| India Post stamp sheets 2000 and 2009 |
[Nov. 16th, 2009|03:58 pm] |
The photo below is that of a set of stamps named Gems and Jewellery issued by India Post in 2000. It consisted of 6 stamps arranged in various order in the sheet. It measured 21½x42 cms and arrived folded across a central perforation. All these years it has been in a A4 sized plastic folder in one of its plastic sleeves in the same folded condition. Till last week it was the largest sheet I had on my collection.
Then this year India Post issued a set of 11 stamps named Jayadadiva and Geeta Govinda along with a minisheet. This one was issued in one long strip of 11 stamps, in 6 rows, measuring 51½x24cms. This long a strip could not fit into my stamp book and I broke it up into 4x4x3 for easy viewing and handling.
But I had to get the sheet and so ordered one, expressing asking for one which was unfolded and got one in unfolded condition. Obviously this wouldn't fit into any of my books or my shelves either. It would only get into the 2' deep drawer of my desk. Which meant I required to get a protective card to store this. So last week a thick large sheet with white paper on one surface and darker paper on the other surface arrived, this was cut into a sheet which could take both these sheets in comfort. Thick tissue like paper was insterted so that the gum wouldn't get affected. The whole ensemble is now in a bottom most drawer.
Gems and Jewellery 2000
Jayadadiva and Geetagovinda 2009 |
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| Bhutanese CD-ROM stamps |
[Aug. 28th, 2009|12:40 pm] |
 
2008 issue
 
2009 issue
Bhutan became the first country to release CD-ROM stamps when they issued two stamps called 100 Years of Monarchy and In Harmony with Nature last year on 21st February. This year too they issued two stamps called Bhutan: Coronation 2008 and Voting for Happiness also on 21st February. Note the irony, the first stamp commemorates their Monarchy, and the last stamp commemorates introduction of a democratic Government. That too a democratic govt that was brought in by the King with no blood shed by the people or parties concerned.
Strictly speaking the stamp in question is a square printed envelope with a round window in which the CD-ROM is sealed. To view the CD-ROM you have to detroy the stamp by breaking the sealed sides open. It is 96x96mm in size.
I was not thinking of ordering these stamps each having a face value of Ng 225 [1Ng=1Re] until I got a letter from the Bhutan Post in June saying I have a balance with them [my last transaction was in 2005] and they will close my acct by the end of that month. So after a couple of e-mails it turned out that I had to send a small amount across to buy these stamps. Order was send [with a local cheque in Rupees] in June by post and I just received the stamps yesterday. |
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| European Capitals |
[Jul. 18th, 2009|05:04 pm] |
France has been issuing a one minisheet commemorating on European capital every year. Each sheet consists of 4 stamps and other vignettes that show the city's landmarks. The first minisheet was issued in 2002 and commemorated the city of Rome.
Click the back button to get back to this post. |
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| Slovenia |
[May. 28th, 2009|09:31 pm] |
I got a postcard today from Slovenia and thought the stamps were beautiful!
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| Paper Coins |
[May. 24th, 2009|11:08 pm] |
From 1915 to 1917, during World War I, but before the Russian Revoultion, there was a shortage of metal for minting coins in Czarist Russia. To solve the problem, the government used some of the current stamp designs to print paper coins. These 'coins' were printed on cardboard, with inscriptions on the back explaining their use as currency. They were not intended for use as postage stamps, but their use was tolerated in the mail.
In April of 1918, Ukraine used the same idea to solve a coin shortage.
The last one is from Ukraine.
The backs of the 'coins'.
The Russian inscription translates as: "Having circulation on par with silver subsidiary coins." The last one says: "Circulates on par with coins." in Ukrainian. |
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| Caturday? |
[May. 23rd, 2009|03:20 pm] |
Caturday!
2004. This mini sheet of five self-adhering stamps came with stickers for the corresponding (get it?) envelopes or letters. Flowers for the two kitties out for a drive; a bell for the mischievous maneki neko. |
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| On the flip side |
[May. 16th, 2009|05:20 pm] |
In 1918, during the aftermath of World War I, there was a paper shortage in parts of Europe. The newly independant country of Latvia needed to issue stamps, but lacked a source for good quality paper. They solved the problem by printing their first issue of stamps on the back of German military maps.
Latvia's first stamps, imperforate, and perforated varieties.
The backs of the stamps ~ German military maps.( Two more scans ) |
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| Ceylon King George and Two Colors |
[May. 13th, 2009|04:35 pm] |
Older stamps for ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) restoman, newest maintainer of this community.
I picked these up a few years ago when I was in Colombo.
The postmark on the first one is Colombo, 1926.
'64, '44, don't know, '49?
( detail )
Going back to Colombo in a few days. :^) |
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| The "State of Oman" won't let me get some sleep |
[May. 12th, 2009|11:15 am] |
I was digging way down deep in my collection, looking for Cameroon stamps or kitty cat stamps, when I found an unopened pack of canceled stamps. I must have had it since I was a kid. It was one of these:
(Don't click the image if you don't want to see a huge 6 MB scan.)
"All different. All genuine."
All stamps?
My eyes were drawn to the Siamese mother and litter, and the basket of kittens. These will be perfect for Caturday!
Unfortunately, these postmarks are terribly fishy:
Now that I look more closely, there's something strange about this postmark, too:
But maybe it makes sense, if the stamps were on the envelope like this:
But then I put the Sharjah stamps together, and... well, we have a problem.
Do you see that? And that? And that????
Now I'm looking at other Sharjah stamps (like in my Birds & Butterflies album), and while I'm relieved to see they aren't postmarked 28 December, 1972, I'm not liking their cancellations at all.
There's some interesting information on "State of Oman" stamps at http://www.oman.org/phil85.htm, and a list of references at http://www.ohmygosh.on.ca/stamps/dubai/article.htm. I haven't yet looked for answers about my Sharjah stamps.
To be continued... |
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| Counterfeit Fake / History wants you, they made a mistake |
[May. 12th, 2009|09:58 am] |
Weird.. I think I found some counterfeit stamps in my collection. The cancellations look fake, dotty, low-res, you know?
They're "State of Oman" stamps with cats on them. I don't understand why they would be faked, because genuine ones would be worthless.
Has this ever happened to you?
...ETA: Oh. Politics.
From http://www.oman.org/phil8.htm:
Many stamp collectors will ask: why should serious philatelists need a page about the bogus stamps, the propaganda issues, the illegal labels issued in the late 1960s and early 1970s for the non-existent, so-called 'State of Oman' plus its dependency Dhufar (i.e., Dhofar, in the south of the Sultanate of Oman). While some collectors would put these issues in one group with the so-called dunes or sheikhdoms (often denounced as Raubstaaten in German !), others would rather describe them as locals or private issues, or define them vaguely as cinderellas. None of these descriptions, however, is really appropriate. Now, after more than 30 years since the first issue of these stamps, it seems no longer inappropriate to bring this part of Oman's history into the limelight.
Question half-answered, I guess. But I'm still not satisfied...
To be continued... |
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| Cameroon |
[May. 6th, 2009|02:10 pm] |
I grew up in Cameroon and these are stamps I collected when I lived there. They're from around 1985 to 1995.
  
  
Sorry for the poor quality. I'm still trying to figure out my scanner. |
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| Sri Lanka stamps from the 1980's* |
[May. 6th, 2009|04:36 pm] |
Nothing to do with each other, except that I thought they looked good together.
( 1200x1200, if you're interested )
*Noticed after posting that the upper right hand stamp ("Commemoration of Totagamuwe Sri Rahula") seems to have a "77" in the postmark, which is probably 1977. Seems odd not to have the full year, but I'm looking at other Sri Lankan postmarks that abbreviate the year. |
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| 3D stamp from Bhutan, 1976 |
[May. 6th, 2009|03:34 pm] |
This is a neat "3D" stamp that looks better in person than in a scan. The silky looking fabric behind and in front of the mask move slightly, relative to the mask.
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| Unique Cancellation |
[May. 5th, 2009|11:25 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Office | ] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  hopeful | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | WCFR | ] |
I have an offer which may be of interest to the stamp collecting community. Please visit my LiveJournal for details. Your sole chance at this will be on Thursday, May 7, and your deadline is 5 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow if you wish to participate.
Thanks,
Steve Seitz
Author, "Sherlock Holmes and the Plague of Dracula" |
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stamp_scans
