1950 Petroleum Industries Definitive

The huge oil strike (Leduc #1) southwest of Edmonton on February 13, 1947 marked the birth of  Western Canada’s modern oil industry and has been called one of the most important economic discoveries in Canada’s history. On March 1, 1950, Canada Post Office issued a 50-cent definitive stamp in recognition of the oil discoveries in Alberta, replacing the 50-cent logging operations stamp of the 1946 Peace issue.

Designer Herman Herbert Schwartz relied on photographs of oil derricks, storage tanks, and a sludge flare to create a scene depicting an Alberta oil field.

National Archives of Canada

Schwartz collage
National Archives of Canada

Silas Robert Allen engaving
National Archives of Canada

First Day Covers

Usages


Registered Domestic Parcel

Ballot boxes sent prior to a Federal election by Returning Officers addressed to Deputy Returning Officers were liable to postage at the parcel rate. Registration was optional.

Annapolis  Royal to Malvern Square, N.S., August 15, 1953
8 lb. 4 oz. ballot box sent registered

 International Air Mail

Toronto to Adelaide, Australia, July 23, 1952
50 cents paying 1/2 oz. air mail letter rate to Australia ( 2 x 25c per 1/4 oz.)

Montreal to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 25, 1952
60 cents paying the 1 1/2 oz. airmail letter rate ( 6 x 10c per 1/4 oz.)

 Registered International Air Mail

Winnipeg to Stockholm, June 23, 1952
30 cents paying 1/2 oz.air mail letter rate ( 2 x 15c per 1/4 oz.) + 20 cents registration

Petawawa to Sydney, Australia, October 2, 1950
75c paying 3/4 oz. air mail letter rate (3 x 25c per 1/4 oz.) + 10 cents registration fee 

Toronto to Trieste, Italy, March 20, 1952
60c  paying 1 oz. air mail letter rate (4 x 15c per 1/4 oz.) + 20 cents registration fee