Video: Exploring Our History in the Canadian Stamp Collection exhibition
Since 1981, October has been designated National Stamp Collecting Month in many countries, including Canada. Postal services often issue new stamps in October, and many stamp societies and clubs hold special events in celebration of one of the world’s most popular hobbies.
For anyone with an interest in stamps and stamp collecting, the Canadian Stamp Collection exhibition is a great place to visit. Housed at the Canadian Museum of History, this unique collection features every postage stamp ever issued in Canada — including stamps issued before Confederation in 1867.
Rare printer’s proof of Three Penny Beaver. Canadian Museum of History
Stamp collecting is almost as old as the world’s first postage stamp — the Penny Black, issued by the United Kingdom on May 1, 1840. Today, many stamp collectors specialize, focusing their collections on a historical event, a famous person, a form of transportation or even a cartoon character. Others collect first-day covers with themes such as Apollo moon missions, shipwrecks and bicycles. Others collect stamps simply as miniature works of art.
Some of Canada’s best-known stamps feature objects and works of art from the National Collection at the Museum of History. Others depict Canadian events and people, whose stories are told in our exhibitions. To trace the history of this country, the Canadian Stamp Collection is an unparalleled resource.
Marathon of Hope, Terry Fox. Canadian Museum of History, IMG2014-0005-0065-Dp1-Fox
There are more than 3,000 postage stamps in the exhibition which grows every time a new stamp is issued. Housed in a special gallery at the Museum, the Collection also features unique artifacts and fascinating behind-the-scenes stories. Highlights include artifacts represented in the 1972 Indians of the Plains stamp, printing test plates for the “Symbol of the Montréal Games” stamp and a rare printer’s proof of our very first stamp, the iconic Three Penny Beaver.
Printing test plates for the “Symbol of the Montréal Games” stamp. Canadian Museum of History, IMG2013-0196-0039-Dm
To learn more about the Canadian Stamp Collection, check out our new video. For information on the Collection and to explore some of our online exhibitions on postage and postal communications, please click here.