News
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US Stamps Feb 2, 2016, 3 AM
Expertizing something that doesn’t exist
by By John M. HotchnerOver the years, expertization certificates have been issued for color shades and paper varieties that later were deemed never to have really existed and were delisted by catalogs. -
US Stamps Feb 1, 2016, 10 PM
Born Feb. 2: George Halas
by By Michael BaadkeA 32¢ stamp honoring George Halas was issued in 1997 as part of a set of four stamps commemorating famous football coaches. Halas led the Chicago Bears through 40 seasons. -
World Stamps Feb 1, 2016, 7 AM
East Midlands members entertain at the Royal
by CMS AdminFifteen members of The Royal Philatelic Society London, all living in the East Midlands, presented the displays shown to members during the afternoon of 28 January. -
US Stamps Feb 1, 2016, 5 AM
Seeded program distributed at first-day ceremony
by By Michael BaadkeA special variety of the first-day program for the United States Botanical Art forever stamps was given to everyone attending the ceremony in Atlanta. -
Auctions Feb 1, 2016, 4 AM
24¢ steel blue Washington block surpasses $86,000 in Siegel auction
by By Matthew Healey, New York CorrespondentA “European connoisseur’s collection” of classic United States that crossed the block Dec. 15 held a number of gems resurfacing on the market for the first time since being sold as part of the collection of Alfred H. Caspary in 1956. -
US Stamps Jan 31, 2016, 10 PM
Born Feb. 1: Victor Herbert
by By Michael BaadkeVictor Herbert made his mark as a musician, as a composer, and as the leader of some of America's prominent music ensembles. He was also a founder of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). -
Auctions Jan 31, 2016, 4 AM
Spectacular ‘Missing Virgin’ error sells for $170,000
by By Matthew Healey, New York CorrespondentTopping off the Feldman auction highlights was a “Missing Virgin,” a spectacular and seldom-seen error from among the early issues of the British Virgin Islands. -
US Stamps Jan 30, 2016, 10 PM
Born Jan. 31: Franz Schubert
by By Michael BaadkeBorn Jan. 31, 1797, Austrian composer Franz Schubert was prolific during his short life, which ended in 1828. His fame grew monumentally after his death. -
World Stamps Jan 30, 2016, 10 AM
1950-58 Italy at Work series: timeless stamps honor ceaseless toil
by By Fred BaumannThe Italia al Lavoro series of pictorial definitives came upon the scene Oct. 20, 1950, as a series of 19 vertically formatted, monochrome pictorial definitives (Scott 549-567). Denominated from 50 centesimi to 200 lire, the 24-millimeter by 40mm stamps were initially printed in sheets of 50 on paper with one of three Winged Wheel watermarks at the State Printing Institute Office of Securities in Rome. -
US Stamps Jan 30, 2016, 9 AM
First Bureau Issues on cover can be collected in many ways
by By Labron HarrisIn 1894, the government decided to have the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing print U.S. postage stamps. The first issue of stamps from the BEP came to be called the First Bureau Issue. -
Auctions Jan 30, 2016, 7 AM
5¢, 13¢ Hawaii Missionaries go for almost $53,000 in Harmer-Schau sale
by By Matthew Healey, New York CorrespondentA 5¢ Hawaii Missionary (Scott 2), one of the legendary 1851-52 first issues made by white missionaries living in what were then called the Sandwich Islands, was offered as a handsome example of the mere 39 used survivors. -
Auctions Jan 30, 2016, 5 AM
State Dept. Official ‘Specimen’ sells for $17,250 in Bennett sale
by By Matthew Healey, New York CorrespondentThe standout item, depicted on the front cover of Linn’s issue of Dec. 14 previewing the sale, was an 1875 Special Printing of the $2 Department of State Official stamp. -
World Stamps Jan 30, 2016, 4 AM
France column makes debut in Linn's
by By Donna HousemanLarry Rosenblum returns to Linn’s with a bimonthly column dedicated to the stamps and postal history of France. -
World Stamps Jan 30, 2016, 4 AM
Identifying Belgium’s first stamp issue: the Epaulettes of 1849
by By Sergio SismondoIn the December 21, 2015, Linn’s monthly, I mentioned determined officials in London — early exponents of the adage “what is good for business is good for the country” — who put through a bold and astonishing postal reform that brought down rates, sometimes as high as 16 pence, uniformly to a single penny. -
US Stamps Jan 30, 2016, 2 AM
Howard Koslow, prolific artist of U.S. Lighthouse series, dead at 91
by By Bill McAllister, Washington CorrespondentHoward Koslow, one of the United States Postal Service’s most prolific stamp artists and painter of its 30 classic Lighthouse stamps, died Jan. 25 at his home in Toms River, N.J. -
World Stamps Jan 30, 2016, 1 AM
Alphonse Mucha: art nouveau stamp designer extraordinaire
by By William B. HughesAlphonse Mucha is perhaps the best-known artist of the art nouveau movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and a great stamp artist as well. -
Auctions Jan 29, 2016, 10 AM
‘Double pony express’ cover fetches $9,775 in Rumsey sale
by By Matthew Healey, New York CorrespondentSchuyler Rumsey held three sales of United States classic and Western postal history and private die medicine stamps on Dec. 11-12 in San Francisco. The Western postal history sale included abundant covers documenting the private couriers and express companies that carried mail in the pioneer days of the western United States. -
World Stamps Jan 29, 2016, 10 AM
Australia 2016 ‘emergency’ set sells for more than $1,000 on eBay
by By Glen StephensAustralia Post’s recent rate increase has created a new rarity ? specially-printed 30¢ stamps available only for a short time in the Adelaide area. -
World Stamps Jan 29, 2016, 8 AM
Love letters: hearts on stamps
by By Denise McCartyRecent stamps conveying themes of love or commemorating events have featured a heart as their main design or are shaped like a heart. -
Auctions Jan 29, 2016, 8 AM
Austria stamp overprinted 'Poczta Polska' tops $13,000 in Cherrystone sale
by By Matthew Healey, New York CorrespondentCherrystone Auction Galleries held a sale of worldwide stamps and covers on Jan. 12-13 at its offices in New York. Two scarce early stamps of Poland were among the highlights.