Sundman Lecture Focuses on the First Canada-U.S. Joint Stamp Issue

The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum will host the eighth annual Maynard Sundman Lecture, “The First Canada-U.S. Joint Issue: The 1959 St. Lawrence Seaway Commemorative and Its Famous Invert,” Saturday, Feb. 6, at 1 p.m. with guest speaker Charles Verge.

The United States and Canada issued stamps in 1959 commemorating the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Verge, a historian and award-winning philatelic expert, will share fascinating stories behind the stamps, which took as long to plan and produce as the seaway itself and resulted in the first invert error on Canadian postage. A book signing and reception will follow the lecture.

Verge is the past president of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada and the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors, curator of the Canadian National Stamp Collection and a prolific writer, exhibitor and judge. He has written three books and more than 200 articles related to philately in newspapers, specialized magazines and general publications. He is a member of local, national and international philatelic organizations. Verge has been honored as a fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London and received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 for his achievements.

The museum’s Maynard Sundman Lecture Series was established in 2002 through a donation by his sons, David and Donald. The Sundman lectures feature talks by authors and expert philatelists on stamps and stamp collecting. For those not able to attend the lecture, it can be viewed live at www.postalmuseum.si.edu/programs.

The National Postal Museum is devoted to presenting the colorful and engaging history of the nation’s mail service and showcasing one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of stamps and philatelic material in the world. It is located at 2 Massachusetts Avenue N.E., Washington, D.C., across from Union Station. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). For more information about the Smithsonian, please call (202) 633-1000 or TTY (202) 633-5285. Museum Web site: www.postalmuseum.si.edu.

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SI-8-2010