A 3-cent stamp issued in 1952 on the 125th anniversary of the granting of a charter for the B&O Railroad brings Tom Thumb, Cooper Union, and McSorley’s Old Ale House to the fore as today’s #stampoftheday. The stamp pictures the first American-built steam locomotive, and steam locomotives are important because in the early 1800s most […]
Taking the Tom Thumb Train To Cooper Union and McSorley’s Read More »
Seminal political debates featuring two of the country’s most skilled orators delivered provocative, reasoned and (occasionally) morally elevated arguments on issues that were tearing the country apart are the focus of today’s #stampoftheday. Issued on August 27, 1958, the 4-cent stamp marked the 100th anniversary of a series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln and
Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas, and the Power of Political Debates Read More »
Oddly enough, today’s #stampoftheday, which features flora from four different parts of the US, captures a thought I had in the shower last night, not long after I posted yesterday’s #stampoftheday. It occurred to me that in the “before time” (i.e the time before COVID), we would often travel and one of the things I
The International Botanical Conference Stamp Helps Me See the World Read More »
I am sitting watching the third night of the virtual Democratic National Convention thinking that today’s #stampoftheday, which marks a critical early 19th century naval battle fought by the USS Constitution, is a reminder that today we have to fight for the U.S. Constitution. A 3-cent stamp issued in 1947, the stamp pictures an architect’s
The USS Constitution (and Barack Obama) Remind Us to Defend the US Constitution Read More »
Today’s #stampoftheday honors the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment requiring that women be allowed to vote (and the day after Michelle Obama’s extraordinary speech at the Democratic National Convention). It does so via a 3-cent stamp, issued in 1938, picturing Susan B. Anthony, who played a pivotal role in the women’s
Susan B. Anthony Breaks the Stamp Barrier Read More »
“And now for something completely different” – a postage stamp encased in metal, complete with advertising on one side. This is not a commercial oddity. Rather, during the Civil War, it was a replacement for coins that became scarce during the civil war. And, with apologies to Monty Python, it’s today’s #stampoftheday because on August
Metal Postage Stamps Masquerading As Currency Read More »
While today’s #stampoftheday pictures two extraordinarily (almost scarily) wholesome youth, the story behind the stamp leads me to some of my favorite lyrics from West Side Story (with a brief stop at an iconic 1990s movie as well). The stamp itself is a 3-cent stamp issued on August 11, 1948 with the heading “Saluting Young
Officer Krupke and My Cousin Vinnie Salute America’s Youth Read More »
“A visit to Dr. Thoreau” is the journey I’m going on with today’s #stampoftheday, a 5-cent stamp picturing Henry David Thoreau, author of “Walden or Life the Woods,” which was published on August 9, 1854. The stamp itself was issued on July 12, 1967, which would have been Thoreau’s 150th birthday and was my 10th
Visiting Dr. Thoreau Is Good for Whatever Ails Me Read More »
Today, August 6, 2020 is the 75th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. It’s also the 55th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1965, which was signed on August 6, 1965. There’s no stamp commemorating the former and the stamp commemorating the latter came well after my father stopped collecting
On the Anniversary of Hiroshima, Take Heed of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Words Read More »
Stop! Read this #stampoftheday post! Or maybe just speed through this post to get to whatever is next in your Facebook feed… I’m sorry, but who can resist such a lede when the #stampoftheday is a 5-cent stamp issued in 1965 with a stop light and the extremely controversial admonition to “Stop traffic accidents”? It’s
Stop! Read this Post About America’s First Traffic Light Read More »