Personal Yummy #35
My father is the consummate collector. In fact, he has a wealth of knowledge about old books, beer steins, medicine bottles, postcards, carnival glass, tableware, and much, much more.
One of his most favorite things to do is to go to auction sales. He’ll sit there for hours and hours, either alone or with a friend, observing one object after another being auctioned off by the adept and fast-talking auctioneer, often bidding on items that he had scoped out earlier.
Given that I am his daughter—his “favorite daughter” he often tells me (even though I am his only one)—and given that he is always very generous with me, I have been the recipient of many unique and thoughtful gifts from him over the years.
Take, for example, this past Christmas. Not too long after I had arrived home for the holidays, he handed me a thick manila envelope with my name and address on the front. He said that he had planned to send it to me but then had decided to wait and personally deliver it to me since I would be home soon anyway.
I opened the envelope—not really sure what to expect—and I must say that I was quite surprised, and definitely very pleased.
Held inside were sheets and sheets of stamps of various kinds and denominations, some of the stamp sets looking pristine and as good as new, still enclosed in unopened plastic shrink wrap.
What a variety!
Yes, so many beautiful and interesting stamps and stamp sets, and even some with accompanying description cards and details.
Wondering what all was inside? Well, to give you an idea of the abundance and range, there were:
- 18-cent Yorktown 1781 and Virginia Capes 1781 stamps;
- 20-cent Benjamin Franklin stamps (commemorating the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the USA and Sweden in 1783);
- 22-cent Presidents of the United States stamps—sets I to IV! (from the AMERIPEX 86 International Stamp Show in Chicago, Illinois; May 22–June 1, 1986);
- 29-cent World War II Mint Set stamps;
- 32-cent James Dean stamps;
- 33-cent 1940s “Celebrate the Century” stamps (World War II Transforms America);
- 33-cent 1950s “Celebrate the Century” stamps (Family Fun, Suburbia, and Nuclear Threats);
- 33-cent 1960s “Celebrate the Century” stamps (The Rebellious Sixties and Man on the Moon);
- 33-cent 1970s “Celebrate the Century” stamps (Bicentennial, Watergate, and Earth Day);
- 33-cent 1980s “Celebrate the Century” stamps (Space Shuttle Launched, Berlin Wall Falls);
- 33-cent 1990s “Celebrate the Century” stamps (In Final Decade, Cold War Ends, Economy Booms);
- 37-cent Korean War Veterans Memorial stamps; and
- 39-cent Purple Heart stamps.
The best part, however, was the handwritten instructional note that my father had included on top:
Christmas 2019
Johanna,
Enclosed find $102.09 in stamps. You can use the 37-cent stamps and the 18-cent stamps for 55 cents. The 22-cent stamps and the 33-cent stamps you can use to make 55 cents. You might have to get a stamp or two at the post office; or when you run out, let me know, as I have smaller denominations I’ll give you.
Look forward to you coming home and celebrating the New Year with all our friends.
Love,
Dad
Without a doubt, it was a lovely—and a notably utilitarian—gift, particularly because I had used all of my stamps sending out Christmas cards before I had traveled home.
Thus, since my return back to New York following the holidays, I have been having fun using the stamps on all of my correspondence (including the 2-cent, 3-cent, 5-cent, 6-cent, 7-cent, 8-cent, and 13-cent stamps that my father gave me a bit later). I especially had fun decorating the envelope of my parents’ 55th anniversary card with as many stamps as possible to make up the 55-cent fee (notice that numeric synchronicity!), in order to make my mom and dad laugh when they received it.
You never know. You may get a card or a letter from me over the next year or so. If that happens, expect the front to be covered with colorful and eye-catching stamps!
And send out a big thanks to my dad when you do.
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