New 2012 Scott Stamp Catalogue Is Now Available - Volume 2 - Canada & C-F

Scott 2012 Stamp Catalogue - Countries C-F
Almost 40,000 value changes were recorded in Volume 2.

Activity was particularly heavy in China, where more than 14,600 changes were made in the three China sections: Imperial China, Republic of China and the People's Republic of China.

Following China, the country with most value changes is Finland and the Aland Islands, with 2,384 changes. Other countries with a lot of activity include Denmark, Costa Rica, Cuba, Canada,
Czechoslovakia and Cambodia. Stay on track with the changes that affect your collection with the latest information found in the 2012 editions.

The Scott 2012 Stamp Catalogue is now available from www.boscastlesupplies.com - click here for more information.

David Fieldman Auction has two full sheets of the 1980 Chinese New Year Monkey Stamp, each listed at HK$1.1m (US$141,500).

A great range of Chinese stamps, both Imperial and PRC, will sell alongside Hong Kong rarities

The Inaugural sale of David Feldman's Asia office in Hong Kong offers some classic items from the very earliest stages of philatelic history, notably fantastic covers featuring a rare strip of Penny Blacks, and a Double Geneva of a highly unusual variety.

To some however it will be even more exciting to see that it features many of the most exciting items of PRC including two full sheets of the 1980 Chinese New Year Monkey, each listed at HK$1.1m (US$141,500).

Also represented are Mei Lan Fang souvenir sheets and many early issues in full sheets. A very large offering of artist proofs of issues stamps or un-adopted designs with many from the Cultural Revolution period will go under the hammer too.

Imperial China is represented with a block of 6 of the used Large Dragon wide margin 5 candarins and the same in blocks of 4 for all 3 values. Also with a Large Dragon cover from Peking to Shanghai and several Small Dragon combination covers including combination with US Offices in Shanghai usage.

Hong Kong is well represented by a full double pane of 120 KG6 1938 pre-war $10 value, which is the most valuable of all HK KG6 stamps. An excellent postal history collection of Japanese occupation of HK is also presented.

There is also a section of covers some with letters addressed to President Sun Yat Sen as well as a selection of documents of 1911 revolution period and the formation of the Republic of China in 1912. The sale takes place this weekend, May 14-15.

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Source: http://www.paulfrasercollectibles.com/section.asp?catid=80&docid=6858

USA National Postal Stamp Museum Acquires Rare Confederate Printing Plate from the Franklin Institute

The printing plate contains 400 5-cent Jefferson Davis stamp images etched in copper and weighs nearly 100 pounds.

WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum has acquired from The Franklin Institute a Confederate postage-stamp printing plate that was confiscated during the Civil War.

The printing plate contains 400 5-cent Jefferson Davis stamp images etched in copper and weighs nearly 100 pounds. The copper plate was ordered by the Confederate States of America and manufactured by De La Rue & Co. of London in 1861.

The federal vessel Mercedita captured the British ship Bermuda between Bermuda and Nassau April 27, 1862, and as part of the contraband, the printing plate was brought to Philadelphia and sold. It was never used to print stamps by the Confederacy.

The Confederate printing plate was acquired by The Franklin Institute in 1954, when it was actively building a philatelic collection. Subsequently, the institute has deacessioned and disposed of most of its postal-related objects, finding that philately is no longer consistent with its educational mission.

“This spectacular acquisition will be a centerpiece in the display case of the three-dimensional objects from the National Philatelic Collection to be featured in the new William H. Gross Stamp Gallery,”said Cheryl R. Ganz, chief curator of philately. “The 5-cent plate provides a wonderful connection to the first philatelic object ever collected by the Smithsonian Institution-a pane of the Confederate States of America’s 10-cent blue Jefferson Davis stamp.”

“It is appropriate that the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum was able to acquire the historic captured Confederate printing plate at the beginning of the commemoration of the Civil War Sesquicentennial,”said Trish Kaufmann, president of the Confederate Stamp Alliance. “Its significance to American postal history cannot be overstated.”

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Source: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=47161

Sheffield Stamp Show’s Stamp of Approval as King George V Stamp Collection goes on Display

Published on Saturday 7 May 2011 06:30
 
SHEFFIELD is the stamp collecting capital of the country this weekend – with 2,000 enthusiasts descending on the city for one of the biggest shows of the year.

Ponds Forge is the venue for the two- day event usually held in London – and which has attracted not only collectors and dealers from all over the UK, but from countries like Germany and South Africa too.
It’s all a celebratory feather in the cap for the Sheffield Philatelic Society, founded in 1894 and one of the oldest around, which has just held its 2,000th meeting.

“There are some outstanding rarities on show here – including a good deal of material that is unique,” said Donald Radley, a member of the organising committee who’s been pursuing his hobby for more than 70 years.
It’s one thing, for example, to have on display a Penny Black – the world’s first stamp, issued in 1840. But it’s quite another to see the original drafts of the iconic design, including rejected versions, works in progress and stamps from the first plates ever printed.

This is material from the famous collection assembled by George V – impossible to value as it will never be put on sale.

The Queen has given her personal permission for items from the royal treasure trove to make the journey north from their usual home at St James’s Palace, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see them on show.
One of the visitors to the exhibition, which ends today, was John Susses from Pocklington near York, at 71 a collector for 55 years.

He said: “Stamp collectors do seem to be of a certain generation, but I think that has always been the case – it doesn’t mean it’s dying out.

“It’s a hobby a lot of people come to when they are in their 50s, I think it’s a nostalgic thing. And the hobby has also been given a boost by the increasing interest of people in their family backgrounds – stamps are a vital part of this country’s social history.”

Source: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/show_s_stamp_of_approval_as_king_s_collection_goes_on_display_1_3360215

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