‘Rat’s Wedding’ theme of Lunar 2020 series

A Permanent stamp (left) depicting a rat bride on route to her nuptials was issued as part of Canada Post’s latest Lunar New Year set, marking the end of a 12-year series that began in 2009. The 2020 Lunar New Year set’s international-rate stamp depicts a happily married rat couple.

Canada Post issued the final set of its most recent Lunar New Year series on Jan. 17, a day after the stamps were unveiled at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto. Designed by Albert Ng and Seung Jai Paek, who have worked on several past Lunar New Year issues, the stamps present a traditional... Continue reading →

Fredericton to host 92nd RPSC Convention in June

Royal*2020*Royale chair Rob Lunn (left) was named a Fellow of The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada last June. He's chairing this year's convention in Fredericton.

For only the second time ever, the annual convention of The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC) is coming to New Brunswick, where members of “Canada’s national stamp club” are slated to gather for the much-anticipated show. To be held June 19-21 in the capital of Fredericton, the 2020 Royal Convention will be hosted by... Continue reading →

‘Mixed feelings’ about paper restoration pushed aside for posterity

An 1862 cover mailed from Prescott, Ont., to Victoria, Vancouver Island, had tears along three edges plus surface soiling before it was conserved by a professional paper restorer.

After one collector acquired a slightly tattered cover dating back more than a century and a half, he decided to restore it to ensure its survival as a scarce and significant piece of postal history. Mailed from Prescott, Ont., to watchmaker Willis Coates in Victoria, the cover is dated May 25, 1862, about two months... Continue reading →

Appeal, rarity a ‘lethal combination’ for postal history highlights of latest Eastern sale

An 1852 folded lettersheet mailed from Montreal to New York realized $5,250 on an estimate of $3,000-plus this November during Eastern Auctions’ final sale of 2019.

Nearly all 794 lots offered by Eastern Auctions were sold this November as they crossed the block in a two-session sale that brought a total hammer price of more than $1 million and exceeded expectations across many of its sections. The first session, which included Lots 1-401, was highlighted by a circa 1878 12-pence Queen... Continue reading →

Battle of Hong Kong veteran’s story explored through philately

A 1941 cover is franked with some of the six stamps issued by Hong Kong that year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of British sovereignty. Almost a year later, the Japanese Army began its occupation of Hong Kong. (Photos by Michael Souza)

In a 15-year project focusing on family history, Vancouver collector Michael Souza is using stamps and currency to tell the story of his late father, who was a veteran of the Battle of Hong Kong. Born in Hong Kong on July 12, 1921, Henry Souza joined the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (HKVDC) at the... Continue reading →

Private cachet-makers stymied in early 1970s

Toronto collector Derwin Mak created a first-day cover for one of Canada Post’s 2019 holiday stamps, which were issued Nov. 4. The cachet to the left of the cover features a photograph of Mak (left), his friend Theresa (centre) and Karen Kain (right), artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada.

Today, first-day covers are issued alongside stamps by many postal services around the world, including in Canada, where the “official first-day cover” (OFDC) signalled the demise of private cachetmaking in that country. While Canada’s Post Office Department issued its first OFDC nearly 50 years ago, in 1971, its American counterpart only began selling cacheted –... Continue reading →

Wang’s ‘Blood’ exhibit breaks thematic ‘glass ceiling’ at Canpex

At Canpex this October, Toronto philatelist Jean Wang became the first thematic exhibitor to win a Grand Award at a Canadian national-level exhibition. (Photo by Sam Chiu)

For the first time at a Canadian national-level exhibition, the Grand Award has been given to a thematic exhibit. North Toronto Stamp Club member Jean Wang took home the top honour at Canpex Oct. 19-20 for her five-frame thematic exhibit, “Blood: A Modern Medicine.” “I hope this will open the doors and encourage other thematic... Continue reading →

Quality, provenance continue to highlight Eastern sales

An imperforate 1851 Nova Scotia one-shilling stamp (Scott #6b) carries a catalogue value of $9,000-plus in Eastern Auctions’ Nov. 15-16 general sale. Formerly part of the iconic Dale-Lichtenstein Collection, it will be offered as Lot 88.

A 168-year-old Nova Scotia rarity formerly part of the iconic Dale-Lichtenstein collection is among nearly 800 lots set to cross the block during a two-session sale by Eastern Auctions this November. Described as being “in the finest quality attainable,” the imperforate one-shilling stamp (Scott #6b) issued by Nova Scotia in 1851 has a noteworthy provenance... Continue reading →

Cohen stamps celebrate somber singer’s life

Three stamps and four official first-day covers honouring late Canadian singer Leonard Cohen were issued by Canada Post on Sept. 21, a day after they were unveiled in Montréal.

A three-stamp set honouring Leonard Cohen were recently unveiled in the late singer’s hometown of Montréal by Canada Post. The veil was lifted on Sept. 20 at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts – beneath a 21-storey mural of Cohen – only hours after Sony Music Canada revealed a “continuation of the master’s work” will be... Continue reading →

Stamps, coins offer ‘National Show’ dealers ‘a lot of cross-marketing’

Although he doesn’t deal in coins, stamp dealer Bill Coates enjoys the combination of coins and stamps on the bourse of the National Postage Stamp and Coin Show.

Falling only a week after another major philatelic event, the Fall 2019 National Postage Stamp and Coin Show returned to the Greater Toronto Area this September, offering a glimpse into the strength of the national market. The Sept. 7-8 “National Show” kicked off only six days after this year’s British North America Philatelic Society (BNAPS)... Continue reading →

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