cddstamps on stamps

my thoughts on stamps, stamp collecting, philately in general and maybe a few other topics !

Sunday, June 29, 2008

My last piece for a few days - due business travel as I mentioned previously. Hope you like these stamps. To be issued August 8th here in Korea. I will give a copy free to all orders for my GB definitive mixes - Machins and QE II Wildings or, my GB Commemorative mix as follows:


Lot 1 - 100 stamps - GB Definitive mix - maybe a few duplicates but will try my best to avoid them - all off paper and no obvious flaws - have sorted them all into the garbage I think, - will include high values as well. USD $10 inclusive of postage and packing.


Lot 2 - 100 GB Commemoratives... will try to avoid Christmas issues but maybe a few - no duplicates guarenteed. USD $ 15.00 inclusive of postage and packing.

All deposits to my paypal acount at cddstamps@gmail.com please.

All orders will be mailed after issue of the Korea Philately Week stamps on 7th August.

If you are waiting for stamps from me, they are in the mail today....... packed all orders and free sending to many of you ........... in the mail box this afternoon. Phew !!!

Enjoy your stamps .. Will check emails when I can. Best wishes.. Michael

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Thanks for your thoughts on last nights stamps :-) How I wish they were the original issue.. but as many have said they were from the 1994 commemorative souvenier issue.. well I think they were hee hee ..

Tonight ... some stamps I picked up this week while visiting the post office to collect a letter that did not fit my mail box here in the apartment.
Nice... well I think so.. issued here in Korea to commemorate the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the future of the Internet Economy...something we are all part of in some way or another. Some material I found on the web, in case you were not aware of this pretty significant conference.

A number of the world's leading figures in the Internet and telecommunication industry gathered in Seoul in June to share their views before more than 40 ministers from industrialized countries about how the Internet should and will change the world. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy was held at the COEX exhibition complex in southern Seoul on June 17-18.

Forty-two ministers from 37 countries and 41 influential figures from business and academic sectors attended. Leaders and representatives of 14 international organizations, including OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria, who chaired the event, and Secretary General of International Telecommunication Union Hamadoun Toure were also among those participanting. Other participants include Katsuaki Watanabe, president and CEO of Toyota Motors; Barbara Dalibard, CEO of France Telecom; Jim Balsillie, CEO of Research in Motion, the maker of Blackberry phones; Mitchell Baker, chairwoman of the Mozilla Foundation, the creator of the Firefox Web browser; Vint Cerf, vice president of Google. Pretty impressive just for starters I think you will agree.

“The goal of the OECD ministerial meeting is to make policies for economic growth via the Internet, so we suggested convergence, creativity and confidence as the main topics,” said Choi See-joong, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), which co-hosted the meeting with the OECD.
We are all part of the Internet economy whether we realise it or not. I am enjoying the research I can do, the stamps I can find out about, buy and even sell, and the world wide readership (see map at end of this thread) I can have to my thoughts on stamps and the worldwide friends I can "virtually" make. How wonderful is that .
Enjoy your stamps.. tell a friend about my blog please :-) Best wishes....Michael

Friday, June 27, 2008

sorting some stamps again tonight...gotta get a life I hear you say.. well I will next week.. off to
Singapore for meetings.. then Sydney, there for long weekend then Tokyo.. then back to Seoul. To my fan club ( all one of you ) who thinks I whinge about the airports and travel :-) hee hee.. but seriously I say this to also tell you I may not be writing much for two weeks..will try but doubt I'll have much spare time.. anyway.. to stamps.. while sorting some world mix tonight I found these..
heavy postmark but I thought surprising as I don't usually see higer value USA stamps.. I don't have a catalogue so don't know when they were issued. Nice all the same I thought so am showing them for you. I do like the older designs. Your thoughts?


Enjoy your stamps.. Have a great weekend.. Best wishes.. Michael

Wednesday, June 25, 2008


Hello, while my day, today 25th June, has been fine it was not that way back in 1950 when nearly 100,000 North Korean troops stormed across the 38th parallel overwhelming the border's South Korean defenders. The start of the Korean war, as many of my readers may well know. I write this piece with acknowledgement to the History Channel for the concise summary below and respect for all my colleagues and fellow Koreans here in Seoul on this sad anniversary.

On 27th June, U.S. President Harry Truman announced that the United States would intervene in the conflict, and on June 28, the United Nations approved the use of force against communist North Korea.

In the opening months of the war, the U.S.-led U.N. forces rapidly advanced against the North Koreans, but in October, Chinese communist troops entered the fray, throwing the Allies into a general retreat.

In 1953, a peace agreement was signed, ending the war and reestablishing the 1945 division of Korea that still exists today. U.N. and South Korean forces suffered some 500,000 casualties in the war while communist losses were at least three times that.

I don’t have any stamps to show but I did pick up a few postcards when I visited the DMZ a month ago. Here is one which shows the Military Armistice Commission Meeting.

Enjoy your stamps… Michael

Tuesday, June 24, 2008


hello. just a short hello tonight.. one very kind reader pointed out that Germany issued an A380 stamp.. June 12th.. How do I get this.. having tried to read the Germany Post website I gave up.. will try when have more patience...but anyone out there preprared to send me a used copy or two ?? will reciprocate in kind ... best wishes.. Michael

mailing address is

Ujangsan I'Park
Apt 119-1401
#1159 Hwagok-dong
Gangseo-gu
Seoul, Korea, 157 105

Monday, June 23, 2008

hi... am back from Manila... don't really know what to say.. stamps wise.. big disappointment .. found stamps shops on the internet but when I got there they weren't stamps shops.. saw stamps for sale in markets and such places.. just rubbish packaged at silly prices...albeit very cheap but still silly prices should have been free.. :-)

even a hotel I visited for a meal sold Philippine stamps in collector packets but really just a waste of money .............. So I have none to show you.. weather awful........ there was this cyclone "Frank" close by so couldn't enjoy a walk along Manila bay.. and flights were disrupted.... pretty average weekend.. been there done that as they say.............

sad really as I think the place has potential.. apart from the airport.. now that is another story .. and I thought some airports in India were bad...

Yes I know.. I am spoilt travelling though such places as Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo-Narita and Hong Kong and Seoul ( seriously this airport at Incheon is one well planned and executed airport), Frankfurt is great, so is Munich.., just to add a European flair.......even JFK Termainal 1 is OK....

but then we have to do London (Terminal 4 is bad enough .. I would not go near Terminal 5 for a year at least ) and Sydney ( yeah gods.. provincial as they come.. and that is when the staff decide to work...and occassionally your baggage comes up with in the hour so you can clear all the quarantine steps in another hour.. if the staff like the look of you... you have to do Sydney [ great city if you can get through immigration, customs and quarantine :-) ] just to experince how those that don't travel treat those that do.. you think I am exaggerating.. believe me I am not.......... and of course Manila .. all in same league if you ask me.. I bet the airport authorities would not like hearing that but then they probably don't travel do they. :-) and as for the staff.. what the hell do they care............... judging by my experience of the latter three.. they don't. ...although actually that is a bit unfair.. the staff in Manila seemed to care... just there were so many of them caring.. I did four security checks of the boarding pass... derrghh.. after having been through a few scans and body checks.. OK OK OK you are thinking, it was just me and my dark sunglasses :-) ha ha ha ha

I will back to stamps tomorrow :-) hee hee............ M

Thursday, June 19, 2008


a stamp tonight..... Hope you like this one.. I was sorting some tonight and this one caught my eye. You cannot see it in the scan I suspect but the phosphor band is very off center. I have another copy to compare it with. Probably no big deal but makes lifes interesting - ok get a life I hear you say. :-) Alos I am reading the new Phillippa Gregory book - The Other Queen - about Mary ( Queens of Scots) and of course Elizabeth I. Rather good I think.

Now, are you asking the link between the stamp and the book.. Since I have soaked and sorted so many GB Commemoratives I'll send 50 as a prize to first correct answer :-) if you include your mailing address with email to me at cddstamps@gmail.com

Finally I am spending the weekend in Manila and hope to get some Philippine stamps while there so I won't be writing until Monday night. Have a great weekend wherever you are.

Enjoy your stamps.. Michael
PS: what Henry saw in her I have no idea :-) I guess you had to be there

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

I don't have any stamps to show for this but thought I'd mention this. Very non political mention as I hope you understand.. just telling something that happened.. many years ago.. send me a scan of some stamps about this and I'll show to everyone else tomorrow.. if I show your stamps I'll send you a world mix if that would please you...... I am sure there are some good stamps to show somewhere for this anniversary... enjoy your stamps and history ...Michael

June 18, 1812 War begins: The day after the Senate followed the House of Representatives in voting to declare war against Great Britain, President James Madison signs the declaration into law--and the War of 1812 begins. The American war declaration, opposed by a sizable minority in Congress, had been called in response to the British economic blockade of France, the induction of American seaman into the British Royal Navy against their will, and the British support of hostile Indian tribes along the Great Lakes frontier. A faction of Congress known as the "War Hawks" had been advocating war with Britain for several years and had not hidden their hopes that a U.S. invasion of Canada might result in significant territorial land gains for the United States.
In the months after President Madison proclaimed the state of war to be in effect, American forces launched a three-point invasion of Canada, all of which were decisively unsuccessful. In 1814, with Napoleon Bonaparte's French Empire collapsing, the British were able to allocate more military resources to the American war, and Washington, D.C., fell to the British in August. In Washington, British troops burned the White House, the Capitol, and other buildings in retaliation for the earlier burning of government buildings in Canada by U.S. soldiers.
In September, the tide of the war turned when Thomas Macdonough's American naval force won a decisive victory at the Battle of Plattsburg Bay on Lake Champlain. The invading British army was forced to retreat back into Canada. The American victory on Lake Champlain led to the conclusion of U.S.-British peace negotiations in Belgium, and on December 24, 1814, the Treaty of Ghent was signed, formally ending the War of 1812. By the terms of the agreement, all conquered territory was to be returned, and a commission would be established to settle the boundary of the United States and Canada.
British forces assailing the Gulf Coast were not informed of the treaty in time, and on January 8, 1815, the U.S. forces under Andrew Jackson achieved the greatest American victory of the war at the Battle of New Orleans. The American public heard of Jackson's victory and the Treaty of Ghent at approximately the same time, fostering a greater sentiment of self-confidence and shared identity throughout the young republic.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Hi everyone. Hope all well with you. I was away last night .. a dinner.. some 200km out of Seoul.. lovely countryside, the drive there. A ski resort.. don't ask me where.. but even in early summer is was 13 degrees ( C) at 10:30 at night..

Anyway I thought of my stamps... believe me .. ha ha ha ha

How about this.. I received mail today from a friend in the US.. with a donation to my childrens corner... a good addition with some lovely stamps that are just right to encorage children to the hobby.. I show it because of the denomination.. some vaue eh!!!!!! $375,000

Sad but true I am afraid. This is one of the new "high value" stamps I actually have from Zimbabwe, and I know there are others with higher values.. This helps me reflect how fortunate I am ... where I live. But no politics here ..just stamps... anyone got anything of higher "nominal" value. Do send me a scan to cddstamps@gmail.com and if I show it I'll send you some world mix as a thank you.

Enjoy your stamps.. best wishes .... Michael


Sunday, June 15, 2008

I was sorting a bag of stamps today and came across a few cards with some GB Wilding High Values. Here are two I found. I hope the scan shows them as nice as they are in real life. Lovely stamp design in my view.



An interesting issue really and one I have studied a little bit. Well studied as in the copies of these stamps that I have.


The first issue was in 1955 with the 2/-6d and 5/- stamps released on the same day and the 10/- and ₤1 stamps issued on another day. Which were issued first????... anyone know or guess without checking? Not what you would think.


The issues were printed by Waterlow until December of that year, 1955, then there was a De La Rue issue of the same stamps. And, all four stamps, when reissued, were issued on different dates. Anyone know why? I don't know I have to admit, seemed odd to me.


There are some differences in the stamps by the different printers as well and if you have any of these stamps do look carefully at them. One difference is because there were later isues, different watermarks and different printers again, De La Rue and Bradbury Wilkinson both printed the next issues in 1959 through 1968, then Bradbury Wilkinson again in 1967/1968.


Lots to study. For example, all values look alike to the casual observation but lets take the 5/- example above.. the 1968 issue by Bradbury Wilkinson, no watermark is catalogued used at 75p, while the 1955 Waterlow issue with watermark St Edwards Crown is catalogued at ₤4 while the De La Rue 1958 printing of the "same" stamp is catalogued at ₤10. Big differences.


Check your stamps carefully. One more example: The 1967 ₤1 no watermark is catalogued at ₤6 yet the 1958 De La Rue printing is catalogued at ₤65. You wouldn't want to be cataloguing them wrongly would you. Or, dare I say it, thinking you were buying the 1958 issue when in fact what you got was the 1967 issue.


Lots to pay attention to. Now I wonder what printing and watermark I have on these two :-)


Enjoy your stamps.. Michael

Saturday, June 14, 2008


Hello everyone, continuing my aviation theme from last night I came across these today.
To be issued on 17th July by Royal Mail (Great Britain).
I have my order placed for a FDC with the Farnborough special franking and a smilers sheet. A friend is going to get me a used set as well.
Will be a nice addition to my aviation collection. And if you look at the Smilers Sheet ( have a look at http://www.norphil.co.uk/2008/07a-air_displays.htm you will see an A380 shown as well. Perfect eh!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you are having a great weekend.. with stamps some of the time :-) Michael

Friday, June 13, 2008

Hi everyone, I flew into Seoul last night from Sydney, flight is getting longer and movies getting more boring :-) didn't have a stamp magazine with me either, but hey I was here before I knew it. I did see a rather entertaining film..... Fools Gold...... not exactly an Oscar winner but amusing entertainment. Fortunately Korean Air crew are really good and the food is rather nice as well!!

Talking moves, I did see a rather good film on a Seoul Singapore flight the other day. Called Counterfeit... or something like that .. excellent film.. German with sub titles.. well worth seeing, in my humble view.

But to stamps.. I got back to Seoul and there in my mail box was a letter... see someone writes to me :-) ....with this card inside. Rather nice I think you might agree.

Anyone know what is so special about the postmark? Of course having asked that I think I am stupid for having asked so simple a question................as it is so obvious.. but then again :-)

First correct answer will receive 100 world mix... off paper... if you include your mailing address of course. email me at cddstamps@gmail.com

Have a great weekend and enjoy your stamps... Best wishes.............. Michael

Tuesday, June 10, 2008


This day in history intrigued me today.. Hope you like the stamp I show.


On this day in 1752, Benjamin Franklin flies a kite during a thunderstorm and collects a charge in a Leyden jar when the kite is struck by lightning, enabling him to demonstrate the electrical nature of lightning. Franklin became interested in electricity in the mid-1740s, a time when much was still unknown on the topic, and spent almost a decade conducting electrical experiments. He coined a number of terms used today, including battery, conductor and electrician. He also invented the lightning rod, used to protect buildings and ships.


read more at http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=VideoArticle&id=52605 and for some more stamps on this topic have a look at


I think you will really enjoy this...


Best wishes.. Michael

Monday, June 09, 2008

Hi, am in Sydney, Australia this weekend and for a few days. Have picked up some of my stamps and will be writing about them when I get back to Seoul later this week. While looking through some covers I received while away I found this.


Anyone know anything about this cover? why was it printed?, What occassion? rather interesting I thought. I have not been able to find any details about of from my searches. Cover says "Concorde Station May 8 1993 Reno Nev 89510"


Thanks Mike for sending it.


Best wishes everyone .... Enjoy your stamps ................. Michael

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Something different tonight and I hope it works for you.. try this link

http://www.royalmail.com/portal/stamps/content1?catId=74300748&mediaId=74600728

scroll your cursor over the stamp thumbnails.. neat eh!!!

I am off to Singapore tomorrow........ early........... will be there all day and back in Sydney Saturday. No time to write for a few days ..but hope to have some Australian Stamp news for you by then

Best wishes, enjoy your stamps.. Have a great weekend.. Michael

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Tuesday night and I have to get some sleep zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz oops sorry :-) here are some stamps from a M/S I picked up at the dealers I visited at the weekend.. Quite nice I think. Not what I'd collect but they are not gaudy if you know what I mean, and like some of the more recent issues we are seeing from GB and other countries. Must be a modern day style thing I guess. :-)


Your thoughts? email me at cddstamps@gmail.com


Ok so who wants these.. :-) pay my costs, no more ....ok email me and we will arrange something.


Best wishes... Michael http://www.cddstamps.com/ will also be updated soon as I am having a few days in Sydney next weekend.

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