The cancellation on the top two stamps appears to read:
"SIXTH INTERNATIONAL PHILATELIC EXHIBITION WASHINGTON D.C. 1966"
I expect that the postmaster general's office sponsored a postal outlet for the exhibition, and created the special exhibition cancellation. Canada Post has done the same for VANPEX.
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
But why the United States of Africa?? There is no entity by this name and the US of America PMG wouldn't be issuing cancellations in this capacity even for shows. Could this be a forged cancellation?
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"Experience is the name you give to the mistakes you made yesterday."
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
I see it now, and don't see how I missed it in the first image. Anyway, could this be one of those goofy lack-of-attention snafus, along the line of the engraver who (apparently) erred in creating the first two Mauritius stamps with the words "Post Office" rather than "Post Paid".*
Or it is quite possibly a bogus cancellation used for propaganda:
In 2009, Libya's Moammar Gahadfi promoted the idea of a "United States of Africa". I found this quote on a web page (Le Monde Diplomatique): "The United States of Africa remains a constant theme - the great dream cherished from the earliest days of pan-Africanism. For many political leaders, the failure of the post-colonial state is the root cause of the marginalisation and upsurge in violence that is plunging whole swathes of Africa into chaos. They also think the failure is the source of the dramatic rise in poverty that now threatens the survival of tens of thousands of people. It is destroying what remains of social cohesion, and leaving the way open to the terrifying pandemics of Aids and malaria. Meantime managers are unemployed, have left the country or are closeted away in a bankrupt civil service, wasting the hard-won knowledge they acquired from western schooling."
It's not hard to believe that someone well schooled in African politics, and yearning for improvements that a well-administrated coalition of all African states could bring to Africa, would use every means at his disposal to bring that dream about, including bogus cancellations. Interesting, isn't it, that U.S.A. is the initials of both the United States of America and the United States of Africa.
Question for Perry: Why do you think that there are two separate cancellations? It appears that the lines are all centered, and equally spaced. It would be hard to apply two different rubber stamp images so precisely. I'm thinking someone just had a rubber stamp made up as a bogus copy of an actual postal service cancellation device made for the exhibition.
Keep Postal systems alive, buy stamps and mail often 24 Aug 2010 05:09:59pm
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
This image was sent to me by a new member who was interested in it's value ... well I was interested in it's uniqueness so I posted it. I have no clue of it's history, er, perhaps Ayan can help us here ... ?
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
HELLO, OK IM HERE, WELL MR.BOB IT S NOT A BOGUS COPY AS FAR AS I KNOW, BCOZ MY GRANDFATHER USED TO COLLECT VERY DIFFERENT & UNIQUE STAMPS.HE WAS A HUGE COLLECTOR. I MEAN THAT S NOT ALL I HAVE MORE STAMPS LIKE THESE WITH SOME SHOCKING ERRORS,ILL PASS YOU IT S IMAGE SOON. WELL I DONT HAVE MUCH KNOWLEDGE ABOUT STAMPS,THATS WHY I CAME TO YOU PEOPLE.IM 100% SURE THAT IT S NOT FAKE OTHERWISE MY GRANDFATHER WULD HAVEN T KEPT IT WITH HIM IN HIS CATALOGUE.WELL IM SURE WHEN ILL PASS THIS STAMP TO YOU PEOPLE, ULL GET IT BYURSELF.BUT FIRST I THINK I SHOULD HAND THIS OVER TO ANY GRADING EXPERT OR SOMEONE FOR A CHECK, WHAT U SAY?
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
I gotta point out that just because something is fake, or bogus, or a forgery, or otherwise illegitimate doesn't make it uncollectible. I know several collectors who have forgeries and bogus stamps in their collections. I do. In their own right, they are as interesting as the original stamps they attempt to duplicate. I bought a bogus stamp showing Jane Fonda simply because it's the only stamp I could find with her picture on it: I will use it one day to illustrate a non-political exhibit page about her support of the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War.
Anyway, my point is that even "huge collectors" will collect what suits their interests. Bogus stamps, or bogus cancellations, are not intrinsically bad or good, valuable or valueless. Their worth comes from the interest they generate within the part of our brains that says we must collect stamps.
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
I thought the cancellation may be a slogan cancel used during the SIPEX Exhibition in 1966 but it is not in the United States Postal Slogan cancel catalog by Moe Luff 1975 edition. I will do further research on this after I get back from vacation.
(Message edited by john macco on September 06, 2010)
Keep Postal systems alive, buy stamps and mail often 07 Sep 2010 10:03:46am
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
Even IF this canceled block is bogus or real there is very little additional value except perhaps to cancel collectors, but even then it would be minimal ( it's a common stamp ) ... remember an error in a stamp is in the stamp not necessarily in the cancel ... that is where the value would kick in ... if someone wanted this stamp all you would need to do is post it in the auction, select a REASONABLE opening bid and wait and see ...Perry
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
Dear Aak, If you're looking for help in posting it to our auction, just ask. Remember, the responsibility to do so , and to follow the rules of the auction, all rest with you.
I'd suggest you start by reading the rules, on the home page, and to try to post it. When you get into trouble, just ask. We're friendly here, but do require you to do the heavy lifting.
Support the Hobby -- Join the American Philatelic Society 27 Sep 2010 09:37:38am
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
I don't know what all the excitement is about. Bobstamp has alredy given the answer about a month ago; "rubber stamp made up as a bogus copy of an actual postal service cancellation device." -- Except maybe that I might disagree with Bob on the notion that it is an imitation of an actual postal service cancellation device. I am not aware of a true cancellation device that someone might have imitated here. Especially, it cannot be the slogan portion of a machine cancel. The dimensions do not fit (height!). It is entirely a fantasy. Thus, no surprise that it is not included in the Slogan cancel literature (John_macco's posting).
Bobstamp then further elaborated -- correctly -- that just "because something is fake, or bogus, or a forgery, or otherwise illegitimate doesn't make it uncollectible." So, you can still sell it, albeit don't get your hopes up too high. There are only few buyers out there for this kind of stuff. The value to me is ZERO (and I collect lots of postmarks).
Arno
(Message edited by rhinelander on September 27, 2010)
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
Aak said, "WHY DONT U GUYS PROMOTE THIS STAMP EVERYWHERE IN STATES??"
Aak,
We are all willing to provide information about philately to you or to any novice beginner or experienced collector. No one can possibly know even a tenth of the information there is to know about stamps; if one of us knows something that someone else doesn't know, we are more than willing to help out. However…
None of us have the time or inclination to undertake tasks that you should be doing for yourself. Scores of people post lots for sale in our auctions, and do it on their own, perhaps asking for technical information about sizing and uploading images. I don't remember in 10-plus years that I've been a member of Stamporama being asked to help promote the sale of a stamp for someone else. Stamporama does not exist as unpaid help for your tasks. As Dani20 said, the heavy lifting is your responsibility.
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
THANK U FOR UR ADVICES EXPERTS, BUT THE POINT IS I HAVE SEEN ONE THING, WHEN IF U HAVE RARE AND UNIQUE THING, U CAN DEMAND ITS PRICE,FOR E.G LIKE RECENTLY WITH THAT FAMOUS 1943 RARE ONE PENNY CENT. IT WENT FROM $2,18,000 TO 1.7 MILLION, JUS BECAUSE IT WAS RARE. EVEN ON E-BAY U CAN SEE MANY RARE STAMP, THAT THEY DEMAND FOR THEIR STAMP JUST ON THEIR UNIQUNESS. I HAVEN T SEEN SUCH TYPE OF A STAMP BEFORE. I HAVE SENT THIS STAMP TO PSE NOW PROFESSIONAL STAMP EXPERT. & NOW IM JUST WAITING FOR ITS CERTIFICATE.N THEN M GONNA SHOW IT
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
Dear Aak, Good for you. You've sought out the non-expert advice, found it wanting, and have decided to have it looked at for certification by a recognized expert. Good for you. Be sure to share with us whatever you find out about it. Dan C.
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
No one can "demand" a price for anything. They can ask again and again and again, but if there's no buyer, then the item is worth less than the seller believes, or it is literally worthless.
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
As regards value - if you can provide "provenance" that is documentary evidence of the why, where and how this was produced ( a newspaper article or magazine cutting ) its desirability to the collectors of the curious will multiply. As a curiosity with no context it is virtually worthless- however in context it will have a value ( but not world cruise class! )
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy.. 09 Jan 2011 12:38:44pm
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
Did you by any chance, read the "Image Upload Tutorial" that is listed in the left hand window of the screen under "Documentation"? . \!!!!// ->YOU<- need to start there. //!!!!\
Then I am sure that the members will be glad to answer questions that you might have.
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".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
Yes the stamp is still with PSE experts, I dont know what they re trying to do with it, they re doing some research or somethin, Actually they ve gone crazy or something after looking at it i guess,,,,, anyhow Guys , Im in toronto these days with some of my collection, Does someone know any big dealer or stamp buyer in toronto , who can check that stamp and could give me its payment, Please reply
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy.. 02 Mar 2011 08:58:53pm
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
If the stamp is still with the PSE experts, how can you show it to some big time buyer in Toronto to check ? Charlie
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".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
I'm going to hazard a possible solution to this question. First, the cancel was applied to the stamps at the exhibition in Washington, DC. No doubt about that.
In 1961, The African and Malagasy Union was created, which economically joined the countries of Cameroun, Central Africa, Chad, Congo People's Republic, Dahomey, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Malagasy (Madagascar), Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Upper Volta (Burkina Faso). These were all former French colonies in Africa that had gained their independence. These nations also entered into an economic agreement with Europe (EuropAfrica)in 1963, and formed the African Postal Union in 1963. I would say that these countries had a united presentation at the exhibition, and the special cancel was used at the show. The cancel reference of "postmaster would be the Postmaster of the African Postal Union. Why they permitted the cancel to be used on a US stamp may never be known. Perhaps it was a special show cover that someone created and had attached stamps from those African nations as well, using the US commemorative for the show on the same cover to tie the stamps and the cancel to the show. If this was part of a cover, it is too bad that the stamps were soaked off. Could have been some interesting philatelic history.
At least, that is my take on this. Now let's see if someone can verify this or correct it.
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
One last thing is that since these stamps are off-cover, I don't think that the cancel will add much to the value. Stamps of other countries get cancels from other countries all the time. It is the cover that makes the connection and potential added value. It is definitely a curio piece, however, make no mistake on that, and that might be worth a little bit, but anyone could create a cancel and put it on a stamp, thus the limited added value. IMHO
re: Interesting cancel .....United States of Africa
OMG THANK U ALYN THANK U SOO MUCH FOR THE ADDRESS, AND YES THAT STAMP IS STILL WITH PSE EXPERTS IN STATES, BUT YEA RITE NOW IM IN TORONTO THESE DAYS , FOR MY MOST IMPROTANT STAMP :"THE I.R OFFICIAL" 6D PALE PURPLE, IM JUST ON MY WAY NOW AFTER THESE ADDRESSES , THANK U GUYS THANK U SOO MUCH, ILL RESPONSE YOU ALL SOON AFTER THE RESULT OF I.R.OFFICIAL AND UNITED STATES OF AFRICA
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