Motorcycles In the Mail
MOTORCYCLES IN THE MAIL
Topical Stamp Collecting Is Becoming The Latest Fad
M.W. MARTIN
MANY OF today's stamp collectors are taking a new approach to the world's most popular collecting hobby—topical collecting. To become a topical collector, the rules are simple. Just pick a topic of interest and collect only stamps that are related to that specific subject.
For the motorcycle enthusiast, the growing gallery of motorcycle stamps can bean interesting and challenging topic—and a pleasant way to spend a
rainy Sunday or a restful evening. The growing popularity of motorcycling can be easily seen in the number of stamps being issued around the world. At least 20 countries have issued some 50 stamps depicting sport and recreation bikes. More are being issued each year.
Until about 20 years ago, motorcycle stamps came just about only in the police and Special Delivery variety—the kind that our Post Office used to issue in the 1920s—and those are still issued by a number of countries; but cycling as a sport important enough to be honored on postage stamps came into its own in the late 1950s.
The majority of motorcycle stamps come from the nations of eastern Europe—Hungary, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, East Germany and
Yugoslavia. One of the earliest stamp issues to honor motorcycling as a sport is the Yugoslavian series of 1939 issued to commemorate the 1st International Automobile and Motorcycle Races held at Belgrade on Sept. 3 of that year. Two stamps in that series depicted racing motorcycles, and one of them is shown in these pages (1).
Russia has issued several bike stamps, the first one in 1938—possibly the earliest such stamp—which was part of a long series depicting various sports. Russian stamps are fairly expensive, as they usually form parts of sets which must be bought in their entirety just to get the one stamp. However, with much searching, it is possible to find the bike stamps just by themselves-this is all part of the collecting game. Another one came in 1948, and in 1961 came Russia’s first “special event” stamp, an uphill racer issued for the U.S.S.R. Technical Sports Spartakiad (2). In 1967, a motorcycle stamp honored the International Motor Rally, Moscow,
July 19, 1967 (3).
Hungary is another early participant in cycling on stamps, issuing its first stamp in 1950. In 1962, Hungary issued a spectacular series of sport stamps and it included a number of interesting cycle stamps depicting various racing events (Special Caption). Czechoslovakia’s half a dozen cycling stamps include a well-designed tall vertical one issued to commemorate the 30th International Motorcycle Races at Gottwaldov, Sept. 13-18, 1955 (4). Another stamp for a motorcycling event is Poland’s issue of 1955, for the 13th International Motorcycle Race in the Tatra Mountains, Aug. 7-9, 1955 (5).
From Italy came an unusual bike stamp issued in 1963 as part of a set for the World Bicycle Championship Races. It depicts a motorcyclist being paced (6). Another interesting stamp, and perhaps the most unusual one, is a Nicaraguan air mail of 1963—it shows just the left handlebar and the rear view mirror. The Olympic circles omthe stamp, which appear on many Nicaraguan sport stamps, have no meaning here because there were no motorcycling events in the 1964 Olympiad for which this set of stamps was issued (7).
The 1963 Motorcycle World Championships were commemorated by East Germany with a set of three stamps. The small stamp depicts a motorcyclist during a “motocross” at Apolda. The two long stamps show racers at Sachsenring (8 A, B & C).
In 1963, Czechoslovakia issued a long set of stamps to publicize the year’s various sport events. Included was a modernistic motorcyclist, issued to publicize a dirt-track event, the 15th anniversary of the “Golden Helmet” Race at Pardubice (9).
A postal gallery of antique motorcycles, the only one of its kind, was issued in 1969, by the Congo Republic (the former French colony of Middle Congo). Only one motorcycle shown is American, the Brough Superior “Old Bill,” shown on the 200 Francs value. The other three are all British: 100F shows an Excelsior “Manxman;” 150F, a Norton, and the 300F depicts a Matchless and NLG-JAPS (10 A, B, C &
An unusual cycle stamp, one of several “traffic safety” stamps depicting motorcycles, was issued by East Germany in 1966. The design is obvious—and the inscription is a tale oft-told and well-worth heeding: “Even one glass is too many” (11).
Collecting motorcycle stamps is not an expensive hobby and a fine representative collection can be put together without spending a fortune. To the stamps themselves one can later add the various special cancellations issued for the events and other related materials one learns about as he gets deeper into the hobby.
There are many motorcycle stamps that are not very expensive but are not easy to obtain and in searching for them one can make many friends around the globe, for topical collectors are a friendly group, ever ready to help each other in the quest for the various elusive items. Right now, for example, motorcycle stamp collectors are looking for those issued by Red China, which have only recently become legal to own in this country. None are yet here for sale, but some can be bought abroad.
North Korea, whose stamps are not legal here, has issued a cycle stamp and while you may not own it, some friend-by-mail abroad might furnish a picture of it to temporarily replace the stamp in the collection.
A good way to get started collecting motorcycle stamps is by joining the American Topical Association—a group of some 10,000 topical collectors— which issues a monthly magazine, handbooks covering the various topics, and holds shows where members can display their collections in quest for a trophy. Many local stamp clubs also hold frequent shows and many awards have been won with fine topical collections. The dues are only $4 a year and include its magazine. You can get free details of the membership and benefits by dropping a card to the American Topical Assn., 3308C N. 50th St., Milwaukee, WI 53216. 0
