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Maynard Sundman - RIP

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The biggest news in the world this week is the death of Maynard Sundman, founder of Mystic Stamp Company and Littleton Coin Company. If you’re not familiar with these names, you’ve probably been living under a rock for about 40 years or so, as the advertisements for these two companies has appeared in every magazine known to man as well as matchbook cover and just about anywhere else that advertising shows up in print. Mystic Stamp Company is one of the best known names in stamp collecting today. The company made headlines in the past few years for purchasing the 1c Z-Grill stamp and then trading it for the one-of-a-kind plate block of 4 of the inverted Jenny.

Mr. Sundman was 92 years old, and had been a stamp collector since childhood. It was Sundman’s dream to turn stamp collecting into a career, and he was one of the lucky few that realized that dream in a big way. Sundman died Oct 31, in Littleton, NH, the town for which his coin collecting company was named. Sundman purchased Mystic Stamp Company of Camden, NH in 1974 and moved all the stamp operations of Littleton Stamp Company there. At the same time, Littleton was refocused to concentrate on the world. The two companies have had a major impact on both hobbies ever since. Mr. Sundman will surely be missed by stamp collectors and coin collectors alike.

Jenny Invert Plate Block

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4 Responses to Maynard Sundman - RIP »»


Comments

  1. Comment by Don Sundman | 2007/11/06 at 14:07:41

    Thank you for writing about my father, Maynard Sundman. I have a minor correction to your posting. Maynard Sundman founded Littleton Stamp Company in 1945. (Littleton changed its name to Littleton Coin Company later). Mystic Stamp Company was founded by Lawrence Shaver in 1923. My father purchased Mystic in 1974.

    Again, thank you for drawing attention to the life achievements of a hobby pioneer.

  2. Comment by Allen | 2007/11/06 at 15:07:07

    I stand corrected, Mr. Sundman. Thank You for visiting Philatelic Tidbits! I am honored to know that my little site has come to your attention, and honored to pay tribute to your father’s distinguished contributions to this great hobby.

  3. Comment by Chris Stewart | 2008/07/10 at 08:28:18

    Thats an attractive block anyway up eh?

  4. Comment by Rare Postage Stamps | 2008/07/23 at 19:30:22

    Yes, this was a sad loss for all of we collectors.


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