GB Royal Mail - Royalty issue - Part II

Hello everyone, Saturday here and I have been organizing my life for the next few months. Why?

Let’s talk stamps first. The other day I showed the new Royal Mail issue – Royalty and Heritage – which is being issued to celebrate the Monarchy through the ages.

Do scroll down a few posting to see the start of the thread and the pictures of the stamps.

Today I look at the Henry V issue. Now I guess this is going to come as no surprise to you is it J
Above is the GB Royal Mail stamp and the Barbuda stamp issued as part of the Kings and Queens of England set I mentioned the other day. Sorry for poor picture but best I can find.

Of course Barbuda is not the only country to have issued Kings and Queens stamps. If you have a catalogue have a look at the Cayman Islands. In February 2000 they issued a M/S of 6 to commemorate British Monarchs, as did St Helena, the British Virgin Islands and the Falklands. Maybe more, I only know of those.
Also, I have seen Kings and Queens issues from Umm Al Qiwan – more like Cinderellas in my view . So, the next question I pose is, who can tell me the design of the next 30 stamps from Royal Mail? Still thinking eh!!! Well have a look at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=170192948151&ssPageName=STRK:MEBI:IT&ih=007 and I think you will see an advance copy J You will see I have put a bid in. If you outbid me I cannot offer these as a prize. But by all means don’t let me stop you from bidding. I used to have these stamps but I gave them away or sold them, I forget which, some years ago.

I am not knocking the Royal Mail issue, although I do think the situation could be used to suggest the Royal Mail are just issuing stamps to raise revenue, just as the other countries I mentioned above have done. With Royal Mail, they haven’t gone to much trouble to hid the fact they are using the same images. Certainly not a lot of creative design work went into this first issue. And, we have 5 more issues to look forward to.

Ok, What else is new. Well I started a new job on Friday and will be traveling a fair bit over the next few months. I will be working in Seoul and commuting to Sydney occasionally, in between making side trips to London and San Francisco before the end of March. Why am I telling you this you may ask? Well because I will not be writing as often as I would like to be over the coming months. And if I do write the chances of showing images of stamps will be reduced as I won’t have a scanner - at least for the first few months while in Seoul.

However, I do hope you keep checking the blog on a regular basis. I would like to keep a strong following to the blog – now over 20,000 page views a month – so would like to invite anyone who would like to contribute a guest article – or series of pieces – to do so.. just email me the text and any pictures in .gif or .jpeg format to cddstamps@gmail.com

I’ll try and write later next week, as I am in Perth starting tomorrow.
Enjoy your stamps, Best wishes. Michael

Happy Valentines Day

I hope you get roses, chocolates, or something nice, like a fine used Penny Black maybe

I checked the mail today, and not one Valentines Day card.. of course I only wanted the stamp from the envelope didn't I... even bigger

Ok I was going to write about the Royal Mail Royalty and Heritage issue again but since it is Valentines Day I thought I show some "Love" stamps.

First off is this one from Australia.

I have not been paying attention to new issues but it looks good from the publicity shots. Not specifically issued for Valentines Day but close enough if we want to use it that way I guess.

I might see if I can get a FDC tomorrow. Maybe use as a prize in tonights quiz. Read on.

Then there is this nice block from Sweden.

I read that countries like Sweden, Norway Denmark, Belgium, Ireland and of course the USA issue Love stamps each year.

Is this right?.

You tell me.

And finally the USA. This rather creative design was issued in 1973. The first Love stamp from the USA. Some 300 million were printed. Unless I have read something wrong this was issued in June of 1973. So not even a Valentines Day issue back then.

For a prize.. who was the artist of this design. It was not artwork originally created for a stamp .. but I'm sure my US readers will know that and much more. email me at cddstamps@gmail.com first entry will do.. I did not get 4 entries to last nights quiz, so that prize is still available.

Hope you have, or are having a lovely day. Take home one red rose, whoever you are, to your loved one... enjoy.. Best wishes.. Michael

Royalty and Heritage........... Part II

Hello, I thought I would write about the Royalty issue a bit more over next few days. There is a lot to write about.
So you thought the Great Britain stamps were special.. maybe.. but have a look at the Barbuda stamp, issued for the English Monarchs series in 1970 -71 I believe. Interesting similarity for the image of Henry IV . A little bit of artistic touch up and colouring, shall we say, to the Royal Mail issue.

Actually, not surprising as the image comes from a picture in Cassell's "History of England. Arrgghh .. is nothing original anymore. (see below).

Even Royal Mail have "copied" ha ha . Also, have you noted the dates on the stamp(s) 1399 - 1413. Did anyone think what these dates were.. Not the King's life as is often the nomenclature ( is that the right use of the word... you know what I mean) when quoting dates on stamps for a person. These are the dates of the reign of the King. Now be honest, did you know that

Now it is about time I gave away a prize me thinks.. so.. fourth ( Henry IV !!! ) email to me at cddstamps@gmail to the reader who can tell me .. when he was made a Duke.. he was Duke of where?? and my mother lives nearby if that helps..........

Enjoy your stamps..

More tomorrow on this interesting Royal Mail issue.

Best wishes.. Michael

Royalty and Heritage...........

Hello, Royalty and Heritage is the title given to the new Great Britain Royal mail issue for February 28th.

Now you could say I am biased given my interest in British history, but I really do think these are attractive stamps. Collectable for sure in my view and certainly they will be in my collection.

Of course, me thinks rather sceptically I will admit, Royal Mail know when they have hit a popular theme, because as they say in their latest publicity mailing .. "Over the next few years Royal Mail will be issuing a series of six special issues to celebrate the Monarchy through the ages"

ok so they have my attention I look forward to seeing this first issue.. and as for the next 30 stamps........ well how many kings and queens were there?????????

Your thoughts? Do write to me at cddstamps@gmail.com
Enjoy your stamps.. best wishes, Michael

Antarctic covers............. finally

Hello everybody..... I do hope you have not given up on me.. I was away this weekend.. and on my return I found my modem had blown... so yet another new one installed today... and here I am back on line.

The covers shown are, finally, the Antarctic covers I had flown on December 31st / January 1st. Finally came back from Australia Post.

For more details please have a look at http://www.cddstamps.com/antarctic.htm The cover

shown below is for sale at US $7.50 including packaging and postage.

As you can see it is authenticated by one of the Captains on the flight. No use me telling you this is a bargain, but of course it is. There were only 44 covers produced. If you are reading this and reserved a cover I will be in touch with you in the next 24 hours... or by all means write to me again at cddstamps@gmail.com

Do have a look at the web site .. you may like to collect a set of the Antarctic penguins on these covers. A very special and extremely limited edition and unrepeatable.
Hope you enjoy these. Best wishes.. Enjoy your stamps.. Michael

Mary Queen of Scots beheaded
I think whether you follow English history or not you might find this interesting reading. I am interested in the Henry VIII to Elizabeth I period of English history so could not resist passing this on to you. Sourced from http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=4747 And the stamp is the best I could find.. anyone know of any Mary Queen of Scots stamps ? please email nme at cddstamps@gmail.com

After 19 years of imprisonment, Mary Queen of Scots is beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle in England for her complicity in a plot to murder Queen Elizabeth I.

In 1542, while just six days old, Mary ascended to the Scottish throne upon the death of her father, King James V. Her mother sent her to be raised in the French court, and in 1558 she married the French dauphin, who became King Francis II of France in 1559 but died the following year. After Francis' death, Mary returned to Scotland to assume her designated role as the country's monarch.

In 1565, she married her English cousin Lord Darnley in order to reinforce her claim of succession to the English throne after Elizabeth's death. In 1567, Darnley was mysteriously killed in an explosion at Kirk o' Field, and Mary's lover, the Earl of Bothwell, was the key suspect. Although Bothwell was acquitted of the charge, his marriage to Mary in the same year enraged the nobility. Mary brought an army against the nobles, but was defeated and imprisoned at Lochleven, Scotland, and forced to abdicate in favor of her son by Darnley, James.

In 1568, Mary escaped from captivity and raised a substantial army but was defeated and fled to England. Queen Elizabeth initially welcomed Mary but was soon forced to put her friend under house arrest after Mary became the focus of various English Catholic and Spanish plots to overthrow Elizabeth. Nineteen years later, in 1586, a major plot to murder Elizabeth was reported, and Mary was brought to trial. She was convicted for complicity and sentenced to death.

On February 8, 1587, Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded for treason. Her son, King James VI of Scotland, calmly accepted his mother's execution, and upon Queen Elizabeth's death in 1603 he became king of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

enjoy your stamps.. Michael

A380 Singapore London

Hello, well yes we are back with the A380 as I have a seat on the Singapore Airlines, Singapore to London Heathrow flight. The first commercial flight of the A380 to London on March 18th.

And yes I am designing covers. I thought why not have a competition with my readers selecting a design. So here are four

Please send me an email to cddstamps@gmail.com saying which one you

think is best. There is no right answer. By popular vote I'll produce the most favoured design.

And, I'll put all names into a draw and first three will get a free cover. I cannot say what postal frankings I will get but rest assured I will be trying to get Singapore and backstamped on arrival in UK and even at Heathrow if at all possible. So here are the four covers...... please email me.. the more responses I get the more confident I will feel I have a good design. I'll probably do two designs anyway.

Thanks everyone.. PS these are proof envelopes and not the ones I'll use on the final print. Enjoy your stamps...... Michael