114-244, hinged #14A and 104-16. Duplicates are free, not counted. 2024 Scott $535. NET $180

268 SAMOA – Almost all mint F-VF for better collection of around 690 stamps (less than 15 used) and souvenir sheets in mounts on various album pages (mostly Minkus) 1895-1992. Mint highlights #20 (back toning as often found), 102, 195-97, 265-74B NH, 725-40 and a large section of modern issues. 2023 Scott $1580. NET $495

270 SAMOA – Mint (90%) and used F-VF collection of 128 stamps on Minkus specialty pages from 1886-1962. Mint highlights include #2630, 101 (vertically shifted surcharge), 104, 136-41; used #20, etc. 2022 Scott $880. NET $180

272 SARAWAK – Over 170 F-VF mostly mint stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1869-1965. Highlights: mint #14, 28-31, 80-93, 155-58; MNH #159-73, 174-5, 197-211; used #50-70 m/u, 108, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, etc. 2025 Scott $1624. NET $395

274 SEYCHELLES – Over 100 F-VF stamps, 5 used, on album pages 1890-1938. Highlights: mint #20, 22-6, 88, 111, 132, 135, 137, 142, 144; used #15, etc. 2026 Scott $1165. NET $375

276 SIERRA LEONE – Beautiful collection of over 300 F-VF 99% mint stamps in mounts in a Scott specialty album 1859-1973. Highlights: mint #1, 13, 17, 20, 44, 45, 73, 74, 82, 88, 97, 100, 116, 117, 122-37, 173-85, 188-9; used #29, 151, etc. 2025 Scott $1888. NET $595

278 SIERRA LEONE – Mint collection in mounts on Minkus pages 1883-1965. About 165 stamps in F-VF condition. Highlights: #26, 82, 173-85, 195-207, etc. 2025 Scott $665. NET $250

280 SIERRA LEONE – Mint (80%) and used fine or better collection of around 145 stamps on H.E. Harris pages from 1865-1965 with almost all in mounts. Duplicates are free not counted. Mint highlights #173-85, 195-207; used #41-3, etc. 2022 Scott $850. NET $150

282 SINGAPORE – Mint (75%) and used F-VF collection of around 230 stamps on blank or quad pages from 1948-1970s. Duplicates are free and not counted. Mint highlights #28-42 NH, 62-9, 101-06, 107-11 and 144-49 NH. 2022 Scott $1035. NET $210

284 SOLOMON ISLANDS – Mint collection of about 140 F-VF stamps on dealer stockcards between #8 and #194. Highlights: #8-15, 43-54, 67-79, 89-105, 128-42, J1-8, etc. 2023 Scott $656. NET $210

286 SOUTH AFRICA – Mint and used (70%) mostly F-VF collection of 70 stamps and bilingual pairs on Scott pages from 1913-1943 with a few later issues. Mint highlights #14, 15, 31, 66, 68-71 (vert.), B5-8, B9-11, C1-4, J35-38; used #16 (rare). 2026 Scott $2,960. NET $650

288 SOUTH AFRICA – Mint and used (62%) collection of 475 stamps on black two-sided stockpages from 1910-1974. Used highlights #28 & 29. Duplicates are free and not included in cat. value. Some later issues were also included. Mostly F-VF. 2023 Scott $825. NET $195

290 SOUTHERN RHODESIA – Over 50 F-VF mint (65%) and used stamps on stocksheets 1924-1964. Highlights mint #81-93, 95-108; used #16-30. 2024 Scott $402. NET $140

292 STRAITS SETTLEMENTS – Valuable mint collection of 115 F-VF stamps on dealer stockcards from #10 -271. Highlights mint #10, 12-14, 29, 33-5, 40-57, 60-61, 68, 72-81, 83-7, 93-9, 105-8, 168-171, 217-233, etc. 2023 Scott $4,012. NET $1095

294 SUDAN – Mint and used (60%) fine or better collection on more than 100 stamps on old Windsor pages. Duplicates and unlisted are free and not counted. Mint highlights #51-9, C17b (singed twice), used #6-8, C22, etc. 2023 Scott $1300. NET $295

296 SWAZILAND – Mostly mint F-VF or better collection of close to 100 stamps on Elbe quad pages 1889-1966. Highlights: mint #55-107; used #10-19, etc. 2025 Scott $665. NET $180

298 TANGANYIKA – Mint collection of nine desirable VF stamps on dealer stockcards. Included are #74d, 79a, 80a, 81a, 82a, 83a, 83b, 84a, 84b. 2025 Scott $598. NET $225

300 TOBAGO, TRINIDAD, TRINIDAD/TOBAGO – Over 95 F-VF mostly used stamps on old album pages 1881-1941. Highlights: mint Tobago #9, 12, 24, 26, 30, 31; used #10; Trinidad used #1, 27, 29, 31, J1; Trinidad/Tobago mint #34-42. An attractive and clean collection. Good variety. 2023 Scott $1237. NET $325

302 TRANSJORDAN – Mint collection of 22 F-VF stamps from #199-279 on dealer stockcards. Includes #199-206, 252-5, 257-9, 268-271, 274, 277, 279. 2024 Scott $396. NET $120

304 TRANSVAAL – Over 90 mostly F-VF mint stamps on album pages 1878-1910. Highlights: used #135, 151, 264, 268-80 m/u; mint #134, etc. Dupes not counted. 2025 Scott $781. NET $225

306 TRINIDAD – Around 55 classics, 80% used on Scott pages from 1851-1910. Highlights: mint #56 signed, 58, 88; used #1, etc. 2022 Scott $600. NET $180

308 TRINIDAD/TRINIDAD & TOBAGO – Mint and used collection of over 100 F-VF stamps on album pages 1851-1935. Highlights: mint #4, J10-17 m/u, O6; used #42, 47, 101, J1-9 (J1 mint), O2, O3; Trinidad & Tobago mint #31; used #16, 27, 30, etc. Dupes not counted. 2025 Scott $2541. NET $625

310 TRISTAN DA CUNHA – Majority mint collection of over 280 F-VF stamps on Scott specialty pages 1952-1981. Highlights: mint #14-27, 28-41, 42-54, 113-15 NH, etc. 2026 Scott $503. NET $160

312 TURKS ISLANDS – One unused & four used stamps on an album page 1867-1881. Highlights: used #1, 5, 19, 33; unused #4. 2026 Scott $842. NET $225

314 VIRGIN ISLANDS – Over 375 F-VF mint stamps on hingeless album pages 1866-1979. Highlights: MNH #102-13, 144-58, 206-22, 364-80; mint #3, 5, 18, 19-20, 21-8, 38-46, 53-66, 69-72, 128-39, etc. 2025 Scott $1504. NET $575

316 ZANZIBAR – Good mint (70%) and used fine or better collection of close to 175 stamps on Old Windsor pages 1895-1936. Duplicates and others are free and not counted. Mint highlights #11-12, 14-17, 30, 34-7, 44-6, 65-98, 110-12, 129-33, 167-74, J9-23; used #54, 74-6, 10709, 151-53, J6a, J6c, etc. 2023 Scott $4,000. NET $1495

318 ZANZIBAR – Nearly 200 stamps, mint 75% used 25%, on a stockpage in generally F-VF condition. Highlights include mint #230243, etc. 2022 Scott $466. NET $150 WORLDWIDE

320 AEGEAN ISLANDS #31-35 – Scarce mint o.g. heavily hinged complete set. #34 and #35 have tiny thins; otherwise sound F-VF. 2021 Scott $530. NET $110

323 AFGHANISTAN – Attractive collection of 33 used and 66 mint stamps mostly F-VF on vintage pages 1877-1949. Highlights: mint #60, 199 unused, C4-6; used #198, 214, 219A, etc. Unpriced stamps not counted. 2026 Scott $636. NET $225

325 ALAOUITES – Mostly mint, (two used), F-VF collection of 36 stamps on various 2-hole Scott specialty pages 1925-1930. Dupes not counted. Some mint without gum. Highlights: mint #C1-4, C5-8, C17d, C21; used #49, etc. 2025 Scott $650. NET $250

327 ALBANIA – 19 F-VF mint stamps in mounts on album pages 1931-1940. Highlights: NH #C36-42 (C40-42 w/ Bolaffi cert), C47-53, etc. 2025 Scott $178. NET $110

329 ALEXANDRETTA – 24 F-VF mint stamps on Palo hingeless pages 1938. Highlights: #1-12 NH, etc. 2025 Scott $412. NET $275

331 ALLIED MILITARY GOVERNMENT: MILITARY PERMIT TRAVEL STAMPS – Highly desirable used collection of 15 different in mounts on pages in F-VF condition consisting of Yvert #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13 and 14 on piece!!, 15, 16, 19, 23 and 24. 2020 Yvert Retail: $4,922 (convt’d to $USD). NET $1095

333 ANDORRA (FRENCH) – Excellent mint F-VF collection more than 600 stamps and complete booklets in mounts on Scott blank pages 1931-2001, overwhelmingly NH from 1960s forward. Highlights: #1-527 (minus #478, 509 and 511-12), C1-8, J1-62, etc. 2025 Scott $3750. NET $1295

335 ANGOLA – Over 130 majority mint F-VF stamps in Approval cards & album pages 1903-1970. Good variety. 2026 Scott $338. NET $95

337 ANJOUAN – 16 mint and 7 used Fine or better stamps mounted on album page 1892-1912. Highlights: mint #11, 15, 16, 17; used #18, 19, etc. 2026 Scott $476. NET $160

339 ARGENTINA – Majority used collection of over 600 mostly F-VF stamps on pages 1858-1937. Highlights: used #5, 12, 13, 15, 33, 390; mint #4-4B, 21, OD288; unused #18A, 19, etc. 2026 Scott $2430. NET $495

341 AUSTRIA –Expansive collection of around 3,430 mint and used stamps in 4 Scott Specialty Albums 1850 to 2018 in good condition. Stamps are generally F-VF in the earlies, VF thereafter. Includes duplicate mint pages from 1990 to 1998 but missing 1971-1989. There are many color and perf varieties of the early issues. Highlights: used # 1, 7, 12, 33, 35a, 37a, 39, 65, 127, 142 signed, 144 signed, 198a, C46, J157; unused #6; mint #8, 13, 29, 371, 379, 426, 427, 499, 1995a, 1999a, 2003a, 20074, 2060c, 2317a, B87-92, B107, B109, B110NH, B115, B117, B121, B131, B269-71, B370a, C29, C59 NH, J9; Bosnia & Herzegovina #1, etc. 2026 Scott $11,702. NET $2495

343 AUSTRIA - Highly complete mostly mint collection of around 2,400 mainly F-VF stamps in two bulging Schaubek albums 18541989. Uncounted duplication includes many mint and used copies of many early issues, as well as a wealth of paper, color, and perf varieties. Highlights: used #1, 2c, 46; mint #43, 45, 82, 84, 352, unlisted Germany #524-27 overprint signed after Scott #404, 424-27 NH signed, 428-31 NH signed, 1945 Losenstein Locals set, B110 NH, C29, C46, C57-59 NH, etc. 2026 Scott $ 6,588. NET $1650

345 AUSTRIA – Almost 80% used collection of 2357 generally F-VF stamps and s/s 1850-1988, in a Scott specialty album, includes Bosnia/Herz. Highlights: mint #181-99 NH, 405-23 NH, 599-603, B3-7 NH, B50-8 NH, B57-65 NH, B66-70, B81-6, B87-92, B93-8, B112-7, B122-7, B132-7, B138-41, B146-51 NH, B245-51, B260-3, B264-7, B2736, C29, C32-46, J232-59; used #128-41, J1-9, P1; Bosnia mint #30-45, 46-61, etc. 2025 Scott $4113. NET $695

347 AUSTRIA #4A – Rare used four large margin stamps with attractive circular date cancel, small thin and faint creases; otherwise sound. VF-XF jumbo. 2025 Scott $2450. NET $350

349 AUSTRIA & AREAS – Wide ranging 70% mint collection on Scott pages with around 1550 F-VF from 1850 to the mid-1950s with some specialist touches. Includes mint #520-556, B269-B271, C29, seldom seen Montenegro #1N3, Venezia Giulia #N4; used #1a, 8, 2733 coarse, 65, P1, J1-J9, Offices in Turkey #2, Lombardy-Venetia #1, 2, 9, 12, 14, 15. The collector watched for paper, varnish bar and print varieties. 2022 Scott $5,050. NET $795

351 AUSTRIA: LOMBARDY-VENETIA #1C – Rare F-VF pair used on piece and tied with attractive circular cancels. 2025 Scott $350. NET $140

353 AUSTRIAN OCCUPATION – 52 mint and 14 used Fine or better stamps mounted on Scott album pages 1918-1919. Highlights: mint #N4, N12, N18, N52A, N57, N59, N60; used #N10, N15, N16, N35, N37, N48, etc. Dupes not counted. 2026 Scott $4783. NET $1395

355 AZORES – MNH VF collection of over 190 stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1980-2003. 2025 Scott $435. NET $210

357 BELGIUM #B521-B522 – Scarce MNH sound VF stamps. 2025 Scott $320. NET $150

359 BENIN – Mint and used collection of 30 F-VF stamps mounted on Scott pages 1892-1894. Highlights: mint #33-45 m/u; used #4, 14, 27, J1-4, etc. 2025 Scott $702. NET $225

361 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA – Around 150 mint & used stamps on vintage repro pages 1879-1918. Highlights: used #1, etc. 2025 Scott $387. NET $130

363 BRAZIL – Scott specialty album with around 1200 generally F-VF from 1843 to the late 1970s. Earlies are the usual a bit mixed and all used to about 1931, where the collection turns mint to about 1954, and 50/50 from there to the end. Several highlights including mint #364-374, 459, 446-449, 466, C1-C16m, C53, C55-C59 NH, C73A, C76A; used #1, 28, 39, 40, 43, 44, etc. Includes a few event cards and an interesting sheetlet of twelve #487 mint with interior selvage. 2021 Scott $6,050. NET $950

365 BRAZIL #3 – Rare used four margin sound VF-XF stamp with attractive circular date cancel. 2025 Scott $1300. NET $375

367 BULGARIA – Big mint and used F-VF collection of close to 1950 stamps on various Scott pages 1879-1970 with varieties, mainly shades. Highlights: mint #1, 10-11, 21, 273-8, C12-4, J5; used #2, 4-5, 19, 21B, 21C, 249 block of 4 scarce, J1-3, etc. 2026 Scott $4625. NET $1095

369 BULGARIA – 44 used & 46 mint Fine or better stamps on manila stock sheets 1879-1910. Highlights: mint #1, 7, 21D signed Brun, 23-4, J2, J4, J5 signed; unused #2, 20 signed, 22, J13; used #3, 4, 5, 10, 19, 21, etc. Dupes not counted. 2025 Scott $3953. NET $575

371 BULGARIA – Equal amount mint/used collection of 464 stamps in a small three-ring binder on blank quadrille pages from 1879-1945. Dupes not counted. Highlights mint #6, 33, C1-4, J3, J13-14; used #3, 10, J2, J4-6, J7-9, etc. 2023 Scott $1015. NET $175

373 CAMBODIA – Mint F-VF or better collection of 279 stamps and s/s in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1952-1970. Highlights: #1-230, B1-12, C1-18, C24-7, J1-5, etc. 2025 Scott $675. NET $225

375 CAMEROUN – Mostly mint collection of about 178 F-VF stamps on album pages 1897-1939. Highlights: mint #20-5, 117, 118, 138A signed, 225-54, B2-6; used #109, 119, etc. 2026 Scott $1326. NET $395

377 CAMEROUN #C111-C116 VAR. – Scarce mint o.g. hinged sound VF complete set. See note after #C116 for mention of this overprinted elusive variety that is seldom offered. 2026 Scott $325. NET $160

379 CANAL ZONE – Beautiful collection of over 170 F-VF mint and used stamps on Vintage pages 1904-1948. Highlights: mint #4, 5, 6, 21, 77, 78, 79, 80, 84-95 m/u, 97, 100-4, 120-35, C6-14, C15-20, J21-4; used #8, 14, 18, 19, 49-51, 55-7, 81, CO1-7, J2, J3, J4-6, J7-9, J10-11, O3, etc. 2026 Scott $2187. NET $695

381 CHILE – 227 generally F-VF 68% used stamps on vintage repro pages and a dealer stockcard 1853-1940. Earlies in mixed condition as normal. F-VF thereafter. Dupes and revenues not counted. Highlights: mint #11, 18, 140, C14; used #1-2, 5, 34, etc. 2025 Scott $1270. NET $250

383 CHILE – Tiny collection on dealer stockcards. Highlights: used #4-5, 13, 15-16; mint #11; unused #19, etc. 2025 Scott $837. NET $150

385 CHINA (P.R.C.) – Beautiful collection of over 700 MNH VF stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1975-1987. Highlights: #1242-1244 1245-1249, 1250-1254 1255-1270, 1275-1277, 1278-1280, 1281-1285, 1286-1289, 1290-1292, 1299-1302, 1303-1306, 1307-1309, 1312-1314, 1329-1332, 1333-336, 1349-1353, 1354-1356, 1357-1362, 1376-1378, 1389-1398, 1497, 1557-1572, 1599-1601, 1618-1625, 16481653, 1654-1659, 1696-1702, 1749-1760, 1785, 1810, 1824-1831, 18401843, etc. 2026 Scott $3750. NET $1995

387 CHINA (P.R.C.) #1211-1214 – Scarce mint o.g. HR complete VF set with normal offset. 2025 Scott $360. NET $160

389 CHINA (P.R.C.) #99 – Scarce used stamp with faint creases and short perf at top; otherwise sound F-VF. 2025 Scott $425. NET $175

391 CHINA (P.R.C.) #1761 – Scarce MNH sound VF souvenir sheet. 2023 Scott $210. NET $130

393 CHINA (R.O.C.) – Mint F-VF collection of more than 290 stamps on Scott pages from 1958-62, 1682-93, 1740-49, etc. 2021 Scott $900. NET $325

395 CHINA #1355-1356, #1358 (R.O.C.) – Scarce MNH sound VF stamps. 2023 Scott $245. NET $120

397 CILICIA – Collection of 9 used & 25 mint mostly F-VF stamps on album pages 1919-1920. Highlights: mint #4, 14, 121A, etc. 2026 Scott $301. NET $120

399 COLOMBIA – Mint and used collection of over 300 mostly F-VF stamps on album pages 1864-1940. Highlights: used #41, 77 signed, etc. 2025 Scott $844. NET $160

401 COMORO ISLANDS – 26 mint Fine or better stamps in mounts on page 1897-1912. Highlights: #15, 19, etc. Guadeloupe uncounted. 2025 Scott $320. NET $110

403 CUBA – Evenly mint and used collection of 680 stamps and SS from 1855-1960 on two-post preprinted album pages. Dupes and unlisted telegraph stamps not counted. Few early classics in mixed condition. Though most are F-VF. Highlights mint #4, 15, 17, 26, 38-41, 46, 50-3, 57, 62, 76-81, 105, 111, 114, 117, 120, C49a-b, E1, E3 NH; used #6, 7, 16, 23, 49, 178, 181, 188, 201, etc. 2021 Scott $10,008. NET $1795

405 CYRENAICA – 88 F-VF stamps (2 used) on album pages 19251935. Highlights: mint #38-42, C6-11, C12-17, CB1-10; used #C18-19, etc. 2026 Scott $1182. NET $495

407 CZECHOSLOVAKIA – Very clean F-VF mint collection of over 3200 stamps and s/s in two Scott specialty albums 1918-1992. Dupes not counted. Highlights: mint #23-40, 175-8, 187-90, 429a, 434a, 556, 707-10, 719 perf & imperf, 770-5, 1070-80, 1134-34a, 1435-9, 1913a, 2190a, 2197c, 2446a, 2517a-b, 2721a-23a, 2758a-62a, 2810a-13a, 2943a-47a, C1-6, B137-9, B140-3; Legion Post #1a-3a, 6-14; E. Silesia #31-32, etc. 2026 Scott $4929. NET $1395

409 DAHOMEY – Almost all mint Fine or better collection of close to 160 stamps on Scott specialty pages 1899-1942. Some in mounts with NH premiums from Scott classic. 2024 Scott $1116. NET $350

411 DANISH WEST INDIES – Nice collection of 19 mint & 24 used mostly F-VF stamps mounted on album pages 1856-1905. Highlights: used #2, 6e, 10, 13, 19, 29-30, J2, J3 & J5-8 m/u; mint #25, 46, etc. 2025 Scott $1145. NET $325

413 DANZIG – 384 majority mint F-VF stamps and s/s in a Safe hingeless album 1920-1939. Highlights: mint #1-15, 25b, B9-11, J37-9, B43-7 NH; used #27b, 40, 195, 227, C26-30, C42-5, etc. 2026 Scott $1362. NET $595

415 DANZIG – Over 370 stamps – 80% mint – in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1920-1939. Highlights: mint #156-67 (159 u); used #191, 193, 195, 210, 227, 231, etc. Good variety. 2025 Scott $1082. NET $325

417 DENMARK – Useful collection of 690 generally F-VF stamps and SS from 1851-1968 on black Vario stockpages. Some earlies in mixed condition, overall F-VF. Dupes not counted. Includes mint #3, 4, 6 NG, 11, 12, 30, 32, 35, 37, 38-40, 50, 65-69, 72-78, 79-81, 82, 85-96, 107, 121, 126, 128-31, 132-34, 135, 136-37, 138-44, 145-54, 160, 167a, 75a, 181-91, 192-97, 210-19, 223d, 238b, 232-38, 395-400, B1-2, C1-5, J9-24 mixed, O6-9, P6, P9, Q9, Q12-14, Q15-27; used #5, 10, 14, 15, 19, 20, 24, 34, 164-75, O1-2, Q7, etc. 2023 Scott $10,704. NET $1695

419 DENMARK – Mostly used collection of 334 generally F-VF stamps from 1851-1940 on specialty pages and dealer cards. Dupes not counted. Highlights: mint #82, 128, O16-24; used #1, 3-6, 8, 11-5, 17, 19-20, 25-34, 35, 37, 65-9, 79-81, 110, 135, 143-4, 145-54, 164-75, 210-9, B1-3, C1-2, J1-7, P1-10, etc. 2025 Scott $5811. NET $795

421 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – Mint and used collection of over 900 F-VF stamps mounted on Minkus pages 1870-1973. Highlights: mint #107, 326-8, C57-61 NH; used #88-95 m/u (95 is unused), etc. 2026 Scott $975. NET $195

423 EASTERN RUMELIA – Collection of 15 mint & seven used on Harris album pages 1880-1885. Highlights mint #10-14, 31, 33, 38A, 38b, 39, 40A; used #28, 30b, 32, 36 & 40. Clean & attractive. Dupes not counted. 2023 Scott $1262. NET $375

425 ECUADOR – Mint and used collection of over 1150 F-VF stamps on Scott specialty pages 1865-1965. Highlights: mint #9-11 m/u, 39-46, 47-54 m/u, C35-8, CO9-12, J1-7, O64-87; used #2-2A, 6, 76, 160-5, etc. Dupes and unlisted varieties not counted. 2026 Scott $2056. NET $550

427 EGYPT – Beautiful collection of over 825 F-VF 85% mint stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1866-1964. NH Highlights: mint #168-71, 234-40, 322-40, 343-60, 474-90, 600-16, C39-50, C53-64, J47-53, O60-8, N39-56, NC1-12; mint highlights: 8-15, 43-9, 78-88, 172-6, 267-9d, 299-316, B6b, C1, C5-25, C67-77, C78-89, O31-8, 0719, N1-19; used #92-103, 105-7 m/u & 108-113 each tied on piece with expo cancels. 2025 Scott $3747. NET $875

429 ERITREA – Mint (70%) and used fine or better collection of close to 180 stamps on Scott specialty pages, 1892-1934 with mint in mounts. Mint highlights #65-74, 81-4, 101, 109-18, B1-24, CB1-10; used #3-8, 10, 24-7, C7-16, etc. 2023 Scott $1825. NET $475

431 ESTONIA – Nice MNH collection of 701 stamps, s/s and bklts in two Davo hingeless albums 1991-2018, nearly complete. The few used stamps uncounted. Lots of topicals. 2026 Scott $1050. NET $495

433 EUROPA – Over 625 F-VF stamps in mounts on White Ace pages 1956-1974. Highlights: used Italy#175-6; Liechtenstein #356; Luxembourg #318-20, etc. Europa label s/s’s not counted. 2025 Scott $1115. NET $275

435 FINLAND – Over 650 F-VF majority used stamp collection on Scott specialty pages 1856-1970. Highlights: used #2, 2C, 3, 4A, 5, 6b, 7, 8A, 9, 10, 19, 20, 23-23A, 25-30, 54, 55, 58, 139, Q6-9 m/u; mint #17. Two reprints and postcard not counted. 2026 Scott $6245. NET $1350 437 FINLAND – Mint (75%) and used collection of about 810 stamps and a few panes in a Davo album from 1866-1979. Serpentine Roulette issues are a little mixed but overall condition after 1911 is VF with many good regular & semi-postal sets. Highlights include mint #17, Q6-9; used #6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 19, 23, 30, 116, etc. 2021 Scott $2,900. NET $425 439 FINLAND – Mostly used (74%) collection of 1045 generally F-VF stamps from 1866-1997 with scattered to 2005 in a three-ring Scott specialty album with pages to 2010 plus Aland. Dupes not counted. Highlights mint #26, 106; used #151, B2-4, B5-7, B31-33, etc. 2023 Scott $1769. NET $275

441 FIUME – Mint fine or better collection of more than 160 stamps on British quad pages, 1918-1924. Many stamps are not counted. Highlights #102-03, 114-17, 122-24, 126, 161-81, 184-207, B4-14, E1-2 and J12-25. 2023 Scott $1725. NET $450

443 FIUME – Nice group of over 120 F-VF stamps (70%) mint on quadrille pages 1918-1923. Highlights mint #12A, 18, 20A, 155, 156, 158, 159, 197-207, E2-E3. J4c, J8c & J12c. Highlights used two. A clean & attractive collection. 2021 Scott $1483. NET $325

445 FRANCE – Mostly mint collection of over 1125 stamps mostly F-VF in mounts on Scott pages 1849-1958. Highlights: MNH #294, 300, 300a, 329 s/s, B8, B27, B38, B267-72, B285-90, B303-8, C7, C17, N2, N6, N27-42, N43-58; mint #132, 220-5, 251A, 254A, 347, 624, 752, B39-41, B117-28, B153-7, B276-81, C2, C11, C12, J40, J64, J80-92, N25, N26; used #3, 6-6A, 12, 13, 16, 17, 22, 28, 31, 37, 52, 54, 64, 67, 72, 96, 107, 108, 253, 348, B66-7, C15, C16-17, C22, C23-7, J6, J15, J65, N3, N7, etc. Dupes not counted. 2026 Scott $13,434. NET $2495 447 FRANCE – Big collection of 775 mint and used on Scott pages 1849-1984. Highlights mint #29, 51, 198-201, 294, 414, B135-B146, C7, J2, J4, J12, J13, J14, N1, N2 & P1; used #3, 6, 11, 12, 13, 16, 19, 22, 22A, 24, 28, 30, 31, 38, 38A, 41, 44, 46, 47-47b, 48, 52, 54, 60-63, 64, 67, 72, 74, 83, 87, 93, 94, 96, 102, 107, 108, 109-132, 133, 137, 247B, J6, J7, J15, J20, J21, J23, J35, J40, J65 & P3. Nice assortment of duplicates & a few covers not counted and a gift for you. Condition is generally F-VF. 2021 Scott $10,457. NET $1295

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449 FRANCE – Large majority mint generally Fine or better collection of around 1250 stamps on Scott pages 1853-1965 with some in mounts. Dupes are uncounted. Highlights: mint #291-3, 294, 296-7, 342-7, 624, B3-6, B17-19, B20-3, B42-3, B66-7, B249-54, N27-58; used #26, J35, etc. 2025 Scott $3500. NET $750

451 FRANCE #B9 – Mint hinged VF. 2025 Scott $425. NET $210

453 FRANCE #B66-B67 – Scarce MNH complete set with couple short perfs and natural gum bends, otherwise sound VF. 2023 Scott $350. NET $95

455 FRANCE #C15 – Scarce mint o.g. LH, sound VF-XF stamp. 2025 Scott $625. NET $350

457 FRANCE: OFFICES ABROAD – Collection of more than 50 stamps from two offices, mint and used Fine or better on old Thiaude pages 1885-1923. Highlights: Crete mint #8-15, 16-19; Turkey mint #3a, 25-30, 32-3, 52-5; used #1-7. 2025 Scott $1910. NET $625

459 FRENCH COLONIES – Collection of 27 mint & 36 used Fine or better stamps on album pages 1859-1906. Highlights: mint #6, 12, 20, 24, 36, 56, 57, J15, J22a; used #23, 26, 28, 29, 35A, 56, 58, 59, etc. 2026 Scott $2333. NET $495

461 FRENCH EQUATORIAL AFRICA – Almost all mint F-VF collection of around 230 stamps, 1 used, on old, trimmed Scott specialty pages 1936-1958. Highlights: mint #1-79, 115a-6a, 128, B1-8, B11-13, C34-42, etc. 2025 Scott $1500. NET $595

463 FRENCH GUIANA – Mint and used collection of 51 generally F-VF stamps on dealer stockcards. Highlights: mint #5, 30 signed, 39-40, 50, B4-8, C18-20; used #4, 7-8, 15-16, 22-5, 28, 31, etc. 2025 Scott $2187. NET $575

465 FRENCH GUIANA #93A – Rare mint o.g. HR stamp with disturbed gum and writing on back. Fine, seldom offered. 2026 Scott $550. NET $150

467 FRENCH INDIA – 79 mint and 13 used mostly F-VF stamps mounted on album pages 1892-1939. Highlights: mint #23, B7-11; used #24, etc. 2026 Scott $803. NET $275

469 FRENCH MOROCCO – Beautiful collection of over 500 F-VF mint stamps on Scott white stock pages 1891-1952. Highlights: #1-8 (8 signed), 11-22, 38-54, 55-71, 72-89, 90-115, 311-27, B4, B10-12, B1320, B21-4, C1-11, CB1-CB10, J1-5 (J5 signed), J17-22, J42-5, Q1-11. Dupes not counted. 2026 Scott $3670. NET $1195

471 FRENCH OFFICES – 105 use and 203 mint F-VF stamps mounted on album pages 1885-1928. Highlights: mint Offices in Crete #1-15 m/u, 16-20 m/u; Alexandria #8A; Port Said #16, 39, 45, 54, 83-92, J5-8; Offices in Turkey (Levant) #52-4; Cavale #1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9-15 m/u, Dedeagh #4, 9-18; Port Lagos #1-6 m/u; Vathy #7, 8, 9; Morocco #2A, J6-9; used Alexandria #5a, 12-12A; Port Said #14, 42, 51; Offices in Turkey #1-7, 3A; Cavale #3; Dedeagh #5, 6, 7, 8; Zanzibar #7, 8, 45, 47; Morocco #2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11-22, 26-37, etc. 2026 Scott $6820. NET $2495 473 FRENCH POLYNESIA – Almost all mint F-VF collection on Scott specialty pages, 1892-1970. Many in mounts with some NH and one better stamp used (#C21). Duplicates are free and not counted. Mint consists of #1-22, 124, 125A-135, 136-25L, B1-14, C1-20, C22-54, C57-68, C70, CB1 NH, CB2-4 and J1-30. 2021 Scott $3,700. NET $995 475 FRENCH POLYNESIA – Over 275 VF mint stamps, most NH, on Lighthouse hingeless pages in a binder 1991-1999. NH Highlights: #560-2, 706A-6b, 718A, CB1, O1-15; mint #712A, etc. Dupes not counted. 2025 Scott $1014. NET $425 477 FRENCH POLYNESIA #C107-C111 – MNH VF sound complete set. 2025 Scott $188. NET $100 479 GABON – Over 225 F-VF mint stamps on album pages 19591972. Highlights mint #305-10, C119, etc. Used not counted. 2026 Scott $533. NET $130

481 GERMAN OCCUPATION – Mint and used (24) collection in a Safe hingeless album. Highlights: mint Bohemia #1-19 NH; Poland N17-29 NH, N30-55, NO1-15; France N43-58; G.B. Guernsey #N4-5; Jersey #N3-8; Macedonia #N1-8, etc. 2026 Scott $1013. NET $395

483 GERMAN OFFICES: MOROCCO – 33 mint and 15 used F-VF stamps on Lighthouse hingeless album pages 1899-1911. Highlights: mint #1-6, 41, 45-57; NH #16, 17; used #32A, 41 block of 4 on piece, etc. 2025 Scott $1425. NET $595

485 GERMAN OFFICES: MOROCCO – 14 used and 24 mint F-VF stamps on album pages 1898-1911. Highlights: used #14, 16; mint #4757, etc., 2026 Scott $346. NET $120

487 GERMAN OFFICES: TURKISH EMPIRE – Ten mostly used F-VF stamps on dealer stockcards. Includes used #2, 8-10, 12, 51-2; unused #1, 11. 2024 Scott $307. NET $110

489 GERMAN SOUTH WEST AFRICA – 14 mint & 19 used F-VF stamps in mounts on Scott album pages 1897-1919. Highlights: used #7-12 m/u, 13-24 m/u; mint #1-6 m/u, 26-34 m/u, etc. 2026 Scott $905. NET $450

491 GERMAN STATES: BADEN – Mostly used collection of 23 generally F-VF stamps, each on a dealer stockcard. Highlights: #1314, 22A; unused #23A, 25, etc. 2025 Scott $1213. NET $275

493 GERMAN STATES: BAVARIA – Collection of over 350 mint and used stamps in a bit mixed but mainly F-VF condition in a Safe hingeless album 1850-1920. Highlights: mint #J2a-3a; used #4, 8, 11, 13, 14, 18, 20, 21, 22, 25, 32, 46, 57, 73-6, 87, 88, 90, 101, etc. 2026 Scott $1804. NET $395

495 GERMAN STATES: BRUNSWICK – Mint and used generally Fine collection of 18 used, 4 mint stamps on preprinted album pages 1852-1865. Highlights: mint #6, 13, and 2 others unused; used #1-5, 7-12, 16, 24, and 26. 2025 Scott $2600. NET $450

497 GERMAN STATES: HAMBURG – Fine mint and used collection of 15 stamps, 13 used, on preprinted album pages 1859-1867 with most in mounts. Highlights: mint #9b part o.g.; used #1, 2, 9, 9a, 13-18, 26, etc. 2025 Scott $1125. NET $250

499 GERMAN STATES: HANOVER – Collection of 16 mostly used generally F-VF stamps each on a dealer stockcard. Highlights used #5, 6, 9, 13-14, 16-18, 22A, etc. 2022 Scott $1560. NET $250

501 GERMAN STATES: MECKLENBURG SCHWERIN & STRELITZ – Mostly Fine collection of 10 mint and used stamps in mounts on Scott specialty page 1856-1867 with wide ranging margins. Highlights: Schwerin unused #6; used #2, 3, 5, 8; Strelitz mint #1, unused #3. 2026 Scott $1400. NET $350

503 GERMAN STATES: PRUSSIA – Two mint and 22 used generally F-VF stamps in mounts on Palo album pages 1850-1867. Highlights: used #1-5, 6-8, 21, 22, 23-7, etc. 2025 Scott $1037. NET $210

505 GERMAN STATES: SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN – 14 mostly used generally F-VF stamps each on a dealer stock card. Stamps catalog between $20 and $95. 2025 Scott $694. NET $225 507 GERMAN STATES: THURN AND TAXIS – Nice, used mostly Fine collection of more than 60 stamps in mounts on German specialized color pages 1852-1866 with some mixed condition. Dupes (different cancels) not counted. All but the very inexpensive issues are signed primarily by BPP members such as Brettl, Engel, Helbig, Sem, and Sommer. Highlights in Michel #’s: #1 (x2), 3, 4, 13 (x3), 17 (x2), 18, 23II 24, 26, 36-7, 47-50, etc. 2025 Michel €3150. NET $650 509 GERMAN STATES; WÜRTTEMBERG – Good used mainly Fine or better collection of close to 110 stamps on album pages 1852-1900. Dupes are counted (different cancels or shades. All but a few cheap stamps are signed, primarily by BPP members such as Heinrich, Irtenkauf, Klinkhammer, Thoma & Winkler. Highlights with Michel numbers: #1a, 1b, 3G (x2), 3y, 6a (x2), 7b, 9a, 11a (X3), 12a-c, 13a, 14a (x4), 17 Xa-Xc, 18Xa (x2), 23a, 27a, b, 28d (x2), 29, 32a, b, 33a, b, 34, 37a, b, 46a-c, 58, etc. Some mixed condition, mostly minor. 2024 Michel €9450. NET $2295 511 GERMAN STATES: WÜRTTEMBERG – Mint (60%) and used mainly fine collection of more than 150 stamps on pre-printed album pages 1851-1920 with some in mounts and a few mint unused. Duplicates are free and not counted. Highlights unused #51, used #2-5, 4a, 9-10, 37, 39a-b, 43, 45, 46 (rough roulette at top), 47-50, 65-69, etc. 2023 Scott $3,250. NET $650 513 GERMAN STATES: WÜRTTEMBERG #45 – Rare mint o.g. hinge remnant stamp with small faults otherwise sound VF & far nicer than normally encountered, signed. 2023 Scott $1500. NET $295 515 GERMANY – Nice used Fine or better ½ Zusammendrucke collection of more than 350 combo pieces in mounts on German specialized pages, 1912-1941. Duplicates are counted being subvarieties, shades, different cancels, etc. Michel numbers and value (Euros) are used as it is impossible to evaluate these by Scott. The collector should note that used is considerably scarcer than mint in most cases, hence very desirable. Collection contains horizontal, vertical, strips of 3, tete-beche, and other combos. Highlights: K4-6, 9-14; KZ2, 4-5, 8-9, 15, 17-19; RL15.2; S4I-II, 7-8, 15-8, 23-6, 31-3, 37-41, 50-4, 62, 66-71, 76-80, 84, 88-92, 97, 106-14, 119-46, 151-214; SK19-20; W5-6, 7I-II,11, 13, 17-19, 21.2, 22, 24.1, 25, 31, 33, 37, 47-58, and 1833 Frederich issue complete combos. 2018 Michel €20,000 (About $23,281 U.S.D.). NET $3695 517 GERMANY – Collection of nearly all MNH stamps and s/s in a Schaubek album 1949-1975. Highlights: MNH #665-6, 667-8, 669, 67085, 686, 693, 695, 698-701, 702-31 LH, 755-61, B310-3, B314-5, B316-7, B318-9, B320-3, B325-6, B327-30, B332-3, B334-7, B338-41, B344-7, etc. Dupes and used not counted. 2026 Scott $4071. NET $1150 519 GERMANY – Mint (67%) and used collection of 1765 generally F-VF stamps and SS in two Scott specialty albums. 1st 1919-1949, earlies mixed condition 2nd semi-postal 1919 to 1981. Dupes not counted. Highlights Vol. 1 mint #22 small thin, 363-65, 664a NH, 5NB5-8b NH; used #1, 7, 40114, C27-34 and C35-37, Vol. 2 mint #B15-18, B91-52, B104, B106, B292-93 (perf/imp) NH, B314-15 NH; used #B41, B49-57, B59-67, B316-17, B32730, B334-37, etc. 2023 Scott $5,887. NET $850 521 GERMANY – Fine mint and used collection of 66 stamps, 45 used, in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1872-1900. Unused cat. at 50% of hinged value. Highlights: unused #11; mint #14 (BPP signed) 26 NH, 60-1, 62; used #1-3, 5-10, 12 pen cancel, 27-8, 29-35, 64 type II (cat. at 1.3 times type I), 65d, etc. 2026 Scott $2880. NET $550 523 GERMANY – 1750 mint stamps on Scott pages 1940-1999 in generally VF condition. Highlights: mint #755-761, 1028-44, etc. A few uncounted issues included. 2025 Scott $2400. NET $495 525 GERMANY – MNH collection of 858 VF stamps and s/s on quad pages in two Elbe albums 1987-2005. Dupes not counted. Highlights: #1518A-40A, 1838-60, 2199-2216, etc. 2026 Scott $1487. NET $475 527 GERMANY – Majority mint collection of 750 stamps and s/s in a Safe hingeless album 1949-1974. Highlights: MNH #669, B3103, B332-5; mint #667-8, B314-5, B320-3, B327-30, B338-41; used #665-6, 670-85, 695-701, B316-7, B318-9. B334-7, B344-7, etc. 2026 Scott $1512. NET $375

529 GERMANY – Over 800 F-VF used stamps on Davo pages 1949-1979. Highlights: #665-6, 667-8, 669, 670-85, 698-701, 804Ae, B309, B310-3, B314-5, B316-7, B318-9, B320-3, B332-3, B334-7, B338-41 etc. 2025 Scott $1450. NET $210

531 GERMANY #15 – Scarce MNH F-VF sound stamp w/cert. 2025 Scott $125. NET $75

535 GERMANY #B49-B57 – Scarce used sound complete VF set. 2025 Scott $380. NET $160

537 GERMANY #B292-B293 – Highly desirable used set. B292 has thinning and B293 is sound VF. 2025 Scott $1800. NET $325

539 GERMANY: BERLIN – Beautiful collection of over 725 F-VF mint stamps in mounts on pages 1948-1990. Highlights: 9N1-20, 9N27, 9N28, 9N29, 9N30, 9N40, 9N42-60, 9N64-7, 9N68, 9NB1-3, 9NB4-5, etc. 2025 Scott $1888. NET $495

541 GERMANY: BERLIN – Over 780 F-VF 95% mint stamps mounted on Scott album pages 1948-1989. Highlights: mint #9N1-20, 9N35-41, 9N62, 9N64-7, 9N68, 9N84-93, 9N110, 9N120-136, 9N35976, 9N516-32 m/u, 9NB6-7 NH; used #9N27, 9N33, 9N34, etc. Dupes not counted. 2025 Scott $2201. NET $375

543 GERMANY: BERLIN, BEAR SOUVENIR SHEET #9NB3a –Mint o.g. NH sound VF souvenir sheet. 2021 Scott $975. NET $350 545 GERMANY (D.D.R.) – Mint and used collection of 2976 stamps and SS from 1945-1990 in four Palo hingeless albums. Some mixed sets in earlies. Highlights mint #82-84, 144a-46a NH, 226a NH, 264a NH, 634, 740a-44a, B35a, 10NB11 NH, 12NB1-3 NH, 14NB16c, 15N1 NH; used #129, B21a, 12N13-14, 12N16-18, 3NB1a-3a, etc. 2023 Scott $4,218. NET $575 547 GERMANY (D.D.R.) – Mostly mint F-VF collection of about 1100 stamps on Scott specialty pages 1948-1972 with strength in the early issues. Highlights: mint #48-296, 1953 perfed Marx s/s’s (NH, prorated value), etc. 2025 Scott $1550. NET $350

549 GERMANY (D.D.R.) #O22A – Rare mint o.g. hinged sound F-VF stamp, seldom offered, or seen. 2023 Scott $325. NET $130 551 GERMANY: IMPORTANT FELDPOST COLLECTION – 194245 on Safe Dual hingeless album pages, overall VF, with 32 different stamps (30 mint, two used) plus around 15 forgeries and fantasies not included in count or catalog totals. 19 stamps are expertized (Mueller, Pfenninger, et al), some with multiple hand stamps and three have certs. In addition to most of the primary listings, there are a number of varieties and errors. Highlights include (MNH and expertized unless noted) Michel #6, 7A (Mueller cert), 7AK (inverted overprint), 8BK (inverted overprint), 10Ad (hinged), 10Bb, 10Bc w/HAN, 11Ba, 11Bb, 13, 17K (inverted overprint), and others. 2022 Michel €17,945 ($19,169 U.S.D.). NET $3495 553 GRAND COMORO ISLANDS – 74 mint and 5 used F-VF stamps on Scott specialty pages 1897-1971. Highlights: mint #15, 16, 18, 19, 26A, 27A, 28A, 39 NH, 40-2, 48-53, 90-5 NH, etc. 2026 Scott $888. NET $325

555 GREECE – Huge large Hermes Heads accumulation, with approximately 645 stamps. Second quality (three-margin copies, small faults), but still valuable for study and reference. Generally just sorted by denomination, so obviously there’s heavy duplication of more than 100 each of five Lepta and ten Lepta values. Cataloged as least expensive example, so there’s lots of potential. 2023 Scott $11,241 (minimum). This is just the group for those who want to study this challenging area. NET $650

557 GREECE: NORTH EPIRUS – 1940 North Epirus (Albania) complete mint NH F-VF collection in mounts on Palo color pages consisting of #N207-38, NJ38-42, and NRA1-3. 2025 Scott $363. NET $180 559 GREENLAND – Beautiful collection of 14 used and 34 mint stamps mostly in mounts on Minkus album page 1905-1946. Highlights: mint #1-9, 10-18, 19-27, Q1, Q3, Q4, Q4b, Q6A, Q7, Q8, Q9, Q10 NH; used #Q2, Q5; Thule used #T1-5 Facit, etc. Dupes not counted. 2025 Scott $1874. NET $675

561 GUADELOUPE – Over 245 F-VF stamps 90% mint on Scott specialty pages 1884-1947. Highlights: mint #1, 3-5, 6-9, 10-11, 24, 25, 26, 42, 86-95, 96-137, 142-147, 189-205, B4-8, C10-12, J4: used #2, 12, 22, 38, etc. 2025 Scott $2308. NET $695

563 GUADELOUPE #50A – Scarce used sound attractively cancelled F-VF stamp with circular date cancel at corner. 2026 Scott $200. NET $65

565 621 GUAM #3 – Mint o.g. NH F-VF sound stamp. 2022 Scott $275. NET $110

567 HAITI – Over 195 F-VF mint and used stamps on album pages 1881-1939. Highlights: mint #24-7, B1, C4A, CB1-2; used #1-6, etc. 2026 Scott $493. NET $125

569 HEJAZ/SAUDI ARABIA – Mint and used diverse collection of over 550 F-VF stamps on Minkus pages 1916-1982. Highlights mint #L90, L99, L107A, 1, 7, 8, 9, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 28, 29, 35, 41, 42, 65, 69, 71, 72, 73, 74, 138-149, 138-149 imperf, 170 ,180, 190, 191, 254A, 258263, 266-273, 286, 295, 451-455, 456-460, 618-620, C6, C24-C29 mixed, C59, O30, O33, O34; used #L8-L13 mixed, 120, 135-137, 323, 393, etc. 2021 Scott $9,254. NET $1595

571 HUNGARY – Mint and used collection of over 2150 F-VF stamps mounted on album pages 1871-1962. Highlights: mint #486 NH, 1062-9, 1073-5 imperf, B1-17, B32, B80-7, B94, C1-2, C24-5 (C25 NH), C26-34, C35-44, C81, 2N3, 2N4, 2N13, 2N20, 2N30A, 2N49A, 2N59, 2N60, 2NJ4 signed, 2NJ5 signed, 2NJ7 signed, 2NJ12 signed, 2NJ15, 2NJ16, 6N4, 7N37, 10N7, 10N8, 10N14, 10N22, 10N23, 10N24, 11N20, 11N22; used #8-8A, 12, etc. Dupes not counted. 2025 Scott $4575. NET $850 573 HUNGARY – VF mint NH collection of 249 stamps and SS (most perf & imperf) from 1974 and 1975 in a Lindner hingeless album. Dupes not counted, included free as a gift. Highlights mint #2268 imp., 2280 sheet of six perf/imperf, 2289-95 imperf, 2330-35 imperf, 2366 sheet of 3 imp., 2370 imp., C350 imp., C368 imp and CB33a-35a imperf. 2023 Scott $1466. NET $350

575 HUNGARY #C81 – Scarce MNH sound VF imperf block of four. 2021 Scott $320. NET $160

577 HUNGARY & ROMANIA: AUSTRIAN & GERMAN OCCUPATION – Over 150 mostly mint generally F-VF stamps on Minkus pages 1917-1919. Highlights: mint Hungary 2N34, 2N53, 2N56A, 2NB1, 5N18, 6N40, 6NJ1; Romania mint #3NJ1-7, etc. 2025 Scott $758. NET $210

579 ICELAND – Two thirds mint collection of over 550 F-VF stamps on Minkus pages 1873-1990. Highlights: mint #15 unused, 49, 157, 285-96, 319-23; used #17, 284-6, C15-20 m/u, C27-29, O8, etc. 2025 Scott $1514. NET $295

581 ICELAND – Collection of over 325 F-VF mint stamps in mounts on album pages 1955-1989. Highlights: #319-23, 573-4 NH, etc. 2025 Scott $564. NET $140

583 ICELAND #152-166 – Scarce mint o.g. HRs, complete set with faults including thins, creases, some with back toning, etc. F-VF. 2026 Scott $347. NET $69

585 ICELAND #O53-O67 – Rare mint o.g. HRs complete set with faults including creases. O67 has tone spots on back. F-VF seldom offered set. 2026 Scott $885. NET $225

587 INDONESIA – 99% mint collection of over 200 F-VF stamps, 3 used, in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1950-1962. Highlights: #387-542, Riau #2-16, etc. 2025 Scott $1025. NET $375

589 IONIAN ISLANDS – Highly desirable 1941 mint F-VF Italian Occupation lot of 30 singles and pairs as issued on Scott specialty pages. Highlights: #N3-4, N6-7, N1a-10a, NC1A, NC7, NC9-10, NC11, NRA1-3, etc. 2025 Scott $3700. NET $1295

591 IRAN – 38 MNH F-VF blocks on Approval cards 1953-1966. Highlights: #993-4, 1080, 1099, 1100, 1135, 1159-60, 1161, 1207-8, 1263-4, 1271-2, 1308-9, C83-84, etc. 2026 Scott $622. NET $225 593 ISRAEL – Beautiful collection of around 1220 stamps, s/s, bklts in four White Ace Albums 1948-1991. Appears to be complete MNH with many interesting items, including covers (one of which is a 1949 cover Franked w/#15, #28 and #28 w/tab), tete-beche gutter pairs, perforation errors, revenues, postal saving stamps, response coupons, airmail labels, charity labels, stamp exhibition tickets and labels, etc. Highlights include mint # 1-6 w/tabs, la-36 NH w/tabs, 8, 9NH, 10-14 NH w/tabs, 15NH w/ tab, 16, 24 w/tab, 25w/tab 27 w/tab, 33 w/ tab, 34 w/tab, 28-30 w/tabs, 32a, C1-6 w/tabs, C16 w/tab, J5, J6-11 w/tabs, etc. 2026 Scott $4,438. NET $1595

595 ISRAEL #7-9 PLATE BLOCKS OF FOUR – F-VF MNH. Beautiful rich color. 2006 Bale $3000. NET $1395

597 ISRAEL: TAB COLLECTION – Over 790 F-VF mint stamps 99% NH in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1948-1979. Highlights: mint #16; NH 7-9 w/Friedl cert., 10-14, 15, 17-25 (25 w/HR), 27, 28-30, 31-2, 334, 35-6, 37, 55, 241A, C1-6, C16, J6-11, etc. A truly beautiful collection with gutter & tete-beche pairs. 2025 Scott $8642. NET $3795

599 ITALIAN COLONIES #C29-C35 – Highly desirable MNH sound very fine complete set. 2021 Scott $673. NET $295

601 ITALIAN OFFICES IN CHINA – 36 F-VF mint stamps on Scott specialty pages 1917-1919. Highlights: China mint #12-21, 26, 28, E2; Tientsin #5-4, 19, 21, E2, etc. 2026 Scott $2089. NET $1295

603 ITALIAN SOCIAL REPUBLIC #Q1-Q12 – Rare mint o.g. hinged sound F-VF complete set with usual minor natural gum bends. Seldom offered and missing from most collections we see. 2026 Scott $1065. NET $375

605 ITALIAN STATES: ROMAN STATES – Mint and used generally Fine collection of 27 stamps, 8 used, in mounts on preprinted album pages, 1852-1868. If not priced as such, unused stamps cat at 50% of mint value. Highlights: mint #1, 13, 14-17 unused; used #4, 6-9, etc. 2026 Scott $2470. NET $495

607 ITALIAN STATES: ROMAN STATES #13A – Rare mint sound F-VF stamp with hr and traces of o.g w/certificate. Seldom offered and far nicer than normally seen, signed. 2025 Scott $3250. NET $850 609 ITALIAN STATES: TUSCANY – Ten Fine used stamps on an album page 1851-1860. Includes Grand Duchy issues #4, 6, 7b, 13, and Provisional issues #18, 19, 20, 21, & 22. 2025 Scott $3382. NET $475 611 ITALIAN STATES: TUSCANY #8 – Rare mint no gum fourmargin stamp with mild toning; otherwise, F-VF with Sismondo certificate. 2025 Scott $5275. NET $795

613 ITALY – Fantastic mostly F-VF collection of 425 and 55 used on album pages 1862-1948. Highlights mint #21, 22, 25, 41 unused, 48 unused, 57, 58-63, 64-66 mixed, 78, 79, 100c, 114, 115-16, 117, 119-122, 124-125, 140-142, 142A-142D, 164, 165-170, 171-174, 174A-174G, 188191, 201-210, 232-238, 242-246, 248-256, 258-264, 268-279, 280289, 290-305, 324-328, 331-341, 345-348, 349-354, 359-366, 367376, 377-386, 400-409, B1-B3, B8, B17-B19, B20-B25 NH, B30-B33, B39-B42, C1-C2, C3-C9, C20-C22, C23-C26, C28-C33, C35-C39, C42-C47, C48, C52-C55, C66-C72, C73-C78, C79-C83, C84-C88, C89-C94, C95-C99, C100-C105, C127-C128; used #17, 20, 33, 37, 38, 72, 100d, 110, 196, C49, etc. 2021 Scott $14,778. NET $2295 615 ITALY – Collection of 1510 (75% mint) stamps and s/s from 18631970 in mounts in a Scott specialty album. Earlies a bit mixed as usual but overall F-VF. Highlights: mint #48 small thin, 62, 78, 79, 119-22, 1245, 140-2 NH, 159-64, 201-10, 213-31 NH, 258-64, 268-79, 280-89, 290305 NH, 324-28, 331-41, 349-54, 359-66, 367-76, 377-86, 400-9, 46376, B17-9, B30-3, C3-9. C10-11, C73-8, C79-83, C84-8, C89-94, C95-8, C100-5, D9-14, Q37-48, Q55-60, N20-33, 1LN14-19, 1LNC1-7; used #3749, 64-6, C23-4, E7, J25-7, etc. 2025 Scott $8811. NET $1695 617 ITALY #26 – Rare mint o.g. Fine stamp with hr’s and slightly toned paper adhesions. 2026 Scott $1825. NET $375

619 ITALY #34b – Rare mint o.g. HR stamp with couple minor toned perfs at top, ownership marks on back. Otherwise, sound AVG-Fine for this. Seldom seen. 2026 Scott $1750. NET $225

621 ITALY #263A – Scarce used attractively cancelled stamp with short perf at right otherwise sound F-VF. 2021 Scott $375. NET $79 623 ITALY #C84-C88 – Rare used F-VF sound complete set. 2025 Scott $634. NET $275

625 ITALY: AEGEAN ISLANDS – Over 400 mostly F-VF stamps 86% mint on Scott album pages 1912-1940. Highlights: mint #16, C26-7, C33, C34, C37, C38, CE1-2 NH; Calchi #17-26; Caso #10, 17-26; Coo #1-10, 12-16, 17-26; Lero #12-16; Lisso #12-16, 17-26; Nisiro #4, 9, 10; Patmo #5, 9, 10; Piscopi #9, 10, 12-16, 17-26; Rhodes #24-8, 30, J19; Scarpanto #12-6; Simi #2, 17-26; Stampalia #5, 9, 10, 17-26; USED: Aegean Island #1-2, 59-65; Nisiro #12-6; Patmo #12-6, Rhodes #50, 76, 79, CB1-4 m/u; Simi #12-6, etc. 2026 Scott $7093. NET $2495

627 ITALY: AEGEAN ISLANDS – Used collection of 120 VF stamps for 12 different islands on stockcards. Includes Garibaldi Scott #17-26 for Calchi, Lero, Piscopi, Scarpanto, Caso, Calino, Simi, Stampalia, Patmo, Lisso, Coo and Rhodes #45-54. Nice collection. 2022 Scott $4,400. NET $1195 629 ITALY: AEGEAN ISLANDS CALCHI/STAMPALIA – Highly desirable mint nearly all NH collection of over 400 F-VF stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1912-1945. Highlights: mint Calchi #1-10 12-16 NH, 17-26 NH; Calino #1-10, 17-26 NH; Caso #1-10, 17-26 NH, Coo #1-10, 12-16 NH, 17-26 NH; Lero #1-10, 12-16 NH, 17-26 NH; Lisso #1-10, 12-16 NH, 17-26 NH; Nisiro #1-10, 12-16 NH, 17-26 NH; Patmo #1-10, 12-16; Piscopi #1-10, 12-16, 17-26 NH; Rhodes all NH #248, 45-54, 74-81, B1-8, B9-14, CB1-4 w/cert, EB1-2, J1-9, Q1-11; Rhodes mint #1-13, 14, 38-44; Scarpanto #1-10, 12-16 NH, 17-26 NH; Simi #1-10, 17-26 NH; Stampalia #1-10, 12-16 NH, 17-26 NH, etc. A fantastic collection. 2025 Scott $8,429. NET $4500 631 ITALY: TRIESTE – Over 230 F-VF mint stamps on Bush pages 1947-1954. Highlights: #1-14, 18-29, 36-9, 41, 51, 58-69, 72-3, 74-5, 77-8, 85-7, 109-10, 115-7, C1-6, C7-12, C13, C14, C15, EY3, J1-15, Q23, Q24, Q25, etc. A very nice collection! 2025 Scott $3061. NET $1095 633 ITALY: TRIESTE (AMG) – Imprint blocks of 9 (corner block of four printed labels bordered by angle block of five stamps) on stock cards 1948-1954 with 21 different MNH blocks. Collected by specialists, these top corner margin blocks are listed in Sassone. Highlights include Scott #34 and 85-87. VF. 2024 Sassone €1920. NET $550 635 ITALY TRIESTE #Q10 – Rare MNH sound Fine stamp is key to the set. 2025 Scott $575. NET $325 637 IVORY COAST – Over 160 mostly F-VF stamps 75% mint mounted on Scott specialty pages 1892-1941. Highlights: mint #16, 96-111, B8-11, J1-8 m/u, Q27, Q30 signed, Q34; used #17, etc. 2026 Scott $1208. NET $350

639 JAPAN – Very nice mint collection of about 1890 F-VF stamps, s/s and bklts in mounts in 2 large Scott 3-ring albums. Dupes and used not counted. Highlights: MNH: #293a, 306a, 311a, 317a, 323a, 378a; mint #212-3 pairs, 222a, 227-9, 276-9 pairs, 283A pairs, 290-3, 369, 372, 385a, 400a, 407, 421a, 437-8, 453a, 455a, 457a, 479, 498a, 508b, 515A, 517, 517a, 519, 522a, 523-40, 551a, 561-4, 564a, 575a, 580a-b, 609, 611a, 746-54, 958a, 1658b, B8-9 blocks, B11, Z69A, etc.

Much NH in later material. 2026 Scott $12,394. NET $3995 641 JAPAN – Mint and used collection of 1630 generally F-VF stamps and s/s from 1876-1976 with scattered through 1990 in mounts in a Scott specialty album. Highlights: mint #109, 155-58, 198-201, 214-17, 218-31, 315-18 NH, 320-3 NH, 367a, 388-93, 397-400, 417-21a, 415, 450-3, 469-73a, 474-7, 479, 501-4, 505-8, 1067-87, B12-31a, C39-42; used #480-97, C9-13, etc. 2025 Scott $4448. NET $1095 643 JAPAN – Nice collection of around 1225 stamps (89% mint) in a Minkus album 1875-1984. Stamps are in F-VF condition and almost all mint from 1956 forward. Also has pages for all related areas, but no stamps. Highlights: used #110, 112, 170; mint #183, 185, 192, 193, 200, 293, 421a, 752, C3, C7, etc. 2025 Scott $2770. NET $695

645 JAPAN – Classics F-VF collection 1871-1877 w/33 different (6 mint) identified on an old album page and dealer stock cards. Highlights: mint #9, 10, 1c NG, 6, 42; used #33 (syllabics 6, 10), 45 (sylls. 4, 10), 46, 47, etc. Noted many sharp cancels including boxed, town, cork, telegraph (valued same as postal cancels in Scott). 2025 Scott $1611. NET $450

647 KIAUCHAU #42 – Scarce MNH sound Fine fresh stamp. 2026 Scott $275. NET $130

649 KOREA – Over 280 F-VF mint and used stamps in mounts on pages 1884-1968. Highlights: used #16, 78-9, 187c, 196-9, 209-12, 227-8; MNH #296A, 356-7; unused #35, 126, etc. 2025 Scott $1106. NET $295

651 KOREA #617b, 619b, 621b & 623b – Mint o.g. NH blocks containing 12 stamps each (six pairs). 2022 Scott $720. NET $195

653 LATVIA #C12-C13 – Scarce MNH sound F-VF stamps. As Scott only lists the price for hinged (2021 Scott hinged, $400) these should be worth far more at: NET $350

655 LEBANON – Mostly mint F-VF collection of about 175 stamps in APS sales book 1924-1967 with several complete mint sets. Highlights: mint #C49-56, etc. 2025 Scott $675. NET $180

657 LIBERIA – Over 350 mint and used F-VF stamps on Scott specialty album pages 1866-1954. Highlights: used #13, 15, 140, 230-6, F25-9; mint #155, etc. 2026 Scott $867. NET $195

659 LIBYA – Majority mint collection of over 185 F-VF stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1912-1951. Highlights: mint #64A64G, 69-70, B11-16, C1-2, 2N1-11, 2N12-13, 3N1-8 NH, 3NC1-2 NH, etc. 2026 Scott $795. NET $325

661 LIECHTENSTEIN – Beautiful collection of over 80 F-VF MNH sheets 1937-2005. Highlights: #132-5, 151A, 159A, 192-95, 215-7, 226, 237, 239, 240-2, 246, 261-3, 266-9, 274-6, 281-3, 284-6, 297-300, 329-31, 332-4, 353-55, 359-67, 1099, 1308-11, B14, B19-21, C24-32, O47-58, etc. 2025 Scott $9938. NET $2295

663 LIECHTENSTEIN – Mint Collection of some 110 F-VF stamps on dealer stockcards. Highlights: #59-65, 67-9, 74-80, 83-4, 87-8, 102-3, 105, 130, 260, B1-13, C1-6, C9-13, C24-33, etc. 2025 Scott $2449. NET $750

665 LIECHTENSTEIN – Over 120 F-VF mint and used stamps on album pages and a few Approval cards 1912-1940. Highlights: mint #2, 79, 97, B11-3, C6, C15-6, J13-20, O9, O15; used #69, 90-3, 111-3, 11629, B4-6, C4, O5, O8, etc. 2025 Scott $1873. NET $375

667 LIECHTENSTEIN #C1-C6 – Scarce used F-VF complete set with circular date cancels. 2026 Scott $280. NET $120

669 LITHUANIA – Mint and used collection of over 350 mostly F-VF stamps on Scott specialty pages 1919-1940. Highlights: mint #70-80, 196-204, B40-2, C71-8 NH; used #278-82 m/u, etc. 2026 Scott $937. NET $350

671 LUXEMBOURG – Mostly Fine or better mint and used collection of close to 1000 stamps and s/s on preprinted album pages 18521981 with unused (except early Officials) cat at 50%. Margins vary on imperfs. Dupes and unlisted are uncounted. Highlights: mint #17 unused, 217, 280-5 (both NH in mounts), O23, O30-1; used 1, 2, 9, 11, 275-7, B35-44, B156-61, O15, O50, etc. 2025 Scott $3575. NET $595

673 LUXEMBOURG – Useful collection of around 775 stamps in a Lindner hingeless album 1865-1979. Mint & used up to 1945, then mostly complete MNH thereafter. Highlights: MNH #276, 277; unused #O73, etc. 2025 Scott $1033. NET $225

675 MACAO – MNH collection of about 85 stamps on dealer stock cards 1949-1986 in VF condition. Better items include #336, 404-11, 4378, 440-2, 443-6, 463-8, 524-9, C21, etc. 2025 Scott $847. NET $375

677 MADAGASCAR #13 – Rare used stamp with attractive circular date cancel and tiny thin; otherwise, sound VF, signed & includes cert. 2025 Scott $1275. NET $195

679 MALAGASY – VF MNH collection from 1958-81 in a three-ring binder on Quadrille pages. 391 stamps and SS with lots of topicals. Highlights #440-43, C61-66, etc. 2021 Scott $565. NET $195

681 MARIANA ISLANDS #16 – Scarce MNH sound VF stamp. Signed. 2023 Scott $160. NET $95

683 MARIENWERDER #28 – Rare used sound VF-XF stamp on piece. 2023 Scott $800. NET $425

685 MANCHUKUO – Mint and used Fine or better collection of around 135 stamps on Scott specialty pages 1932-1945 with a good number of complete mint sets. Highlights: mint #19-22, 32-5, 59, 3 small NH multiples plus booklet pane unused, cat at 50%. 2026 Scott $935. NET $425

687 MARSHALL ISLANDS – Mint and used F-VF collection of 25 stamps, 6 used, on Scott specialty page 1897-1916. Highlights: mint #1, 2, 6, 7a, 13-4; used #3-5, 11-12, etc. 2026 Scott $1910. NET $795

689 MAURITANIA – Mint F-VF pre-Islamic Republic collection on Scott specialty pages 1906-1944 with many in mounts. Highlights: #1-74, 76-99, 100-15, B1-15B, C1-13, CB1-4, J1-18, etc. 2026 Scott $810. NET $350

691 MEMEL – Over 135 F-VF stamps used on Lighthouse hingeless album pages 1920-1923. Highlights: used #14 tied on piece, 17, 39-42, 54, 90, C20-9 each on piece, N1-6, N7-11, N24, N26, N28-30, N44-50, etc. 2025 Scott $1683. NET $995

693 MEMEL – Over 95 F-VF mint and used stamps on pages 19201923. Highlights: used #N31-33, N35-43, N70, N71, N72, N78, N79, N80, N81, etc. 2025 Scott $886. NET $450

695 MEMEL – 1923 “Cent” surcharges (#N51-59) specialized mint/ used Fine or better collection assembled by surcharge types consisting of 59 stamps on 2-sided black stock pages. All values and many plate types (Michel cat.) represented. Used highlights include strips of 3, each on piece with various surcharge types; others used on piece and different cancels. No premium has been added for surcharge types. Interesting group to add to your collection. 2025 Scott $780+. NET $225

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697 MEXICO – Attractive collection of over 1700 F-VF mint and used stamps on Scott specialty album pages 1856-1985. Highlights: unused #30, 82, 139, 148A; mint #385, 414-9, 436, 565, 603-7, 632, 740-5, 80611 NH, 820-4, 828, B1-2, C13, C85-90, C123-5, C143-7, C153-7, C297 NH, C342A, C344A NH, O142; used, #114, 121, 174-83, 238C, 277, 451 signed cat. as mint, 465 cat as mint, C1 tied on piece C220Hg, C298, O72, etc. Dupes not counted. 2026 Scott $5115. NET $995

699 MEXICO #C123-C125 – MNH F-VF stamps. 2025 Scott $90. NET $65

701 MOHELI – 19 mint and one used F-VF stamps mounted on album page 1906-1912. Highlights: mint #11, 13, 15, etc. 2026 Scott $274. NET $110

703 MONACO – 90% mint collection of over 1100 F-VF stamps on Scott specialty pages 1885-1976. Highlights: mint #1, 2, 4, 27, 40-9, 145-58, 262-73, 283-7, 328-32, 333, 405-8, B36-50, B51-60, B94, B99A NH, C36-9, C45, C55-8, CB7-10, CB11-14; used #3, 5, 7, 8, 20, C28, J12, etc. 2026 Scott $2289. NET $525

705 MOZAMBIQUE – Over 500 F-VF mint and used stamps on album pages 1877-2001. Highlights: mint #149-65 m/u, 270-87, 332-55 NH, 364-83, etc. 2025 Scott $1186. NET $275

707 NETHERLANDS – Mint and used (80%) collection of around 420 generally F-VF stamps on specialty pages and dealer cards, 18521940. Dupes not counted. Highlights mint #18, 48, 69, 71, 193, J24, J41; used #1-3, 4-6, 11-2, 20, 22, 33, 86, 100, 105, 134, 137, B25-32, B48-9, B54-7, J43, O7, etc. 2021 Scott $4,039. NET $595 709 NETHERLANDS – Nice collection of about 385 mostly used stamps 1852-1946 on vintage Repro pages in F-VF condition. Highlights: used #1-3, 9, 22, 32, 50, 241-3; mint #44a, 136, B61, etc. 2025 Scott $1618. NET $225

711 NETHERLANDS – Mint and used (90%) fine or better collection of more than 290 stamps on Elbe quad-pages from 1852-1963. Highlights: #B214-18 mint, and #124-34 used. 2022 Scott $1000. NET $120 713 NETHERLANDS: ANTILLES – 70% mint collection of over 440 stamps mostly F-VF on album pages 1873-1981. Highlights: mint #4 unused, 72, CB21-36 NH; used #2, etc. 2025 Scott $949. NET $225 715 NETHERLANDS INDIES #247 Rare used stamp with heavy circular date cancel. Sound VF-XF, seldom seen or offered. 2026 Scott $3000. NET $1395

717 NEW BRITAIN #12 – Rare mint o.g. hr VF stamp with 3mm tear at top and gum creases. Signed. 2025 Scott $5500. NET $750

719 NEW CALEDONIA – Mint and used collection of around 250 stamps from 1859-1945 mostly in mounts on album pages in generally F-VF condition. Highlights include used #4, 5, 16; mint #2, 19, 66-80, 180-81, 182-207, etc. 2022 Scott $6,933. NET $1595

721 NEW CALEDONIA – Mint generally fine remainder collection of around 260 stamps in mounts on various Scott pages stapled in Harmer, Rooke folder 1892-1963 with some lower priced earlies unused and 1937 on F-VF with some NH. Duplicates and used 1937 on F-VF with some NH. Duplicates and used (one stamp) are free and not counted. Mint NH highlights: #135-9, CB1 (all NH with Scott classic premiums), hinged highlights: #36-8, 182-207, 217-25, C1-33 (some NH), O1-13, etc. 2021 Scott $1200. NET $195

723 NEW CALEDONIA #4 – Scarce unused four-margin sound F-VF stamp with certificate. 2025 Scott $300. NET $150

725 NIGER #22A – Scarce mint o.g. hinged sound F-VF stamp, signed. Seldom offered. 2026 Scott $260. NET $140

727 NORWAY – Nearly 50/50 mint and used F-VF collection of 1170 stamps, SS and bklt panes from 1856-1990 on pre-printed pages in a binder. Dupes and unlisted not counted. Highlights mint #61, 104-10, 340-2, 1558, B1-3, O94-114; used #2-5, 11-5, 19-20, 22-34, 42a, 54a7a, 64-5, 237, B5-8, J7-12, etc. 2021 Scott $3,894. NET $550 729 NORWAY #B24 – Mint o.g. NH VF sound stamp. 2022 Scott $100. NET $69

731 OFFICES IN LEVANT – Mostly mint collection of over 140 F-VF stamps on album pages 1867-1922. Highlights: mint Australian Offices #1A, 3, 4, 28-9, 30-1; French Offices mint #29; German Offices mint #1, 2, 6, 21, 41, 42; Italy Offices #1, 2, 10, 12; Jerusalem mint #6; Polish Offices #2K1-12 (w/APS certs for -6 and -12); used Austrian Offices #2, 6, 7; French Offices #6; German Offices #21, 23, etc. Dupes not counted. 2026 Scott $3624. NET $1295

733 PAKISTAN – Good used F-VF collection of more than 230 stamps on European quad pages from 1947-1977 with only one counted mint stamp, #O64. Duplicates and a few modern mints are free not counted. Highlights: #1-19, 24-43, O5-13, O14-26, etc. 2022 Scott $850. NET $210

735 PARAGUAY – Useful collection of around 1520 F-VF stamps about 80% mint 1870-1988 in a Minkus album. There is a paucity of stamps after 1970. 2025 Scott $1841. NET $425

737 PERU #159 – Scarce mint no gum F-VF sound stamp w/expert hand stamp. 2021 Scott $850. NET $195

739 POLAND – Large accumulation, around 840 stamps, including duplication and 20 covers (including locals) and cards displayed in a thick stockbook. Stamps about 50/50 mint/used with Scott and Michel listed material as well as items not found in either. Opens with three stampless covers, an 1860 stationery cut-to-shape and #1 used (straight edge at right); the Scott #11-40 mint and used- sometimes with heavy duplication, but also a few unlisted such as a #32 mint missing left star and #30 variety inverted overprint as #39-40; then about 59 mint & used Cracow overprints. The balance is mostly 1918-19 locals including mint & used Warsaw issues, many Przedzborz perf & imperf, Otwock issues (not found in Michel), Jedzejow used and on cover, and more. We came up with around $21,000 catalog value plus loads of uncataloged material. NET $2795

741 POLAND – Small, interesting WW1-era selection includes Scott listed and Michel-only listed material. 22 different F-VF stamps, mostly used, on cards including Scott mint #30 NH, 56, 57 (expertized), and used #15, 27-29; Michel mint Przedborz #1B-2B (1B small thin), and used #Lowick (9 different), Zarki #1-3, 7-9. Scott $447 plus Michel €995. Approx. 2025 cat. $1520. NET $350 743 POLAND – Small F-VF collection on cards 1916-1919, 55 different stamps, 19 mint, 36 used. Most of the value in Michel-listed B.O.B. material. Includes #57 mint (backstamped), used #15-26, 30-40, N6-16, B.O.B. includes (Michel #’s) mint Zarki #1-3, Przedborz #1-2/A, 3-6/B, 11-13/B (short set), 11-13/C (short set), and used Zarki 7-9. Interesting and useful group. Total cat around $1532. NET $250

745 POLAND OCCUPATION – 23 used and 148 mint F-VF stamps in mounts on Schaubek pages 1939-1944. Highlights: mint #N30-55, NB41 NH sheetlet of 8, etc. 2025 Scott $446. NET $160 747 PORTUGAL – Large mint and used fine or better collection of more than 2200 stamps and souvenir sheets on homemade album pages in a binder from 1853-2000s with many in mounts including mint NH and with scattered issues from 1990s on. Used outnumbers mint, most of which are from 1960s on. Mint highlights: #377-97, 585, 594a, 653-57, 753-56 NH and used #24, 38-9, 43, 45e -46, 52-6, 63, 110-31, C1-10, etc. 2021 Scott $5,125. NET $695

749 PORTUGAL – Over 1140 F-VF 72% used stamps on Minkus pages 1856-1983. Highlights: used #57, 64, 131, 298K, 490-5, 537, 575-8, 595-602, 650-657; mint #139, 315-45, 397A-K, 422-36, 437-52, 538, 747-8, 791, etc. 2025 Scott $2314. NET $475 751 PORTUGAL #534-539 – Rare blocks of four with original gum, hinge remnants and small defects, otherwise fine complete set. 2021 Scott $736. NET $150

753 PORTUGAL #824-827 – Scarce MNH sound VF-XF PO fresh complete set. 2026 Scott $140. NET $95

755 REUNION – Collection of over 450 F-VF mint (95%) on Palo hingeless pages 1885-1974. Highlights mint #9, 10, 25, 26, 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 56-59, 99-106, 116-121, 249-267, 299-300 NH, 318-321, C1 signed, C32-C34 NH, C35-C38 M/U, C39-C41 NH, C42-C45 NH, C46-C47 NH, CB1, J46-J48 NH; used #3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13 signed, 14 VF+, 16, 23, etc. 2023 Scott $3,784. NET $1095

757 REUNION – 186 F-VF mint stamps on album pages 1901-1974. Highlights: #126-66, 249-67, 318-21, C47, C48-50, J46-48, etc. 2025 Scott $347. NET $120

759 ROMANIA – Majority mint Fine or better collection of 1300 stamps on Scott international pages 1862-1952 with varieties, shades and #248 with gold overprint, unused cat. at 50%. Highlights: mint #26-7, 30, 171a, 172, 196-206, 237-9, 397-9, B21-30, lots of mint semipostals, 3NRA3a; used #16, 18, 21, 29, 33-42, 43-4, 49, 56-9, 66-8, 171, B9-12, etc. 2026 Scott $5650. NET $1395

761 ROMANIA – Over 800 F-VF mint and used stamps on homemade pages 1906-1958. Highlights: mint #B5-8, B26-30, B273-80, B289, B314-7; used #B1-4, B9-12, etc. 2025 Scott $956. NET $210

763 ROMANIA #C71 – Scarce sound MNH sound VF sheet. 2021 Scott $150. NET $75

765 RUSSIA – Over 1125 highly desirable F-VF mint stamps in mounts on Scott specialty pages 1939-1958. Highlights: MNH #7458, 811-6, 850-1, 856, 959, 1261-4; #718-20, 724-33, 749-56, 757-9, 760-2, 776-9, 789-93, 794-810, 817-23, 857-8, 860-6, 909-910, 992A-1001, 1029-31, 1059-66, 1067-74, 1094-7, 1104-21, 1183-8, 123033, etc. 2025 Scott $5387. NET $1895

767 RUSSIA – Useful used generally F-VF classics collection on cards, 1857-1888 with 39 different stamps. Highlights: #1 pen and handstamp postmarks, margins large to just touching at bottom; #2 pen cancel, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12-18, 19-25, 20c, 22c, 24a, 25a, 27b, 31-38, etc. 2025 Scott $2155. NET $495

769 RUSSIA #546-550 – Rare MNH complete set with creases and gum disturbances otherwise sound VF. 2021 Scott $1050. NET $250

771 RUSSIA #1289-1293 – Scarce mint o.g. hinge remnants sound VF stamps. 2025 Scott $171. NET $100

773 RUSSIA #1327A – Rare MNH souvenir sheet with substantial gum disturbance offset and selvages with creases, otherwise sound VF-XF. 2021 Scott $600. NET $140

775 RUSSIA #C57 – Rare mint o.g. hinged, sound VF-XF stamp. 2023 Scott $375. NET $225

777 RUSSIA #C68 – Highly desirable used sound VF attractively canceled stamp. 2021 Scott $500. NET $275

779 RYUKYU ISLANDS #R1-R8 – Rare MNH complete set with small creases, otherwise sound F-VF with usual mild natural gum bends. Truly a set that is seldom seen and likely underpriced in Scott in our opinion. 2026 Scott $715. NET $250

781 SAAR – Over 450 mostly F-VF mint and used stamps on Lighthouse hingeless album pages 1920-1959. Highlights: used #1-17, 35-35A, 37, 4158, 65-7, 68-83, 85-98, 99-116, 118-119, 120-135, B1-4, B5-8, B9-15 (B15 mint signed), B16-22, B25, B26, B27, B30-6, B37-43, B44-6 each tied on piece, B47-53, C1-4, C5-8, O1-15; mint: #36 signed, 38 signed, 39 signed, 204-220 NH, 226 NH, 232-45 NH, 289-308 NH, B64A NH signed, B67-8 NH, B76 NH signed, B84-8 NH, C12 NH, CB1A signed NH, O27-38, etc. Dupes not counted. A fantastic collection. 2025 Scott $7895. NET $1995

783 SAAR – Mostly mint collection of over 375 stamps on Scott album pages 1920-1959. Highlights: mint #1-17 m/u (#16 tied on piece), 22, 36, 37, 39, 68-83, 85-98, 99-116 m/u, 139-53 m/u, 204-20, 226, 232-45, 289-308, B1-4, B5-8, B9-15, B16-22, B23-29, B30-6, B37-43, B44-6, B47-53, B54-60, B69-73, B76, C12, O27-38; used #65-7, 1189, 120-35 m/u, C3-4, O1-15. Dupes and multiples not counted. 2025 Scott $3684. NET $1095

785 SAAR #B69-B73 – Rare used sound VF lightly cancelled complete set. 2025 Scott $517. NET $275

787 ST. PIERRE & MIQUELON – Mint collection of over 100 F-VF stamps on album pages 1885-1932. Highlights: mint #1-3, 4, 5, 6, 18, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 36-45, 46-51, 60-78, J1, J4, J5, J6, J7; used #11, 15, etc. Dupes not counted. 2025 Scott $2445. NET $895

789 ST. THOMAS & PRINCE ISLAND – VF NH collection of 158 stamps and SS from 1977-1998 in a padded Lighthouse stockbook. Mostly SS with one set (Fish) from 2015. Highlights #450-63, 51819 (perf & imperf), 598-604, 706, 754e-56f and 819-22. 2023 Scott $1226. NET $375

791 SAN MARINO – 109 mint and 20 used F-VF stamps on album pages 1877-1939. Highlights: mint #1, 11, 29-31, 53, 78-9, 84-8, 104-6, 108-10, 111-4, 151-4, B3-11, B12-17; used #26, 169-80, etc. 2026 Scott $2230. NET $495

793 SAN MARINO #137-138 – Scarce mint o.g. hinged sound F-VF stamps. 2026 Scott $195. NET $100

795 SAUDI ARABIA #L100A – Rare mint o.g. hinge remnant stamp with minor gum disturbance and tiny, short perf at corner, otherwise sound avg-fine. Seldom seen or offered, signed. 2022 Scott classic spec. $2,250. NET $375

797 SENEGAL #34 – Rare used F-VF stamp with light circular date cancel. 2025 Scott $1600. NET $495

799 SERBIA – Useful collection on 104-type cards 1868-1943 with 50 mint and 18 used including a few Michel varieties. Highlights: unused #1, 2a, 13, 14-15; mint #7-9 short set, 11, 27-32, 33-9, 65-7 high values, 2N115, 2NJ16-22, P10 with inscription; used #5, 6, 10, 23 var (1st printing, perf 12, Michel 17 I A, cat €600) 17//24 (5th printing complete, Michel cat €103), 25, 2N26, 2N27, 2NJ3, etc., F-VF. 2025 Scott $2746. NET $750

801 SERBIA – Mint and used Fine or better collection of around 170 stamps on Scott quad pages 1879-1943. Highlights: used #2N14, 2N28, etc. 2025 Scott $735. NET $180

803 SOMALI COAST – 32 used and 258 mint F-VF stamps in mounts on album pages 1894-1966. Highlights: mint #13, 14, 17, 33, 34-48, 64-79, 129-34, 146-78, 183-93, 194-223, 248-66; used #1, 15, 19, 49-63, etc. 2025 Scott $2307. NET $750

805 SOMALI COAST – Over 300 F-VF majority mint stamps on Palo hingeless pages 1894-1966. Highlights: mint #28-9, 33 signed, 33E33F, 54, 55, 59, 63, 283-6 NH, B3-7, C24, J29-38; used #15, 17, 23, 24, 32 signed, C26, etc. Dupes not counted. 2025 Scott $1627. NET $495 807 SOMALIA – Nice collection of over 160 F-VF mainly mint stamps on Marini hingeless pages 1903-1934. Highlights: mint #16, 22-7, 40-50, 51-4, 104-110, 114-8, 164-9, C1-6, B38-51, J1, J51, EY1; used #5, C7-16 m/u; mint CEI #’s 1-6 NH, 7-12 NH, etc. A clean collection with two postage due special sets listed in CEI. CEI/2025 Scott $2359. NET $650 809 SOMALIA – Over 90 mostly F-VF mint (80%) stamps on black stocksheets 1903-1959. Highlights mint #1, 16, 101, 142, B1-B4, J1, J15; used #70, 102, etc. Clean collection. 2022 Scott $1140. NET $325 811 SPAIN – Fantastic collection of over 1000 Fine or better mint and used stamps in three Edifil hingeless albums 1855-1949. Highlights: mint #37 unused, 54 unused, 58, 98, 177, 179, 186, 203 pr., 204, 208, 208b, 215, 248, 254 signed, 260, 267, 318-30, 331-44, 345-57(357 NH), E2, B74-105, B108Ed, B122, C6-11, C12-7, C68-72, C91, C92-6, C97 signed 2x; NH #B64-73 all signed, B108A-108C, B108KI, B108M108N, C43-9; used #36-39 m/u, 40-3 m/u, 48, 61-6, 67, 70, 71, 72, 75, 80A, 88-91, 92-3, 100, 180, 187, 188, 219, 220, 251, 279A block, B108d, B118, MR8, MR21, etc. Dupes, town cancels group, multiples and misc. not counted. 2025 Scott $30,249. NET $6500 813 SPAIN – Over 570 mint & used F-VF stamps on album pages 1850-1940. Highlights: mint #99, 182, 345-7, 500, 552-5, 633, B22, B53, B74-105, C1-5, C6-11, C72A, C92-6, E1, O4, 9LC53; Spanish Morocco mint #18, used Spain #3, 28, 42, 46, 85-7, 226, 269, 309, 508, B1-13, X2 w/2 diff. photo certs; Spanish Morocco #23, etc. Double impression block not counted. 2026 Scott $3846. NET $695 815 SPAIN – Collection of 1479 mint and used stamps and s/s from 1851-1976 in mounts in a Scott specialty album. Earlies F-VF, modern mostly VF NH. A few pages missing. Highlights: mint #345-57, 386-402, 877a-8a NH, B62-3, B74-105, B109-22, C12-7 NH, C92-6, E2 NH, MR14, O1-4; used #67, 169, 194, 569-71, etc. 2025 Scott $2243. NET $450 817 SPAIN – Over 50 majority mint generally F-VF stamps identified in glassines 1850-1946. Highlights: mint #89, 94, 165A, 176A, 178, 184, 192, 283, 413A, etc. Dupes not counted. 2025 Scott $602. NET $160 819 SPAIN #617 – Rare MNH sound VF stamp. 2021 Scott $810. NET $450

821 SWEDEN – Over 700 F-VF majority used stamps on Minkus pages 1858-1986. Highlights: used #10, 11, 41, 44, 67-73, 203, 204, B110, C1-3, J2, J3, J4, J6, J7, J8, J9, O1, O2, O3, O4, O16, O21, O23; mint #141, B11 NH, etc. 2025 Scott $2453. NET $450

823 SWEDEN #229 – Scarce MNH VF-XF sound fresh stamp. 2025 Scott $250. NET $140

825 SWITZERLAND – Valuable F-VF collection of around 1165 stamps (82% mint) on quad pages 1882-1955. Highly complete including BOB issues. All the used stamps are Officials. Great highlights include: mint #84b, 87a, 88a, 96 NH, 97, 110a signed, 111a, 118, 125, 141, 145, 181-5, 201a, 202, 203, 206, 209, 246, B2a NH, B3, B6, C1, C14, C15, 1011-8, 1013 signed, 5025 NH, 7018, 7020; used #OA1, OA4, OA6, OA8, OA9, 2028, 2029, 2030, 2056, 3021a, 3025 signed, 3031, 3047, etc. 2025 Scott $13,679. NET $2495

827 SWITZERLAND – A 98% used collection of around 1650 F-VF in a Scott specialty album from 1851 to the early 1990s. Some nice S.O.N. cancels and several highlights, including mint #242, used #10, 12, 16, 48, 50, 64, 93, B3, C13, C15, O1, 101, 108, etc. Strong on definitive, less on the souvenir sheets. 2021 Scott $7,925. NET $895

829 SWITZERLAND – Around 1830 stamps almost all used on album and stock pages in two 3-ring binders 1862-2015. Dupes not counted. Highlights: used #42, 46, 50, 54, 58, 100, 136a, 141, 189, 246, B3, B4-6, B7-9, B10, B16, B20, B24, B28, B60, B79, B84, C6, C7, C11, C14, C15, C18, C45, etc. 2025 Scott $5608. NET $750

831 SWITZERLAND – Mint (59%) and used collection of 866 F-VF stamps and SS from 1964-2000 in three Safe hingeless albums with pages to 2007. Dupes not counted. 2023 Scott $912. NET $180 833 SWITZERLAND #J14A – Rare used sound F-VF stamp with light sock on the nose “BASEL” circular date cancel. Far nicer than normally seen. 2026 Scott $225. NET $79

835 SWITZERLAND: B.O.B. – Beautiful collection of over 580 F-VF mint and used mostly sets in a nice Beilla spring back binder 1878-1969. Highlights: mint #B2-3, B4-6, B7-9, B10-11, B80, C1-2, C312, C4A-12A, C13-15, C13A-15A, C27-34, J1-9 M/U, J33-43, J48-55, 101-108, 109-1016, 3083-93; used #J10-14, J15-20, J21G-28G, 2012030, 2035, 2036-41, 2056, 2065-67, 301-3026, 3031, 3032-7, 3047, 3057-9, etc. Dupes and misc. not counted. A strong, attractive and clean collection. 2025 Scott $6672. NET $795

837 THAILAND – Majority used collection of over 370 F-VF stamps mounted on album pages 1883-1960. Highlights: mint #60, 64 (key), 291 NH, C1-8 m/u; used #5, 11-8, 44, 175, 225-32 m/u, 253, 264-73, etc. 2026 Scott $2320. NET $750

839 TIMOR #245 JM – Rare mint o.g. VLH sound VF stamp seldom seen and likely underpriced in Scott in our opinion. 2026 Scott $250. NET $175

841 TOPICALS: EUROPA – VF NH collection of 1170 stamps, SS and booklets from 2007-2015 in three Lighthouse hingeless albums. Nearly complete with lots of good items including Kosovo #69a. 2023 Scott $4,496. NET $995

843 TRIESTE/AMG – Useful mint collection on pre-printed 3-ring pages nearly complete with 257 stamps in F-VF condition. Highlights: #1-14, 18-29, 36-9, 41, 42-4, 58-69, 74-5, 85-7, 90-108, 115-7, C1-6, C7-12, C13-6 short set, C20-6, E1-4, EY3, J1-6, J7-15, etc. 2025 Scott $3179. NET $1095

845 TRIESTE ZONE A #Q1-Q12 – Rare mint o.g. hinged sound AVG-VF complete set. 2026 Scott $1202. NET $375 847 TRIESTE ZONE A #C13-C16 – Scarce MNH sound F-VF complete set. 2021 Scott $480. NET $210

849 TUNISIA – Over 575 F-VF majority mint stamps on Scott pages 1888-1959. Highlights: mint #22, 122-42 m/u, 312-4, B10, C17-20, Q11-25; used #4, 5, 6, 7, 58-61. Misc. not counted. 2025 Scott $2194. NET $650 851 TURKEY – Mint and used collection of over 1100 mostly F-VF stamps mounted on pages 1863-1948. Highlights: mint #160, 180, 246, 269 signed, 350-4, 366 signed, 390, 392, 395, 397, 399 signed, 403, 406, 446, 448, 451, 452 signed, 453-71, 483, 484, 491, 93, 500 signed, 501, 502, 512, 528 signed, 541D, 542, 543, 545, 549, 758-64, 789-98, 855-8, B30, J13, J49, J67-70, J87, P42, P151, P152 signed, P170, P171, RAC5-14; used #6, 7, 100A, 109, 118-31, 159, 164, 278-84, 315A, 321, 42039, 508, 648-58, 725, 737-57, B3, B68, J1-4, M1-5, P25, P26, P55-60, P65, etc. Great variety. 2026 Scott $14,297. NET $2995

853 TURKEY – Beautiful collection of over 1525 mint and used mostly F-VF stamps on annotated homemade pages 1881-1960. Highlights: mint #89, 95-99, 96A, 493, 855-8, J59-62, P58, RAC24, RAC27; used #142-5 m/u, 315A, 631, etc. Dupes not counted. 2026 Scott $2594. NET $595

855 TURKEY #B54-B68 – Mint hinged F-VF, scarce. 2025 Scott $432. NET $275

857 UNITED NATIONS – Collection of around 2560 mint stamps on Scott specialty album pages in two Minkus binders 1951-2022. Includes the New York, Geneva and Vienna Offices and is about 99% complete. Highlights: NY #38; Geneva #576, 579, 629, 660; Vienna #397a, 485a, 597, etc. 2026 Scott $5517. NET $995

858 UNITED STATES – Mint 1851-1930 F-VF collection with a catalog value over $56,000 on dealer stockcards with no duplication. All stamps are sound. The majority of the value will be in stamps that catalog from $100 to several thousand dollars. Enjoy one of the best bargains in philately for only NET $9995

858A UNITED STATES – Used collection from 1851-1930 with a catalog value over $47,000. A very nice F-VF sound collection on dealer stockcards. Each stamp will catalog from modest values to a few thousand dollars. Build your classical U.S. collection for a fraction of catalog! NET $7995

858B UNITED STATES – Mint 1851-1930 collection with a catalog value over $28,000. A very nice F-VF mint collection on dealer stockcards without duplication. Stamps are sound and will catalog from $15 to many hundreds. Sold at a wholesale price of 18% of catalog makes this a great way to fill out your classical U.S. collection. NET $4995

858C UNITED STATES – Used collection from 1851-1930 with a catalog value over $17,000. A very nice F-VF sound collection on dealer stockcards with no duplication. You may own these for only: NET $2895

858D UNITED STATES – 99.9% complete Commemoratives, 19652013, and Definitives, 1975-2008, MNH in mounts in four Mystic Heritage albums. Highlights include the “Legends” error and “Bugs” Imperf issues. Three hinged souvenir sheets not counted included free along with uncounted fractionals, presorts,etc. Face value of useful postage alone is $1550+, but you can have this at only: NET $1695

859 UNITED STATES: 1934 ROUND-THE-WORLD COVER –Wow, this one literally travelled around the world! Initially franked with #557 5¢ blue, tied with 5/18/34 Saugus, MA, duplex to Liverpool (5/26 transit on back) then Cairo (machine cancels front and back) to Bombay where it was held for a bit (6/21 & 7/6 backstamps), Shanghai (7/25 machine backstamp) and finally back to Saugus (8/20 receiver on back). VF with expected manuscript addresses and changes. NET $150

860 UNITED STATES: 1954 LIBERTY SERIES DEFINITIVE SHEETS – 27 MNH sheets beginning at #1030 (1/2c Franklin) thru #1053 ($5 Hamilton) less only #1041B (one of the 8c Liberty issues). Includes #1214 8c Pershing issue (formerly #1042A renumbered for the issue of 1961-66). Post office fresh (incl. all high values), except two obvious flaws: 3c Liberty, deep violet, #1035, common, has the small lower left corner selvage dangling while 9c Alamo #1043 is missing its tiniest lower left corner selvage. The collection will come in an attractive sheet file album for protection. Many national dealers offer the $5 Hamilton sheet for $5,995 alone, but the entire collection is yours at just NET $4995

861 UNITED STATES #281P1 – Attractive sound full size large die proof. 2026 Scott $700. NET $495

862 UNITED STATES #551-573 – Complete mint o.g. NH F-VF set. 2026 Scott $940. NET $475

862A UNITED STATES #581-591 MNH – Complete mint o.g. NH F-VF set. 2026 Scott $371. NET $180

862B UNITED STATES #581-591 – Complete mint o.g. hinged F-VF set. 2026 Scott $176. NET $89

862C UNITED STATES #630 WHITE PLAINS SHEET – Mint o.g. hinged, F-VF centered. 2026 Scott $260. NET $195

862D UNITED STATES #658-679 KANSAS-NEBRASKA MNH – Complete F-VF centered never hinged sets. 2026 Scott $952. NET $395

862E UNITED STATES #658-679 KANSAS-NEBRASKA –Complete mint hinged sets, F-VF centered. NET $250

863 UNITED STATES #2015A – Scarce MNH VF sound vertical pair. 2025 Scott $200. NET $120

863A UNITED STATES #2134a – Scarce MNH sound VF imperf coil strip of 5 with plate #1 and joint line. 2025 Scott $350. NET $180

863B UNITED STATES #2238C – Scarce MNH F-VF sound upper left corner plate # block of four. 2025 Scott $275. NET $140

863C UNITED STATES #2440A – Scarce MNH sound VF imperf pair. 2026 Scott $550. NET $350

864 UNITED STATES #2869 & 2870 “LEGENDS” ERROR –Scarce MNH sound VF-XF recalled sheet without folder along with corrected s/s. 2026 Scott $140. NET $75

864A UNITED STATES #2870 “LEGENDS” ERROR – Scarce MNH sound VF-XF recalled sheet with folder. 2026 Scott $125. NET $75

865 UNITED STATES #2902a – Rare MNH sound VF imperf coil pair. 2025 Scott $350. NET $250

866 UNITED STATES #4075 SHEET OF SIX S/S PANES – MNH Washington 2006 Stamp Exhibition issue. NET $89

866A UNITED STATES #4392A – Rare MNH sound VF pair. 2025 Scott $350. NET $195

866B UNITED STATES #4873a U.S.S. ARIZONA IMPERF

SHEET – Scarce imperf pane of ten PO fresh stamps. 2026 Scott $500. NET $395

867 UNITED STATES #C18 – Scarce MNH bottom plate # block of six. One stamp has minor gum skips; otherwise sound F-VF. 2025 Scott $600. NET $295

867A UNITED STATES #C84A – Rare MNH sound VF stamp. 2026 Scott $425. NET $295

869 UNITED STATES: CUT SQUARES – Over 200 F-VF+ mint cut squares on partial album pages 1884-1958. Highlights: mint #U225, U238, U336, U337, U338, U339, U340, U341, U342, U343, U348-51, W410, etc. Dupes and misc. not counted. 2026 Scott $1776. NET $595

871 UNITED STATES: FEDERAL DUCKS – Complete collection from RW1 to RW38 in F-VF condition with each stamp on a dealer stockcard. RW2-38 is complete MNH o.g. RW1 is lightly hinged. Quite a few have plate numbers including RW1. 2026 Scott $5732. NET $3395

873 UNITED STATES: FEDERAL DUCKS – MNH F-VF collection from RW2//RW38, each on dealer stock card. Includes #RW2, 9-10, 12-13, 15, 21-4, 30-8. 2025 Scott $2382. NET $895

875 UNITED STATES: FEDERAL DUCKS PLATE BLOCKS – 31 modern MNH blocks between RW44 and RW79. Face value $1610. NET $1195

877 UNITED STATES: PAID REPLY POSTAL CARDS – Excellent mint VF collection of around 80 not folded double paid reply postal cards (UY10 slightly folded) in mounts on Scott specialty album, 18922014. Highlights: #UY1-52, UY1a. USPS cat. varieties figured as normal Scott listed. 2026 Scott $2425. NET $995

879 UNITED STATES: PLATE BLOCKS – 53 different F-VF MNH plate blocks from #286-701 on dealer stockcards. MNH highlights include #286, 323, 330, 372, 398, 401, 555, 556, 558, 567, 569, 572, 573a, 692-701, etc. 2023 Scott $21,336. NET $6395

881 UNITED STATES: PLATE BLOCKS – Early mint collection of 84 generally F-VF blocks from #314 to #715 each on a dealer stock card. Highlights: #314, 329, 373, 510, 526-7, 536, 546, 586-7, 612, 616, 622, 659-61, 663, 676, 679, C18, etc. 2025 Scott $10,924. NET $2995

883 UNITED STATES: POSTAL CARDS – Nice collection of around 100 mostly mint stamps in a Scott specialty album 1873-1976. Highlights: used #UX1; mint #UX3, UX6, UX10, UX12, UX13, UX14, UX15, UX19, UX20, UX29, UX30, UX32, UY1, UY3, UY4, UY8, UY15, etc. 2026 Scott $1563. NET $475

885 UNITED STATES: POSTAL CARDS – Collection of 4 used and 16 mint stamps in mounts on pages 1873-1956. Highlights: mint #UX1 preprinted, UX6, UX13, etc. Lots of uncounted dupes. Good variety. 2025 Scott $485. NET $140

887 UNITED STATES REVENUES – Fine used collection of more than 100 perfed stamps on old Scott specialty pages 1862-1872 with usual variable centering but condition is well above average. Highlights: (without R & C) #12, 14 on back of photo card, 17, 28-9, 76-7, 80-7, 91-2, 95-6, 104-5, 125, 146-7, etc. 2025 Scott $2775. NET $795 889 UNITED STATES REVENUES: THIRD ISSUES – 18 Fine or better used stamps in mounts on Scott album pages 1871-1878. Highlights: (R eliminated) #134, 136, 138, 140, 142 cut cancel, 143 cut cancel, 145, 147, 148, 149, 152C, etc. 2025 Scott $1121. NET $295 891 UNITED STATES: STATE DUCKS – Over 45 F-VF MNH stamps on approval cards 1975-1986. Highlights: AR #1, DE #4, FL #1, IL #1, 2, 3, 4-5, 6-7; NH #2, #3; NJ #1A; NC #1; ND #32; TN #6; TX #1, WY #2, etc. 1 stamp and 1 label not counted. 2025 Scott $2057. NET $650 893 UNITED STATES: STATE DUCKS – South Carolina #5 MNH block of four. 2025 Scott $260. NET $69

895 UNITED STATES: STATE DUCKS GOVERNORS’ EDITIONS – 37 different VF MNH stamps on dealer stockcards. Includes: AZ #4-5, 7; AK #5; CO #1-3; CT #1; DE #11; LA #1, 1A; MT #3, 7; MO #12a, 13-14; NH #5, 6-7 pairs, 8-9; NM #1-2; NJ #6, 6a, 10, 10A; OK #10A; RI #1-4; WV #5-6; SC #10b, etc. Only time we have offered this material. 2025 Scott $3378. NET $1795

897 UPPER SENEGAL & NIGER – Mint collection of 60 F-VF stamps on Palo hingeless album pages 1906-1917. Highlights: #1-17, 18-34, J1-7, J8-15, etc. 2026 Scott $453. NET $295

899 URUGUAY #C105 BLOCK – Mint o.g. NH fine block of four with disturbed gum. 2022 Scott $400. NET $85

901 VATICAN CITY – Mostly mint collection of over 450 F-VF stamps on Scott specialty pages 1929-1964. Highlights mint #1-13 & E1-E2 mixed, 30, 31, 35-40 mixed, 41-46, 47-54, 55-60, 61-67, 122-131 & E11-E12, 145-148, 149-153, 173, B1-B4, C9-C15, C18-C19, C20-C21, C22-C23, J1-J6 & Q1-Q15. 2021 Scott $3,313. NET $595

903 VATICAN CITY – Mint F-VF collection of more than 560 stamps on White Ace pages 1929-1977 with many in mounts. Highlights: #113, E1-2, 122-30, E11-12, 149-53, B1-4 NH, C20-1, etc. 2025 Scott $1060. NET $395

905 VENEZUELA – Over 775 F-VF majority used stamps on Scott specialty pages 1859-1960. Highlights: used #37b tied on piece, 324, 341, 458-91, 534-40, C77, C256-71, C401-9, C507; State of Guayana #1-5 m/u; mint #6, 137-141, 267A unused, C338-346, C613-28, etc. 2026 Scott $2653. NET $595

907 WALLIS-FUTUNA ISLANDS – Almost all mint F-VF collection of more than 220 stamps on various album pages 1920-1975 with some NH. Highlights: mint #41-2, 159-78, B1-8, C1-59, etc. 2026 Scott $995. NET $395

909 YUGOSLAVIA #53-62 – Mint NH sound F-VF complete set. 2022 Scott $725. NET $295

911 YUGOSLAVIA #C55 – Mint o.g. NH VF centering. 2025 Scott $190. NET $120

67 Used Fine+ 750 250

67a Mint No Gum F-VF 14000 2995

68 LH F-VF 375 150 69 Mint Regummed VF 775 295

69 Used XF 115 175

70a Mint F-VF, Very disturbed gum 3250 650

71 Mint No Gum Fine 1000 225

72 Mint H VF+ 3250 1995

72 Mint H F+ 3250 795

72 Used XF 625 425

75 Used F-VF 425 140

75 Mint no gum VF-XF 2250 1095

75 Used F-VF 425 175

78 Used Fine+ 400 140

78 Mint no gum Avg-Fine 950 175

83 Used extremely repaired on right VF 1150 190

86 Mint no gum XF 1200 1095

89 Mint H F 5000 995

90 Mint Regummed F+ 1900 475

91 Used F-VF attractive cancel 575 295

92 Used Fine+ 425 140

116 Mint no gum Fine 750 195

116 Mint no gum VF-XF 750 595

117 Mint no gum Just Fine 800 195

117 Mint no gum Fine 800 195

120 Used F-VF 675 160

120 Used XF 675 395

121 Mint Regummed XF+ 1400 995

121 Mint no gum VF 1400 595

121 Used F-VF 450 140

124 Mint H VF 600 295

124 Mint H Disturbed gum VF-XF 600 275 131 Mint H VF-XF 2250 1895 138 Used F-VF 525 175 145 Mint NH XF priced as hinged 700 995

151 Mint no gum Fine 1100 250

151 Mint no gum Avg-Fine 1050 195

151 Mint H F-VF 2900 875

153 Mint no gum Avg-Fine 650 150

153 Mint LH VF 1700 895

153 Mint H F-VF 1700 695

155 Mint Regummed thins XF MNG price 1800 795

157 Mint H VF-XF 325 275

157 Variety ribbed paper, mint H XF 475 495

160 Mint H F-VF 1000 325

160 Mint H Tiny defects, F+ 1000 225

161 Mint Regummed, VF-XF 275 225

162 Mint no gum F-VF 775 275

163 Mint no gum VF+ 800 675

165 Mint no gum Fine+ 1300 495

165 Mint Regummed, F-VF 1300 395

166 Mint Regummed, F 665 165

166 Used XF Jumbo 300 300

166 Mint H Fine 2000 495

182 Mint LH Jumbo XF+ 225 350

184 Mint NH XF 325 325

185 Mint Regummed VF-XF 175 130

187 Mint H F+ 3000 595

187 Mint no gum VF-XF 1000 695

188 Mint H Regummed VF+ 650 275

188 Mint Regummed F-VF 650 195

189 Mint VLH VF 180 160

189 Mint H XF+ 180 395

190 Mint H, Minor Faults F+ 850 220

205 Mint VLH F-VF 240 110

205 Mint H tiny fault at top VF 240 175

206 Mint NH XF 290 390

207 Mint NH XF 260 350

208 Mint LH VF+ 825 595

208 Mint H Fine+ 825 195

208a Mint H VF-XF 600 600

209 Mint H VF+ 160 130

211 Mint H VF+ 225 175

211 Mint VLH VF-XF 225 175

214 Mint LH XF-S 65 195

215 Mint NH Fine+ 525 175

215 Mint NH Pl# single F-VF 525 175

216 Mint H large margins, VF-XF 220 275

218 Disturbed gum XF 850 495

218 Used VF+ 850 495

218 Mint H XF+ 850 1295

219d Mint NH Fine+ 575 150

221 Mint NH XF Jumbo 200 395

226 Mint NH F-VF 425 175

228 Mint NH VF 900 360

228 Mint HR VF+ 300 140

228 Mint H F-VF 300 100

229 Mint NH XF 1600 1600

229 Mint H VF-XF 475 295

229 Mint H Fine 475 125

235 Mint NH, XF-Superb 150 295

238 Mint NH VF-XF 700 550

238 Used VF, magenta cancel 72 45

238 Disturbed gum XF+ 250 250

239 Mint H XF+ 225 395

240 Mint NH F-VF 1400 695

240 Mint NH Fine+ 1400 375

240 Mint NH with pl# F 1400 395

240 Mint H VF 450 275

240 Mint no gum XF 200 180

246 Mint NH XF 90 195

247 Mint NH strip/3 Fine 600 125

252a Mint NH F-VF 375 150

253 Mint NH VF-XF 365 295

254 Mint H XF 200 200

254 Mint NH F-VF 600 240

258 Mint H VF+ 275 175

259 Mint H VF-XF 275 225

259 Mint H VF 275 225

260 Mint H VF+ 475 350

260 Mint H F-VF 475 250

260 Mint LH Fine 475 195

260 Mint H Fine+ 475 170

261 Mint H, XF 1000 695

261 Mint H, Tiny thin spot, VF 1000 275

261A Mint H F 2200 425

262 Mint H XF! 2750 1995

269 Mint NH pl# strip/3 w/imprint Fine 450 140

272 Mint NH VF+ 210 195

272 Mint H VF-XF 70 95

272 Mint NH VF 210 140

273 Mint NH Fine+ 300 125

274 Mint NH F-VF 600 250

275 Mint H VF+ 325 175

275 Mint HR VF-XF 240 170

276 Mint LH F-VF 600 240

276 Mint H VF, tiny thin 600 225

276A Mint H VF 1250 795

276A Mint H thins, F+ 1250 295

277 Mint H XF+ GEM! 900 900

277 Mint H VF-XF 900 495

277 Used XF, tiny thin 400 275

283 Mint NH Fine 450 125 284 Mint NH XF 475 695

287 Mint NH Pl# Imprint pr VF 725 375 287 Mint NH

475 Mint NH minor natural gum crease VF 375 285 475 Mint NH VF-XF 375 325 475 Mint H VF-XF large margins 170 170 476 Mint H F-VF 240 140 476 Mint H minor disturbed gum VF+ 240 175 476 Mint HR VF+ very large margins 240 110 477 Mint LH VF 850 350

478 Mint H XF+ 600 1250

478 Mint H F+ 600 225

478 Mint H Fine one small spot 600 195 479 Mint LH VF+ 210 140 480 Mint NH XF-Superb 375 495

480 Mint H XF 170 150 480 Mint VLH XF 170 150 480 Disturbed gum VF 170 85 497 Mint H line pr XF 120 175 500 Mint NH F-VF 570 195

Mint NH F 570 170 523 Mint H VF tiny artifacts 525 995

524 Used Blk of 4 F-VF 250 95

524 Mint H VF-XF 170 150

534 Used Pair, XF-Superb Jumbos, beautiful cancel 34 95 546 Used XF 190 275 547 Mint H XF 130 120 547 Mint H VF 130 85

Mint NH XF+ 110 110

Mint NH XF+ 180 180 573 Mint NH VF-XF 180 130 573 Plate# single Mint NH F-VF 180 100

573 Mint NG VF-XF 180 120

701 Mint LH Pl# blk XF 160 145

E1 Mint NH F, gum skips 1300 275

E4 Mint NH VF+ 2000 1295

E4 Mint H XF small faults 875 595

E4 Mint NH F-VF 2000 495

E4 Mint VLH F+ 875 275

E5 Mint VLH XF+ 210 275

E6 Mint NH Fine+ 500 170 E6 Mint NH VF 500 195 E8 Mint H XF+ 120 295

E8 Mint NH VF 250 150

E8 Mint NH Jumbo VF-XF 250 295

E8 Mint NH VF+ 250 160

E9 Mint NH Fine 425 150

E9 Mint LH VF-XF 190 125

E9 Mint NH XF+ 425 495

E10 Mint H VF-XF 350 285

O6 Mint H Fine 450 120

O7S Mint NGAI Fine 400 195

O8 Mint H F-VF 425 190

09S NGAI Fine 400 195

O11 Mint LH F-VF 575 160

O12 Mint H F+ 700 275

O12 Mint NG VF-XF 325 135

O14 Mint H Small part OG Fine 1200 275

O22S Mint NGAI Fine 2500 795

O25 Mint H VF-XF 250 195

O29 Mint HR F-VF 310 140

O30 Mint H F-VF 260 110

O31 Used F-VF 200 79

O48S Mint NGAI Fine+ 325 135

O60S Mint NGAI F+ 350 145

O66 Mint NH VF 525 295

O66S Mint NGAI VF 600 475

PR5 Mint NGAI, VF+ 225 160

PR7 Mint NGAI, XF Gem! 300 275

PR9 Mint HR, VF+ 350 195

PR16 Mint no gum VF-XF 325 185

PR74 Mint H dist gum F-VF 800 275

PR75 Mint H F-VF 850 295

PR76 Mint VLH VF-XF 800 595

PR87 Mint LH VF 600 350

Q8 Mint NH XF+ 260 395

Q10 Mint LH VF-XF 210 295

Q12 Mint H XF 260 350

R21c Used F+ 700 250

R31 Used, Rare! Heavy cancel, avg ctr. 1800 375

R51a Used XF 200 175

R65a Used VF 750 250

R149 Used VF-XF 400 275

RW6 Mint NH XF 250 125

RW7 Mint NH VF 250 195

U66 Mint XF 375 275

WS2 Mint NH XF+ 300 250

WS4 Mint NH Avg 1000 225

WS5 XF+ Mint LH 800 800

CSA 62x1 Mint no gum 225 85

CSA 62x1 Used F-VF well centered 800 495

CSA 62x4 Mint no gum VF 325 225

PLATE BLOCKS & PANES

230 PlBlk/6 VLH VF+ 450 350

234 PlBlk/8 Three tiny hinge remnants in selvage, minor gum skip, F+ 2750 1195

235 PlBlk/6 VLH F+ 1250 675

279 PlBlk/6 MNH, VF 350 250

296 PlBlk/6 Mint H, F+, Scarce! 2000 875

300B BkltPane/6 Mint NH F-VF 1150 475

319Fi PlBlk/4 Mint H, XF 275 225

319G BkltPane/6 Used (Rare) Fine 450 395

319Q BkltPane/6 Mint NH F-VF 575 295

325 PlBlk/4 Mint H, F+ 470 195

330 PlBlk/6 MNH, F-VF, Very scarce, minor gum skip 6000 1995

370 PlBlk/6 Mint LH, XF+ 200 180

376 PlBlk/6 Mint VLH, VF 325 190

398 PlBlk/6 MNH, F 625 225

484 PlBlk/6 MNH,XF 160 95

464 PlBlk/6 Mint HH, VF 1500 495

506 PlBlk/6 MNH,F-VF 300 150

511 PlBlk/6 MNH,F-VF 260 120

527 PlBlk/6 MNH,F-VF 350 140

529 PlBlk/6 NH VF-XF 175 140

536 PlBlk/6 Mint H, XF 250 185

550 PlBlk/6 NH Avg-Fine natural gum bends/skips 700 195

555 PlBlk/6 Mint H, F 240 110

556 PlBlk/6 NH VF-XF 375 325

557 PlBlk/6 MNH,VF 375 225

558 PlBlk/6 Mint H, VF 400 195

559 PlBlk/6 LH XF+ Gem 120 190

561 PlBlk/6 NH VF+ 350 195

561 PlBlk/6 Mint H, F-VF 250 125

562 PlBlk/6 NH F-VF 375 150

564 PlBlk/6 NH VF+, Five Pointed Star 225 175

564 PlBlk/6 Mint H, VF-XF 300 195

565 PlBlk/6 NH VF-XF 120 85

566 PlBlk/6 NH VF-XF 400 325

567 PlBlk/6 Mint LH,VF+ 275 180

567 PlBlk/6 VLH F-VF 275 130

568 PlBlk/6 NH XF+ 400 400

569 PlBlk/6 NH VF+ 450 295

570 PlBlk/6 NH VF-XF 725 495

571 PlBlk/6 NH VF 500 225

578 PlBlk/4 Mint H, w/star, avg ctr 1000 275

584 PlBlk/4 NH VF 425 275

585 PlBlk/4 Mint LH, F-VF 275 145

586 PlBlk/4 Mint VLH, F+ 275 125

590 PlBlk/4 Mint LH, VF+ 150 120

591 PlBlk/4 MNH, F 750 275

612 PlBlk/4 Mint H, F-VF 300 140

616 PlBlk/6 MNH, VF-XF 375 295

617 PlBlk/6 MNH, XF 67 65

621 PlBlk/8 Mint LH, F-VF 450 195

621 Blk/8 MNH, VF+ 700 595

623 PlBlk/6 MNH, VF-XF 325 275

628 PlBlk/6 MNH, VF 82 48

647 PlBlk/4 MNH, F-VF 180 75

664 PlBlk/4 NH XF-Superb 650 650

667 PlBlk/4 LH F-VF 275 120

675 PlBlk/4 NH VF-XF 750 575

701 PlBlk/4 NH VF+ 230 180

756-765 Complete VF set PlBlk/6, MNH NGAI 254 175

1053 PlBlk/4 Mint NH XF+ 210 160

C1 PlBlk/6 VLH XF+ 700 700

C2 PlBlk/6 NH F+ 1350 425

C3 PlBlk/12, two plate #s MNH F-VF 2000 895

C4 PlBlk/6 NH VF-XF 330 275

C5 PlBlk/6 NH F-VF 2000 695

C6 PlBlk/6 NH F-VF 2500 850

C7-C9 PlBlk/6 MNH, F-VF 185 95

C10 PlBlk/6 Mint VLH, VF 90 70

C12 PlBlk/6 MNH, F 180 70

C16 PlBlk/4 MNH, XF 95 70

C18 PlBlk/6 NH VF-XF 600 450

C18 PlBlk/6 Mint H, XF 475 395

C22 PlBlk/6 MNH, VF+ 85 85

C24 PlBlk/6 NH VF-XF 110 75

E5 PlBlk/6 w/imprint #77, H VF 5000 1895

E13 PlBlk/6 NH VF+ 700 375

F1 PlBlk/6 MNH, VF 2500 1395

J24 Imprint Blk/8 MNH 1440 390

JQ2 PlBlk/6 NH RARE! Minor perf separation, F-VF 4850 1995

QE3 PlBlk/6 NH XF-S 65 85

QE4A PlBlk/6 MNH, F-VF 360 160

RW1 Margin Blk/4 w/Pl#, MNH, VF 3100 2195

RW4 Margin Blk/4 w/Pl#, MNH, VF 1200 840

RW7 Margin Blk/4 w/Pl#, MNH, XF 900 720

RW13 Margin Blk/4 w/Pl#, MNH, VF 200 140

RW21 Margin Blk/4 w/Pl#, MNH, VF 340 225

RW24 Margin Blk/4 w/Pl#, MNH, VF 340 240

RW26 PlBlk/4 MNH, XF 550 375

RW34 PlBlk/4 MNH, F-VF 550 250

RW36 PlBlk/4 MNH, VF 275 175

CERTIFIED U.S. STAMPS

10X1 Mint O.G. H Clean PSE cert, Grade VF-XF 85. 325 295

1b Used, Attractive red cancel. Clean PSE cert, Grade XF 90. SMQ 1100 895

14 Used w/attractive cancel and clean PSE cert, Grade XF 90. A Gem! SMQ 325 325

37 Used w/clean PSE cert, Grade XF 90. SMQ 1050 795

90 Used w/clean PSE cert, Grade VF-XF 85. SMQ 650 450

91 Used w/PSAG clean cert except one short perf. F-VF. 575 175

120 Mint Regummed VF centered, tiny faults with Weiss Cert. 3000 895

188 Mint Regummed sound F+ with Weiss Cert. 650 195

191 Mint Regummed over tiny perf crease, Weiss Cert, F-VF 2100 595

239 Mint O.G. NH, Very Large Margins. Clean PSE cert, Grade VF-XF 85. 850 825

277a Mint O.G. H, clean PSE cert

Grade XF 90. SMQ 1600 1395

315 Mint O.G. NH, Huge Margins, clean PSE cert

Grade XF-Superb 95! SMQ 850 1150

327 Mint O.G. H, clean PSE

cert Grade XF 90. SMQ 240 195

386 Mint O.G. NH, clean PSE cert, Grade VF-XF 85 SMQ 1050 795

392 Line Pr. Mint O.G. H, clean PSE cert Grade XF 90. SMQ 225 190

392 Line Pr. Mint O.G. H, clean PSE cert Grade XF 90. SMQ 225 175

393 Line Pr. Mint O.G. H, clean PSE cert Grade XF 90. SMQ 425 325

393 Line Pr. Mint O.G. H, clean PF cert. F-VF. 135 75 404 Mint O.G. VLH, Large Margins. Clean PSE cert Grade VF-XF 85. SMQ 750 750 423 Mint O.G. H, Almost perfect centering. Clean PSAG cert Grade 85.

Classified Ads

UNITED STATES

FREE 40-PAGE U.S. U.N. PRICELIST (412)-431-3800 or view online www.fortpittstamps.com Fort Pitt Philatelics PO Box 6009 Pittsburgh PA 15211 (1507)

DK Enterprises 360.692.3823 DickKeiser.com (1502)

USUN 6 old cachet FDC $9. R Herman, Bx 103, Is PK, NY 11558 (1504) stampsforcollectorssince1979. com/seriousstamps (1504)

BLANKET YOURSELF IN COVERS. Visit Naxian Stamps & Coins on eBay. (1504) targetauctions.net (1507)

HUGE STOCK OF PNC’S. Want Lists Welcomed. San Pedro Stamp Co. PO Box 91306, Tucson, AZ 85752 sanpedrosc@gmail.com (1507)

UNITED STATES New Issue Service. Singles, Plates, Sheets, PNCs- you decide! Sign up now for 2026 @ foxriverstamps.com (1512)

US MINT/USED 1840-1940 singles and plate blocks send on approval. See it before you buy it. Philatelic Friends, PO Box 187, Carlisle, PA 17013 (1512)

U.S. PNCs. www.jwhimes.com. (1516)

U.S. FIRST DAY COVERS

RARE: USPS OFFICIAL DELUXE PRESENTATION FOLDERS FOR VIPS >20 made for each FD ceremony 200+ avail 19861990. Comem, Gr Amer, UX etc jdldc@outlook.com (1504)

BRITISH COMMONWEALTH

LIKE APPROVALS? Try APS Circuit Books for British Commonwealth! We can build your collection. Email CircuitBooks@stamps.org (1506)

MINT, NH BRITISH COMMONWEALTH 1946 TO 2024, LIVE inventory online, Search by Scott #, SG #, description, Topic, StanleyLisica.com (1507) www.commonwealth-stamps.com (1522)

GREAT BRITAIN

www.british-stamps.com (1522)

CANADA

CLASSIC CANADA ON APPROVAL. See it before you buy it. Philatelic Friends, PO Box 187, Carlisle, PA 17013 (1512)

AFRICA

LIKE APPROVALS? Try APS Circuit Books for Africa! We can build your collection. Email CircuitBooks@ stamps.org (1512)

ARMENIA

www.ArmenianStamps.com (1497) www.StampsOfEasternEurope. com WANT LISTS FILLED. New Issues. Year Sets available. HSE POB 4028, Vineyard Haven, MA. 02568. Phone (888) 868-8293. (1506)

ASCENSION

http://www.shatps.org (1503)

BALKANS

www.StampsOfEasternEurope. com WANT LISTS FILLED. New issues. Year sets avail. HSE, POB 4028 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 Phone - (888) 868-8293 (1506)

BALTICS

www.StampsOfEasternEurope. com WANT LISTS FILLED. New issues. Year sets avail. HSE, POB 4028 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 Phone - (888) 868-8293 (1506)

CHINA

LIKE APPROVALS? Try APS Circuit Books for China! We can build your collection. Email CircuitBooks@ stamps.org (1512)

PRC/CHINA STAMPS (all diff.): 250/$10; 1000/$35. CLEARANCE LOT: Covers, Stamps, Stationery, More: Five pounds $95.75. (postpaid in USA). Peter Kovacs, POB 450575, Houston, TX 77245 (1512)

AN ONLINE STORE WITH OVER 9,000 STAMP AND COVER ITEMS. Two online 1,200+ lot auctions a year. Six 40-page magazines a year. Join at https:// www.chinastampsociety.org (1512)

CZECH & SLOVAKIA

www.StampsOfCzech.com WANT LISTS FILLED. New issues. Year sets avail. HSE, POB 4028 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 Phone - (888) 868-8293 (1506)

EASTERN EUROPE

www.StampsOfEasternEurope. com WANT LISTS FILLED. New issues. Year sets avail. HSE, POB 4028 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 Phone - (888) 868-8293 (1506)

FRANCE

LIKE APPROVALS? Try APS Circuit Books for France! We can build your collection. Email CircuitBooks@ stamps.org (1512)

FRENCH COLONIES

FRENCH COLONIES BEFORE AND AFTER INDEPENDENCE www. DISLER.com or OFFICE@DISLER. COM (APS 122843) (1502)

GERMANY

LIKE APPROVALS? Try APS Circuit Books for Germany! We can build your collection. Email CircuitBooks@stamps.org (1510)

GERMAN AREA ON APPROVAL

See it before you buy it. Philatelic Friends, PO Box 187, Carlisle, PA 17013 (1512)

LIFELONG COLLECTOR

BUYING high quality, premium German stamp collections. 913-226-6279 (1507)

GERMANY AUSTRIA FRANCE ITALY & WORLDWIDE, mint & used. FREE 70-page price list. Almaz Co, 2174 E.70 St, Brooklyn, NY 11234 email: AlmazStamps@aol.com (1514)

HUNGARY

www.buyhungarianstamps.com WANT LISTS FILLED. New issues. Year sets avail. HSE, POB 4028 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 Phone(888) 868-8293 (1506)

INDIA STATES

700+ INDIAN STATES ITEMS.

New items added weekly. Visit “stampsinc.com” Stamps Inc. PO Box 8689 Cranston, RI 02920 401 688 9473 info@stampsinc.com (1512)

Classified advertising in The American Philatelist is a costeffective way to get the attention of over 23,000 American Philatelic Society members around the world. Call or email today for more details (814) 317-9766 (Classifieds@stamps.org)

Payment in advance. No change of copy. No refunds.

Classified ads are calculated with a payment structure based on character count. To calculate the number of characters for your ad, count all letters, numerals, punctuation and blank spaces between words. Advertisers receive discounts for increased ad duration. 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 aps.buzz/ClassifiedForm (case-sensitive). Classified ads are also accepted via mail by sending your ad text and payment to AP Classifieds, 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 (1504) appears after your ad, it expires after this issue. Deadline for the July 2026 issue is May 23, 2026.

INDONESIA

BUYING QUALITY

REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD, EARLY INDONESIA, 1942-45 occup., & DEI postage dues. SchaussStamps@gmail.com. APS & ASDA life member. (1510)

ITALY

LIKE APPROVALS? Try APS Circuit Books for Italy! We can build your collection. Email CircuitBooks@ stamps.org (1506)

POLAND

www.StampsOfEasternEurope. com WANT LISTS FILLED. New issues. Year sets avail. HSE, POB 4028 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 Phone - (888) 868-8293 (1506)

ROMANIA

www.StampsOfEasternEurope. com WANT LISTS FILLED. New issues. Year sets avail. HSE, POB 4028 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 Phone - (888) 868-8293 (1506)

RUSSIA

www.StampsOfEasternEurope. com WANT LISTS FILLED. New issues. Year sets avail. HSE, POB 4028 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 Phone - (888) 868-8293 (1506)

SCANDINAVIA

LIKE APPROVALS? Try APS Circuit Books for Scandinavia! We can build your collection. Email CircuitBooks@stamps.org (1507)

SPAIN

ON THE RIDGE STAMPS. Thousands of quality classic stamps online. Specializing in Spain, Spanish Colonies, French/Italian Colonies and much more. Visit our stores ontheridgestamps.com, eBay, Hipstamp & Delcampe (1516)

ST. HELENA

http://www.shatps.org (1503)

SWITZERLAND

Alpenstamp store on Hipstamp.com (1505)

TRISTAN DA CUNHA

http://www.shatps.org (1503)

TUVALU

Tuvalu Classic Stamp Club

Forming. Contact Jim Johnston at langjwj@earthlink.net (1505)

UKRAINE

www.StampsOfEasternEurope. com WANT LISTS FILLED. New issues. Year sets avail. HSE, POB 4028 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 Phone - (888) 868-8293 (1505)

UNITED NATIONS

U.N. PRICE LIST, Wm. Henry Stamps, POB 150010, Kew Gardens, NY 11415 www.allunstamps.com (1502)

VIETNAM

WANTED: NORTH VIETNAM (Some Early Issues, Viet Cong, NFLSV, Unissued, some SS’s and Pre 2000 issues. Only MNH. No CTO. Duncan Harvin, 864-230-7512, dharvin@ processtech.com (1504)

WORLDWIDE

DK Enterprises 360.692.3823 DickKeiser.com (1502)

WORLDWIDE STAMP EXCHANGE for long-time collectors. Trade your dupes in booklets by catalog # and CV values. Pete Bialick 4470 Chippewa Boulder CO 80303 peterbialick@comcast.net. (1508)

A-Z 200 different WW off paper. No CTO! $3.00. Receive $3.00 credit on first order over $15.00. Blackbirds Nest, PO Box 516, Richland, WA 99253-0156 (1510)

FREE 20 PAGE ILLUSTRATED BI-MONTHLY LISTS Worldwide NH/H/U stamps, S/S, covers, lots and more at competitive prices. Request free “Van Emden’s Newsletter” by E-mail (in color) or 1st Class (B&W). John Van Emden, PO Box 138, Abingdon, MD 21009 E-mail:pmats@comcast.net (1510)

Ebay.com/str/jerryderrstamps Since 2021 ASDA IPDA PTS (1516)

FREE PRICE LIST OF WORLDWIDE STAMPS Mint Hinged or Used at 50% off Scotts. Please specify which list. We have the stamps you need at the prices you like. Martin Winter 800 W. Willis Rd., Apt. 1045, Chandler, AZ 85286. Email: winter310@aol.com (1517)

FREE NEW 200-PAGE WORLDWIDE PRICE LIST Find out why most collectors place orders when they receive stamps you need at the prices you like. Martin Winter 800 W. Willis Rd., Apt. 1045, Chandler, AZ 85286 E-mail: winter310@aol. com (1517)

ACCESSORIES

MIDNIGHT STOCKSHEETS - Made in Japan. Fits in any standard 3 ring binder. 11 different styles, designed with the collector in mind! $4.50 per 5 pack. Available @ foxriverstamps.com (1502)

SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR COLLECTING NEEDS. Archival materials for storage, display or exhibiting @ foxriverstamps.com (1504)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

RETIRED STAMP COLLECTOR SELLING OFF a large accumulation of duplicates, U.S. & W/W, albums, etc. Great Prices. Send for listing. M. Rezabek, 395 W. Goldfinch Way, Chandler, AZ 85286. Email: mrezabek@yahoo. com (1502)

APPRAISALS

WORLD WIDE APPRAISALS Collection Valuation. Seller’s Agent Service. info@hungarianstamps.com. HSE POB 4028, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. (888) 868-8293 (1506)

APPROVALS

PERSONALIZED US AND WORLDWIDE STAMPS on Approval Service. Family Owned Since 1987. Free shipping and US returns. Pause or cancel Any Time. $10 off first purchase. Wilton Stamp Company 300 Cub Ct., Greenville, SC 29609 https://wiltonstamp.com (1513)

WORLDWIDE. GREAT PRICES

BEGINNER TO ADVANCED. Sets and Singles. State interest. Larry Serenari, 766 Nestle Quarry Rd., Falling Waters, WV 25419 (1509)

US AND WORLDWIDE. See it before you buy it. Philatelic Friends, PO Box 187, Carlisle, PA 17013 (1512)

COVERS

DK Enterprises 360.692.3818 (1514)

DONATIONS

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN CHILDREN’S LIVES and send Boys Town your philatelic donations. Leon Myers Stamp Center PO Box 1 Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-1143 Help.Kids@boystown.org (1514)

DECORATED U.S. ARMY VETERAN ACCEPTS YOUR DONATION of surplus stamps to an American Indian School or U.S. wounded veterans. Tax receipt and thank-you letter upon request. Send to Bick, P.O. Box 854A, Van Nuys CA 91408; PH 818-613-3418. ASDA, APS 55+ years. (1504)

INTERNET

DK Enterprises 360.692.3823 DickKeiser.com (1503)

LITERATURE

www.pbbooks.com Leonard H. Hartmann (1526)

A DEALER’S LARGE LIBRARY is being auctioned in our philatelic auctions. Send for catalog or see our website. hjwdonline.com. HJW Daugherty, POB 1146, Eastham, MA. (150)

MAIL BID SALES

FREE CATALOG. US, British, Europe, W/W. Many Starter Collections. Various Sized Lots.  No Buyers Fee. Jarema, 4247 NW 87th Ln, Gainesville, FL 32653 (1512)

MAIL SALES

Dickkeiser.com 360.692.3818 DickKeiser.com (1502)

POST CARDS

DK Enterprises 360.692.3818 (1514)

POSTAL HISTORY

DK Enterprises 360.692.3818 (1514) REVENUES

DK Enterprises 360.692.3818 (1514)

WORLDWIDE REVENUES

LIQUIDATION of collections, sets and singles. Everywhere from A-Z. also documents. Gordon Brooks. email Bizzia@sympatico.ca (1519)

SEEKING INFORMATION

CAN YOU HELP? Researching legendary Harrisburg, PA stamp dealer Elmer R. Long, active from 1933-1965. Do you have ANY Long collectibles or postal history to sell? Or did you ever meet Mr. Long, talk to him, or visit his Department Store of Philately? 713-426-6543 or email rickbarrettmail@comcast.net (1506)

STAMP SHOPS

DK Enterprises 360.692.3818 (1514)

SUPPLIES

B and G Sales. All major brands. Free U.S. shipping w/ $60+ order. www. bandgstamps.com or 317-627-5242 (1515)

TOPICAL STAMPS

TOPICAL STAMPS OF EASTERN EUROPE www.EuropeTopicals.com Topics range from Airplanes to Zoos! HSE, POB 4028, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 (888) 868-8293 (1506)

US FIRST DAY COVERS

LIKE APPROVALS? Try APS Circuit Books for U.S. First Day Covers! We can build your collection. Email CircuitBooks@stamps.org (1507)

WANTED

1991 10-CENT TRACTOR TRAILER

TRANSPORTATION COIL, Scott 2457, on cover tied with CDS cancel or stamped with class of service designation: First Class, Bulk Rate, Third Class, etc. rbajenski@hotmail. com (1504)

ECUADOR WANT LIST - 70b, 72b, 73b, 73c, 104, 109, 299a, 778B, C1a, CF1a, O2 red overprint, O10 red overprint, O53, O59, O63, O88, O89, O90, O91, O95, O101, RA4. Mint preferred, will accept used John Kuehn jwkuehn@ verizon.net (1507)

WANTED: 22-RING STOCK PAGES. Pages needed are black with 2-4 plastic sleeves on both sides.  Will pay $1.00/page.  johnsoncthomas@ yahoo.com (1504)

WANTED: NORTH VIETNAM (Some Early Issues, Viet Cong, NFLSV, Unissued, some SS’s and Pre 2000 issues. Only MNH. No CTO. Duncan Harvin, 864-230-7512, dharvin@ processtech.com (1504)

WANTED POSTAL STATIONERY OF INDIA, Indian States, Aden, Burma, Ceylon & Nepal Sandeep Jaiswal 401-688-9473 sj722@aol.com (1512)

APS Estate Advice

Index of Advertisers

www.stamps.org/Estate-Advice 95

APS Hub @ Stamp SCHOOL — www.stampschool.stamps.org 111

APS Stampstore — www.stampstore.org 8

Argyll Etkin Limited — www.argyll-etkin.com 99 CK Stamps — www.CKstamps.com 95 Cornerstamp, Inc., Paradise Valley Stamp Company — www.stamp-one.com 96

Daniel F. Kelleher

About the Index of Advertisers

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 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.

Membership Report

No. 04, April 2026

NEW APPLICANTS

The following applications were received during April 2026. If no objections are received by the Executive Director (814) 933-3803 prior to June 30, 2026, these applicants will be admitted to membership and notice to this effect will appear in the August 2026 issue. Abel, Ronald (240544) York, PA; United States, 20th Century; 67

Abt, Leona (240545) Hershey, PA

Allan, Jon W (240577) East Lansing, MI; 19th Century, Booklets/Panes, Plate Blocks; 68; Retired Anderson, James (240526) Madison, WI; 19th Century, 20th Century, Air Mails, Classics, Commemoratives, Fancy Cancels, Officials/Official Mail; 67

Aro, Sylvia (240575) Renton, WA; 20th Century Baeza, John James (240567) Brooksville, FL; United States, Errors/Freaks/Oddities, Washington Franklins, Guatemala; 60; Retired

Bartholow, Steven (240510) Tacoma, WA; French Africa, French Colonies, French Polynesia; 67; Retired

Berni, Scott (240542) Jacksonville, FL; United States, 19th Century, 20th Century, Commemoratives, First Day Covers; 56

Bhola, Harish (240540) East Windsor, NJ; 19th Century; 77; Retired Bonilla, Rodolfo (240511) Henderson, NV; 32

Bruce, Robert J. (240552) San Anselmo, CA; 72; Retired

Buege, Timothy J. (240534) Maplewood, MN; United States, Commemoratives; 60

Denman, Stephen (240547) Sussex, NJ; Plate Blocks, First Day Covers

Dietz, Frank Andrew (240569) Plattsburgh, NY; Retired USAF Captain

Dooley, William S. (240559) Juliett, GA; United States, Confederate States

Drake, Crystal D. (240570) Philo, OH

Dumas, John (240520) Irvine, CA; 64

Dyer, JoAnne (240561) Snoqualmie, WA; Advertising Covers, Souvenir Sheets, Commemorative Panels, Space Covers

Eikenboom, Peter (240568) Stolwijk, Netherlands; Revenues/Tax Paids (State/Local), Australia, British Commonwealth; 60

Farley, Arthur (240537) Irvine, CA; 72; Consultant

Federico, Rosa Anne (240549) Ewing, NJ; Classics; 66; Marketing Sales/Retired

Flatter, Marcia (240550) Nashville, TN

Frost, Susan Toomey (240548) San Antonio, TX; Guatemala; 85; Self-employed (author)

Geddes, Robert (240539) Pepperell, MA; United States, 19th Century; Retired

Glinane, Stephen (240557) Pocono Lake, PA; 68; Human services Caseworker

Hall, Robert (240523) Acra, NY; Air Mails, Classics, First Day Covers; 63; Purchasing Agent

Harris, Richard (240522) East Bridgewater, MA; UN (Topic); 84; Retired

Hughes, Laurie Ann (240528) Pleasant Gap, PA

Islam, Enrique (240571) Los Angeles, CA; 38; Sales Johnson, Mark (240565) Oconomowoc, WI; United States, Air Mails, Perfins, Plate Singles, Used U.S., Plate Number Coils (PNCs), Sweden; 70; Retired Jurin, Ivan J. (240512) Perkasie, PA; United States, 19th Century, Air Mails, Blocks/Guideline Blocks; 76; Retired

Knott, Adam J (240525) Kalamazoo, MI; Analyst Li, Tao (240541) Loveland, OH

Limric, Sean Conroy (240579) Harrisburg, PA; 52; Contractor/CEO

McGrail, Michael Thomas (240553) Northfield, IL; 19th Century; 67; Consultant

McRae, Loretta P (240533) Coldspring, TX; 70

NEW MEMBERS

Applications 240366-240430 as previously published have been accepted for membership by the Board of Vice Presidents.

SUMMARY

Total Membership, March 31, 2026 ...................................20,906

12

3

Non-Payment of dues 1 Total Membership, April 30, 2026 21,033 (Total Membership, April 30, 2025 was 22,107 a difference of -1,074.)

Messics, Dave (240524) Jarrettsville, MD; United States, 19th Century, 20th Century, Duck/Hunting/Fishing Stamps (Fed./State/Indian), First Day Covers; 62

Migliaccio, Francesco Luca Maria (240572) Ischia, Italy

Mohr, Brian (240580) Cape Coral, FL; 20th Century, Duck/Hunting/Fishing Stamps (Fed./State/ Indian), First Day Covers, Postal Cards; 62; Loan Officer

Morgan, Fred (240513) Chicago, IL; United States; 83; Retired

Moseley, Joseph Paul (240530) Simi Valley, CA; United States, Commemoratives, Duck/ Hunting/Fishing Stamps (Fed./State/Indian), Definitives, Souvenir Sheets, German Federal Rep.; 71; Retired

Mulani, Taslim (240516) Mumbai, India; 27; Stamp dealer

Pearl, Pat (240566) Northland, New Zealand; Air Mails; 73; Retired fire engineer

Pearson, Richard (240532) Thomasville, GA; United States, General (Worldwide)

Perez, David (240535) San Rafael, Costa Rica; 38; Finance

Prevott, Raymond A. (240578) San Antonio, TX; Commemoratives, Covers, Plate Blocks; 74; Retired

Puhala, Jeff (240576)

Quasius, Robert T. (240563) Marshall, MN; United States, Austria, Brazil, Colombia, France, Honduras, Japan, Poland, Venezuela, Germany; 69; Retired

Raskin, Sherry Lynn (240527) Stuart, FL; 72; Medical Office Manager

Reahard, Chip (240514) Williamson, GA; 78

Relich, Nick (240573) Saint Clair Shores, MI; United States; 80; Physician

Roberts, Greg (240555) Tucson, AZ; United States, Duck/Hunting/Fishing Stamps (Fed./State/Indian), Souvenir Cards, Territorial Covers

Robinson, Dwight Leroy (240517) Asheville, NC; German Colonies, German Democratic Rep., German Federal Rep., German States; 67; Retired

Rowe, Jeremy (240531) New York, NY; 66

Schreck, Yvonne (240574) Albuquerque, NM; Postal History-HI, France, Hungary, Mongolia, Russia/USSR/Independent Republics, Ryukyus; 74; Retired

Smith, David A. (240558) Buffalo, NY; United States; 80; Retired

Stenabaugh, Daniel George (240564) Rochester, NY; United States, 19th Century, Air Mails; 79; Retired

Tanner, James E (240546) Highland, CA; 82; Retired Trollip, Stanley (240543) Minneapolis, MN; German Colonies; 79; Retired

Troy, Brooke (240556) Rougemont, NC

Valk, John S. (240515) Norton Shores, MI; 62

VanGaasbeck, Jim E. (240554) Clovis, CA; United States; 76; Retired

Vincent, Fran (240519) Lancaster, SC; Air Mails, Blocks/Guideline Blocks, Commemoratives, Covers, First Day Covers, Plate Blocks

Von Gunden, David (240521) Clearfield, PA

Whigham, Zosia C. (240536) Minneapolis, MN; 45 White, Jason (240529) Helena, MT; United States, 19th Century, Errors/Freaks/Oddities, Australia, Canada, German States, Great Britain; 45; CPA Wiederwax, Jay Paul (240560) Centre Hall, PA; 19th Century, Duck/Hunting/Fishing Stamps (Fed./ State/Indian), First Day Covers, Flight Covers, Plate Blocks, Plate Singles; 61; Transportation Woollacott, Robert A. (240518) West Seneca, NY; United States, Great Britain, Canada

Zuben, William John (240551) Seminole, FL; 80; Bowling coach

DECEASED

Abt, Arthur B. (104713), Hershey, PA

Aichele, Glenn F. (11874-119265), Anaheim, CA

Austin, John A. (7940-054014), Lima, OH

Bartges, David W. (9670-056406), Bethany Beach, DE

Bauer, Ralph L. (11067-063649), Chatham, MA Jones, Frank N. (9406-049320), West Palm Beach, FL

LaChance, Leon J. (11457-079554), Seaford, DE Leonard, Robert B. (172626), Houston, TX

Nickel, Charles (217412), San Diego, CA

Reiser, William A. (11251-051615), Seattle, WA

Rosenzweig, Samson M. (8350-058642), North Brunswick, NJ

Souther, Rory L. (177387), Washington Court House, OH

NEW DEALER LISTINGS

The following have been approved for classification as a stamp dealer according to qualifications established by the Board of Vice Presidents. All dealer listings are located online at www. stamps.org/Dealers.

Gellein Stamp Co., Even Brande (236269), Laramie, WY

Oldlouis Auctions LLC, Oleg Ievsieiev (238146), Black Mountain, NC

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 e-bay 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

Show Time stampshow@stamps.org

The “Show Time” Calendar features a list of upcoming shows and APS events. To obtain a listing, please submit a “Show Time” form, available online at www.stamps.org/events-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 are eligible for the annual APS World Series of Philately Champion of Champions competition. Note that CofC eligibility may be affected if WSP criteria are not achieved for an individual show. Visit aps.buzz/Calendar for a complete listing of shows and APS events.

Michigan June 5-6

MSDA Ann Arbor Stamp Show, Midwest Stamp Dealers Association, Washtenaw Community College - Morris Lawrence Buil, 4800 E. Huron River Dr, Ann Arbor. *B*

Contact: Michael Mules

Email: msdastampshow@gmail.com

Website: www.msdastamp.com

Oregon June 5-6

SOPEX 2026: Southern Oregon Philatelic Exhibition, Southern Oregon Philatelic Society, Medford First United Methodist Church, 607 W. Main Street, Medford.

Contact: John Zenz

Email: jp_zenz@msn.com

Arizona June 6

Arizona First Saturday Stamp Show, Burgess Hall in the Scottsdale United Methodist Ch, 4140 N. Miller Road, Scottsdale. *B*

Contact: Steve Gross

Email: gross.steve@gmail.com

Florida June 6

FSDA Summer One Day Show, Florida Stamp Dealers’ Association, Maitland Civic Center -- The Venue on the Lake, 641 Maitland Ave S, Maitland. *B*

Contact: Francis Ferguson

Email: info@FloridaStampShows.com

Website: http://www.floridastampshows.com/

Alabama June 6-7

HUNTSPEX 2026, Huntsville Philatelic Club, Jaycee Community Building, John Hunt Park, Huntsville.

Contact: Michael O’Reilly

Email: mcoreilly@att.net

Website: http://www.sefsc.org/huntspex.html

Kentucky June 12-13

LOUIPEX 2026, Metro Louisville Stamp Society, American Legion Zachary Taylor Post 180, 4610 Shelbyville Road, Louisville.

Contact: German Dillon

Email: germandillon35@gmail.com

Website: https://www.louisvillestampsociety. org/

Wisconsin June 12-13

MSDA WI-IL Stateline Stamp Show, Midwest Stamp Dealers Association and Lake County Philatelic Society, First Christian Church, 13022 Wilmot Rd (Highway C), Kenosha. *B*

Contact: Michael Mules

Email: msdastampshow@gmail.com

Website: https://www.msdastamp.com

Pennsylvania June 14

K2 Churchill Stamp Show, Churchill Borough Building, 2300 William Penn Highway, Churchill. *B*

Contact: Kevin Kellman

Email: k2stamps@gmail.com

Website: https://k2stamps.wixsite.com/ k2collectiblestamps

Ohio June 19-20

ColoPEx, Columbus Philatelic Club and Worthington Stamp Club, Madison County Fairgrounds, 205 Elm Street, London.

Contact: Guy Purrington

Email: gpurington@homesteadcos.com

Website: https://www.colopex.com/

Oklahoma June 19-20

OKPEX 2026, Oklahoma City Stamp Club, Student Union of Rose State College, 1910 Hudiburg Drive, Midwest City. *WSP*

Contact: Joe Crosby

Email: joecrosby@cox.net

New Jersey June 20

Burlington Masons Lodge Stamp Show, Merchantville Stamp Club, Burlington Lodge #32 F&AM, 2308 Burlington-Mt Holly Rd, Burlington. *B*

Contact: Ryan Terlecky

Email: rterlecky@hotmail.com

Website: https://www.merchantvillestampclub. org/

Pennsylvania June 20-21

SCOPEX 2026, Mount Nittany Philatelic Society, American Philatelic Center, 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte.

Contact: Don Heller

Email: dheller5720@yahoo.com

Website: https://stamps.org/events/apc-events

North Carolina June 26-28

Raleigh Money Expo, Raleigh Coin Club, Exposition Center - NC Fairgrounds, 4285 Trinity Rd, Raleigh .

Contact: Stephen Pladna

Email: spladna@nc.rr.com

Website: https://www.raleighcoinclub.org/

Puerto Rico June 26-28

CENTROPEX 2026, Puerto Rico Philatelic Society, Plaza Centro Mall, 200 Ave. Rafael Cordero, Caguas.

Contact: Luis Santiago

Email: luismsantiago1953@gmail.com

Connecticut June 28

Fourth Sunday Stamp Show, New Haven Philatelic Society, Annex YMCA Club, 554 Woodward Ave, New Haven. *B*

Contact: Jesse Williams

Email: redgyphon@gmail.com

Website: https://www.nhps1914.com/

New York July 11

Annual Big Flats Stamp & Coin Show, Big Flats Coin Club, American Legion Post, 45 S. Olcott Road, Big Flats. *B*

Contact: Wayne Nyre

Email: mrstampman14891@yahoo.com

Indiana July 11-12

MSDA Indianapolis Stamp Show, Midwest Stamp Dealers Association, Lawrence Park District Center, 5301 N. Franklin Road, Lawrence. *B*

Contact: Michael Mules

Email: msdastampshow@gmail.com

Website: www.msdastamp.com

Nevada July 11-12

Greater Reno Stamp & Cover Show, Nevada Stamp Study Society, Chapter #088229, Reno Sparks Convention Center, 4590 South Virginia St., Reno.

Contact: Erik Fields

Email: show@renostamp.org

Website: https://www.renostamp.org/

Colorado July 17-18

Denver Stamp Club Show, Denver Stamp Club, Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E Hampden Ave., Cherry Hills Village. *B*

Contact: Jeff Morse

Email: morsephilatelics@gmail.com

Website: https://denverstampclub.org/

Minnesota July 17-19

Minnesota Stamp Expo, Twin City Philatelic Society, Lake Minnetonka Stamp Club, Maplewood Stamp Club, Minnesota Stamp Dealers Association, Crystal Community Center, 4800 Douglas Drive North, Crystal. *WSP*

Contact: Randy Smith

Email: info@mnstampexpo.org

Website: https://www.mnstampexpo.org/

New Jersey July 18

Burlington Masons Lodge Stamp Show, Merchantville Stamp Club, Burlington Lodge #32 F&AM, 2308 Burlington-Mt Holly Rd, Burlington. *B*

Contact: Ryan Terlecky

Email: rterlecky@hotmail.com

Website: www.merchantvillestampclub.org/

Virginia July 18-19

Fairfax Stamp Festival, Elk’s Lodge, 8421 Arlington Blvd (Rte 50), Fairfax. *B*

Contact: Campbell Cochran

Email: carytj@yahoo.com

Washington July 18-19

Evergreen Stamp Club Summer Stamp, Postcard & Paper Show, Evergreen Stamp Club , Kent Commons Community Center, 525 4th Avenue, Kent. *B*

Contact: Lisa Foster

Email: fosteld@gmail.com

Website: https://www.stamps.org/EvergreenStamp-Club

Pennsylvania July 19

K2 Lancaster Stamp Show, Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster. *B*

Contact: Kevin Kellman

Email: k2stamps@gmail.com

Website: https://k2stamps.wixsite.com/ k2collectiblestamps

Missouri July 24-25

Greater Kansas City Area Stamp Show, St Joseph Stamp Collectors Club, Midwest Philatelic Society, Gladstone Stamp Collectors Club, 1st Presbyterian Church - Westminster Hall, 417 West Lexington Ave, Independence. *B*

Contact: Rick Karlslyst

Email: rkarlslyst8@gmail.com

North Carolina July 25-26

CHARPEX 2026, Charlotte Philatelic Society, Worrell Bldg, Central Piedmont Community College, 1228 Elizabeth Avenue, Charlotte.

Contact: Mike Lampson

Email: cps@charlottestampclub.org

Website: https://www.charlottestampclub.org/ home/charpex

Connecticut

Arizona

August 1

Arizona First Saturday Stamp Show, Burgess Hall in the Scottsdale United Methodist Ch, 4140 N. Miller Road, Scottsdale. *B*

Contact: Steve Gross

Email: gross.steve@gmail.com

New York

August 2

Philatelic Open House - Stamp and Coin Show, Western Monroe Philatelic Society, Brockport Elks Lodge, 4400 Sweden Walker Road, Brockport. *B*

Contact: David Bombard

Email: dbombar1@rochester.rr.com

Website: westernmonroephilatelicsociety. blogspot.com/

Ohio

July 26

Fourth Sunday Stamp Show, New Haven Philatelic Society, Annex YMCA Club, 554 Woodward Ave, New Haven. *B*

Contact: Jesse Williams

Email: redgyphon@gmail.com

Website: https://www.nhps1914.com/

New York

August 7-8

CINPEX 2026, Greater Cincinnati Philatelic Society, Monfort Heights United Methodist Church, 3682 West Fork Road, Cincinnati. *B*

Contact: Michael Coates

Email: coatesmk1948@gmail.com

Maryland

July 26

Albany Summer Stamp & Postcard Show, Fort Orange Stamp Club, American Legion Hall, Joseph E. Zaloga Post 1520, 4 Everett Rd Ext., Albany. *B*

Contact: Michael Krug

Email: majkstamps@gmail.com

Website: https://www.fortorangestampclub.org/

August 7-9

BALPEX 2026, Baltimore Philatelic Society, BWI Airport Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum Heights. *WSP*

Contact: Richard Taschenberg

Email: balpex@verizon.net

Website: https://www.balpex.org/balpex.html

Michigan August 8

Allen Park Stamp Show, Allen Park Stamp Club, Sokol Cultural Center, 23600 W. Warren, Dearborn Heights. *B*

Contact: Debra Detloff

Email: debster0551@gmail.com

a) We offer up to 5,000 world sets, singles, in every price range every week.

b) You can choose with regular mail (for U.S.) or e-mail delivery of catalogs.

c) We’ve never had a minimum order.

d) We ship 99.9% of orders the next mail

e)

Washington August 8

Strait Stamp Show, Strait Stamp Society, Guy Cole Event Center, 202 N. Blake Avenue, Sequim.

Contact: Cathleen Osborne

Email: rickcath@wavecable.com

Website: https://straitstampsoc.org/

Wisconsin August 8

Baraboo Area Stamp Show, Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Clubs, New Lisbon Community Center, 110 Welch Prairie Rd,, New Lisbon. *B*

Contact: Greg Riesterer

Email: riestg@gmail.com

Website: https://www.wfscstamps.org/Shows/ New Jersey

August 15

Burlington Masons Lodge Stamp Show, Merchantville Stamp Club, Burlington Lodge #32 F&AM, 2308 Burlington-Mt Holly Rd, Burlington. *B*

Contact: Ryan Terlecky

Email: rterlecky@hotmail.com

Website: www.merchantvillestampclub.org/

Kansas August 21-22

Wichita Show - Stamps & Coins, Wichita Stamp Club, Cessna Activity Center, 2744 George Washington Blvd, Wichita. *B*

Contact: Sheila Eastburn

Email: sheila.eastburn@icloud.com

Ohio August 21-22

AIRPEX 2026, Dayton Stamp Club, The Emerge Center, 2960 W. Enon Rd., Xenia.

Contact: Mike Komiensky

Email: daytonstampclub@gmail.com

Website: https://daytonstampclub.org/

Connecticut August 23

Fourth Sunday Stamp Show, New Haven Philatelic Society, Annex YMCA Club, 554 Woodward Ave, New Haven. *B*

Contact: Jesse Williams

Email: redgyphon@gmail.com

Website: https://www.nhps1914.com/

Virginia August 28-30

NAPEX, National Phil. Exhibitions of Washington D.C., McLean Hilton at Tyson’s Corner, 7920 Jones Branch Dr., McLean. *WSP*

Contact: John Schorn

Email: jschorn@gmail.com

Website: http://www.napex.org

Indiana August 29

Calumet Area Stamp/Coin/Postcard Show, Calumet Stamp Club, St. George Serbian Orthodox Church - Old Hall, 905 E. Joliet Street, Schererville. *B*

Contact: George Ozegovic

Email: gozegovic@comcast.net

Website: https://calumetstampandcoin.com/

Arizona September 5

Arizona First Saturday Stamp Show, Burgess Hall in the Scottsdale United Methodist Ch, 4140 N. Miller Road, Scottsdale. *B*

Contact: Steve Gross

Email: gross.steve@gmail.com

Ohio September 12

TUSCOPEX 2026 Stamp Show, Tuscora Stamp Club, Tuscora Park Pavilion, 161 Tuscora Avenue NW, New Philadelphia.

Contact: Steven Worsham

Email: slworsham@frontier.com

Pennsylvania September 13

K2 Churchill Stamp Show, Churchill Borough Building, 2300 William Penn Highway, Churchill. *B*

Contact: Kevin Kellman

Email: k2stamps@gmail.com

Website: https://k2stamps.wixsite.com/ k2collectiblestamps

Indiana September 18-20

INDYPEX 2026, Indiana Stamp Club, Hendricks County Fairgrounds & Exhibition Center, 1900 E. Main Street, Danville. *WSP*

Contact: Tom Chastang

Email: tchas5@scbglobal.net

Website: https://indianastampclub.org/

Texas September 18-20

Greater Houston Stamp Show, Houston Philatelic Society, Humble Civic Center, 8233 Will Clayton Parkway, Humble.

Contact: Ron Strawser

Email: ghss@earthlink.net

Website: https://www.houstonstampclub.org/

New Jersey September 19

Burlington Masons Lodge Stamp Show, Merchantville Stamp Club, Crescent Shriners, 700 Highland Dr, Westampton Township. *B*

Contact: Ryan Terlecky

Email: rterlecky@hotmail.com

Website: www.merchantvillestampclub.org/

Nebraska September 19-20

Omaha Stamp Show, Omaha Philatelic Society, Metropolitan Community College South Omaha Campus, 2709 Edward Babe Gomez Ave, Omaha. *B*

Contact: Randy Greenwood

Email: omahaphilatelicsociety@gmail.com

Website: omahaphilatelicsociety.org/stamp-show/

Mississippi September 25-26

Gulf Coast Stamp and Post Card Show, Gulf Coast Stamp Club #82330, St. Martin Community Center, 15008 Leymone Blvd, Biloxi. *B*

Contact: Robert Marousky

Email: marouspy@yahoo.com

Website: https://www.gulfcoaststampclub.org/

South Carolina September 25-26

Columbia Fall 2026 Stamp and Postcard Show, Columbia Philatelic Society, TriCity Leisure Center, 485 Brooks Avenue, West Columbia.

Contact: Mark Postmus

Email: mapostmus@yahoo.com

Website: https://www.columbiascphilately.com/

Wisconsin September 25-26

MILCOPEX 2026, Milwaukee Philatelic Society, Brookfield Conference Center, 325 S Moorland Rd, Brookfield. *WSP*

Contact: Brian Liedtke

Email: bjlstamps@yahoo.com

Website: https://milcopex.org/

Connecticut September 27

Fourth Sunday Stamp Show, New Haven Philatelic Society, Annex YMCA Club, 554 Woodward Ave, New Haven. *B*

Contact: Jesse Williams

Email: redgyphon@gmail.com

Website: https://www.nhps1914.com/

Tennessee October 2-3

Memphex Stamp & Postcard Show, Memphis Stamp Collectors Society, Bartlett Station Municipal Center, 5868 Stage Road, Bartlett TN 38134, Bartlett.

Contact: Andrew Burkman

Email: andburk@usit.net

Website: https://mscsstamps.org/

New Jersey October 2-4

NOJEX 2026, North Jersey Fed. Stamp Clubs, Inc., Hilton Hasbrouck Heights Hotel, 650 Terrace Avenue, Hasbrouck Heights. *WSP*

Contact: Robert Rose

Email: robertrose25@comcast.net

Website: https://www.nojex.org/

Arizona October 3

Arizona First Saturday Stamp Show, Burgess Hall in the Scottsdale United Methodist Ch, 4140 N. Miller Road, Scottsdale. *B*

Contact: Steve Gross

Email: gross.steve@gmail.com

Missouri October 3

44th Annual Joplin Stamp Club Show, Joplin Stamp Club #156219, Granny Shaffer’s Continental Banquet Center, 2728 North Rangeline, Joplin. *B*

Contact: John Olson

Email: john13stamp@hotmail.com

Website: thejoplinstampclub.com

Washington October 3

Roundup Stamp and Coin Show, Olympia Philatelic Society, Columbian Hall, 6794 Martin Way E, Lacey.

Contact: Dennis Gelvin

Email: dnjgelvin@comcast.net

Website: olympiastampclub.com

Missouri October 3-4

MSDA St. Louis Stamp Show, Midwest Stamp Dealers Association, Westbury Center, 20 Westbury Dr, Saint Charles. *B*

Contact: Michael Mules

Email: msdastampshow@gmail.com

Website: https://msdastamp.com/

Michigan October 9-10

Kalamazoo Fall 2026 Stamp Show, Kalamazoo Stamp Club, Kalamazoo EXPO Center, 2900 Lake St, Kalamazoo.

Contact: Paul Matyas

Email: ltpali@aol.com

Website: https://www.facebook.com/ KalamazooStampClub/

Utah

October 9-10

Utah Philatelic Society Stamp Show, Utah Philatelic Society, Sons of Utah Pioneers, 3301 E. Louise Ave, Salt Lake City. *B*

Contact: Steve Baldridge

Email: swb7052@gmail.com

Website: http://utahphilatelic.org/ Wisconsin October 9-10

MSDA WI-IL Stateline Stamp Show, Midwest Stamp Dealers Association and Lake County Philatelic Society, First Christian Church, 13022 Wilmot Rd (Highway C), Kenosha. *B*

Contact: Michael Mules

Email: msdastampshow@gmail.com

Website: https://www.msdastamp.com

New Jersey October 10

Clifton Fall 2026 Stamp Coin Cover Currency

Postcard Collectibles Show, Clifton Stamp Society, Clifton Community Recreation Center, 1232 Main Avenue @ Washington Ave, Clifton. *B*

Contact: Thomas Stidl

Email: stidl@verizon.net

Website: http://www.clifton-stamp-society.org/

Michigan October 16-17

MOTOPEX 2026, Motor City Stamp and Cover Club, Sokol Cultural Center, 23600 W. Warren Avenue, Dearborn Heights. *B*

Contact: Debra Detloff

Email: debster0551@gmail.com

Maine October 17

MAIPEX - Waterville Stamp Show 26, The Waterville Stamp Club, MacCrillis-Rousseau VFW, 175 Veteran Drive, Winslow. *B*

Contact: Al Tieman

Email: cantdog1@gmail.com

Website: https://thewatervillestampclub.com/

New Jersey October 17

Burlington Masons Lodge Stamp Show, Merchantville Stamp Club, Burlington Lodge #32 F&AM, 2308 Burlington-Mt Holly Rd, Burlington. *B*

Contact: Ryan Terlecky

Email: rterlecky@hotmail.com

Website: www.merchantvillestampclub.org/ Wisconsin October 17

CENWISPEX 2026, Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Clubs, The Elk’s Club, 1132 Clark St, Stevens Point. *B*

Contact: JD Manville

Email: jadeco@charter.net

Website: https://www.wfscstamps.org/Shows/ Indiana October 17-18

Evansville Stamp Show, Evansville Stamp Club, Evansville Wartime Museum, 7503 Petersburg Road, Evansville. *B*

Contact: Brian Perry

Email: bperry2813@aol.com

Iowa October 23-24

MSDA Quad Cities Iowa Stamp Show, Midwest Stamp Dealers Association and Quad-City Stamp Club, Durant Community Center, 606 5th Ave, Durant. *B*

Contact: Michael Mules

Email: foxriverstamps@gmail.com

Website: https://msdastamp.com/

Minnesota October 23-24

Metropex Stamp Show, Maplewood Stamp Club, Roseville Oval Banquet Center, 2661 Civic Center Dr, Roseville. *B*

Contact: Pete Boulay

Email: happypebbl@hotmail.com

Website: https://www.facebook.com/ maplewoodstampclub/

Indiana October 24

Calumet Area Stamp/Coin/Postcard Show, Calumet Stamp Club, St. George Serbian Orthodox Church - Old Hall, 905 E. Joliet Street, Schererville. *B*

Contact: George Ozegovic

Email: gozegovic@comcast.net

Website: https://calumetstampandcoin.com/

Massachusetts October 24-25

WALPEX 2026, Waltham Stamp Club, Boxboro Regency, 242 Adams Place, Boxborough.

Contact: Norm Shufrin

Email: normshu@verizon.net

Website: https://www.walpex.org/

Michigan October 24-25

KENTPEX 2026, Kent Philatelic Society, Neal Fonger American Legion Post #179, 2327 Wilson Ave., Walker.

Contact: William Sobotka

Email: billsobotka@prodigy.net

Connecticut October 25

Fourth Sunday Stamp Show, New Haven Philatelic Society, Annex YMCA Club, 554 Woodward Ave, New Haven. *B*

Contact: Jesse Williams

Email: redgyphon@gmail.com

Website: https://www.nhps1914.com/ Ohio October 30-31

Cuy-LorPex 2026, Cuy-Lor Stamp Club, Rocky River Memorial Hall, 21016 Hilliard Blvd., Rocky River.

Contact: Mary-Margaret Kohut

Email: missd92171@aol.com

Pennsylvania October 31

Eastern PA Stamp Show (EPASS), Schnecksville Fire Company, 4550 Old Packhouse Road, Schnecksville. *B*

Contact: Brian Gaydos

Email: briangaydos1971@gmail.com

Website: https://aps-lv-stamps.org/epass/ Michigan November 6-7

AAPEX2026 Ann Arbor Stamp Show, Ann Arbor Stamp Club, Morris Lawrence Bldg, Washtenaw Community College, 4800 E Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor.

Contact: Michael Homel

Email: arbor@provide.net

Website: https://annarborstampclub.org/

Arizona November 7

Arizona First Saturday Stamp Show, Burgess Hall in the Scottsdale United Methodist Ch, 4140 N. Miller Road, Scottsdale. *B*

Contact: Steve Gross

Email: gross.steve@gmail.com

Texas

November 13-14

39th Annual Mid-Cities Stamp Club EXPO, MidCities Stamp Club (APS Chapter #891-076252), Grapevine Convention Center, 1209 S Main St, Grapevine. *B*

Contact: Peter Elias

Email: peter@pcelias.com

Website: https://www.mid-citiesstampclub.com/ Wisconsin November 14

Oshkosh Stamp Bourse, Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Clubs, Mother Theresa Center of Father Carr’s Place 2B, 1062 N. Koeller St. , Oshkosh. *B*

Contact: Brian Liedtke

Email: bjlstamps@yahoo.com

New York

November 21

Autumn Stamp Festival, Buffalo Stamp Club, Knights Event Center, 2735 Union Road, Cheektowaga. *B*

Contact: Alan Davis

Email: ddavis504@roadrunner.com

Website: https://buffalostampclub.org/

Connecticut November 22

Fourth Sunday Stamp Show, New Haven Philatelic Society, Annex YMCA Club, 554 Woodward Ave, New Haven. *B*

Contact: Jesse Williams

Email: redgyphon@gmail.com

Website: https://www.nhps1914.com/

Florida December 4-5

November 14-15

Website: https://www.wfscstamps.org/Shows/ Indiana

MSDA Indianapolis Stamp Show, Lawrence Park District Center, 5301 N. Franklin Road, Lawrence. *B*

Contact: Michael Mules

Email: msdastampshow@gmail.com

Website: https://msdastamp.com/

Illinois

November 20-22

CHICAGOPEX, Chicago Philatelic Society, Westin Chicago Northwest, 400 Park Blvd, Itasca. *WSP*

Contact: Timothy Wait

Email: t.wait@comcast.net

Website: https://www.chicagopex.org/

New Jersey

November 21

Burlington Masons Lodge Stamp Show, Merchantville Stamp Club, Burlington Lodge #32 F&AM, 2308 Burlington-Mt Holly Rd, Burlington. *B*

Contact: Ryan Terlecky

Email: rterlecky@hotmail.com

Website: www.merchantvillestampclub.org/

FLOREX -- Florida State Stamp Show, Florida Stamp Dealers Association, Tommy Lawrence Arena, 3150 E. New York Ave, Deland FL 32724. *WSP*

Contact: Chad E. Grove

Email: Chad.FLOREX@gmail.com

Website: http://www.florexstampshow.com/ Ohio December 4-5

MSDA Columbus Stamp Show, Midwest Stamp Dealers Association, Madison County Fairgrounds, 205 Elm Street, London. *B*

Contact: Michael Mules

Email: msdastampshow@gmail.com

Website: https://msdastamp.com/

Arizona

December 5

Arizona First Saturday Stamp Show, Burgess Hall in the Scottsdale United Methodist Ch, 4140 N. Miller Road, Scottsdale. *B*

Contact: Steve Gross

Email: gross.steve@gmail.com

New U.S. Issues

BY Jeff Stage

Revolutionary portraits featured, plus some good times

The U.S. Postal Service this spring fired its biggest shot yet in celebrating our nation’s semiquincentennial – you know, our 250th anniversary – by releasing a blockbuster pane of 25 stamps honoring Figures of the American Revolution.

A small army of artists – 12 of them, plus the art designer – created the portraits of those shown on the stamps. The result is an interesting mix of the known (Franklin, Jefferson, Payne) and the lesser known (Cornplanter, Lemuel Haynes, Bernardo de Gálvez) on what is the largest face-different pane we’ve seen from the USPS in many years.

To the best of my knowledge, the last pane of 25-or-more face-different stamps the USPS issued was the 40-stamp Wonders of America in May 2006.

We’ve given a lot of space to these handsome stamps but barely touch the surface of the history involved, not to mention the creative talent, so we urge you to investigate the stamps more to get a true appreciation of this issue.

Also in April, there’s a new stamp to celebrate birthdays and some stamps that remind of us of summer delights and making the most of longer, sunnier, and warmer days.

In other U.S. news, in case you missed it, the cost of postage is rising again.

Most standard letter postage rates, though not approved at press time by the Postal Regulatory Commission, are expected to rise by about 4.8 percent starting July 12.

The new rates would be as follows:

• First-class mail Forever stamps: Increasing from 78 to 82 cents.

• Metered letters (1 ounce): Rising from 74 to 78 cents.

• Domestic postcards: Increasing from 61 to 65 cents.

• International letters (1 ounce): Rising from $1.70 to $1.75.

• Additional ounce rate: Remains at 29 cents.

An earlier postage increase on other products went into effect April 26 and is currently due to expire January 17. An 8 percent increase in rates were applied to specialty shipping categories, including Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, and USPS Ground Advantage.

At press time I could not find a definitive postal statement or chart, but two denominated stamps issued in 2026 would be at play here. The Crab Nebula Priority Mail ($11.95) and Priority Mail Express Galaxy Pair ($33.25) stamps issued in February can still be used, but additional postage would be needed to pay for the service – 96 cents additional for Priority Mail and $2.66 for Priority Mail Express.

The Postal Service said the increase is intended to align

shipping rates with rising transportation costs, such as fuel and maintenance, acting similarly to competitor fuel surcharges.

And, speaking of those high-value stamps, boy, was I wrong about the favorite U.S. stamp design of 2025.

Voters in the Linn’s annual U.S. Stamp Popularity Poll chose the $10.10 Spiral Galaxy stamp as their overall favorite by an astronomical 1,200 votes. Freshwater Fishing Lures was voted Best Commemorative Design by an equally astounding margin of 1,213 votes. The Boston 2026 stamps, my choice, were poor also-rans, third (with 110 votes) behind No. 2 American Battlefields (151) in Overall Favorite, and tied for second with The Appalachian Trail (each with 213) for best commemorative.

And now, of course, I will have to make good on my promise to stick the Boston 2026 stamps into my album with paste and tape! I’ll pay up … as soon as I build up the nerve. (And I continue to understand why I never became a gambler!)

Figures of the American Revolution

Twenty-five individuals – some very well known and others with more obscure histories – are honored with portraits on Figures of the American Revolution pane of 25 stamps formally issued April 10 in a ceremony at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C.

Familiar Revolutionary-era individuals such as George Washington, John and Abigail Adams, and Benjamin Franklin are included in the pane, as well as lesser known figures such as John Dickinson, Elizabeth Freeman, Bernardo de Gálvez, and Cornplanter.

This release is one of several issued this year in recognition of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Beginning in July 2025, the Postal Service embarked on a yearlong celebration of 250 years of serving the American public and America’s independence. This pane of stamps is one of the many USPS programs and events occurring during the semiquincentennial.

Each stamp features a modern portrait commissioned from an artist specifically for these stamps.

“As a fitting tribute to America on its 250th birthday, 12 accomplished artists participated in this collaborative visual project to create new, modern portraits of the nation’s founders,” said Daniel Piazza, chief curator of philately at the National Postal Museum. “These stamps encourage viewers to see the Revolution as a broad coalition of people commit-

ted to the idea of freedom.”

USPS art director and designer Ethel Kessler oversaw the project.

“Celebrating 250 years is a once in a lifetime event,” said Steve Monteith, the Postal Service’s chief customer and marketing officer in a news release. “The freedom of our country was made possible by thousands of brave men and women. To be able to recognize even a small fraction of them through the images on these stamps is an honor.”

The Postal Service offered the following details about the pane:

The pane features five rows of five stamps. Beneath each portrait, the person’s name and a short identifying line are printed in black. Along the bottom of each stamp, the words “USA” and “Forever” appear in gray. Each portrait draws on a historical image of the person depicted in the artwork.

Some figures gaze out at the viewer, while others glance toward their neighbors on the pane or look beyond, as if to the future. A single image of the American flag is layered behind the portraits. The flag is screened so its stars and stripes appear softly faded, providing a unifying backdrop for the 25 faces while keeping the portraits visually dominant.

The block of stamps is set on a larger background that features an image of the Declaration of Independence, adding another layer of historical context to the pane. At the very top of the pane, a line of text reads, “Forging America’s bold new beginning through courage, leadership, and sacrifice.”

The first row features Abigail Adams, John Adams, Agwalongdongwas, James Armistead, and Cornplanter.

Second row images include John Dickinson, Benjamin Franklin, Elizabeth Freeman, Bernardo de Gálvez, and Nathanael Greene.

The third row depicts Alexander Hamilton, Lemuel Haynes, Patrick Henry, John Jay, and Thomas Jefferson.

The fourth row shows Thaddeus Kosciuszko, Marquis de Lafayette, James Madison, Thomas Paine, and Esther de Berdt Reed.

Appearing in the fifth and final row are Paul Revere, Deborah Sampson, Baron von Steuben, Mercy Otis Warren, and George Washington.

Designed by Kessler with illustrative work by Tim O’Brien, the portrait artists, paired with their figures, are as follows: Alex Bostic (Armistead, Paine), Julia Bottoms (Abigail Adams, Haynes), Marc Burckhardt (Kosciuszko, von Steuben), Michael J. Deas (Franklin, de Gálvez, Jefferson), Sharon Irla (Sampson), Gary Kelley (Dickinson, Madison), Juliana Kolesova (Warren), Kam Mak (John Adams, de Berdt Reed), Tim O’Brien (Agwalongdongwas, Cornplanter, Freeman, Jay, Washington), Karla Ortiz (Greene), Roberto Parada (Hamilton, Revere), and Dale Stephanos (Henry, Lafayette).

This is the first time six of the artists – Bottoms, Burckhardt, Irla, Kolesova, Ortiz, and Parada – have created work for the Postal Service.

The other artists have previously created works found

The Figures of the American Revolution stamps are available at aps. buzz/Figures2026.

on stamps. They, and some of their previous stamps, are: Bostic (Edmonia Lewis), Deas (Tennessee Williams and Audrey Hepburn, among more than 25 previous stamps), Kelley (Great Film Directors and Gospel Singers, among 13 stamps), O’Brien (August Wilson, Judy Garland), Mak (second Lunar New Year series, Bruce Lee), and Stephanos (Betty White).

An article in the March 22 edition of Linn’s Stamp News noted that of the 25 subjects, eight are commemorated for the first time on a U.S. stamp: Oneida tribal leader Agwalongdonwas, a.k.a. “Good Peter” (1717-93); enslaved African American and spy James Armistead (1738-1830); Seneca tribal war chief Cornplanter (1752-1836); self-liberating slave Elizabeth Freeman (1744-1829); minister and military veteran Lemuel Haynes (1753-1833); author, war effort fundraiser, and first lady of Pennsylvania Esther de Berdt Reed (1746-80); disguised Continental Army soldier Deborah Sampson (1760-1827); and activist and historian Mercy Otis Warren (1728-1814).

The artists’ varied approaches reflect the individuality of the subjects. Some worked in traditional oil paints or egg tempera, others in pastels or digital media, resulting in a collection that balances historical likenesses with fresh, contemporary interpretations.

We obviously don’t have room to feature the dozen art-

ists or all 25 figures – some have many books about them, of course – but we can offer you a few highlights, per the USPS.

Selected Artists

Julia Bottoms

Based in Buffalo, New York, Julia Bottoms creates portraits that celebrate individuality and challenge the stereotypes often found in popular media.

Bottoms describes her two portraits (Abigail Adams and Lemuel Haynes) as deeply meaningful. “I found myself inspired by the monumental legacies of each figure,” she said. Reflecting on the project, she adds, “I can’t help but believe they would smile knowing that I, both Black and a woman, was the person to honor their stories. This is such a special moment for me both as an artist and as an American.”

Michael J. Deas

“It was both a privilege and a delight to step into history, exploring the colonial period and bringing its characters to life,” Deas said about the three portraits (Franklin, de Gálvez, Jefferson) he created for the set.

Largely self-taught, Deas began his career illustrating novels and children’s books, and over 25 years has created some of the Postal Service’s most celebrated stamps. He has earned multiple gold and silver medals from the Society of Illustrators, including two for stamp designs, and the Hamilton King Award.

Tim O’Brien

From his Brooklyn studio, Tim O’Brien brings decades of experience and meticulous skill the five portraits he created for this issue (Agwalongdongwas, Cornplanter, Freeman, Jay, Washington), which capture the complexity of historical figures.

“Working on this project,” O’Brien reflects, “I discovered just how messy and complicated the formation of the United States was, and how people from all walks of life shaped its story. Bringing these figures to life has been thrilling.”

Karla Ortiz

With a career spanning major films and the fine arts, Puerto Rican artist Karla Ortiz has earned international recognition for her design sense, realism, and talent for character-driven storytelling. She has contributed to high-profile film projects including Jurassic World, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and Black Panther, and most notably the design of Doctor Strange for Doctor Strange

NOTE: The USPS offers a more detailed look at the figures on the stamp and the artists online at aps.buzz/AmRevFigures

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, everyone; or, as the latest celebratory stamp says, HAPPY BIRTH DAY!

The Postal Service issued the single stamp April 18 with

a first day celebration at a restaurant in Union Station, Providence, Rhode Island.

This is the fifth specific Happy Birthday single stamp altogether and the first issued since 2021.

“I am excited that we are issuing new Happy Birthday stamps,” said Lisa BobbSemple, USPS stamp services director, in a news release. “Many customers have  submitted ideas for occasionspecific stamps such as these and we are pleased to be able to fulfill this request from the public.”

Lisa Congdon designed the stamp using her own artwork. The project was art directed by Greg Breeding. The stamp is sold in panes of 20.

The 2026 Happy Birthday stamps are available at aps. buzz/Birthday2026.

The artwork shows a traditional slice of birthday cake topped by nine lit candles. There’s a dark blue background with a white cake. But a lot of color – primarily the same blue as the background, pink, red and orange – are used for the text, candles and icing. Little touches – like a blue heart representing the dot over the “I” in birth, bring some nice whimsy to the stamp.

An unusual feature sees the word “happy” on the side of the cake followed by the compound word “birthday” split into syllables – “birth” and “day” – on separate lines. Kudos to the design team. (No, it won’t be a great rarity, but the divided word is certainly unusual on U.S. stamps. Aside from “airmail,” which was once spelled “air mail,” does anyone know of any others?)

Another plus I was happy to see is the color scheme. I can imagine it might have been tempting to use a traditional patriotic palette, considering it’s the United States’ 250th birthday, but I’m awfully glad the designers didn’t go down that path. Kudos again!

A Day at the Beach

Grab your beach umbrella, swimsuit, sand bucket, and shovel and head to the shore! It’s time for fun in the sun and the USPS kicked off the season on April 24 by releasing stamps to mark the occasion.

Four stamps – dubbed A Day at the Beach – enjoyed a local release ceremony in California (where else?) on the first day of the annual WESTPEX show in Burlingame.

Jay Bigalke – president and CEO of Scott Stamp, LLC and former editor of The American Philatelist – helped dedicate the stamp. Bigalke, on site for many first days and always a willing participant, dressed in appropriate beach garb (sandals, swim trunks, and red, white and blue tank top) for the ceremony. (APS Executive Director Kirk Gillis also spoke, and wore less beach-y attire, if you’re interested.)

The stamps celebrate “one of summer’s greatest pleasures,” the Postal Service said, by enabling mailers to “send a little seaside charm through the mail” showing “the simple joys of a coastal escape.”

One stamp captures the magic of a sandcastle taking shape, with the tools of the trade in the foreground; another shows a seagull perched on a wooden piling (no picnickers in sight, so no fries today); a third features a red bicycle with a basket full of flowers parked near the shore; and a fourth displays a reader lounging beneath a colorful beach umbrella (those best-of-summer reading lists should be out by now!).

Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the

stamps with original art by Gregory Manchess, whose artwork has appeared on several stamps (Mark Twain, Enjoy the Great Outdoors, Snow Globes). The artistic style of the Beach stamps are similar to the 2020 Enjoy the Great Outdoors stamps, which included one beach scene among the five stamps.

Noyes said the final designs were inspired by annual summer trips to beaches in New England. “These little snapshots are reminiscent of those experiences, a break from busy lives and demands throughout the year,” she said.

The stamps have been produced in booklets of 20.

The Day at the Beach stamps are available at https://aps.buzz/Beach2026.

The set of five Enjoy the Great Outdoors stamps issued in 2020, created by Gregory Manchess, included one beach scene (Scott 5475).

New World Issues

BY William Silvester

AUSTRIA – World Day for Glaciers

Austria begins a new Sustainability stamp series with a design featuring the Pasterze, Austria’s largest glacier. The year 2025 was designated the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation by the United Nations and the stamp was issued on March 21, a year later. Designed by Marion Füllerer, the illustration shows the comparison between a historic photograph on the left and a photo of the Pasterze taken in 2024 on the right. The glacier diminishes in thickness by about 6 feet annually and, according to the current research, “the glacier’s pronounced tongue might have all but disappeared by 2050.”

BELGIUM – Queen Elisabeth Competition

On April 13, Belgium’s Bpost commemorated the double anniversaries of the birth of Queen Elisabeth of Belgium (1876-1965) and the first Concours Eugène Ysaÿe, known from 1951 as the Queen Elisabeth Competition, which is known for highlighting exceptional musical heritage. The design by Myriam Voz was developed in collaboration with Marie Cornaz, director of the Music Department of the Royal Library of Belgium. The image shows Queen Elisabeth, wife of King Albert I of Belgium, holding her violin with an autographed sonata manuscript by Eugène Ysaÿe. The Belgian violinist and composer wrote this sonata for two violins for the queen.

CANADA – Sugar Shacks

Canada Post issued a pair of stamps in the shape of maple syrup cans on March 19 to commemorate Quebec’s sugar shacks and sugaring off season. Designed by illustrator Gérard DuBois and graphic design firm Paprika, the stamps were issued in a permanent, domestic rate booklet and were inspired by commercial and advertising art of the 1940s and 1950s. “The illustrations evoke colourful scenes of people enjoying shared meals and time outside,” Canada Post said. “They portray the sugar shack as a place of gathering, enjoyment, and tradition.” Traditionally, the sugaring off season is part of Quebec’s heritage and goes back to the Indigenous people of the eastern woodlands who produced maple products long before Europeans arrived.

FRANCE – Stamp Festival, Street Art

The French post office celebrated the universal artistic movement of street art with a one-stamp miniature sheet designed by Hopare (Alexandre Monteiro, b. 1989), who, over the years, created a dialogue between graffiti, street art, and contemporary painting. According to La Poste, “His work unites the rigor of line and the power of emotion. The faces he paints … questions us about what we see of the world and what we choose to look at in it.” Street artists transform cities into open air art galleries, captivating art lovers with their unconventional works.

GIBRALTAR – 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Queen Elizabeth II

One of the most photographed women in the world, Queen Elizabeth II has appeared on more stamps than any other person during and after her lifetime. Designed by Stephen Perera, this miniature sheet was issued March 30 by Gibraltar to mark the queen’s birth centenary on April 21, 2026. The images, taken by various photographers, show her as an infant around 1928-1930; a young princess around 1937-1939; a young adult before becoming queen, 1937-1939; her early reign as queen, 1952-1953; Elizabeth in her middle age, 1970s-1980s; and her later life, 2000s to 2010s. The image of the right side of the sheet depicts the queen on horseback in a ceremonial uniform portrait, commonly associated with the late 1980s-1990s. This image is also issued on a single £10 stamp.

LATVIA – Schooner Daina

GREAT BRITAIN – The Lord of the Rings

Great Britain issued a set of commemorative stamps celebrating 25 years since the release of the film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The eight first-class stamps show characters and scenes from the cinematic spectacle and include the One Ring’s inscription, written in Elvish Tengwar script, imprinted on the stamps and only revealed when exposed to UV light. The stamps were issued on March 20 and designed by True North. The characters on the stamps include: the four Hobbits facing Ringwraiths, Gandalf and the Balrog, Arwen and the Ringwraiths, Saruman, Aragorn, Legolas, and Frodo with the One Ring about to be attacked by Gollum. An accompanying miniature sheet shows a map of Middle-earth in the selvage and stamps showing the Shire, Rivendell, the Argonath, and Mount Doom.

Latvia commemorates one of the last oceangoing schooners constructed by local Latvian shipbuilders on a single stamp featuring the three-masted, gaff-rigged schooner Daina under full sail on a rough sea at either sunset or sunrise. The schooner was built in 1924 at the Latvian coastal village of Upesgrīva, crafted by master builder Jānis Strādnieks (shown in the top left), and completed after his death by Mārtiņš Morgenšterns. The stamp was issued on March 20 for the 100th anniversary of the sinking of Daina in the North Sea and the loss of one crew member on March 5, 1926.

MONACO – Restoration of the Frescoes of the Prince’s Palace

The conclusion of a restoration project begun in the Prince’s Palace of Monaco in 2013 is commemorated with a miniature sheet of four stamps showing the exploits of the hero Bellerophon, who tamed the winged horse Pegasus, defeated the Chimera, overcame the Amazons, and was ultimately punished for his excessive pride. Restoring the artwork was a significant undertaking, bringing to light a series of frescoes hidden under layers of paint since the 16th century. The meticulous artwork of the Genoese artists, uncovered by expert scientists, restorers, and historians under the guidance of Prince Albert II, also depicts other mythological figures such as Hercules, Ulysses, and Europa. The project is expected to be part of a major exhibition in 2027.

NEW ZEALAND – ANZAC Traditions

Australia New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) Day is celebrated annually on April 25 in New Zealand with traditions evolving through the years to acknowledge all military personnel who have served, and the diverse experiences of war. Four stamps – titled Dawn Services, Memorials, Poppy Day, and Parades –designed by Nick Jarvie of NZ Post, were issued on April 1. The stamps depict: a soldier with bowed head; a site still used for Anzac Day services and other commemorative events; women handing out flowers on Poppy Day, held on the Friday before Anzac Day, when the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association collects donations; and an image of veterans and returned service personnel marching in a parade with full uniforms and medals.

SPAIN - 45th Anniversary of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces

The Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (known in Spanish as Federación Española de Municipios y Provincias, FEMP) was established on June 14, 1981, to represent and support local governments, including town, provincial and island councils in Spain. Throughout 2026, the FEMP is commemorating its 45th anniversary with conferences, cultural and sporting events, the issuance of this postage stamp and a commemorative coin, and raffles. Issued on March 27, the stamp features part of the façade of the federation’s official headquarters in Madrid, the 45th anniversary logo, and a map of Spain showing Spanish provinces.

New worldwide stamps images 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.

BY JOHN SEIDL

Irish Airmail Stamps

Airmail services connected to Ireland began shortly after World War I, when aviation technology became commercially viable. In 1919, pioneering flights linked Ireland with Great Britain, most notably the route between Dublin and Holyhead. These early flights carried mail, but no special Irish airmail stamps yet existed (Of note is the fact that there were no real airports in Ireland until close to WWII).

Instead, standard British stamps were used, as Ireland was still part of the United Kingdom. Covers from these early flights are highly prized today, often identified by cachets or special markings indicating air carriage.

Ireland did not have its own regular airmail service until 1929, with the cover shown being a passenger on the first flight. Prior to this date the airmail service offered in Ireland was delivered by the British Post Office.

Ireland’s first airmail stamps were introduced in 1948 and 1949. These beautiful stamps were designed by R.J. King, who designed many Irish stamps between 1933 and 1949.

The first four stamps in this set (1-, 3-, and 6-pence and 1-shilling denominations) depict the Angel Victor, St. Patrick’s messenger, carrying the Voice of the Irish over four sites: the Rock of Cashel in Munster; Lough Derg in Ulster;

Croagh Patrick in Connaught; and Glendalough in Leinster.

The stamps were printed by Waterlow & Sons Ltd. in London. Later printings were by De La Rue. Two additional values were added in 1954, an 8-pence, red-brown stamp repeating the Lough Derg design, and a red-orange stamp valued at 1 shilling, 3 pence repeating the Rock of Cashel design. In 1965, a seventh value (1 shilling, 5 pence) appeared, again repeating the Rock of Cashel design.

Specialists may chase a few known varieties for this set including:

• 3 pence, Position 6/3, major re-entry.

• 6 pence, Position 4/3, re-entry in lower right corner.

• 8 pence, Position 4/3, dot on right hand of angel.

• 1 shilling, 3 pence, Position 10/1, extra feather on leading edge of left wing.

• 1 shilling, 5 pence, Position 10/1, cracked wall.

• 1 shilling, 5 pence, Position 10/5, retouch in cloud.

For those looking to dig into this topic further, several societies (and their journals) can offer more information, including the Irish Airmail Society, the Irish Philatelic Circle and the Éire Philatelic Association.

On August 26, 1929, Colonel Charlie Russell flew an experimental mail flight in a Vickers-Vixen plane, departing at 7:30 a.m. from Galway and arriving in Croydon (London's main airport at the time) at 11:35 a.m. Most of the mail on the flight was franked with 2-pence Irish stamps and postmarked August 26 (Image courtesy Éire Philatelic Association).

The first two airmail stamps from Ireland were issued in 1948 in denominations of 3 and 6 pence (Scott C2, C3). The series ended in 1965 with a total of seven stamps denominated from 1 pence to 1 shilling, 5 pence.

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