In 1954, it had been almost 50 years since any mail had been delivered by steamboat. The revival of a steamboat delivery was sponsored by the Mound City Stamp Club (MCSC) in connection with the American Philatelic Congress. To pull this off, a lot of red tape had to be cut.
In 1856, British Guiana Postmaster E.T.E. Dalton authorized an emergency issue …
Looney Tunes debuted in the 1930’s and ….
Why are there no overprint Alaska possession stamps?
The first Christmas stamp is probably not the one you think it is.
The Nicholas G. Carter Volunteer Recognition Awards recognize the outstanding efforts of American Philatelic Society volunteers at the national, regional and local level, and also recognize our younger members whose contributions and abundant talents are crucial to our future.
On June 11th, 2024, in Corpus Christi, TX, the USPS issued a new set of 5 stamps called Protect Sea Turtles. The stamps show incredible photos of 6
turtle species up close and personal. The stamp art director, Derry Noyes, set out to emphasize the uniqueness of these turtles along with showing each of their faces to help show their vulnerability.
“Would you like to see my stamp collection?” she asked. “It is quite large and quite
valuable. It even includes a complete collection of me on stamps!”
Hard White Paper
The “hard white” paper was a rag content paper used by both the National and Continental Bank Note Companies (#134-181). This is sometimes referred to as a thin to thick white wove paper on the 1870 to 1873 printings, and a yellowish wove paper on the 1875 printings.
Soft Porous Paper
The “soft porous” paper was a wood pulp paper used by the Continental Bank Note Company briefly in late 1878 to early 1879, and by the American Bank Note Company for all 1879 and later printings (#182-218). Because the American Bank Note Company took over the Continental Bank Note Company in 1879, including plates, paper and finished stamps, the soft porous paper is generally attributed to American Bank Note printings. All stamps issued between 1879 and 1894 were printed by the American Bank Note Company on this paper.
The “hard white” paper was a rag content paper used by both the National and Continental Bank Note Companies (#134-181). This is sometimes referred to as a thin to thick white wove paper on the 1870 to 1873 printings, and a yellowish wove paper on the 1875 printings.
Identification
There are two methods to identify the paper type, and occasionally it may be necessary to use both methods since one type of paper may show characteristics of the other type. To learn the paper types, it is easiest to begin with stamps of a known paper type. Any grilled issue and any stamp from the 1869 series will be on thin hard paper, while the 1890 Small Bank Note stamps and the Columbians will be on soft porous paper.
Easiest Method: The Flick Test
The traditional test is to flick the stamp close to your ear. Hold the stamp between your thumb and index finger, leaving about a half an inch protruding, and snap the stamp back and forth with the flick of a finger. Hard paper gives a sharp, loud sound, while soft paper gives a duller, less audible sound. However, this test is not terribly accurate and care must be taken to not damage the stamp.
More Accurate Method: Examination Under a Strong Light
Hold the stamp up to a strong light and examine a clear portion of the stamp, such as the margins, at various angles. The hard paper is translucent and has an even texture throughout, and is usually white. The soft paper appears mottled and opaque, with fibers typically bunched in a screen or mesh pattern, and is usually yellowish. Also, when viewed from the back, the design tends to show through on the hard paper.
| Thin hard paper | Soft porous paper |
|---|---|
 |  |
Source: Kenmore Stamp Company
…a “liner” is the backing that a self-adhesive stamp is on when you buy the stamps. Now we have to figure out how we see the different types, A, B, C, and D.
