STAMP COLLECTING

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 261, 31 July 1937, Page 2 (Supplement)

STAMP COLLECTING

By

“KAATA”

On the tenth anniversary of Charles Lindbergh’s solo flight from New York to Paris (May 20, 1927), France announced the issuance of a Lindbergh commemorative stamp, to add to the many stamps and covers commemorating Lindbergh flights since his memorable crossing. There are collectors' who make a specialty of stamps and covers issued for Lindbergh flights or carried by Lindbergh on his many trips throughout North and Central America. On his return from Paris on the United States cruiser Memphis, he started a triumphal tour of the United States by aeroplane, carried mail stamped with special postmarks and cachets. This is highly prized philatelic material selling up to £25 a cover.

Lindbergh Stamps. Soon after his return to the United States that country honoured him with a 10-cent air mail stamp featuring his aeroplane the Spirit of St. Louis on a map of his route. When he started late in 1927 on his tour of Central America and the "West Indies, every country issued special postmarks for their air mail and the letters he carried. Cuba, Costa Rica and Panama issued overprints on their air mail stamps. Costa Rica’s stamp, especially, is interesting as it showed Columbus and his fleet and was overprinted for the Lindbergh flight, marking two epic Atlantic crossings. Newfoundland in 1931 issued a map stamp showing his flight, and Spain honoured him with a stamp in 1930. Lindbergh’s flight and the subsequent stamps issued in his honour gave an impetus to air mail philately. While many countries had issued air mail stamps prior to bis flight there was a growing army of air mail collectors, the avalanche of air mail stamps since that flight has been reflected in today’s large number of air mail collectors.

“Tin Can” Covers. The flow of covers to the Union Steam Ship Company, Wellington, for the “Tin Can” Island mail, which leaves New Zealand for Niuafoou on August 27, is increasing daily. To get clear and well-defined postmarks the envelopes should be of an adequate size—about six inches wide and five inches deep. These covers always make a good showing, and collectors will find that the bigger the cover, within reason of course, for the “Tin Can” cancellations, the better. It is important that 6d. in New Zealand stamps must accompany each coversent to the Union Company for dispatch.

New Issues. The United States will shortly issue a territorial series featuring the possessions of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. In

August a commemorative stamp is expected for Virginia Dare, the first white child born of English parents on this continent at Roanoke Island, N.C., on August 18, 1557. Philatelists backed by Secretary of Commerce Harold L. Ickes, are also trying to get Roosevelt’s approval for a series of stamps featuring the Indians. . . . Grenada and Kenya will use the current pictorials replacing the vignette of George V with that of George VI. . . . Cuba will celebrate 400 years of sugar-cane production with a three-value stamp issue. St. Helena will have a new pictorial issue, featuring George VI and the badge of the colony. . . . Two Hungarian poets have been honoured with stamps during the past month. . . . Lebanon and Syria have issued special sets featuring their buildings at the Paris International Exhibition. . . . Danzig issued one day this month two stamps for a postal exhibition, the stamps being on sale 24 hours only and limited to 10 a person. . . . Fiji will have a complete new pictorial issue showing native scenes and view of the islands, with a vignette of George VI. . . . Three sets, for regular postage, air-mail and postage due have been issued for the new French Equatorial Africa postal region. QUESTION BOX. “A.C.,” Upper Hutt. — Your cover is being held over for a further examination. “E.N.R.,” Featherston.— Send whatever covers you have to Pan-American Airways, San Francisco. No advice has yet been received as to when the service will commence, and no mail charges have yet been announced. It would be best to send the New Zealand equivalent of one dollar and ask PanAmerican to add any surplus to the covers in stamps. “K.C.,” Palmerston North.— Possibly through the tension between China and Japan affecting postal services, your cover has been delayed.