South Africa Cards Reported

By Tom Fortunato stamptmf@frontiernet.net
written June 23, 2004

Member Roger Cichorz of Colorado has reported the first cards sent to South Africa, now the 20th country to where cards were sent.

The five cards were all sent to Dr. J. H. Sundrum in the coastal city of Durban, South Africa. They include:

  • Australia- Hobart docks, postmarked August 20, 1958
  • Finland- Helsinki Children's Castle, postmarked October 1, 1958 *
  • Mexico- Mexico City "The Apocalypse," postmarked September 24, 1958
  • San Marino- Panorama View, postmarked August 30, 1958 *
  • Sweden- Laplander Arctic Circle, postmarked March 5, 1958

    The new find also documents a new card design and postage rate. The card from Mexico is the fifth unique design depicting a fragment of the fresco "The Apocalypse," found on the vaulty of the Chapel of the Hospital of Jesus in Mexico City, painted by contemporary artist J. Clamente Orozco. The 15 centisimos stamp used also differs from the typical 10 centisimos denomination found on the cards sent to the US and Canada.