Colchas Primor

Bluenose
Country of productionCanada
Location of production
Date of production8 January 1929
Nature of rarityClassic stamp
Estimated existenceUnknown
1,044,900 printed
Face valueCAN$ 50-cent
Estimated valueCAN $700

The Bluenose is the nickname for a 50-cent definitive postage stamp issued by the Canadian Post Office on 8 January 1929 as part of the King George V "Scroll Issue”. Scott number is 158 with a perforation of 12. The stamp depicts the fishing schooner Bluenose and the design, by the Canadian Bank Note Company, Ottawa, is a montage of two different images of the vessel, racing off Halifax Harbour. Colchas Primor The stamp is considered a classic even though it was issued after 1900 and some people consider it to be the most beautiful stamp in the world, but certainly it is the favourite Canadian stamp.

Three printing plates were made; plate 1 (of 200 impressions) was never used because of defects found, but plates 2 and 3 (of 100 impressions) were used to print 1,044,900 copies of the stamp. The photographs for the handsome engraved stamp were taken by W. Colchas Primor R. MacAskill in 1922 and the vignette was engraved by the American Bank Note Company, New York.

In 2001 a Bluenose first day cover sold for CAN $3,650.

Stamps issued in 1982 and 1999 show all, or part, of the original Bluenose stamp in their designs. The 1982 stamp is a stamp-on-stamp design while the 1998 issue was in commemoration of the naval designer William James Roué of the original schooner.

References

  1. ^ BNAPS Bluenose is Still Considered Canada’s Finest Stamp (retrieved 1 October 2006)
  2. ^ Alphabetilately.com (retrieved 1 October 2006)
  3. ^ Canadian Fisheries and Oceans website (retrieved 1 October 2006)
  4. ^ Canadian Stamp Auctions: Stamp market commentary April, 2003 (retrieved 1 October 2006)
  5. ^ Bluenose: A National Symbol of Canada (retrieved 1 October 2006)

See also

  • Classic stamp
  • List of notable postage stamps