Mustangs motivate January cartoon contest winner

U.S. Stamp Notes by John M. Hotchner

The horse in the cartoon caption contest design for January, the 1869 2¢ stamp (Scott 113), motivated several Linn’s readers to reflect on how to power U.S. Postal Service delivery vehicles.

The subject was nicely summarized by John De Bord of Vallejo, Calif., who represents several other similar entries: “Going Green long before it became a mandate! A bit of biofuel (hay/oats/water) and off you go!”

COVID-19 was the subject of several entries that turned the design into a Paul Revere moment. The first to arrive was this entry from Don Babcock of Chesapeake, Va: “The COVID is coming! The COVID is coming!!!”

Other Linn’s readers connected the horse and rider to the current USPS financial reset under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy who has emphasized cost reduction.

From this group is “I’m PMG DeJoy’s dream about how to make the USPS great again” by Earl Schaffer of Severna Park, Md.

Bob Bialo of Cary, Ill., the winner of the best philatelic line contrasts the 1869 stamp design with that of a 1999 stamp showing a Ford Mustang (Scott 3188h). That 33¢ stamp was issued Sept. 17, 1999, one of 15 stamps in the Celebrate the Century pane honoring the 1960s.

On the nonphilatelic side, the winner is Ryan Baum of Davis, Calif., who relies on current news for his inspiration with “My horse is named ‘Inflation’ and he is starting to run away. How do I stop him?”

Both winners will receive a 13-week subscription to Linn’s (a new subscription or an extension). Here are the best of the other runners-up:

“I like to feed my horse fast food” by Alex Hamling, sent by email.

“In the future, mail carriers will drive electric cars, stay warm, have predictable hours, be off on holidays, and be paid a living wage. I was born 100 years too soon!” by Mary Lou Moseley of Owensboro, Ky.

“Hurry boy, find me a gas station with a bathroom,” from Jeff Bushman of Mesa, Ariz.

“If this stamp were bigger, could my horse run faster?” by Mildred Barylski of Warrenton, Va.

“This is the farthest I’ve been able to ride a carousel horse!” sent by Gilbert Schaye of New York, N.Y.

“I deliver letters for only 2¢, and that’s straight from the horse’s mouth,” from Harold Forbes of Castleton, Vt.

“Slow down. I didn’t expect that tour of the glue factory to frighten you so much!” by Steve Kotler of San Francisco, Calif.

“I wonder what those two lights in the church belfry were all about?” by Bob Bertolet of Ridgeland, Miss.

Thanks and a tip of the hat to all who entered. The next contest will be announced in the March 14 issue of Linn’s. 

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