For more than four decades, a group of Canadian volunteers has been turning donated stamps, covers and collections into financial support for humanitarian projects around the world.
The Oxfam Canada Stamp Program, which has raised more than $600,000 since its establishment in 1980, is preparing to close its 35th mail and email bid auction on Oct. 30, offering 634 lots of Canadian and worldwide philatelic material, along with coins, collecting supplies and other items.
To view the catalogue, click this link, which you can save or print out: OxfamMailBidSaleNo.35
The sale marks a return to auction activity following a six-month interruption caused by flooding at Oxfam Canada’s Ottawa office. A contractor working outside the building broke a watermain last December, forcing the volunteer operation to suspend much of its work and cancel its usual spring auction. Although the volunteers have resumed some activities, the program’s storage and work areas have not been fully restored.
The interruption has not diminished the commitment of the volunteers, who continue to sort donated material, prepare auction lots and fill mail orders, with proceeds supporting Oxfam Canada’s international development work.
Bill Woodley, the program’s volunteer co-ordinator and one of its founders, says approximately 12 active volunteers in Ottawa, supported by others across Canada, help generate about $30,000 annually through stamp sales.
The program receives material from hundreds of sources, including individual collectors, businesses, churches, community organizations and government offices. Donations range from ordinary used stamps and envelopes to collections and specialized philatelic material.
Much of the work involves sorting and preparing material for sale. One of the program’s most popular products is a kilogram of stamps on paper, which requires a substantial volume of donated envelopes and many hours of volunteer labour. Along the way, volunteers also identify interesting covers, cancellations and other items that can be offered individually.
The program has supported 40 projects in 24 countries since 1984, according to the auction catalogue.
SUPPORTING WOMEN
IN TWO REGIONS
Proceeds from the current auction will support two Oxfam Canada projects focused on improving opportunities and conditions for women and girls.
The first, Violence Against Women in Guatemala, is a two-year extension of a project launched in 2019 to strengthen the rights of Indigenous women and advance gender equality.
Working with the Tz’ununija Women’s Movement, the project provides leadership training, promotes community awareness and supports victims of violence. It also seeks to expand the number of Indigenous women’s rights organizations connected with the movement from 20 to 36.
The project has an overall budget of approximately $2.02 million, with the stamp program contributing $25,000 toward Oxfam Canada’s fundraising commitment.
The second project, Supporting Pacific Oceanic Women, focuses on communities in Fiji and Vanuatu affected by climate change and environmental damage. It will provide training for women and girls in climate-smart agriculture, fishing practices, financial literacy, business development and climate adaptation.
The project has a budget of approximately $5.2 million, with the stamp program contributing another $25,000.
Both projects receive support from Global Affairs Canada. According to the auction catalogue, federal funding provides approximately $20 for every dollar raised by Oxfam Canada toward the projects.
CANADIAN MATERIAL
AMONG HIGHLIGHTS
The current auction includes collections, individual stamps, first day covers, postal history, postcards, postmarks, perfins and other specialized material.
A 1979 Canada Post first day cover featuring Canada’s provincial and territorial flags, signed by former governor general Ed Schreyer, is part of Lot 48 in Oxfam Canada’s Oct. 30 stamp auction. The lot includes six signed covers and carries an estimate of $50.
Canadian offerings include Lot 48, a group of six Canada Post first day covers issued in 1979 and 1980, each signed by former governor general Ed Schreyer during his time in office.
The group includes a cover for the 1979 provincial and territorial flags pane, along with five other commemorative issues. All six covers include plate blocks, and the group carries an estimate of $50.
Another Canadian highlight is Lot 240, a mint never-hinged souvenir sheet featuring the UNESCO World Heritage Sites issue and the well-known Dinosaur Provincial Park “hoodoos” error.
The sheet has a catalogue value of $400 and is estimated at $200.
British material includes Lot 405, an 1840 Penny Black bearing a red Maltese Cross cancellation. The stamp is described as having three clear margins, with the fourth cut into the design. It carries a catalogue value of $320 and an auction estimate of $60.
An 1840 Penny Black bearing a red Maltese Cross cancellation is offered as Lot 405 in Oxfam Canada’s Oct. 30 stamp auction, with an estimate of $60.
Elsewhere, the sale includes worldwide collections and accumulations, Canadian slogan-cancel covers, first day covers, mint postage, postcards and specialized back-of-the-book material.
The organizers note that the current sale includes more worldwide first day covers than usual, reflecting the changing nature of the donations received.
The catalogue also encourages stamp clubs to become involved in the program, offering to provide small donated packages for door prizes or special activities at club meetings and shows.
BIDDING CLOSES
OCT. 30
Bidding in Oxfam Canada Stamp Program Mail and Email Bid Sale No. 35 closes Friday, Oct. 30.
Bids begin at 50 per cent of the stated estimate, and no lot will be sold below that amount. Successful bidders generally pay one bidding increment above the next-highest bid, while a lot receiving only one bid sells for half its estimate.
There is no buyer’s premium, although postage charges apply.
Collectors can request a copy of the catalogue or additional scans by emailing stamps@oxfam.ca. Illustrated material is also available through the program’s Facebook page at facebook.com/oxfamstamps.
Bidding closes Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. Bids may be submitted by email to stamps@oxfam.ca or mailed to the Oxfam Canada Stamp Program, Oxfam Canada National Office, 39 McArthur Ave., Ottawa, ON K1L 8L7. Mailed bids must be postmarked before midnight on Oct. 30.
For the volunteers, the auction represents more than another opportunity to sell stamps. It is part of a continuing effort to give donated philatelic material a second life while supporting communities facing poverty, inequality and the effects of climate change.