2021

The December 2021 newsletter of the Fancy Cancel & Miscellaneous Markings Study Group, No. 89, is available.

It features reports from Frank Gross, Jason Broersma, the late Robert Coulson, Peter McCarthy, Karl Giroux, Mike Halhed, Bill Pekonen, Phillip Visser, and Nicolas Escott. Editor Dave Lacelle also contributes an album page prepared by E.A. Smythies on pen cancels.

Fancy Cancel & Miscellaneous Markings Study Group newsletters

The December 2021 issue (No. 28) of Dots and Scratches, the newsletter of the Re-entries and Constant Plate Varieties Study Group, ends the year with a bumper crop of plate flaws.

With the help of Jim Watt, Jim Jung, and others who attended the Study Group Zoom meeting at BNAPEX 2021 Virtual, Stephen Hellsten was able to plate three flaws on the 1868 15¢ Large Queen definitive.

Earl Noss illustrates a lovely flaw on the 1870 1¢ Small Queen.

Bill Burden dishes up several noteworthy flaws on the 1912 Admiral 2¢ carmine.

Jim McCormick explores the die changes and plate flaws on the 1930 KG V Arch issue. Jim also presents several album pages from his collection of the 1868 Third Bill Issue revenue stamps.

Editor Scott Robinson revisits some of the plate flaws found on the 1976 8¢ Royal Military College pair of commemoratives.

View the Re-entries and Constant Plate Varieties Study Group newsletters

The Exchange Circuit has been updated with over 90 new pages of material. New pages are mainly in Novice, Precancel, Newfoundland and Queen Elizabeth.

Visit the Exchange Circuit

The December 2021 issue of the Air Mail Study Group newsletter, The Pilot's Log, has a memorial to Denny May by John Chalmers. Denny May was a major participant in Canadian aerophilately and aviation history, and gave a presentation to the Study Group in February about his father “Wop” May and Commercial Airways Limited.

The newsletter also has notes about two books, Walter Hale: the Flying Postal Inspector of the Mackenzie River District by Gord Mallett and U.S. Zeppelin and Airship Mail Flights by Cheryl Ganz. Plus there are details about the Group's 6 February 2022 Zoom virtual meeting being held jointly with The Canadian Aerophilatelic Society.

View the Air Mail Study Group newsletters

An editing error in the 2021 Q4 issue BNA Topics led to an incorrect caption for Figure 6 on page 21 in the article ‘The Wolfville oval cancel: Use of a “self-dating” canceller?’ by Chris Ellis and Mark Berner.

The online version of the issue has been revised to correct the error.

View the latest issues of BNA Topics

The December issue of The Roundup Annex (Vol. 42, No. 5), the newsletter of the Squared Circle Study Group, is available.

The Study Group is looking for information on Barred Circle postmarks for publication of a handbook on these cancels. If you have any of these cancels in your collection, the Study Group would appreciate hearing from you.

Three large blocks of Queen Victoria stamps with squared circle cancels grace page 1 of the newsletter, and it features another set of squared circle date reports.

View the Squared Circle Study Group newsletters

BNAPS published seven new books between April and October 2021. Two of them are part of the Exhibit Series.

1. King George VI Postal Stationery 1938 to 1953 - Earle Covert (Exhibit Series No. 111), April 2021
Covers all forms of King George VI Postal Stationery except the Air Letters, which were published in BNAPS Exhibit Series Book No. 90.

2. Mail sent to the Italian Mutual Aid Society Lodge at Coleman, Alberta 1912-1935 - Cecil Coutts, June 2021
Through the mail sent to the Italian Mutual Aid Society Lodge in Coleman, Alberta (at the western end of the Crowsnest Pass), this book tells the story of Coleman and the Lodge, including several mine disasters.

3. The Canadian Fiscal War Tax Stamps of World War One - John Hall (Exhibit Series No. 112), June 2021
Displays the use of War Tax stamps, first issued in 1915, to show payment of the tax on cheques, liens, advances, promissory notes, bank deposits, withdrawal slips, matches, playing cards, luxury items, stocks and bonds, perfumes, patent and proprietary medicines, wines, and spirits.

4. Border Problems - Re-Entries, Retouches and Disintegration of the Two Cent Numeral Plates 11 and 12 - Peter Spencer, October 2021
Illustrates the plate flaws on plate 11 and 12 of the 2¢ Queen Victoria Numeral Issue, and in particular the four distinct states of the border areas.

5. First Day Covers of the 1942 Canada King George VI War Issue - Donald J. Leblanc, October 2021
Detailed catalogue of the many different first day covers prepared for the War Issue stamps released in 1942 and 1943.

6. Canada Post Office Replacement and Publicity First Day Covers - Andrew Chung and Robert D. Vogel, October 2021
Studies the covers and enclosures that Canada Post used to replace lost or damaged first day covers. Also includes the FDCs that Canada Post prepared for a variety of important and influential individuals throughout the world.

7. Canadian First Day Covers by Artopages - Gary Dickinson, October 2021
Explores the 245 FDCs issued by Artopage Covers between 1967 and 1976.

View the latest BNAPS book releases

The December newsletter (No. 120) of the British Columbia Postal History Study Group is online. Andrew Scott, newsletter editor since 2014, has stepped down, and Morris Beattie takes over with this issue. Tracy Cooper continues as associate editor.

In part 3 of his article on British Columbia joining Confederation, Tracy Cooper discusses the decline of the Express companies. In a separate article, he presents a rare (like, only one known) strike of the Grouse Creek hammer from the 1873-1874 period.

New editor Morris Beattie continues his exploration of Powell River postmarks, and, in the "Favourite cover" feature originated by Andrew Scott, illustrates a nice strike of the DANUBE ship handstamp, another rare postmark.

Bruce Pollock provides the results of his research into the postal operations at Chemainus during the colonial period.

View the British Columbia Postal History Study Group newsletters

Earle L. Covert has updated the listing of illustrated indicia for permit mail. The 15 November update adds 18 bulk mailers and 113 permits to the 15 July listing.

Canada Post introduced illustrated indicia for permit mail in 2006. The listing also includes forerunners, indicia with illustrations that appeared before 2006. The total number of permits in the listing is 3,601. The total number of mailers is 792.

View the listing of illustrated indicia for permit mail

The November 2021 newsletter (Vol. 10, No. 4) of the Pence-Cents Era Study Group features three ground-breaking articles.

For stamp fans:
â–º  Jim Watt and Michael D. Smith argue that the one plate, 11 states, theory for the 1858 5¢ Beaver is wrong, that in fact four plates were used to print this stamp.
â–º  Robert Graham presents a detailed census of unused copies of the Pence Issue 6d reddish purple on fibrous soft laid paper.

For postal history buffs:
â–º  Luc Frève provides a census of First Cents Issue covers to California, an update to the census in the book by George Arfken and Arthur Leggett, Canada’s Decimal Era – Postal Usage during the Decimal Era 18591868 published 25 years ago. He also describes some of the correspondence that gave rise to the covers.

View the Pence-Cents Era Study Group newsletters

The November newsletter, Vol. 1, No. 3, of the Map Stamp Study Group summarizes the presentations made by members at the Study Group meeting at BNAPEX 2021 Virtual. Among the topics presented:

â–º  A likely unique usage of the Map Stamp - Rob Lunn
â–º  Nova Scotia Squared Circle postmarks on the Map Stamp - Paul Grimm
â–º  An amazing new plating discovery - Scott Robinson
â–º  Map Stamp covers with Barred Circle postmarks - Rick Friesen

The newsletter also describes two new research projects and is looking for contributors.

View the newsletters of the Map Stamp Study Group.

The November issue of Beaver Chatter (Vol. 46, No. 3), the newsletter of the Prairie Beaver Regional Group, is available.

The newsletter has the agenda for the next Group meeting, an in-person meeting on 4 December.

The newsletter also features three short articles. With the help of Andrew Chung, George Dresser untangles the $3.25 and $4.60 rates paid by two covers mailed in April 1992. He also describes a cover with Mammal definitives mailed in 1991. Vic Willson goes a bit further back into the past. Aided by Wayne Smith, he lists the known triple-rate covers paid with three 1851 3d Beaver stamps.

View the Beaver Chatter newsletters

The October-November issue of the newsletter of the Fancy Cancel & Miscellaneous Markings Study Group, No. 88, is available.

It features reports and comments from Leopold Beaudet, Frank Gross, Peter McCarthy, Mike Street, Guy Jeffery, Ron Smith, Robert Coulson, David Dawes (typos on ink jet cancels), Vince Chermishnok, and Mike Slamo. Plus fancy cancel candidates on Admiral stamps illustrated by Randall W. Van Someren in his article on the Admiral Issue in the Online Resources and Exhibits (ORE) area of the website.

Fancy Cancel & Miscellaneous Markings Study Group newsletters

The October 2021 issue, No. 27, of Dots and Scratches, the newsletter of the Re-entries and Constant Plate Varieties Study Group, features plate flaws both old and new, rare and common.

Stephen Hellsten provides the oldest and rarest, a major re-entry on the 1851 Queen Victoria Twelve Pence SPECIMEN proof.

Brian Hargreaves presents several album pages displaying varieties on the 1868 Large Queens issue.

Scott Robinson contributes two articles on the 1898 2¢ Map Stamp, one of them describing an amazing new discovery.

Bill Burden illustrates several flaws on the 2¢ carmine Admiral stamp, flaws first documented by Hans Reiche and in many cases corroborated by Raymond Matte.

The new consists of several catalogued plate flaws on the 1979-1985 National Park definitives presented by Paul E. Smith and Scott Robinson.

View the Re-entries and Constant Plate Varieties Study Group newsletters

The BNA exhibit and non-exhibit awards won by BNAPS members between July and September have been posted. Most of the exhibitions were virtual, a reflection of the health measures imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but one or two were physical, a hopeful sign of things beginning to return to normal.

Thanks to Adri Veenstra for compiling the listing.

2021 BNA exhibit and non-exhibit awards won by BNAPS members

The October issue of The Roundup Annex (Vol. 42, No. 5), the newsletter of the Squared Circle Study Group, is available.

The issue begins with an article by Bill Longley illustrating two covers with the Parliament Street Toronto cancel with the year error in the date. It also features another generous helping of squared circle date reports including over 30 from western Canada by regular contributor David Robinson.

View the Squared Circle Study Group newsletters

The Newfoundland Study Group has recently published the Oct.-Dec. 2021 issue (No. 185) of its newsletter. It features a diverse mix of articles.

Robin Moore presents a vignette that he speculates might be from the artist responsible for the 6¢ stamp in the 1897 Cabot Issue, and discusses the aniline ink variety on the 1939 5¢ Royal Visit commemorative.

Earl Noss and Robert Coulson illustrate their latest plate variety discoveries

C. A. Stillions reminisces about an acquisition of nearly 500 covers from Newfoundland addressed to the Commissariat of the Holy Land at the local Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D. C.

Anthony Thompson analyzes the paper composition of four pieces of postal stationery, and presents an excellent case for shade identification with a scanner using the 1932 and 1942 5¢ Caribou definitive as an example.

View the Newfoundland Study Group newsletters

Rick Friesen has compiled a census of RPO cancels on the Map stamp. The book is entitled Railway Post Office (RPO) Postmarks of Canada on the 1898 Canadian 2¢ Imperial Penny Postage Issue (The ‘Map Stamp’): A Cover Census and a Roster of Off-Cover Cancellations.

The census includes about 250 covers. The listing for each cover includes an illustration (if an image is available), RPO cancel identification, origin (if known), destination, and provenance. The census also updates the 1987 Lew Ludlow roster of RPO cancellations on off-cover Map stamps.

New ORE contributions

The website Finding Images for Marler ... and Beyond, created and managed by William G. Burden, provides detailed images (over 2,000 of them as of October 2021) of re-entries, retouches, and other plate flaws on Admiral stamps.

Accompanying each image is a description (taken from George C. Marler's 1982 book, The Admiral Issue of Canada, for re-entries and retouches described by Marler) and, where known, the plate position and Marler design type. All the text fields are searchable.

If you have discovered a constant plate variety on an Admiral stamp and are curious about whether it has been reported previously or you want to plate it, here is a great resource.

New ORE contributions

The "Discoveries and Curiosities" presentation given at the BNAPEX 2021 Admiral Study Group meeting touches on the following topics:

â–º  3¢ carmine with 2¢ one-line overprint inverted
â–º  1¢ green with major re-entry on 12LR35 – four new reports, two on cover
â–º  Notable plate flaw on the 2¢ green
â–º  New booklet with guideline on the cover
â–º  Fourth copy of the 10¢ blue with type D inverted lathework
â–º  Unique variety on the 2¢ green booklet pane of six
â–º  Admiral bisects on cover
â–º  ERDs on several Admiral stamps.

This version of the presentation corrects an error made at the Study Group meeting and incorporates feedback received after the meeting.

View the Admiral Study Group presentation

The results of the BNAPEX 2021 Virtual survey have been compiled and can be viewed in the pdf here. Thanks to everyone who took the time to make their voices heard.

Click here to see the results of the survey

Announcement from BNAPS President Ronald Majors:

After 12 years of serving the important BNAPS position of Treasurer, Jean-Claude Michaud has decided to step down and spend more time on his postal history dealer- and fine art-businesses where he has been active since 1989. Fortunately, one of our newest Board members, Luc Frève, a retired Certified Professional Accountant, volunteered to take over the Treasurer’s position which became official at the beginning of October 2021. The appointment was approved by the Board of Directors at their pre-meeting at BNAPS 2021 Virtual.

I would like to thank J-Claude for his years of service in keeping our finances in line, for reminding members to renew their yearly memberships, keeping our books up-to-date for tax filing purposes and hundreds of small projects that a Treasurer is asked to take on. Jean-Claude was also a key member of the Board of Directors during his Treasurer tenure. He has also served as a philatelic judge working national level shows in Canada and United States. For 25 years, J-Claude served with the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Dept. of National Defence and Environment Canada in the field of communications.

Luc has been a life-long stamp collector introduced to the hobby by his father. His specialty is pre-1875 North American mail to/from California. His most recent exhibit in this area entitled "From Sail to Rail - California Mail to/from British North America” was awarded a Large Gold at PIPEX 2021. His previous exhibit “From Steamer to Stagecoach” won one-frame Grand Awards at FILEX 2015 and ORAPEX 2016. He also collects items related to the history of philately in the Province of Quebec and specific modern themes such as the 1972 Earth Sciences and 1969 Suzor-Cote stamps. He is co-chairman of the Lower Canada/Bas Canada Regional Group, and is a member of various study groups. He was a member of the BNAPEX 2018 Organizing Committee. We are happy to have an experienced accountant to help manage the BNAPS finances.

Treasurer's role and list of BNAPS treasurers

The Order of the Beaver (OTB), the Fellowship of the British North America Philatelic Society, honours members who have provided service to BNAPS and organized philately in general, have advanced philatelic knowledge through exhibiting and/or writing, and have regularly attended and participated at BNAPEX conventions. Since the establishment of the OTB in 1968, 75 BNAPS members have been inducted.

Profiles of the inductees from 2003 onward and photos of those inducted before 2003 have been posted.

View the profiles and photos of OTB Fellows

Chris Hargreaves has revived The Pilot's Log, the newsletter of the Air Mail Study Group. The first two issues are posted on the website.

View the Air Mail Study Group newsletters

The July 2021 newsletter (Vol. 10, No. 3) of the Pence-Cents Era Study Group features detailed articles on several plate flaws contributed by editor Jim Jung and Michael D. Smith with supporting images provided by Jason Broersma, Jim Watt, and Earl Noss. Richard Thompson discusses perforation varieties found on the First Decimal Issue.

For postal history buffs, Bill Sutherland and Wayne Smith show a 3 pence cover with a puzzling rate, and Vic Willson illustrates a 29 Sept. 1851 stampless cover from Belleville to California.

View the Pence-Cents Era Study Group newsletters

The September newsletter (No. 119) of the British Columbia Postal History Study Group is online.

The issue features Brian Copeland's article on the early development of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the west from a postal history perspective and part 2 of Tracy Cooper's article on British Columbia joining Confederation.

It also features an article on the village of Lytton, which burned to the ground on 30 June 2021 amid the forest fires in British Columbia, by editor Andrew Scott with images by Tracy Cooper.

View the British Columbia Postal History Study Group newsletters

The August issue of the newsletter of the Fancy Cancel & Miscellaneous Markings Study Group, No. 87, features 14 pages of reports and articles from members with the accent on "miscellaneous markings".

Frank Gross shares several finds from his hoard of three cent Small Queens, Mike Street provides images of several paquebot markings, Phil Visser provides information on two ships, the S.S. Sunrell and the S.S. Wairuna, and their paquebot covers, Robert Hobrath contributes a scan of a Halifax oval parcel cancel, editor Dave Lacelle discusses a collection of "Toronto 2" fancy cancels formed by Ron McMurrich, and Vic Willson continues the thread on the "Running Chicken" cancel and return address envelope.

There are also reports from Phil Visser, Mike Behrn, Jason Boersma, Bob Stock, Gary Arnold, Paul Grimm, and Mike Halhed.

Fancy Cancel & Miscellaneous Markings Study Group newsletters

The August issue of The Roundup Annex (Vol. 42, No. 4), the newsletter of the Squared Circle Study Group, is available. It features several pages of newly reported Squared Circle cancels.

The Study Group has also published the June 2021 update to the 6th edition of the Squared Circle Postmarks of Canada handbook. See the link to it below the newsletters.

View the Squared Circle Study Group newsletters

The Squared Circle Study Group updated the 6th edition of the Squared Circle Postmarks of Canada handbook. The June 2021 update replaces all the sections of the January 2020 publication.

The Handbook lists the squared circle postmarks by hammer type and province. Each section is published as a separate PDF file.

New ORE contributions

Robert Lemire has prepared an addendum to the listing of the postage-prepaid Postcard Factory® Cards in Webb’s Postal Stationery Catalogue of Canada and Newfoundland 2019.

The addendum, which is posted in the ORE area, contains corrections and additions to the listing of Postcard Factory® cards, primarily for cards prepared using dies IIIc and IIId (pages 238-259 of the catalogue). The addendum updates the catalogue listing to 17 September 2021.

Robert welcomes reports of new or modified cards, and will include them in future editions of the addendum. His contact information is given in the addendum.

New ORE contributions

The 1 August 2021 release of the Perfin Handbook is available. Many updates, plus new merged handbooks regular and compressed are available.

View the Handbook

The Palmares for BNAPEX 2021 Virtual is now available. Go to the BNAPEX home page, scroll down to the section entitled "Exhibition", and and click on the "View Palmares" button.

BNAPEX 2021 home page

The reports of BNAPS officials tabled at the Board of Directors meeting on 1 September are online.

The approved minutes of the Board of Directors meeting at BNAPEX 2020 and the minutes of the 2020 Annual General Meeting are also posted (click on the "2020" buttons).

The 2021 Treasurer's Report is for fiscal year 2020. It includes the Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss Statement that were published in BNA Topics in previous years.

Access to these reports and minutes is restricted to BNAPS members. You must log in to view them.

Reports of BNAPS officers and officials

The Pence-Cents Era Study Group has just published the article, "1859 5 Cents Beaver Plate Flaws. It is listed in the Online Resources & Exhibits (ORE) area.

According to Geoffrey Whitworth, one plate of 100 subjects was prepared for the 1859 5 Cents Beaver stamp. The plate was reworked ten times, and thus exists in 11 states. This article displays images of the plate flaws, and provides easy navigation to any stamp position and plate state.

This article is the result of an ongoing project by the Pence-Cents Era Study Group, led by Jim Jung, to compile an online, searchable database of all the plate flaws on the 1859 5 Cents Beaver stamp and illustrate them with actual stamps. As examples of flaws become available, they will be added to the database. The August 2021 release contains 200 stamp images.

What's New in the ORE

An initial set of 20 video recordings of presentations made at BNAPS study and regional group meetings during the past year are now available for viewing.

Normally only BNAPS members can access these videos; however, courtesy of the study and regional groups and the presenters, everyone registered for BNAPEX 2021 Virtual can view them.

To see the list of videos, visit the BNAPEX home page, scroll down to the section entitled "Video recordings of past meetings", and click on "View the videos".

Many more videos will be added in the coming days.

BNAPEX home page

The Zoom links to the virtual BNAPS meetings and BNAPEX study group seminars are online. Click on the "Zoom links" button on the BNAPEX home page to get a list of all the links.

There are two Zoom link buttons:

â–º  Zoom links to join BNAPEX seminars
Provides Zoom links to all the seminars that are open to all BNAPEX registrants (20 seminars over a five-day period).

â–º  Zoom links to join BNAPS meetings
Provides Zoom links to meetings that are restricted to BNAPS members: the Board of Directors meeting and the BNAPS Annual General Meeting. The list of Zoom links includes links to the agendas of the BOD meeting and AGM.

Videos of selected portions of the study group seminars will be posted on the website a few days after the meeting.

BNAPEX home page

The BNAPEX 2021 Virtual dealer bourse is online.

The bourse consists of over 30 dealers who have had tables at BNAPEX conventions during past five years plus new dealers who have asked to attend BNAPEX 2021. All the dealers are members of BNAPS.

Some dealers offer BNAPEX specials on their website. Because of logistics and implementation issues, the planned Zoom meetings with dealers will not take place. Instead, collectors can contact dealers via telephone, postal mail, email, or via their website. All the dealer contact information is given on the dealer page.

BNAPEX 2021 Virtual dealer bourse

Robert Haslewood passed away on 26 May 2021.

He joined BNAPS in 1986, was a member of several study groups, and attended every BNAPEX convention in Canada since 1997. He also attended many conventions of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada.

Robert's collecting interests included philatelic material related to Christmas, the postal history of Montreal and Québec, and Elizabethan errors.

View his memorial

The members of the jury for BNAPEX 2021 Virtual have been announced.

David Piercey is the Chief Judge. The other jury members are Hugo Deshaye, Bill Longley, and Grégoire Teyssier. Profiles of the jury members are posted in the BNAPEX 2021 area of the website.

View the profiles of the jury

The revived Map Stamp Study Group has published its second newsletter, Vol. 1, No. 2, July 2021.

Collectors who have recently become enthusiasts of the Map stamp will be delighted with Scott Robinson's plate flaw primer. He provides detailed explanations of the terms used and recommends two authoritative reference books.

Vic Willson describes a Map stamp cover that travelled from Nova Scotia to the Yukon, and Vince Chermishnok shares a page from his album showing a Map stamp on cover with many flaws from the red plate.

Using his Adobe Photoshop expertise, Scott Robinson rounds out the issue with a detailed look at the Map stamp's only misplaced entry.

View the newsletters of the Map Stamp Study Group.

The August issue of Beaver Chatter (Vol. 46, No. 2), the newsletter of the Prairie Beaver Regional Group, is available. Great news: in-person meetings of the Regional Group are scheduled to resume on 30 October!

Vic Willson explores the circular and printed matter rates to Great Britain between 1868 and 1879, illustrates an early use of the ½¢ 1882 Small Queen on cover, and describes a Special Delivery cover paid with 1898 2¢ Map stamps.

George Dresser features two KE VII covers to scarce African destinations.

View the Beaver Chatter newsletters

Earle L. Covert has updated the listing of illustrated indicia for permit mail. The 15 July update adds nine new bulk mailers and 71 new permits to the 31 March listing. Perhaps more significant, it features a new illustrated indicia layout.

Canada Post introduced illustrated indicia for permit mail in 2006. The listing also includes forerunners, indicia with illustrations that appeared before 2006. The total number of permits in the listing is 3,488. The total number of mailers is 775.

View the listing of illustrated indicia for permit mail

The awards won by BNAPS members for BNA exhibits between January and June have been posted. For the first time, the exhibitions at which the awards were won were all virtual - not a surprise given the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thanks to Adri Veenstra for compiling the listing.

View the list of awards

The circuits have been updated with over 100 new pages of material. There are many bargains to be had as many prices have been further reduced. Over 100 Older sheets have been removed from the circuits if they have had no activity over the years.

Visit the Circuits pages

BNAPEX 2021 Virtual opens its doors!

Almost half the BNAPEX 2021 online exhibits have been uploaded to the website and are available for viewing. The uploads will continue up to 22 August. As the exhibits are uploaded, they will be made available for viewing.

BNAPS non-members:
You must register and log in to view the exhibits. You can do so by clicking on the "Registration" tab in the left navigation bar on any BNAPEX 2021 web page. Alternatively, you can just click on the "View exhibits" button or the exhibits photo on the BNAPEX 2021 home page. If you aren't registered and logged in, you will be prompted to do so.

BNAPS members:
No need to register. Just go to the BNAPS member login page, and log on the website. You will be registered for BNAPEX automatically, and will be able to access all the BNAPEX 2021 pages without having to log in again on subsequent visits to the website. There is a convenient button to the BNAPS member login page on the BNAPEX 2021 Registration page.

View the BNAPEX 2021 home page

BNAPEX 2021 exhibitors can now upload their exhibit pages to the website. To do so, go the the BNAPEX 2021 "Exhibits" web page and click on the "Online Form" button, the same button used to enter your exhibit entry form and upload the synopsis and title page.

NOTE
The format of exhibit page file names MUST be as follows:

Name-Keywords-F02P03.jpg.

At one point, the exhibition prospectus erroneously stated that there should be a hyphen between the frame number and the page number. There should NOT be one. An updated prospectus is posted on the Exhibits page.

You can upload multiple files in one operation; however, you are limited to an aggregate file size of about 16 MB, and as you approach the limit, the file upload will be noticeably slow, on the order of 15 to 20 seconds.

Exhibit submission ends on 22 August.

View the BNAPEX 2021 Exhibits page

The Société d’histoire postale du Québec has published the book, La poste coloniale au Québec 1763-1851, vol. 1 : Le sud de Montréal et la rivière des Outaouais by Cimon Morin.

The book studies the postal system in Quebec from 1763 until the creation of the Post Office on 5 April 1851. It identifies post office locations, and lists the postmasters and the dates of their time in office. It also identifies those responsible for transporting the mail on the various postal routes, and the frequency of travel. The book has over 500 pages and 800 illustrations.

View book details and ordering information.

The recently published July-Sept. 2021 newsletter (No. 184) of the Newfoundland Study Group features three articles:

â–º  Using scanner, camera, and an Excel spreadsheet, Anthony Thompson tackles the thorny issue of identifying colour shades objectively

â–º  Chris Hargreaves explores trans-Atlantic air mail through Botwood, Newfoundland during WW II.

â–º  Brian Damien discovers the surprising source of the design of the 6¢ 1897 Cabot stamp showing a logging scene

View the Newfoundland Study Group newsletters

The seminar schedule has been updated.

Six slots are still open for competitive exhibits. The deadline for submitting entry forms is 10 July.

View the latest BNAPEX 2021 Virtual news

The June issue of the newsletter of the Fancy Cancel & Miscellaneous Markings Study Group, No. 86, offers a mix of Study Group member reports and philatelic musings from the editor.

The reports come from new member Frank Gross (to steal a line from the newsletter, ever wonder what 68,000 bundled three cent Small Queens would look like?), Vince Chermishnok, Randy Evans, Robert Coulson, Mike Street, Guy Jeffery, Jon Johnson, and Mike Halhed.

Editorial musings touch on notable names from philatelic yesterdays (Henry Hechler, Fred Jarrett, Frank Campbell, J.R. Hooper, E.A. Smythies), Crown Wax Seals, U.S. fancy cancels, bogus fancy cancels, and the latest technology from Bell Telephone (well, OK, that last item is non-philatelic).

Fancy Cancel & Miscellaneous Markings Study Group newsletters

Wayne Smith has updated three of his censuses:

â–º  1859 Cents Issue Used on Cover after April 1, 1868
Census of covers with 1859 Cents Issue stamps mailed after April 1, 1868, when the Large Queens were issued. June 2021 update: several more covers were added, bringing the total to 171.

â–º   Census of Large Queen Covers by Rates
Census of 1868 Large Queen covers, over 7,800 of them, sorted by postal rate and destination.
End-of-2020 update: 256 covers added.

â–º  Early Use of Two-ring Numeral Cancels on the Large Queen Issue
List of the earliest recorded dates of two-ring numeral cancels on 1868 Large Queen stamps. End-of-2020 update: new ERD for Chatham, NB.

View the census updates

The June issue of the Squared Circle Study Group newsletter, Vol. 42, No. 3, is online.

Gary Arnold relates the history of the cut-down Bobcaygeon squared circle hammer, and provides a census of the strikes reported to date. Do you have a strike that is not on the list?

The issue also includes new reports of early and late dates of squared circle cancels on various stamps and postal stationery.

View the Squared Circle Study Group newsletters

The June newsletter (No. 118) of the British Columbia Postal History Study Group is available.

The issue celebrates the 150th anniversary of British Columbia’s entry into Confederation in 1871. It features an 1871 letter written by Sir John A. Macdonald and the first in a series of articles covering the postal service of the province between 1871-1881.

A postal history collector writes about the discovery of correspondence between his great-great-grandparents. There are also articles about an 1863 cover from Fort Colville and the early postal history of Hazelton.

Contributors include Tracy Cooper, Bruce Pollock, Ed Mannings, and Glenna Metchette.

View the British Columbia Postal History Study Group newsletters

The two most recent meetings of the Lower Canada/Bas Canada Regional Group were virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Group has posted reports of the meetings, which took place on 7 Nov. 2020 and 20 Apr.

At the 7 Nov. meeting, Yan Turmine gave a presentation entitled Services privés de courrier au Québec. He described the private mail couriers that operated in Quebec from the late 1980s through the 1990s. A video of the presentation is available.

View the meeting reports and video presentation

Wayne Smith has compiled a census of four-ring numeral cancels found both on and off cover. Entitled "Canada Four Ring Numeral Cancel Census", it lists the number of cancels by the numeral in the cancel (1 to 52, 6 and 9 not issued) and by the stamp issue it occurs on (Pence, Cents, Large Queen, Small Queen) as well as stampless covers. For each numeral, the earliest and latest recorded dates are given. Over 3,000 covers are recorded, not including Small Queen covers.

This is Wayne Smith's seventh census of of early covers and cancels.

View the four-ring numeral cancel census

The newest BNAPS study group, Digital Philately, had its inaugural meeting on 27 March and a second one on 24 April. Both were virtual. Videos of three meeting presentations are available:

â–º  Institute of Analytical Philately - Richard Judge
Describes the activities of the Institute of Analytical Philately (IAP) and how to apply to the organization for research grants.

â–º  Gwyddion - Freeware - Darin Cherniwchan
Shows how to use the freeware program, Gwyddion, to highlight and analyse stamp and postmark features.

â–º  Research Beyond – Philatelic Information on Varied Websites - David L. Hobden
walks through several invaluable sources for postal history research.

View the Digital Philately Study Group virtual meeting presentations

The King George VI Study Group held its first virtual meeting on 6 January 2021. Videos of the two presentations made at the meeting have been posted:

â–º  HMCS - Peter McCarthy
Illustrates covers from personnel on the small boats in the Royal Canadian Navy during WW II. The small boats include Motor Torpedo Boats and the Fairmile Type B Motor Launches.

â–º  Some Interesting Covers from the Decade of the 1940s - Simon Claughton
Presents ten covers from the 1940s, singled out because of their markings, franking, routing, and/or exotic destination.

View the King George VI Study Group virtual meeting presentations

The video recordings of the 21 November 2020 virtual meeting of the Newfoundland Study Group are posted. There are two presentations:

â–º  1897-1901 Royal Family Issue - Malcolm Back
Walks through the plate proofs, specimen overprints, stamps, and covers of the Royal Family Issue.

â–º  Framelines on Newfoundland Stamps Printed in the 1930s - Anthony Thompson
Illustrates the printing differences on stamps printed by the six printers that printed Newfoundland stamps by engraving in the 1930s, focusing on the appearance of the stamp frame lines.

View the Newfoundland Study Group virtual meeting presentations

Robert (Bob) Lane passed away on 5 May 2021. He was BNAPS's first Webmaster, serving for 15 years from 1995, when the world wide web was in its infancy, to 2010.

Bob was also Vice-President Regional Groups in 2007-2008, helped organize the BNAPEX 1995 and 2005 Edmonton conventions, and won Gold for his exhibits of Manitoba RPO postal history. He was inducted into the Order of the Beaver in 2007.

View his memorial.

Since its revival by Chris Hargreaves last year, the Air Mail Study Group has held three virtual meetings jointly with the Canadian Aerophilatelic Society. Recordings of the meetings are posted on the BNAPS website.

â–º  FAM No. 2: Seattle-Victoria Recent Findings - Gray Scrimgeour
Discusses the U.S. airmail route from Seattle to Victoria established to expedite mail between Seattle and trans-Pacific steamships arriving at and leaving from Victoria.

â–º  Airmail to the Arctic 1929 - Denny May
Describes the role played by "Wop" May and Commercial Airways Ltd. in the airmail service to the Arctic.

â–º  Ferry Command Dorval WWII - The Unusual Air Mail Services - Robert Toombs
Presents the story of Ferry Command Dorval, which was responsible for flying some 10,000 aircraft to Britain, India, and Australasia in aid of the war effort during WW II.

Access to these recordings is restricted to BNAPS members.

View the virtual meetings.

BNAPS released two books in April:

â–º  â€œBy Grand Trunk Railway” – 1853-1867 - Brian Stalker (BNAPS Exhibit Series No. 110)
Illustrates the postal history of the first inter-provincial railway line, built in the 19th century.

â–º  Flamboyant - Re-Entries and Retouches of the Two Cent Numeral Plates 15 and 16 - Peter Spencer
Latest book in the series examining and illustrating plate flaws on the 1898 Queen Victoria Numeral Issue

For more information and to order

The Re-entries and Constant Plate Varieties Study Group has just published its May newsletter, No. 26. The lead article by Brian Hargreaves and Scott Robinson describes some fascinating detective work leading to the plating of misplaced vertical guidelines along the bottom row of 1868 2¢ Large Queen stamps. In the process, the article makes use of one of the most famous blocks in Canadian philately.

The issue also features notes by Scott Robinson on some 1898 Map Stamp finds and a plate flaw on a 6¢ Small Queen die proof with examples from Jim McCormick's collection. Michael D. Smith illustrates album pages that show how he mounts and annotates plate flaws, and Domenic DiMartella-Orsi reports on two re-entries on the 1851 Pence Issue. Scott Robinson describes a dry print on the 2¢ Large Queen masquerading as a well-known major re-entry.

View the Re-entries and Constant Plate Varieties Study Group newsletters

Frame space is still available for competitive exhibits at BNAPEX 2021 Virtual. To date, 28 exhibits have been entered, 16 of which are single frame exhibits. This leaves 12 slots still open. Four of them can be single frame exhibits.

The initial acceptance period ends on 31 May. The subsequent acceptance period goes from 1 June to 10 July.

There are no frame limits on non-competitive exhibits. They can be submitted at any time up to 10 July.

View the BNAPEX 2021 Virtual exhibits page

Two new or newly revived study groups have formed: the Air Mail Study Group and the Digital Philately Study Group.

Chris Hargreaves chairs the newly revived Air Mail Study Group. The Study Group has held three Zoom meetings, the latest on 2 May, which will be posted on the website shortly. The Study Group was active from 1992 to at least 2006. During that period, it published 40 newsletters, all of which are available on the BNAPS website.

Darin Cherniwchan chairs the Digital Philately Study Group. It has held two Zoom meetings, most recently on 27 April, which will be posted in the coming days.

This is a new Group. Its closest BNAPS predecessor is the Internet Study Group formed by Robert Lane in 2004 when he was BNAPS Webmaster. Greg Spring took over when Robert retired as Webmaster. The Group went dormant in 2013.

Both groups are listed on the Study Groups web page. The chairmen, Chris Hargreaves and Darin Cherniwchan, would appreciate hearing from you if your collecting interests include their areas of study. Both will be scheduling future Zoom meetings, which will be announced in the eLetter and the "Upcoming Events" area of the website.

Study Groups web page

Editor Jim Jung has published the May 2021 newsletter (Vol. X, No. 2) of the Pence-Cents Era Study Group.

â–º  Michael D. Smith leads off with studies of several plate flaws on the 1859 5¢ Beaver.
â–º  Vic Willson illustrates a newly discovered triple rate domestic Pence cover.
â–º  Ron Majors discusses early covers posted in the U.S. with Canadian stamps and vice versa.
â–º  Peter McCarthy and Jim Jung yearn for the prices in the stamp catalogues of the early to mid 1900s. Don't we all!

View the Pence-Cents Era Study Group newsletters

No less than 17 study groups plan to hold a Zoom meeting during the BNAPEX 2021 Virtual convention. There will also be a meeting of regional groups, the BNAPS Annual General Meeting, and the always well attended exhibit judging feedback session.

The meeting schedule is now available. Note that it may change as planning for the convention progresses.

View the meeting and seminar schedule

In 2015, BNAPS published the Catalogue of Canadian Hunting and Fishing Revenue Stamps by Clayton Rubec and Dale Stover. The authors have just issued an update to the catalogue.

Part One of the update provides revisions and corrections to the catalogue. Part Two provides listings of new material released from 2016 to 2021 or noted since the catalogue was published.

View recent additions to the ORE

Chris Ryan, editor of the Canadian Revenue Study Group newsletter, Canadian Revenue Newsletter, has just published a cumulative index to the newsletter.

The index covers the issues of the second series of newsletters, Nos. 1 to 107, August 1993 though December 2020.

View the cumulative index (scroll to "Other resourcea" near the bottom of the page).

Editor Scott Robinson and co-editor Rick Friesen have published the first newsletter of the re-established Map Stamp Study Group - Volume 1, No. 1, April 2021.

The issue of Xmas 1898 Map Stamp Report features an introduction to the Map Stamp plates by Scott Robinson, a major plating accomplishment by a triumphant Simon Taylor-Young, a list of important Map Stamp auctions by Rick Friesen, and two Map Stamp covers cancelled with squared circles by Paul Grimm.

View the Map Stamp Study Group newsletters

Earle L. Covert provides a 31 March update to the listing of illustrated indicia for permit mail. The update adds 23 new bulk mailers and 179 new permits to the 31 December 2020 listing.

Canada Post introduced illustrated indicia for permit mail in 2006. The listing also includes forerunners, indicia with illustrations that appeared before 2006. The total number of permits in the listing is 3,417. The total number of mailers is 766.

View the Illustrated Permits listing

The Jan.-Apr. 2021 newsletter (No. 42) of the King George VI Study Group has been posted. Any BNAPS member (not just Study Group members) can access the newsletter upon logging on the website.

The newsletter features articles on the 1939 Royal Visit 2¢ National War Memorial by Joe Trauzzi and postal use of the 1937 1¢ Mufti definitive by Eldon Godfrey, There is also a Q&A section with participants John Cramner, Simon Claughton, Peter Kritz, Gary Steele, Mike Street, and editor Ken Lemke.

After 19 years, Chairman Gary Steele is retiring, but has promised to contribute articles. Eldon Godfrey has volunteered to replace him.

View the newsletters

The New Brunswick numeral grid cancels were in use from 1853 to the Edwardian period. The grid numerals go from 1 to 39, although one of them, 36, is currently unknown, and another, 37, is known only off cover.

Wayne Smith and Charles Verge provide a census of the 993 known covers with numeral grid cancels and the 2,024 known off-cover cancels. Accompanying the census is background information about the postal rates of the time and the origin and use of the hammers.

This is Wayne Smith's sixth census of early covers and postmarks.

View the census

BNAPS members can now enter their competitive and non-competitive exhibits in BNAPEX 2021 Virtual.

The Exhibit Entry Form is available on the BNAPEX 2021 Exhibits web page. Two versions of the entry form are available, online and PDF. Using the online form, you can, for the first time at a BNAPEX convention, submit your exhibit entry directly from your browser as well as upload your synopsis and title page directly to the website.

There are no frame fees. Subject to frame limits for competitive exhibits, entries can be submitted up to 10 July.

BNAPEX 2021 Exhibits page

Brian T. Stalker compiled Update #2 to his BNAPS book Travelling Post Office Postmarks of Newfoundland & Labrador (second edition).

This update, dated May 2020, is a cumulative update. It includes the data in Update #1 - Oct. 2018.

View the BNAPS book updates

The March 2021 issue, No. 12, of the Precancel Study Group newsletter, Precancel Canada, has been posted.

The newsletter features an article by Lawrence Pinkney entitled "Unauthorized Precancel Stamps and Unauthorized Precancel Covers".

View the Precancel Study Group newsletters

The latest newsletter of the Squared Circle Study Group, The Roundup Annex, Vol. 42, No. 2, April 2021, is available.

Besides the reports of new discoveries, the newsletter features two articles, one by Rick Friesen about the only documented “parcel post” rate on a Squared Circle Map stamp cover (but is it?) and the second by Gary Arnold that links two items from major collections acquired 30 years apart.

The Study Group is working on an update to the 6th edition of the Squared Circle Handbook (available online - see the link below the newsletters). Do you have new reports to contribute? If so, email them to newsletter editor Gary Arnold at forestgda@gmail.com.

View the Squared Circle Study Group newsletters

The March newsletter, No. 183, of the Newfoundland Study Group offers a mix of stamp and postal history articles.

On the stamp side, Anthony Thompson and Earl Noss describe misplaced entries, re-entries, and other constant plate flaws, and pose some questions. In addition, Steve Moreland illustrates a cracked plate flaw on the 1868 1¢ violet Prince of Wales stamp.

On the postal history front, Chris Hargreaves explores air mail through Botwood between 1939 and 1945, and David Piercey pins down the location of the Late Letter Office in St. John’s. What's the "Late Letter Office", you ask. The answer is just a newsletter away.

View the Newfoundland Study Group newsletters

The March issue of the newsletter of the Fancy Cancel & Miscellaneous Markings Study Group, No. 85, is posted.

It is another bumper issue with reports from Mark Berner, Roger Squires, Jason Broersma, Phil Visser, Ralph Vicero, Robin Simpson, Mike Street, Mike Halhed, Ron Smith, Roger Larsen, Guy Jeffery, Gary Arnold, Don Beaumont, and Robert Coulson.

In addition, editor Dave Lacelle contributes notes on bogus fancy cancels, and Norbert Hobrath describes his book, Canada Oval Parcel Cancels, recently published by BNAPS.

Fancy Cancel & Miscellaneous Markings Study Group newsletters

In addition to BNAPS members, BNAPEX 2021 Virtual is also open to non-members. Attendance is FREE, but registration is required. Access to the exhibition, seminars, and bourse is restricted to registered attendees. Registration begins in July.

BNAPEX 2021 will feature an online competitive exhibition. The exhibit classes, frame limits, exhibit rules, judging, and awards will be similar to physical conventions. Non-competitive exhibits are also welcome. Best of all, there are NO FRAME FEES! The Exhibition Prospectus is posted on the BNAPEX 2021 Exhibits page.

There will be a virtual bourse where dealers can introduce themselves and post price lists. Attendees have the option of meeting participating dealers one-on-one virtually using a virtual meeting application such as Zoom or by telephone.

View the BNAPEX 2021 web pages. For all the latest, go to the "News" page.

Basil Burrell died on 29 July 2020. He was a very active aerophilatelist for many years.

He edited the BNAPS Airmail Study Group newsletter, The Pilot's Log, from 1994 to 2004, served as a Director of BNAPS from 1995-2002, and was co-chairman of BNAPEX 2000 Schaumburg, IL. He and his wife Audrey attended many BNAPEX conventions.

View Basil Burrell's memorial

Announcement from BNAPS President Ronald Majors:

I am happy to announce that Paul Grimm of Berwick, NS, has agreed to become the BNAPS Social Media Manager. Paul is a long-time collector specializing in Nova Scotia postal history, Canadian Squared Circle postmarks and the Map Stamp. He has exhibited parts of his collection at BNAPEX conventions.

Belonging to a three-generation farm family, after facing a devastating fire in 1985, Paul decided to go in a new direction and developed a wholesale nursery business. He now owns an online marketing business selling gardening products all over the world. He and his wife Nancy have two married daughters and five grandchildren.

Paul has experience in Internet development, having assembled his own website: http://squaredcirclesofcanada.com/ as well as a Facebook page dedicated to Squared Circles: https://www.facebook.com/Squared-Circle-Postmarks-of-Canada-208564573156708/. Besides philately, Paul is an active musician, barbershop quartet singing, coaching and directing.

Paul replaces Hugo Deshaye, the previous Social Media Manager, who has moved on to become BNAPS’s Dealer Liaison and Advertising Manager. I’d like to thank Hugo for his service in setting up and managing the BNAPS Facebook pages. Paul will work with Bill Longley who also wears many hats as our Publicity Officer, CAPEX22 Liaison and Books Dept. Sales Manager and was assisting Hugo with our Facebook pages.

BNAPS officers, directors, and appointed officials

Between 9-12 June 2022, Canada will be home to CAPEX 22, an International philatelic exhibition, Canada's first since 1996. The exhibition will feature the largest showing of one frame exhibits at a single exhibition and a literature competition that encompasses both print and digital media.

BNAPS has launched a Matching Funds Donation Program in support of CAPEX 22. The Society will match member donations to CAPEX 22 up to a total of $10,000. Tax receipts will be provided for donations of $25 or more by Canadian and U.S. members.

BNAPS will become a CAPEX 22 Partner, the highest level of sponsorship, enabling BNAPS to participate in high-visibility events and programs.

View full details of the Program and how to donate

The March issue of Beaver Chatter (Vol. 46, No. 1), the newsletter of the Prairie Beaver Regional Group, is available.

The newsletter features two King Edward VII covers to scarce destinations from George Dresser and four articles by Vic Willson. One of them describes an Elizabethan cover with an incredible number of postmarks, and another describes a challenging philatelic jigsaw puzzle.

View the Beaver Chatter newsletters

The Map Stamp Study Group was formed by Whitney L. Bradley in 1982. Between 1982 and 1990, he published 21 newsletters. After a ten year dormant period, the Study Group was revived and published 26 newsletters between 2000 and 2008. In 2010, the Group Chair, Orville F. Osborne, created a website for the Group that flourished until January of this year.

Rick Friesen recently volunteered to reinvigorate the Study Group. He contacted several Map Stamp enthusiasts to becomes Study Group members, and invites any BNAPS member with an interest in the Map Stamp to join. For more information, you can contact Rick at rickfriesen5@gmail.com.

The newly reinvigorated Study Group is making all the past newsletters available on the BNAPS website. That's 47 issues of Map Stamp material!

View the Map Stamp Study Group newsletters

The Pence-Cents Era Study Group March newsletter (Vol. 10, No. 1) is available.

The newsletter features a well illustrated article by David D’Alessandris entitled "Canadian Interprovincial Mail Via the United States". It discusses mail delivery between provinces before they joined Confederation, mail that transited the United States in its journey from one province to the other.

In addition, Jim Jung illustrates a variety on the 1851 Pence Issue 3d Beaver, and Michael D, Smith describes a plate flaw on the 1859 First Cents Issue 5¢ Beaver.

View the Pence-Cents Era Study Group newsletters

The March newsletter (No. 117) of the British Columbia Postal History Study Group is posted.

The issue features a detailed article on Colonial British Columbia and Vancouver Island postal rates to foreign destinations. Other articles touch on Naas Harbour, Cascade City, an SS Comox steamship marking, Jervis Inlet, Irvine’s Landing, Retreat Cove, and Echo Island. Where's Echo Island, BC, you ask? More to the point: how did the Post Office deliver a letter to Echo Island?

Contributors include Andrew Scott, Tracy Cooper, Morris Beattie, Brian Copeland, and Tim Woodland.

View the British Columbia Postal History Study Group newsletters

Ron Majors, President of BNAPS, and Mark Berner, Chairman of the Board of Directors, announce the cancellation of BNAPEX 2021 WINNIPEX because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In its place, Ron and Mark announce that BNAPS will hold a virtual online convention, BNAPEX 2021 Virtual.

The convention will include an online exhibition of single and multi-frame exhibits to be judged by a qualified jury, Study Group virtual meetings and seminars, the Annual General Meeting of the Society, social sessions and, if at all possible, a virtual bourse that will allow members and dealers to interact online.

BNAPEX 2021 Virtual

President Ron Majors has announced the appointment of a new Dealer Liaison and Advertising Manager.

After 26 plus years of serving as BNAPS’s Dealer Liaison and Advertising Manager, Hank Narbonne, a well-known Canadian stamp and postal history dealer, has decided to “retire” from that volunteer job. He is NOT retiring from being an active stamp and postal history dealer so his customers should not be concerned.

On behalf of our executive staff and officers, I would like to thank Hank for his years of service to Canada/BNA philately, working with dealers, many advertisers, BNA Topics editors and BNAPS officers in helping the Society to grow and prosper. Over the years, besides being named to the Order of the Beaver in 2003, Hank has been on the Board of Directors, served as BNAPEX dealer liaison, book author (two BNAPS books) and exhibitor. He is also an accredited BNAPS judge.

His replacement, effective immediately, will be another popular dealer, Hugo Deshaye, currently the BNAPS Social Media Manager and a member of the Board of Directors. Until a new Social Media Manager is found, Hugo will continue to work alongside Bill Longley, Publicity Officer, to keep a presence on our Social Media pages.

List of officers, directors, and appointed officials

The awards won by BNAPS members in 2020 for philatelic achievements and BNA exhibits are posted along with a year-end summary.

You might suspect that the listing is short because of the COVID-19 pandemic. If so, you would be right. But there's a bright side.

Thanks to Adri Veenstra for compiling the listing.

Awards won by BNAPS members in 2020

The Newfoundland Study Group's virtual meeting on 19 September featured a panel discussion on exhibiting.

Panel members C.A. Stillions, David Piercey, Robin Moore, and David Bartlet, all well-known exhibitors, discussed their reasons for exhibiting, the satisfaction they experienced, and the setbacks they encountered. The attendees chipped in with questions, feedback, and their own exhibiting experiences.

Access to this video presentation is restricted to BNAPS members.

Newfoundland Study Group newsletters and other resources

At its virtual meeting on 26 September 2020, the Golden Horseshoe Regional Group featured a presentation by Chris Ellis entitled Victoria Red Leaf Issue Advertising Postal Cards: History, Design, Regulations.

In his presentation, Chris Ellis explores these Advertising cards, showing their usage, the colourful advertising that graced them, how the rules constrained the advertising, and, inevitably, how the rules were broken.

Access to this presentation is restricted to BNAPS members.

Golden Horseshoe Regional Group meetings

Wayne Smith has updated his Canada Pence Issue 1851 – 1859 Cover Census. This is one of five censuses of early covers and postmarks he has compiled.

The census lists over 4,500 Pence Issue covers. Over 50 of them were added in the February 2021 update. In addition, the listing of foreign rates was updated.

View the updated Pence Issue census

BNAPS published seven books between April and December 2020. Three of the books are part of the BNAPS Exhibit Series.

â–º  First Day Covers of the 1939 Canada King George VI Royal Visit Issue - Donald J. Leblanc

â–º  Canada Commercial Air Mail Between 1925 and 1954 - Per-Olof Jansson (Exhibit Series # 107)

â–º  Orange Zest: The Canada Eight Cent 1898 Numeral Issue - Peter Spencer

â–º  Canadian Postal Stationery Using the Karsh and Wilding Photography of Queen Elizabeth II - Earle Covert (Exhibit Series # 108)

â–º  The Cameo and Centennial Postal Stationery of Canada - Earle Covert (Exhibit Series # 109)

â–º  Canada Oval Parcel Cancels - Norbert J. Hobrath

â–º  R.C.A.F. Christmas Cards 1939-1980 - A. David Hanes

These books may be ordered from the BNAPS Books Agent, Bill Longley

Information on new BNAPS books

On 21 January, Ron Majors announced several new BNAPS appointments.

Luc Freve was appointed to help BNAPS Treasurer Jean-Claude Michaud with accounting practices.

The Board of Directors approved a change in the management of the BNAPS portfolio. The investment portfolio was turned over to a fiduciary advisor. The Finance Committee will now be headed by George Dresser, who chaired our Finance Committee for over a decade. He will be assisted by three other BNAPS members, John Keenlyside, Barry Casanova, and Ron Majors.

CAPEX 22, to be held in Toronto in June 2022, will be the first worldwide exhibition for single frame exhibits only. It will have at least 400 frames. It has been 26 years since Canada last hosted an international stamp show. To ensure that BNAPS will be deeply involved, Bill Longley, currently the BNAPS Publicity Chairman and BNAPS Book Agent, has been appointed as BNAPS liaison to CAPEX 22.

View the document "Recent Appointments" for more detail.

The Squared Circle Study Group has published the Jan. 2021 issue (Vol. 42, No. 1) of its newsletter, The Roundup Annex.

The newsletter has many reports of early and late squared circle strikes and strikes on stamps not previous reported with a squared circle cancel. It also features an article by editor Gary Arnold on "second chance" cancels from Hamilton.

View the Squared Circle Study Group newsletters

Scott Robinson has published his second issue of Dots & Scratches, the newsletter of the Re-entries and Constant Plate Varieties Study Group. It is Vol. 8, No. 1, whole no. 25, January 2021.

Scott contributes two articles, one describing his "secret sauce" for plating the 1898 2¢ Map stamp and a second untangling the "broken stamen" flaw on the 1966 5¢ Newfoundland Pitcher Plant stamp.

Brian Hargreaves explores the 1868 ½¢ Large Queen, and Robert Coulson reports what appears to be a triple re-entry on the 1870 ½¢ Small Queen.

Michael D. Smith explains how stamps printed from the same plate can exist in different sizes, and Earl Noss reports finding a major re-entry on the 1898 1¢ Numeral and a neat plate flaw on the 1935 13¢ Charlottetown Conference.

View the Re-entries and Constant Plate Varieties Study Group newsletters

Earle L. Covert provides a year-end update to the listing of illustrated indicia for permit mail. The 31 December 2020 update adds 37 new bulk mailers and 201 new permits to the 30 September 2020 listing.

Canada Post introduced illustrated indicia for permit mail in 2006. The listing also includes forerunners, indicia with illustrations that appeared before 2006.

View the listing of illustrated indicia on permit mail

30 newsletters from eight study groups were posted recently. The year of publication, study group, and number of issues are listed below:

â–º 2015 Large and Small Queens - 3 issues
â–º 2015 Military Mail - 5 issues
â–º 2015 Perfin - 3 issues
â–º 2015 Postal Stationery - 5 issues
â–º 2015 Revenue - 1 issue
â–º 2016 RPO - 4 issues

These study groups have requested a delay of up to five years between publication of their newsletters and posting on the website.

Several study groups have no delay period. Their newsletters were posted upon publication in 2020. The study groups include:

â–º British Columbia Postal History
â–º Dead Letter Office
â–º Fancy Cancel and Miscellaneous Markings
â–º Newfoundland
â–º Pence-Cents Era
â–º Precancel
â–º Re-entries and Constant Plate Varieties

The following two study groups also have no delay period. Their most recent newsletters are now posted on the website.

â–º 2020 First Day Covers - 4 issues (also available on the Study Group's website)
â–º 2020 Squared Circle Cancels - 5 issues

This year, the King George VI Study Group decided to post its newsletters on the BNAPS website immediately upon publication. However, access to the newsletters published within the last two years is restricted to BNAPS (not just Study Group) members. The newsletters are also available on the Study Group's own website.

These newsletters are an invaluable resource, especially for those collecting the subjects covered by the Study Groups. Thanks to all the editors and contributors.

View the study group newsletters

On 1 January, nine BNAPS members became Emeritus members, having been with BNAPS for the past 40 years.

BNAPS Emeritus members

The January-March 2021 newsletter (No. 182) of the Newfoundland Study Group is online.

The issue features a mix of stamp and postal history articles.

Among the stamps: analysis of the shades of the 1919 15¢ Caribou Issue by John M. Walsh assisted by Richard Judge, a new plate flaw on the 3¢ 1941-1944 Waterlow reprint definitive by Barry Senior, and several flaws reported by Earl Noss.

The postal history front includes a note on a Bell Island postmark by Brian Stalker, the final part of David Piercey's exhibit on Newfoundland fancy cancel postmarks, and "The Earliest, Non-archival Letter from Newfoundland" by Timothy O'Conner.

View the Newfoundland Study Group newsletters

Editor Jim Jung recently published the December 2020 newsletter (Vol. IX, No. 6) of the Pence-Cents Era Study Group. This is his sixth newsletter of the year.

Among the featured articles:

â–º  Wayne Smith concludes that one of the Pence covers he discussed in the November newsletter is legitimate
â–º  Jim Jung describes a 1¢ Decimal printed matter rate cover whose contents are more interesting than the cover itself
â–º  Earl Noss illustrates several plate flaws on the 12½¢
â–º  Ron Majors describes several Decimal Issue covers to scarce destinations
â–º  Michael D. Smith analyzes more flaws on the 5¢ Beaver

View the Pence-Cents Era Study Group newsletters

An eight-frame exhibit by Barry Senior, Perforated Initials & Insignia on Stamps of Newfoundland, has been added to the Online Resources & Exhibits (ORE) area.

The exhibit shows the use of perforated initials and insignia (perfins) by companies based in Newfoundland and perfins on Newfoundland stamps by companies from outside Newfoundland. It also examines the use of perforation devices to cancel Newfoundland revenue stamps and the use of SPECIMEN perfins by stamp printing companies.

The exhibit includes many discovery items.

New postings in Online Resources & Exhibits (ORE)

The latest issue of the Fancy Cancel & Miscellaneous Markings Study Group newsletter, No. 84, December 2020, is available online.

Study Group members have again delivered a smorgasbord of reports on their fancy cancel findings. They include Jim McCormick, Robin Simpson, Bob Stock, Firmin Wyndels, Mike Halhed, Mike Street, Philip Visser, Norbert Horbrath, Jim Davis, Brian Hargreaves, Gary Arnold, Ron Smith, and Guy Jeffery.

Editor David Lacelle notes the formation of an independent Fancy Cancels Facebook group. It was formed in June 2020, and has over 80 members as of the beginning of January. URL: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3332044113525160%20.. He also describes his approach to fake, bogus, and spurious fancy cancels.

Fancy Cancel & Miscellaneous Markings Study Group newsletters