STAMP NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 42, 18 January 1938, Page 10

STAMP NOTES

Manclmkuo issued the stamp at tho left to mark completion of its Government buildings at the end of its first five-year building plan. Canada was represented with the lake and mountain scene in the recent Cuban' authors and artists set covcrin g every country in the Americas, shown ,in the centre, while Venezuela recently issued airmail stamps shown at the right.

A Canadian while in England recently, bought up what is thought the last of the so-called German espionage stamps issued by one of the Allied Powers during the war. The existence of these stamps is practically unknown in many places, though some of the European stamp catalogues and big dealers know about the stamps and value them at a.-ifairly good price. The story behind the production of these stamps is that the British Intelligence Service was called on to find a means of getting letters into Germany, outlining the actual front conditions as propaganda to undermine the country’s morale. This work had been successfully done by Belgians through an office in Holland. These Belgians crossed the border into Germany, purchased large quantities of German stamps, came back to Holland with them, and used the stamps on propaganda letters addressed to German individuals and business houses. The letters were written on letterheads of prominent German business firms, and smuggled in small quantities into Germany, posted at many points throughout the country, so as not to attract the attention of he German Secret Service. After these letters had been coming into Germany for many months, the German Secret Service became aware of large stamp purchases near the border, and forbade the sale of stamps in large qualities. One Belgian was caught with thousands of German stamps. The Belgians called on the British Intelligence Service for a method of continuing the work, and the British immediately began to print German stamps in London, as well as letter-heads and envelopes similar to those of leading German firms. Two values of the German stamps of 1902 and 1917 were printed in London, the ten and 15 pfennings. They differed only in watermark, which in the London printing was narrower than the original, in the perforation, which was 14 by 14 in the German and 14 by 15 in the London issue, and by the whiter paper used in England. But the stamps escaped German detection. The stamps and the story which came to this column are attested to by an official Belgian and a letter from one of the world’s bestknown stamp auctioneers, who was asked as to the existence of the stamps by the Canadian purchaser. Whether these espionage or spy stamps are the real thing or not,' the Stamp! Corner cannot, of course, guarantee. But in these days of war scarces the story and the stamps are of interest as showing how powerful a weapon even a small postage stamp can become in war tijaie.

Newfoundland will not issue a new set of stamps when the Coronation stamps are withdrawn, but will use the 1932 pictorial set with-new designs for the two, three, four and seven-cent values. Liberia is to have, another new set. . .Austria issued ’a' railway set on November 23, charity stamps portraying famous Austrian physicians on December 5, and two Christmas greeting stamps on December 12. . . Iceland issued a miniature sheet with the “geyser” stamp; Belgian Congo issued six stamps for the national parks in the African colony, and a miniature sheet of one value. . .Brazil will add to the collection of stamps issued for the 150th anniversary of the United States Constitution with a' 300reis value. . . Italian East Africa will shortly issue a new pictorial set. Spanish Morocco, held by rebel General Franco, has issued a seventeenvalue set of military pictorials. The stamps were overprinted “Cabo Juby” in black for the Spanish African colony, Cape Juby . .Syria celebrates its treaty with. France with a five-value set of pictorial stamps. NEW KOALA STAMP. Featuring the koala, or Australian native bear, which is one of the most amusing and endearing members of the quaint group of Australian marsupials, the Postal Department is issuing a new stamp on February 1. Its colour will be green, and it will be of the smaller size recently adopted. It will form part of .the permanent issue, replacing the 4d King George V stamp.

Samples of the German stamps I reported; to .have ; been produced in * London during •’ the ' World vlVar •as told in the accompanying stbyy.