October cartoon caption contest winner crosses goal off bucket list

U.S. Stamp Notes by John M. Hotchner

The October cartoon contest featured the 2003 37¢ stamp (Scott 3805) illustrating Mary Cassatt’s 1884 painting Children Playing on the Beach. The stamp is from a set of four (3804-3807) showing her paintings.

Cassatt painted Children Playing on the Beach in 1884, well before today’s skimpy beachwear became the rage, and several Linn’s readers used the opportunity to comment on the little girl’s outfit.

Michael Moticha of Apple Valley, Calif., used this angle with “These two-piece swimsuits aren’t attracting boys like I thought they would!”

Other readers commented on current political issues. John DeBord of Vallejo, Calif., got in his digs with the simple label, “The United States House of Representatives.”

On the nonphilatelic side of our contest, Mildred Barylski of Warrenton, Va., wins with the play on words shown in the box pictured above.

Sebastian Glentz takes the philatelic line prize with the buried treasure theme that is never far from our on-the-beach thoughts: “Look Sally, I just found a 1909 S VDB penny. Lydia, that’s nothing. I found this 24¢ upside down airplane stamp!”

[Editor’s note: The initials VDB are that of Victor David Brenner, the designer of the 1909 Lincoln penny, and the S is for the San Francisco Mint. Brenner’s initials appeared on the reverse of only 484,000 Lincoln cents produced by that mint.]

Both winners will receive a 13-week subscription to Linn’s (a new subscription or an extension).

Here are the best of the other runners-up:

“Do you think Little Johnny will be alright with just his head stuck out of the sand?” from Roger Sposta of Rutland, Vt.

“We could be in the next Coppertone ad,” from Bob Miller of Saint Albans, W.Va.

“Take a look Sis, Our ship is coming in. We’ll live happily ever after,” sent by Mike Dornbrock of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

“At this rate I won’t reach China ’til after high school graduation. Tell mom I won’t be home for supper,” from David Palladino of Peabody, Mass.

“Sally sells seashells and C stamps by the seashore,” by Steve Kotler of San Francisco, Calif.

“So, Petunia, I hope our agent arranged for us to get paid for this modeling gig. I’m not gonna sit in this heat and sand just for Popsicles!” from Michael Gaule of Poplarville, Miss.

Thanks and a tip of the hat to all who entered.

The next contest will be announced in the Dec. 11 issue of Linn’s.

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