The Society for Canadian Philately
BNAPS Squared Circle Study Group
Newsletter Editors
| From | To | Editor |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 1981 | G. F. Hansen and W. G. Moffatt |
| 1982 | 1983 | W. G. Moffatt and Gary D. Arnold |
| 1983 | 1994 | Gary D. Arnold |
| 1996 | 2011 | Jack Gordon |
| 2014 | Gary D. Arnold |
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Other resources
Squared Circle Postmarks of Canada
December 2024 update to the 6th edition published in January 2020
Prepared by the BNAPS Squared Circle Study Group. Handbook author/editor: Rick Friesen. Annual
update editor: Gary Arnold.
The handbook is organized according to hammer type and province. In over 680 pages, it provides an exhaustive treatment of each hammer: period of use, time marks, indicia information, stamp issues on which the hammer is found, rarity factors, and illustrations of hammer usage. Section 1 of the handbook provides an introduction to these fascinating postmarks.
The December 2024 update replaces all the sections of the December 2023 update to the handbook.
Census of 8¢ Small Queen Covers with Squared Circle Postmarks
(8.4 MB)
Rick Friesen
September 2024
This census is a compilation of covers franked with the 8¢ Small Queen issue of 1893, postmarked with Squared Circle hammer strikes. The 8¢ Small Queen was issued in August 1893. Its primary use was to pay the first class mail rate (3¢) plus registration (5¢).
The census is organized according to hammer type, with the Type 2 hammers ordered by province/RPO as in the Squared Circle Postmarks of Canada handbook. The census, in its initial release, lists 489 covers from 184 different hammers.
Censuses of Squared Circle postmarks on the Map Stamp
Rick Friesen has compiled two censuses of Squared Circle postmarks plus a census of Barred Circle postmarks, all on the Map Stamp:
- Barred circle postmarks
- Squared Circle postmarks off cover
- Squared Circle postmarks on cover
Click on the census title below. The census will be displayed in a new window. Closing the window returns you to this page.
Barred Circle Postmarks of Canada on the 1898 Canadian 2¢ Imperial Penny
Postage Issue (The ‘Map Stamp’):
A Cover Census (1.8 MB)
Rick Friesen
This is a census of Map Stamp covers with Barred Circle postmarks, often referred to as precursors of Squared Circle postmarks. The hammers, introduced in 1892, were issued to nine towns in Canada (Halifax, Hamilton, London, Montreal, Ottawa, St. John, Seaforth, Toronto, and Winnipeg) and St. John’s, Newfoundland. The census currently documents 72 covers with Montreal strikes and one with a St. John’s, Newfoundland, strike.
Squared Circle Postmarks of Canada on the 1898 Canadian 2¢ Imperial Penny
Postage Issue (The ‘Map Stamp’):
A Census of Off-Cover Cancellations (6.8 MB)
Rick Friesen
This census of 3,461 postmarks on off-cover Map stamps is compiled from numerous sources. They include over 58 years of public auction listings, three Internet auction sources (such as eBay), philatelic literature (including books and journals), exhibits, dealer stocks, personal communications from Squared Circle collectors, and the author's collection.
Squared Circle Postmarks of Canada on the 1898 Canadian 2¢ Imperial Penny
Postage Issue (The ‘Map Stamp’):
A Cover Census and Analysis (18.1 MB)
Rick Friesen
Lists over 1,100 covers franked with the 1898 2¢ Map Stamp and postmarked with Squared Circle hammer strikes. If an image is available, the cover is illustrated. The previous census, compiled in 2001, listed 620 covers. The data for this census comes from auction catalogues dating back to 1960, Internet auctions such as eBay, philatelic literature, exhibits, dealer stocks, personal communications from fellow collectors, and the author's collection.
► NEW 2025-03-31 ◄
Squared Circle Postmarks in the Admiral Period 1912-1927
(1.3 MB PDF) - Gary Arnold
Discusses the squared circle postmarks found on Admiral stamps between 1912 and 1927. Lists all the
post offices that used a squared circle canceller during this period, the hammer's period of use, and
the rarity factor for each post office. Gives details about, and illustrates, postmarks from the
scarcest towns.
This presentation is an update of a seminar given to the Squared Circle Study Group during BNAPS 2025 Virtual on 1 March. A video of the seminar is available on the Study Group's Videos web page.
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This page was last modified on 2025-04-10