Author Archives: Jesse
Disingenuous stamps (counterfeits, forgeries and fakes – oh my!)
Queen Victoria stamps: The genuine 1870 Queen Victoria 4.5d stamp, left, (Scott 10) was engraved, making the Queen’s image appear sharper. The forged stamp, right, is a poor lithograph version of the portrait, causing the image to appear fuzzy.
It’s considered one of the most challenging aspects of philately, and with copious amounts of forged, faked, and counterfeit material on the market today, it’s vital for collectors to understand what they’re dealing with. As usual, the first step is knowledge. Luckily for collectors, the hobby is filled with knowledgeable people who are more than... Continue reading →
Ottawa art students produce postal covers
Each of the Focus program’s 18 students produced two Valentine’s Day covers—one that was sent to the high school so the students could add it to their portfolio and another sent to a significant other.
Merivale High School is at it again. This Valentine’s Day, Canadian Stamp News received a lovely custom-made envelope – one of a series produced by Grade 11 students at Merivale High School in Ottawa. “Designing miniature works of art is a good challenge for my design students,” said Irving Osterer, the award-winning department head who... Continue reading →
Quebec dealer discovers misperf error on new Pansies souvenir sheet
An error has moved the perforations slightly to the right and up (towards the series name and description) about one-quarter of the size of the stamp itself. Four such sheets were found by a dealer.
By Jesse Robitaille A Quebec stamp dealer recently discovered dramatic perforation errors on four of Canada Post’s new Pansies souvenir sheets. The misperfs, found by Michelle Levesque, co-owner of Zimo Stamp Co., left a large blank space above the blossoms on the two se-tenant commemoratives, with “Canada,” the “P” symbol (for Permanent Postage) and the... Continue reading →
Stamp clubs offer rewarding benefits
Stamp clubs like the West Toronto Stamp Club have been providing Canadian collectors with knowledge and friendship since the early 1900s.
If you’re serious about stamps, then joining a club will allow you to get the most out of your hobby. Since 1840, when the first public postage stamps were issued in Great Britain, people around the world have been collecting stamps. The Penny Black – recognized as the world’s first public postage stamp – was... Continue reading →
Collecting postcards provides great insight on nation’s history
This patriotic postcard contains a pre-written nationalistic poem.
By Jesse Robitaille It all started in 1977, when 10 postcard-collecting enthusiasts established the Toronto Postcard Club (TPC). The club meets monthly in North York, where for almost 40 years its significant influence and contribution has helped Canadian deltiology progress to where it is today. Made up of nearly 300 dedicated members from the world... Continue reading →