The Philatelic Reader #5

The PowayStamp Clab Announceslts
Annual Voice Sale
Wednesday,
May 28,2003
6:00-7:00PM Wewingof Lots - 7:00PM BittulingBegins
At the Carmel Mountain Ranch-SabreSpringsRec Center
Just Off the I-15 and Ted Williams Parlway Junction
at 10152Rancho CarmelDrive, San Diego, CA
*********{.*{.***{.**{.{.******'{.t
*********
All San Diego Philatelists(Cfub Members& Non-Aub Members)are invited to bring lotsfor sale
and to pafticfuab in Oar Annual Auction, All lots sholl havea minimum cdalog value of $5.00.
I 0% of Seiling hice will bepaid.to ThePowayStampAub, Anive ear$ if binging loa for salc.
ThePhilatelic Reuder
Quarterly Newsletterof the San Diego Philatelic Library and Council Dedicatedto the Advancementof Philately in Southern Caffirnia
YolumeL Issue #5, Whole#5
FromTheEditor....
I
UpcomingEYents..
2
FeaturedArticle
MekongMemorabilia....................
ABit of Philately
TheBiuePaperVariety................. 5
Albums- MakeYourOwn............
Colleotor'sComer
JointIssues(Or "Twinsor
CognateIssues.......
StampsandCoversFrom
RattlesnakeIsland .
From The Editor
Our Philatelic Library is a temendous qsset one that we ought not takefor granted. Open Mondcy,
Wednesday,Thursday and Saturday at scheduled times
(shown on the last page ofthis newsletter), the Library
lacks only two things - people to use it and yolunteers
1 Aoril 2003
YourNickel'sWonh
FromtheBookShelf........................9
FromtheMagazine
Rack.................. l0
Who'sWho In SouthemCalifomia... 10
MysteryStamps.....
11
LibraryNews.........
II
ClubComer...........
12
Donations
- A ThankYou ................ l3
And Don't Forget..
l3
Map, Library Hours
t4
Credits
14
to open it qdditional hours. Both are severely lacking!
In fdct, during the tnonth oJFebnnry, the Library had
only 18 ]asitors, not counting the volunteers who staff
some lonely thifts. And of the ISwho visited, the vast
majoity isited only once, attending thefirst Saturdq!
SWAPEX stomp tading session.
I've ofien heqrd it said "l have everything I
need in my own Library at home, so I don't need to go
to the Library." Well, do you have a signoscope for
watermark detection, or a fuorescent lanp Jbr
detecting tags? How about Linn's Stamp Nsrrs, Global
Stamp Neu's, Stamp Collector,
The Americqn
Philatelist, and a myriad of other current srycialty
peiodicals? How about the StanlEt Gibbons' Colour
Guide, or samples oJ the di.llbrent types oJpaper used
in prodacing stamps? Our Library ofers each of the
joregoing plus a great deal more. Or, if you're
fortunate enough to have all oJ the Joregoing in your
home library and already know cll you need to know
about collecting stamps in jnur chosenfeld, then how
about shaing some of that lotowledge with other
collectors who may not be so|brtuna e. Evenjor those
whose collecting interests mqy be very specialized, I
Jind it hard to believe that there is nothing to be
gleaned from our Library holdings. And ifyou are as
Itnowledgeable as you think you are, thenyou cerlainly
have a great deal to share with other collectors - if not
an obligation to do so. If our hobby is m survive
he-vondthe cun'ent era of sef-gratifcation, you and I
must give some seious thought about our contribution.
While we welcome and encourage your
increased usage oJ the Librury qs a patron, we would
dlso IikE lo make il available al more limes throughoul
the week and accomplish more of the basic work
required o/a Library. That takes volunteers. Ifyou'd
like to volunteer a Jew hours aweek,just let one ofus
btow and v e will work it out to suit Wur schedule. Or,
ifyou don't vant to make a recurring commitment and
would instead just like to work a Jew hours here and
there, that would be most welcome as well. Just come
down duing one ofthe current shifrs qnd we'll put you
to work in a friendly and challenging environment.
In addition to the satisfaction of helping
others qnd contibuting to our hobb!, i/ only by your
presence, there qre some additional benefts to be
gained. Patrons as well as yolunteer workers will fnd
a table of philatelic supplies, book;, cqtqlogs, and
peiodicals ot bargain pices just inside the lront
entfo ce. Freque tly, for a small donation, one cqn
fnd nice philatelic mateiqls for use in your collection
- much less etpensiye lhan orulering new ;from retail
sources. And last but not least, who lotows what ))ou
mightfind in the boxes offree snups that are available
for your brou,sing.
One final parting thought - it costs
approximately $1,000 a month in cold, hard cash to
Iease, pay for utilities, and otherwise make the Librdry
available for your use. With only 18 patrons making
use of this tremendous asset, it doesn't take a locket
scientist to recognize that the econouies ol continued
operation are questionable at best. It is not acceptqble
to say' thot' is the Library's problem or the problem of
the Philatelic Council in linding a wqy to make the
Library sef-susaining. The Library is you. Its your
Library and as the old saying goes - use it or lose it!
NOBENT E KOHL
siamF a Obcouni €upptt€3
For Cr{.cro.!
OD
259€9 Olen Ed6 Rd, ra8
coron., c491719
By Appohn$€r$
90$4rr-241o
UncominsEvents
SI{APEX - An opportunity to get to know other
collectors over coffee and doughnuts,trad€ stamps,
postalhistory,andsupplies,orjust browsethe Library
for a goodbook on your areaof interest. This one of a
kind trading sessionis held the first Saturdayof each
monthfrom 9 AM. to 1 P.M. Don't missthis gleat
opportunity. Mark the following SWAPEX dateson
your calendarAprit 5
May 3
IuD,e7
JUry)
August2
September
6
October4
November1
SANDIPEX Monthly Samp Show - at the Al Bahr
ShrineCenter,5440KeamyMesaRoad,SanDiego,CA
from 10:00-5:00.Mark your calendarwith the 2003
ShowSchedule
asfollows:
April 13
May 18
June15
July20
August17
September21
October 19
November23
December14
WESTPEX03
Friday,April 25, 1l:00-6:30
Saturday,
April 26, 10:00-6:00
Sunday,
April 27, 10:00-4:00
@ CathedmlHill Hoxel
1101VaaNessAve.
SanFrancisco,
CA
Steve'sSuaW StampShow
SundaxApril 27,9:00-4:00
@ the QualityHotel Anaheim
616Convention
Way
Araheim,CA
SOCALStampShow
Fiday,May 9, 1l:00-6:00
Saturday,
May 10,10:00-6:00
Sunday,
May 11,l0:00-4:00
Reso*Hotel
@ theRadisson
1850SouthllarborBlvd.
Los Angeles,CA
Pon'ay VoiceSaIe
Wednesday,
May28, 2003
Viewingof l"ots,6:00-7:00P.M.
BiddingBeging7:00P.M.
@ the CarmelMountainRanch- Sabre
SpringsRec Center
10152RanchoCarmelDrive
SanDiego,CA
PO\{PEX 2003
November8, 10:00-5:00
Saturday,
Sunday,
November9, l0:00-5:00
@ the Al Bahr shrine
5440KeamyMesaRoad
SanDiego,CA
POWPEX2003
The Poway StanE Club
Salutes the Boy and Gi Scouts
November 8ft and 9\ 2003
At the Al Bahr Shrine
Mark your calendars- don't forget!!
OpeningCeremony,25 Dealers,Exhibits,
Live Auction,CachetCover,
Many Door Prizes,and
Bargainsof a Lifetime
Don't MissIt!!!!
FeaturedArticle
Mekong Memorabilia, by Nat Ward, CPT, USA Rtd.
Trucing the Mekong @ducation Foundation
Izc.). Those of you who have attended the monthly
sholrs at the AI Bahr Shrine in SanDiego will recognize
this rdriter. I have the table with stamps, etc., from
South Vietnam. You will also recognize that hardly
aryone stops to look much less buy. Ofthe six shows
last year, the last one generated our greatest sales $2.50 - which was 100% beyond the combined past five
attempts. So why the lack of interest in this part of
Indochina? I figured that everyone wanted to collect
finite Vietnam stamps and that those soldiers who
fought in the war would have disposable income and
thus continue their geogaphic interest in this small part
ofthe world. Wetl, I was half right. There is plenty of
baby boomer inoome for hobbies, but troops mostly
wanted to forget their Xou{s) in-country arld have
nothing to do with the most decisive war in U.S.
history. And I leave''decisive" ro your imagination.
I differ from most asIndochina hasbeen one of
the most important influences in my life. When my
family received orders to Vietnam in 1958, we opened
a map on the &ont yard of our house in Georgetown.
The map still had Indoehina divided into three
"countries". My family tansfened to Saigon and I was
promptly shippedoffto boarding school in the States.
As a l7 year old teenager,I commuted to Saigon for the
five summer months of i959 and 1960. Talk about
getting introduced to a tropical paradiseaad the ways of
the world. As bther $as Chief of Staff of the Military
Assistance Advisory Crroup (MAAG was the precuisor
to MACV), I was privileged to be introduced to the best
of the French, Vietnamese aad Chinese society (and
girls). To say the exotic Far East was intoxicating
would be anticlimactic. Imagine awakening in the
a.ftemoonto the upstairs maid feather dusting you with
chicken feathers so she could clean, or barefoot feet on
the cool lile floor to a breakfast ofaopical fruits, some
ofwhich I had never seenbefore. By mid-aftemoon one
would be lounging at the exolusive Circle Sportlife swim
olub. Only the wealthiest Frcnoh and Vietnamese were
allowed membership. Watching ard flining with the
Frenchgirls in their bikiais, or less,would only infuriate
the other American dependent girls. I oould guess in
1959tlere were maybe 10-15 American dependentsof
my age. They came from all backgrounds - the military,
United States Overseas Mission, the U.S. Embassy,
CIA- etc.
By dinner we would be down on Rue Catina
positioned at one ofthe many sidewalk cafesstill owned
by the French families who remained on despite the lack
of French troops. Our French girl friends seemed
oblivious and only wished for more Amerioat oigareties
and ice cream. While I did not know it then, the Battle
of Dien Bien Phu had only beenover four years. It was
in 1955that the Frenchrelinquishedtheir oontrolofthis
protectorate colony. The Viet Minh, who had so
successfully battled the French, were cleaning their
weapons once again and were loosely named the Viet
Cong. About this same time as I was drinking "33
Bear" and admiring the short skirts in Saigon, the
National Libention Front was forming in the jungle
villages. I slowly became aware ofthe political dissent
when we went to the American movie t.heater - The
A.lhambra. Security would instruct us to look under our
seats for plunger bombs. (Put the seat down and miss
the moviel) When I rode the train down fiom Hue to
Saigon in 1960, it stopped amid gunfire and explosives.
The VC arnbushed it and were attempting to free
political prisonersof Presidert Diem's regime. I was
sitting on top one of the cars for air and watohed a
magnificent fire fight, Slowly over tlre months, we
Americans were place under more restrictions. Curfew
was imposed, the Vietnamese Army guards around our
villa were tripled, and I dared not crawl over the gate
fence when I rctumed home late. Thete was no nore
tiger hunting on elephantsin the Montagnard villages of
Banmethout in the Central Highlands. Gone were the
speed boat rides and races do\rn the Ssigon fuver with
the very gamefulFrenchgirls.
And there was the night my father tore into the
houseand ohangedinto fatigues with a plotective armed
convoy surroundrng the vrlla. Two Amencan soldiers
had been kitled at a MAAG outpost at Ben Hoa, thirty
kilometers north of Saigon. They were watehing a
movie and when the lights went on to change t}te reel,
theVC ambushedthesmall compound.MajorBuis and
Master SergeantOvnard were killed while sevenl more
Americars were wounded. In 1960 the Pentagon
requestedan honest appraisal ofthe military situation in
South Vietnam. Don't forget that the political situation
was advanced by the State Department via the U.S.
Embassy in Saigon. For once these two opposing
entities agreed- get U. S. military presenceand influence
out ofvietnam as ultimately military efforts would fail.
By the end of 1960, all the ranking military personnel
who prepared this position papei were reassignedback
to the States. Eventually, eady in the 1980's, my father
petitioned the Deparhnent of Defense and the White
House to have tlese two soldiers under his commaad
declared as the first officially killed in Vietnam. They
are now tie first two names on tlte Vietnam Memorial.
So what does all this have to do with the
stamps of Vieham? Absolutely notling as I wasn't
interested in collecting stamps at 17. But I do
remember the Saigon Post Ofiice and laf,gepots ofglue
for use on the stamps. So many of the stamps from
South Vianam were sold without gum due to the high
humidity and there are a few nolations in the Scott
catalog to reflect the same. Scott 1999 makes no
referenceto gum re the 1951 set #1-13 while Soott
2002 states"Souvenir booklets exist comprising five
gummed sheets." The most widely known reference is
to Republic of Vietnam 1954 set #20-26 of Crown
Pnnce Bao-Long. Again Scott 1999 makes no
reference to the glue issue in their description.
However, the 2002
Scott differentiates
"Set, never hinged,
bro*,n gum S17.50"
and "Sel never hinged,
white gum $35.00.
When I bought the
complete set of sheets
several years ago, I just
assumed humidity had
done its duty and that
all the gummed backs
were discolored. I
have yet to see either
the sheetsor individual
stampswith the "white gum." I do note maay sellers on
eBay state "No gum as issued." Since I do not see any
other referencesin Scott(maybein other catalogs)as to
gum vs no gum, I'm not sure how tlese sellers know
what was on the back of their stamps. Whatever ....
The second major influence re Vietnam came
iii I 967 when I was a recon platoon leader with the First
Calvary Division (Airmobile). I retumed to the Central
Highlands and instead ofhunting tigers, I hacked other
targets. I had 5 months in-country until I hit a land
mine. I still was not interested in stamps. I ngver
searched an enemy body, whether Viet Cong or North
Vietnamese Army, wherein there was an envelop€ with
postage on it. There wer€ some letters to and from
which were sent back to the rear for intelligence value.
We did uncover a printing press, and considedng what
I now know about fake Vietnamese stamps, I'm
convinoed that eyen then, the profiteeB were repdnting
the old 1951 Ho Chi Minl, et. al., stampsthat I am
buylng today. That press has been paid for many times
now.
And if I had known anything about stamps
then, maybe I would
have recognized the
S outhV i etnamM-1
military stamp issuedin
1961.
The South
Vietnamese fioops were
allowed "Free ' franking
and were issued tiese
stamps
by thei r
govemment. Enlisted
were allowed three per montl and offcers four.
Becausemany of tlle recruils were from rcmote villages
and not familiar with postage,occasionally one can find
a cover witi a M - 1 stamp and another postage stamp
affxed. The second and third military stamp was M - 2
and M - 3 and were issued in 1961 and 1969
respectively.M- 1ardM- 2 arenearlyidentical except
for tlre cslor ofthe inscription. Many sheetsof these
two stamps exist and are favorites for errors. The
ARVN soldiers destroyedmary more oftlese slamps at
the end ofthe war when they were trying to blend into
the civilian population. Tryhg to find these coversis
my excuse for attending shows.
M - 3 is the most interesting. It depicts the
Viet Cong massacring the Vietnamese refugees and
babies strewn across tie
ground.
The VC are
mutilating the bodies with
a machete and the
bayonet end ofan AK-47.
This was issued in
February 1969 and
therefore conceived
shortly after the Tet
ofensive in early '68.
South Vietnam was beginning to see their end and
resorted to postage propaganda - something they had
done very litde of in the past. The beauty of tracing
South Vietnam stamps is the tlem€s th€y portay that
parallel the development of their country - ethnic,
economicand political - symbolsof family andjustice
(scott 128-31) in 1960, basketball (Scott 272-5) in
i965, and soldiers and civilians (Scott 347) in 1969.
And then the only issuethat directly acknowledges their
enemy, M - 3, in all its bloody beauty. And they are
rare (Scott @ $60.00.) There never were any sheets booklet strips of 10 each is the closest I've seen.
Catalog value is approximately $600 and the sellers
know what they have. A postally used envelope is the
Jasonfleecefind. I'llbuyallyouhave. Bewareofthose
sellers who out out the franking on the 1971 militaxy
aerogamme (blue & white) and pass it offas an M - 3
(red, geen and white).
In 1994 when I retumed to Vietnam to drink
beer, inflation had set in. Insteadof"33 Beer", it was
now "333 Beer" I still never thought about stamps.
The Russiaasprovidedmuch assistance
andpresencein
the South after the fall in 1975. How did the
Vietnamese know I was American? They said the
Russians never smiled. When I retumed to the States
and was asked what had changed,I replied that the kids
are smiling and there are dogs and cats back in the
streetsinsteadof in the cooking pots.
It was about this time tlat I beoame the
Executive Director of the Prisoners of War Freedom
Foundation, later refla ted the Mekong Education
Foundation. We work in Northem Laos on the
recovery of U.S. servicemen's human remains from the
Vietnam War. The preceding cumulative exposure to
South East Asia eventually prompted me to seek out a
source of fund raising for the Foundation. I ran across
some old postcardswith Vietnamese postagesent to me
by my famity in i958. The collecting/hoardingdoors
openedand tike "333 beaf', it stayedwith me. So the
next time you see the Mekong Education Foundation
booth manned by a one-legged soldier, please stop and
buy at least one stamp. We have to beat the $2.50
mark.
FONREIiTD, EVANS
hopri€kr
(tl8)24&7542
P.O.Box8465
APs72899
rA CRE$CENIACA91224
For the RarestStampsand the Best
A Bit of Philately
The BIue Puper ,/arie4,, by Scott Murphy
Well, here we are again. Revisiting one of my
favorite series- the Washington-Franklins. Last time as
I recall, I discussedperforationsand printing methods.
Well, there were also paper experiments at this time to
try ard reduce the shrinkage of sheets after the stamps
were printed.
The engravedprinting processrequired that the
paper have a moisture content of 15olo-35%. This meant
that after the stampswere printed, the paper still had to
dry. The paper wan prone to shrinkage as it dded,
causing tie sheetsofstamps to cu . Early experiments
aimed at reducing shrinkage oreatedtwo paper varieties
that are quite elusive. These are known as the "blue"
paperard "China Clal' papers.
The first new paper was the "blue" paper,
which contained 35olo rag stock instead of all wood
pulp. This, unfortunately, did not solve the shrinkage
problem. These stamps have a grayish blue tinge and,
when compared to normal stamps, are readily
discemable. The color of the ink also appearsto tale
on the hue ofthe paper and the double line watermark
is clearly visible.
The other paper also tded was supposedto
contain a small amount ofchina clay. Unfortunately,
the flrst shipment ofthis paper contained a much higher
content than requested. As a result, the paper is
noticeably harder and grayer thaa normal paper. These
stamps may seem to appear as the blue paper stamps,
but the most noticeable difference is that the watermark
is difficult to see.
When viewed together, the two tlpes ofpaper
are slightly different in appearance,but remember that
the visibility of tle watermark is usually the telltale
factor. The most frequently encouotered are the 1c and
2c blue paper stamps. Ilappy hunting and who knows,
maybe you will find a china clay variety instead.
Albums - Mahe Youi. Own , by Cnorge Toussaint
Tired ofthe high cost ofalbums and updatesor
just can't find the album you needfor your
you
maybe
specializedor topical collection. Believe iXor not there
are altematives to Scotl Linder and the other normal
sources_
A few years ago, I got tired of paying up to S2
per page for updatesto my specializedalbums. I also
thought my firefighting stamps would look better in an
album than in stock cards and Vario sheetsso I started
researchingmy options.
About that timg I becameaware of the Stamp
Album Web site, 'slampalbums.com',that had pages
available at reasonable costs. They bave over 40,000
pagesavailable with a subscription fee of $20 aanualty.
You can get all the pagesfor printing on a CD for $30.
I subscribedand downloaded some psges. Then the
quest beganto find good-looking, acid free paper. A
trip to my local paper supplier revealed that what I
needed was 70lb text, ivory paper maaufactured by
Springhill @art #50480). I found that the cheapestway
to buy it was in sheets23" x 35", then offto the local
print shop to have it shearedinto 8 % " x 1l" sheetsand
holes drilled to fit regular binders- The printer
recommendeddrillingthe holes I size larger than normal
to make it easier to tum them in a binder; and it
ceriainly does.
When all was said and done, I had the quality
paper I needed for printing my pages on the laserjet
printer for about 2 cents each! I purchased2" "D-ring"
cordovan leatherette binders from' officel00O.com'
(Part # 33552) for $12.50eachthat will hold up to 250
pages with stamps and look very elegant. I collect
worldwide to 1950 and my whole collection is on
specialtypagescontainedin 5l volumes.
For my topical collection, I tried everything
from drawing boxes on paper with my high school
technical drawing pens,AutoCAD, to Microsoft Excel
and Word. All were very labor intensive and sloooow.
I bought a copy of Album Pro and that was much better
but still a little hard to leam. Recently, Scott has come
out with an album making software, but I haven't seen
a copy of it yet.
I ended up talking to Stamp Album Web
owner, William Steiner, about t}Ie prognm he was using
to produce his pages. He uses Adobe Pagemaker.
Using the instructions that came with his CD, I was able
to modifii the Stamp Album pagesto meet my needsfor
things like Swiss soldiers stamps, German locals,
Spanish civil war issues, and all the Portuguese
perforation varieties, etc. I was also able to extract the
already made boxes ftom all countries for my
firefighting collection. The program is pretty pricey but
I was able to find a used copy for lessthan $75.
If you are interested in making your own
pages, I have some evaluation copies of Pagemaker
available for your use. If you're interestedin more
information call or visit me at the Library on Thursday
evemngsbetween6:00 and 9:00PM (619) 229-8813or
at home (619) 579-76'7'7.Within an hour or two I can
have you making your own pages like a pro.
efinar
Iamps
|(rlth
E il..y
irthbon.
P.O. Bor 2677
Ga.den Grov.. CA 92842
U .S .A
T.h (7lal 53st62
F.r: l 41539-2315
E-Mail:
[email protected]
Website:
www.k6imalglsmps.coao
Collector'sCorner
.Ioint Issues (or "Twins",
BarbaraSchmeiser
Issues), by
When two or more countdes agree to ptoduce
stampshonoringthe samesubjeotandto be issuedat or
near the samedate, then the stampsare considered to be
ajoint issue. The ScottPublishingCompanypublishes
a United StatesOfficial Joint IssuesSupplement.
The United Statesissuedits first in 1959,with
Canadaand celebratedthe openingofthe St. Lawrence
Seaway Eachcountry printeda srnglecommemorative
stampfor the event. I havenow filled all those spaces.
As my n€xt project, I finally d€cided to invest in the rest
ofthe 1992reproducedColumbiansouvenirsheetsfrom
Italy, Spain and Portugal. And then on to my most
rewardingjoint "find", a 1986postalcardfrom Italy for
FranciscoVigo. A.fterwriting and inquiring of many
dealersfor years,I walked into Sandicalto the first lady
dealer and she had it - I was ecstaticl
The most recent United Stateswith Sweden is
the 2001 starnpcommemoratingAlfred Noble and the
centenarvof t}le Nobel orizes.
'l'he
^r-obclI'rizc
l 9 r)I l i ]{ } l
ffi
ffi
The 1996 ' Endangered
Species" with Mexico is
listed as a Joint First
Day of Issue, but they
are totally dissimilar.
The
1995
L i e c h te n s te i n
and
Switzerlandjoint issueis
truly identical, which
slirnbolizes the close
association between t}le
two countries.
In 1999, I
wote to a Linn's reader
in Canad4who is ajoint
rssuescollector. He respondedwith a large packetof
computerizedlists ofall issuesdating back to 1933. I
was, of course, overwhelmed with the many I never
hope to obtain. After that he sent me tle names of
collectorsand saidtherewasan InternationalSocietyof
Collectors forming. I will continue to searchforjoint
issuesasI find this pursuit fascinating.
Ifyou want to know which are the joint issues
with any country, the Scott catalog will make a notation
after the stamp listing refering to the other country or
countriesand the Scott numbers.
Stamps and Covers Frcm Raltlesnake Island, by Dick
Gunderson
At the recent San Diego Philatelic Libmry
auction, I oamea6oss an intercstinglot of U.S. postal
history - not USPS postal history but rather local U.S.
postal history. I submitteda bid of$6.00 on 4 covers
and 4 blocks of mint starnps,not becauseI had a place
for them in my album, trut becauseI thought they might
make for an interesting subject for future research- and
I was right. Here is what I found A privately owned island of about 85 ades
located approximately 10 miles off the southwestem
coast of Inke Erie near Port Clinton a.nd Sandusky,
Ohio, Ratttesnake Island is shaped like a rattlesnake
stretched out in the sun and thus named by the Catawba
Indians. With a populationoffour people in 1959,the
owne6 requestedthe U.S. Postal Serviceprovide mail
pick-up and delivery service. Additionally, summer
residentsand users ofthe Island's executlvevacatron
retreatfacilities neededmail service. The requestfor
pick-up and delivery was, however, denied by postal
autlorities because of the small number of permanent
residents. Thus. in 1966. the owners of the Island
initiated a local mail sewice using a 1928 vintageFord
Tlmotor plane with the purchase of local stamps
deftayingsome ofthe cost. The hrst local stampswere
created in 1966 by Dr. James P. Frackelton and
consisted of a set of three rectangular stamps - one of
which is reflected on the cover below.
In Decemberi966, the U.S. PosxOfaroeruled
that mail with the rectangular local stamp could not
enter the U. S. mail system - presumably (as indicated in
Tbe Cinderella Philatelsf) concemed that the attraotive
local stamp might be mistaken for official U.S. Postage.
Thus, in January 1967, the rectangular shaped local
stampswere replaced by local stampsofthe samedesign
but in a triangular format - a fomat not previously used
by the U.S. Post Office. An example of the l0 cent
local stamp is reflected below.
exarnplenr The Cinderella Philatelist - as well as on the
internet by using the Google search engine. One could
easilymakethis a specialtycolleaionjustbyitself- with
many hours ofenjoyable research.
NEWPORTHARBOR
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Paying Top $ Dollar
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A diamond shaped cancel was used on the
initial local stampsto signify usageand later evolved to
a cancellingdevioefeaturinga Ford Trimotor airplane.
The initial ntes were 5 cents for at mail postcards, 10
cents for airmail lette6, and 25 cents for airmail parcels
- with U.S. postage added to the local postage for
continuedtransmissionin the U. S.postalsystem.Three
new stamps,issuedeachyear depicting various scenes
on the Island, were produced perforate and imperforate
The local
in sheets of 25 with plate numben.
Rattlesnake Island post was operated from 1966 until
the last local stampswere issuedin 1989.
Interestingly, the Rattlesnake Islaad local post
gained intemational notoriety in 1967 when the U.S.
national news show, The Huntley-Brinkley Report,
reported the difficulties encountered by the Island's
owners in dealing with the U.S. Postal Service.
Portraying the Island's owners as "David" struggling
with the "Goliath" U.S. postal authorities,the report
was repeated by Communist controlled Budapest TV
and given a twist about t}le dowfiodden worker
struggling against the capitalist oppressor. As a result
oi the story, the fairly wealthy owners of Rattlesnate
Island reoeived "CARE" packagesfrom Hungary for a
period oftime after the report. (Source: Alphabetitately
Intemet Website:William M Senkus,2000).
Much more information on Rattlesna.keIsland
is available at the San Diego Philatelic Library - for
Your Nickel's Worth
Never a Boy Scoul??? Read This!!! byKa Deibel,
Boy Scout Counselor, Poway Stamp Club
Member
You say you were never a Boy Soout??? And,
you are 'too matwe" now to be one - or maybe you
are a "woman". Regardless, could you IIELP Boy
Scouts??? Maybe, you respond - tell me how your
axticle relates to stamp cotlecting.
Before I relate Scoutsand Stamps,a question
to you, ard you, but most importantly to "YOU! | ! Why
do most ofthe "Yous" raisethe question- "Why don't
the youth of today collect stamps?" Why don't the
"Yous" do somethingto help the youth? Why don't
you staxtwith boys ages l2-16 who are Scouts?
Did you ever hear of "Boy Scout Merit
Badges"? Hear of the Badge for Stamp Coltecting?
Did you ever think about how many Boy Scoutstlere
are in SanDiego County? (Thereale about20,000Boy
Scouts). Now, oan YOU begin to see where YOU fit
in? PerhapsYOU have extra stamps (eaoh Scout needs
to display 250 stampsfrom 15 countries as part of the
Badge requirement). Don't have thousands of extra
stamps? Okay, your donation of"hundreds" will help.
Her is tlle best way you can help. Become a
counselor for tie Stamp Collecting Merit Badge. (IfI
could qualifu, so carr YOLI). Then you will ask a Scout
troop leader for 10-20 minutes to explain stamp
collecting and have interested Scouts sign up for the
Badge. (From two troops in North County, I helped 28
Scouts eam the Merit Badge.) After sign ups, interest
several parents in hosting wening meetings (maybe
6:30-7:30or 7:00-8:00,or Saturdays).About 6 Scouts
to each host family will permit the Scouts io work
oomfortably at a table. About 3 evenings (once a week)
plus homework, will meet the requirements of the
Badge. And, YOU will have answered the question
about youth colleoting stampswith a great big "Yes they
do and I helpedby don4tingmy leadership!"
How to get started? Why not call me - yes, I
was one of YOU. Don't have enough stamps and
suppliesfor 10 or 12 Scouts?- The Stamp Clubs and
Philatelio Library will help! I can be contacted at 760598-7848.
Reread this information - stop being a YOU
-be a ME!l How about the feeling you will get from a
Boy Scout putting his arm around you and saying
"Thank You".
Are You a Stanq Addic't? By lohnRoth
Before you say "No", let me share a few
thoughts with you.
Mary oollectols slart off witl one country or
one topical and then go to a stamp store or the monthly
SANDIPEX show aad get hooked on the new novelty
rush and, like addicts, add a new country to provide a
fix for the monxh. If you pursue that cou$e, you may
well wind up with such a large collection of countries
that all your time will be spent maintaining it and
keeping up with new issues,leaving you with little time
to enjoy and discover the wonders ofthe actual stamps
thal you have purchased. @een there - done that.) As
a result ofthis addiotion,you'll be spendingtoo much of
your income and time, and neglecting other facets of
your life. Ifyou rationalize whyyou needjust one more
country - you're alfeady hooked and don't even know
it. Set limits to what you buy. Concentrate on what
you already havg organize the material and set a
realistic goal for displaying or showing your material.
I've been living in Califomia for the past 24 years. Last
mont[ I opened another stamp box packed in the midWest in 1978. Two boxes left to open and I will bea
free.man. Being a stamp "junLie" is a hard habit to quit
NICK TORAYECSTAilP{S
ToDicals
Plusit6e fu ke Co\edt
l{tcKiroRAvEc
Oxmer
(619)46S.tt337
P,OBox504
\afisy,CA9t976{504
Spdng
From the Book Shelf
Elhiopia - Booklet No. I - The Isues of 1894, by Eic
PdyneThe first in a series of small monograph
bookletspublishedaspart ofthe Cookilt Series,this 28
page booklet addressesfte first stamps ofEthiopi4 or
Abyssinia as it used to be called. Beginning with a
desoription of the design and printing of the first four
stamps, showing Menelik tr, the ruler who authorized
tlem, Payne's researchproceeds to a discussion of the
early history ofthe Ethiopian postal system, the impact
ofthe French and Russians,an interesting description of
the financing of the fint issues and resultant sales of
stamps at the 1900 Intemational Exhibition at 1/3 of
their faoe value, and subsequent re-introduction into
Ethiopia for letter mail, and the use of Ethiopian
handstamps. Including "Advice 10 the Average
Collector", this valuable little monograph provides a
quick study ofthe first issuesincluding regular issues,
postage dues, handstamps, and a bibliography for
further reading. A quick and valuable read for the
Ethiopian collector!
Billig's Philatelic Handbook - Volumc 44 - cuide
Lines to the Penn! Blcc*, by P.C. Litchfield
For the individual collector who has taken on
the challenging task of plating his or her Penny Blaok
collection, this handbook of224 pages cannot help bui
be immensely helpful. First published in September
1949,Litchfleld's guide providesa detaileddescription
of each one of the 2,880 stamps and the plates frorn
which they were printed. Including an intoduction that
desoribes the printing proc€ss of the Penny Black,
Litohfield points out that in addiiion to Guide Lines
(fuint lines used to keep the transfen in alignment),
there are a great many flaws and varieties kno!\n as teentries, double letters, dols, blurs, and other marks
which will help show definitely from which plate they
camg "or at any rate from which plale they can not have
come". Although Litchfield contends that the book is
intended " not to try to impart new knowledge to the
expert....butto give some useful assistance...to the
collector whose keenness perhaps exceeds his
knowledge", it is hardto imaginehowthis book camot
but help eventhe most specializedcollector.
Afghanistan: Its Twenlieth Century Postsl Issues,
by Frank E. Peterson Itr
Publishedin 1964 by the Collector's Club of
New York, this 208 page hardbound book begins with
general information pertaining to Afghalistan including
a description of the country and its people, historical
background, the postal system, money, weights and
calendarsand then, tlirough separatechapters,addresses
every topic from regular postal issues to newspaper
issues,to parcelpost,semi-postalissuesandregistration
issues,up to and inoluding postal stationery. Within
each category/chapter, each issue is addressedwith its
history, design characteristics, and production
quantities. A very comprehensive book, wdtten in
considerable detail, Patterson eods with a consolidated
catalogue, a chronology of postal mtes, a list of post
offlces and a bibliogaphy for the more adventuresome
reader. Eminently readable and partioulaxly relevant
given curent world events.
From the MapazineRack
The Arnerican Revenuer. Joumal ofthe American
RevenueAssociationA fulI size periodical of approximately 30
pagesand published six times per year, this "Joumal of
Intemational Fiscal Philatety" is must reading for the
fiscal philatelist.' With artioles like "The Rouletted
Ontaxio Law Stamps", "Norway Stempelmerke Nr. 39",
and "A Special, Speoiat Tax Stamp... (Marufacturer and
Distributer of Opium)", ihis well illustrated(in color
andblack andwhite)journal providesenjoyablereading
even for those who don't collect revenues. Often
featuring a mail and intemet auctior^, The American
Retenaer provides a souroe for pricing those old
revenuesinyour collection.WhiiethePhilatelicLibrary
regettably does not have a current, on-going
subscription to this fine periodical, we do have a very
extensive inventory through December 2002 as well as
an inventory of books publishedunder the auspicesof
the American Revenue Association. (Please note that
we also have quite an extensiveinventory ofbooks on
revenues for all countries ofthe world.)
FlsrDoJr,e, Joumal of the American Fi6t Day Cover
SocietyA philatelic journal to oelebmte Fi$t Day
Covers, this periodical is published every six weeks and
derives its content solely from members ofthe First Day
Cover Society. Whether it be a subject of topical
covers such as "A Cat in Every Cachet", of country
covers such as "Collecting Varuatu FDCs", or State
collections such as "Connecticut Favorites" there is
much to be leamed from an hour of reading in Firsr
Days. And ifyou are a First Day Coyer collector there
are extensive Club Auctions such as the 56'" Fund
Raising Auction Mail & Web Sale comprised of first
Day Covers araiting your bid.
First Days rs
professionally illustrated in crisp black and white
pioturesand includesmanyarticlesdescribingFirstDay
Cover Society services and actiyities. The San Diego
Philatelic Library not only routinely receives this
periodical, but also maintains a very extensive archives
ofpast issues, all available for loan on a check out and
take home basis.
I'he Posthorn, Joumal ofthe Scandinaviar Collectors
Club Do you collect the stamps of aay of the
Scandinavian counties? lrifaybe Danish Tobacco &
Alcohol Revenue Stamps? Or how about Norwegian
Ship Wreck First Day Covers? Or maybe interested in
Swedish Wartime Undercover Addresses? Well if any
of these pique your interest, come on down to the
PhilatelicLibraryandthumbthrough?"l'ePosthom,"fhe
Scandinavian Colleotors Club quarterly publication
consistingofabout 50 pagesofwell illustated articles
that touch on all matters of north European philately.
Intriguing lessons in history, geography, people,
cultures, and, of course,philately abound in this little
gem. Again, although we don't routinely receive this
Joumal, we do get donations and have assembled an
extensive archives going back several years along with
indices. Also, as in the case of other periodicals,you
are most welcome to oheck these joumals out for two
weeks and perusethem in the comfort of your home.
Who's Who in SouthernCalifornia
One of the unsung heroes of philately in
Southem California is a quiet but determined gentleman
from San Marcos named Karl Deibel. Working with
kids in developing future stamp collectors bas become
asmuch a hobby for Karl as his o\an stamp collecting.At
the San Marcos Boys and Grls Club, Karl has for
several years willingly given his time every other
Thursday aftemoon to as maly as 20 boys and girls,
teaching them, step by step, the art of stamp collecting.
Finding guest speakers, searching for volunteers, and
developing programs, Karl has qeated an institution in
the San Marcos area and has desewedly been given the
nickname "The Stamp Man" by his eagerfollowers.
But Karl has not stopped with the Boys ald
Grls Club. His latest foray into the world of youth
the Boy Scouts. Working
collecting now encompasses
with a SanMarcos toop, Karl has helped several dozen
young men achieve their Stamp Collecting Merit Badges
and has recently embarked on the same process with a
Rancho Bemardo troop. Hosted by volunteer families
at their homes as many as three nights a week, Karl
works with frve and six soouts at a time helping them
achieve their stamp colleoting merit badgerequiremeot
While not every Scout continues immediately ass stamp
collector, many do, and, for those who don't, Karl has
planted a seed of interesl that, as many of us older
collectorsknow, blooms in later years.
And in his sparetime (however tittle there is),
Kad scrounges for stamps, hinges, album pages,
notebooks,philatelic books,andanythingelsephilatelic
that he car get for his future collectors. There ought to
be some kind of reward for the dedication ard effort
that is Karl's second nature. He surely deservesit!
the extension of tlle 1950 Holy Year. The sheet
containsAngola #316, CapeYerde #266, Maoao#336,
Mozambique #325, Portuguese Glinea #271,
PortugueseIndia #480 and #485, St. Thomas& Prince
Islands#351, and Trmot #254. The sheetalso contains
a portrait of Pope Pius )fiI and is inscribed
'Encerramentodo Ano Santo,Fatima 1951.' It was
sold for ll Escudos." Karen advises that this
information is located in the 1993 Scott Catalogue and
is also listed in the Minkus Catalogue under Portuguese
Colonies where it indicates that the sheet marks the
"End of the Holy Year."
Congralulations to Karen for some great
detective work. In recognition of her work, and as
promised in the last issue of the Reader, Karen will
reoeive a nice souvenir set of postage stamps from St.
Vincent commemorating the Bioentenary of American
Independence.The set, catalogingat $27.75 includes
10 mini-sheetsof 10 each plus a souvenir sheetoften
stampsand two labels. We hope Karen will enjoy her
reward and we encourageothers to try their luck at it as
wetl. Thanks Karen!
Now, how about a new Mystery Stamp llave
you seen tlese little gems before?
Myltery Stemps
Lq$t Issue'sMlslery Stanp
The Mystery Stampillustrated in January's
issueof The PhilatelicRe*derwascorrectlyidentified
by KarenFraser,a residentofleucadi4 Califomia.
tu&
ffi
i
)
A translation ofdre German ought to help a little - but
how about enlightening our readers on the philatelio
when, where, ard why. Like the last mystery stamp, the
first collector to proyide us by mail the correct
information will receive his or her due reward. Please
mail your responsesto the SanDiego Philatelic Library
at the addresson the last page ofthis newsletier.
Library News
Library Auction Karen advised us that the souvenir sheet is listed in the
front of the Scott Catalogue in ile Common Design,
Portugal and Colonies Section where it states drat "A
souvent sheelof9 stamoswas issuedin 1951 to maxk
The Library Auction held on the 9d of March
was a femendous success. 279 auction lots were
offered - consisting of stamps from around the world -
classics and modem, topical, postal history, country
collections, souvent sheets,and first day covels. While
only 2 1 bidders attended, bidding was fierce, sometimes
with as many as 10-15 bids on individual items. The
wine and cheesewent down easily and the bidding went
up even more easily!
Three objectives were
accomplished -first, the Library raised over $1300
dollarsincluding $263dollarsspecificallyearmarkedfor
youth collecting effons; second, collecto$ went home
with mary good stamps, all priced far less than those
ofered at stamp shows and retail outlefit and third,
everyone had a great time. Auotion lots tlat we.e not
purchasedhave subsequentlybeenmadeavailable to the
Saa Diego and Poway Club auctions and have resulted
in additional sales as well as happy club members.
Watch for the nex Library Auction - it will be a
humdinger!! !I
A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on the first Saturdayof each
month. With 15-20 collectorsroutinely in attendance,
there are many good tndes executed on a stamp for
slamp, catalog price for catalog price, nickel per stamp,
or any other mutually agreeable basis. As you can see
from this picture, there are a lot ofhappy collectors and
even more great bargains to be had.
www.illobb.com
StampCollector'sSupplyStore
FeatuingScottShowgu4 WhiteAc6,Lindner,SAFE,Hanig Variq Ughfiousernd More
ShopOn-Lincrnd Sevc
Librury Book Loan Policy Many collectorsin the SanDiego areaare not
aware that books, periodicals, and catalogs can be
checked out from the Philatelic Library on a two week
loan basis. A11we ask is that you complete a pahon
information card giving us your address,telephone
number, and ddvers license number, and tlnt yo u record
what you borrow in our check out log book. The only
restrictions on our checkout policy is that the current
Scott Catalogseries,current issuesofnewspapersand
periodicals, and certain reference books must remain in
the Library for all to use. The vast majority of our
publications are, however, available for you to take
home and use in the comfort ofyour own home. We
also ask that you return them promptly at the end of the
two week loan period so that otllels can make use of
them as well. Thank you.
SWAPEXOne oftheLibrary's most successfulprograms
is the SWAPEX stamp trading session held ftom 9:00
Club Corner
Slamp Clubs A bunohofstodgy, cliquish peoplemeetingin
a formal environment? No way!! Just a group ofgood
folks having a great time trading, selling, and buying
stamps for their collection and leaming a little
somethingeverymeetingabouttheir hobby. Yourlocal
stamp clubs are a great place to get to know fellow
collectoB, drawing together people from all over town.
Take for example the Poway Stamp Club, one of the
axea'smost active. Collectorsattend from as far south
as La Mesa, West ftom Coronado and La Jolla, north
ftom Corona and San Marcos. From the minute you
arrive, you are welcomed as if you've been a lifetime
member. Not sure ifyou want to becomea memberof
a club? Well if you jusl come as a visitor, we'll heat
youJust likea memberanyway. And most meetingsare
short -for example,in by 6:30 and out by 8:30 - still
enough time to catch that latest episode ofSurvivor o1
better yet, catalog those great stamps you just acquired.
Stamp Clubs are held throughout the San
Diego areasas follows:
Poway StampClub;
Every 2ndand 4s Wednesday
Trading starts at 6:30 P.M.
Meeting From 7:15-8:30PM
Carmel Mountain Ranch - Sabre
Spdngs Rec Center
I 0 I 52 Rarcho Carmel Drive
SanDiego, CA
San Diego Stamp Club Every 2d and 46 Tuesday
Meeting starts at 7:00 P.M.
North Park Reseation Center
4044 Idaho Sffe€t
SanDiego, CA
University Stamp Club
Every 3' Saturday
Meeting starts at 2:00 P.M.
Staadley Park Recreation Center
3685 Govemor Drive
SanDiego, CA
Universal Ship Cancellation Society
Every 2odWednesday
Maeting Startsat 5:00 P.M.
Maritime Museum Shio Berkelev
Ilarbor Drive
San Diego, CA
Donations...ThanhYou
A special thank you to the following
individuals who have so generously given philatelic
matedal to the San Diego Phitatelic Libmry during the
last calendar quaxter. Thad<s to William O'Connor
Robert Kohl
Larry Keen
Poway StampClub
Bonnie McCosh
Richard Johnson
Erik Nilsen
SusanneGardner
Jerry McKenna
Hally Justin
Frank Bucaccio
Growing the Hobby of Stamp Collecting
East County Stamp Club
Every 2ndand 46 Saturday
Meeting sta$s at t 1:00 AM.
El Capitan Recreation Center
1425 G Madison Ave.
El Cajon, CA
Powalt Slamp Cbb - One ofthe area's fastest growing
stamp olubs, The Poway Stamp Club begins each
meeting with a vibrant trading session followed by a
short business meeting door prize rafile, formal
program, and finally an evening auotion. Business
meetings nomally last for only 15 minutes and foous on
planning for upcoming Club events like the Children's
Stamp Fair, or upooming Poway Voice Sale to be held
28 May, or the annual POWPEX Stamp Show
soheduled for November 2003.
Recently, the
Wednesday evening Club meeting was attended by a
reporter and photogapher from the San Diego Union
Tribune - resulting in a wonderfirl article published on
page 4 ofthe North Inland Edition dated March 6,2003
for those who would like to read it.
Through
ExperiencedLeadership
Join the Anerican Philatelic Society
and Vote for
Janet Klug
for APS President
- Sponsoredby ThePowayStompClub
TheStampStore
for Colhctors
ALI|N CAMPEEII4Philrtdtrt
"Welcome
Bachto RealColleaing"
3$ Wc$fdicitiAy.rrc
SIibA3 Escoldido,CA 92(n5
0 e) 74t212r I u. (7ffi) 74r2Y7
And Don't Forget ,.......
The SanDiego Philatelic Library needsyou - either
as a pf,tron, as a volurteer, or both! Come on dorrrr
and seeus - you'll love it Our operating hours are
indicated on the next page.
Dlrcctiors to Sld Diceo Phllrtdlc
Houts of Opcration:
Monday - 6:00-9:00PM
Tu€sd8y- 6:00-9:00PM
W€dncsday- 12:00-5:00PM
Thursday- 6:00-9:00PM
Saturday- 12:00-3:00PM
Llbrrry
Location: 7403-C Pdncosr Viow Drivo
DirwtioDs: Tate I-15 South ro Friur Road Exit
Tako Ftiac Rod Exit, go left (E!st)
on Frirrs Rord
Friarr Road boconer Mission Gorge
Rord - go 1.6uiler
All articles published h The Philatelic Reader refTectthe opinions of the Articte's author and do not
representthe policy, procedures,or opinions ofthe SanDiego Philatelic Library, its staff, or the Editor.
SanDiego Philatelic Council:
Council President:GeorgeToussaint
Council Vice-President:Manuel Marti
Counoil Treasurer:Linda Mabin
Council Secretary:BerthaKlann
Trustees:G€orgeKaler, Linda Mabin, Ron Lenke
SanDiego Philatelic Library:
Manager: AI Kish
Librarian: Dick Gunderson
Voluntee6:
Ralph Armington, Diok Gunderson,Linda Mabin, Royce Spradlurg
Mark Schwartz, Jerry Lorenzin, George Toussaiot
The Philatelic Reader:
Editor: Dick GundersonE-mail: [email protected]
The Philatelic Library's telephonenumber ls (619) 229-8813and the addressis:
SanDiego Philatelic Library
7403-C PrincessView Drive
SanDiego, CA 92120