Category Archives: Top Story

Ernie Wlock, the long-time president of the Saskatoon Stamp Club (SSC), recently announced his plans to retire from his role as president by the end of the year. Wlock, who’s also a director-at-large with The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC), is known around the country for his philatelic philosophies. Since joining the SSC as... Continue reading →

Before a presentation by guest speaker John Walsh – owner of Walsh’s Philatelic Service in St. John’s, N.L., and publisher of the Newfoundland Specialized Stamp Catalogue and British North America Specialized Stamp Catalogue – there was an award presentation to PSSC Program Co-ordinator Peter Butler. Mike Walsh, publisher of Canadian Stamp News, presented Butler with... Continue reading →

Bidding was strong at two auctions held in Halifax in late October by Eastern Auctions Ltd. The first sale featured collections formed by the late Mel Baron. According to auctioneer Gary Lyon, demand from mail, phone, and floor bidders was strong throughout the sale, with many lots bringing prices well over the estimates. “The section... Continue reading →

It takes careful thought and consideration, but there are ways – and thankfully machines – to detect even the most meticulously crafted philatelic fakes, forgeries and counterfeits. This was the message on Oct. 18, when more than 30 philatelists gathered at a meeting of the West Toronto Stamp Club for a presentation by Canada’s pre-eminent... Continue reading →

Stamps and pencil crayons are helping one artist stay “on the bright side” of things. Oct. 6 was the opening reception for “On the Bright Side: The Stamp Art of Celine Chen,” a new exhibit hosted by the Town of York Historical Society at Toronto’s First Post Office (TFPO). It will be on display until... Continue reading →

For the first time in years, a seminal collection of first-day covers (FDCs) will go on the block when Eastern Auctions sells the Baron Collections on Oct. 28. Yohann Tanguay, of Eastern, said the collection was assembled over decades – as early as the late 1960s – and was then held and enjoyed by the... Continue reading →

The 88th convention of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC) has come to a close, and its success reflects a similarly strong year for “Canada’s national stamp club.” RPSC president George Pepall, who’s also treasurer of the Kitchener-Waterloo Philatelic Society (KWPS), host club for this year’s event, said upwards of 600 attendees were treated... Continue reading →

he main purpose of stamps, of course, is to prove pre-payment of postage, but sometimes they can do good work for society as well. That is the case of semi-postals, a special sort of stamp that also raises money for good causes. The concept goes back much further than many collectors realize. In 1890, Great... Continue reading →

For years, one of the best-kept secrets of Canadian postal history was the Canadian Postal Museum. Tucked away in a back corner of the top floor of the Museum of Civilization, in Gatineau, across the river from Ottawa, the museum contained a collection of one of every Canadian stamp, and galleries covering the history of... Continue reading →

As Canadians prepare for Labour Day weekend, few people remember it was originally set up to honour unionized workers and had its origin in strife. The first labour parade in Canada was held in 1872 to rally behind a strike by the Toronto Printer’s Union in support of a nine-hour work day. For years, it... Continue reading →