Algerian Cover

Airmail: ALGERIA

Algeria is an African country from where I don't receive many covers but they have very interesting stamps as you can see from the cover bellow.

They don't issue many stamp sets per year (around 20 sets), which makes it an interesting country to collect!

All the stamps on the cover were issued this year 2007 and from left to right you can see:

1. Afr0-Asian 2nd games issued in a 1v set. - here

2.Lighthouses, 3v set - Le phare de l'îlot d'Arzew - here

3. Animals, 2v set - La hyène rayée - here

Probably this will be my last post this year so I wish you all a great 2008!!!
Enjoy the reveillon!!!

Late Christmas Post

Christmas Post - Russia

I hope you all had a great Christmas and that Santa and his helpers gave you lots and lots more of... yes .... stamps!!! I've received my country's year book... was a bit disappointed with the quality of it but you can't say NO to whatever comes from the North Pole, specially if it's stamps related, right?


Today I have a late Xmas cover to show you... on the upper right corner of the envelope you can see a big size rectangular stamp... that I was in fact missing in my collection... thank you! ... I find it to be very nice... depicting a Christmas tree in the wild covered with snow!! It was issued last year 2006. Next to it is another stamp issued in the same year in a Joint issue Armenia-Russia.

Merry Christmas and Happy 2008

To ALL my friends and blog readers
sincere wishes of a

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS
and
HAPPY NEW YEAR


What a beautiful Namibian landscape!
Wouldn't mind to have my Xmas there, would you?

Christmas week - UK

In 19 Nov, 1985 GB issued a set of 5 stamps depicting PANTOMIME and celebarting Christmas.

But What is a pantomime, anyway? (click here for more details)

Pantomime is a curious entertainment - a form of ritual theatre staged around the winter solstice.

Originally silent (a form of mime), it is now anything but, with extensive vocalisation from both the performers and the audience.

Pantomime video clip here! Have fun!

Christmas week - Portugal

Today I'm posting to apologize to the Christmas related stamps collector!

Why? The reason is simple...

If you want to collect this kind of stamps from Portugal 2007 you are out of luck! For several years now that Portuguese PO doesn't issue a set commemorating Christmas... It's really a shame since almost 100% of the people living in Portugal will celebrate it in a way or another!

So why did they stopped issuing that topic on stamps? That is a question I don't know how to answer! Mystery.... abduction by aliens of the Christmas stamp designer? PO conspiration? Who knows!?!


This was the last set issued 1999, when Portugal issued 4 stamps with paintings by handicapped persons.

Christmas week

Hello everyone!!

Since Xmas is just around the corner I will post one Xmas topic each day until the day Santa arrives to town (24th December midnight!!) What do you think of this? Would you like it?

I will probably need your help because Christmas isn't a topic that I collect much so If you have any interesting items (stamps, FDCs, covers, postcards...) to show in the blog please email me at stamp.friends@gmail.com Thank you!


Today is Malawi's day! It's a country located in southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the north-west, Tanzania to the north and Mozambique, which surrounds it on the east, south and west.

This set was issued 12 Dec. 1975 in a 4v set.

From left to right and top to bottom, you can see: 1. The adoration of the magi morse 2. The nativity tablet 3. The adoration of the magi tablet 4. The angel appearing to the sheperds medallion

Be good or your xmas present will be coal... and not stamps!!!

Treaty of Lisbon

Treaty of Lisbon

Issue Date:

13.Dec.2007

The final Portuguese philatelic issue of 2007 was a postal stationery commemorating the Treaty of Lisbon signed by the 27 member countries.

It has a facial value of 0.61Euro and it is valid for up to 20gr letters inside Europe.

10 thousand covers were made. The designer is João Machado.

Merry Xmas ... again

From Spain

Hello! Today another wish of a Merry Christmas... this time from a very close country... yes you guessed it right... SPAIN!

The stamp used on the cover was issued 31/10/2007 and it belongs to a set of 2 self-adhesive stamps celebrating Xmas!

Spanish PO says "In these stamps devoted to Christmas, there is one modern design symbolising the Christmas festivity and a classic motif of renowned fame.
This year, the stamp devoted to the modern design features the work of the Catalan born illustrator, Joan Ferràndiz, whilst the classic theme depicts a fragment of the altarpiece of the chapel of the Sacramento representing the Epiphany in the cathedral of Huesca, by master sculptor from Valencia, Damián Forment." More details and images here.

...don't forget... use an extra jacket... 'cause cold is coming to town!

Merry Xmas

From Japan

Today I have a nice Christmas Postcard to show you. It was sent from Japan and it's a UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) card... If you are planning on sending Christmas cards why not buying some from Unicef and help the children they support, great idea isn't it?


The stamps used were: the one on the left... I have no information about it... maybe Eric with his new Japanese stamps catalogue could help! Eric... if you are reading this please give me some help here!! Thank you!
The one on the right was issued 1975: 9th World Petroleum congress in a 1v set.

Thank you Fukiko!

Portuguese anti-smoking law

Since the first ever issued stamp on anti smoking campaigns by Czechoslovakia in 1976 till

2007 with the issue of another stamp set now from Paraguay... a long time has passed and many were said about smoking and its consequences!

Starting 1 Jan. 2008 Portugal will officially have an anti smoking law... so If you're planning on taking a trip please remember that you will be prohibited to smoke in:

- Public Administration Offices
- Health and Teaching facilities
- Areas with under-age persons
- Work Places
- Public Transports
- Shopping Malls
- Restaurants
- Pubs and Discos
- Museums
- Libraries
- Theatres
- Indoor sports areas
- Airports
- Bus, Rail and Boat Stations
- Fairs and Exhibit areas
- Indoor parking lots
...

So what do you think of it?
Win-Win situation or a No go?

Scouting in Netherlands

EUROPA CEPT is probably one of the most collectable topics in the world and for sure one that can be a good investment!


Today I'm showing you the Netherlands EUROPA stamps issued 2007 on topic scouting!

Wikipedia Scouting Portal

Letter from Mauritius

Mauritius

"Officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about 900 kilometers (560 mi) east of Madagascar" in WIKI

I really enjoy the stamps on this cover! Colourful and with local related themes.

The left isolated stamp belongs to set of 6 stamps issued this year 2007 about corals. The one shown here is the Head Coral.

The other 2 stamps were issued last year 2006 about Ecology in a 4v set - Artificial Reefs and Erosion Control.

The Mauritius Marine Conservation Society, the Mauritian Scuba Diving Association and the National Coast Guard with the help of the Mauritius Marine Authority have created such artificial reefs by sinking 14 vessels around Mauritius since 1980, in depth of 12 to 73 meters of water.

During the mid 20th century, in Rodrigues, the Agricultural Department developed the concept of terraced areas, to fight erosion and to make arable land available to a maximum number of families.

GROTH discounts

If you are a fellow WWF stamp collector then you know GROTH, don't you?

But If you don't... I think you should start getting to know the website right away. Why should I? You may ask. Well it's simple.... there you can find informations about all the WWF stamp issues around the world.

But why did I remember to post about this today? I did it because I've received the above cover with news that GROTH is selling some philatelic items at a reduced price... some with 70% discount! It's a great time to try the company.... I surely lack many stamps in my album!!! You could even offer me some for Xmas! eheh!

With the hope that this information will be useful for you.... I say goodbye and I'll see you tomorrow!

Chinese White Dolphin

Remembering the beauty and simplicity of a WWF set issued last century (20th)!

I hope you like it!

Don't forget to visit and support the WWF so you can continue to have a living planet and at the same time a planet where you can live in!

More details about the Chinese White Dolphin here.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Hello! Today I have a cover from India to show you... It was sent by registered mail.

The stamps on the cover are in a complete set of 4 depicting 'RENEWABLE ENERGY'.

"Renewable energy effectively utilizes natural resources which are naturally replenished."

ISSUE DATE:

22.11.2007

From Left to Right and Top to Bottom you can see (some descriptions for the kids):

1. 'SOLAR ENERGY' Solar energy can be converted into other forms of energy. The major drawbacks of are: the intermittent and variable manner in which it arrives at the earth's surface and, the large area required to collect it at a useful rate.

2. 'WIND ENERGY' Wind energy is mainly used to generate electricity. Wind is called a renewable energy source because the wind will blow as long as the sun shines :)

3. 'SMALL HYDRO POWER' Hydro energy is electricity made using water.

4. 'BIOMASS ENERGY' There are a wide variety of biomass energy resources, including tree and grass crops and forestry, agricultural, and urban wastes. It is the oldest source of renewable energy known to humans, used since our ancestors learned the secret of fire. And what a great 1st day cancellation showing the sun... very nicely done! Without the sun no other energy could exist!!!

Portugal Stamps 2008

Portuguese NEW ISSUES
Timetable 2008

LISBOA DAKAR
05 Jan.

200 YEARS OF THE ARRIVAL OF KING JOHN VI ON BRAZIL
22 Jan.
Joint Issue with Brazil

ROYAL EAGLES
13 Feb.
Joint Issue with Iran

PORTUGUESE LIGHTHOUSES
20 Feb.

DEFINITIVE STAMPS – URBAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTS 2008
04 Mar.

ATM FIRE-FIGHTERS
04 Mar.

AQUIHASELO-INFERTILITY
12 Mar.

CHILDREN DRAWINGS AND SCHOOL
3 Apr.

JUDO EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
11 Apr.

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF PLANET EARTH
22 Apr.

EUROPA 2008
09 May

TRIATLO EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
09 May

OLIVE OIL
23 May

PRIÔLO - 2ª Emissão AZORES
28 May

PORTUGUESE DESIGN AND EXPORTATION
28 May

SOCCER EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
07 Jun.

CULTURE
*Maria Helena Vieira da Silva
*Manoel de Oliveira
*José Relvas
*Ricardo Jorge
*Aureliano Mira Fernandes

INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR
23 Jun.

OLYMPIC GAMES 2008 / CHINA
8/12 Aug.

500 YEARS OF THE CITY OF FUNCHAL - 2ª Emissão MADEIRA
21 Aug.

100 YEARS OF CUF 16 Sept. JOINT ISSUE WITH TURKEY
30 Sept.

50 YEARS OF BOAVISTA CIRCUIT
30 Sept.

PORTUGAL 2010
05 Oct.

SCHOOL MAIL
09 Oct.

ATM RECYCLE
09 Oct.

BRIDGES AND WORKS OF ART
16 Oct.

EUROPEAN YEAR OF INTER CULTURAL DIALOGUE
23 Oct.

So many stamps for such a small country!!! They are too much in my opinion...

And in your country? How many issues will you have? I hope not these many!!!

Portuguese Postage Label

FRAMA?

What do you think of the above postage label from Portugal?

I usually receive more stamps in covers than postage labels or even ATM stamps from friends and collectors... but this one is a good example of a modern FRAMA label in a recent circulated cover!

Do you collect this type of philatelic items? If so, please leave your comments here or send me an email to stamp.friends@gmail.com. Thank you!

Fauna from Brazil

ZOO Animals!!!

The Brazilian Post Office issued a beautiful set of fauna related stamps. They resulted from an online survey where people could vote on their favourite zoo living animals.

Issue date:

2007/10 /05

The chosen animals are: The Big red parrot (my favourite!) from the North Region. For other parrot pictures click here. The African Lion from the Northeaster Region. The Giraffe from the Center-West Region. The African Elephant from the South east region. The tiger from the South Region and the Chimpanzee.

Norse Mythology

Norse Mythology from Norway

What is there with mythology that always makes me wonder.... doesn't that happen to you?

In a joint three-part stamp series, the Nordic postal administrations are giving us an insight into Norse mythology.

From time immemorial, Nordic folklore has it that these beings exist, scaring and fascinating mankind. The existence of these beings served as an explanation to most natural phenomena and was also practical in child upbringing.


Norway’s subjects this time are a Sami shaman’s drum and a detail from a door panel in a stave church.

The Shaman’s drum, with its runic symbols, was used to accompany the Sami joik. The sound of the drum helped the shaman to fall into a trance and travel in the spirit world.

Door panel detail from Hylestad Stave Church (now in the Museum of National Antiquities in Oslo), showing the dragon, Fafnir.

Like a children story but much more terrific!

Burkina Faso

Today I'm showing a cover from an African Country!
It's my 1st letter from Burkina Faso!

Do you know where it's located? It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the south east, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the south west.

Formerly called the Republic of Upper Volta. Independence from France came in 1960. You can see some pictures of the country at Helge's blog here.

The stamp on the cover was issued last year (2006) to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the EMS CHRONOPOST at BURKINA (short name for Burkina Faso).

EMS CHRONOPOST is really an universal service, isn't it?

World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day

1 December 2007

World AIDS Day was founded in 1988 by the World Health Organization. This year once again the focus is on stigma and discrimination, one of the major obstacles to effective HIV/AIDS prevention and care.

Each day 14,000 people - half of them between the ages of 15 and 24 - are newly infected. In most countries there are no legal protections for HIV-positive people or their loved ones and they are regularly discriminated against and marginalized. This year's World AIDS Day campaign is focused on breaking the silence on this issue and confronting the discrimination around us. Help us fight fear, shame, ignorance and injustice worldwide! There are now 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS throughout the world, with more than 25 million people in sub-Saharan Africa infected.

Practice Safe Sex!

Portuguese Cork!

PORTUGAL: 1€ CORK STAMP

Issue date:

2007/11 /28

Portugal issued the worlds 1st stamp made from CORK - subset of generic cork tissue, harvested from the Cork Oak tree - with a facial value of 1 Euro.

First Day Cover

Portugal is responsible for half of the world's cork production!

This stamp is a valid way to celebrate a national heritage and big source of income.

Interesting stamp, wouldn't you agree?

CN22 - From Taiwan

On a previous post I've talked about the new Portuguese PO rules for sending letters abroad. To see that post click here.

I've received some messages about it and a fellow collector from Taiwan sent me images of their CN22 form. Thank you all.



As you can see it's very similar to the Portuguese one. The difference is that in Taiwan they only need to fill it when sending small parcels or letters containing something inside such as coins or large quantity of stamps.

I would like to receive the same form images from other countries and to know your sending rules... email me at stamp.friends@gmail.com Thank you!!

Portuguese Forever Stamp

Forever Stamp!

Issue date:

2007/11 /07

Portugal issued 2 new forever stamps (without face value) and valid even if postage increases. This set celebrates the "Comunidade Ismaeli em Portugal".

First Day Cover

The left stamp is marked with N 20grs - Normal mail up to 20gr inside Portugal. The right one has an I 20grs -  Normal mail up to 20gr, outside Europe.

The other forever stamps that Portugal has are:

A 20grs - Fast Mail (Correio Azul) inside Portugal up to 20 grs

E 20grs - Fast Mail (Correio Azul) Europe up to 20 grs

How many different forever stamps do your country's PO have issued?

Iceland... Too many stamps!

On a previous post I've shown you a cover with lots of stamps and that I've considered to be a bad example of a philatelic cover, do you remember? To see the post click here. But to compensate your philatelic eyes, I'm showing you a very good example.

This cover was sent from Ireland to Taiwan in 1982. It has 22 stamps on a A4 format sized envelope. Please take a closer look and see that all the stamps were hand cancelled.... what an enormous work the postal clerk must have had!

Do you think that your local postal clerk would do this favour to you? Or would it be impossible?

Sanjusangendo Hall - Japan

Above you can see a front view of a Japanese Postcard showing "A thousand and one images of Buddha" at Sanjusangendo Hall in Kyoto.

Sanjusangendo is a Buddhist temple in Higashiyama District, built in 1164. Some interesting images here.


On the back you can see 4 stamps. The left 2 stamps are from a set of 4 about "Wedding of Crown Prince" issued on April 1959.

Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko FDC

The last 2 stamps were issued on the Philatelic week years 1968 and 1972.

Double Cancellation

Germany
Double Cancellations

I'm sorry for not having posted in the few days but for professional reasons my internet access is limited.

Today I have a cover sent from Germany to show. The s/s was issued 2007 depicting World heritage, Limes. Official info here (only in German language).

"A limes (or the Limes Romanus) was a border defense system of Ancient Rome."

According to WIKI: The most notable examples of Roman limites are:

• Hadrian's Wall - Limes Britannicus
• Antonine Wall
• Upper Germanic & Rhaetian Limes, part of the Limes Germanicus
• Limes Arabicus, the frontier of the Roman province of Arabia Petraea facing the desert
• Limes Tripolitanus, the frontier in modern Libya facing the Sahara

This s/s was double cancelled... 1st by hand and then machine cancelled! Presently this situation is getting more frequent everyday since letters usually pass through automatic distribution machines.... and that's a pity!

See you soon in the other side of the Lime!

CN 22 Customs Declaration...

Recently Portugal started to ask everyone that sends a letter to outside EU to fill the CN22 form, apparently without any criteria regarding weight or size.

Do you know this form?

Today was my 1st time filling one... I think that the postal clerk also didn't know for sure how to fill it and in which situations should one be used!

For us, stamp collectors, how should we use it? In every sending?

And what do you write there? Letter? Stamps? and which value? no value? facial value? catalogue value?

Many times I don't know the value since I'm sending some stamps as an exchange! Well... Maybe you can help me! At least I sure hope so...

Nigeria.... too many stamps...

2 days ago I wrote about covers with many stamps on... a fellow collector sent me a scan of another example. Thank you George!


This cover was sent in 1993 from Nigeria. What do you think of it? I'm not a big fan of overlapping stamps on a cover and I've said it before... but the number is a plus, isn't it?

If I would to grade this cover I would give it a NO... a not good philatelic example! Hope you agree.... lets see what do you have to say about it!

See you next time in a post office nearby!

Lindner...

Ultimately do your stamps
really belong to you?

How do you preserve your stamps? I'm an unconditional fan of Lindner philatelic materials. Do you know them?

Don't worry that I don't earn any percentage for publicizing it!

I believe that our stamps belong to us at a particular moment in time and when we decide to part from them they will certainly belong to someone else... in the end they are like works of art... they belong to the society, to the world and it is our job to collect them in the best conditions possible, right? And In my opinion Lindner is one of the best brands there are.

Hope you can see bellow some stamps with the cancellation showing a phrase of the 50 years of Lindner.

Netherlands.... too many stamps...

Hello! Bellow you can see the nice surprise I've received in the mail today... a cover from Netherlands with an incredible number of stamps on it... It's a very good example of a collectible item, don't you agree?

If you have similar items please email me some pictures to stamp.friends@gmail.com and I'll show them on future posts!

Thanks!

Joint Issue China-Mexico

ANOTHER VOLCANO...
NOW FROM MEXICO

Issue date:
22 Nov. 2007

Top Stamp - Gongga Shan:

The highest mountain in Sichuan, China. It is situated in the Daxue Shan mountain range. It is the easternmost 7000m peak in the world and the third highest peak outside of the Himalaya/Karakoram.

Bottom Stamp - Popocatépetl:

Is an active volcano and the second highest peak in Mexico. Popocatépetl comes from the Nahuatl words popōca 'it smokes' and tepētl 'mountain', thus Smoking Mountain.

Thank you Blog Contributor Soccer.

Portuguese.... Volcano!

Volcano in Azores!

Capelinhos Volcano commemorates his 50th anniversary of activity and now erosion!
It's reduced to 40% of its original size of 1957.

Issue date:

2007/09 / 27

(cancellation of Lisbon)

Stamps:

€ 0,30

€ 0,75

Souvenir sheet with 1 stamp:

€ 2,45

How many of you collects Vulcanology related stamps?

French Space Stamp

My 1st November post... Wow!!! Xmas is really getting close, isn't it? And that will soon be a topic to explore. Please visit again soon!

Well... back to today's post... I've received a letter with the French Space Stamp. Thank you Eric. Please don't forget to visit his great blog here.


This stamp was issued on 5 Oct. 2007 to commemorate the 50th ANNIVERSARY of the SPACE CONQUEST. And as Eric also pointed out on his blog it shows 5 Space Historic Events... Sputnik, Apollo module, Spot 5 satellite and Ariane 5 and Soyuz launchers with the European map on the background. A beautiful stamp no doubt at all.

On the left of the stamp you can see a postage meter / label that the postal clerk prints on the same paper as the ATM - paper plane design.

See you all soon!

Some A380 covers.. and advice

Hello everyone, Here is one I produced .. all details on my blog as you may know..
Hope you like this cover.. for my collection ... the crew were brilliant.. and not only for some of them signing a few of my covers
If you want to place an order for a cover please email me for details cddstamps@gmail.com I only made 20 of each.. ( actually only 19 of this one as I donated one to someone but it did not have all the handstamps on it) .. many will stay in my collection the rest ..one could be yours.. I even have some others I have not shown yet.. the Singapore Post issued FDC... again email me for details..

One thing I want to say to you all.. do read carefully what you are buying.. I have seen some items on eBay that I feel are pushing the boundary shall I say... Buyer Beware.. sadly some people are parting with their money too easily.. some person paid $180plus recently for a piece of paper with images of stamps on that was being given away free in a magazine. it questions the credibility fo the seller in my view.. but hey that is life I guess. also while I proudly plug my few remaining covers.. if you spend more buying fakes than one of my genuine covers.. I am sorry for you not for me.. enjoy your stamps.. be safe..

Michael cddstamps

Portugal-Morocco Joint Issue

This year both Portugal and Morocco issued a set of 2 stamps characterized by a common design.

This is called a Twin Issue since it's a joint issue where design and issue date (26 August 2007) are identical for both countries involved.

PORTUGAL / MOROCCO

As you can see by the images, there is a similar design between:

- Left Portuguese stamp 0,30Euro and the right stamp of 7,8Dh from Morocco. They depict the Tower El Kamra in Assilah. Town conquered by the Portuguese in 1471 and posteriorly recovered by Moulay Ismaîl Ben Chrif in 1691.

- The other 2 stamps show the Silves Castle in Portugal. The town was occupied by the Moors in 713. The town was finally taken from the last Muslim King Ibn Afan by Paio Peres Correia, Grand-Master of the order of Santiago in 1242. Some images of the Castle here.

Take care!

October's CONTEST

Free Stamps

Hello stamps fans!

Yes, I know that it's a strange name... but if you can use the sentence "sports fan" to great someone why not using also "stamps fans" or the more erudite way "philatelic fans"! ehehe!

I was going through my stamps and found a nice set of stamps from Mongolia... don't know if it's a complete set or not but they are about moths and butterflies! Which ones do you like most? Moths or butterflies?


I prefer butterflies and you know what? If you tell me which butterfly I like the most... that may or may not be on the stamps shown... I'll send you this set for free! 1st correct answer to stamp.friends@gmail.com wins the stamps! So what do you say? Need a hint? Ok... I can do that. It's a butterfly that in one moment you are seeing it and in the other you are not! Easy, isn't it?

Take care!

French ATM

Paper Plane ATM

I'm not an ATM collector but it's an area of philately that can be very interesting... don't you agree? At least you don't need to worry about the stamp perforations! eheeh!!

Well... Bellow there's a cover from France, do you know which ATM machine printed this stamp? And how many different ones did France issue?

Overlapping stamps

Hello! Did you ever receive covers with the stamps overlapping each other?

Bellow you can see 2 examples of it
One from Brazil and the other from Philippines.



How common is a situation like this in your country?
Did you ever send a cover in this condition? If so, why?

Brazil...

Soccer - A Brazilian's passion

March 2007 Brazilian Post Office issued one stamp set (4v.) about SOCCER STADIUMS. The goal was to celebrate the ones that are the most modern and with architectonic innovations.

4 stadiums were selected: Estádio Olímpico do Pará, o Estádio Serra Dourada, o Estádio Maracanã and Estádio Pacaembu.

Above you can see (from left to right and top to bottom):

1. Pacaembu Stadium with 75.598 square meters and the capacity for 40.260 people. The Soccer King Pelé also played some matches there.

2. Maracanã Stadium. The name derives from the singing of a local species of parrot known as Maracanã-guaçu.

3. Serra Dourada Stadium opened to the public with a match between Goiana x Portugal in 1975.

The only none stadium related stamp was issued in 2000 and it belongs to a miniature sheet of 20 stamps about the 500 years Discovery of Brazil. It depicts Ayrton Senna (1960-1994), Brazilian racing driver and triple Formula One world champion.