Postal History Corner: 1951 CAPEX

Canada Post Office issued a set of four stamps on September 24, 1951 to commemorate the centenary of Canada's first adhesive postage stamp. The set was released to coincide with the Canadian Association for Philatelic Exhibitions (CAPEX), an international stamp exhibition held at the CNE automotive building in Toronto from September 21 to 29, 1951.

Essays

The essays shown below feature a reproduction of the 1851 three-pence beaver stamp along with images of an 1851 steam-engine train and 1951 airplane to show the development of methods of transportation over the century.

The 1851-1951 transportation theme was used for the issued 4c, 5c, and 7c denomination stamps. The 15 cent stamp featured the three-pence beaver stamp without additional pictorial elements. The stamps were designed by Herman Herbert Schwartz and engraved by Silas Ribert Allan.

Trains (land transportation)

Ships (water transportation)

Stagecoach and Air Plane

Three-pence beaver

Canada's first adhesive postage stamp

Production Materials from Library and Archives Canada

Some of the models used to design the stamps have been posted on the Canadian Postal Archives website. It is always interesting to see what inspired the stamp designer.

4 cents : Rail Transportation

1851 - Steam Engine and Train

Bytown and Prescott Railroad wood-burning steam-engine and train

1951 - Diesel Locomotive

Canadian Pacific Railroad diesel locomotive

Collage-accepted design

Colour Trials

5 cents : Ships

1851 - Side-Paddle Wheel steamship

City of Toronto

1951- Modern Cruise-ship

Canadian National Steamship Prince George

Collage- accepted design

Colour Trials

7 cents : Stagecoach- Airplane

1851 - Stagecoach

Jordan's York Hotel, King St, East, York (Toronto)

1951 : Airplane

T.C.A. Canadair North Star

Collage- accepted design

15 cents -Three-pence beaver stamp

Canada's first adhesive postage stamp was designed by Sir Sandford Fleming.

The collages shown below differ in the design elements at the bottom of the frames.

Accepted design

First Day Covers

Last Day of CAPEX, September 29, 1951

Souvenir "Transportation Covers"

Usages

4 cents

Winsdsor, N.S., to Kitchener, November 30, 1951

4 cents forward letter rate

Witaskawin, Alta., to Edmonton, October 13, 1951

4 cents forward letter rate

Collingwood to Toronto, October 15, 1951

4 cents forward letter rate + 20 cents registration

Surface Letter Rate to the United States

Toronto to Brightwood, Ore., November 11, 1951

4 cents surface letter rate to the United States

5 cents

Toronto to Magdeburg-Sermersleben, Germany, April 5, 1952

5 cents UPU surface letter rate

7 cents

St. John's to Toronto, June 15, 1951

7 cents domestic air mail letter rate

Montreal (Ontario Steet East) to Malden, Mass., October 24, 1952

7 cents air mail letter rate to the United States + 20 cents registration fee

15 cents

The first-step (1/4 oz.) air mail letter rate to Europe. a common destination, was 15 cents, yet Canada Post Office had not issued a 15 cent definitive stamp to serve this need. The 15 cent CAPEX stamp was the first issue in the modern era with this denomination and fulfilled its role until the 15 cent definitive Gannet stamp was issued on April 1, 1954.