Polar philately

If the hot weather is getting to you, a visit to the American Society of Polar Philatelists website or South Pole.com will definitely cool you off.

Founded in 1956, The American Society of Polar Philatelists' has grown to become an international organization with approximately 500 members worldwide. It's quarterly publication, Ice Cap News, contains articles, columns, illustrations, and stories various about expeditions as well as trans-polar flights, Antarctic scientific research stations, Alaska, famous polar explorers, Operation Deep Freeze, polar thematic cachets, and new stamp issues.

Regular columns discuss polar philatelic activities related to the U.S. Antarctic Program, Tristan da Cunha, Northwest Territories, Scandinavia, polar postal history, and book reviews among others.

South-Pole.com focuses on the explorers of the polar regions and the surrounding islands. It includes a superb selection of postal history. Much of the site is compiled from collections that have won multiple awards at philatelic exhibitions around the worldovidedExpedition mail sent home to friends and loved ones often revealed interesting stories.

Shown above is a cover commemorating the First Trans-Antarctic Crossing, 1957-58. Signed by the parties that crossed the Antarctic continent at the South Pole Station. One cover was made and given to each that wintered over and assisted at the South Pole. A total of 18 covers were prepared.