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Commemorating a tragedy.

The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries.

One of the biggest events of one hundred years ago was the sinking of the Titanic. Many
stamp collectors would like to see stamps and special postmarks for the anniversary.

But the U-S Postal Service has a policy that it doesn't commemorate disasters, and the
sinking of the Titanic certainly qualifies: More than 15-hundred people dead, many
other passengers or their families left destitute.

So while there may be some local postmarks, there's no U-S stamp planned.

Canada Post, however, has found a workaround: Four Canadian ships were used to recover
the bodies from the wreck…. And many of those bodies were buried in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

There are five Canadian stamps for the anniversary – the four domestic-rate stamps show
the bow and stern, while an international rate stamp shows the entire ship sailing on a
calm ocean.

And, as today's postal services do with subjects of popular interest, there are also
souvenirs, such as framed prints and an album.

Here in the U-S, the National Postal Museum just opened an exhibit featuring the
Hindenburg dirigible and the Titanic, both of which were carrying mail. In fact, some of
the mail and other postal artifacts was salvaged, and will be on display.

I'm Lloyd de Vries of The Virtual Stamp Club. For more on stamps and stamp collecting,
visit virtual-stamp-club-dot-com.

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