SEPTEMBER 1999 COPACARIA

THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE U. P. U. By Jim Cross

1949 marked the 75th anniversary . of the creation of airmail stamps, were usually . sold to Nicolas Sanahria the U.P.0 At the time the United Nations had just who listed them in his catalog and sold them to airmail begun to issue stamps for its New York headquarters. collectors, Dr. Helme indicated that a Panama Interest in international organizations among stamp correspondent notified him whenever the dealer was collectors was high and this included forerunners and making a New York trip so that he (Heinle) could get stamps issued to commemorate international sonic of the errors la' his Panama airmail collection_ organizations. Thus many countries issued stamps to The Colombian postal authorities planned a more commemorate this U.P.U. anniversary, led by the elaborate commemoration oldie U,P.U. anniversary omnibus issue of four stamps in common designs by A stamp issue of seven values plus two souvenir sheets most members of the British commonwealth. Both was prepared. Six of the stamps featured Colombian Panama and Colombia commemorated the anniversary. orchids while the seventh_ the I8c value. showed the although the Colombia stamps did not appear until Santo Domingo colonial post office. The stamps were 1950. ordered from Waterlow and Sons in London, but were The Panama stamps were issued on 9 September not issued until 22 August 1950. The issue consisted of 1942 The issue consisted of three stamps for ordinary the following values: mail and five airmail stamps. A commemorathe Stamps overprint was applied to each of the stamps. All but lc brown Scott 580 3.000,1100 one of the basic stamps were from pictorial sets that 2c violet Scott 581 2,500,000 were in general use. The 5c airmail was overprinted on 3c lilac rose Scott 582 2.000,000 the Sc orange map stamp which had been issued on the 4c yellow green Scott 583 1.500.000 4th of August 1949, The 5c ordinary mail was Sc orange Scott 584 10,000.000 overprinted on the second type of the Sc pictorial 11c rose Scott 585 500.000 which was not issued without the overprint until the 18c blue Scott 586 500.000 following year. The 25c airmail stamp was printed on Souvenir Sheets a surcharged 3 Balboa airmail stamp. 50c orange yellow Scott 587 100,000 The issued stamps were: 50c gray (airmail) Scott C199 Ordinary Mail Apparently there was limited demand forI° thehe1 he e Scott 368 On Scott 343 200.000 value for postal use and after sales of not sets to 2c Scott 369 On Scott 365 100,000 dealers and collectors there were a large number of 5e Scott 370 On Scott 377 100.000 remainders in the post office stock. Therefore, in 1953 Airmail 375,000 stamps were surcharged 5 centavos and 2c Scott CI14 On Scott C96 100,000 overprinted Extra Rapido and issued for that use. Thus 5c Scott C115 On Scott C112 50.000 the number of complete sets of the stamps was only 10c Scott CI16 On Scott C113 50,000 125,000. I would estimate that less than 25,000 of the 25c Scott 0117 On Scott C80 (3B) 40.000 I lc rose were postally used. The stamp is definitely 50c Scott C118 On Scott C99 31,500 scarcer used than in mint condition. When the set was The total of complete sets was 31,500. However, issued there were only a limited number of collectors the 50c value shows a firehouse and is collectable as a of the orchid and flora thernatics. However, the firefighting thematic as well as a U.P.U. thematic. popularity of these specialties has grown and there is reducing the number available for U.P.U. collectors. strong demand for this set of stamps. especially in Scott and Minkus list errors of the 2e and 5c airmail never hinged condition. Most collectors who bought ith inverted and double overprints and also of the 5c the mint sets when they were issued hinged the stamps airmail with a double overprint. one inverted. Gibbons and they are more often found lightly hinged rather lists these and also the 2c airmail v‘ ith a double than mint, never hinged.. overprint. one inverted and the Sc ordinary mail with Almost all of the 200,000 souvenir sheets were an inverted overprint. The late Dr. James B. Helme in sold in mint condition. The Scott values of $1.00 for correspondence with me expressed the belief that 587 and S1.25 for CI99 arc probably excessive as the errors such as these and the later imperforate and part demand for them now is low. Used copies arc quite perforate sheets of stamps printed in Panama were scarce and the limited number of collectors seeking created deliberately and included in the stamps used souvenir sheets may have a difficult time locating delivered to the post office. Helme wrote that postal a copy. Copies of the souvenir sheets with the officials in Panama purchased the errors and sold them overprint "muestra" are listed in the Temprano catalog. to a local dealer. The dealer made periodic trips to Data on the number of first day covers which were New York where the stamps, most of which were prepared for the U.P.U. issues in Colombia and

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