For many years, the two men had a weekly phone call to discuss changing trends in the advertising and sales world.

They compared notes on how events like holidays or economic downturns affected their individual businesses, Shaver at Mystic and Sundman at Littleton Stamp Company in New Hampshire.

But, the Federal Trade Commission had just filed an anti-trust lawsuit on General Mills for monopolizing the cereal business, and because of this they declined the deal.

[8] Don Sundman began as Mystic's general manager, and was named company president six years later in October 1980.

The building was completed in July 1989,[10] with the ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by the Sundman family as well as original owners Lawrence and Dorothy Shaver.

[10][12] In 1987, Mystic's name entered the news when Don Sundman helped break open the story of the famous 1979 invert of the $1 Candlestick stamp.

"[14] Don read the details of the BEP report aloud, revealing the now-famous stamp story to all in attendance, a decision that led to interviews with national television networks ABC, CBS, and NBC.

[10][15] Valued at $3 million, the stamp is the finest 1¢ Z Grill known and the only one available to collectors (the other is locked away in the New York Public Library's Miller Collection).

"[16] On November 2, 2005, Don Sundman traded the 1868 1¢ Z Grill with well-known bond fund manager and stamp collector Bill Gross for his 1918 Jenny Invert Plate-Number Block.

Mr. [Charles] Shreve offered me a unique proposition – if his client acquired the Jenny Plate-Number Block, would I trade the Z Grill for it?

Despite this, I turned down the offer because of my enjoyment of possessing the Z Grill and because I had committed to lending the stamp to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum starting in June 2006.

When told of my decision, Mr. Shreve's client generously offered to honor my commitment to lend the Z Grill to the NPM.

With this trade, those fantasies became fact and I had the special privilege of owning the two best and most valuable United States philatelic objects.

[17]"In 2014, Mystic sold the Jenny Invert Plate-Number Block to famed shoe designer Stuart Weitzman for about $5 million.

[18] During the American Civil War, the printing firm Hoyer & Ludwig was chosen to produce the first Confederate postage stamps.

[19] Hoyer & Ludwig went out of business at the end of the Civil War, selling out to Simons & Keiningham, who later sold their equipment to A. Hoen & Company – including Press.

After a fire destroyed their headquarters, Hudson P. Hoen gave the press to former Hoyer & Ludwig apprentice (and Confederate stamp expert) August Dietz.

It was displayed at the Dietz Printing Company for several years and even loaned to the Smithsonian Museum of American History, VAPEX 1975, and the APS Stamp Show in Richmond, Virginia.

The 1,000-pound cast iron press, along with four lithographic stones, made its way to Mystic's headquarters in Camden, NY, where it remains on display to this day.

The cachet is an artistic design or illustration printed or embossed on the cover, typically related to the stamp's theme or subject matter.

The silk may be plain or dyed in various colors to enhance the visual appeal of the cachet, adding a touch of elegance and luxury.