Hello, yes it has been a while since I wrote ... just so busy with work.

Am in Kuala Lumpur now and days seem to fly by.. and evenings in the hotel are work as well. No sympathy please. I enjoy it really. Just miss stamps, and writing about them.

So I thought in the few minutes I'd give to writing - I have this enormous spreadsheet to work on and am procrastinating :-) - I'd ask you what is happening in your stamp world?

Got the new GB security definitives? Seen any really good or bad new issues? Bought anything at a bargin on eBay or other auction site? Seen any really rubbish lots for sale? Yeak ok that last one is easy :-0

Write me at cddstamps@gmail.com Maybe we can share with others our experiences through this blog.

One comment to add on my recent - albeit sporadic - stamp related reading: have you joined http://stampsofgb.multiply.com/ that is Stamps of GB.. was on MSN but moved to Multiply as MSN groups closed down. Great group.. Do have a look. well if you are interested in GB I guess. and there is a thread on soaking the new GB security stamps. I think final word is collect on paper from now on, Your thoughts?????

Enjoy your stamps.. Michael

A380 Flown FFC on eBay

just to let you know I have one of the inaugural Qantas A380, Sydney - Singapore - London, flown first flight covers for sale on eBay. The real thing :-)

see http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250374092763

Help me pay my credit card airfares :-)

Enjoy your stamps.. Michael

Henry VIII.. of Gibralater ????

Hello, Happy Valentines day to you all.. am in a hotel in Kuala Lumpu.. how lovely :-) and finding time to write a few words. I scanned these before I left Sydney earlier this week. I am trying to work out what Henry VIII had to do with Gibralter. :-) just my warped mind I guess. Or just proof that if there is nothing to commemorate from your country find something from another that might appeal to the collectors. Well 500 years is worth remembering (He took the throne of England in 1509 as you may know) Where he took it too has been speculation ever since ha ha!!! At least Royal Mail is issuing their House of Tudor issue on the actual anniversary.. 21st April

Enjoy your stamps.. best wishes... Michael

thunder outside, and that means lightning somewhere, so very quickly.. here is a well "super centered" stamp according the the listing seller.. :-) we all know better don't we.


Also.. I couldn't resist showing this one I saw listed.. creases galore.. super creaes eh!! ha ha..

a piece on quality tonight

Hello, so many topics I could write about but tonight I will show these. I mentioned some time back that I got the 2009 SG Commonwealth and British Empire (1840 - 1970) Catalogue for Christmas. I think I said I'd show you something from it on quality. SG do an excellent page on this I think. And given the absolute rubbish stamp descriptions one frequently sees on autcion sites I thought maybe this would be of use to you. With all credit to SG for their work and the image I show below.


When you see a stamp for auction, you will often see the seller saying well centered when in fact it is so off center it is not funny. Use the above as your guide. Although lets be honest, how low does ones IQ have to be to know whether something is off center or not :-) Obviously pretty low for some of the sellers I see :-)

Enjoy your stamps,
tomorrow maybe an example to prove my point :-)

Michael

a new form of damage

Hello, yes rather strange title but today I soaked a few stamps.. seemed a good idea as it was so hot and I knew they would dry quickly.. these..


....rather nice block I thought, but they had an Australia Post bar code sticker across them.. well actually down them.. I thought I couldn't soak it off but with really hot water it came away just fine. Damage part???, you ask, Well, there is a tacky sticky glue remnant left behind. Look carefully and you can see some gray shading in the middle of the stamps. So just to let you know something else to look for these days in used stamps.

Enjoy your stamps.. Michael

postcard from Sydney

yes, believe it or not I am in Sydney... got home and and after an hour my monitor died on me.. well I hope its only the monitor. thankfully I have laptop back up :-)

so no pictures to show or stamps to discuss. but just to say before it died I did update the website cddstamps I uploaded a scan of the First Flight Cover from the Qantas A380 inaugural Sydney Singapore London. Enjoy.

Michael