Update from Club President David Williams

 From 

David Williams

Below are the minutes of our June 24 meeting from Debra.

You should also have received a message from treasurer Tom Craig with an impressive list of  Mike's collection and material which will be auctioned off Tuesday July 14 with viewing starting at 6 p.m.  at the Hampton Inn. He says there will likely be another special auction meeting later in the summer.

There was also a message sent to everyone from our new secretary Steve McCavour with details about the Stamp Swap on Sunday, July 19, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Saint John Library at Market Square.

Looks like we are having a very busy summer!

David 

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Subject: Saint John Collectors Stamp Meeting Minutes - June 24, 2026

     There was a Saint John Stamp Club meeting on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at the Hampton Inn at 7pm.      We did meet earlier around 6:15/6:30 pm for our closing with a pizza party, and we had dessert as well. We had in attendance 17 members. They were David Williams, Tom Craig, Richard Elliott, Steve McCavour, Joanne Thompson,  Willard Buckley, Susan Postma, Debra Meisner, Gordon Dalzell, Bob Mitchell, David Hodgin, Andrew McKenna,  Jim Young, Jim Jennex, Jim McKenna, David Walker, and Al Walker.

    At 7 PM, our president David Williams called the meeting to order. The minutes of the meeting held  May 27, 2026 were presented and reviewed. Tom Craig made a motion to accept the minutes as presented and Dave  Hodgin seconded the motion. The treasurers report was presented by Tom Craig. As of the end of May 2026, we  have a balance of $491.78 in the bank. Jim Young made a motion to accept the treasurers report as submitted  and Dave Hodgin seconded the motion. 

    David Williams brought up about new business. There are several new stamp issues out from Canada Post, including  the indigenous leaders , blood donation, 2026 places of pride, community foundation, Cherry Blossoms, hip-hop and a repeated definitive stamp of 2009. 

   Tom Craig reported that there will be another auction of Mike’s stamp collection on July 14, 2026 and there  will be an email to follow before that date. There will possibly be another auction maybe in August. 

    Jim Jennex talked about a prisoner of war postcard. A sergeant, Leo Pearson (Lea Paul Bérard), had been  incarcerated in Japan during World War II. He was in custody for 3 1/2 years and  came back to Canada and  Jim Jennex had a postcard. That was very interesting. 

    Copies of a 1958 membership directory of the St. John Stamp Cub were passed out. It was very interesting to see who the members were back then. There was a mention of Mike Giroux being in the  club back in 1958. Any money  that is made on the auctions will be given to his wife Holly. 

    Debra Meisner thanked the group for the last six years of being allowed to be their secretary. She is finally  stepping down to take some well needed rest and Steve McCavour will be taking over as the new secretary. 

Thank you Steve for taking over for me. It is very much appreciated and I am looking forward to the break. 

     We had a 50-50 draw and Dave Hodgin was the winner. He won $38. Congratulations to Dave on his winnings.  We had an attendance draw and Susan Postma won the draw. Congratulations to Susan on her winnings.  

     Steve McCavour was talking to Chris McFetridge. Chris has resigned from the Philatelic Board. He would like  to set up an international group so please see Steve McCavour for more information on this matter. 

    They’re being no further business the meeting adjourned, the next regular meeting to be held on 

 Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at the Hampton Inn at 7 PM.      We then had our public auction and we made $100. Thank you to everyone who supported this auction and thanks to Jim Young and Andrew McKenna for all their hard work.

    Tom Craig then had the auction for Mike’s stamp collection. Jim Young and Andrew McKenna were the auctioneers  as well. Thank you to all who supported this great cause, I am sure that Mike’s wife, Holly, will be very appreciative. 

    Well, this is my last minutes as your secretary and I appreciate all of you for standing by me during my health  issues and being supportive of me as the secretary. I hope all of you have a great summer and God willing, I will  see you in the fall.

Debra

 July Update

We had our final meeting before the summer break on June 24th. We've had a busy spring session. Sadly one of our members, Michel Giroux, passed away in April. Michel had requested that Tom Craig disperse his collection so Tom has been working hard to sell and auction it off, with proceeds going to Michel's wife, Holly. Tom has been auctioning the collection at Stamp Club meetings and special auctions held at The Hampton Inn & Suites Saint John, 51 Fashion Drive. Tom has advised that he will beholding another Auction on the 14th of July, also at The Hampton Inn & suites.

Otherwise we had our usual enjoyable meetings with auctions, quizzes, 50-50 draws etc and look forward to meeting again in September on the third Wednesday (Sept 16th)

In the meantime, a Stamp Swap has been organized for Sunday, July 19th, from 1pm to 4 pm, at The Saint John Public Libray, Central branch in Conference room 3 (2nd Floor)

It is open to the public, so hopefully we may attract collectors who aren't members of the club.

The intention is to have collectors bring any stamps they would like to trade, give away or even sell.  Collectors can work out between themselves if they want to trade one-for-one, by catalogue value, or whatever.

We also intend to have a few short presentations on Stamps and Stamp collecting. If anyone is interested in giving a short presentation they would be welcome to (short being the key word)

The Swap will be taking place in Conference room #3, which  is quite large and has tables, microphones and a large screen that laptops can be connected to for presentations.

If you would like to give a presentation please let Steve know ahead of time at stephen.mccavour@gmail.com or 506 693 0035

Market square has a large underground parking lot (paid parking) and on Sundays parking uptown in Saint John is free. Also, There is an elevator from the parking Garage to the first floor of the Library and another elevator from the 1st floor to the second floor of the Library. Conference room #3 is on the second floor of the Library

I have sent an invitation to The Moncton and Fredericton Stamp clubs, and also have contacted Chris McFetridge and Rob Lennox to ask for their help in promoting the event. Both have indicated interest and Rob has already promoted it a t the start of this video: That Dad Guy

Hopefully we'll see you there!

Upcoming meetings for November and the New Year

  Novermber 26, 2025

No regular meeting in December but the club will be meeting for Dinner/Christmas Party

 ----2026 ----

January 28,2026

February 25,2026

March 25,2026

April 22,2026

May 27,2026

June 24,2026

Meeting Tonight!

 Just another reminder that our October meeting is this Wednesday, Oct.  22, 7:00 p.m., Hampton Inn. Usual reminder about bringing something for our auction table. 

Hope to see you there

Willard

Next meeting Tomorrow!

 From Willard Buckley:

Hello everyone.  Our regular September meeting of our Stamp Club is this Wednesday, September 24, 7.:00 p.m., at the Hampton Inn.  Please bring something for the Auction Table, if you are able. We ended our last season on a high note, hope we can start this season off on a high note as well.

See you there

Willard

Stamp Collecting in Saint John, NB: A Guide for Local Philatelists

Saint John, New Brunswick, is home to a quiet but passionate community of stamp collectors—both seasoned philatelists and curious newcomers. With its rich maritime history and ties to British colonial postal traditions, Saint John offers unique opportunities for collectors to explore rare issues, maritime covers, and regional postal history. Whether you're hunting for Small Queens, searching for New Brunswick pre-confederation issues, or just organizing your first album, the following tips and resources can help you make the most of your hobby.

Tips for Stamp Collectors in Saint John

1. Specialize to Start

Focus on a particular area—such as Canadian commemoratives, classic British Empire stamps, or maritime postal history. Specialization helps build knowledge and makes the hunt more rewarding.

2. Attend Local Shows

Stamp and coin shows in New Brunswick often feature regional dealers and are great places to trade, buy, or appraise collections. Ask about any upcoming events at local hobby shops or through collector clubs.

3. Watch the Fog & Humidity

Saint John's coastal climate can affect paper and gum. Store your collection in a dry, temperature-controlled space with archival-quality albums and mounts.

4. Join a Club

Clubs offer access to trading circles, guest speakers, and appraisal sessions. Even informal meetups can help expand your knowledge and contacts.

5. Don’t Overlook Postcards & Covers

Postal history from Atlantic Canada—especially pre-Confederation and 19th-century covers—can be of high interest and value.

Local Dealers & Resources

1. Saint John Stamp Club

Meets at 7:00 pm on the fourth Wednesday of each month, except July, August and December, at the Hampton Inn, 51 Fashion Drive, East Point Shopping Centre, Saint John, NB. Visitors and new members welcome. Contact: Call 506-849-2250 for more information.

2. Loyalist City Coins and Books

Location: 14 Charlotte St

Saint John, NB E2L 2H4

Focus: Coins, paper money, collectibles, books -- used to have some stamps and stamp collecting supplies.

3. Saint John Coin Club (also welcomes stamp collectors)

Website: [Check Facebook or local listings]

Meetings: Monthly in Saint John or Rothesay area

Activities: Trading nights, auctions, show & tell, collecting resources

4. Atlantic Provinces Philatelic Association (APPA)

Website: http://www.ap-pa.ca

Membership: Includes collectors from all Atlantic provinces

Benefits: Newsletters, regional events, dealer directory

5. Saint John Regional Library

Location: Market Square

Perk: Often overlooked, the library has philatelic books, catalogues (Scott, Unitrade), and archives for research.

Online Resources for Local Collectors

Unitrade Specialized Catalogue of Canadian Stamps – the gold standard for Canadian issues.

Canada Post Archives – digital access to official stamp issues and histories.

VGG Philately & All Nations Stamp Auctions – Canadian online auctions worth browsing.

Hipstamp - online retail and auctions. Many Canadian Dealers.

Stamp collecting in Saint John is more than a solitary pursuit—it’s a way to connect with the region’s history and a network of passionate collectors. With some diligence and local exploration, your next great find might be just around the corner—tucked in a dealer’s album or sitting quietly in an estate sale box.

 The Small Queens of Canada: A Philatelic Classic

The Small Queens issue is one of Canada’s most iconic and enduring postage stamp series. First released in 1870, these stamps replaced the earlier Large Queens issue and remained in use until 1897, making them a fixture on Canadian mail for nearly three decades.

The term “Small Queens” refers to the smaller format portrait of Queen Victoria, engraved by the American Bank Note Company (ABNCo), which succeeded the British American Bank Note Company in producing Canada’s stamps. The designs feature a finely detailed profile of the young queen facing left, enclosed within an oval frame and surrounded by intricate lathework and lettering indicating the denomination.

Denominations ranged from ½ cent to 50 cents, with each value printed in a distinctive color:

½ cent: black

1 cent: yellow

2 cent: green

3 cent: orange/red

5 cent: grey/lilac

6 cent: yellow-brown

8 cent: blue

10 cent: rose carmine

20 cent: vermilion

50 cent: blue

Over the years, numerous printings, perforation varieties, and paper types appeared, resulting in a rich and complex field for collectors. Subtle differences—like changes in shade, paper thickness, and grill or perforation measurements—have created an array of recognized varieties and rarities.

Among the most famous are the elusive 1-cent “Montreal Gazette” Bisect, an emergency provisional use during a stamp shortage, and the 2-cent green on the thick “soft wove” paper, highly prized by specialists.

The Small Queens were eventually succeeded by the 1897 Jubilee Issue, commemorating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Yet their long usage and the many nuances of production make the Small Queens a fascinating study and a cornerstone of Canadian philately.

for pictures see: RPSC site