'The Philatelic Exporter' is the only independent magazine in the world for the international postage stamp trade, having been published every month since it first appeared in May 1945.

March 2007

All these news stories, and others, can be read in full in the March 2007 Philatelic Exporter

David Springbett says Royal Mail response is “extremely disappointing”
THE Royal Mail reply, extracts from which were published in last month's PE, to my open letter (January 2007 PE) to the chairman, Allan Leighton, can be politely described as being extremely disappointing ...

Royal Mail hails British science and technology
ROYAL Mail celebrates British inventors and engineers, who have changed our lives through technology, with six self-adhesive stamps to be issued on March 1 2007. The World of Invention issue is inspired by the 250th anniversary of the birth of engineering genius Thomas Telford.

The stamps are issued in time for National Science and Engineering Week starting on March 9www.the-ba.net/nsew...

Escala's Spanish executives accused
ESCALA Group Inc, NJ, USA, has announced that, as part of the investigation in Spain into alleged criminal activity in connection with the operations of Afinsa Bienes Tangibles SA, the company’s majority shareholder and formerly its major customer, Spanish public prosecutors have now made allegations of wrong-doing against ten other individuals, including two former officers of the company based in Spain ...

NPS and BPT vacate '107'
WITH the imminent disposal by the British Philatelic Trust of the freehold premises known as the British Philatelic Centre at 107 Charterhouse Street, London EC1, the National Philatelic Society has made arrangements for the transfer of its extensive library as from April 1 2007 ... the library will be housed at the BPMA's premises at Phoenix Place, Mount Pleasant, Clerkenwell, London WC1X 0DL ... The British Philatelic Trust is relocating to offices at the BDC, the home of Stampex ...

Epsom's first
EPSOM Stamp Company, proprietor Paul Warren, will hold its first public stamp auction on Saturday March 24 at St Michael's Church Hall, The Marld, Ashtead, starting at 11.30 ...

APTA forged stamps warning
THE Australasian Philatelic Traders' Association has issued a warning that forged Australian 'International' stamps have been offered around Melbourne recently. The values offered were the $1.20 Broome, $1.80 Mount William National Park, $2.20 Potato Point, and $3.30 Point Gibbon issues from September 2004 ... Any information to admin@apta.com.au ...

Fraud warnings
TONY Bellew, PTS member, wishes to remind readers that there is no connection between himself and Tony Bellow, aka Al Gatech, Tel Aviv, Israel. He would like to thank colleagues who alerted him to the activities of Al Gatech.

Fraud Stamp

Above: this 'sold but not delivered' item is believed to be the subject of an eBay scam.
Any info on either matter to the PTS office, 01252 628006.

Also ...

Special feature this month

Going heavy at York, but good results: report - with pictures - on the York Stamp Fair by Chad Neighbor.

Regulars:

About People

What’s happening in your life - tell the editor!

Around the Rooms

Auction action in the salerooms of Alliance, Apex, Grosvenor, Sotheby's, and Warwick & Warwick.

Auction Diary

Public stamp auctions around the world in March, and April 2007.
Auction houses
If you would like your public stamp auctions included in the magazine please let the editor have your 2007 schedules.
For more publicity for your auctions why not advertise them in the 'Philatelic Exporter'? Contact our advertising department.

Back Stamps

What was in The Philatelic Exporter this month in 1954, 1968, 1978, 1983, and 1995.

New Issues

Two pages of new stamp issues from around the world.

Postal administrations and/or agents
If you do not already do so, send to the editor details of your new stamp issues for inclusion in the 'New Issues' listing.
For increased publicity, why not advertise your new issues?

Obituaries

Phillip Dodds; Ken Sandford; W Wilson Hulme.

Trade Diary

What´s on in the UK and overseas - events in the UK in March and April 2007, and international events up to the end of 2010 are listed in the March 2007 Philatelic Exporter.
Event organisers
If you would like your stamp exhibitions or fairs included in these listings please let the editor have your 2007 schedules.

For more publicity for your events why not advertise them in the 'Philatelic Exporter'?

Your Letters

Have you got a view to express about any aspect of the postage stamp trade?

Then contact the editor.

From our contributors:

Albert Boerma - Europe

New APHV president plans reforms
THESE are interesting times for the German stamp dealers' organisation (APHV) with an imminent change of presidency. Carl-Heinz Schulz, who celebrated his 60th birthday last November, is stepping down in favour of Arnim Hölzer, a member of the APHV board. The incoming president has presented a resumé of his plans for the future of the organisation to the APHV directors ...
Also: 20,000 attend eBay courses ... German 'Saskia' in Dutch catalogue ... Rickenback donates Dresden collection ... "End of a quality Swiss product" ... Light at the end of the tunnel?

Read the column in the March 2007 Philatelic Exporter.

Otto Hornung - In My View

A brilliant idea!
THE German Post Office is introducing a very useful new idea for its postage stamps. On March 1 it is issuing a special block of stamps which ... consists of ten current mixed-value definitives amounting to €1 ...

Read the column in the March 2007 Philatelic Exporter.

Liz McKernan - Postcard World

Postcards from Paris
I HAD hoped to attend both major postcard fairs in Paris in January but a sudden bout of flu meant that I had to cancel the first weekend over which Cartexpo took place.
Being stuck at home I watched one of the French news bulletins via the Internet and was pleased to see a short report on Cartexpo even if it was placed right at the end of the news. The commentator remarked that the young public were noticeably absent from the fair but it was explained that you had to be of a certain age to appreciate nost­algia, which is what postcard collecting is all about ...
Also: Numicarta; Cartopole; Porte de Vanves; 'Cabu'; Clive Smith; March fairs.

A Beautiful St Patrick's Day (March 15) Card by Raphael Tuck & Sons, Number 172 in the 'Shamrock' series.

A beautiful St Patrick's Day (March 15) card by Raphael Tuck & Sons, number 172 in the 'Shamrock' series.

Read the column in the March 2007 Philatelic Exporter.

David Rennie - New Books

book book book book book

All reviewed in the March 2007 Philatelic Exporter.

James Skinner - Great Britain

Still flying high
STRONG interest in Great Britain with commensurate prices continues unabated over recent months. Despite predictions by many pundits, myself included, that the bubble was bound to burst sooner rather than later, these doom-laden predictions have proven unfounded.
Although almost all areas of GB collecting remain extremely buoyant, it is the very rare, but relatively basic items that are proving to be stellar performers. These items are obvious investment pieces that are highly portable and can be sold in almost any market around the world, making them ideal vessels to move significant sums of money.
Grosvenor’s specialised GB auction in London at the end of January illustrates this admirably ...

Also: Toodle PiP!

Read the column in the March 2007 Philatelic Exporter.

The View from Down Under - Glen Stephens

The Beatles are a hit!
CREDIT where credit is due! The most innovative and attractive set of new stamps I have seen for ages was issued in January ... As all readers know by now, Royal Mail issued a set of stamps and a miniature sheet to commemorate the meeting of Paul McCartney and John Lennon in 1957 - 50 years ago ...
Also: Piece of history ... Sold for 6037 times Scott catalogue ... Malcolm Groom on television.

Read the column in the March 2007 Philatelic Exporter.

Les Winick - USA

Back to business basics
THE holidays are over and it’s time to get down to the basics of business. When a customer sends you an order, in addition to filling that order, what else do you do with the order? Most dealers are missing an opportunity at this point ... First of all, thank the customer, trust that they are satisfied with what you are sending them and let them know that you have much more material that may be of interest to them ...
Also: Newsletter ... USPS scraps surface mail ... Where in the world? ... What's in a word.

Read the column in the February 2007 Philatelic Exporter.