World Forum Philatelist - The United Nations (UN) Specialists

ATTENTION COLLECTORS: Hope everyone is well and enjoying UN philately. We have revised our site to focus more on developing and offering Specialized UN Collections in all areas of UN Philately. I have recently added some wonderful Military Mail collections, UN Postal History assortments, and UN exhibition material that is seldom offered. A few key collections will be presented here on our home page just below under Current Specials. I am also in the process of taking older single lots and combining them to create subject collections for the specialist or beginner looking to expand into a new collecting area.

If your not currently a member of the United Nations Philatelists Inc. (UNPI), please consider joining. It is a wonderful organization dedicated to UN philately and offers some fine research, club auctions, and as noted the Club Journal will have some really exciting material offered. The club has recently rolled-out a new website that is really excellent. Use the link here UNPI club website for more information and a membership application.

Our United Nations Collections STORE is continuing to grow. Take a look at the new material we have added recently. Some very nice collections that are rarely offered in todays market.

The United Nations Philatelic Museum continues to flourish. Here is a concise listing of some of our newest additions. Please take a look at what your fellow collectors have accomplished with their collections and please consider sending us some of your own material for inclusion in the refernce collection. Enter the museum here to see these wonderful exhibits.

• Exhibit of ICAO material by renowned expert Albert Pelsser, of Canada, to our growing UN Philatelic Museum.
• Jack I. Mayer's single-frame exhibits outlining the formation of the United Nations.
• Steve Luster's fabulous exhibit "Toward A United Europe" on the Europa Theme.
• My own exhibit on the Formation of the "League of Nations from Washington 2006."
• Clay Wallace's fanastic collection of "SAAR postal history."

Current Specials - NOTE - Press on the title to access images of the collection

NEW - Fabulous Collection of Early UN Delegate and Official Autographs - Click HERE

We recently acquired a lovely collection of 33 Early UN FDCs 1-11, C1-4 and additional issues through 1955 each signed by a notable UN Delegate, official, or stamp designer. Some of these are highly prized signatures including O.C. Meronti designer of the UN #1 "People of the World". Others include Yakov Malik, USSR Delegate, Selim Sarper, Turkey, President of the Security Council, Warren Austin, US Delegate to the UN, T.F. Tsiang, Delegate Nationalist China, Charles Malik, UN Delegate from Lebanon, Rene Cassin, French Delgate, David A Morse, Director General of the ILO, Philip V. Cardon, Director General FAO, Henry Cabot Lodge, US Delegation to UN, A.Y Vyshinski, Delegate USSR, and Phillipe de Seynes, Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs.

NEW - World Class UN Housing UNNY Scott #100-101 (1962) Collection/Exhibit - Click Here

Developed over several decades, this is the premier collection of the UN Housing issues Scott # 100-101 (1962) and includes almost every know error and variety as well as the finest examples of such important pieces. Highlights include the only two known examples of the famed missing gold both mint single and the only one on cover. Extreme examples of all known major color misregistrations, many of which are the examples illustrated in the Gaines United Nations Philately Catalog. Rounding out the collection is a superb collection of the many FDCs that were created to honor the issuance of the stamps, and includes a large selection of printing varieties on cover.

NEW - UN FLAG SERIES Collection 1980 - 1989 Complete in Deluxe UNICEF Binders- Images Click HERE!!!

UN Member Nation FLAG ISSUE collection complete 1980 - 1989 in Deluxe UNICEF Brown Leather-like binders. Featureing complete set of sheetlets for each flag series and the UNICEF Deluxe FDC Proof Lithographs each bearing the flag issue tied by special FD cancellation. This is a wonderful collection and each binder contains beautifully printed history filled with great information about each member nation and some exquisite artwork and photographs. Highlights of the collection includes the 1980 US issue designed by Peter Max. This lithograph sells for several hundred dollars individually when offered on the market. There are many many more wonderful artists representing their member nations within the collection. Also included is official certificate for the lithograph series, additional unicef cachet FDCs and a scarce lithograph proof honoring Ireland bearing the UNNY FD imprint without stamp affixed.

Contemporary UN Military Mail Collection - Images coming soon!!!

Contemporary UN Military Mail collection featuring some of the recent small operations such as UNMIH. Most appear philatelic in origin, vut there are several actual usages mixed in. This is a very nice assortment for the collector looking to expand into this area or for the specialist looking to add some of the more recent military operations to their collection. Over 100 covers/cards.

Classic Exhibit of UN Military Operations UNEF Thru UNIFIL - Click Here!!!

Very nice UN Military Mail collection featuring some early UNEF material through ONUC, UNIPOM, CYPRUS, UNEF 2, KOREA, UNIFIL, This is a very nice assortment for the collector looking to expand into this area or for the specialist looking to add some of the more recent military operations to their collection. Approximately 85 pages meticulously mounted and showing considerable research into the area. A lovely exhibit.

New at the Museum

Our on-line UN Philatelic Museum is a unique undertaking to illustrate some of the finest examples of UN stamps and postal history in collectors hands. The foundation of the museum collection is from the Gaines UN collection. The Gaines collection is long-recognized as the finest assemblage of UN and UN-related philatelic material in the world. Supplementing the Gaines material are contributions from UN specialists worldwide, willing to share their material with all to enjoy.

This month at the Museum - My UN Forerunner Exhibit - Click Here!!!

Did you know....

First thru Fourth Printings (Left to Right)

In 1963, the UNPA issued a set of 19 issues overprinted UNTEA for the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority in Papau New Guinea. The first set were printed locally in Hollandia and bear an overprint with the distinct size difference between the U and N in the Overprint. The second printing was done in the Netherlands, and the Third and fourth printings were done back in Hollandia once again. The Letters were all uniform although the typeface differed significantly for each printing. The second was similar in size to the first printing. The third was considerably smaller, and the fourth printing was the largest of them all.

In 1955, the UNPA issued its first souvenir sheet to honor the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Organization. The souvenir sheet was initially printed in a quantity of 200,000. Demand was great and It sold out almost immediately. The UNPA quickly ordered an additional 50,000 to meet the demands from collectors. In preparing the "second" printing, the printer noted some minor imperfections on the printing plate and prior to the run had the engraver clean up those imperfections. Collectors can distinguish between the first and second printings by looking closely at the word "unies" in the 8c vignette. On the first printing there are noticeable white spotsbelow the letter "n" and between the letters "n" and "i" which were corrected in the second run. Prices for the first and second printing are comparable at about $125 retail even with the printing quantities for the first printing being 4x as great as the second printing.

In 1955, the British Printing Firm, of Waterlow and Sons produced a very limited quality of specimen copies of the 3c UNESCO and 8c ICAO commemorative issues. The specimens were produced by engraving and printed in two shades of green unlike the issued stamps. Printed on each specimen in black ink was the imprint Waterlow & Sons, Ltd. Specimen," with an additional "security" cutout adjacent to the imprint. Total printing of each stamp specimen was estmated at approximately 300 copies. In todays marketplace, MNH copies of the pair retail for approximately $100.