Canadian stamp stories

When Star Trek first aired, it immediately captured the imagination of countless fans. This popularity was due in no small part to the Canadian actors who made the series the success it became. Montréal-born William Shatner seemed born to play the swaggering leader, Captain James T. Kirk. Vancouverite James Doohan, as chief engineer and miracle worker Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, kept the Enterprise together. John Colicos, from Toronto, starred in only one episode but broke new ground as Kor, the first major Klingon to challenge Kirk and his crew.

Designed by Kosta Tsetsekas, of Vancouver-based Signals Design Group, this set of stamps features Kirk, Scotty and Kor, as well as Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy. The Vulcan and the ship’s doctor represented cold logic and human passion, respectively, trading barbs with each other, while offering advice to their trusted captain and friend.

Two coil stamps take the series to the final frontier. One celebrates the legendary U.S.S. Enterprise that brought the crew – and the show’s fans – to seek out new worlds, while the other reveals the dreaded Klingon battle cruiser that lurked in the shadows.

To pay homage to the technology that transported the show into legend, we added two moving tributes with a pair of special lenticular stamps.

Captain James T. Kirk
As commanding officer of the Enterprise – his one true love – legendary Starship Captain James T. Kirk and his indomitable crew negotiated treaties, met new alien species, and repeatedly saved the United Federation of Planets and often the galaxy itself from destruction, while following the rules and regulations – most of the time.

Commander Spock
As science officer and first officer of the Enterprise, Spock provided his captain with accurate analysis and dispassionate advice. The offspring of both human and Vulcan parents, Spock projected a strictly logical exterior, mastering the Vulcan mind-meld and nerve pinch, but struggling with his human emotions just below the surface.

Lt. Commander Montgomery “Scotty” Scott
Known as a miracle worker for his ability to engineer last-minute solutions, chief engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott boasted more knowledge of his beloved Enterprise than the people who designed the ship. As the trusted third-in-command, Scotty also took the Captain’s chair when Kirk and Spock were called away on diplomatic missions or planetary emergencies.

Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy
Doctor Leonard “Bones” McCoy, the chief medical officer of the Enterprise, might have described himself as “just an old country doctor,” but he displayed unrivaled expertise in all things medical. His sarcastic exterior, aimed mostly at Spock, hid an underlying appreciation for his shipmates and an earnest passion for protecting and preserving life.

Commander Kor
Commander Kor of the Klingon Empire faced off against Captain Kirk on the planet Organia on stardate 3102.7. With a battalion of Klingon soldiers at his command, Kor became the military governor of the planet, ruthlessly maintaining order while Kirk and Spock, disguised as locals, resisted.

U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 and Klingon battle cruiser
Kirk and his crew trusted their five-year mission – and their lives – to the Enterprise, a state-of-the-art Constitution-class starship fully equipped for discovering and defending the final frontier. More than once, the Enterprise faced off against the Klingons and their ferocious battle cruiser – always emerging victorious, despite some close calls.

The Original Series Stamp Booklet
As Canada Post’s first prestige booklet in more than a decade, this new take on a traditional collectible features exclusive stamp souvenir sheets. Each page offers a glimpse into memorable moments from the groundbreaking television show, including then space-age technologies – such as hand-held communicators, convenient tablets and automatic doors – that have since become part of our daily lives. Designed by Kosta Tsetsekas and Adrian Horvath, both of Vancouver-based Signals Design Group, and with the help of CBS Studios, the booklet includes all but the lenticular stamps issued for the 50th anniversary of Star Trek.

Well aware that the show’s legion of fans would be watching their work closely, Tsetsekas and Horvath ensured the authenticity of the prestige booklet by using actual images from the show and the CBS archives. In order to capture as many key moments as possible, pages were designed around the key characters on the stamps, along with some nods to Star Trek’s diehard fans, with the Enterprise’s infamous 3-D chess board and an homage to the beloved – but doomed – redshirts.

“I have to say, I felt a bit of pressure with this issue,” admits Horvath. “But as a fan, I found the pressure just a little easier to take – and the work a lot more fun.”

Star Trek Lenticular Stamps
A tribute to the high-tech world of Star Trek, these stamps use lenticular printing, a method that makes images appear in motion when viewed from different angles. A homage to the show’s most famous technology – the transporter – and one of its most popular episodes, “The City on the Edge of Forever,” they bring the beloved series to the “miniature screen.”

Stamp designer Kosta Tsetsekas, of Vancouver-based Signals Design Group, saw lenticular as an opportunity to recognize the show’s futuristic vision and the special effects that brought it to life.

“I felt that lenticular, developed in the 1940s, had a bit of a low-tech feel that really mirrored the TV special effects used in the original Star Trek series. Thanks to newer technology, it is now possible to show a lot more motion.”

To set these designs in motion, Jonathan Moon and his team at New Zealand’s Outer Aspect approached the project with extra care, not only because millions of fans would be scrutinizing the final product but also because he, too, is a fan.

“I grew up with Star Trek, and I love how science fiction becomes science fact. I can play a snippet of video footage from Star Trek on a stamp, with no electricity required. That’s straight out of science fiction to me.”

Fascinating collectibles
Learn more about our cast of characters with collectible first day of issue special envelopes, also known as Official First Day Covers, or send postage paid postcards with authentic imagery celebrating five of Star Trek’s most popular episodes, including “A Piece of the Action,” “The Trouble with Tribbles,” “Amok Time,” “Mirror, Mirror,” and “The City on the Edge of Forever.”