Happy New Year

I thought that since it is New Years eve I should say more than just Happy New Year to all my readers. So hope this is somewhat interesting.

There have been stamps to commemorate the New Year since 1887 when in Germany the official postal printer inscribed envelopes and greeting cards.

From 1932 the government of Paraguay issued New Year stamps overprinted overprinted “Feliz Ano Nuevo 1932” (Happy New Year, 1932).

In 1935 Japan issued two New Year stamps. The USA has also issued (Lunar) New Year stamps with the animal of Chinese New Year. I am not sure from what year but I recall seeing some from 1997 somewhere, I think.

In 2009 the USA stamp will feature the Ox. The Ox is seen to represent positive characteristics such as responsibility, industriousness, intelligence and practicality, as well as negative traits like stubbornness and intolerance. Ye gods it must be my year!!!!!!!!! :-)

Here in Seoul there is probably some partying but not what I would be used to in Sydney. The “real” New Year here is the lunar New Year running from January 26, 2009 to February 13, 2010. I will miss it, but not that much as I’ll be back in Sydney with family. :-)

Happy New Year.. Look forward to you joining me on this blog in 2009

Enjoy your stamps……….. Michael

Thomas Edison .....but not on the stamps

Hello, well yesterday I set a puzzle for you and from the replies here are some stamps.

However we do have a disagreement here :-) only friendly of course and probably only becaue I don't know what I am talking about :-)

I am told (great peice by the way Charlie) that Nicholas Tesla, who was honored by a US stamp in the early eighties (see stamp) would be the answer to who invented the radio four years before Marconi sent his messages. The US Supreme Court awarded Tesla a patent during WW II for his invention. Tesla had been working for Thomas Edison in the 1880s but was cheated by them/him and struck out on his own. In 1891 he wrote and published a paper describing his invention. Otherwise, Edison would have owned the patent as the product of an employee's work. Unfortunately Tesla died an impoverished lonely old man before the patent case was won.

Having said that - and I accept that is correct - Edison was awarded a patent in 1891 for the "means for transmitting signals electrically" Patent 465972 to be precise.

See how much we learn from stamps. What a wonderful hobby. I don't just collect the stamps I try to learn from the history they are commemorating. Hope you do and you enjoy it as much as I do.

Advance Notice here: Starting later in January I am going to be doing a series of articles on quality - yes again. I feel I must because I have been looking at a rather well known auction site recently and have been quite shocked at the descriptions being given to stamps. Ok, buyer beware, and yes you can see the quality from the scans but I think the more we ( and me I guess) help spread knowledge about quality the better off the collecting community will be. And same for sellers of good quality material. I've got nothing against people selling rubbish. Just that I feel for the buyer who knows not what he or she is buying other than by reading a poor description. Help me please by telling people about this blog and encourage your friends and club members to be more aware, or read the blog. Some of the material I am assembling will shock you I think. Write me if you have views. Always happy to hear, good or bad, about what I write or plan to write.

Anyway, enjoy your stamps. Best wishes.. Michael

Communications on stamps

Hello, a stamp for you with a quiz. See if you are awake after the Christmas weekend.

I had to really think hard to come up with a GB stamp to have something to do with what today (29th December), is, in the way of an anniversary - of sorts. If I had some knowledge of Amercian commemoratives I may have found one although the person I am thinking of, who had a patent granted him this day many years ago was actaully quite an amazing person and it should not be too hard to work out who he was. Here is a humourous but true (I believe) fact; of his children he nicknamed one "Dot" and another "Dash

If you think I have missed someone and should be writing about Marconi let me say he sent and received his first radio signal in Italy in 1895, 4 years after the anniversary of the patent I am referring to. First correct naming of this person - email to me at cddstamp@gmail.com will win a selection of stamps. Too easy eh!!! :-)

Anyway, I am back in Seoul, arrived last night and will be enjoying my last two weeks here as I go back to Sydney - work here at a good finish point shall we say - mid January, so this FYI and please don't send me any surprise mail here. :-) if it won't get here in next 10 days.

Enjoy your stamps............. Michael

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone.

I hope you get a few of the pressies you were wishing for. I am sure I got the catalogue I casually left notes around the house about. I saw this large package. Well it has to be it doesn’t it.

I also got some stamps I bought recently. – since they are aircraft related I suggest you pop over to the other blog :-) Aircraft and Aerophilately

On the parcel I received with some nice stamps.. always sent this way I might add. – CTO – by a very thoughtful seller. These are going to the one person who sent me a Christmas card – or the one I have received. Thank you. Australia FDC and these in the mail to you today.

Some days ago I wrote about the Robert Burns issue – and I was asking did anyone know why the stamps were issued when they were? I didn’t and could not see a reason as there was no birthday or death anniversary for Burns at the time of the issue. One reader sent me the following explanation which I am sharing with you.

“ Just a small info why Royal mail issued stamp on Robert Burns in 1966. It was proposed that stamps be issued to mark the bi-centenary of his birth in 1959 but all requests were refused, although the Soviet Union marked the event with a stamp. After many demands from Burns organisations and also Scottish Nationalists the first set were finally agreed to in January 1966”

So there you have it. Now for my own research. Well as I think we all agree now, there is no birth or death anniversary, but there is something special, and related to Burns, about the date on which these stamps were issued. Anyone know? Small prize of CTO Australia M/S if you are first email with right answer – cddstamps@gmail.com I’ll post a short piece tomorrow and confirm I got my catalogue.

Merry Christmas Enjoy your stamps……… Michael

Australia Megafauna Issue October 2008

Hello. I arrived back in Sydney today and was catching up on stamps and various philatelic magazines. I read an interesting article by David Mallen in the December issue of Stamp News Australasia which I thought I'd share with you.

It included a piece about the number of variations there were with the October 2008 Australia Megafauna issue. David is a specialist on variations and writes a good piece regularily I might add on this topic - Variations.

Variations exist for so many stamps these days and often we forget that, and if we collect stamps, as in say new issues, we often forget, or perhaps dont know, how many variations there are to the, lets say, "basic issue'

Take this issue.

Interesting stamps by many accounts I am sure. Cost would be $4.40 Australian (AUD) for a set. Ok. I can manage that, but a full set including all variations would set you back $53.20 AUD. Big difference. Why? Well there are variations for perforations, blocks, strips, and pairs, gutters, minisheets and self adhesives as well as the regular "lick and stick" gummed issue.

For example, and using what David tells in his article, there were 10 different formats of blocks, strips and pairs of the gummed stamps and 2 different perforations. And the last 8 pages of the prestige booklet contained 8 different minisheets. There is more but I think you get the idea.

So moral here, or why am I sharing this with you, is if you want to collect new issues and want a complete collection the cost these days is significantly more than you might at first think.

I'll have to check if David wrote a piece on the August Aviation issue, as I know there are so many variations there, especially of the $2 stamp which featured the Qantas A380.

What is it like in your country? Same, worse or not too bad? Write me and I'll share with others. Enjoy your stamps, watch your budget :-)

Best wishes.......... Michael

PS don't forget my new blog Airplanes and Aerophilately - http://cddstamps.wordpress.com/

Hello, Sorry been away again. A few days left this week and I fly back to Sydney for Christmas.

Hope everyone has a brilliant Christmas season, whether it be a few days, a week or more. I'll be back in Soeul for New Year. My last trip here for a while :-) am moving on again.

Something new in the New Year maybe :-) Something new with stamps as well. Qantas A380 inaugural to London in January. Can I possibly find a way to get on it. I hope so.

So thinking of A380 flights how about this souvenier cover. Sadly not flown as I couldn't make the flight as I had hoped to, but is still franked from Singapore on the inaugural departure date. only 26 made.

I have 4 for sale. USD $25 includes postage and packing. Paypal to cddstamps. email me at cddstamps@gmail. First 4 orders will get my confirmation that the cover is yours.

enjoy your stamps. Michael

just two stamps tonight.

I read about the Robert Burns issue from Royal Mail that will be released in January to celebrate 250 years since he was born. One of the stamps being issued is shown.

Also I recall there was an issue back in 1966 ...what was that for?

I don't remember. See also scan. How designs change. But same picture??? just the 2009 stamp is airbrushed.... or am I being cynical.

I'll be away for a few days. Have a great weekend... Enjoy your stamps.. Michael

Hello, well here is the back of the two stamps.. what do you see.. yes, toning, staining, or rust in some language. This is bad, very bad in my view. The stamps are, in my view, damaged.

Want a space filler of this stamp buy a cheap clean lightly mounted mint one. Don't buy this even though you think it is mint unhinged.

What will you do with it. Put it in your album perhaps. With other stamps. Oh and spread the toning, spread the rust. Have you read that it is always good to put stamps in new albums, never old second hand ones... ( sure there can be exceptions I guess) but new ones are best, and for same reasons. They are clean and you want to protect your stamps. So use clean albums and don't mix in what I will call "dirty" stamps.

The seller of these was very honest by clearly showing both sides of the stamps and I applaud whoever it was for showing very clearly what they were selling. But guess what, they sold after 5 bids for USD $11.50. Waste of money. Sorry. But that is how I see it. So moral of story, deal with sellers who clearly show what they are selling ... and if you cannot see the back of the stamp(s)...ask... don't waste your money, but even more important don't mix stamps with toning with good clean stamps. I am afraid the toning can spread.

Best wishes....... and I hope you are not the winning bidder on those stamps.. :-) I've just ruined your day eh!!!!

Enjoy your stamps Michael

I've not written about quality for some time so it is about time, don't you think.

I saw these on an auction site. I did not bid. Do you know why?

Will show you tomorrow, if you cannot see for your self, and I have to say it is very difficult to see but the honesty of the seller made it very clear. I'll show you tomorow night. A good example of what to look for (ask to see) when collecting and especially when buying at auction, well in my view.

Enjoy your stamps.. Michael

the thing about writing a blog is you don't know if people who only read every few days actually read past the most recent article. Do you? Well if you don't you will have missed my Christmas competition. So scroll down and read a few past writings. Please :-)

Stamps.. well I soaked a 1000 machins today. It snowed this morning and I thought ..stay indoors is a good idea.. and after reading emails and having too big a brunch, my cooking is just so good... I just looked at this bag of machins and got to work. So I am doing a one off special only to readers of this blog.

here is a randon selection just dropped onto the scanner.

Am saying this nowhere else I promise. send me $5 US in unmarked bills :-) and I'll send you minimum of 300 machins. Yes lots of duplicates but all unchecked by me except to say I have taken out horrible dirty frankings and as best I can tell any creased or short perfs. Could be a good winters night (nights even) sorting and studying machins. If you are in the UK you might find the "unused no gum" pays for the lot. Email me at cddstamps@gmail.com and tell me you are sending me cash $5 US. I'll give you my mailing address if you don't have it and I'll mail in a day or two... in time for Christmas. Will be limited as I only have about 3000 to send. :-) Cash only offer please.

Same deal ... $5 US ...If you'd prefer 150 GB commemoratives.. say GB Commemoratives and I'll mail you 150 of them.. maybe a few duplicates but I'll keep to a minimum as best I can. And again with all damaged etc removed and with minimal Christmas issues.

Best wishes... enjoy your stamps.. Michael

Hi everyone, just to let you know I have started a new blog, topic will be aircraft and aerophilately. have a look at http://cddstamps.wordpress.com

I will still write here on general philatelic topics and musings, but if you have an interest in aviation, aircraft on stamps and aerophilately in general I hope you will have a few minutes to look at the new site and and bookmark it.

Enjoy.. Michael

Christmas Competition

Hello everyone.. here is a copy of the Australia Christmas stamps. Of the many sets of Christmas stamps I have seen; these are pretty ok with me. Some other issues are just awful. But then what do you expect these days I guess.

If you like these and would like the cover, all expenses paid as they say, enter my competition.

The competition: I have to think of something that will interest you don't I, yet not be too difficult. Ok.. somethng different ...........you send me a card or letter ( so I get some stamps) wishing me a Merry Christmas ( how else will I get any Christmas cards ha ha ha ha) and I will get one of my lovely children to randomly chose one of the envelopes from a large hat so to speak and the winner will receive this cover. I will probably do some runner up prizes as well.. how many depends on the number of cards I get .. seem fair? mailing address is PO BOX 3482, Dural NSW 2158, Australia. Yes I will be in Sydney for the Christmas week. So don't delay.

Enjoy your stamps.. Best wishes.. Michael

I'm back...

Hello, yes been away too long and done little to nothing about stamps ... I have read a few stamp related web sites recently and on one I came across a series of stamps from the USA which I enjoyed looking at..... Great Americans or something..... long running series..... maybe many of you will know more than me and maybe someone will write to me with details so I can tell everyone else.

Here is one of the stamps..... this is a classic in my view, as are the similar designs of many other Americans, or adopted Americans, as in Harvard's case as I know you know :-) he was born in London England and educated at Cambridge (the English University that is).

I am slowly catching up on emails. Thanks for them and apology if I have not replied to all personally. My flight mileage competition was won by Srinivasan from India. Well done. I'll get something in mail soon..

Christmas is coming, next competition will be for a prize in time for Christmas :-)

Enjoy your stamps.. Michael