Society News

  1. Corona Virus Awareness Sheet

    Corona Virus Awareness Seal, from sheet of 48

    Print your own COVID-19, sheet of 48

    The best way to prevent illness from COVID-19 is to avoid being exposed to the virus, as there is no vaccine to prevent COVID-19.

    According to the CDC, the virus is thought to be spread mainly from person-to-person. This means it may spread between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet), or through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

    The CDC also reports that it may be possible for someone to get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object with the virus on it, and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

    PDF icon cs&css corona virus awareness sheet.pdf
  2. The Outstanding Seals of Canada - Cliff Beattie Updates Three CS&CSS Titles

    Green's Canadian Local & Provincial TB Christmas Seal Catalog Mosbaugh's Canadian Red Cross Seal Catalog

    These beautiful volumes have been re-done, written and kept up to date for over ten years by CS&CSS member Cliff Beattie. Cliff, a member of the CS&CSS Board of Governors, has also been an editor for the Canadian Christmas Seal section of the Unitrade Catalogue, and is a member of the Saskatoon Coin Club. Due to the high cost of printing and shipping, many CS&CSS titles are sold on CD, all priced at $8.95 + $3.25 shipping (regardless of the size of the order)

    Collectors who prefer a bound color catalog may request a printed copy from your webmaster, John Denune, jr., john@christmasseals.net. The cost is 12 cents a page on premium 32 lb paper + $2 comb binding + $3.25 domestic Media Mail shipping + $10 donation to the CS&CSS. A 175 page catalog would be 175 x .12 + $2 + $3.25 + $10= $36.25

    1) Green's Catalog of Canadian Local & Provencial TB Christmas Seals, 2020 edition, 175 pages

    2) Mosbaugh Catalog of Canadian Red Cross Seals, 2020 edition, 80 pages

    3) Beattie Canadian National, Provincial & Local Easter Seal Catalog, 2020 edition, 120 pages

     

  3. NTA Publicity Department

    1927 NTA Publicity Department #201.1 child in bed 1927 NTA Publicity Department #201.3 toothbrush bathtub 1927 NTA Publicity Department #201.3 jumping rope 1927 NTA Publicity Department #201.4 boy at breakfast 1927 NTA Publicity Department #203 Doctor & Stethoscope 1929 NTA Publicity Department #204 patient putting on shirt 1931 NTA Publicity Department #206 David & Goliath NTA Publicity Poster Stamps

    From 1927 through 1931 the National Tuberculosis Association Publicity Department created a series of  bold poster stamp designs. These were created for Publicity rather than Fund Raising. Posters of these poster stamps were only recently discovered. The first 4, 1927 #201-.4 measure 15.5 x 19.75"; the two Doctor and Patient designs, 1927/1929 #203-4 come in 2 sizes, small 11x14" and large 18x22"; David & Goliath, 1931 #206 measures 11 x14"

    Poster stamps of the first 4 designs were also used in 1927 as US Local TB fundraising seals, with "Brooklyn TB & Health Assn."added at top, and "293 Schermerhorn Street" added at bottom.

  4. NEW Green's US Local TB Catalog

    Green's Catalog of US Local TB Christmas Seals, 2020 edition, Brian McInturff Green's Catalog of US Local TB Christmas Seals, 2020 edition, Brian McInturff Green's US Local TB Christmas Seal Catalog, 2020 edition Greens US Local TB Christmas Seal Catalog, 2020 edition Greens US Local TB Christmas Seal Catalog, 2020 edition Greens US Local TB Christmas Seal Catalog, 2020 edition Greens US Local TB Christmas Seal Catalog, 2020 edition

    The long awaited 2020 edition is HERE. For the first time, many exceedingly rare and desirable Local TB Christmas Seals are illustrated in full color. Over the decades nearly all of these associations were absorbed by the national.

    There has been talk about updating this important piece of Christmas Seal & Charity Stamp Society literature for over 20 years. Brian McInturff stepped in and did it! We are taking orders for the CD edition $8.95 (+ $3.25 S&H) or the printed editon, 218 pages (full color comb bound) $39.00 (+ $3.25 S&H). Make your check payable to "CS&CSS" and mail to: John Denune, CS&CSS Catalog Chairman, 234 E. Broadway, Granville, OH 43023 (740) 587-0276 john@christmasseals.net

  5. We Collect Event Seals Too!

    Belgium Events, Exposition Poster Stamps Belgium Events, Exposition Poster Stamps Belgium Events, Exposition Poster Stamps Belgium Events, Exposition Poster Stamps Belgium Events, Exposition Poster Stamps Belgium Events, Exposition Poster Stamps Belgium Events, Exposition Poster Stamps Belgian Exposition Poster Stamps Belgium Events, Exposition Poster Stamps

    Many early Cinderella Stamps are event seals, often issued for World's Fairs, or Expositions. These are neither "Christmas Seals" or "Charity Stamps", but they are still of great interest to members of the Christmas Seal & Charity Stamp Society. Early events are usually hinged, sometimes removed from cover, and many have small faults, but some can be found in mint never hinged condition. This group is from Belgium.

  6. Bellinghausen & The Ransom of NWF

    Centered in this block is the Ding Darling design, with 2 geese landing

    When I was a young man, I had the pleasure of meeting some of the great seal collectors of a generation now past. Charles Bellinghausen was one of them. I first met him with my dad, John Denune, Sr. at Ray Mosbaugh's home in Joplin, MO. Bellinghausen came down from Wichita to be there. A year of so later dad and I made the trek to Bellinghausen's home in Wichita. Charles had a large collection and inventory of US and worldwide TB seals as well as other funds, and a fabulous collection of Catholic seals and was the primary author of the Catholic section of the All Fund Catalog.

    Crime is nothing new in America, and stamp collectors can be targets of it. In 1969 when Ohio Governor Jim Rhodes, of Kent State fame, commuted the life sentence of notorious gangster Yonnie Licavoli, he joined the Columbus Philatelic Club. A subject of "Gang Busters" radio show of the 1930's Licavoli engaged in a war with a rival gang in Toledo, and was convicted of conspiracy to murder in 1934. Though he served his time, no one knows if Yonnie and his men were involved in a string of stamp burglaries, but afterward, the CPC quit publishing its membership list.

    Charles Bellinghausen was the victim of a seal burglary. Most criminals make mistakes, like going thru a window when the back door is unlocked. Faced with Charles house full of seals, they had no idea what to steal. One item taken from the home was a carton of National Wildlife Federation seals. NWF seals were first issued in 1938 to promote wildlife conservation and to raise funds for charity. NWF sheets contain many varieties of large colorful seals and were designed by leading artists. One of 17 different designs issued in 1938 was by J. N. "Ding" Darling, an editorial cartoonist and conservation activist. Darling had previously used this design on the first US duck stamp in 1934, and his design also appeared in 1984 on a US postage stamp commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Waterfowl Preservation Act.

    So, after the thief attempted to sell the stolen carton of NWF to every stamp dealer in the area, they contacted Charles, and asked him what he would pay to get them back. Charles, not a man given to offensive language, had a few choice words, which included, "You can keep them, I don't want them.". Unable to cash in their ill gotten gain, and knowing the carton could incriminate them, the "not so smart" thief was in a dilemma. Charles reported that the lost carton mysteriously re-appeared on his front step, which eventually became part of dad's inventory of NWF seals.

  7. Caprario Wins Awards for 1908 Christmas Seal Exhibit

    Louis Caprario, our Christmas Seal & Charity Stamp Society Treasurer breaks new ground with his single frame, 16 page exhibit.

    The 1908 Christmas Seal - The First National Issue, was just given the Best in Show Award in the Single Frame Competition at Philatelic Show 2019 held in Boxborough, MA, an APS World Series of Philately qualifying show.  It had earned a large gold award and was presented with the CS&CSS Exhibit Award as well.  

    The Single Frame Best in Show Award, and Multi-frame Open Competition Grand Award and Reserve Grand Award, were presented at the culmination of the Show Banquet. 

    Lou goes on, "I am overwhelmingly pleased to have garnered this award, but it also signals a breakthrough in Christmas Seal exhibiting in general.  The exhibit will next be entered into the Single Frame Champion of Champions competition sponsored the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors at Ameristamp Expo in St. Louis next March."

    Download the entire exhibit, below.

     

    PDF icon 1908 Christmas Seal Exhibit4.pdf
  8. Scott Specialized Updating Christmas Seal Section

    1979 Canadian Lookalike Christmas Seal Design Experiment 1979 Snowflake Christmas Seal Design Experiment 1979 from '42 Dale Nichols Christmas Seal Design Experiment 1979 National "Kid Art" Christmas Seal Sheet 2018 US Christmas Seal issued by the American Lung Association

    Forty years ago, in 1979 Scott's Specialized Catalogue of US Postage Stamps decided to quit listing Christmas Seals. Their reason was stated in a paragraph at the end of the section; essentially, that there was no longer a single national issue. In 1979 a class of test seals began, known as design experiments, which have continued ever since. In 1980 a '79 design experiment was planned to be used, but due to a prior commitment, the Children's art images were instead used. Since 1981 the national US Christmas Seal was selected from a previous year design experiment, so from the beginning collectors could tell the difference from these tests and the national issue.

    In 2013 James Kloetzel, the editor of Scott's Specialized Catalogue approached CS&CSS members John Denune Jr & Sr at the APS show in Milwaukee. From time to time, it pays to remind the philatelic community that the Christmas Seal hobby is alive and well. The CS&CSS had a society booth there, and were overjoyed when asked to help. The first thing we changed was the wording of that paragraph, stating that collectors familiar with these seals could easily recognize the national issues from the design experiments.

    Jim suggested we add some tied ons, earliest known useages, and errors. With the help of George Painter, dad and I sent them a "Christmas list" of changes every year. At the top of everyone's list was bringing their Christmas Seal section up to date. In early 2019, George sent Scott's a letter making strong points for all the unused suggestions over the last 5 years, which included adding 1911 type 4, 1911 type 5, 1913 type 4 and of course, bringing their section up to date.

    I'm overjoyed to report that Scott's Catalogue adopted each and every one of the suggestions, so even though Green's Catalog of US Christmas Seals remains the Bible of Christmas Seal collecting, this is the year to buy a copy of Scott's Specialized Catalogue of US Postage Stamps. Their 2020 edition increases the Christmas Seal section more than any past edition, including when Christmas Seals were first added in 1935.

    Scotts/Green's Catalog Number Cross Reference 1980 to date:

     

    PDF icon Scotts greens cross reference of Numbers 1980-2018a.pdf
  9. Unlisted 1968? Italian TB Seal

    Unlisted Italian National TB Seal

    Most Italian TB seals are dated in Roman numerals. This is not. Any information on this seal would be appreciated. email your webmaster, john@christmasseals.net

    I'm guessing this was issued between 1968 and 1974 because Italian TB seals used a bold red border in the margin those years. A fine red border was used from 1949 thru 1956. This seal is overprinted 100 Lira, up from 10 Lira. most overprints were done the next year. 10 Lira was used from 1949 thru 1967

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