'The holy grail of stamp collecting': Penny Red with rare imperfections set to sell for £550,000 at auction

One of the rarest and most sought after stamps ever produced is up for sale and expected to fetch over half a million pounds.

The plate 77 Penny Red has been dubbed the ‘Holy Grail of philately’ and is one of just nine examples of the stamp ever recorded.

Although millions of Penny Reds were printed between 1841 and 1879, a number of plates were never used due to technical faults.

Flaws in plate number 77 meant the stamp’s perforations were lined up incorrectly, so all of the test sheets were destroyed.

But at least one sheet was released into circulation by mistake - making the 77 every stamp collector’s dream.

Dealer Stanley Gibbons heralds it as the 'most valuable single stamp' the company has ever had for sale in their 156 year history, with a value of around £550,000.

Collectors worldwide religiously check every Penny Red they come across to see if it is a real example of the 'philatelic Holy Grail'.

Spokesman Vince Cordell said: 'This example has graced some of the finest stamp collections ever formed and is not only a magnificent exhibition piece but one of the great rarities of Great Britain and world philately.

'To date, four mint and five used examples have been reported, although some have not been seen for so long their authenticity is unconfirmed and often doubted.'

Of the mint examples, there is one in the Royal Philatelic collection, one in the Tapling collection in the British Library, one in the Raphael collection that was stolen in 1965 and has not been seen since, and the fourth was in the Ferrary collection sold in the 1920s.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article … ction.html

John Lennon's 'lost album' of stamps he collected as a child feature Beatle's cheeky doodles

Beatles fanatics might be excited to hear that John Lennon's 'lost album' is set to go on display - but this particular collection has nothing to do with music.

The Liverpool-born pop star's childhood collection of stamps is certainly likely to arouse plenty of intrigue among his followers, though.

Lennon's stamp collection is known as his 'lost album'.

It will be on display at the World Stamp Show in New York, an event for those interested in philately which takes place every 10 years, from May 28 to June 4.

The singer's older cousin, Stanley Perkins, gave him the used album having already added some stamps to the album himself.........................

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news … ps-7662316

U.S. postage stamps keep on truckin'

For cute, we get Shirley Temple. Music, Sarah Vaughn. Outer space? The U.S. Postal Service has that covered too, with 2016 stamps that feature both actual planets and fictional space explorers (Star Trek).

For those of us who love everything on four wheels, however, anticipation continues to build for the release of four stamps that feature fantastic illustrations of iconic American pickup trucks. They'll be officially released on July 15th at the Syracuse Nationals classic car show.

If you haven’t seen promotional photos of the truck stamps (generally posted not far from images of the FBI’s Most Wanted), we’re all-too happy to fill you in.

Chosen by the USPS to celebrate “the rugged and reliable work vehicles that Americans have driven for nearly a century” are:

    A red 1938 International Harvester D-2 with its “distinctive barrel-shaped grille and elegant styling.”
    A light yellow 1953 Chevrolet featuring “large windshields (that) provided drivers with excellent visibility, a distinctive curvy grille that bulged in the middle, and a six-cylinder engine.”
    A green 1948 Ford F-1 with “a roomy ‘Million Dollar Cab,’ sharp horizontal five-bar grille and six cylinder engine.”
    A powder blue 1965 Ford F-100 with “a new grille that featured 18 small rectangular openings. It also featured what Ford dubbed ‘Twin-I-Beam’ independent front suspension.”

The utilitarian pickups were illustrated by Chris Lyons, whose work has appeared in a number of publications, including Road & Track magazine.

The 47-cent “Forever” stamps will be sold as a double-sided pane of 20.

The USPS also offered auto-related stamps in 2013 (American Muscle Cars) and 2014 (Hot Rods).

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2016/06/ … n-truckin/

The Russian labels that make for an interesting aviation topical collection

http://www.linns.com/news/world-stamps- … tamps.html

Characters featured on the stamps

The Ten Game of Thrones postage stamps are available on an exclusively designed carrier card, featuring an astrolabe-based and the notorious Narrow Sea divide.

The ten 1st class stamps feature central Game of Thrones characters:
1. Jon Snow

The King in the North is a loyal and honourable man. After joining the Night’s Watch, he became Lord Commander, but allying himself with the wildlings led to mutiny and his demise. Resurrected, Snow returned to Winterfell and defeated Ramsay Bolton.

2. Cersei Lannister

Robert Baratheon’s widow spent years hiding a secret: her three children were not Robert’s but the product of a relationship with her twin brother Jaime. Now all three children are dead, and Cersei sits on the Iron Throne in King’s Landing. She is determined to see off all other contenders.
3. Eddard Stark

Stark was asked by Robert Baratheon to govern as Hand of the King but was constantly out-manoeuvred. His execution on trumped-up charges fuelled the War of the Five Kings.
4. Arya Stark

Eddard and Catelyn Stark’s youngest daughter was more interested in learning to fight than becoming a lady. After her father’s death, she survived on her wits, eventually training with the Faceless Men in the Free City of Braavos. She returned home to Winterfell and reunited with her siblings.
5. Olenna Tyrell

Sharp of tongue and fierce of wit, Olenna Tyrell was the matriarch of the Tyrell family. Lost almost all her family in an explosion orchestrated by Cersei Lannister.

6. Sansa Stark

Eddard Stark’s oldest daughter, Sansa, was held in King’s Landing by the Lannisters after her father’s murder.
7. Tyrion Lannister

The youngest Lannister, Tyrion spent most of his life shunned by his family, who failed to appreciate his sharp political mind.
8. Jaime Lannister

Cersei’s cynical twin brother has a major flaw – his love for his sister. Captured early on in the War of the Five Kings by Robb and Catelyn Stark, he was freed by the latter against her son’s wishes.
9. Tywin Lannister

The head of the Lannister family was a consummate tactician who ruled his adult children with an iron will. Having engineered victory in the War of the Five Kings thanks to his astute military tactics.
10. Daenerys Targaryen

Revered by her followers as the mother of dragons, Daenerys Targaryen recently landed in Westeros to claim the Iron Throne.

http://philatelynews.com/game-of-throne … oyal-mail/

holy post An Post to issue two new stamps to mark Pope Francis’ historic visit to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families next month

Strong demand is expected for a print run of 500,000 €1 stamps, carrying an image of Pope Francis with a dove taking flight and over 100,000 €1.50 international stamps, which feature a family walking together on a beach

The stamps and related stamp product are designed by Dublin-based Vermillion Design.

The stamps will be on sale in selected Post Offices nationwide from tomorrow while specially designed First Day Covers, stamp miniature sheets and souvenir sheets will also be available from the stamp counters at Dublin’s GPO and online at wwwirishstamps.ie.

Speaking at the unveiling of the stamps, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin thanked An Post and welcomed the publications of the new stamps.

He said the stamps were a fitting tribute to what he hoped would be ‘’a memorable and uplifting visit of Pope Francis to the World Meeting of Families in Ireland — a visit that presents a great opportunity for the Church and the country”.

https://www.thesun.ie/news/2897953/pope … st-stamps/

Southern Africa Philately

http://www.southafricanstamps.net/index.htm

Iwo Jima hero honored on Slovakian stamp

A new stamp from Slovakia honors Marine Corps Sgt. Michael Strank, one of the flag-raisers in the famous Iwo Jima photograph of World War II.

Slovenska Posta issued this €1 stamp March 1. The design shows Strank in Marine green on a multicolor, abstract background.

The first-day cover for the stamp includes a cachet in the lower left showing a scene based on Joe Rosenthal’s Feb. 23, 1945, Pultizer-prize-winning photograph of six Marines raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima.

This scene also has been pictured on two United States stamps: first on a 3¢ commemorative issued July 11, 1945 (Scott 929), and 50 years later on a 32¢ stamp issued Sept. 2, 1995, in a pane of 10 (Scott 2981a).

In addition to Strank, the photograph shows Ira Hayes, Franklin Sousley, Harold Schultz and Harlon Block (in the front) and Rene Gagnon (in the back with Strank).

Strank was born Nov. 10, 1919, in the village of Jarabina, then in Czechoslovakia, now in Slovakia. As a young boy, he immigrated to Pennsylvania, where his father worked in the coal mines.

According to the new-issue announcement from Slovenska Posta, Michael Strank joined the Marine Corps in 1939 and was promoted to sergeant in 1942. He was killed in action March 1, 1945, less than a week after the iconic photograph was taken.

Igor Piacka designed the stamp. Tiskarna Hradistko printed it by offset in sheets of 50. A total of 1 million stamps were issued.

The website of Slovenska Posta’s philatelic bureau is wwwpofis.sk.

Wallis & Futuna 2020

DeGaulle’s Appeal of 18 June 80th Anniversary

Wallis and Futuna: DeGaulle’s Appeal of 18 June 1940 80th Anniversary, 18 June 2020. Image from Colnect.
Technical Specifications:

Issued on: 2020-06-18
Colors: Multicolor
Printing: Offset lithography
Face value: 350 F – CFP franc
Print run: 25,000

The Appeal of 18 June (L’Appel du 18 juin) was the first speech made by Charles de Gaulle after his arrival in London in 1940 following the Fall of France. Broadcast to France by the radio services of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), it is often considered to have represented the origin of the French Resistance in World War II. It is regarded as one of the most important speeches in French history. In spite of its significance in French collective memory, historians have shown that the appeal was heard only by a minority of French people. De Gaulle’s 22 June 1940 speech was more widely heard.

De Gaulle had recently been promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and named as Under-Secretary of State for National Defence and War by Prime Minister Paul Reynaud during the German invasion of France. Reynaud resigned after his proposal for a Franco-British Union was rejected by his cabinet and Marshal Philippe Pétain, a hero of World War I, became the new Prime Minister, pledging to sign an armistice with Nazi Germany. De Gaulle opposed any such action and facing imminent arrest, fled France on 17 June. Other leading politicians, including Georges Mandel, Léon Blum, Pierre Mendès France, Jean Zay and Édouard Daladier (and separately Reynaud), were arrested while travelling to continue the war from North Africa.

De Gaulle obtained special permission from Winston Churchill to broadcast a speech on 18 June via BBC Radio from Broadcasting House over France, despite the British Cabinet’s objections that such a broadcast could provoke the Pétain government into a closer allegiance with Germany. In his speech, de Gaulle reminded the French people that the British Empire and the United States of America would support them militarily and economically in an effort to retake France from the Germans.

The BBC did not record the speech, and few actually heard it. Another speech, which was recorded and heard by more people, was given by de Gaulle four days later. There is a record, however, of the manuscript of the speech of 18 June, which has been found in the archives of the Swiss intelligence agencies who published the text for their own uses on 19 June. The manuscript of the speech, as well as the recording of the 22 June speech, has been classed on 18 June 2005, by the UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme.

On 18 June 1940, at 19:00 (GMT), de Gaulle’s voice was broadcast nationwide, saying in French (author. translation):

The leaders who, for many years, have been at the head of the French armies have formed a government. This government, alleging the defeat of our armies, has made contact with the enemy in order to stop the fighting. It is true, we were, we are, overwhelmed by the mechanical, ground and air forces of the enemy. Infinitely more than their number, it is the tanks, the aeroplanes, the tactics of the Germans which are causing us to retreat. It was the tanks, the aeroplanes, the tactics of the Germans that surprised our leaders to the point of bringing them to where they are today.

But has the last word been said? Must hope disappear? Is defeat final? No!

Believe me, I who am speaking to you with full knowledge of the facts, and who tell you that nothing is lost for France. The same means that overcame us can bring us victory one day. For France is not alone! She is not alone! She is not alone! She has a vast Empire behind her. She can align with the British Empire that holds the sea and continues the fight. She can, like England, use without limit the immense industry of the United States.

This war is not limited to the unfortunate territory of our country. This war is not over as a result of the Battle of France. This war is a world war. All the mistakes, all the delays, all the suffering, do not alter the fact that there are, in the world, all the means necessary to crush our enemies one day. Vanquished today by mechanical force, in the future we will be able to overcome by a superior mechanical force. The fate of the world depends on it.

I, General de Gaulle, currently in London, invite the officers and the French soldiers who are located in British territory or who might end up here, with their weapons or without their weapons, I invite the engineers and the specialised workers of the armament industries who are located in British territory or who might end up here, to put themselves in contact with me.

Whatever happens, the flame of the French resistance must not be extinguished and will not be extinguished. Tomorrow, as today, I will speak on the radio from London.

Although de Gaulle’s speech on 18 June is among the most famous in French history, few French listeners heard it that day. It was broadcast on the BBC, a British radio station, practically unannounced and was delivered by an obscure brigadier general who had only recently been appointed as a junior minister. Consequently, of the 10,000 French citizens in Britain, only 300 volunteered. Of the more than 100,000 soldiers temporarily on British soil, most of them recently evacuated from Norway or Dunkirk, only 7,000 stayed on to join de Gaulle. The rest returned to France and were quickly made prisoners of war. However, de Gaulle’s speech was undeniably influential and provided motivation for the people of France and for the oppressed of the rest of Europe.

The themes of the speech would be reused throughout the war to inspire the French people to resist German occupation. Four days later, de Gaulle delivered a speech that largely reiterated the points made in his 18 June speech, and the second speech was heard by a larger audience in France. The content of the 22 June speech is often confused for that of 18 June. In addition, in early August a poster written by de Gaulle would be distributed widely in London and would become known as L’affiche de Londres (The London Poster). Variations of this poster would be produced and displayed in Africa, South America and France itself over the course of the war.

The 70th anniversary of the speech was marked in 2010 by the issuing of a postage stamp (designed by Georges Mathieu)[13] and a €2 commemorative coin.

De Gaulle’s famous quote: “La France a perdu une bataille! Mais la France n’a pas perdu la guerre” (“France has lost a battle, but France has not lost the war”) is often associated with the Appeal of 18 June, but actually stems from a motivational poster featuring De Gaulle, A Tous Les Français, which was distributed all over London on 3 August 1940.