We thank NobleSpirit of Pittsfield, NH for their support
of our events and programs.
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CELEBRATE JUNE WITH STAMPS
WATCH OUR LATEST VIDEO
For the past few months, Archie, our stamp collecting alligator, has created YouTube videos that show stamps related to historic and events of the month. This month he has created a video with a different theme: "National Days In June". Take a look and learn about National Rose Day, National Typewriter Day, National Olive Day, National Yo-Yo Day and several more. Click here for the video: June.
Other past videos can be seen by clicking on video
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ARTIST AND CHILDREN'S AUTHOR ERIC CARLE HONORED ON STAMPS
Writer and illustrator Eric Carle, the author of the classic children’s picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar (1969), died on May 23 at age 91.
Over the course of his career, Carle published more than 70 works, selling more than 170 million copies of titles such as The Very Busy Spider (1984) and Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me (1986) in dozens of languages.
But no book was more popular than The Very Hungry Caterpillar—55 million copies sold and counting—in which the increasingly ravenous title character eats its way through the story before spinning itself a cocoon and transforming into a vibrantly colored butterfly.
Both the United States and Great Britain issued stamps with the Hungry Caterpillar illustration. The British stamp even included several holes in the stamp.
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MEDICINE ON STAMPS EXHIBIT
Boston’s premier orthopedic specialty hospital is the home of the Spellman Museum’s first ‘Medicine on Stamps’ exhibit. Installed mid-May in a prominent location on the hospital’s main floor, the exhibit is designed to share information on philately and its origins, and highlight key medical and clinical content shared via national and worldwide stamps issued over the years.
With a special concentration on nursing and physician investigators, the exhibit is an important step in fulfilling our mission to use stamps to educate and inform people of all ages. The exhibit will also soon be on display at the Weston Public Library and in the Museum's main gallery when the Museum reopens on July 8.
(The stamp above was issued in 1947 to honor the 100th anniversary of the American Medical Association.)
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B0Y SCOUTS DELIVER THE MAIL
During World War II in Warsaw, Poland, Polish Boy Scouts and Girl Guides assisted the underground resistance movement in many ways. These included delivering mail to families in the city. This stamp and envelope was issued in 1993 to honor the service of these young scouts. For more information click Poland
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ANNUAL POSTAL HISTORY SYMPOSIUM SEPTEMBER 9.
The Museum will hold its ninth Postal History symposium/webinar with the theme War and Innovations: A Postal Perspective on September 9 from 8:00 to 10:00
Like last year, the program will be held virtually. The topics and speakers are:
-Colonial Wars Leading to the American Revolution presented by Dr. Tim O’Connor,
-The Siege of Paris 1870-71 presented by Steven C. Walske and
-Medical Aspects of the Spanish American War given by Yamil H. Kouri, Jr.
The program is free but a registration is required. Reservations can be by sending an email the Museum at symposium. and the link will be sent to you.
The program is supported by NobleSpirit of Pittsfield, NH and The Collectors Club of New York.
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OPEN AIR OPEN HOUSE JUNE 19
Join us between 1:00 – 3:00 PM for a tented gathering to celebrate Spring and the safe reopening of the Museum coming soon.
There will be refreshments, guided small group tours of the updated exhibit spaces and you can meet with the Museum leadership, fellow members and other friends of the Museum. Free packets of stamps and First Day Covers.
For more information or to RSVP, contact openhouse.
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INTERNATIONAL POSTAL MUSEUMS
In our last newsletter we asked readers to tell us what Postal Museums they have visited in other countries. Charles Schaefer replied that he has been to the Monaco Postal Museum which displays stamps from Prince Rainier's collation. Museum member and volunteer Jack Miller has been to postal museums in Finland, Sweden and Israel. Although he has not visited any foreign museums, member Rusty Browder did send some letters from the Vatican Post Office (Yes, the Vatican has its own post office and stamps). Museum Associate Curator Mark Butterline has also been to the Swedish museum. Education Director Henry Lukas has been to the museums in Sweden, Paris, and Cuba. The French museum is featured on this stamp..
And our Executive Joseph Mullin took time to leave the beach on one of his vacations and visited the museum in Curacao.. If you have a visit you would like to share, send it museum.
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BRITISH GUIANA ONE CENT MAGENTA SOLD
YOU COULD OWN A
PART OF IT!
UK rare stamp dealer Stanley Gibbons recently purchased the world’s most valuable stamp, the British Guiana One-Cent Magenta created in 1856, for $8.3m (£5.9m). The company's shares surged 8% on Wednesday morning.
The stamp's previous owner was shoe designer Stuart Weitzman, who bought it for $9.5m at Sotheby’s New York in 2014.
Stanley Gibbons bought the stamp from the same auction house and will display it for public viewing at its flagship store in Strand, London, but it also plans to "democratise the ownership of this unique item" going forward.
"For the first time ever, you will be able to own your very own piece of the British Guiana 1c Magenta," the company said, but has not as yet provided more details.
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STAMP TRIVIA QUESTION
Who was first graduate of West Point, the US Military Academy, to appear on a US stamp? Send your answer to trivia. If you would like the answer, also sent to trivia.
Did you know that over thirty two graduates plus some non-grads (Edgar Allen Poe and James Whistler) of the Academy appear on US Stamps according to Martin H. Joyce III in his book Postmarked West Point?
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BACK ISSUES OF STAMPS AVAILABLE
Anne O'Keefe, our store manager, has put together a list of over fifty back issues of commemoratives and general postage that are still on sale at face value in our Post Office. If you are missing some stamps from 2019 or even earlier, email the Museum and we will send the list of available stamps. Issues include Johnny Cash, Arnold Palmer, Let's Celebrate, Alabama Statehood and Lena Horne.
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GET YOUR FOREVER SAMPS NOW
SAVE THREE CENTS.
Have you heard? Postal rates may be going up from fifty-five cents to fifty-eight cents at the end of August.
But remember, the Forever stamps you have now will still be good when the rates go up and you will not have to add any more postage to your letters.. The first Forever stamp in the US was issued in April, 2007 - (pictured here) when a first-class letter cost forty-one cents to mail.
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ZOOM PROGRAMS STILL AVAILABLE
Our one hour PowerPoint program entitled "Pushing the Envelope - A History of the US Post Office Through Stamps" is still available for presentation at libraries, senior centers, stamp clubs and other adult groups. Another Zoom program entitled "Medicine on Stamps" is also available for presentation.
For institutions that are starting to have live programs again, Education Director Henry Lukas can visit to present the program. For more details email to zoom.
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YOUTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP OPEN
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The Museum continues to offer a free, one year membership for children ages 6 to 16 in our Youth Club. Children receive a monthly packet of topical stamps, worksheets and philatelic information, a discount in the Museum store, a monthly stamp calendar plus free admission for themselves and the family. For more information email to Club.
Thanks go to Museum volunteers Jessica Leuscher and Erika Epstein for supervising this program
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CAN YOU GIVE US A HAND?
Although we have been closed, we have still continued sharing our educational programs electronically and creating exhibits to be shared with all of our enthusiasts, young and old. We thank all those who have already recently supported us.
We ask others of you if you can also please support our efforts by going to the bottom on our webpage (click webpage) and clicking on the donate button. A $50 contribution will give you a one year individual membership.
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