OU alumnus George Bibbo cleaned out his closet and donated Wednesday more than 45,000 stamps--preserved in shelves over his button downs--to the University of Oklahoma Foundation, Inc.
The collection, fronted by his father, James Bibbo, Jr. in the mid-1920s, is one of the few complete collections of Non-Cancelled U.S. Commemorative and U.S. Air Mail stamps issued by the United States Postal Service and only the third complete collection on permanent display in the United States.
The collection, formally presented Wednesday, is displayed at the United States Postal Service's National Center for Educational Development, 2801 State Highway 9.
"Do we typically get stamp collections? No, stamps don't really fit in here," said Robyn Tower, OU associate vice president the office of development. "But the postal training center was very interested in it, so OU agreed to take the gift and loaned it to the postal center to be displayed."
Bibbo, a previous donor to OU and 1974 graduate in architectural design who's worked with several Madison Avenue agencies in New York, along with his brother and sister inherited the collection in 1986.
After his father passed away in 2000, Bibbo purchased the Air Mail portion from his sister, who was going to sell it on eBay, and bought his brother's portion--the full sheets--in 2008 when Bibbo discovered the stamps were being used as postage.
"It just galled me to see the collection split up or squandered," Bibbo said.
Bibbo's son isn't a collector, and he knew the only way to keep the collection intact was to donate it.
This collection will serve as extension of the ongoing stamp memorabilia at the postal center, said Scott Morgan, manager of the center, as he walked along a corridor of the Northeast Learning Center, where the collection is showcased, pointing to large-scale images of stamps such as one of baseball player Mickey Mantle.
The postal center has about 20,000 employees who sift through its doors every year for training. Morgan said this made the center an optimal location for the collection, which will rotate through the cases to minimize light damage.
The collection includes favorites of Bibbo's, such as those of the 1893 Columbian Exposition, the first commemorative stamp.
"They're just so cool. Just look at the engraving," he said pointing to the case holding the Columbians.
Bibbo said a winter of snow shoveling when he was 13 in his hometown of Tarrytown, N.Y., yielded his first and favorite stamp -- a full page of 1962 Project Mercury commemorative stamps honoring John Glenn as the first American to orbit the Earth.
"Stamps capture moments in our history as vignettes, recording them for all time," said Bibbo as he turned to his father's set of the Project Mercury stamps, safeguarded in one of the stamp books displayed on a table.
But Bibbo admitted he's lost his set of Mercury stamps.
"I've moved a lot," said Bibbo, who now lives in Toronto. "It's somewhere. I just need to find it."
To view the collection and reserve a tour, call the postal center at 366-4302.
Nanette Light 366-3541 nlight@normantranscript.com
Local news
Alumnus donates rare stamp collection to University of Oklahoma
- Local news
-
-
Bonds awarded at low interest
Norman residents most likely will not notice any property tax increase from bonds awarded to an underwriter by the Norman City Council on Tuesday night, city Finance Director Anthony Francisco said....
-
Police link man to multiple rapes
Cleveland County prosecutors are expected to file as many as 20 felony charges ranging from burglary to first-degree rape and forcible oral sodomy against a former OU student who police say confessed to sexual assaults on Norman college ...
-
Preliminary hearing set for former OU professor
By Joel Pruett On Tuesday, the preliminary hearing for a former University of Oklahoma professor suspected of rape and sexual abuse of and lewd acts with children was set for May 10....
-
School board results
The unofficial results of yesterday night’s election are in, with no close races and no reported complications with new machinery and ballots. Voters largely favored incumbents where applicable. Results are as follows: · Lexington ...
-
Pedestrian in serious condition
A 64-year-old Norman man improved from critical condition to serious condition Tuesday night. He remains in OU Medical Center after being struck Monday while crossing 12th Avenue Northeast, north of Main Street....
-
Pekingese becomes America’s top dog
NEW YORK — This Peke was at his peak. Malachy the Pekingese wobbled off with best in show Tuesday night at the Westminster Kennel Club, becoming America’s dog to the delight of an adoring crowd that called his name....
-
Castiglione speaks at All Saints
Earlier this month, Catholic schools nationwide celebrated Catholic Schools week with various themed activities and fundraisers....
-
NPS to purchase radios
The FCC killed the wideband star, and it’s about to cost Norman Public Schools Schools up to $200,000....
-
Marc Heitz raises nearly $32K for hungry children
Spinning around an ice skating rink, many Norman residents contributed to raising nearly $32,000 to benefit the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma during the past holiday season....
-
City council considers transportation bonds
Tonight at 6:30, the Norman City Council will vote on whether to approve bids on transportion bonds totaling $33 million. If approved, the bond package will go to voters on June 26. The council also will consider whether to commission a ...
- More Local news Headlines
-
Bonds awarded at low interest
