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Souvenir Covers |
This article provides a detailed listing of official, or semi-official, souvenir covers issued by Papua New Guinea (PNG) since 1964. It does not include privately produced, or commercially produced special event covers. This listing compliments recent articles by the author on Australian Souvenir Covers 1997+, Papua New Guinea First Day Covers 1952-1967 and Papua New Guinea Philatelic Bureau Covers 1966-Present.
A souvenir cover is an envelope / cover issued for purchase at a post office or other official outlet at nominal cost, to mark, or assist in the promotion of, a special event, exclusive of the issuing of a new stamp or series of stamps, these being accommodated by first day covers. The definition is broad and can include a variety of covers. The PNG souvenir covers under discussion usually bore the words
Souvenir Cover - and in some instances
Special Postmark - on the front, and otherwise no official logo or text. This is different from the Australian equivalent which usually included an Australia Post logo. The PNG covers could be general purpose souvenir covers used over an extensive period of time and accommodating various postmarks and overprints, or short-term special event covers of limited availability. They are, by definition, un-stamped. Some special event covers were pre-stamped. They are referred to as pre-stamped envelopes (PSEs), or pre-paid envelopes (PPEs) where there is no precise denomination on the stamp, and are dealt with by the author
elsewhere. Some generic first day covers (FDCs) were also used as souvenir covers to carry a variety of later special event postmarks, however they are not listed here as the subject of PNG postmarks is beyond the scope of this blog. A listing of postmarks and associated covers can be found at the I-NG site
here.
The official status of souvenir covers listed below is often unclear, with no logo or text to indicate such. Covers that are obvious commercial products, and with no apparent official status, are not listed. The precise identity of the printer/s is also unknown. In some instances it is unclear whether the cover was produced by the official PNG Post & Telegraph Department or Philatelic Bureau, or by a private organisation with official support, such as, for example, the Goroka Show committee.
In 1949 the new Australian-administered Territory of Papua and New Guinea was formed and official covers were an early part of its philatelic program. A few official covers had appeared during the 1930s, prior to the amalgamation of the two territories which form the eastern half of the island - the Dutch East Indies / Western Papua or Irian Jaya forms the western half. Beginning with the release of PNG's first definitive stamp series in 1952, the Philatelic Bureau issued FDCs with those words on the cover to clearly identify them to collectors. From that point, and following a name change to Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 1971 and independence in 1975, it released both specific event (e.g. first day of issue of a new stamp series) and general purpose FDCs. The latter were for use with a variety of stamp releases and common prior to 1965, at which point stamp- and issue-specific covers became the norm. The same applied to Air Mail covers (AMCs) in that the words
Air Mail were often seen on covers which also bore the words
First Day Cover, or even
Souvenir Cover. A separate series of postal stationary was also produced, and included aerogrammes plus registered letter envelopes. A listing of these by the author can be found
here.
Following experience gained during the 1950s and early 1960s in producing FDCs, PSEs and AMCs, on 8 June 1964 PNG issued a cover in connection with the open of the House of Assembly at Port Moresby. That cover also bore a special postmark, and while it falls under our definition of souvenir cover, there was nothing to indicate its assumed official status. Other covers were produced shortly thereafter for the Goroka Show (29-30 August 1964), the 30th anniversary of Amelia Earhart's flight (1 July 1967), the PANGEX Philatelic Exhibition (1-3 September 1967) and implementation of the first Qantas air service between Port Moresby, Manila and Hong Kong (14 September 1967). Once again, the official status of all the covers remains unclear, though they did not bear any commercial markings. Prior to that, some private covers had appeared, produced by firms such as the Wesley Cover Service (WCS).
In 1970 an official generic souvenir cover appeared displaying the words
Souvenir Cover - Special Postmark. Its design was based on one used on an official PNG FDC in 1963, though with the words Department of Posts and Telegraphs removed. A number of generic souvenir covers were issued through to 1983, alongside special event souvenir covers. Since 1990 only a few souvenir covers have been released, with the PNG Philatelic Bureau concentrating on FDCs and primarily utilising PSEs for special events, along with its own general purpose covers and Christmas covers for mailing list recipients, some of which are listed in a separate blog
here.
List of Souvenir Covers
Papua New Guinea souvenir covers identified by the author to date are listed below and numbered chronologically with an SC prefix, followed by the date of issue where known, or earliest known postmark, and a brief description.
* SC1 - 8 June 1964 - Opening of House of Assembly, Port Moresby, 8th June 1964. Status: Assumed to be an official special event souvenir cover. Special pictorial postmark issued at Port Moresby, 8 June 1964. Two colour printing on the envelope in black and brown.
* SC2a - 29 August 1964 - Goroka Show. Status: Assumed to be an official special event souvenir cover, though the status is unclear. Bearing a special Goroka Show pictorial postmark dated 29-30 August 1964. The envelope is printed lower left with a black text and illustration of a Bird of Paradise. A yellow and black Goroka Show sticker was applied at the upper left.
* SC2b - 29 August 1964 - Goroka Show. Status: Assumed to be an official special event souvenir cover, though the
status is unclear. Bearing a special Goroka Show pictorial postmark
dated 29 August 1964. The envelope is printed in green text and images, including the address. Source: Steven Zirinsky.
* SC3 - 15 May 1965 - APEX Annual Trade Fair Rabaul. Status: Assumed to be an official special event souvenir cover, though the status is unclear. The cover bears a special Rabaul Trade Fair pictorial postmark dated 15 May 1965. An image of the Rabaul landscape and logo is printed on the left in a purple-blue.
* SC4 - 21 August 1965 - Mount Hagen Show. Status: Assumed to be an official special
event souvenir cover, though the status is unclear. The cover bears a
special Western Highlands Show pictorial postmark dated 21 August 1965. An image
of local implements is printed on the left in black.
* SC5 - 14-15 May 1966 - Goroka Show. Status: Assumed to be an official special event souvenir cover, though the status is unclear. The cover bears a special Goroka Show pictorial postmark dated 14 May 1966 and similar to the 1964 postmark. A large yellow, red and black Goroka Show design features on the left side of the cover.
* SC6 - 1 July 1967 - Amelia Earhart World Flight - 30th Anniversary 1937-1967. Status: Assumed to be an official special event souvenir cover. Bearing a
special pictorial postmark issued at Lae. Image of Earhart and plane printed in black on left of envelope.
* SC7 - 1-3 September 1967 - PANGEX 1967 Philatelic Exhibition. Status: Assumed to be an official special event souvenir cover. Bearing a special postmark issued at Port Moresby between 1-3 September 1967 in connection with PANGEX. The illustrated cover includes an Ansett-ANA sticker on the upper left corner.
* SC8
- 14 September 1967 - Qantas - First Jet Service Between Port Moresby, Manila, Hong Kong. Status: Assumed to be an official special event souvenir cover. A special postmark was issued at Boroko on 14 September 1967 and carried on the flight to Manila and Hong Kong. The cover was also posted and postmarked on the return flight at Manila and Hong Kong on 15 September 1967 to Port Moresby (16 September). Catalogue: Eustis #1608. Official PNG aerogrammes were also made use of on this flight. Three covers are illustrated below, postmarked at Boroka, Manilla and Hong Kong and bearing stamps from each of the three localities.
* SC9
- 15 September 1968 - New Britain Show. Status: Unknown. Postmarked Kokopo, 15 September 1968. Produced by, or with the support of, APEX / N.B.A. & H.S, Rabaul. Pale green design on the left portion of the cover.
* SC10 - 13 September 1970 - Return to Wewak. Status: Assumed to be an official special event souvenir cover. Bearing a
special pictorial pictorial postmark issued at Wewak on 13 September 1970. Image of hat, gun and branch printed on left of envelope.
* SC11
/ GP1 - 16-21 October 1970 - Papua and New Guinea - Souvenir Cover - Special Postmark. Status: This is the first official general purpose souvenir cover (#1) issued by the Post and Telegraph Department, Papua New Guinea. The earliest identified postmark is at the Odakyu Stamp Exhibition, Japan, 16-21 October 1970. The cover design is based on the official 1963 general purpose first day cover, being a drawing of a man in headdress and accompanying text, along with a yellow background.
* SC12
/ SC13
- 9 December 1970 - Jamboree of New Endeavour, Sydney 70-71. Status: Special event souvenir cover. Postmark issued at Leppington, New South Wales, Australia, between 29 December 1970 and 9 January 1971. Cover issued in two colours - pale and dark blue, and pale and dark green.
* SC14 / GP2
- 28 August 1971 - Souvenir Cover - Special Postmark. Status: Text on cover. General purpose souvenir cover (#2). Earliest known postmark Western Highlands Show, Mt. Hagen, 28 August 1971. Utilised through to circa March 1973 when replaced.
* SC15
- 22 June 1972 - 30th Anniversary of the departure of the Montevideo Maru. Status: Unknown. Special event souvenir cover for the anniversary of the departure of the ill-fated ship from Rabaul on 22 June 1942. Special postmark at Rabaul, 22 June 1972. The envelope also included a special information insert.
* SC16
- 5-8 October 1972 - YWCA National Convention Papua New Guinea. Status: Special event souvenir cover. Postmark at YWCA First National Convention, Port Moresby, 5-8 October 1972.
* SC17 / GP3
- 23 March 1973 - Souvenir Cover - Special Postmark. Status: Text on cover. General purpose souvenir cover (#3). Earliest known postmark 23 March 1973. Postmark shown at Western Highland Show, Mt Hagen. Utilised through to circa August 1975 when replaced.
* SC18
- 22 February 1974 - Royal Visit 1974. Status: Official special event souvenir cover with Rabaul postmark dated 11 July 1974. Similar design to the first day cover of same date, though missing the blue background emblem and text.
* SC19 - 11 July 1974 - 60th Anniversary - First Missionary Outreach. Status: Unknown. Special event souvenir cover with Rabaul postmark dated 11 July 1974.
* SC20 / GP4
- 7-19 August 1975 - Souvenir Cover - Special Postmark. Status: Text on cover. General purpose souvenir cover (#4). Earliest known postmark Western Highlands Show 1-3 August 1975. Utilised through to 1983 when replaced.
* SC21
- 15 August 1975 -1875-1975. First Methodist Missionaries Arrived Molot 15-8-75. Status: Special event souvenir cover, though there is no specific reference on the cover. Includes special postmark in purple ink at Rabaul, 15 August 1975.
* SC22
- 23 October 1976 - 20 Years Language Work. Status: Special event souvenir cover, though there is no specific reference to this on the front of the cover. Includes special postmark at Ukarumpa, dated 23 October 1976.
* SC23
- 28 March 1977 - Escape from New Britain. Status: Unknown, as the cover was produced in association with the Royal Air Forces Escaping Society, England; the Royal Australian Air Force; and QANTAS. Postmarked Port Moresby, 28 March 1977.
* SC24 - 13 - 17 June 1977 - Christian Book Fair 1977. Status: Unknown. Issued with special pictorial postmark at Lae between 13-17 June 1977. Drawing of cross plus reader on left of envelope.
* SC25
- 29 August 1978 - Papua New Guinea 1st National Philatelic Exhibition. Status: Unknown. Embossed cover in black and green. Special postmark, no location, dated 29 August 1978.
* SC26
- 24 October 1979 - Operation Drake. Status: Souvenir cover - special postmark on cover, but official status not determined. Special event souvenir cover. There is no reference to souvenir cover on the cover as the Operation Drake round-the-world expedition originated in the United Kingdom.
* SC27 / GP5
- 15 September 1983 - Souvenir Cover - Special Postmark. Status: Text on cover. General purpose souvenir cover (#5). Earliest postmark APPU EC Port Moresby 15 September 1983. This cover was used through to the early 1990s. It was the final general purpose souvenir cover issued to date.
* SC28
- 22 May - 1 June 1986 - Ameripex '86, Chicago USA. Status: Souvenir Cover on cover. This is a special event souvenir cover and also a FDC for the bird issue. It commemorates the Ameripex '86 stamp show, with a special postmark 22 May - 1 June 1986.
* SC29
- 15 June 1986 -25 Years of Guiding in North Solomons Province. Status: Souvenir Cover on cover. Special event souvenir cover. Commemorative postmark at Port Moresby, 15 June 1986.
* SC30 - 2 July 1987 - Amelia Earhart.
* SC31
- 30 April - 30 October 1988 - EXPO 88. Status: Souvenir Cover on cover. Special event souvenir cover. Postmarked at Brisbane, Australia, 30 April 1988.
* SC32
- 30 July - 7 August 1988 - Australian Bicentennial National Stamp Exhibition. Status: Souvenir Cover on cover. Special event souvenir cover for the exhibition held between 30 July - 7 August 1988. Special PNG Philatelic Bureau postmark. A different first day cover for this stamp is known, with a first day of issue postmark.
* SC33 - 30 July - 7 August 1988 - Olymphilex '88. Status: Souvenir Cover on cover. Special event souvenir cover for the exhibition held in associated with the Seoul Olympics between 19-26 September 1988. Special PNG Philatelic Bureau postmark. A different first day cover for this stamp is known, with a first day of issue postmark. A postage paid, Philatelic Bureau overprint cover is also known.
* SC34 - 19-23 March 1990 - ACP-EEC Joint Assembly. Status: Air Mail and Souvenir Cover on cover. Special event souvenir cover. Special postmark at Port Moresby, 19-23 March 1990.
* SC35 - 22 - 31 May 1992 - World Columbian Stamp Expo '92. Status: Official souvenir cover.
* SC36 - 1 - 7 October 1992 - Kuala Lumpur '92. Status: Official souvenir cover. Tied with PNG Philatelic Bureau postmark.
* SC37 - 1 October 1995 - Singapore '95. Status: Overprinted official first day cover. Tied with PNG Philatelic Bureau postmark.
* SC38 - 14 - 17 December 1996 - Aseanpex '96. Status: Official cover. Tied with special pictorial postmark, PNG Philatelic Bureau.
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