Rarities around every corner

Tom Fortunato, Washington 2006 media communications chairman, reports that there will be rarities around every corner at the upcoming world philatelic exhibition being held May 27 through June 3 at the Washington, DC Convention Center.

Tom writes, "Individual U.S. items include the reuniting of the Alexandria 'Blue Boy' cover with its content, a love letter penned in 1847; the proof panes of the 5 cent and 10 cent U.S. 1847 issue; and the Dawson Hawaiian Missionary cover of 1852 bearing a 2 cent and 5 cent Missionary stamp with pair of 3 cent U.S. stamps."

There will also be two Court of Honor exhibits which include small selections from The Royal Philatelic Collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and The Collection of His Serene Highness The Prince of Monaco, Albert II.

Aerophilately and astrophilately rarities will also be well represented. Perhaps most famous are blocks of the "Inverted Jenny" issue of 1918 in a display showing 16 of the 100 known examples. These will be complemented by plate proofs of the issue’s vignette and frame courtesy of the National Postal Museum. Viewers will also see mail carried on the Hindenburg and in space.

For more information about these exhibits or the exhibition in general, check out the Washington 2006 web site at http://www.washington-2006.org.