1941: Philately

Philately in 1941 followed the lead of the rest of the world, and events which in other times would be extraordinary became the commonplace happenings of everyday. A very large percentage of the stamps added to the 1942 catalogue, probably more than half, were direct or indirect results of the present world conflict. Even many of the apparently innocuous stamps printed to commemorate historic events or personages of centuries ago were brain children of active propaganda bureaus, put out to indicate historical or ethnic relationship with the current allies, or invaders, of the issuing governments.

From the Democracies point of view, the bravest gesture was that of those French Colonies in Africa and Asia, who dared to indicate their adherence to the De Gaullist government by overprinting their stamps with 'Libre,' 'Libre Français' or some similar indication of their faith.

In sharp contrast to these are the 'Occupation issues' and the stamps issued by conquered governments. The status of many of these stamps is in doubt, and estimates of the quantities which will come on the market, used and unused, are largely guess-work. For some time to come the 1941 war issues must, so far as their ultimate values are concerned, be regarded as speculative. Those for which postal use could be proved were entered in the Catalogue and, as minor records of World War II, they are important and significant. But no one can tell which of the many varieties will be the collectors prizes of 1950 and which will eventually be used to fill cheap packets.

The total number of stamps added to the 1942 Catalogue was 2,186, including 183 listed as 'Tentative' because of lack of exact or reliable information. The figure is higher by twenty per cent than that of the previous year, and the increase is very largely accounted for by the occupation or overprint issues already mentioned.

One hundred and ten political divisions, about one-sixth of all those listed in the Catalogue, issued these stamps. Since revenue stamps of the United States only are listed, this country took the lead with 123, but of these 103 were revenues and one was the current hunting permit. Of the countries whose listings of stamps issued for some form of postal use only, those credited with 50 or more stamps are as follows: Poland, 115; China, 100; Russia, 68; Spain, 67; Greece, 66; France (not including the Free French overprints), 58; Rumania, 54. The Chinese stamps include only a small number of new designs, but a great and somewhat confusing number of varieties and overprints. Unsettled conditions in China are indicated by the variations in printers, papers, perforations and plates, as well as by the many local overprints employed to counteract speculation and profiteering.

The stamps of the year, numerically by categories, were as follows: (1) Postal and Semi-postal, 1,383; (2) Airmail, 259; (3) Revenue (U. S. only), 103; (4) Postage due, 82; (5) Official, 81; (6) Postal tax, 30; (7) Parcel post, 20; (8) Souvenir sheets (1 to 6 stamps each), 15; (9) Newspaper, 8; (10) Postal fiscal, 6; (11) Special delivery, 6; (12) Hunting permit (U. S.), 1. 'Tentative issues,' including 3 souvenir sheets, many of which will probably be added to the Catalogue at some future date, numbered 183. Grand total, 2,186.

The year was marked by the expansion of continental and trans-oceanic air mail service, and provided an unusual number of 'first flight' and 'first day' cancellations. In spite of the war, world wide air mail routes increased in number, and schedules were improved. Only commercial covers were available to collectors generally, since military and official covers, domestic and international, have not yet come on the market in appreciable quantities.

Few stamps really distinguished in design appeared in 1941. The revenues of the United States, Documentary and Stock transfer (10 to $1,000.00) included portraits of Treasury officials from Alexander Hamilton to Salmon P. Chase, and so have biographical and historical interest. Designs meriting place in a philatelic gallery of graphic arts were issued by Belgium, Dahomey, Dutch Indies, Finland, Hungary, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland and Togo.

In the United States, at least, the World War seems to have stimulated interest in stamp collecting. The Philatelic Agency in Washington reported sales to collectors and dealers of $1,157,985.20 of mint current United States stamps during the fiscal year, an increase of about 6 per cent over 1940. Prices for older United States issues and for foreign stamps were generally higher in 1941 than in 1940.