The United States Postal Service has announced the joint issuance of new Forever stamps honoring Miles Davis and Edith Piaf, two of the world's greatest musicians. The stamps will be issued with the French postal service, La Poste in June.

"We look forward to issuing these great stamps jointly with La Poste, continuing a tradition of international celebration of stamps," said USPS Manager, Stamp Services, Stephen Kearney.

Miles Davis was at the forefront of jazz musicians for decades, setting trends and exploring musical styles from bebop through cool jazz, fusion and funk. His restless musical exploration made him a hero to many, while sometimes confounding critics and fans. Among his many influential recordings are Birth of the Cool, Kind of Blue, Sketches of Spain, and In a Silent Way. He was also a great bandleader, and many important musicians rose to prominence in his bands, including saxophonists John Coltrane and Wayne Shorter; drummers Tony Williams and Jack DeJohnette; and pianists Bill Evans, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock. Read the rest of this entry »

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Canada Post has released a new stamp January 16 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The new domestic rate stamp features a cameo photograph of the Queen in robes and tiara waving from the window of a carriage.

Gov. Gen. David Johnston officially announced the new stamp at the National Postal Museum in the Canadian Museum of Civilization on January 16.

The domestic rate stamp is one of a series of Canada Post issues, including stamps, first-day covers and souvenirs to commemorate the Queen’s 60th reign in 2012. The new stamp, in booklets of ten stamps, is on sale now at post offices across Canada.

In all, during the first six months of 2012, Canada Post will release a total of two stamp issues and five collectible mini-panes. Each mini-pane features a different stamp-on-stamp design using some of the most popular Queen Elizabeth II stamps.

Diamond Jubilee Philatelic Collectibles

Also on January 16, the first of six Diamond Jubilee mini-panes of four stamps was issued as part of a keepsake folder. Two other keepsake folders, one depicting the years 1963-1972 and the other, 1973-1982, will be released on February 6 and March 6 respectively.

Each of keepsake folders—six in total, one for each ten-year period in The Queen’s reign—contains a mini-pane of four stamps, an informative booklet pertaining to that period, plus a postcard featuring all the stamps bearing Queen Elizabeth II’s image issued during each respective ten-year time frame.

The selvedge of the mini-panes visually highlights important events during the period of time depicted by the stamp, including Royal Visits and other events in Canadian history.

In addition to the stamps and keepsake folders, there will be a total of seven Official First Day Covers: five to showcase the stamp-on-stamp designs of the mini-pane issues, plus one for the Diamond Jubilee commemorative and one for an intaglio commemorative to be issued later in the year. The intaglio stamp will depict both early and current portraits of The Queen, with a design that echoes a similar stamp created to honor Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

All Diamond Jubilee issues were designed by Gottschalk + Ash International and developed, as are all stamp materials bearing an image of The Queen, with the cooperation of both Rideau Hall, in Canada and Buckingham Palace.

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The United States Postal Service has unveiled a commemorative stamp honoring legendary entertainer Danny Thomas, the founder of renowned St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The unveiling took place at a star-studded celebration in Los Angeles this past weekend to mark Thomas' 100th birthday and the St. Jude's 50th anniversary.

The Danny Thomas Forever Stamp will be officially dedicated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, and go on sale on Feb. 16, 2012.

"The Danny Thomas stamp ... will become an ambassador for philanthropy, traveling on letters and packages to households and businesses throughout America and the world," said Ed Ruiz, USPS Los Angeles district manager. "It also will serve as a lasting tribute to one of America's most beloved and enduring entertainers who worked tirelessly to help the most helpless of all — children with diseases."

"My family is honored that our father will be immortalized in a Forever Stamp not only because of his success in the entertainment industry, but also for his efforts to save the lives of children by founding St. Jude Children's Research Hospital – a place unlike any other in the world," said Marlo Thomas, national outreach director, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "Dad always considered St. Jude – where patients are saved through the latest research and ground breaking treatments without any regard to pay – to be the crowning achievement of his life and career. This stamp is an incredible testament to him on his 100th birthday and St. Jude's 50th anniversary."

Starting today, customers may pre-order the Danny Thomas Forever Stamp online at usps.com and by phone at 800-782-6724.

Ruiz was joined to unveil the stamp by Tony Thomas, son of Danny Thomas; Terre Thomas, daughter of Danny Thomas; Phil Donahue, talk-show host and husband of Marlo Thomas, Thomas' daughter; Tony Bennett, singer and featured performer at the gala; and Ray Romano, a good friend of the Thomas family and an ardent supporter of St. Jude. Thomas was a star of radio, film and television. From 1953 through 1964, he received five Emmy nominations for his starring role in Make Room for Daddy, winning in 1953 and 1954 for Best Actor Starring in a Regular Series. The show also received an Emmy for Best New Situation Comedy in 1953 and Best Situation Comedy in 1954.

In addition to Tony Bennett and Ray Romano, Hollywood turned out in force to support the nation's leading pediatric research and treatment hospital devoted solely to children with cancer and other deadly diseases, including Jason Bateman, Jon Hamm, Mila Kunis, Julie Bowen, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Daisy Fuentes, and Vanessa Williams, among others.

In 1962, Thomas founded St. Jude with a mission to save the lives of children everywhere. He fervently believed that "no child should die in the dawn of life." Thomas wanted to create a hopeful place that was accepting of all children whether or not the family could afford treatment.

Today, St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research hospital where no family is ever turned away due to an inability to pay and no family ever pays St. Jude for anything. For 50 years, St. Jude has advanced treatment of such deadly childhood diseases as cancer, saving the lives of children across America. Research at St. Jude has changed how the world treats leukemia, brain tumors, and sickle cell disease, helping push survival rates for childhood cancers from less than 20 percent in 1962 to almost 80 percent today.

Featuring a new portrait of Thomas by artist Tim O'Brien and depicting the hospital he founded in the background, the Danny Thomas Forever Stamp was designed by Greg Breeding.

Customers may view the Danny Thomas Forever Stamp, as well as many of this year's other stamps, on Facebook at facebook.com/USPSStamps, through Twitter @USPSstamps or on the website Beyond the Perf at beyondtheperf.com/2012-preview. Beyond the Perf is the Postal Service's online site for background on upcoming stamp subjects, first-day-of-issue events and other philatelic news.

SOURCE U.S. Postal Service

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The Samoa Post Office has issued two stamps to commemorate Samoa's "Leap to the Future" when the country shifts sides of the International Dateline and skips Friday, December 30, 2011.

Samoa was originally on the west side of the dateline until 119 years ago, when the country switched to be more closely aligned with its major trading partners in America and Europe.

Today, Samoa's major trading partners are New Zealand, Australia and Asia. While it was still Sunday in Samoa, business was already a day ahead in these countries. Likewise, on Friday in Samoa, it was already the weekend in its Pacific trading partners.

The new postage stamps depict Samoa as a piece on a jigsaw puzzle on the west side of the International Dateline after the December 29. The stamps cost $2.50 and $3.00.

The postage stamps were designed by Dennis Durkin of Wellington, New Zealand and printed by the Southern Colour Print, Dunedin, New Zealand.

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The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that when Joe Hautman won the 2011 federal duck stamp contest this fall with his painting of a wood duck, it continued a most remarkable streak. Minnesota's three Hautman brothers -- Joe, Jim and Bob -- now have won an unprecedented 10 of the past 21 highly prized federal duck stamp contests, including three of the past five.

The feat is even more remarkable since an artist cannot enter the contest again for three years after winning.

Joe, 55, of Plymouth, Minnesota, has won it four times -- 1992, 2002, 2008 and 2012 -- including the last two times he entered. Brother Jim, 47, of Chaska, Minnesota, also is a four-time winner -- 1990, 1995, 1999 and 2011. Middle brother Bob, 52, of Delano, Minnesota, has won twice -- 1997 and 2001. He finished runner-up last year to brother Jim.

Read the complete article here.

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Blessed John Henry Newman and Westminster Abbey are depicted with Pope Benedict XVI on a commemorative stamp included in a new set of stamps recently issued by Vatican City to mark the Apostolic Journeys made by Pope Benedict during 2010, according to an article in Independent Catholic News.

The Union Jack is also included in the bottom left-hand corner of the Euro 1.60 value in the set of five stamps released during November 2011.

Cardinal Newman was first depicted on a stamp issued by the Republic of Ireland in July 1954. This was followed by Jersey in September 1983. Isle of Man Stamp & Coins issued a special miniature sheet on 11 August 2010, to mark the State Visit of Pope Benedict XVI and the Beatification of Blessed John Henry Newman.

The Vatican City stamps were designed by artist Giorgio Borghesani, and printed using the offset process, in sheets of 10 stamps by BDT (Ireland). The total printing was 200,000 complete sets. The stamps, only available in sets (price Euro 6.35), will appeal not only to stamp collectors but by visitors and pilgrims to Rome and the Vatican.

You can read the full article here

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Hong Kong Post and Romfilatelia have jointly issued a set of two stamps on handicrafts to showcase works from their places. The stamps feature dough figurines from Hong Kong and painted eggs from Romania.

This marks the 11th joint stamp issue between Hongkong Post and other postal administrations.

In addition to the two stamps, Hong Kong Post is also issuing a souvenir sheet, an official first day cover with a special postmark, a presentation pack and a souvenir pack.

Official First Day Covers were put on sale at $1 each at all post offices on November 10. The two stamps and the other associated philatelic products will be displayed at the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, Tsuen Wan Post Office and Sha Tin Central Post Office. Advance orders for servicing self-provided covers will be accepted at all philatelic offices from November 10 to 16.

Further information can be obtained from the website of Hongkong Post at www.hongkongpost.com.

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Sports-minded Canada Post has issued three Winnipeg Jets™ Picture Postage™ stamps and a souvenir postcard to help celebrate the return of the National Hockey League (NHL) to Winnipeg.

The first stamp design features the Jets' new team logo of a fighter jet poised over a red maple leaf, against a solid blue background. The next design features the team's secondary logo, an image of crossed hockey sticks resting on military-style wings which also incorporates a red maple leaf. The third stamp highlights the first goal scored on home ice at the MTS Centre by Jets player Nik Antropov on October 9, 2011.

The Picture Postage stamps are printed in sheets of 21 stamps. The Winnipeg Jets primary and secondary logo sheets of 21 stamps sell for $24.95 each, and the Limited Edition/Numbered 1st Goal sheets (pictured) sell for $34.95 each. An official souvenir postcard with a photograph of the members of the Winnipeg Jets in the opening game of the 2011-12 National Hockey League season is also available; it sells for $4.95 and can be mailed in Canada to anywhere in the world. Read the rest of this entry »

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