something I picked up on eBay

Hello, am a bit short for time tonight,, but wanted to show you this stamp, a Downey Head variety I picked up on eBay.. nice I think..

Details later.. can you see the variety.. ?.

Enjoy your stamps.. Michael

The Boy from Oz...........

What has that to do with stamps.. well nothing I can think of but it is the story of my past few days as I have been to see the show twice.. nuts.. well not quite.. I had a corporate dinner on Friday and then family outing last night.. two nights into bed past 1 am.. guess how much stamp thinking I have done this weekend.. ok.. think hard.. yep.. none..

Saw these though while sorting a few covers tonight.. thought well that should be me.. wildlife.. ha ha ha ha.. more like nightlife.. or not as the case may be..

so do you like these.. I do.. memories of '77.. can you remember what you were doing then.. if you can, as they say, you weren't having a good time Reminds me of a line from the Boy from Oz.. Peter Allen is going to the Gold Coast here in Australia, to work as a young lad.. I think about 16 or 17 years of age.. his mother says, oh no that place is sex, drugs and rock and roll,, and he replies.. Mum I hope you are telling the truth..

But seriously,, lets talk stamps..
1) the 24 hour stamp chat marathon starts in 6 days time. join me ok visit http://www.ipdaonline.org/ for details

2) I leave for UK in 4 days time .. if you want any stamps to be sent to you and you are prepapred to pay the costs please let me know in next two days

3) I will only write a few more blogs before I leave, so if there are any subjects you want me to write about please let me know soon.

Oh, and to win this cover.. what noun do you use to describe a group of otters..

Hey, who ever said stamp collecting was boring email me at cddstamps@gmail.com 20th entry gets the cover ( chance for all you slow coaches ) Enjoy your stamps.. Michael

what stamp is this.. and... a virtual stamp exhibition

Hello, I have so many topics to write about.. I chose these two.

First, and for a fabulous prize.. all sorts of covers that have not previously been won. yes not everything gets won you know.. I will have a few for someone if they can tell me:

what stamp is this image from: country of issue, year of issue and value will do.

why am I showing it - clue if you know the stamp you will know the person and if you know the person you might work out that today is a special day .. well it would have been had he still been alive and if you dont know any of that look at the image and work it out.. oh so simple I am sure I make these too easy

Second subject is the Virtual Stamp exhibition that is on at http://www.freewebs.com/maeca71/index.htm I hope you have time to have a look.. I have even posted a set of 16 pages myself, although pretty poor next to all of the others. If you want to see 16 pages of green stamps.. all the same - well not to the specialist - as they are the GB GV 1/2d Downey Head.. have a look.

Enjoy your stamps and thanks for the replies to the energy competition.

Look forward to hearing from you... Best Wishes .. Michael

online stamps.. something rather different I think

I read that the Royal Mail ( Great Britain) has launched an online service to allow customers to purchase postage over the internet. When I get to the UK in a few weeks I will have a go and show you the results. There is an article on this at www.inthenews.co.uk.. have a look.

It says that postage purchased online will cost no more than that which uses ordinary stamps.

That is a relief; maybe it should be cheaper since we are doing the printing of the bar codes using our paper not theirs and no more awful stamp design from the Royal Mail... I don't think so ... but wait for my return from UK ....

if anyone in the UK wants to send me a letter with these on I would be pleased to reciprocate with some nice Australian covers..

Has anyone in another country got this service.. do email me.. or better still write to me at PO Box 3482, Dural, NSW 2158, Australia with an online stamp on the letter .. I would like to see some please.

Philately is not what it used to be ???? What do you think.. Enjoy your stamps..

oh, one important last question.. has anyone heard from Buddy. He and I wrote regularily ( as he did with many of us I am sure). I've seen he has not been writing his blog.. not since 8th August and, he has not replied to one of my emails.. I am a bit worried about him.. can anyone help? Best wishes.. Michael

Hello, so what / who are the Canadian Snowbirds If you are from Canada, or maybe even the US you will know they are a rather brilliant and famous formation flying aerobatic team. They have been flying for 35 years I believe and are based at the Canadian Forces Base at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Here is a cover issued a few months ago to commemorate them.
This fantastic cover is postmarked from Moose Jaw. What a wonderful addition to my aircraft cover collection. Thank you again Jane.

On the subject of aircraft.. if anyone has anything they think is special...... I am thinking of flight covers from different countries here, please email me at cddstamps@gmail.com or send me a gift .. dont worry I will send you something nice in return... my address is on my website at www.cddstamps.com

As for gifts, well how about lucky draw prizes for the chat line and witty cartoon winners .. At the IPDA, as you will know, we have our 24 hour chat marathon coming up in two weeks.. I do hope to chat with you.... I will be publishing in the next few days when I will be online..... so keep reading ok.. but as for prizes.. have a look at http://www.ipdaonline.org/html/competitions.html a GB 2d blue even.. not too bad a copy .. useful spacefiller if you dont have one.

More tomorrow now I have my scanner back.. Enjoy your stamps... Michael

scanner back online.... and some stamps..read on

Hello everyone.. how good to be back with a scanner and some stamps pictures.

If you have been bored by scanner stories please bare with me and my final update. The power plug at the back of the scanner came lose, but, wait for it, I could not get it back into the connection because the internal bits had moved; of course I finally did with technical help (sure) from my son.

Stamps. Well two items: first this cover.

I came across it while sorting some more GB covers and as my daughter has just finished her Duke of Edinburgh gold I thought I would offer this as a giveaway to whoever can tell me the year the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme was started. Just email me at cddstamps@gmail.com and please include your mailing address. 4th correct answer wins.

This cover has a SG cat of £2.75 in my 2005 catalogue so a useful addition I am sure.

Talking catalogues, I am off to the UK in two weeks and hope to pick up some new catalogues from my visit to Stanley Gibbons in London. If anyone wants me to pick up some GB commemoratives for them please let me know – or if you want me to mail some commemoratives to you from London please say so. I would appreciate you covering my costs (just the stamps not my airfare J )

Now how about this stamp: GB SG 512, from the recess printed “Festival” high values issue of May 1951 –


This is cat £18 as fine used in my 2005 catalogue. Would you like this for your collection? It is a lovely copy, excellent perfs. It has been donated by Machins made Easy as a prize in a draw that will be held by the Internet Philatelic Dealers Association - the IPDA.

To enter the draw you have to say hello to one of the Directors during our 24 hour marathon chat. I have mentioned this chat before – if you have not read my earlier posts have a look at http://www.ipdaonline.org/ and please join us for a chat about stamps. All you have to do is click the chat button, enter a name and you are in. I will be chatting from London now, I think (I have not finalised my travel dates) but will be on line for Australia time as well as other times. I will put together a world time zone so you can see what the time it is at your place.

So turn up for our marathon chat and have some fun talking to us. If you sell stamps and want to know more about the Association we would be pleased to tell you more. If you are a collector just join us and ask for our advice, or tell us about your experiences with sellers. Anything to do with stamps – I am sure someone will be able to help. Hey, and tell your friends. Ok I know you don’t want too many people competing with you for this stamp but surely you want them to be able to join in as well J

Enough for now.. I have more tomorrow….. the Canadian Snowbirds on stamps.. Thanks Jane.. they were in my PO Box today. Enjoy your stamps….. Michael.

Watermarks... and something from the Philippines

Hello everyone, hope you had a good weekend. It has rained here for two days.. and that is just great.. we really need it.. not good for your stamps if the humidity / dampness get to them but I think I am safe there. A good reason to make sure you have your stamps in good quality albums and slip cases.

Now for Watermarks. For those of you collecting GB you may find the following useful ( many thanks to Roy at Machins Made Easy .. look at his web site.. http://gbmachins.co.uk/ getting better all the time I think - he is helping me out while I still don't have my scanner hooked up as I didn't get my PC back.. If I get the time I may reload the software on this laptop tomorrow.. I have so many interesting stamps to show you.. anyway..

Watermarks.. this might help you.. and if you want some examples send me an email at
cddstamps@gmail.com and I may even send you some stamps .. especially if you are able to send me a FDC with aircraft on, in exchange, or just aircraft on stamps.. or better still the Airbus A380 aircraft on stamps.

As for the Philippines... Now this is a really good idea I think.. never been done before that I know of.. The Quezon Philatelic Club is going to host QUEZONPEX 3. This is a Virtual Philatelic Exhibition. It is open to anyone that wants to send in an exhibit, much as you would exhibit at a show, except it will be "virtual". All collectors wanting to exhibit can send their 16 pages (yes just like a normal show exhibit) in scanned file format; originals in jpeg format is required with at least 300 dpi resolution.

If you want to exhibit you can send your entry, on CD to Alberto Alcala, Reymar Compound, 4301 Lucena City, Philippines. or email them to him at maeca_mvcc@yahoo.com.

And guess who is helping to sponsor the awards, yes me.. so if you are a winner you will get a certificate and FDC as a prize. There may be other prizes but I don't yet know all the details.. any questions just email Alberto at maeca_mvcc@yahoo.com. A website will be announced in the coming weeks.. you will be able to see the other exhibits.... I will keep you posted. Isn't the internet just an amzing place where people from all over the world can participate and enjoy stamps together.

And finally, did I tell you there is an article in the next issue of the Canadian Stamp News, with me .. all about the IPDA.. Hope you get a chance to have a look.. and especially if you are a seller of stamps.. as I talk about the Internet Philatelic Dealers Association... an Association you should be a member of if you want to promote your credibility as a stamp seller, even if only part time delear.

Enjoy your stamps.. and in case I dont get my scanner hooked up.. you all know by now how slow I can be at getting things done.. if you want to send me a scan of some interesting stamps I'll show them and write about them ... oh and finally yes I promise, finally for tonight, I mailed rather a lot of letters to many of you today.. well it was raining so I was able to catch up on my email and my outstanding stamp mailings..... so you should get some nice surprises in a week or two... Best wishes.. Michael

speed on stamps

Hello, I am wondering if anyone knows anything about speed on stamps, because today is the anniversary of Sir Malcolm Cambell setting a landspeed record. He did this in Utah in 1935 and acheived 301 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

He was knighted by George V in 1931. No stamps isued them eh!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, FYI.. I have lost my main computer and my access to scanning so cannot get any stamps scanned that related to him or his very famous son.

Would anyone be able to scan me some stamps??? please . .. every scan sent (up to the first 25 received) will receive a FDC as a thank you.. and I will try to use your scan in future articles. email me at cddstamps@gmail.com and please include a mailing address.

Apology but I dont think I will be writing much of interest over next week without a scanner.. but I will try.

Have a great week.. and to the person who said I was so boring with only work and stamps to keep me occupied.. how wrong are you . I only talk about work and stamps on this blog.. that is what it is for.. and mostly stamps.. and that is all I am going to talk about... ...but I will try to improve.. so feedback gratefully accpeted

Michael... http://www.cddstamps.com/ and http://www.ipdaonline.org/

too many late nights

and just no time to write...

Hello, hope everyone is well.. I have been having fun these past few nights and neglecting my stamps and writing. Will try to find something to write about over the weekend. Did you miss me .... :-(

just one piece of news you might be interested in hearing, and that is a marathon online stamp chat. Being run by the Interner Philatelic Dealers Association IPDA -

The event will start at 09 PM on Saturday 30th September and continue through to 09 PM on Sunday 1st October. That is, as in North America time. If anyone wants to join.. all are welcome. More details later.. but make a note in your diary. I will be chatting for about four hours.. maybe more.. if there are lots of people to chat to.

We did this last year and it was good fun. Write to me at cddstamps@gmail.com for more details.

Enjoy your stamps.. Michael