1938: Philately

Approximately 2,100 new postage stamps were issued throughout the world in 1938, an increase of about 300 over 1937. This figure may be low by nearly 100, since some of the stamps whose official or postal status is still doubtful, notably many of those from Spain, may prove to have seen actual postal service. Of the 149 governments which issued stamps during the year, Venezuela led in number with 95. Two new stamp-issuing governments, Alexandretta and Italian East Africa, appeared; but sixty countries found their current designs and denominations satisfactory and added no new stamps.

Collectors who specialize in the subjects illustrated on stamps have 700 new designs to choose from, ranging from the Australian duck-billed platypus to the newest airplanes. About 350 new air-post stamps were issued, with South and Central American countries taking the lead.

The stamps issued before 1938 by the 410 past or present stamp-issuing governments had a net increase in value of about $6,700, and nearly one third of that amount is contributed by the stamps of the United States. Most of the increase comes from a few rare stamps such as the 1882 special printing of the 5 cent gray brown, valued last year at $500 and now held to be worth $1,500, unused. Other unused United States stamps which have increased in value by $50 or more are the St. Louis (postmaster's provisional) 5 cent greenish ($150-$500); the 24 cent steel blue of the second 1861 issue ($400-$500); the 1894 2 cent pink (Triangle I, imperforate pair) ($375-$450); and the 1851-56 5 cent red brown (Type I) ($350-$400). Smaller increases in value, from a few cents to a few dollars, are shown by more than 400 unused and about 300 used United States stamps.

A few stamps account for the greater part of the net gain of about $4,000 in used foreign stamps. The 1854 4 cent red and blue of India, with the head of Queen Victoria inverted, has increased from $3,250 to $5,000, and the stamps of India as a whole, including States, have increased about $2,400 in value. Moldavia's (Rumania) 27p rose tête bêche pair of 1858 has gone to $6,000 from $5,000; Spain's 25m blue and rose with inverted frame, 1867, is worth $500 more than the $1,500 quoted last year.

Still the world's most valuable stamp, the British Guiana 1 cent octagonal magenta of 1856 is valued as formerly, at $50,000, in spite of rumors that it has been offered for less.

After the 1937 outburst of 'commemorative' stamps, nearly 45 per cent of the total number issued, 1938 was a year of comparative calm. The world's philatelic presses added about 400, or approximately 25 per cent of all stamps issued, to the commemorative list.

The chief contribution by the United States to 1938's new issues was the series of 'Presidentials' portraying our ex-presidents. Through McKinley, each president appears on a stamp whose denomination corresponds numerically to his administration. Fractional values, the ½ cent, 1½ cent, and 4½ cent show Franklin, Martha Washington, and the White House, respectively, and so do not disturb the order. McKinley, on the 25 cent, is followed by Theodore Roosevelt (30¢), Taft (50¢), Wilson ($1.00), Harding ($2.00), and Coolidge ($5.00).

When the ½ cent stamp was assigned to Monroe, the fifth president, and consequently each succeeding president became one number out of line, but before the stamps were issued, the change was made, adding the White House to the series on the 4½ cent.

Only four United States Commemoratives, all 3 cent, were issued during the year. These marked the 300th anniversary of the landing of the first Finnish and Swedish colonists in America, the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the Constitution by the ninth state, New Hampshire, the sesquicentennial of the settlement of the Northwest Territory, and the centennial of the establishment of Iowa Territory.

'National Air Mail Week,' May 15th to 21st, was designated to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the establishment of air-mail service, May 15, 1918, and brought out a new 6 cent air-mail stamp, the preliminary sketch for which was made by the President.

One of the outstanding flights of the year, Howard Hughes' record spin around the world has, so far, produced no available philatelic record. Mr. Hughes carried some letters, which were variously postmarked, and these souvenirs he distributed to friends on his return. It is not improbable that eventually some of them will find their way into flight collections. Corrigan's 'mistake' was not complicated by air-mail covers.

The Hayden-Duffy Bill—the 'new illustration law'—was signed by the President on January 27th. Its provisions made possible the importation of illustrated stamp catalogues and more complete illustration of all United States stamp catalogues and albums.

Sales to philatelists of United States stamps by the Philatelic Agency in Washington were numerically the greatest for any fiscal year (July 1st to June 30th) in the Agency's history. Over the counter and mail order sales numbered 149,499 for a total of $1,685,752,73, an amount unsurpassed by the sales of 1935, 1936, and 1937.

Outside the United States, political changes and unrest were widely reflected in postal issues. Either the subjects illustrated on the stamps or the circumstances of issue, and in some cases both of these, marked the course of European events. German stamps replaced those of Austria; Italian East Africa superseded Ethiopia as a stamp-issuing government; many stamps of Spain, Czechoslovakia and Russia were militant; Hitler was a dominant figure on German postal and semipostal issues.

Both in the United States and abroad, the 1938 stamps showed serious attempts at improved design and less reliance on intricate, and extraneous, ornament. The presidential series is the United States' best contribution. Among the well-designed foreign stamps are Czechoslovakia's Falcon (A78); Finland's series commemorating the 300th anniversary of her postal system (A40-A43); French Guinea's 'Native Women' (A10); the first stamps of Italian East Africa (A1-A6, AP1-AP4, APSD1); Lithuania's 'Olympics' (SP1-SP4); Russia's air posts (AP34-AP40); and Sweden's 'New Sweden' series (A49-A53).