Existing comment:
5 cent St Lawrence Seaway invert. This Canadian joint issue with the US produced one of the world's most famous modern invert errors. On June 26, 1959, the United States and Canada issued stamps to commemorate the opening of the St Lawrence Seaway. The designs for this joint issue were very similar.
The US was able to print both the red and the blue in a single pass through the Giori Press. Canada Post, however, printed their stamp in two separate press passes. In a few cases, the sheets of stamps were rotated 180 degrees prior to the second pass, resulting in an inverted center error. A small number of these were distributed to post offices; some were used in the mails, while others were bought by collectors. Canada, 1959.
First day covers for joint issues often show the stamps and cancels from both issuing countries on the same envelope. Comparing the stamps can reveal many details regarding alphabets and typography. Canada, for example, uses two languages (in a single alphabet) on its postage stamps; Israel uses three languages, each with a different alphabet.
Friendship between countries is an implied theme of many joint issues. Performers, authors, and artists may be honored on a joint issue, with one stamp issued by their country of birth and the other issued by their "adopted" country. |