Category Archives: Top Story

The first step in preserving your hard-earned philatelic collection is knowing your enemies. The myriad of problems collectors can encounter in conserving their collections – including why they’re happening and how to solve them – was highlighted in a presentation at the recent National Postage Stamp and Coin Show by Bank of Canada Museum conservator and collection manager Patricia Measures. Continue reading →

The National Postage Stamp and Coin Show set a new record for attendance this April, when more than 1,000 collectors gathered for the biannual event in Mississauga. The show returned to the Greater Toronto Area on April 7-8 for the fifth time since 2015, when Trajan Media took over what was then known as the National Postage Stamp Show from the Canadian Stamp Dealers’ Association. After moving locations in spring 2016 to the 9,000-square-foot Graydon Hall at the Hilton Mississauga, the show has continued to grow year after year. Continue reading →

The designation bestowed upon Canada Post’s first-day locations is meant to be an honour, but some collectors are concerned about the Crown corporation’s apparent lack of promotion. The first-day location for the recent Flowers issue was Waterdown, Ont., which is near the Royal Botanical Gardens; however, according to collector and North Toronto Stamp Club webmaster Leon Matthys, post office staff in Waterdown were unaware of the honour. There was no first-day ceremony and no first-day postmark available at the Waterdown Post Office on 17 Main St. N. “This echoes my own recent discoveries,” said another long-time collector, Wayne Adam, of Toronto. “In November, the secular Christmas stamps were issued at Cardinal, Ont. No one there knew about it.” Earlier this year, on the day of issue for the “From Far and Wide” stamps, Adam said he called the post office in Leamington, Ont., which was chosen as the cancel location for the definitive marking Point Pelee’s 100th anniversary. Continue reading →

A handful of Canadian illustrators will be commemorated on Canada Post’s next issue, which is slated for release on April 5 at OCAD University in Toronto. Highlighting five talented Canadians whose work can be found on book covers, posters, magazines, newspapers and even postage stamps, this new issue features some of Canada’s most successful and prolific illustrators. Continue reading →

A complete set of eight imperforate pairs from the King George V Admiral Issue and an imperforate pair of 1916 War Tax stamps highlighted the recent sale of the John Smallman Collection by Eastern Auctions. Offered as the first lot in the Feb. 23 sale, the set contained eight imperforate pairs ranging in denomination from four cents to $1 plus an imperforate pair of 1916 two- plus one-cent Die II War Tax stamps (Scott #MR4c). Altogether, the lot realized $23,000. Continue reading →

“NEVER mark on the back of a stamp ‘FAKE’. This is a requirement by eBay for sellers that even ‘might’ believe their item is a fake. Problem is that sellers very often cannot tell if their item is a fake or not. They often do not have the specialized knowledge that would make them 100% sure,” reads Pugh’s post, which can be found at at facebook.com/groups/CollectingCanadianStamps. Continue reading →

Weeks before the cauldrons are lit for the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in South Korea, Canada Post unveiled five stamps honouring some of Canada’s most accomplished athletes. Dubbed “Women in Winter Sports,” the new issue commemorates six female athletes across five Permanent stamps, including Sharon and Shirley Firth (cross-country skiing); Sonja Gaudet (wheelchair curling); Danielle Goyette (hockey); Nancy Greene (alpine skiing); and Clara Hughes (cycling and speed skating). Continue reading →

The New York reporter who investigated and authored a book on the intriguing story surrounding the world’s most famous stamp – the British Guiana one-cent magenta – will be speaking at the National Postage Stamp and Coin Show on April 7. James Barron is author of The One-Cent Magenta: Inside the Quest to Own the Most Valuable Stamp in the World and a journalist at The New York Times, where his articles have appeared in virtually every section of that paper. Continue reading →

The John Smallman Collection of the Admiral Issue of Canada will be offered in a 646-lot sale by New Brunswick’s Eastern Auctions this February. Described by auctioneers as “spectacular,” the Smallman Collection was assembled throughout four decades and includes extensive examples of strong lathework and imprint multiples. “Looking at famous Admiral collections of the past and where this would rest, I think it’s certainly in the top three, and I think the lathework is the best that’s ever come to market at one time,” said auctioneer and owner Gary Lyon. “John was at it for 40 years, and it was a real passion for him. He had a few other collections, but the Admirals were his main focus. He particularly liked lathework, and he always tried to get the strongest impression of lathework that he could find for each variety. He has some extremely rare and even unique things.” Continue reading →

Later this year, The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC) will be returning to St. Catharines, Ont. for its 90th convention. Hosted by the St. Catharines Stamp Club, the 2018 convention of The RPSC will be held June 22-24 at the Holiday Inn and Suites Parkway Convention Centre on 327 Ontario St. It will mark only the second time the convention has been held in the “Garden City”; in 2009, it was held at the same location. Continue reading →