Brigham’s exhibit of Canada’s first issues to be shown at APS Stampshow

Ron Brigham’s world champion exhibit “The Pence and Cents, 1851-1868” will be featured in the court of honor at the American Philatelic Society’s annual summer convention and exhibition.

APS Stampshow will take place Aug. 21-24 at the Connecticut Convention Center, 100 Columbus Blvd., Hartford, Conn.

The exhibition, presented in association with Brigham Auctions Ltd., is being billed as “the last opportunity for Canadian and American philatelists and the general public to view this multi-award winning exhibit before it is dispersed.”

Brigham’s auction firm currently is offering his Canada collection through a series of auctions taking place near Toronto. The second of these sales is scheduled for June 6-7; details appear in Linn’s June 2 issue on page 1.

The Pence and Cents issues are the earliest stamps of Canada as a province, prior to the act of confederation that created the Dominion of Canada in 1867.

The Pence stamps are those denominated in Canadian pence into 1859. That year saw the introduction of new Canadian stamps denominated in the new Canadian decimal currency: the Cents.

These early issues are among Canada’s most treasured philatelic rarities. The designs show the Canadian beaver, and portraits of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and French explorer Jacques Cartier.

The exhibit includes essays, proofs and postal history, as well as the stamps and their many important varieties.

Brigham’s exhibit, recently featured at the May 30-June 1 Royal 2014 Royale exhibition in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is the only exhibit of Canada to win the Grand Prix d’Honneur, which occurred at the Belgica 2001 World Philatelic Exhibition in Belgium. It had previously been named the APS Champion of Champions exhibit in 1998.