4 cents Musk Ox
5 cents Whooping Crane
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 cent Musk Ox
The 4 cent Musk Ox stamp was described by the Post Office press release as follows:
The 4¢ stamp illustrates the head of a Musk-ox. This stamp was designed by Emanuel Hahn, R.C.S., of Toronto. Musk-oxen are now limited to a few small herds on the mainland and islands of the Northwest Territories and are totally protected by the regulations of the Northwest Territories game authorities.
Essays
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
5 cent Whooping Crane
The Canada Post Office press release described the Whooping Crane stamp as follows:
The 5¢ stamp is blue in colour and illustrates two Whooping Cranes in flight. This stamp was designed by Dr. William Rowan, F.R.S.C., a zoologist of Edmonton, Alberta. These splendid birds existed in fair numbers a century ago but have been reduced to a known 21 birds. Their nesting grounds in Northern Canada are unknown. They migrate south each autumn and winter in Texas.
Sketches
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
Essays
National Archives of Canada
The accepted model of whooping cranes in flight was based on the photograph below:
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
Progressive Die Proofs
National Archives of Canada
National Archives of Canada
First Day Covers
Events
The Last Train over Grand River April 23, 1955
Usages
Domestic Local Letter
Montreal local registered letter,May 20, 1955
4 cents local postage + 20 cents registration fee
Domestic forward letter
Prince Rupert to Vancouver, April 20, 1955
Triple weight registered letter
11 cents forward 3 ounce letter rate + 20 cents registration (1 cent overpayment)
Domestic Forward Letter
Montreal and Toronto RPO, to St. Thomas, June 26, 1955
5 cents domestic forward letter rate
Domestic registered forward letter
Hantsport, N.S., to Toronto, May 19 1955
5 cents forward postage + 20 cents registration fee
US Surface Letter
Montreal to Chicago, December 1, 1955
5 cents US surface letter rate
UPU Surface Letter
Toronto to Lucerne, April 8, 1955
6 cents UPU surface letter rate
Shortpaid 1 cent and taxed the minimum 10 centimes (gold)
Swiss tax 10 centimes (Swiss)
International Air Mail
Niagara Falls to Amsterdam, May 23, 1955
15 cents air mail rate to Europe
Montreal to Bratislava, April 2 , 1955
15 cents one-half ounce air mail rate to Europe
Opened for currency control inspection and re-sealed
Toronto to Ascona, Switzerland, April 26, 1955 (Redirected to Munich, Germany)
Prepaid 40 cents : 30 cents air mail (1 ounce) to Europe + 10 cents special delivery
Special Delivery service was not available from Canada to Switzerland
Military
The air mail Forces Letter rate was 5 cents.
Vernon to CAPO 5000, Seoul Korea, May 7, 1955
5 cents Forces Letter Rate
The addressee had returned home and the letter was redirected.
The sender writes:
Hi Honey,
Just a few lines to say hello + hope you are fine + on your way home. Pretty soon its going to be two years since you left for Korea...
CAPO 5000 cds
CAPO 5000 Postal Tracking Station
May 13, 1955
Events
The Last Train over Grand River April 23, 1955
Usages
Domestic Local Letter
Montreal local registered letter,May 20, 1955
4 cents local postage + 20 cents registration fee
Domestic forward letter
Prince Rupert to Vancouver, April 20, 1955
Triple weight registered letter
11 cents forward 3 ounce letter rate + 20 cents registration (1 cent overpayment)
Domestic Forward Letter
Montreal and Toronto RPO, to St. Thomas, June 26, 1955
5 cents domestic forward letter rate
Domestic registered forward letter
Hantsport, N.S., to Toronto, May 19 1955
5 cents forward postage + 20 cents registration fee
US Surface Letter
Montreal to Chicago, December 1, 1955
5 cents US surface letter rate
UPU Surface Letter
Toronto to Lucerne, April 8, 1955
6 cents UPU surface letter rate
Shortpaid 1 cent and taxed the minimum 10 centimes (gold)
Swiss tax 10 centimes (Swiss)
International Air Mail
Niagara Falls to Amsterdam, May 23, 1955
15 cents air mail rate to Europe
Montreal to Bratislava, April 2 , 1955
15 cents one-half ounce air mail rate to Europe
Opened for currency control inspection and re-sealed
Toronto to Ascona, Switzerland, April 26, 1955 (Redirected to Munich, Germany)
Prepaid 40 cents : 30 cents air mail (1 ounce) to Europe + 10 cents special delivery
Special Delivery service was not available from Canada to Switzerland
Military
The air mail Forces Letter rate was 5 cents.
Vernon to CAPO 5000, Seoul Korea, May 7, 1955
5 cents Forces Letter Rate
The addressee had returned home and the letter was redirected.
The sender writes:
Hi Honey,
Just a few lines to say hello + hope you are fine + on your way home. Pretty soon its going to be two years since you left for Korea...
CAPO 5000 cds
CAPO 5000 Postal Tracking Station
May 13, 1955
