1953-1957 Canada Wildlife Series : First Day Covers

From 1953 to 1957 the Canadian Post Office Department issued stamps depicting Canada's wildlife. The issue dates coincided with National Wildlife Week.

1953

The 1953 set, issued on April1 1953, consisted of three stamps:

• 2 cents Polar Bear
• 3 cents Moose
• 4 cents Bighorn Sheep

2 cents Polar Bear

3 cents Moose

4 cents  Bighorn Sheep

1954

The 1954 Wildlife Series issued April 1, 1954 , consisted of three stamps : 4 cent Walrus, 5 cent Beaver, and 15 cent Gannet. The 5 cent beaver was issued in sheet format as well as booklets. The 15 cent stamp became a much-needed definitive for this denomination.




4 cents Walrus

5 cents Beaver

Advertising

Enclosure in Artcraft FDC promoting WSYR (Syracuse) television

(Not in author's collection)

15 cents Gannet

1955

The 1955 Wildlife Series set was issued on April 4, 1955, featuring the Musk Ox on the 4 cent stamp and the endangered Whooping Crane on the 5 cent denomination.

4 cents Musk Ox

5 cents Whooping Cranes

1956

The fourth annual wildlife series set was issued by the Canada Post Office Department on April 12, 1956 featuring caribou and the mountain goat.

4 cents Caribou

5 cents Mountain Goat

1957

The fifth and final Wildlife series issue, a single 5 cent stamp featuring the Loon, was released on April 10, 1957 coinciding with National Wildlife Week. 

Illustrated Covers : 1953 - 1962

Illustrated commercial covers are lovely additions to a postal history collection. This post shows covers from the Karsh and Wilding periods.


Chateau Laurier Hotel, Ottawa

Ottawa to Toronto, June 25, 1953

The Beesborough Hotel, Saskatoon

Saskatoon to Toronto, March 25, 1954

The Charlottetown Hotel, Charlottetown

Charlottetown to St. Thomas, May 28, 1953

Bieber Motors, Rolling Hills, Alberta

 

Rolling Hills, Alberta, to Kitchener

4 cents domestic forward letter rate

Royal York Hotel, Toronto

Toronto to Westonra, South Africa, September 25, 1957

Prince Edward Hotel, Brandon

Brandon to Toronto, May 1, 1961

The Marlborough Hotel, Winnipeg

Winnipeg to Toronto, May 30, 1960

Montrose Motor Hotel, Sarnia

Sarnia to Aurora, April 28, 1960

Russel Hotel, Ottawa

Ottawa local, May 7, 1960

Hotel Larry Moquin, Inc., Ste-Anne de Bellevue

Ste-Anne de Bellevue, September 28, 1960

Tally-Ho Inn, Huntsville

Huntsville, July 12, 1962

Hotel Prince Charles, Penticton

Penticton to Toronto, 1955

Dick Allen's Camp, Sharbot Lke

Kingston to Peterborough,March 5, 1959

J.E. Morse and Co., Halifax

Halifax local, March 13, 1956

Nova Scotia Textiles, Windsor

Windsor to New Minas, May 1, 1954

Bate and Bate Wholesale Drugs, Winnipeg

Winnipeg to Perth, April 25, 1955

CFPL Radio, London

St. Thomas to London, April 1, 1954

Radio Station VOCM, St. Johns

St. John's and Port aux Basques RPO to Halifax, January 5, 1957

Gananoque Publicity and Tourist Bureau

Gananoque to Hamilton, October 12, 1954

Township of Flos

Elmvale to Willowdale, August 4, 1956

Carlson's General Store, Boston Bar, B.C.

Van. and Wpg. RPO, 1955

Bulova Watch Distributors

T.M. Palmer, North Bay

North Bay to Toronto, June 17, 1954

F.B. Philips and Son, Smiths Falls

Smith Falls to Toronto, June 14, 1955

Hudson's Bay Company

Edmonton to Wuerzburg, Germany, September 6, 1958

Associated Ambulance Ltd., Calgary

Calgary local, October 18, 1961

General Office Cleaners, Calgary

Calgary local, March 20, 1961

The Gibson Broom Co., Toronto

Toronto to Hamilton, February 17, 1956

Crooks Key Shop, Hamilton

Hamilton local, January 11, 1955

Harold Simpson, Vancouver

Vancouver local, November 12, 1958

W.J. Hughes and Sons

Toronto to Tillsonburg, October 15, 1954

Locke Hardware, Virginiatown

Virginiatown to Peterborough, 1957

Sylvain TV, Opasatika

To Toronto, Porquis Junction and Hearst R.P.O.  June 15, 1961

Jones Croft, Winnipeg

Winnipeg to Toronto, June 15, 1959

Campbell Bros. Of Hamilton, Limited, Hamilton

Hamilton, February 1, 1960

Ellison Milling and Elevator Company Ltd., Nelson

Nelson to Vancouver, March 21, 1958

Anne Foster, Hamilton

Hamilton to Toronto, April 18, 1960

Connors Bros. Limited

Black Harbour, May 5, 1956

5 cents forward letter rate

Riley and McCormick Ltd.

Calgary to St. Louis, Mo., March 9, 1966

7 cents air mail rate to the United States for the first ounce