Monday, August 30, 2010

The Centennial Symbol Machine Cancellation




1. Introduction

In 1967, a special Centennial cancellation consisting of the Centennial symbol and three wavy lines was used at over twenty post offices. Information about the cancellation was made available in the May 1967 issue of BNA Topics by BNAPS member Wayne Curtis. Mr. Curtis informed Topics readers that he received a letter from Mr. J.G. Cunningham, Director, Information and Public Relations, Canada Post Office providing the following details of the cancellation:


page 126, BNA Topics, May, 1967


The list was incomplete as Goderich, Ontario, and Fredericton, N.B., were also supplied with the centennial die.

a) Centennial Symbol Sizes

Two sizes of symbols were produced:

Standard


Standard Symbol : 18 mm across and 22 mm from tip of symbol to base of stem
All dies were standard with the exception of the Charlottetown die

Small: Charlottetown


Small Symbol : 16 mm across and 18.5 mm from tip of symbol to base of stem


b) Dater Hubs

All cities used date hubs with the province (abbreviated or spelled out) at the bottom ("Province Hub"). In addition to the Province Hub, three cities, Edmonton, Montreal, and Vancouver used another hub type with Canada at the bottom ("Canada Hub")

Edmonton

Two hub types were used in Edmonton:


Province Hub


Canada Hub


Montreal

Three hub types were used in Montreal:


Province Hub Quebec


Province Hub P.Q.


Canada Hub


Vancouver

Two hub types were used in Vancouver:




Canada Hub


c) Hamilton Broken Die

The Hamilton die was damaged between May 2 and June 12. Most of the symbol's stem was broken off.


Undamaged state


"Broken Stem"


d) Period of Use

Some Post Offices began using the Centennial Symbol cancel in January, 1967 :



Winnipeg, January 18, 1967

The cancellation was only to be used during the Centennial year but Victoria continued using it in early January, 1968:


Victoria, January 4, 1968


2. Centennial Symbol Cancellations


Alberta

Calgary




Edmonton


Province Hub



Canada Hub



Canada Hub


British Columbia

Victoria





1968 usage


Vancouver


Province Hub


Canada Hub


Canada Hub


Manitoba

Winnipeg







New Brunswick

Fredericton




Moncton







Saint John




Newfoundland

St. John's







Nova Scotia

Halifax






Ontario

Goderich



Hamilton


Undamaged state



Broken stem



Broken stem



Broken stem


London










Ottawa







Toronto











Windsor

The Windsor Centennial cancellation is very scarce. I have only seen favour covers.



Prince Edward island

Charlottetown


Small Symbol


Small Symbol


Quebec


Cite de Jacques Cartier







Montreal



Province Hub : Quebec



Province Hub : Quebec



Province Hub : P.Q.



Canada Hub



Canada Hub


Quebec City




Saskatchewan

Regina




Saskatoon