USPS William Jennings Bryan & Scopes Monkey Trial

USPS on 19 March 1986 issued a First Day Cover stamp and cachet commemorating William Jennings Bryan and the Scopes Trial. Postmark cancellation on this FDC cachet originated from Cave-in-Rock, Illinois. Another FDC cancellation (not shown here) originated from Salem, Illinois, the birthplace of William Jennings Bryan.

Tom Broad designed the stamp. It was one the first stamps released in the Great American Series which included 64 patriots. The stamp had a $2 face value and was released on Bryan’s 126th birthday. One fun fact about the stamp is that it had the longest name in the series; so long that it needed to wrap around two sides of the stamp. A total of 57,250,000 were printed by Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

The cachet on the envelope depicted the core conflict of the Scopes 'Monkey Trial' by illustrating "Evolution" on the left (showing early humans and fire) and "Creation" on the right (showing Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden).

William Jennings Bryan, U.S. Congressman for Nebraska, three-time Democrat presidential candidate and former secretary of state under President Woodrow Wilson, argued for the prosecution, while famed labour and criminal lawyer Clarence Darrow served as the principal defense attorney for Scopes.  This landmark legal case in Tennessee debated the legality of teaching evolution in public schools.

High school teacher, John T. Scopes, was accused of violating the Butler Act, a Tennessee state law which outlawed the teaching of human evolution in public schools. The trial was deliberately staged in order to attract publicity to the small town of Dayton, Tennessee, where it was held. Scopes was unsure whether he had ever actually taught evolution, but he incriminated himself deliberately so the case could have a defendant. Scopes was represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, which had offered to defend anyone accused of violating the Butler Act in an effort to challenge the constitutionality of the law.

Scopes was found guilty and was fined $100 (equivalent to $1,800 in 2024), but the verdict was overturned on a technicality. 

William Jennings Bryan elicited mixed views during his lifetime and his legacy remains debated amongst historians. That said,  many recognise he played a major role in shaping U.S. public policies for more than 40 years. Known as “The Great Commoner,” William Jennings Bryan  is remembered for his impassioned speeches on a variety of topics, including anti-trust, anti-imperialism, prohibition, populism, and trust-busting. 

He is best known for his role in the Scopes Trial, hence the cachet design. Since his death in 1925 -- a week after the trial and in Dayton (Tennessee), incidentally -- scholars have warmed to his motives, if not his actions in the Scopes Trial because he rejected eugenics, a practice that many evolutionists of the 1920s favoured.

Source: Wikipedia and Mystic Stamps

Islamic Republic of Iran Post Solidarity with Bosnian Muslims

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN POST on  27 December 1993 issued a  set of First Day Cover reflecting Iran's solidarity with the Muslim population of Bosnia-Herzegovina during the Bosnian War.  Postmark cancellation originated from Tehran.

The three stamps depicted various scenes, including children, a man raising his hand in a gesture of solidarity, and a Muslim woman in a yellow headscarf, all set against backgrounds that included architectural elements reminiscent of Bosnia-Herzegovins mosques, symbolising support for the Bosnian Muslim community. The face value of these stamps were 40 Ris and 10 Ris denominations.

The cachet shown on the envelope contains various Iranian cultural and symbolic elements, including a mosque, the Iranian flag, and Olympic rings, suggesting a blend of national identity, religious significance, and perhaps a nod to sporting achievements. 

Islamic Republic of Iran Post Ayatollah Khomeini

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN POST on 27 July 1992 issued a set of First Day Cover stamps to  honour Ayatollah Khomeini, an Imam and founding patriarch of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He is shown in  traditional attire whilst fixing his turban and praying. Postmark cancellation originated from Tehran.

China Post 50th Anniversary of Three Battle Victories

CHINA POST on 14 November 1998 issued a set of five First Day Cover stamps commemorating the 50th anniversary of the battles waged at Liaoshen, Pingjin and Huaihai during the Chinese Civil War that was fought between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 1927 to 1949. The stamp designers were Chen Xiaocong, Wei Chuyu, Ji Hongmin. An offset printing process was used. Size was 50x30mm. This set of stamps is rendered here on maxicards.

The stamps included:

 - Making Splendid Plans, 50 fen (not shown)

- Conquering Jinzhou, 50 fen

- Decisive Battle Field in Huaihai, 50 fen

- Liberating Beiping, 50 fen

- Supporting the Forefront, 150 fen

From autumn and winter of 1948 to early 1949, the People's Liberation Army launched strategic and decisive campaigns against the Kuomintang army in northeast, north and central China. The three major campaigns: Liaoshen, Pingjin and Huaihai liberated a large area and some important cities, this wiping out the effective strength of the Kuomintang army and led to the Communist victory. 

The victory of these three major campaigns was waged by more than 10 million people who participated in repairing bridges and roads, transporting materials and rescuing injured soldiers.

Poste Française Cover

POSTE FRANÇAISE stamp cover of a letter sent to me from a fellow stamp collector.

Deutsche Bundespost Berlin Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin

DEUTSCHE BUNDESPOST BERLIN on 16 July 1981 issued a 60-pfennig postage stamp, commemorating the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin, also known as the International Radio Exhibition Berlin, or IFA. 

The stamp featured the building which was inaugurated on 22 January 1931 as the Haus des Rundfunks ("House of Broadcasting"), on Masurenallee in Berlin-Westend. It was the official seat of the Reichs-Rundfunk-Gesellschaft. Designed in 1929 by the architect Hans Poelzig (1869-1936), this triangular-shaped building was the world's first self-contained broadcasting centre and included a large concert hall.

A total of 7,820,000 stamps were printed using an offset lithography method. 

USPS 200 Anniversary of US-Morocco Friendship

USPS on 17 July 1987 issued a commemorative FDC envelope and stamp celebrating 200 years of friendship between the United States and Morocco. The cachet on the envelope depicted a person riding a camel, with a Moroccan flag and a desert landscape in the background, whereas the stamp featured a 12-pointed star in an  arabesque design. The postmark originated from Washington, D.C. The artwork was realised by John Swatsley. 

The Treaty of Peace and Friendship, ratified on 18 July 1787, marked the beginning of the longest unbroken amity treaty in American diplomatic history. Morocco was the first country to give naval salute to the US on 20 December 1777, before it was an independent nation. The Treaty of Marrakech was signed on 23 June 1786, in Marrakech. 

Deutsche Post Games of the XXII Olympiad

DEUTSCHE POST (DDR) issued a series of First Day Cover stamps  commemorating the 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, held in Moscow, Soviet Union from July 19 to August 3 of that year. FDC postmarks originated from Berlin in summer months of 1980.

The covers featured stamps of athletes participating in various Olympic events which were painted by painted East German artists. The stamps were marked with "Spiele der XXII. Olympiade 1980" ("Games of the XXII Olympiad 1980"). 

10 DDR Stamp: Depicts a gymnast on a balance beam, with a sculpture by Erich Wurzer. 

20+5 DDR Stamp: Shows runners at the finish line, with an oil tempera painting by Lothar Zitzmann. 

50 DDR Stamp: Features a rowing team in a four-person scull, with a painting by Wilfried Falkenthal. 

20+10 DDR stamp: featured a swimmer painted by Prof Will Sitte.

10 DDR stamp: depicted two Judokas in action painted by Erhard Schmidt

50 DDR stamp: showed two cyclists in a sprint by Siegfried Schreiber.

The 1980 Summer Olympics were notable for a boycott led by the United States and other countries in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Deutsche Post XIII Olympic Winter Games

DEUTSCHE POST (DDR) commemorated the 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, which were held in Lake Placid, New York, United States from February 13 to 24, 1980. 

20 DDR stamp: depicts a figure skater in motion painted by Joanna Starke.

25+1 DDR stamp: illustrates ski jumpers painted by  Günther Schültz.

10 DDR stamp: represents a bobsled team painted by Günther Rechen.

30 DDR stamp: shows speed skaters painted by Axel Wunsch.

The stamps included the text "XIII-OLYMPISCHE WINTERSPIELE 1980," which translates to "XIII Olympic Winter Games 1980". Postmark cancellation originated from Berlin, East Germany (DDR).

The 1980 Winter Olympics are remembered for events like the "Miracle on Ice," where the U.S. men's hockey team defeated the Soviet Union. Speed skater Eric Heiden also achieved a historic feat by winning five gold medals. This event marked the second time Lake Placid hosted the Winter Games, the first being in 1932. 

Afrique Occidental Francaise - AOF onDahomey woman

FRENCH WEST AFRICA  (Afrique Occidental Francaise - AOF) issued a thematic series depicting the women of French West Africa between 1946 to 1947.

French West Africa (AOF) was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), Dahomey (now Benin) and Niger. The capital of the federation was Dakar. The federation existed from 1895 until 1960.

This vintage postcard commemorated "Stamp Day" (Journée du Timbre) in Dahomey, now Benin, in 1946. The postcard included a stamp featuring a portrait of a Dahomey woman in traditional attire and a stylised illustration of a stilt village in the cachet. The text on the postcard reads "Carte Postale" (Postcard), "Journée du Timbre 1946," and "Cotonou: le village lacustre" (Cotonou: the lake village). It also mentions the "Société Philatélique du Dahomey" (Philatelic Society of Dahomey). The stamp itself is marked "Dahomey" and "Postes 2.50". The postcard was postmarked "Botonor. Dahomey.

Afrique Occidental Francaise - AOF Bacongo woman

FRENCH WEST AFRICA  (Afrique Occidental Francaise - AOF) issued a thematic series depicting the women of French West Africa between 1946 to 1947.

French West Africa (AOF) was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), Dahomey (now Benin) and Niger. The capital of the federation was Dakar. The federation existed from 1895 until 1960.

This vintage postcard is from the original photo used to design the Bacongo woman by Pierre Gandon for these 1947 French Equatorial Africa definitive stamps.

Nippon Post Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu

NIPPON POST on 1 October  2009 issued two First Day Cover stamps depicting the Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu, a historical parade in Hakone, Japan, that recreates the processions of feudal lords (daimyo) during the Edo period. It was one of the events featured in the Nippon Post "Furusato" (hometown) series.

The parade is based on the "sankin kotai" system, where daimyo were required to travel to Edo (now Tokyo) every other year. Hakone was an important checkpoint on the route. The parade takes place annually on November 3rd and is a major autumn event in Hakone. Around 170 to 400 people dressed in historical costumes, including samurai, princesses, and geisha, march through the town. The procession includes music, dancing, and musket demonstrations. The procession typically covers a 6-kilometer route from Sounji Temple to the Yumoto Fujiya Hotel, often passing through Hakone-Yumoto Station. 

Nippon Posurals from the Takamatsuzuka Tomb

NIPPON POST on 26 March 1973 issued three First Day Cover stamps displaying murals from the Takamatsuzuka Tomb, a kofun (burial mound) located in Asuka, Nara, Japan. The tomb is known for its vibrant murals, which are thought to be influenced by the art of the Tang Dynasty of China and Goguryeo. 

The murals featured on these stamps include: one of the guardian spirits -- Seiryu, a blue dragon guarding one of the four directions in the crypt; courtly figures dressed in Goguryeo-style clothes; and women richly attired and carrying round fans (sashiba) and Buddhist-related staffs. The woman dressed in red and carrying a staff is referred to as Asuka bijin, or "Beauty from Asuka." Postmark cancellation originated from Nara Asuka, Japan.

The Takamatsuzuka Tomb is a significant historical site, believed to have been built in the Fujiwara-kyo era (694-710), this five-meter tall two-tiered round burial mound has a diameter of 23 meters on the first level and a diameter of 18 meters on the second level. Though it is not known who was buried here, theories propose it may be the son of Emperor Tenmu, a royal vassal, or royalty from the Korean peninsula. 

The discovery of the murals in the 1970s has provided valuable insights into the art and culture of the Asuka period. The tomb is now a national historic site and is managed by the Japanese government. 

Deutsche Post "Wir Bauen Auf!"

DEUTSCHE POST Bundesland Sachsen" (German Post, State of Saxony) on 13 March 1946 issued two semi-postal stamps entitled "Wir Bauen Auf!" (We are building up!).

These stamps were issued in the Soviet occupation zone of East Germany after World War II to raise funds for reconstruction. The stamps carried face values of 6pf+44pf and 12pf+88pf, indicating that an additional amount was charged for the reconstruction fund.

The Zwinger Palace (green, 6pf+44pf) and Rathaus (red-orange, 12pf+88pf) stamps, both located in Dresden were severely damaged during World War II but were later meticulously restored.

The stamps were postmarked Dresden and affixed to a postcard of the destroyed Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), a Lutheran church in Dresden.

On 13 February 1945, Allied forces began the bombing of Dresden in World War II. The church withstood two days and nights of the attacks, and the eight interior sandstone pillars supporting the large dome held up long enough for the evacuation of 300 people who had sought shelter in the church crypt, before succumbing to the heat generated by some 650,000 incendiary bombs that were dropped on the city. The temperature surrounding and inside the church eventually reached 1,000 °C (1,830 °F). The dome finally collapsed at 10 a.m. on 15 February. The pillars glowed bright red and exploded; the outer walls shattered and nearly 6,000 tons of stone plunged to earth, penetrating the massive floor as it fell.

The remaining ruins were left for nearly half a century as a war memorial, following decisions of local East German leaders. Following the reunification of Germany, it was decided to rebuild the church, starting in 1994. The reconstruction of its exterior was completed in 2004, and the interior the following year. The church was reconsecrated on 30 October 2005 with festive services lasting through the Protestant observance of Reformation Day on 31 October. 

Source: Wikipedia

USPS 130th Anniversary of the American Civil War

USPS on 29 June 1995 issued  20 First Day Cover stamps commemorating the 130th anniversary of the American Civil War (1861-1865). These stamps, valued at 32 cents each, showcased key figures and events from the conflict. First Day of issue originated from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The stamps were printed by Stamp Venturers using the photogravure method. 

The stamps featured portraits and scenes related to the Civil War, including: 

- Robert E. Lee

- Jefferson Davis

- Abraham Lincoln

- Frederick Douglass

- Ulysses S. Grant

- David Farragut

- William T. Sherman

- Windfield Hancock 

- Joseph E. Johnston

- Mary Chesnut

- Phoebe Pember

- Clara Barton 

- Harriet Tubman

- Stand Watie

- Raphael Semmes

- "Stonewall" Jackson

- Battle of Shiloh 

- Battle of Gettysburg

- Battle of Chancellorsville 

- Battle of Monitor & Merrimack 

U.S. Cover 3¢, 6¢ and 13¢ Postage

U.S. stamp cover of mixed  topics, i.e. presidents, nature, medicine, conservation, that was received a few days ago. Most have a 13¢ denomination which were issued in the 1970s.

The most interesting is the 3-cent postage stamp from 1937,  featuring three Civil War generals: William Tecumseh Sherman, Ulysses S. Grant, and Philip Sheridan. The stamp was part of a series honouring important 18th- and 19th-century U.S. Army officers. It was issued by the Post Office Department on 18 February 1937. 

This stamp is not valid for postage today. As of 31 July 2023, old stamps without a barcode (note bottom of envelope) are no longer valid unlike Pos Malaysia stamps.

Afrique Occidental Française Fulani Woman

AFRIQUE OCCIDENTAL FRANÇAISE (AOF) commerative cover of Fulani woman, postmarked Guinea Conakry (French Guinea) in 1956 and issued on vintage postcard.

Afrique Occidental Française (AOF) Ouolove Woman

AFRIQUE OCCIDENTAL FRANÇAISE (AOF) cover of Ouolove woman, postmarked Dakar (Senegal) in 1965 and issued on vintage postcard with commemorative stamp marking the centennial anniversary of Dakar.

U.S. POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT Centenary of Civil War

U.S. POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT (POD) on 4 September 1965 issued a  First Day Cover  commemorating the American Civil War Centennial (1961-1965). Cancellation originated from Appomattox, Virginia. This engraved FDC sheet represented  key events during the war. 

The stamps in the series included:

Fort Sumter (1861): A coastal fort in Charleston, South Carolina, where the first shots of the American Civil War were fired on 12 April 1861.  

Shiloh (1862): The stamp was released on peach blossom-coloured paper, referencing the peach orchard where part of the battle occurred.

Gettysburg (1863): Fought 1-3 Jul 1863 was the turning point in the American Civil War with over 51,000 casualties and marked a major Union victory.

Wilderness (1864): a bloody battle, closely fought hand-to-hand with heavy casualties on both sides, considered a tactical draw in Grant's Overland Campaign. 

Appomattox (1865): The site of the Confederate surrender, effectively ending the war. Quote "With malice toward none" is from Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address.

Nippon Post "Portrait of a Lady" by Okada Saburōsuke

NIPPON POST on 20 April 1970 issued as part of Philatelic Week a First Day Cover stamps showing the painting of "Portrait of a Lady" with Tsuzumi drum by Okada Saburōsuke (1869-1939). 35,000,000 stamps of this design were issued. 

Okada Saburōsuke's "Portrait of a Lady", oil on canvas, won first prize at the 1907 Tokyo Industrial Exhibition for this painting, which initially was entitled Study in Purple, a reference to the purple cords that lace the drum. The woman wearing a Genroku-style kimono and her hair in a chignon seem about to strike the drum. In the background is a Rimpa-style folding screen with a design of fringed pinks and flowing water. This painting was commissioned by Takahashi Yoshio, who was involved in the management of Mitsukoshi Drapery Store and had touched off the Genroku motif boom. The subject is his wife, Chiyoko.

La Poste France Cover

LA POSTE FRANCE cover showing stamps of Eugène-François Vidocq, a former criminal and founder of the French Sûreté (National Police), Amphitheatre of Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, 100th anniversary of first French airmail service between Nancy and Lunéville in 1912, and lastly, Guadeloupe raccoon ( Procyonlotor).

USPS Cover Native Americans and Christmas Block Stamps

USPS on 25 April 2025 issued a series of USA Forever stamps entitled "Powwows: Celebrating Native American Culture," which honour Native American gatherings. The stamps featured original paintings by Cochiti Pueblo artist Mateo Romero, depicting Native American dancers in traditional regalia. Four different dance styles were represented: Women's Fancy Shawl, Women's Traditional, Crow Hop, and Men's Hoop Dance. Powwows are significant cultural events for Indigenous people, fostering community and celebrating traditions through dance, music, and art.

This cover included a block of USPS Christmas stamps showing a snow-covered rural mailbox filled with cards and packages. This 13 cent stamp was first issued in 1977. The cover is dated 30 April 2025. Postmark cancellation originated from Hoosick Falls, New York.

USPS Battle of Chancellorsville

USPS on 29 June 1995 issued a 32-cent stamp, commemorating the Battle of Chancellorsville during the American Civil War. The stamp depicted Union artillery in action during the Battle of Chancellorsville, which ended in a Confederate victory on 6 May  1863. The cachet on the envelope shows the battlefield where Confederate General Stonewall Jackson was mortally wounded. It is based on the Apocryphal painting by Kurz and Allison, 1889. Mark Hess designed the stamp to emulate a "folksy stiffness" in photography of the period. 300 million stamps were printed by Stamp Venturers. Postmark cancellation originated from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

The Battle of Chancellorsville, fought from 30 April to 6 May 1863, was a significant Civil War engagement where Confederate General Robert E. Lee's  Army of Northern Virginia, though outnumbered, achieved a tactical victory against a larger Union army under General Joseph Hooker. Lee achieved this decisive tactical victory by outmaneuvering and outflanking the Union forces. Lee's unorthodox tactics, including splitting his army and attacking the Union flank, are considered to be a testament to his military genius. Union General Hooker, while initially confident, displayed hesitation in his actions, which contributed to the Confederate success. 

Despite his tactical win with only 60,000 men  engaged, Lee's army suffered 13,303 casualties (1,665 killed, 9,081 wounded, 2,018 missing), losing some 22% of his force in the campaign—men that the Confederacy, with its limited manpower, could not replace. Just as seriously, he lost his most aggressive field commander, Stonewall Jackson. Brig. Gen. Elisha F. Paxton was the other Confederate general killed during the battle. 

Of the 133,000 Union men engaged, 17,197 were casualties (1,606 killed, 9,672 wounded, 5,919 missing), a percentage much lower than Lee's, particularly considering that it includes 4,000 men of the XI Corps who were captured on 2 May 1863.  The Union lost three generals in the campaign: Maj. Gens. Hiram G. Berry and Amiel W. Whipple and Brig. Gen. Edmund Kirby.

Nevertheless, buoyed by the outcome, Lee later launched an offensive into Pennsylvania, where the opposing armies met on the battlefield in Gettysburg in July 1863.

 

La Poste Republique Française Cover

LA POSTE REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE on 9 May1998 issued a series of stamps commemorating "The Day of the Letter". Each stamp depicted a different era in the history of communication: 

- A dove carrying a letter, representing early forms of message delivery.

- An astronaut in space holding a letter, symbolising modern communication technology. 

- A knight on horseback with a letter, representing medieval mail delivery. 

- A runner in ancient Greek attire with a letter, referencing the marathon and early forms of written communication. 

Each stamp had a value of 3,00F. This cover has a postmark cancellation dated 8 April 2025.

Additionally, this cover has a La Poste stamp on it  honouring French citizens Jean Moulin, Jean Jaurès, and Victor Schœlcher who are interned at the Panthéon in Paris. The stamp was issued on 21 May 1981.

And lastly, French symbol Marianne de Luquet was issued in a then-new 2002 series of definitive stamps.

La Poste Republique Française Death Centenary of Prosper Mérimée

LA POSTE REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE issued on 14 February 1970, a First Day Cover stamp commemorating death centenary of Prosper Mérimée (1803-1870), a notable figure in French literature and history. It carried a face value of 0.40 French Francs. 

The engraver of this green-blue stamp was Claude Haley, whereas the designer was Clément Serveau. An Intaglio printing method was used to issue 4,500,000 stamps.

The design featured a portrait of Mérimée, a depiction related to his novella "Carmen", and possibly referencing the Roman amphitheater at Orange, which he helped preserve when he was the inspector of historical monuments in France. 

Prosper Mérimée is best known for his 1845 novella Carmen which Bizet adapted into an opera. It was first performed at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 3 March 1875. Hence, the cachet on this maxim card alludes to Carmen.

Liberia 20th Anniversary of ELWA Radio

LIBERIA on 16 January 1974 issued a First Day Cover (FDC) stamp combo to commemorate the 20th anniversary of ELWA Radio. It was a missionary radio station in Liberia. It's call letters ELWA stood for Eternal Love Winning Africa. This particular FDC features four stamps, two 15-cent and two 17-cent stamps, depicting the map of Africa and a person with luggage. The postmark cancellation originated from Monrovia, Liberia. 

This radio station, which operated on shortwave, could be received worldwide in the 1970s (see QSL card below). When civil war broke out in Liberia in 1990, the radio station was burned and looted. For the next 13 years, ELWA Radio struggled to stay on the air through waves of civil strife, broadcasting from an old garage building. ELWA was threatened again when a fire gutted that building in 2011. 

With faith and determination, the ELWA Radio staff set up two studios in the transmitter building and continued work, carrying their listeners through the difficult times of the Ebola epidemic in 2014 and the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020.

The station currently operates primarily on FM with a 2kW transmitter; SW transmission at one point resumed with a 1kW, much less than its former power.

MAURITANIE (AOF) 1st Transmauritanian Air Circuit

MAURITANIE  AFRIQUE OCCIDENTALE FRANÇAISE on 28 January 1946 issued a special airmail event commemorating the first voyage of the Transmauritanian Air Circuit. This particular envelope featured a cover with two stamps of a Mauritan couple. The stamps on the envelope have a face values of 2.25F and 1.75F, along with circular postmarks indicating "ST. LOUIS SENEGAL" and "ATAR MAURITANIE," both dated 28 January 1946. Additional text included "PAR AVION" (by airmail) and "1er VOYAGE" (first voyage).

The route on the cachet states "CIRCUIT AÉRIEN TRANSMAURITANIEN". Destinations were Saint-Louis-du-Sénégal, Nouakchott, Port-Étienne, Atar, Fort-Gouraud, Atar, Tichitt, Tidjikja, Moudjéria, and back to Saint-Louis-du-Sénégal.

United States Post Office Centenary of American Turners - 1948

UNITED STATES POST OFFICE on 20 November 1948 issued a First Day Cover commemorating the 100th anniversary (1848-1948) of the American Turners. This particular cover featured a block of four red, 3-cent stamps. 62,285,000 of these stamps were printed using a rotary process with electric-eye perforation. FDC cancellation postmark originated from Cincinnati, Ohio. The stamp's design caused some controversy upon release.

Acting Postmaster General Joseph Lawler initially opposed the stamp, arguing that issuing a commemorative stamp for the Turners, a German-American gymnastics organisation, would set a precedent and could be perceived as discriminatory or unfair to other organisations, i.e. YMCA, Knights of Columbus, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc. 

The 80th Congress, supported by the Senate, passed a resolution authorising the stamp, overriding the Post Office's objections. Under pressure from Congress, the Post Office eventually relented and issued the stamp, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the American Turners Society. The stamp's eventual issuance became a landmark, even though it was controversial at the time.

By 1961, Life magazine mocked the cluttered design of the stamp: “Upon this stamp appear a torch, a pair of hanging rings, the dates 1848 and 1948, the words ‘One hundredth anniversary of the’…American Turners’ emblem with its motto, ‘Sound mind sound body,’ an athlete about to throw a discus, a wreath, two oak branches and a profusion of ribbon-work, shields and other ornaments. Now, to get all that on one stamp…was a great accomplishment; it must have destroyed the retinas of a dozen steel engravers. But were the people who mailed letters impressed? They were not. They complained that the stamp looked crowded.”

Turnvereine are German-American gymnastic clubs, also known as Turners. This association of gymnasts was founded by the German teacher and patriot Friedrich Ludwig Jahn in Berlin in 1811. The term now also denotes a place for physical exercise. The early turnvereins were centres for the cultivation of health and vigor through gymnastic exercise, including the use of such modern gymnastic equipment as the horizontal bar, parallel bars, pommel horse, and vault. The organisations were also intended to prepare German youth to defend their country against Napoleonic France, and gymnasts were encouraged to develop a spirit of patriotism and Deutschheit (“Germanness”).

In the German states during the Revolution of 1848, some turnverein members sided with factions who unsuccessfully revolted against the monarchy, and they were forced to leave the country. 

Turnvereins were subsequently established by such émigrés in other countries, notably the United States, at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1848, where the organisation now called the American Turners was founded. Francis Lieber, a prominent Turnverein member, was a leading figure in promoting gymnastics and field of study in the United States.

Source: Wikipedia, Smithsonian, American Turners and Mystic Stamps

Deutsche Post Cover America's First Mail Delivery and Definitives

DEUTSCHE POST on 4 April 2024 issued an 85-cent commemorative souvenir sheet marking the 150th anniversary of "Tag der Briefmarke - America's First" (Stamp Day - America's First mail delivery). It depicted the letter that was sent on 22 August 1843, from Rio de Janeiro to Santos, Brazil, aboard the ship S. Sebastião. The letter's route covered approximately 270 nautical miles (500 km). It used all available denominations of the "Ochsenaugen" (bull's eyes) stamps, a total of 240 réis. This letter is the only known surviving example with this combination of stamps, making it a philatelic rarity.

Additionally this cover carried three definitive stamps currently used in Germany.

La Poste France 150th Snniversary of the Opera Carmen

LA POSTE FRANCE issued on 31 March 2025 this souvenir sheet marking the 150th anniversary of the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet.

This cover was posted on 5 April, arrived in Malaysia on 24 April and delivered today, 28 April. Apparently it was misplaced in transit last week, which rarely happens.

India Post Cover for India Post Anniversary and Indian Air Force Anniversary

INDIA POST cover featuring stamps celebrating the 150th anniversary (1854-2004) of India Post and 75th anniversary (1932-2007) of the Indian Air Force. I received this letter last week from a fellow stamp collector in India.

Maroc Postes Traditional Moroccan Jewelry

MAROC POSTES in 1952 issued a set of four Moroccan postage stamps to aid the  "Maroc Solidarite"  which was a common source for charitable funds in France, their colonies and other European countries in post-WWII. Each stamp featured traditional Moroccan jewelry and bore  different denominations and colours: 

- 15 Francs: daggers from southern Morocco

- 20 Francs: jewelry from Fez

- 25 Francs:  fibulas from the Atlas Mountains

- 50 Francs (air mail):  fibulas and necklaces in northern Morocco 

These stamps were likely issued to raise funds for social causes in Morocco. The circular postmarks on these stamps included the text "Cherifien Postes Tangers" (French Protectorate) and dated 28 March 1953. This particular cover was posted to New York.