Innehållsförteckning för July 2024 från Stamp Collector

ISLE OF MAN Liberation of Europe – World War II A new release from the Isle of Man, issued on 29 April, commemorates the 80th anniversaries of the D-Day landings and of Operation Market Garden. The ten-stamp set features powerful colourised imagery and stories from two of World War II’s most significant campaigns. It has been curated alongside Ivor Ramsden MBE, director of the Manx Aviation and Military Museum. The five ‘D-Day 80 – The Road to Paris’ stamps depict the Normandy landings of June 1944 that led to the liberation of Paris. The first stamp, Glider at Pegasus Bridge (85p), features footage captured on D-Day by Manxman Norman Clague of the Army Film and Photographic Unit. The image shows the Allied gliders, which were used to transport troops, landing…

A new special issue from Royal Mail, released on 16 May, celebrates 20 years of Peppa Pig – the British animated TV series for preschool children. Created by animators Neville Astley and Mark Baker, Peppa Pig is a multi-award winning series, watched in more than 180 countries around the world. Today, the character of Peppa, a confident, bright and cheeky four-year old, has grown into a truly global phenomenon, with theme parks, live shows, toys, books and even music albums to her name. Peppa, her family and friends first aired on UK screens on 31 May 2004 on Channel 5. Since then, over 350 episodes have been created. Each five-minute episode follows the adventures of Peppa and her family – younger brother George, Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig, Granny Pig and…

Rare Pony Express cover HR Harmer held its 10th, and final, auction from the Erivan collection on 30 April. Featuring material from the USA, the auction included items not seen on the market for many decades. One of the many highlights was one of only six Pony Express covers recorded to foreign destinations, this being the unique example to Switzerland (lot 101). It featured a Wells, Fargo & Co. Pony Express $1 red in a bright shade tied by a blue ‘Pony Express San Francisco/Sep 7’ oval to a red Wells, Fargo & Co. printed entire with a 10c green Nesbitt. The cover, to Pietro Martinelli in Maggia, Ticino, Switzerland, was further affixed with two 3c dull red (type II) and two 10c green (type V), and it was postmarked…

SOLD FOR £1,823 German State of Bavaria, 1849 1k black, used (with certificate) SOLD FOR £477 France, 1931 20f Pont du Gard ‘chaudron clair’ perf. 11 with margins, MNH SOLD FOR £281 East Africa and Uganda, 1903 50r King Edward VII, used SOLD FOR £688 FSAT, Adelie Land, French Antarctic Expedition of 1948–50 letter, posted 1951 aboard polar vessel Commandant Charcot SOLD FOR £877 Algéria French period, 1876 letter from Ste-Barbe-de-Tlélat to Oran franked with 10c SOLD FOR £374 Italy, parcel post, 1954 1000l blue ‘Cavallino’, MLH (with certificate) SOLD FOR £281 Noth Korea, 1966 Football World Cup, collective proof, imperforate SOLD FOR £281 Australia, New South Wales, 1858 letter franked 6d to Stourport, Worcestershire, via Sydney, Brisbane and London SOLD FOR £723 Luxembourg, 1923 sheetlet with 10f green for…

The first part of this article covered the background to compulsory registration, and general developments up to the early years of the 20th century. This second and concluding part will look at subsequent changes, and some other aspects such as the labels, postmarks and stationery used. CHARGES As described in Part 1, the ‘double the standard registration fee’ principle for surcharging was restored in 1897, and it was remembered in 1921 when the registration fee was raised after four decades at 2d. On 13 June of that year, it became 3d, with the compulsory registration fee now set at 6d (Figure 1). On 1 January 1948, however, there was a reduction of the surcharges. From this point onwards, all types of compulsorily registered letters were charged a single fee only…

There was a time not so long ago when female authors, poets and artists, often did not wish it to be known that they were contributing as women. They would use initials with a surname, or even take on a male name, such as George Eliot, the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, who wrote Mill on the Floss, Middlemarch and five other novels. Thankfully, these times are gone, but even just after World War II, an accomplished pastel painter, poet and historian wished to remain anonymous with her book of poems, Springtime in Devon, published in 1946, with the author named as GE Connor. A correspondence composed of separate items within a large box of many unrelated envelopes, with and without letters, was on sale with a postal history…

SOLD FOR £809 Belgium, 2007 €50 Albert II and Paola gold essay SOLD FOR £303 France, 1554 silver testoon, Henry IV, very fine SOLD FOR £215 France, 1803 1 franc Napoleon ‘Premier Consul’, ‘AN 12’, silver coin, fine SOLD FOR £946 France, 1964 500 ‘Nouveaux Francs’, Molière, UNC SOLD FOR £440 Germany, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, 1895 20 mark gold coin SOLD FOR £189 Austria, 1854 commemorative silver medal for wedding of Franz Joseph I of Austria and Elizabeth of Bavaria SOLD FOR £206 Tuscany, 1666 silver luigino, Maria Maddalena Centurioni, Fosdinovo SOLD FOR £748 Maldives, 2015 5000 rufiyaa, 50th anniversary of independence, UNC BUY AND SELL ON DECAMPE, MORE THAN 80 MILLION COLLECTABLES ARE WAITING FOR YOU!…

I have often been highly critical of Münze Deutschland because what my homeland has produced numismatically over the past few decades has often bored me and sometimes even embarrassed me. However, the German mints have shown, for example with the polymer coins, that they can compete at the world-class level of coin minting. And with a new umbrella brand called Münze Deutschland, an attempt was made to avoid being overshadowed by the big names in the industry. This year, Münze Deutschland took a risk with a curious idea: an experiment with an uncertain outcome. For the 2024 European Football Championship, an €11 coin was introduced (Figure 1). For the first time in the history of the Federal Republic (excluding the €25 silver coins), there was a ‘crooked’ denomination. This choice…

Royal Philatelic Society London receives patronage from King Charles III Following the accession of King Charles III to the throne, there has been a review of royal patronages to decide those that are to be continued. The Royal Philatelic Society has recently announced HM King Charles III will be their patron. A review was necessary because Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II had about 460 patronages of charities. To these were added several hundred from Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, which together brought the total to approximately 1,000. Mike JY Roberts FRPSL, President of The Royal Philatelic Society London, received a letter from Sir Clive Alderton, the principal private secretary to the king and queen, stating: ‘I am pleased to confirm that His Majesty would be delighted…

The set of ten stamps issued by Royal Mail on 16 April to mark 100 Years of Commemorative Stamps serves to reiterate how such stamps have changed over the years (Figure 1). Changed not only in terms of frequency but also in the criteria for their issue and their design. Once the prime purpose of all stamps was to pre-pay postage, although the Post Office (Royal Mail) freely acknowledged that the income from philatelic sales was very useful. Although naturally valid for postage, that is no longer the prime purpose of commemorative (or ‘special’) stamps. Apart from selected post offices, they are not that easy to buy, so are rarely seen on mail: they need to be purchased ‘online’. The target audience is the collector, but not necessarily the stamp…

South Africa’s colonial history is quite complicated. The South African Republic (SAR) founded by the Boers was occupied by the British in 1877 and then renamed Transvaal. In 1884, the republic was restored, but in 1900, the area was annexed by the British, and the province once again became Transvaal. SAR is a difficult area to collect because there are numerous reprints and outright forgeries. However, one issue that doesn’t seem to have been forged is the single 1d stamp marking the introduction of penny postage. It was released on 6 September 1895 and features the SAR coat of arms, a railway train, a wheat field and a stagecoach. There must have been large remainders of this particular stamp, but now, more than 125 years later, offers of sheets or…

A remarkable short lived set was issued in Turkey a decade ago and reached a substantial level. To announce the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, four square stamps with circular perforations, two each at 1.25 and 2.50 liras were released on 12 June 2014 (Mi 4120/23) (Figure 1). However, only two weeks after the issue, they were withdrawn from sale. Only about 15,000 sets are said to have been put into circulation. A reason for the withdrawal has not been published. Those who are aware of the strict regulations for images of logos and trademarks of the largest sporting organisations can assume that the somewhat wider interpretation of artistic depictions on the first set were objected to. Two new designs at 1.25 and 2.50 liras in a largely changed…

FIRST DAY COVERS A different coronation As I have stated before, I am always on the lookout for the unusual, and nothing makes me happier to think on the day the coronation of King George VI stamp was issued, one collector thought, I know, I will do something different, writes Brian Austin. So, what can I tell you about this cover? To start with, the Coronation stamp was issued on 13 May 1937, the day after the actual coronation, with this cover being postmarked on the same day. So was HM Hitchcock’s original intention to try and get it postmarked on 12 May only to discover that the post office was closed on Coronation Day. I am going to say that it was, otherwise it would have one of the…

Petition Crown of Charles II sells for world record at auction A Petition Crown of Charles II, one of the most important British coins ever struck, has been sold for CHF949,375 (£826,440) (including buyer’s premium) to become the most expensive British silver coin ever sold at auction. The coin was included in a joint sale on 8 May of the Cope collection of prized British and Roman coins by Numismatica Ars Classica, Classical Numismatic Group and Numismatica Genevensis. The Petition Crown of Charles II was struck by celebrated medallist Thomas Simon in 1663 to petition the king to rehire him as the sole chief engraver at The Royal Mint (lot 1306). Making use of new mechanical technology, Simon printed a message around the edge of the coin entreating the king…

The history of banknotes issued in Singapore goes far back into colonial times, when the only paper money in the region was provided by private banks. They were replaced in 1898 by the first issues of the government of the Straits Settlements, denominated in Straits dollars. The Malaya Board of Commissioners of Currency took over responsibility in 1939 and continued after a name change in 1953 to the Board of Malaya and North Borneo Commissioners until Singapore declared its independence in 1967. EARLY ISSUES There were eight private banks who issued notes in Singapore between 1840 and 1898, and all of these are extremely rare today. The Oriental Bank Corporation, to name but one, operated from 1845 to 1883 when it collapsed (Figure 1). In its day, it was the…

80th anniversary of D-Day A new brilliant uncirculated 50p coin from The Royal Mint marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day. As these events will soon be moving beyond living memory, this new coin is particularly poignant. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, more than 132,000 ground troops and 18,000 paratroopers from the UK, USA, Canada and other Allied nations successfully stormed five assault beaches along the Normandy coastline in France, aiming to break through Hitler’s Atlantic Wall defences. This was the largest amphibious assault in history, and by gaining a foothold on mainland Europe, the Allies were able to open a second front against Germany that helped turn the tide of World War II. On the reverse, artist David Lawrence has paid tribute to the immense bravery of the troops with…

The eyes of the world will soon be directed to the French capital, Paris, when the Olympic Games are held there from 26 July to 11 August. It is a good occasion to remember two early French landmark stamps from the post-World War II years, issued as high airmail values. The 12th Postal Congress of the Universal Postal Union in Paris was accompanied in May 1947 by a set of picturesque views from the city. The highest value was an airmail of 500f in a large format, decorated with scenery of the Ile de la Cité with Notre-Dame under the wings of a bird. The edition of 525,000 was printed in sheetlets of ten with five gutter pairs (Figure 1). Three-figure prices have been asked for full sheetlets of the…

‘Rivers flowing with oil’ may conjure up a rather unpleasant image, especially if we imagine the meandering ‘oil’ in question is the thick black crude oil synonymous with environmental incidents, if not disasters. However, what if that oil streaming down the waterway is ‘palm oil’? For those who perhaps don’t know, palm oil is a safe to eat vegetable oil that comes from the reddish fruit pulp of the oil palm. It is widely used in many foods available at supermarkets, such as biscuits, chocolates, cakes, margarine and cooking fats. It can also be found as an ingredient in cosmetics, soap, shampoo and even cleaning products. In certain countries, as much as 30–50% of products sold in market stores contain palm oil in some shape or form. It might surprise…

There are several very interesting reasons why the back of the stamp is worthy of further investigation. INK MEETS PAPER The early stamps of both Britain and the Cape of Good Hope are printed on blue-tinted paper, which gradually becomes whiter over time (Figure 1). The blued colour is caused by Prussiate of potash (potassium ferrocyanide). This was added to printers’ ink to make it singly fugitive, so the cancellations could not be cleaned off by petroleum-based chemicals. The effect disappeared thanks to the addition of inhibitors and a reduction in the amount of Prussiate, but not before it had created one of Britain’s most spectacular varieties. A detailed Ivory Head can be worth 50 to 100% more than a normal stamp (Figure 2). Later attempts to increase security resulted…

At the Heritage Auctions Europe sale from 13–18 May, the key item was a 25c of 1891 from the reign of Wilhelmina of the Netherlands (1890–1948); one of only two examples struck for that year (lot 358). On the obverse, there was a left-facing portrait of Queen Wilhelmina at the age of ten with a pearl necklace and loose hair. On the reverse, there was a wreath of two oak branches tied together, which contained the value indication, mint master’s mark (a halberd for HLA van den Wall Bake) and mint mark (the staff of Mercury for the Royal Dutch Mint in Utrecht). After the crown passed to Queen Wilhelmina on 23 November 1890, an order was passed to the Board of the Mint to propose a new design for…

Rivers and coastlines were vital to our ancestors, providing food and allowing for trading and easy travel between settlements. It is no surprise, then, that water deities were hugely important to ancient civilisations. Plato famously said: ‘We who live between the Pillars of Herakles and Phasis inhabit some small part of it around the sea, just like ants or frogs around a pond.’ Like all Greeks, he knew that their island colonies depended on their mercantile ships and naval prowess – so it was important to ensure the gods favoured their sailors and ships. This is why so many Greek and Macedonian coins feature images of Poseidon, god of the sea. Poseidon was considered temperamental, and easily offended, so these images were intended to placate and flatter. Poseidon was usually…

A part from a brief period spanning around two generations from about AD 286 to AD 325, there was no official coinage struck in the Roman province of Britain. Coinage was either imported from the far away capital, Rome, or, later, from one of the regional mints that sprang up in the third century (see Coin Collector, Issues 14−15). Some irregular coins, the so-called ‘barbarous radiates’ were undoubtedly produced in Britain, but they were an unofficial coinage of necessity and not the work of a state mint (see Coin Collector, Issue 3). It used to be thought that some coins such as the ‘BRITANNIA’ asses of Antoninus Pius (Figure 1) were struck by a travelling mint operating in the province, but we now know that these too were struck in…

Sometimes you come across medal groups that do not seem quite right. I bought such a group some years ago, a no-clasp Egypt Medal of 1882–89 with a Khedive’s Star and a single British War Medal (BWM) for World War I (Figures 1–2). Given the gap of around 30 years between the Egypt campaign and World War I, the absence of other medals might suggest the group was incomplete. Of more concern was that the Egypt Medal was named to a cook and the BWM to a stoker petty officer, a fairly radical change of career. The only medal impressed with an official number was the BWM. However, the initial and surname J Kingston are the same on the Egypt Medal and BWM. Could these be medals to a father…

This is Canada is a new coin series illustrating some of the wonders and wildlife that are synonymous with the country, with each coin featuring a reverse design by a regional artist and a compass frame. A different theme will be featured on four $20 pure silver coins each year, and for 2024 it is Wondrous Waters, featuring a different view of the bodies of water that surround Canada. The second 2024 coin depicts the Arctic Coast, which encompasses two-thirds of Canada’s coastline. The coin’s reverse, by Inuvialuit artist Myrna Pokiak, presents an artistic representation of Canada’s Arctic coast featuring a berry picker and multiple animals. The obverse features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati. The first 2024 coin was Pacific Coast, next…