The Soliloquy of a Postage Stamp : Fouad Kronfol

 

Editor's Note:   We are pleased to introduce this week a new column called: STAMPS, UNICEF, CHILDREN, written by Fouad Kronfol. 

Each edition will represent a philatelic commemoration of UNICEF and its work, as issued by different countries. It will include postage stamps, covers and other materials on UNICEF or children.  It will also follow the time-line we have planned for the entire year, our celebration of UNICEF@75. 

Your comments will be appreciated. 

The Soliloquy of a Postage Stamp

I am but a small and ordinary piece of paper.I was created so that people can send written messages all over the world. I can be placed on envelopes, post-cards and cartons.

But , Turn me over and I have many wondrous stories to tell. This year I will show case UNICEF as It celebrates its 75th. Anniversary.

I am usually rectangular or square in shape, but I can also be triangular or round.

 

My secret is to represent a monetary value which shows the cost of transporting postal items from place to place. I can be worth a fraction of a penny or billions of Marks.

A stamp can represent one country, a number of countries or even all the countries in the world.

" AHA ! I see an envelope with no stamps on it. How come? "

This envelope from the US Committee for UNICEF uses a machine stamp instead of a postage stamp, presumably because it is a bulk sending of items and it gets preferential pricing. 

Note the ONE CENT postage cost! 

What is surprising is the absence of a date on the post mark showing New York, hence it is difficult to ascertain its age. Since the US NatCom started in 1947 (the first in industrial countries), it is likely that the envelope dates to around 1947-1949. 

Look at the UNICEF logo...on the address sticker it shows the child drinking milk facing to the left; on the stamped message "For All the World's Children Use UNICEF Greeting Cards", the child faces the right.

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