Westmoreland County Philatelic Society

This Newsletter is available in PDF format. The PDF version looks exactly like the printed version.

MEETING DATE

Next Meeting will be on May 17

The May meeting of the stamp club will be May 17. The meeting is delayed until the third Sunday because of Mother’s Day. There will be a member presentation. The hall is open from 1 pm, the meeting starts at 2:15pm.

LANCOPEX 09 – Saturday, April 25, 10am – 5pm; Sunday, April 26, 10am – 4pm; Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Rd., Lancaster, PA. Sponsored by the Lancaster County Philatelic Society, Contact: James Boyles, jboyles@dejazzd.com; Tel: 717-394-5118.

BUTLERPEX 09 – Friday, May 8, 10am – 5pm & Saturday, May 9, 10am – 4pm; Tanglewood Senior Center, 10 Austin Ave., Lyndora, PA. Sponsored by the Butler County Philatelic Society. Contact: Stan Snyder, stampdad@zoominternet.net; 724-443-5740. Note that this show is Friday and Saturday.

WESCOPEX 2009

Mark your calendar. The Circleville Fire Hall has been reserved for Saturday, September 26, 2009

Richard Wright – April 9

On April 9, 2009, in Chicago, Illinois, the Postal Service will issue a 61-cent, Richard Wright commemorative stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps. Designed by Carl T. Herrman of Carlsbad, California, the stamp goes on sale nationwide April 9, 2009. With this 25th stamp in the Literary Arts series, the U.S. Postal Service honors author Richard Wright (1909–1960). Best remembered for his controversial 1940 novel, Native Son, and 1945 autobiography, Black Boy, Wright drew on a wide range of literary traditions, including protest writing and detective fiction, to craft unflinching portrayals of racism in American society. The stamp artwork by Kadir Nelson, San Diego, California, features a portrait of Richard Wright in front of snow-swept tenements on the South Side of Chicago, a scene that recalls the setting of Native Son. Nelson’s portrait of Wright was based on a circa 1945 photograph. First day address:

All orders must be postmarked by June 10, 2009. There are three philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

Polar Bear – April 16

On April 16, 2009, in New York, New York (Mega Stamp Show), the Postal Service will issue a 28-cent, Polar Bear definitive stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps. The stamp, designed by Carl T. Herrman, Carlsbad, California, goes on sale nationwide April 16, 2009. This stamp features a polar bear by illustrator Nancy Stahl, who has created several designs for the Postal Service including the Florida Panther in 2007 and the Dragonfly in 2008. This stamp shows the bear’s head, chest, and front paws, and in the background is a dark blue sky dotted with stars. Stahl used a collection of photographs to create this highly stylized illustration. The Polar Bear stamp will be available in panes of 20 and coils of 100. First day address:

All orders must be postmarked by June 17, 2009. There are three philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

Koi (Carp) – April 17

On April 17, 2009, in New York, New York (Mega Stamp Show), the Postal Service will issue a 28-cent, Koi stamped card in two designs. The card, designed by Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, Maryland, goes on sale nationwide April 17, 2009. This newest stamp product in the American Scenes series features colorful carp know as koi. Many Americans collect koi, prizing these large freshwater fish for their bold, bright colors in striking combinations and patterns. The stamp art is by Kam Mak, Brooklyn, New York, who left Hong Kong as a child and grew up in New York City’s Chinatown. He based his paintings on photographs he made of koi. The Koi stamped card will be available in single cut cards, double cut cards and sheets of 40 cards. First day address:

All orders must be postmarked by June 18, 2009. There are two philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

Tiffany Lamp – April 28

On April 28, 2009, in Washington, DC, the Postal Service will issue a 1-cent, Tiffany Lamp definitive stamp in one design in a water-activated gum (WAG) coil of 10,000 stamps. The stamp, designed by Derry Noyes, Washington, DC, goes on sale nationwide April 28, 2009. The stamp was previously issued in the following formats:

· March 1, 2003, water-activated gum (WAG), coil of 3,000M

· March 16, 2007, pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20

· March 7, 2008, PSA pane of 20

· June 7, 2008, water-activated gum (WAG), coil of 3,000

First day address:

Tiffany Lamp Stamp

Special Cancellations

PO Box 92282

Washington, DC 20090-2282

All orders must be postmarked by June 29, 2009. There is one philatelic product available for this stamp issue:

· First Day Cover, $0.81

Purple Heart – April 28

On April 28, 2009, in Washington, DC, the Postal Service will reissue the Purple Heart definitive stamp with a 44-cent denomination. The stamp, designed by Carl T. Herrman of Carlsbad, California, goes on sale nationwide April 28, 2009. This stamp was previously issued in the following formats:

· 2008, 42-cent pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20

· 2008, 42-cent water-activated gum (WAG) sheet of 100 (Available only at Stamp Fulfillment Services, Kansas City, MO)

· 2007, 41-cent PSA pane of 20

· 2006, 39-cent PSA pane of 20

· 2003, 37-cent PSA pane of 20.

First day address:

Purple Heart Stamp

Special Cancellations

PO Box 92282

Washington, DC 20090-2282

All orders must be postmarked by June 30, 2009. There are two philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

· First Day Cover, $0.82

· Cancellation Keepsake (First Day Cover With Full Pane), $9.62

On May 1, 2009, in Washington, DC, the Postal Service will issue a 44-cent 1-ounce Wedding Rings special stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps. Designed by Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, Maryland, the stamp goes on sale nationwide May 1, 2009. The new stamp, issued to pay the 1-ounce rate, features a photograph of two gold wedding rings resting on a small white pillow; a slender ribbon of white silk unites them. Renee Comet of Washington, DC took the photograph. First day address:

All orders must be postmarked by July 2, 2009. There are three philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

On May 1, 2009, in Washington, DC, the Postal Service will issue a 61-cent 2-ounce Wedding Cake special stamp in one design in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps. Designed by Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, Maryland, the stamp goes on sale nationwide May 1, 2009. This new stamp, issued to pay the 2-ounce rate, features a photograph of a wedding cake taken by Renee Comet of Washington, DC. The photograph depicts a three-tier cake topped with white flowers, their stems and leaves a delightful contrast to the cake’s creamy white frosting, and is sure to add a touch of beauty and romance to wedding correspondence. First day address:

All orders must be postmarked by July 3, 2009. There are three philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

On May 7, 2009, in Los Angeles, California, the Postal Service will issue a 44-cent The Simpsons stamp, in five designs in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) convertible booklet of 20 stamps. Designed by Matt Groening, a native of Portland, Oregon, the stamps go on sale nationwide May 7, 2009. With these stamps, the U.S. Postal Service recognizes The Simpsons, the longest running comedy in the history of American prime-time television, entering its 20th year, as a regularly scheduled half-hour series in 2009. Art Director, Derry Noyes, Washington, DC, was pleased to use original artwork by Matt Groening. Groening, a cartoonist, created the Simpson characters and named them after his own family: Parents Marge and Homer, Sisters Lisa and Maggie (the baby who conveys emotion by sucking on her pacifier), and Matt’s alter ego, Bart. First day address:

All orders must be postmarked by July 8, 2009. There are six philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

· Cancellation Keepsake, Booklet of 20 and 5 Digital Color Postmark First Day Covers, $16.30

The postal cards feature the unique characters that have made The Simpsons the longest running comedy in the history of American prime-time television. The cards have five different designs, each a different member of America’s favorite cartoon family: Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Each card has the corresponding Simpsons stamp preprinted. There will also be four different booklet cover designs, one each of Homer, Marge and Maggie, Lisa, and Bart.

U.S. Flag – May 8

On May 8, 2009, in Washington, DC, the Postal Service will issue a 44-cent, definitive U.S. Flag stamp in one design. This stamp will be available in the following formats:

The stamp, designed by Terrence W. McCaffrey, USPS, goes on sale nationwide May 8, 2009. This new stamp depicts a detail of an American flag from a photograph by Rick Barrentine of Duluth, Georgia. The detail, showing a softly folded flag, features most prominently the starry blue field, with red-and-white stripes occupying the remaining space. First day address:

All orders must be postmarked by July 10, 2009. There are two philatelic products available for this stamp issue: