Stamp Column Archives

The Glassine Surfer Column Archive

This column originally appeared in the American Philatelic Society's monthly magazine, "The American Philatelist." Since then some of the information may be out-of-date depending on how far back you're reading.

August 1999

We now return to our regular column.

Time is On Your Side

If you bid on auctions out of your time zone or country, chat on the web or are waiting for e-mail from New Zealand, you might get some mileage or kilometers out of TravelJack, a shareware utility that tracks times, currencies and measurements.

The meat and potatoes is the clock.  It sets itself by an online standard clock, and then you choose the cities you wish to have on your desktop.

Currency conversion defaults make work easier, and the user types in one value, clicks and gets the resulting conversion, likewise for measures.  The currency conversion rate file can be undated from an online exchange as often as the user wants.

TravelJack is small, easy to use and very configurable, and you won't have to wonder if your auction bid is an hour late or early anymore.

TravelJack  at
http://www.extensionsoft.com/traveljack.htm

PIP

Michael Hynes' "Precancel Information Page" is spare, simple and unassuming like the precancels themselves, but lurking behind the hyperlinks are pages of well-illustrated, solid reference and a well-done site.

The heart of the order are the articles, some of which are, "Precancel Device Manufacturers," "Hand Electros" and "Precancel Mounting - How to NOT do it."  There are many more, and for anyone with a passing interest in precancels this is a great introduction complete with a glossary and the ABC's.

I've admired their somewhat solid, official-looking cancels as emblematic of their byegone era, though precancels are simply postage stamps that were canceled before the stamps were affixed to the mail, cancelled by the proper authorities armed with the proper device.  

Hynes' is another contribution by one collector helping all collectors become better philatelists.

Precancel Information Page at
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/9885/

All Science is Stamp Collecting

Maiken Naylor knows science and stamps, and thank goodness Naylor knows the web.  His "A Selective History of Science on Stamps" is a gem of a site, which as he puts it, started years ago in a kitchen sink.  

The ASHSS site covers the major scienctific discliplines such as astronomy, chemistry and math, plus many other stamp topics like the Noble Prize winners.  The stamps shown are mint or used and scanned in groups to illustrate the principle or object.  

Naylor's site comes from the Science and Engineering Library at the University at Buffalo (New York), and the write-ups are extremely factual and well-written.  

And Ernest Rutherford would be happy to know that he has been included along with his other collegues on stamps.

A Selective History of Science on Stamps at
http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/units/sel/exhibits/stamps/

A somewhat similar online project is "Images of Mathematicians on Postage Stamps" by Jeff Miller, who is a Florida math teacher and not a collector.  The images and stamps were loaned to Miller and he's happy for any contributions.

Images of Mathematicians on Postage Stamps at
http://members.tripod.com/jeff560

Triage

If your stamps need cleaning or preservation, or if you have a question about how to store or display your collection, the APS' Preservation and Care of Philatelic Materials Committee can help by answering many of the common care and handling questions at their website.  

The project is a must read primer on how to properly care for your philatelic objects, stamps and covers.  If it doesn't answer your particular question, at least you will know what avenue to investigate.  You could file this site right next to your perf gauge in your tool box.

Preservation and Care of Philatelic Material at
http://www.west.net/~lmevans/apscom/pcpm.htm

The Big Show

Stampshow 99 kicks off later this month in Cleveland so if you're in the area or have the chance to be, stop on in, but before you go check the online program at APS and a local directory.

Stampshow 99
http://www.west.net/~stamps1/stampshow/ss99pro.html

Cleveland, Ohio
http://cleveland.about.com

The Devilrays face the Indians at the Jake on the 27th through 29th, but if you can't make this one, then click over to APS' Showtime list for a show opening near you.

Showtime at
http://www.west.net/~stamps1/stampshow/showtime.html