Philatelic revenue

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33096, 11 December 1972, Page 16

Philatelic revenue

Sir, —Your columnist, Kenneth Anthony, comments that the date in the legend “Circumnavigation of Antarctica, 1772” on the 35 cent Australian Antarctic Territory stamp is “not an error,” that being the year of the start of Cook’s second voyage. But the circumnavigation commenced in 1773 and ended in 1775, surely the correct year for commemoration. The motive is “first-in” greed. The Australian philatelic service is producing more and more expensive stamps, and, although their Antarctic issues are usually valid for mainland postage, the present series has firstday facilities only at the Southern bases, returning by sea after months of delay. A complete set with all combinations and postmarks costs the Antarctic specialist $ll.BB, surely beating the “sand-dune wallpaper” issues of the Persian Gulf States hands down in exploiting the philatelic hobby—Ned Kellys after kids’ pocket money.— Yours, etc., “JIM ABELSON.” December 10, 1972.