Having More Fun With Postage Stamp Errors

Last week I had so much fun finding postage stamps from around the world that had errors on them. I thought I would share a couple more with you. Leave a comment if you have a good one that you would like showcased and I will do my best to post information about it.

The top postage stamp will likely be more tricky to figure out the problem. It was issued by Saudi Arabia in 1949 and was never corrected. This plane looks correct…or does it? Can you figure out the problem? The picture appears to be one of a commercial aircraft. The first “jet” aircraft was developed in Germany in 1931. It was not until 1943 that the first jet fighter aircraft went into service. It was not until the early 1950’s that commercial jet airplanes began production. Perhaps Saudi Arabia had a vision into the future with this commercial jet postage
stamp. Technically, this airplane should have had propellers and not jet engines.

I laughed when I saw the lower postage stamp above. It was issued by Monaco and features America’s beloved President Roosevelt. Roosevelt, who was an avid postage stamp collector, appears to be admiring his postage stamp collection in this picture. Can you spot the trouble? Look closely at Roosevelt’s left hand. He is sporting one too many fingers. I count five fingers and one thumb. Oops! The stamp was issued in 1947. It was never corrected or reissued by Monaco.

Don’t forget to check out the many fun postage stamps that are available at Stamp Center today!

Prince Rainier’s Stamp Collection Part II Of II

Continuing from Wednesday…

Prince Rainier III is quoted as saying that stamps are “The best ambassador of a country.” Prince Rainier continued to add stamps and covers to the Royal collection throughout his years of reign. Each stamp in the collection is in chronological order and specifically classified. There are three main time periods that Prince Rainier’s collection maintains.

Les Precurseurs, otherwise known as the “Forerunners”, contains stamps that date back to 1641. This section also contains French and Sardinian postmarks used in Monaco and Menton. Those postmarks were issued prior to 1885 when Monaco began issuing their own postage stamps.

“Les Modernes”, otherwise known as the “Modern” section, dates back to 1921 and up through current day issues. Prince Rainier III and Prince Louis II postage stamps are stored in this set as well as many other commemorative stamps.

“Les Classiques”, otherwise known as the “Classics” feature issues issues of Monegasque stamps from 1885 to 1921 covering the reigns of Charles III and Albert I.

Many of the postage stamps that are in Prince Rainier’s collection can also be found at The Museum of Coins and Stamps in Monaco. The Prince founded the museum to allow the public to become more acquainted with philately. According to the Monaco’s official website, “The Rare Stamp Room is the high point of the Museum where priceless items are on display, including a « strip of 5 Charles III 5 franc stamps » and an envelope sent from Menton on 12th April 1851 with one of the first issues of the Sardinian stamp that was then used in the Principality.

Prince Rainier died on April 6, 2005. Stamp Center has the Prince Rainier III souvenir sheet as well as other beautiful postage stamps issued from Monaco in stock and ready to ship to you.

Prince Rainier’s Stamp Collection Part I Of II

Prince Rainier, who served as the longest reigning Monarch, is touted as having one of the finest stamp collections of all time.

In 1917, Prince Albert I of Monaco bought a collection from the late Reverent G.G. Barber, who was an English Pastor who took up residence in Monaco. In this collection there were many philatelic rarities which included stamps cancelled from 1851 to 1885. It also included the first Monaco stamps that were issued with the head of Prince Charles III in 1885.

The collection expanded when Prince Louis II bought a set of mint first issues of the reign of Charles III and of Albert I from renowned collector, Albin Harnish. In 1937, Prince Louis II created the Monaco Philatelic Bureau and Post Office, which supplied and housed all of the Monaco philatelic issues.

Inheriting the stamp collection upon his accession to the throne in 1949, H.S.H. the Prince Rainier III kept the tradition of collecting stamps for the Royal Family a top priority. He searched and then added various vintage stamps that had been previously missing. He took an active role choosing the subjects, colors, sizes and formats of all stamps that were to be issued from Monaco. In fact, a Monegasque stamp could not be issued until it was officially approved by the Prince himself.

Please check back on Friday for the conclusion to this post.

When Philately And A Presidency Collide

When do stamp collecting and politics appear in the same newspaper article? When the President of France decides to take up this fantastic hobby!

President Sarkozy, who has been known to be unpredictable and have a hot temper in the past, is enjoying his new found love…stamp collecting. This wife, Carla Bruni reports that she is glad that he has taken up such a calming activity as well.

His new passion is even being fueled by the upper echelon of political society. At a visit to Windsor Castle last year, Queen Elizabeth gave President Sarkozy a set issued by the Royal Mail in 2004. These stamps were issued to celebrate the centenary of the Entente Cordiale (Sarkozy’s now prize possessions) and many new stamp releases from Great Britain were supplied personally by the Queen. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Governor of California, gave him a leather album filled with postage stamps as well. Other heads of state are jumping on the band wagon and sharing their stamps too. His collection to date is already quite extensive. I guess this is just another bonus given to a seated President. I wonder what Barack Obama will have in store for Sarkozy in the future.

President Sarkozy is now sponsoring a newly formed stamp club called the Elysee Philatelist Club, which is named after his official residence.

Other famed heads of state stamp collectors include Franklin Delano Roosevelt, King George V, Prince Albert, and Tzar Nicholas III of Russia, Prince Rainier III of Monaco and King Carol II of Romania II, to name a few.

John Lennon Stamp Support

There is a new petition that is circulating to have the United States Postal Service issue a commemorative postage stamp for John Lennon.

John Lennon was a British born citizen who rocked the world with his performances with the Beatles from 1957 to 1970. The Beatles caused a frenzy with legions of fans around the world. Lennon’s music has reached millions and is still loved after all of these years. In addition to being a singer/musician, he was also a songwriter, artist, actor and peace activist. He later went on to success as a solo performer. His work as a peace activist landed him in a bit of trouble in the 1970’s. During the Nixon era, the United States tried to deport him for his political ties, but was defeated in their efforts.

Sadly, Lennon was gunned down in New York City on December 8, 1980 by Mark David Chapman. His final album was released three weeks after his death.

Another reason that Lennon should be considered to be graced with a postage stamp is that he was an avid stamp collector. His collection containing more than 550 stamps has recently been auctioned off for a pricey sum.

The potential stamp is sponsored by Lennon supporter, collaborator and close friend Bruce Bieman. Sign your name on a petition heading to the Citizen’s Advisory Committee if you would like to see a John Lennon postage stamp issued in the near future.

John Lennon's Stamp Collection

John Lennon was a stamp collector for only a few short years. His collection that was bought from an auction in 2005 is still a point of interest by stamp collectors. Mostly it is his subsequent fame that has brought the collection the most value. The National Postal Museum purchased the collection at an auction in 2005 for $53,000. There are 565 stamps in the entire collection.

When John Lennon was in grade school (in the 1950’s), his teenage cousin introduced him to the fun of stamp collecting. He gave John a hardcover stamp album so that he could collect stamps on his own. Many of the stamps that Lennon collected came from children’s families who lived out of the country, who also attended boarding school with him. Lennon’s stamps are displayed in an alcove of the National Postal Museum in Washington, DC. The album is opened to
the flyleaf, where young John wrote his name and address. It is not surprising that Lennon added his own touches to the stamps in his collection. Many stamps have mustaches and whiskers in blue ink on the images of King George VI and Queen Victoria.

To view the album, visit the National Postal Museum which is next to Union Station in Washington, DC or click here for an online viewing of the album.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Was The Most Amazing Philatelist Of All Time Part II of II

In continuation from the post on Wednesday.

In the late summer of 1921, Roosevelt contracted infantile paralysis (polio), after visiting Boy Scout Camp. This debilitating disease struck him very hard. He was in constant pain and he was told that he would likely never be able to walk again. In an effort to keep his mind stimulated and provide mental diversion, he turned his attention to his vast stamp collection. Franklin Roosevelt has stated many times when asked about his favorite hobby, “I owe my life to my hobbies, especially stamp collecting.” Roosevelt felt that his love of stamp collecting helped him
return to a normal life.

FDR served as a New York State Senator and then Undersecretary of the Navy before his illness. By 1928 he was elected Governor of the state of New York. It was at this time that he became a life member of the American Philatelic Society. A mere four years later he was elected President of the United States. FDR’s fame as a stamp collector was known throughout the world. During his presidency, stamp collecting became the most popular hobby worldwide.

Amazingly enough, while President, Roosevelt either held influence or designed every stamp issued by the United States.

On the morning of April 12, 1945, Roosevelt approved the design for the new “Toward United Nations” commemorative stamp while visiting his retreat at the Little White House in Georgia. He then went and spent some time with his stamp collection. A short time later, Roosevelt collapsed and died of a massive cerebral hemorrhage while posing for a portrait.

By all accounts Franklin Delano Roosevelt was an amazing American Philatelist!

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Was The Most Amazing Philatelist Of All Time Part I of II

The great President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was an avid stamp collector. Sometime in 1890, when he was eight years old, his parents introduced him to the art of philately. This curious young boy began his great journey of stamp collecting and immersed himself completely in the hobby. He built such an enormous collection that by the time that he became President of the United States, he had albums for practically every country in the world.

In the 1800’s, the Roosevelt family was involved in trading and shipping with countries around the world. This young boy begged family members to send him mail and bring him his beloved stamps from around the world. He was not picky about the stamps he received. Nothing was eliminated from his collection; he wanted every stamp that he could lay his hands on.

He loved his stamps so much that later when he went away to prep school and then onto Harvard University, he took his entire stamp collection with him. For the remainder of his life, no matter the places he traveled to, his beloved collection traveled along with him in a wooden trunk. He is known to have spent hours each night with his stamp collection.

Please come back on Friday for the conclusion to this post.

The World's First Postage Stamp On Display

Click into the Tehran Times by clicking our blog post title to see an image of the world's first adhesive post stamp that has just been put on display in Tehran.

This important stamp belongs to the personal collection of Mehran Eshraqi and was purchased at an auction about ten years ago.

The Penny Black, the world’s first official adhesive postage stamp, was issued by the United Kingdom of Great Britain on May 1, 1840. It features a picture of Queen Victoria (1819-1901).

Other items on display are: the first Iranian postage stamp which was issued during the reign of Nasser ad-Din Shah (1831-1896) and stamps depicting the Jangal (Forest) Movement, a movement founded by Mirza Kuchak Khan, an early twentieth century revolutionary.

Mr. Eshraqi has said that he is getting ready to put many of his stamps in his personal collection on sale and the proceeds will be used to benefit orphan children in Rasht.

Famous Stamp Collectors: Anatoly Karpov

Anatoly Karpov, former chess champion of the world, has to think of strategic steps to take down his chess foe, until he’s collected all the other pieces from his opponent. His patience and precise actions aren’t limited to chess, but extend to other aspects of his life, especially stamp collecting.

Anatoly Karpov was born in Zlataoust in South Ural, where the popular hobby of the local schoolboys was to collect pins. Karpov, himself, had quite the collection; ranging from sports, Olympic, and chess pins. His original dream was to become a pilot or an officer for the Red Army of Russia, which is the reason his stamp collection started. His first stamp was a U.S.S.R. stamp that commemorated forty years of the Red Army, and showed a pilot, tank commander, and infantry officer all together.

Karpov’s interest in stamps from the U.S.S.R and old Russia was limited because they just weren’t enough to get him into philately. It was the fauna stamps of the British Empire that really peaked his fancy, so he began collecting. Now, he collects mostly chess and Olympic Games stamps from all over with the advise of other people from other countries. Karpov uses philately as a means to communicate to many different types of people throughout the world, and believes that stamp collecting shouldn’t be an individualist hobby.

Still, Karpov collects rare stamps and continues to fill up his books. It’s this vigor, which he uses to pursue stamp collecting that gains him the victory on the chess board.

Can Anybody Find Me… Freddie Mercury’s Stamp Collection?

Would you have guessed that Freddie Mercury, lead singer of Queen, was an avid stamp collector? Could you also have guessed that his philatelic interest began when he was a young boy in India? Although, back then, he probably wouldn’t have turned around if you’d called out, “FREDDIE MERCURY!”

Mercury was born on September 9, 1946 in Zanzibar (an island off of Africa) to a British Colonial Office cashier named Bomi Bulsara and his wife, Jer, who were Parsis from British India. Long before he was singing in front of millions of screaming fans as the lead singer of one of the most famous British rock bands of all time, Mercury was just a kid collecting stamps. His interest in stamp collecting was ignited by his father, who collected British Commonwealth stamps, and he began taking philately seriously around the age of nine. He chose each and every stamp in his collection based on design and color, and whether or not it was pleasant to the eyes. He would place them in symmetrical designs in his book and would often leave spaces blank or remove stamps to be replaced by new stamps.

By the time of Mercury’s death from AIDS on November 26, 1991, his collection had grown to be a beautiful arrangement, but was not of much value, from a professional philatelic standpoint. His father auctioned his late son’s collection, as well as his own, to raise money for the Mercury Phoenix Trust (the AIDS charity set up by Mercury’s former band mates and friend, Mary Austin), but only received about 8,000 pounds. His collection traveled far and wide and was available for public viewing up until 1999. It is now located in a vault in London, where it is no longer available to the public eye.

Famous Stamp Collectors: Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Franklin Delano Roosevelt –or more popularly known as “F.D.R.”— was a leader, in many respects. Being the thirty-second president of the United States of America, he led the country through the struggle of the Great Depression, the tragedy of World War II, and provided as a role model for those suffering from infantile paralysis (polio). It’s no surprise that a man who ran the country with such vigor and dedication would pursue his personal hobbies with the same spirit. Ever since he was eight years old, F.D.R. had a passion for stamp collecting that traveled with him his entire life, giving him renowned status in the world of philately.

Roosevelt’s parents were involved in the business of shipping and trading with countries all over the world. Naturally, this exposed the boy to countless varieties of stamps. This is, essentially, what sparked his interest in collecting, which included any and every type of stamp he came across. He was known for constantly bothering his relatives to send him all sorts of stamps, from all over the world.

In 1921, Roosevelt was diagnosed with polio, after visiting a Boy Scout camp. One of the major things that got him through his trying time of hardship, pain, and suffering was his intent focus on his stamp collection. In 1928, the same year he was elected Governor of New York, he also became a life member of the American Philatelic Society. The news of his hobby really hit the public four years later, when he became President of the United States of America. His influence in the world of philately brought it new levels of popularity and began to set trends among the people of the American nation.

Roosevelt used his stamps to gain knowledge of the world during the time of World War II, as he traveled the globe. Not a place did he go where his infamous trunk of stamps did not follow, devoutly studied and observed by him, each day. His stamps were his companions for the remainder of his life. On April 12, 1945, Roosevelt approved the design for a new commemorative stamp titled “Toward United Nations.” Later that day, while posing for a portrait, he died, suffering from a massive cerebral hemorrhage. It is said, though, that the President did not leave the earth before spending an hour solemnly taking pleasure in the enduring comfort of his stamps.