THE 0 DIAMOND HEAD STAMP OF 1952 ALOHA - The 0 Diamond Head Stamp of 1952 November 1, 1951 through 1961 The Solo Exact Use Gem The End of the Story PURPOSE This five frame traditional exhibit recounts the complete story of the 0 Diamond Head stamp of 1952. The stamp was created for the specific purpose of paying with a single stamp the air parcel post rate for shipping one-pound of plants or fresh flowers from Hawaii to the mainland [Zone over 1,00 miles]. Although all exemplary usages of the stamp are exhibited, the heart of the exhibit features 29 very difficult to obtain solo and multiple usages for the 0 air parcel post to Zone. The 3 stars of the exhibit are 3 of the 5 known Exact Use pieces used for shipping plants or flowers by air parcel post from Hawaii to the mainland. 1
CONDITION AND DIFFICULTY TO OBTAIN The 0 Diamond Head stamp is rarely exhibited because the items needed for a traditional exhibit are simply too difficult to obtain. Although the 0 airmail is technically a stamp that could be used for any postal need, it was intended to be used for air parcel post shipments to Zone [more than 1,00 miles]. Therefore, for postal historians the real challenge is to find 0 stamps that have been saved from air parcel post shipments with a solo or multiple use paying the airmail portion of the postal service. Finding the 0 Hawaii airmail stamp properly used to pay air parcel post to Zone is one of the most difficult tasks a 20th Century postal collector faces. Doug Kelsey, Linn s, February 2, 2004 (see Frame 2 pg ) Use of the 0 Diamond Head stamp for its intended purpose (a parcel post package to Zone ) in a solo or multiple use is rarely seen; such (items) are remarkable finds. Wawrukiewicz in Linn s, October 21, 200 Such items are rarely found and are almost always on large, oddly shaped pieces that have been torn from packages. Many are nearly impossible to mount and properly exhibit. The overall condition of the material exhibited is remarkably good for air parcel post pieces. The exhibit has seven solo usages four one-pound, four two-pound and nine other air parcel post items for weights of up to 13 pounds. AIR PARCEL POST INTERNATIONAL [See Frame 3 at Page ] Examples in collectors hands are almost non-existent Literally, (the rates are) different for just about every country Wawrukiewicz, Anthony S. and Beecher, Henry W. U.S. International Parcel Post Rates, 172 1996, Page 216. Wawrukiewicz was talking about Air Parcel Post International items in general. In this exhibit 2 pieces with the Diamond Head stamps were used to pay the air portion of the International Air Parcel Post shipment. Such items are even more difficult to obtain than a general Air Parcel Post International piece. (see Frame 4 page 2) 2
IMPORTANCE The stamp was designed to pay with a single stamp the 0 air parcel post rate for a onepound shipment to Zone [over 100 miles]. It was also widely used for a variety of make-up rates for both domestic and foreign mail, and to send mail and packages to and from APOs and US possessions and territories. All of these usages are represented in this exhibit. It is the only stamp issue created for a specific commercial air parcel post rate. On the last page of the exhibit we discuss why the 0 stamp was only a partial success and never again was a stamp issued for a specific air parcel post rate. COMPLETE HISTORY OF EXACT USE PIECES In this exhibit Exact Use refers to the Exact Intended Commerical Use of the 0 stamp for an air parcel post shipment of plants or flowers from Hawaii to the mainland. Since 1952 only 5 Exact Use items have been found and 3 of the 5 are in this exhibit. The first Exact Use piece was reported in April 2002. Linn s Stamp News stated: The HOLY GRAIL of U.S. modern airmail postal history has been found. (Frame 2 page ) Ten years later in 2012, two Crossley s Nursery Exact Use items were discovered; A 2 pound Crossley piece Only reported 2 pound piece (Frame 3 page 2). A 3 pound Crossley piece is in an exhibit, but the collector will not part with it. In August 201, on ebay the fourth Exact Use item surfaced and I bought it. It was a 1 pound piece cancelled in 1959 and franked with an 0 Diamond Head stamp and a 30 special delivery stamp. This is the exact franking and year of cancel as the HOLY GRAIL in this exhibit found 16 years earlier. I was tempted to exhibit both this newly acquired Exact Use item and the HOLY GRAIL but I knew it would be padding and would end up costing me points on my exhibit so I traded the duplicate away. In October 201, the Exact Use piece I was seeking was listed on ebay. It is a Solo 1 pound commercial shipment of plants from Hawaii to the mainland. This new GEM of my collection is the only SOLO Exact Use piece known and it is exhibited at Frame 2 page 6 This exhibit now includes the following Exact Use pieces: 1. Only solo 2. 1 pound HOLY GRAIL 3. Only 2 pound piece See also Frame 2 page 4 where I explain for the viewer the meaning of the term Exact Use as used in my exhibit. 3
TREATMENT AND IDENTIFYING KEY ITEMS FRAME 1 23 key items are identified; four have certifications. Only proof of Diamond Head stamp not in Bureau s file (PF 261456)... 3 Official Government Photo Essay of Rejected design (PSE 013493341)... 3 First documentation of plate defect referenced by French s (PF 552432)... 6 FRAME 2 FDC cachet written in Esperanto language - one of 2 reported... 1 A unique cachet by the foremost cachet painter Dorothy Knapp... 2 A unique block of four from the only sheet of Hawaii precancels... 7 Four-pound commercially used air parcel shipment to Zone using precancels... 3 Perfins only exist from two companies both are exhibited... 2 Solo usage on tag one of two reported... 4 FRAME 3 FRAME 4 FRAME 5 3 OF THE 5 REPORTED EXACT USE ITEMS ARE IN THIS EXHIBIT Only reported SOLO Exact Use The GEM of this exhibit... 6 HOLY GRAIL First found Exact Use 1-lb. shipment + special delivery... Only reported 2 lb usage on a tag... 1 The 2 lb. CROSSLEY S SHIPMENT - ONLY 2 POUND Exact Use... 2 A pristine example of a 2 lb. shipment to Zone... 3 3 lb. forwarded free official orders exception only known example... 4 International Air Parcel Post 7 oz. to Germany... International Air Parcel Post 16 oz. to Germany... Multiple usage of (non-air parcel post) international correct rate... 7 Historic APO destination from Swiss Unit serving at DMZ... 5 Tibet cover non-upu destination requires Tibetan stamp (PF551354)... 7 Solo Late Usage Aloha The End of the Story... Page 4
RESEARCH AND PHILATELIC KNOWLEDGE The research for this exhibit has been exhaustive. All relevant philatelic literature was obtained from the APS Library, and related articles were obtained from Honolulu and Hilo, Hawaii newspapers. The historic photo from Hilo on the title page was ordered from the microfilm of the Hilo Tribune-Herald. Extensive additional material came from the Smithsonian s National Postal Museum and the Hawaii State Archives. In 2010 before I visited the Bureau I requested color copies of key documents and four times I was denied. Finally with the help from a friendly Congressman my appeal was granted and the requested documents were copied in color. I visited the Bureau on August 19, 2010 and examined everything in the archives file for the Diamond Head stamp During the examination, I discovered the Designer s 4 Times Enlarged working model. It clearly showed the cut lines where the designer moved the palm tree in from the right and where they added the Stratocruiser over head. To fully tell the stamp s design story, I had to use an EXACT REPLICA of this item found only in Bureau s archives. [See EXACT REPLICA 4 Times Enlarged model. (Frame 1 Page 3.] Before I started working on this exhibit, I had not heard of Diamond Head perfins. I also did not know that there was only one sheet of Honolulu precancels, and that no other Hawaiian towns had issued precancels. In hopes of finding these elusive items, I joined the precancel and perfins collecting groups. It took four years of searching, but I found them! [See Frame 2, Pages 2 & 3. = Original Research - 15 items are Identified Frame 1 9 items 7 of the 9 items are examples of Original Research discovered during my 2010 visit to the BEP to examine the archives for the Diamond Head stamp. The other 2 are self-evident as to why they are original research. Frame 2 2 items Both are the result of the personal knowledge I have gained from 30 years of collecting the Diamond Head stamp - following the stamp on ebay - viewing exhibits containing the stamp - consulting dealers at stamp shows for examples of the stamp s usage - handling hundreds of Diamond Head covers and reading all Philatelic articles and books that discussed the stamp. Frame 4 2 items Rate Confusion (Frame 4 page 1) This is an example of the Original Research I did to explain the 74 over payment on 2 airmail letters to APOs mailed in 1952. It appears that in 1952, the year stamp was issued, some people writing to APOs mistakenly thought they had to use an 0 stamp when a 6 stamp would do. Only by years of observation and Original Research could I have make that observation as to why identical 74 overpayments were made on the 1952 covers to APOs. 5
THE 0 DIAMOND HEAD STAMP OF 1952 Another example of the depth of my research is the cover to Tibet (Frame 4 page ) with a Tibetan stamp and a handwritten note in Tibetan. I thought the note might be significant so I consulted with a Tibetan monk to translate the Tibetan handwritten note on the cover. Turns out note was not of great importance, but I would not rest until I found out. Frame 5 2 items One is an APO cover from a Swiss officer serving in Korea on the DMZ with the U.S. Army and helping to enforce the cease fire that ended the Korean War. The history behind the cover is significant and it was original research to learn the history behind the cover. Frame 5 page The End of The Story - On the last page I asked the question as to whether the 0 stamp was a success and I concluded, to my disappointment, that based on 30 years of collecting the stamp that it was at best only a qualified success. I would have preferred a different answer to my question but my original research dictated the answer that appears on the last page in the exhibit. THE HUNT FOR A PLATE DEFECT One of my biggest challenges was documenting the existence of an alleged plate defect that is referenced by French on Page 315 of his plate defect reference book: Diagonal scratches in margin above and to L of Plate # 24592 UL. Neither French nor anyone else visually documented the alleged defect with drawings or photographs. I searched, without success for eight years, contacting every dealer and collector I could think of. I had found examples of Diamond Head perfins and precancels, so that left French s alleged plate defect as the only known item missing from my Diamond Head exhibit. I decided to keep looking. Ten months ago I started running the ad at right in U.S. Specialist hoping to determine if the defect actually existed. I got no response and was beginning to conclude that the ad was a waste of money. And then my search took a surprising turn. This exhibit includes a rare Diamond Head stamp cover to Tibet. It required a Tibetan stamp for internal postage. [See Frame 5 Page 1] 6
A judge recommended that I get a Philatelic Foundation certification for the Tibet item. I sent the cover to the Foundation and followed up with a phone call. I spoke to Lewis Kaufman, who does some of their certifications. He asked if my plate defect ad in the Specialist was getting any results. Not one I replied. And then he said to my complete surprise I have one. I made Lewis a generous offer that included a signed copy of Pacific Pioneers, my 700-page book on the Pan Am flying boats. He accepted my offer. The plate defect referenced by French has been enlarged 400% and can clearly be seen. See Frame 1, Page 6. THE FIRST DAY COVERS When I showed this exhibit at Napex, the judge assigned to my exhibit commented that my failure to include first day covers was a weakness in the exhibit. He recommended that I include a section of First Day Covers. After Napex I added - 11 x 17 pages of First Day covers and the judges at Chicagopex agreed that a First Day cover section is good BUT this in my traditional exhibit was Over Kill. 20% to my 40 pages were devoted to exhibiting First Day Covers. In this revised 5 frame 40 page exhibit I have cut back to 3 1/2-11 x 17 pages of First Day Covers (less than 10%) and a majority of the covers exhibited appear to be commercially used. I hope with this 5 frame 40 page exhibit that I have found the proper balance with less than 10% of the pages now exhibiting First Day Covers. CONCLUSION Since I exhibited at Napex I have expanded this exhibit from 4 to 5 frames. The exhibit contains: Seven additional air parcel post items for a total of 29 air parcel post pieces. The only proof of a Diamond Head stamp not in the archives of the Bureau. [Frame 1, Page 3] The Gem - only Solo Exact Use known [Frame 2 page 6] The HOLY GRAIL The First Exact Use piece found in 2002 [Frame 2 Page ] 7
The 2 pound CROSSLEY S SHIPMENT - The only 2 lbs. Exact Use item - (Frame 3 page 2) 2 very difficult to obtain International Air Parcel Post pieces [Frame 3 page ] With the addition of the documented plate defect [Frame 1, Page 6], the recently acquired 2 Air Parcel Post International items [Frame 3 page ], and the other key items listed on pages 3 & 4 of this synopsis - every known usage of the 1952 Diamond Head stamp is contained in this five frame exhibit. Due to the many unique items exhibited - I am confident that this is the most complete exhibit of the Diamond Head stamp that has ever be assembled. Mahalo All 40 exhibit pages are 17-by-11 inches. SOURCES: Loran C. French, Encyclopedia of Plate Varieties on U.S. Bureau-Printed Postage Stamps, Page 315 (1979). Sol Glass, U.S. Postage Stamps 1945-62, Bureau Issues Association (1954). Mark Lomonaco, Airmail Stamp, U.S. Stamp News (January, February 1996). Wawrukiewicz, Anthony S. and Beecher, Henry W. U.S. International Parcel Post Rates, 172 1996, Page 216.