Postal Museum receives its largest donation
William H. Gross, the founder of investment management firm PIMCO and an avid stamp collector, has donated $8 million to the National Postal Museum to create a new 12,000-square-foot gallery that will be named in his honor. The new gallery, which will give the museum public space at the street level, is expected to open in 2012, according to Allen Kane, director of the museum.
In addition to the financial donation, Gross will loan three extraordinary philatelic objects:
• A cover from the Pony Express service—the rider was captured by American Indians in 1860 in Nevada while en route from San Francisco to New York City. The pony avoided capture and the letter pouch was recovered two years later on the plains and delivered to the recipient.
Ten-cent George Washington stamp, 1847
• A cover featuring the 10-cent George Washington stamp, dated July 2, 1847. On July 1, two stamps were issued: a 5-cent stamp depicting Benjamin Franklin and this 10-cent stamp. The July 2 cover is the earliest known example of a U.S. postage stamp.
• A block of four 1918 “Inverted Jennys,” one of the most recognizable stamp errors (the blue biplanes were printed upside down on the first sheet of 100 stamps). This is one of six blocks of four known to exist. The Inverted Jenny is the most famous U.S. postage stamp.
The new William H. Gross Stamp Gallery will house the three rarities from Gross and other great items from the National Stamp Collection. In addition, there will be space for educational exhibits, temporary exhibitions and public programs.
"Inverted Jenny" 1918
The museum’s National Stamp Collection—more than 5,000 stamps and objects highlighting the first 50 years of postage stamps—will be on permanent view for the first time in the new gallery.
“We are honored that Mr. Gross donated funds to create this unique stamp gallery in the National Postal Museum,” said Kane. “This expansion allows us to showcase more of the nearly 6 million objects in the collection—like the National Stamp Collection and other rarities, which have never before been on display.”
“Stamp collecting has been such a rewarding and educational hobby for me that I wanted to share the joys of philately in a way that would benefit future generations of students, citizens and scholars,” said Gross. “The gallery at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum will use stamps and mail to offer a unique perspective on American history and identity. The story of stamps in America is the story of America, and I am proud to be part of preserving and showcasing these treasures.”
The museum will create a small, temporary exhibition with the philatelic rarities called “Treasures from the William H. Gross Collection,” which will be on display in the museum’s atrium Oct. 1-31 in recognition of National Stamp Collecting Month.
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Posted: 25 September 2009
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