Grade a stamp..... Part III

Hello.. are you waiting for more on the "Grade a stamp" competition.. not many emails on this.. that surprises me.. so am waiting a few more days.. you are all probably busy, studying it and trying to find the auction site it is on.. you will be learning just from that I hope. Hey!! have you read Roy's blog, well you have to now I mention it... don't you

I had a new Australia Flowers cover to show you tonight - I had to go to the Post Office today as I ran out of stamps to mail all my packings from the weekend.. and I saw the new Flowers issue.. will show that tomorrow.. but tonight something even better.. how about this stamp

How stunning is this.. they don't design stamps like this anymore do they.. mostly now all junk and wallpaper as I (and others) call them.

Many thanks to Jane from Canada, She has sent the following.. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The Fisherman's Catch of the Day
Occasionally, a collector will find a miniature masterpiece that beautifully illustrates the intended story. I believe that this Canadian stamp issued in 1951 is one of these tiny gems.

It is an engraved stamp in an eye-catching shade of ultramarine blue.

The vibrant colour draws the eye through the frame towards the central image. The viewer is encouraged to imagine that they have rowed out to sea in a small boat.

Nearby, is a solitary fisherman in his dory. He is wearing the traditional waterproof sou'wester and hat to keep warm and dry. The sea is so rough that an oncoming wave threatens to swamp the tiny vessel. Despite the less than ideal conditions, he has begun the long , slow process of hauling in the net. Gradually, the net spreads out around the tiny vessel and day's catch is revealed.

In the net are sixteen different types of marine life. (The viewer assumes that the fisherman will release the seal caught in the net.) Cod, halibut , mackeral, and herring are easily identified. There are also lobster, scallops, shrimp , clams and even a few freshwater fish in the net. The fisherman has been unbelievably lucky or has he?

Suddenly, the viewer realises that this is actually an allegory. The carefully crafted scene recognizes the role of fishermen in the country's economy and illustrates the abundance and diversity of Canada's fisheries. What an imaginative way to showcase Canadian fishing in the 1950s.

Thank again Jane.. and if anyone wants to send me a stamp (scan) and a text to accompany it I will happily share it with all my readers.

So much more to write about, including the Flowers stamps, The Australian Kangaroo sale in New York and of course the George V seahorse in Grade a Stamps.. ( see previous articles fron a few days ago)

More tomorrow.. Enjoy your stamps... Michael

grade a stamp..... Part II

Hello, I hope you have read Part I .. I will leave it a few more days before I comment further.. some good responses so for and I am compiling them.. as some good thoughts to share with you.

This tonight though.. I was sorting stamps and found a few spare copies of this M/S one for postage to someone Best comment about the "Grade a Stamp" topic.. if you have already replied.. you are entered to win this M/S
I also updated the web site http://www.cddstamps.com/ and made time to pack up 27..at last count, free packs of stamps and blog prizes. Be patient with me .. I am nearly up to date with sendings and emails..
Enjoy your stamps.. Michael

grade a stamp.........

Hello, well another week just shot by. No time for stamps and I still have unfilled free packets to send.. apology if you are one of those waiting for stamps.

and, bigger apology of you are waiting for a prize.. I still have not mailed them.. shucks I am getting behind.. but I love my day job that is my only excuse. That and I have to go to business dinners and drinks after work ... well someone has to do it... I do hope you will be patient with me.

To stamps and a new competition.. "Grade a Stamp". What about this..
taken from the auction listing as is... yes I know someone is going to tell me off sooner or late.. but I am doing this in your best interests.. how would you grade this if you were selling it.. or if you were buying it and saw it without reading the grading .. how would you think of it....... I am really interested to hear your views. please write to cddstamps@gmail.com

I will tell more over the coming days.. you might be surprised.. so I hope you keep reading. oh yes.. it is Scott 174 and SG 401.. hope that helps
Have a great stamp weekend... Michael

more on that auction lot............

So you thought I was a little hard in my comment last night.. I don’t think so.. of the 12 stamps presented you can only fully see one of them, reading top left to right . this is my view of the stamps..

top left - Poor postmark from what can see. Cannot see all the stamp.
top middle - Postmark basically ruins the stamps Cannot see much of stamps.. but not missing perfs top right Damaged right hand top corner..
top right- Perfs top left look pretty suspect to me - cannot see full stamps

middle left - What a lovely postal franking.. yes ruins stamp. Through it away.
middle middle -Another fine example of poor franking.. and anyway this is the same as the stamp to the left
niddle right - Cannot see all the stamp.. so no other comment

bottom left - Damaged.. top left.. and postmark.. well how bad is that Cannot see all stamps and postmark is none too brilliant
middle bottom The only stamp you can see all of. Postmark hard to see so could be missing or very faint.. which could make this the only useful stamp of the 12
bottom right - Cannot see all the stamp again.. heavy postmarking yet again.. looks like a crease or two to me…

As a prize.. I will give these 11 stamps (ignore duplicate) to you if yours is the first email to cddstamps@gmail.com and you list the SG numbers and SG pricing.. just tell me what Cat year you are using…. Will publish results in a few days..

Enjoy your stamps… … Michael

are you buying this rubbish!!!!!!!!

I really don't know if am a fool or what... no I am not.. I know that.. I just sold and posted another of my GB specials.. well, well over 100 GB Pounds of catalogue value for 10%cat and I think the condition was pretty good.. no tears.. no creases that I saw from a quick look and full perfs.. you know.. good stamps you would be pleased to have in your collection.. I was thinking, well I am selling these lots too cheap.. having looked at eBay these past few days... then I thought I'd look at another auction site.. I won't name them as they have no control over the crap that is listed there.. ok some might be ok.. but look at this...... it makes my blood boil..

I just sold 100 GB commemorative plus high value definitives.. definitives alone with cat close to 100 quid... and there is someone out there trying to sell this rubbish... please don't think me a fool.. think of the people that buy this rubbish... at any price....the fools...

The internet is a wonderful medium for all of us.. yet some brain dead can post 12 stamps.. most of which I would probably trash .....and ask for money for them,... please please dont buy this stuff.. if you want to collect stamps.. I will send this to you for free... seriously.... . see my free pack.. I am very serious.. I want people to enjoy stamp collecting and not feel ripped off in days. weeks, years to come.... and if you buy this rubbish you will feel that way..

yes I am on my hobby horse.. but I hope I am helping the good dealers and sellers do well and the sellers who have no idea ( but are out to sell a few stamps to a few people who are just starting in this wondeful hobby) I hope they disappear.. go on.. ask the seller if he / she is a member of the IPDA .. before you buy... see what reaction that gets you.. and also if you are not sure.. send me an email - cddstamps@gmail.com - with the auction site / lot number details you are looking at and I will do my very best to give you my view of the stamps.. or maybe send them to you for free if they are like the rubbish shown above...

tell your friends and stamp collecting colleagues.. tell the stamp club boards you read.. we have to stop this rubbish being sold and the rip offs many of you must be unknowingly experiencing.

Enjoy your stamps... Best wishes.. Michael

Love Booklet January 2007.. and some answers

Hello everyone.. first let me say thanks for all your emails.. and secondly how embarrassed I am to be so far behind with my emails and getting prizes sent out.. I have had a difficult week.. no excuse maybe.. but we lost our very first dog this week and so things have not been such that I could spend the hours I usually do on my stamps, emails or blog writings… am slowly catching up though and you will hear prize results soon.. or get one in the mail as a surprise :-)

I was asked if I publish answers.. have been asked that a few times.. and I know I should even though I have been slack in doing so.. tonight some answers.. at least for the past 5 postings.. and I have to say mostly everyone is correct….. anyway if you were wondering.. here are the answers…….. ( for some stamp news keep reading.. :-)

Answer to anniversaries on the 1972 set: quiz on Feb 15th.. the other two stamps in the set were

1) the sesquicentennial of the British Coast Guard, and
2) - the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ralph Vaughan Williams

For the quiz on 13th February, The first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer.

On February 11th I asked about the significance of the black bands on the George VI definitive.. the answer is that the black bands were added to the stamp for training purposes. The stamps are referred to as post office training stamps (or POTS)

And on February 9th as I asked about the history of the printing of the Penny Black.. the answers were:
1. William Wyon- Engraver for the Royal Mint. Created the medal which was the model for the portrait used on the Penny Black
2. Perkins, Bacon and Petch- printers of the Penny Black
3. Henry Coubould- made the drawings of the Wyon medal for the engravers
4. Charles and Frederick Heath- engravers of stamp. Some say Frederick did the work
5. 240 stamps per sheet of stamps

and finally.. on February 8th I asked why was I two days late in showing the two QE II definitives.. the answer was that I was 2 days late remembering the 53 rd year of Queen Elizabeth ascending the throne, on Feb 06.

So, to todays stamps:
The booklet I am showing here turned up in my PO Box today.. many thanks to you know who you are.. :-) bet you all wished you had friends like this… I do hope you all have friends this good… friends in another country who reliably send you those new issues even though they don’t understand why you collect stamps.. but secretly hope you will leave your collection to them in your will :-)

Anyway here is the booklet..

I am not going to write about it other than to say it was issued on 16th January and the Love stamp is the same as the 2005 Smilers pictorial definitive except that it has a ellipsed perforations and solid phosphor bands whereas the 2005 definitive had ellipses and vignetted phosphor bands. If I get the time tomorrow I will try to see if I can scan the stamps so you can clearly see the differences I am talking about.

How do I know this trivia you may well ask????. Well I read Machin Man .. and if you look at his web site at http://www.gbmachins.co.uk/html/news_04.html you will learn this and more. If you read his blog http://machinmania.blogspot.com you will never be short of the latest Machin News. I know I mention his sites a lot and yes he is a mate you could say but I also know he has THE news on Machins and I want you to know that too.

Well that was a long piece, Hope you enjoyed it.. oh yes.. one other thing….Do you remember I said there would be a prize for articles by you.. and published by me.. you as a guest writers.. I had two submissions.. .. I have published both.. but was surprised not to hear from more of you.. I enjoy your emails.. so go on, be daring.. write a guest piece.. any stamp topic.. next best one received before end of February 2007 will get a good used copy of GB SG 494 but I will probably give runner up prizes… :-) and finally.. I have updated the website …. http://www.cddstamps.com and the specials are only on until the end of this month, seriously.. :-)

Enjoy your stamps… Michael

Love Booklet January 2007.. and some answers

Hello everyone.. first let me say thanks for all your emails.. and secondly how embarrassed I am to be so far behind with my emails and getting prizes sent out.. I have had a difficult week.. no excuse maybe.. but we lost our very first dog this week and so things have not been such that I could spend the hours I usually do on my stamps, emails or blog writings… am slowly catching up though and you will hear prize results soon.. or get one in the mail as a surprise :-)

I was asked if I publish answers.. have been asked that a few times.. and I know I should even though I have been slack in doing so.. tonight some answers.. at least for the past 5 postings.. and I have to say mostly everyone is correct….. anyway if you were wondering.. here are the answers…….. ( for some stamp news keep reading.. :-)

Answer to anniversaries on the 1972 set: quiz on Feb 15th.. the other two stamps in the set were

1) the sesquicentennial of the British Coast Guard, and
2) - the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ralph Vaughan Williams

For the quiz on 13th February, The first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer.

On February 11th I asked about the significance of the black bands on the George VI definitive.. the answer is that the black bands were added to the stamp for training purposes. The stamps are referred to as post office training stamps (or POTS)

And on February 9th as I asked about the history of the printing of the Penny Black.. the answers were:
1. William Wyon- Engraver for the Royal Mint. Created the medal which was the model for the portrait used on the Penny Black
2. Perkins, Bacon and Petch- printers of the Penny Black
3. Henry Coubould- made the drawings of the Wyon medal for the engravers
4. Charles and Frederick Heath- engravers of stamp. Some say Frederick did the work
5. 240 stamps per sheet of stamps

and finally.. on February 8th I asked why was I two days late in showing the two QE II definitives.. the answer was that I was 2 days late remembering the 53 rd year of Queen Elizabeth ascending the throne, on Feb 06.

So, to todays stamps:
The booklet I am showing here turned up in my PO Box today.. many thanks to you know who you are.. :-) bet you all wished you had friends like this… I do hope you all have friends this good… friends in another country who reliably send you those new issues even though they don’t understand why you collect stamps.. but secretly hope you will leave your collection to them in your will :-)

Anyway here is the booklet..

I am not going to write about it other than to say it was issued on 16th January and the Love stamp is the same as the 2005 Smilers pictorial definitive except that it has a ellipsed perforations and solid phosphor bands whereas the 2005 definitive had ellipses and vignetted phosphor bands. If I get the time tomorrow I will try to see if I can scan the stamps so you can clearly see the differences I am talking about.

How do I know this trivia you may well ask????. Well I read Machin Man .. and if you look at his web site at http://www.gbmachins.co.uk/html/news_04.html you will learn this and more. If you read his blog http://machinmania.blogspot.com you will never be short of the latest Machin News. I know I mention his sites a lot and yes he is a mate you could say but I also know he has THE news on Machins and I want you to know that too.

Well that was a long piece, Hope you enjoyed it.. oh yes.. one other thing….Do you remember I said there would be a prize for articles by you.. and published by me.. you as a guest writers.. I had two submissions.. .. I have published both.. but was surprised not to hear from more of you.. I enjoy your emails.. so go on, be daring.. write a guest piece.. any stamp topic.. next best one received before end of February 2007 will get a good used copy of GB SG 494 but I will probably give runner up prizes… :-) and finally.. I have updated the website …. http://www.cddstamps.com and the specials are only on until the end of this month, seriously.. :-)

Enjoy your stamps… Michael

tutankhamun............. and more...

hello, well I guess there are some of you who look at http://www.history.com/tdih.do I do occassionally, as I find it very interesting and educational.. but why am I showing this stamp tonight.. I hope you can find out by looking at the link and that you enjoy the video clip about King Tut!!


This stamp was one of three issued in a 1972 set by Great Britain to commemorate Anniversaries.. ( yes even back then they were looking for reasons to issue new stamps.. ) In 1972 they issued 21 new commemorative issues.. 21 new stamps that is.. 34 years later in 2006 the Royal Mail issued.. by my quick count, some 76 commemorative stamps.. and that excludes PIP and booklet stamps, and minisheets and who knows what else...

Anyway, not to get on my whinge wagon about Royal Mail and their stamp issuing policy.. but who can tell me the other two anniversaries celebrated in that 1972 issue.. like, how momentous an occassion where they both..?????.. clue.... think about your answer .. and try to convince yourself the Royal Mail are no better now than they were 34 years ago!!! Oh I do like to be mischievous writing these pages... all emails to cddstamps@gmail.com will win a prize.. if you include your mailing address.. and first email will win a mint set of the issue, second email will win a used set and rest will win any GB commemorative stamps I can find.. ha ha .. there are millions of them..

Don't you just love stamp collecting.. best wishes........ Michael

where are mine.. I am wondering

Hello, have you bought a Valentines day card for your loved one(s) big smile... I was reading about Valentines day and learned that 85% of cards are bought by women. If that is the case, why am I not getting any ...big smile... (cards!!) come on you guys out there... own up.. how many are you getting.. you surely must be getting my share......... and you ladies.. why are you not sending me a card..



Valentines Day was celebrated on a GB stamp issued in 1981 and I am giving the cover shown above as a prize to the first correct answer to the following..............

The first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in ..what text??? and who wrote it??? and in what year ???

For this was on seynt Volantynys day

Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese [chose] his make [mate].

This poem was written to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia

Emails to cddstamps@gmail.com with your mailing address please..( so I can mail you the cover) and when you find the text that this question came from I think you will enjoying reading more about Valentines day.

I wanted to show the new USA "LOVE" stamp issue.. but to be honest I refuse to show such rubbish on thisblog.. this has to be a contender for the worst stamp design ever.. ...your thoughts... have a look at http://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10152 what a gross stamp..... truely gross...

enjoy your stamps.. best wishes... Michael

what is the significance of the bars

Another weekend over.. I did manage to sort through a few of the other stamps I picked up at the auction on Thursday.. and found this....

I know what it is.. do you??..

6th correct answer with mailing address and it is yours.. maybe something different for your collection..

I'll tell you in a few days what the bars represent... best wishes.. enjoy your stamps..

Michael

my Penny Black

Hello, well I was the winning bidder for this stamp.. and I am quite pleased with that. After all, how often does one see this stamp with one's initials. MD for Michael Dodd. Ok a bit self indulgent and even sentimental, but hey... it amuses me. I'll have it framed I think.. what do you think I should do with it?

Quite good used condition as well I thought. Now for some thoughts about the Penny Black.. while we all know it was the first postage stamp, how much do we really know about it I wonder.

For example, 1) who was William Wyon? 2) Who were Perkins, Bacon and Petch? 3) who was Henry Coubould? 4) who were Charles Heath and his son Fredrick? and finally, ok this is easy.. 5) how many stamps were there in a sheet of Penny Blacks?

Five questions but surely, to enjoy stamps is also to understand the people involved in the beginning of this wonderful hobby.
I will give 5 GB FDCs to the first two correct answers.... all 5 questions must be answered email me at cddstamps@gmail.com
Enjoy, your weekend, enjoy your stamps... best wishes.. Michael

2 days late..............

Hello, so what am I 2 days late on.. here are two stamps that maybe give a clue..



beautiful stamps don't you think...

let me know and I may well find a way to send you some of these definitives, plus other watermarks........... second email to cddstamps@gmail.com will get the stamps..

More tomorrow... enjoy your stamps.. Michael

what happened to stampoffers.com

just a short piece tonight.. I am still celebrating England winning a cricket match and getting into the final for the one day series with Australia ..

what happened to stampoffers.com.. I just logged in to see what was there.. and not much.. looks like a really nice new site I must say but all history has gone.. what did I miss.. so few stamps for sale there..

are you looking at differenet auction sites??? do tell me.. I am interested to know. I have not listed for sale on auction sites for many many months.. just no time.. but I keep thinking I will one day...

Please give me your recommendations and I will pass on to others...
Sydney stamp auction tomorrow..shucks.. I have meetings at same time.. so will be internet bidding.. someone keep their fingers crossed for me

enjoy your stamps... Michael

Elephants playing soccer

Ok everyone.. here is the challenge,.,, can anyone send me stamps showing elephants playing soccer.. ok this sounds ridiculous.. but as you may know I sponsor a young girl in the Philippines in her stamp collecting and exhibiting and she wants some stamps.. on a soccer theme.. and with elephants playing soccer.. anywho can help???.. and I mean actually send me the stamps.. I will send some lovely FDCs ( Australia or GB..you can chose) to you in exchange

write to me at cddstamps, PO BOX 3482, Dural, NSW 2158, Australia

Look forward to hearing from you.. .. or even if you know of such stamps.. just email me at cddstamps@gmail.com and I'll see if I can get them even if you don't have any

I am sponsoring her "soccer"exhibit at the Sydney 2007 stamp exhibition.. hope you can help.. best wishes.. enjoy your stamps.. Michael

Every picture tells a story..........

what a wonderful song by Rod Stewart, but also, so does every stamp....

This article from my guest writer Jane from Toronto, Canada.. thanks Jane, I really enjoyed this and I hope everyone else does as well.

""Every Stamp Tells A Story

Occasionally, a collector will find a miniature masterpiece that beautifully illustrates the intended story. I believe that this 1927 Canadian Special Delivery stamp, part of the sixtieth anniversary of Confederation set, is one of these tiny gems.

It is an engraved stamp in an eye-catching shade of orange. The warm colour encourages the viewer to look more closely and draws them towards the ornately carved window that frames the scene. They are invited to stand at the window, perhaps leaning on the ledge, surveying the vista spread before them.

Outside the window, just beyond the tree-tops, Canada emerges. In the foreground, a horse and rider gallop across the landscape. A train thunders along the railroad tracks. Farther on a dogsled pulled by a team of huskies glides across the tundra and beyond that is a steamship cutting through the waves. Soaring overhead, somewhere between the distant mountains and the window, are two biplanes.

Suddenly the purpose of the majestic vista is revealed. It is an allegory about Canada and the Special Delivery mail service. Canada has grown in the sixty years since Confederation and so have postal services. Special Delivery will deliver mail and packages across the country and beyond. They have the transportation network to do the job.

What a charming way to impart a very important but mundane message. Even if the allegory is a bit too subtle, it is still a lovely engraved stamp.""

Thanks Jane.. having lived in Canada for many years I can really relate to this.. and what a stunning stamp... any more articles people want to write about their country and stamps? do email me at cddstamps@gmail.com

Tomorrow something special about a Penny Black I have seen at auction.. and your advise may be required Enjoy your stamps.. Michael

some more Post Boxes................

Hello, one of the things about writing a blog is sometimes one does not know what to write about.. as in there is too much to write about so what do I chose.. ??? I am in that wonderful position.... so thanks to all who send me scans of stamps and ideas and articles.. I will get round to most in good time..

This MS is one I was sent after I wrote about Letter Boxes on stamps. Enjoy..

I have spent some time reading about Machins again today.. so much happening on the scene this year.. as I said last night, do read the Machin Mania blog.. it is very good.

I'll leave it there tonight.. Best wishes.. Michael

some new stamps and covers

Hello, I have had a wonderful day.. sorted some stamps, soaked some stamps, read some stamp blogs... oh yes.. and sun bathed

the stamp blogs.. I read Machin Mania..... excellent .. you have to read this if you collect Machins.. lots of news about the new release with the increase in UK postal rates in a few months time, and also news about the issue for the 40th anniversary of the Machin stamps themselves. Some excellent scans as well. Going to be an expensive year me thinks .. just with Machins..

I also read AKPhilately.. Lions on stamps is a topic Adrian has been talking about and his articles are so interesting and the scans of stamps are truely brilliant.

Both can be found from my links..

As for new covers, these scans were sent to me from Buckingham Covers.. they are pretty nice don't you think. You can find them at http://www.buckinghamcovers.com


I will be updating my web site with more details of these as well if you are interested.

The only thing I have not completed today.. is reply to all my emails.. sorry if that includes you.. but thanks for whatever you sent.. I do enjoy hearing from you. Enjoy your stamps.. best wishes.. Michael

Post Boxes................

Hello, and many many thanks for the emails on stamps on Post Boxes.. I will show some over the coming days.. here is one.. rather nice MS I think.. many thanks for sending this ..

too late to write more.. sorry.. keep sending the emails and if I don't reply straight away ..my apology.. but it is always good to hear from you

have a great weekend.. and enjoy your stamps.................. Michael

Hello, Post (Pillar) Boxes tonight, as I got this stamp M/S in my copy of the Australian Stamp News..

So I thought, apart from me and one other person I know.. ( Hi..are you reading ... please write to me ... ) does anyone have an interest in Post Boxes.. I have some photos of some I found on my travels in the UK.. will see if I can find the photos and show you tomorrow.... so please do write to me cddstamps@gmail.com with your scans of post boxes or, stamps with post boxes on them, and I will share with everyone

enjoy your stamps.. best wishes .. Michael