Toronto exhibitor wins Large Gold at National Topical Stamp Show

North Toronto Stamp Club (NTSC) member Jean Wang won a Large Gold for her multi-frame exhibit, titled “The Story of Blood: Myth to Medicine,” at the 67th annual National Topical Stamp Show in Milwaukee.

Wang’s five-frame thematic exhibit, which was displayed in frames 158-162, shows the history of blood from ancient times to the establishment of transfusion medicine and modern-day blood banking. It highlights the history of blood; the acquisition of new knowledge regarding blood’s properties; the development of transfusion medicine; the international effort to maintain a safe blood supply through donor recruitment; the process of blood collection and preparation for distribution; and the various ways in which blood can save the lives of individuals with bleeding and blood disorders.

Items presenting difficulty of acquisition are indicated by a red drop of blood. Among these rarities are:

  • original artwork from Indonesia;
  • pre-production items from Canada (a 1952 hardened die essay, of which only one example is known to exist), Tonga (including a cromalin proof, of which only four examples exist), Burundi, France, and Monaco;
  • stamped-to-order postal stationery cards from the Welsh Blood Transfusion Service as well as Britain’s National Blood Transfusion Service and its predecessor, the British Army Transfusion Service;
  • a Canada Small Queen with a “vampire bite” error cancelled with a rare 1892 Toronto Junction postmark; and
  • a stethoscope watermark on Egyptian Syndicate of Medical Professions revenue stamps.

Wang’s exhibit also earned the Medical Subjects Unit Award at the national-level show, which was hosted on June 23-25 by the American Topical Association (ATA).

PREVIOUS AWARDS

Wang’s “Myth to Medicine” exhibit has previously won a number of awards, including:

CHALLENGES

According to Wang, because blood is a modern medicine, any philatelic material relating to blood donation and transfusion is dated after 1940. This presented a challenge for earlier versions of her exhibit; however, examples of earlier material, including pre-philatelic items tied to the theme of blood, have since been added.

Leave a Reply

Canadian Stamp News

Canada

Canadian Stamp News is Canada's premier source of information about stamp collecting and related fields.

Although we cover the entire world of philatelics, the majority of our readers are Canadian, and we concentrate on the unique circumstances surrounding collecting in our native land.

Send Us Your Event

Running an event? Send it to us and we will display it on Canadian Stamp News!

Submit Event →

Subscribe To 26 Issues For Just $59.99/year

Subscribe today to receive Canada's premier stamp publication. Canadian Stamp News is available in both paper and digital forms.

Subscribe Now