The U.S. Mint released one new item this week, and will offer another one next week. To order coins from them, call 1-800-USA-MINT, or visit their website at www.usmint.gov.
The five ounce silver version of the American Samoa National Park coin had a release date of Feb. 6. It is sold at a significant premium over its bullion value.
On Feb. 11, the mint will begin taking orders for the reverse proof version of the Georgia Innovation dollar coin. This will also be sold at a significant premium over its face value.
A coin show will be held at the Elks Lodge on Route 12 in Auburn on Feb. 9, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is free off-street parking and admission.
The U.S. Postal Service will issue a first class rate forever stamp in Feb. 14 with the theme “Let’s Celebrate.” This will be sold in panes of twenty self-adhesives, with Mesa, Ariz. as the official first day city.
Local author Carla Charter had a front page column in the Jan. 27 issue of the Athol Daily News regarding Lysander Spooner and his private postal service in the 1840s. This writer wrote a three part story on Spooner in the older version of this column, “Stamping Around.” in the late 1970s. The articles are posted on a prominent website about Spooner.
A few points will be noted here. Spooner was actually born in Petersham. When he was a small child, his family moved to a farmhouse that is still standing (with a marker out front) on Petersham Road, so he was raised in Athol.
The federal postal service did not issue postage stamps until 1847, but some local postmasters, and private mail services, such as Spooner’s American Letter Mail Co., did issue their own postage stamps in the mid-1840’s for pre-payment for mailing letters. Because of the efforts of Spooner and others, the federal postal service did lower the basic letter rate from five to three cents in 1851.
Spooner is also well known for his voluminous writings against slavery, the right of juries to nullify unjust laws, and against intrusive government actions and policies. The Athol Public Library has a set of his collected works for anyone who would like to consult them.