Mexico - An Introduction

By:- Bill Shelton
Mexico is the 3rd largest country in North America. It has the 2nd largest population and the largest city in the world. Veracruz, on its southern coast, is the oldest city in the Western Hemisphere.
Most of us think of Mexico as the land of tomorrow (manana), where life is slow and things to do are usually put off as long as possible. One only needs to travel to Monterrey (a northern industrial city of several million), to Guadalajara, or to Mexico City to see the change from former habits to a bustling business-oriented environment. The government has commenced decentralization and has drastically reduced control of industry. The president has opened the door to foreign ownership of industry, has sold off government-owned monopolies, and has promised private ownership of banks once again. At present, he is negotiating a free trade treaty with the USA similar to that signed last year by Canada and the USA. There still exists a huge gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots”, however, change appears to be blowing in the wind from the south. Capital flight from Mexico’s coffers has slowed dramatically from the rate known during previous administrations. Japan, America, and the European Community are looking toward Mexico.As a reader, you might ask, what does all this have to do with philately? I will explain it as I see it. I have always felt that a philatelic entity should have three basic attributes in order for it to be a significant factor in the world of philately:
1. The country (stamp-issuing entity) should have mature, interesting history.
2. It should lend itself to specialization.
3. Its countrymen should collect their own stamps.
In these respects, Mexico excels. It is the oldest settled country in our hemisphere, its philatelic makeup is unique in several respects, and with its efforts to join the U.S. and Canadian economies, it will provide even more opportunity to Mexicans to collect their own.Mexico has few sterile periods of stamp-issuing years. Many of its classic issues have been studied and publicized. Even in today’s environment, Mexico is providing an issue that lends itself to study.
In 1975, Mexico’s president decreed that its next definitive issue should announce to the world indigenous products available for export. Amid turbulent and changing technological conditions, its current “Exporta” series was designed and issued. For some 15 years, it has been extolling products such as beef, glass flasks, auto parts, iron work, chemicals, tiles, copper, and other Mexican-made products.
Born during Mexico’s experimentation with automatic sorting devices, the first issues of the “Exporta” series are phosphorescent coated. Printed on two different GOEBEL linear presses, perforations are changed and re-engravings are required. Add to this, changing paper contracts, and you have a formula for specialization that will include the inevitable plate flaws, imperforates, missing colors, and double prints to which the GOEBEL press is susceptible.
Over the period of fifteen years the EXPORTA issue has been printed, Mexico’s airmail rate to the USA has risen from 80 centavos to 1500 pesos. That, even by our 1980-81 inflationary experience, is dramatic: the inflation factor computes to 187,400%! Stamp face values range from an initial 5 centavos through 5000 pesos.
Post offices ordering procedure and distribution techniques are such that an entire printing “run” may be sent to one outlying post office. If that particular printing has a different paper, watermark, perforation, or color, a rarity could be born and some have been.Collectors and dealers have categorized this EXPORTA series into eleven different issues with sub-categories within each. Some 550 different listings are known so far and I believe more will be reported. Some are quite scarce through almost all are within the average collector’s means of acquisition.
This has been reprinted from Global Stamp News – February 1991 – Issue #4

On January 01, 2010 Pakistan Post Office issued a set of four envelopes of Rs.8/- each.

In the end of 2009, Pakistan Post Office increased local postal rates from Rs.4/- to Rs.8/- and on January 01, 2010 Pakistan Post Office issued a set of four envelopes of Rs.8/- each. These four envelopes represent four provinces of Pakistan. Pictures of the followings locations are printed on these envelopes.

1-Picture of Minar-e-Pakistan is printed on one envelope which represents Punjab province.

2-Picture of tomb of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is printed on one envelope which represents Sindh Province.

3-Picture of Ziarat Residency is printed on one envelope which represents Sarhad Province.

4-Picture of Bab-e-Khyber is printed on one envelope which represents N.W.F.P Province.

Aaghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan. (2010-02)

On Aaghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan:- Commemorative Postage Stamp:- 11th January 2010.

Balochistan, the least populated province of Pakistan is rich in minerals and natural resources. The province has an important significance for the country due to its strategic, economic and rich natural resource reserves Balochistan province has a snse of deprivation, both politically and economically. A feeling was prevailing among people of Balochistan that they were deprived of their rights.
Mindful of history of Balochistan in the affairs of Federation, the president democratic Government is striving hard to address issues and grievances of the people of Balochistan by giving provincial autonomy and initiating other such measures. Presentation of a comprehensive Aaghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package is a part of the concerted efforts being launched by the Government in this regard.
Aaghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package has been tabled by the Government in the joint session of the Parliament on 247-11-2009, the salient features of which are delineated as under:-
i. The Aaghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package has 39 Clauses about constitutional matters, political issues, administrative matters, economic issues and on the procedure of monitoring.
ii. Under this package, talks would be started with the Balochistan Political forces to bring them in the mainstream except those who are involved in the terrorist incidents.
iii. Withdrawal of Army from Sui and Kohlu areas, halting the Cantonments in the area and replacing Army by F.C.
iv. Search of missing persons of Balochistan.
v. Creation of extra 5,000 jobs for the Balochistan people in the Government and other such organizations.
vi. Creation of free trade zone in Gwadar where all posts in BS-1 to BS-16 will be filled up by locals.
vii. For development of Gwadar, most of the local qualified contractors will be given preference.
viii. There shall be uniform price of gas throughout the country for calculation of gas development surcharge.
ix. Giving special incentive to the local tribes of Kohlu district to facilitate the exploration of gas in the area.
x. Provision of Rs. 1 Billion by the Federal Government for rehabilitation and settlement of IDPs from Dera Bugti.
xi. Implementation of resolution passed by the Balochistan Assembly in 2002. The powers of carrying any amendments in Local Bodies System has been awarded to Provincial Government.
xii. Review of the role of Federal Government Agencies in the province by Federal Government.
xiii. Placing of Frontier Corpse and Coasts Guards under Chief Minister of Balochistan.
xiv. Taking back powers given to F.C. under the Customs Acts.
xv. Construction of small Dams in Quetta, Pashin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Zhob and other places to cater the unremitting needs.
xvi. Aaghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package will certainly pave the way for not only resolving the socio economic and political problems of Balochistan but it would also open a new era of development. Gwadar Port is important for the economy of Balochistan and the country.
On Aaghaz-e-Haqeeq-e-Balochistan, Pakistan Post is issuing a Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs.8/- on 11th January, 2010.

7Th National Finance Commission Award-2009 Gwadar. (2010-01)

7^Th National Finance Commission Award-2009 Gwadar:- Commemorative Postage Stamp:- 11^Th January 2010:-

Pakistan has a federal democratic form of Government having four provinces viz Balochistan, NEFP, Punjab and Sindh as federating units along with special areas which include Gilgit, Baltistan, FATA and AJK. Most of the revenues are collected by the center and then distributed vertically between the federal and provincial governments and horizontally amongst the provinces. The resource transfer paradigm has been a major bone of contention among the federation and the federating units.

Financial resources play a key role in development. Its judicious and equitable distribution is necessary to build up any under developed or under privileged areas. The current state of resources distribution has been evolved over a period of time and various improvements have been made in the resource sharing mechanism among the federal and provincial governments. In Pakistan fiscal federalism has always remained a focal issue of the federation. Out of all the seven Commissions (constituted after 1973 Constitution), only four have come up with additional parameters to distribute the resources among the federating units.

Under article 160 (1) of the 1973 Constitution, the NFC is to be set up at the intervals not exceeding five years. Its members are Federal Finance Minister (Chairman), Provincial Finance Minister and other concerning experts which the President may appoint after consultation with provincial governors [Constitution of Pakistan (1973)]. As per law, NFC is intended to have an amicable mechanism for resource sharing formula between the federation and federating units as well as amongst the provinces. The National Finance Commission (NFC) has undergone many changes and has dynamically grown to its present shape. The NFC is established by law for smooth and judicious re-distribution of resources collected by Center according to the needed goals for development of federation and the federating units. There have been three Awards (recommendations), in the last 34 years by the National Finance Commission.

The much awaited award was finalized in Lahore on 12, December 2009 and was inked by the members of the Commission in Gwadar. The historic signing ceremony of the 7^th NFC Award was held in the sea port city of Gwadar on 30^th December, 2009. The Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Chief Ministers of the Provinces, Members of the Federal Cabinet, MNAs/Senators as well as General Public of Gwadar witnessed the historic event.

According to the new criteria set for the 7^th NFC Award, 1% of the Divisible Pool taxes have been assigned to NWFP province fo War on Terror. The Federating units would receive 57.5% share of the balance Divisible Pool taxes, while 42.5% share would go to the Center. As per the horizontal distribution among the provinces, the Punjab would now get 51.74% , Sindh share will be 24.55%, NWFP will receive 14.62% share while Balochistan will get 9.09%. The criteria agreed upon includes population, backwardness poverty, revenue generation/collection and inverse population density. Population has been allocated weightage of 82% in the horizontal distribution formula, backwardness 10.3% revenue 5% and inverse population density 2.7%.

It was Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Ex Prime Minister who had introduced bicameral democratic system, aimed at safeguarding the rights and interests of all the provinces, particularly the smaller ones. The consensus on the NFC Award is a monumental historic decision which would pave the way for more similar decisions. The provincial governments in Pakistan have agreed upon a new national formula, on reaching a financial consensus for the first time in 19 years. Resolving the most politicized issue with consensus is the result of democracy. The federal government wants to strengthen provinces. The Award distribution formula is historic and will definitely help in the unity of the federating units.

On 7^th National Finance Commission Awards-2009 Gwadar, Pakistan Post is issuing a Commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs.8/- on 11the, January 2010.

Postcards for Chess Players

By:- David U. Groves
Both philatelic and nonphilatelic media have given much publicity to the apparently never-ending series of chess championship games between two Russians – the current world chess champion, Gary Kasparov and the challenger, Anatoli Karpov.
But how many games did they play by mail that went unnoticed by anyone other than themselves?Yes, chess is unlike any other sport in that it can actually be played by mail. In 1982, Soviet postal authorities issued the stamped postcard, shown above, which reproduces a standard chess board. These cards permit Soviet chess players to play “Correspondence Chess” with chess players throughout the world without having to cope with the USSR’s many travel restrictions.
This may have become a popular collector’s item among both chess players and people who collect stamps and other philatelic items that are related to chess because, to the best of our knowledge, it was the first official stamped Chess-by-Mail postcard to be issued by any governmental postal authority.
If collectors of chess-related stamps can’t locate this Soviet postcard, the collector’s appetite may be calmed by the knowledge that there are over 400 stamps that have been issued worldwide on the topic of chess.
Anatoli Karpov reportedly is a collector of topical stamps, including subjects such as chess and the Olympics. He has more than one reason for collecting chess on stamps – one, his love of chess, and two, the fact that his portrait has been featured on more than 20 issues from several different countries.Herrick Stamp Company has a rather complete offering of chess stamps .

This has been reprinted from Global Stamp News – February 1991 – Issue #4

Stamp Bourse - European Style

By:- Joseph Zollman
Stamp collectors in Holland often travel to Amsterdam on Wednesdays and Saturdays. In the afternoon, they make a beeline to the Nieuwezyde Voorbugwal, a familiar side street of the Dam, the main thoroughfare in the Dutch capital. They flock to the “unofficial” open air market where they know they can buy, trade or sell stamps and often find that elusive item they had been searching for. Schools are closed and many youngsters become enthusiastic stamp dealers.
It all started around the year 1910. A group of youngsters began gathering in front of a stamp store on Gravenstraat. They began showing and trading stamps. The store owner was not very happy at this competition. He had to call the police many times in order to get the youngsters chased away from in front of his store.
The part time stamp dealers discovered that the Nieuwezyde widened towards the Dam and that the extra room offered would eliminate not only further hassle from the store owner, but would accommodate more customers and they adopted this new location.
Soon other problems beset those young stamp enthusiasts. Shoppers discovered the street an excellent parking spot. The new twist did not deter the youngsters, they decided to adopt the car hoods as counter space to display the boxes of stamps, covers and other material they were offering. The market flourished at the new location and attracted many young and old collectors.
The onset of World War II stopped the open air bourse but it resumed operations immediately after Holland was liberated. Soon activities reached pre-war peak and the future of the bourse became enhanced when traffic became banned in the area. Bike saddles began serving as counter displays.
One of the stallholder’s wives recently commented to a visitor: “Collecting stamps is great for everyone – it teaches geography, history, botany – you name it….My husband took up his childhood hobby again when he retired, and now he enjoys it again. We’re here for the fun, not for the money.”
Parisians also have a popular open air stamp mart. Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn and Walter Matthau appeared in the Academy Winner “Charade”. The opening scenes of this classic thriller were filmed in the Parisian stamp market, located a few steps away from the Champs-Elysees, at the corner of the Rue Marigny. It attracts many collectors and tourists on Thursday and Sunday afternoons.
During the winter months, regulars, whether buyers, sellers or browsers, carry a large umbrella. It is more to protect the stamps because swift attention is needed as soon as rain drops make their appearance.
There were reports of a stamp bourse operated in London, on Change Alley, near Birchin Lane, and even one in Vienna, Austria but no details were found in any of the perused stamp journals. Details from readers will be welcomed.
When traveling abroad, it would be wise to plan a visit to these bourses, and to the various stamp museums that are located in almost all world capitals. Stamp dealers can advise about special philatelic attractions. Most stamp dealers advertise in the yellow pages, or local stamp federations can supply necessary addresses, and locations of stamp clubs and meetings.The philatelic experiences abroad will only confirm the adage “travel broadens the mind”. Most collectors in the Netherlands, Belgium and France have an excellent knowledge of English but attending meetings abroad is also an excellent way to practice foreign languages and excellent stamp journals are available in all European countries.

This has been reprinted from Global Stamp News – February 1991 – Issue #4

The Perfect Crime

By:- Herman Herst, Jr.
Some people say that the perfect crime has never been committed, since the perfect crime is one that no one recognizes as a crime. The perpetrator gets away clean, and no one is the wiser for what has taken place.
That may be so. If it is, in our hobby of philately, we have the next best thing to a perfect crime.It is a crime that was so skillfully executed that no one knew it had taken place until more than a quarter century later, by which time the guilty party was no longer among the living.The date was 1872 and the place was the London Stock Exchange. The Exchange’s transactions were forwarded by telegraph.
The telegraph companies, of which there had been several, had been taken over by the General Post Office in 1870 at instigation of the British Post Office. In the United States, there also had been many individual companies, but competition and bankruptcy finally reduced their number to the handful that now exists.
A telegraph office was located in the Royal Exchange, and the stock brokers wanting to send messages simply took the telegraph forms to the window for acceptance. The charges were paid with postage stamps which were affixed to the telegram itself. Telegrams varied in cost, depending on how many words and to what location they were destined, the rates starting at a shilling for 25 words.
There was no way to match up the use of shilling stamps with the number of telegrams sent, since the shilling stamps were also in use for postage purposes. In fact, far more shilling stamps were used postally over the entire United Kingdom than for telegraphic purposes.
Almost nothing is known today other than the fact that in 1872, counterfeit shilling stamps began to be applied to telegrams.
Whether the stamps had been privately made and sold to users prior to use is not known. Whether there were others in on the scheme to defraud the British Post Office besides the man in charge of the window is not known.
What is known is that in 1872, and well into 1873, the counterfeit stamps were used, and an estimate of the cost to the post office was almost $100,000.
But for a philatelist, the counterfeiting of the stamps would never have become known, even today, and the perfect crime would have been exactly that.In 1898, Charles Nissen, a London stamp dealer, purchased a huge accumulation of old telegrams with thousands of stamps affixed.
Although the green shilling stamp of 1872 was still relatively common, the accumulation did warrant soaking and sorting, and Nissen proceeded to do this.
The shilling green of 1872 was an easy stamp to counterfeit. Rather than being engraved, it was printed by the simple process called letter-press.
The counterfeiter had to be a philatelist. In 1872, the shilling green was appearing with its plate number, “5”, worked into the design, but soon another plate was brought out with the number “6”. The faker was aware of this. His products soon appeared with the changed plate number.
One can fake the design of stamp, but it is difficult to counterfeit a watermark, since that is placed in the sheet before printing.
As a security against counterfeiting, the shilling green was printed on “Spray on Rose” watermarked paper. Of course, once a telegraph form was canceled, no watermark would be visible.
Nissen found large quantities of unwatermarked stamps, which had never been issued. Even more indicative of the lack of philatelic knowledge on the part of the counterfeiter were the lettering combinations in the corners. The letters used made an impossible combination, which would have given the game away at the time of issue had they been noticed. It was 26 years since the stamps had been used, and Nissen showed the stamps to the authorities and told them of his conclusions.
There was no doubt that the stamps were counterfeit, and that someone n the Stock Exchange had been selling fakes and pocketing the money.
Scotland Yard had a record of all of the Stock Exchange employees who had worked there 26 years before; and all these yet living were questioned. Some had, of course, died in the meantime, and it is presumed that among these was the maker of the fakes. The stamps are still frequently available and often appear in London auctions. They are not known postally used, and every one that has turned up in the 83 years since Nissen discovered them has the familiar postmark of the Stock Exchange.
Was it a perfect crime? If one leaves it to the person who conceived it, operated it and got away clean with it, we have to agree that it was.
This has been reprinted from Global Stamp News – January 1991 – Issue #3

Pre-War Stamp Dealing - Trading in Europe

By:- Max Stern
The stamp business in the pre-war years was in the hands of philatelists who acquired an intimate knowledge of the various issues dating back to the early days, pre-1900. They were familiar with paper and perf varieties and the different postmarks which was an integral part of philately in those days.
New issues were only a sideline as there were so few new releases. There was always a delay in obtaining new issues often from countries bordering each other because of the poor communications and scarcity of travel. A trip from Prague to Vienna was a major undertaking.
My involvement in the philatelic trade occurred in early 1939 with the disintegration of the Republic of Czechoslovakia resulting in an independent Slovak state. Prior to that, I was a collector specializing in European issues.
With the issue of stamps by the newly established States of Bohemia and Moravia and Slovakia, we were presented with an opportunity to supply these issues to dealers all over Europe, mainly Germans who were keen to acquire these.
The printing for new issues was often less than 20,000 of a high value and with the interest from outside the country, most of these issues disappeared quickly and presented the opportunity for profits to those who started trading.
It was not unusual for postal clerks who had access to these issues, to be actively involved in the market.
The continuous threat of war and devaluation of some European currencies made stamps a desirable commodity and this fueled trading activities and opportunities for profit.
In spite of the War, the stamp trade flourished all over Europe between 1939 and 1945. The end of the Second World War created even more opportunities on a larger scale with the British and American dealers entering the European market.
I can still remember the influx of new dealers amongst whom were famous names such as the Stolow brothers, Isaac Hassid, Francis Parker of Tribune Stamp Company who used to visit Europe regularly on buying trips. The person who made an impact on the post-war European market was Kurt Weishaupt, one of the largest buyers of packet material from Czechoslovakia, Slovakia, Bohemia & Moravia, Self-Government and other East German Occupation issues. The quantities supplied to the States were simply staggering and really drained the European market of certain material.
The highlight of my post-war trading was my trip to the Stamp Exhibition CIPEX – CENTENARY INTERNATIONAL PHILATELIC EXHIBITION, in New York in 1947. I was one of the first Czechoslovakian citizens to obtain a business visa to visit the U.S.
Business transacted during this trip was phenomenal and the contacts made determined my future business activities as an exporter.
By 1948, the Communist-led Government had taken over in Czechoslovakia and it was then that I decided to emigrate to Australia.
This article has been reprinted from Global Stamp News February 1991 – Issue #4
EDITORS NOTE: Max Stern emigrated to Australia and currently (2009) is the leading stamp dealer in Melbourne. He was Australia's older active soccer player until his retirement six years ago.