Every time I find one of these I look very carefully to see if there is no missing £ symbol. I doubt I will ever find one used but you never know.

This is SG Y1747 and with the missing £ it has a catalogue value of £175 MUH.   Used as shown it is catalogued at £5.50 each; so nice to see a pair in this condition.

Keep searching that kiloware :-)

Have a great weekend ... Michael

and to fill a gap in your collection at something less than £175 or even £5.50 just visit http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm where I now have over 7100 lots listed and at competitive prices and all correctly described.

Post boxes tonight. I saw the first at the Hong Kong History Museum yesterday and then today the Post Box in Tai O.

I know some of my readers like to see different country boxes.

The first is really interesting I think. Anyone know the reign inscription on the Box?    read on then...............

The second is there today on the street in Tai O.
Hope you enjoy seeing these.

Michael  www.cddstamps.com

One thing we have plenty of here in Hong Kong is buses. A brilliant network of routes and a great service in my view. So I guess it is no surprise Hong Kong Post should eventually issue a set showing many of them. The set adopts the design of an old style Chinese calendar and this set of six stamps showcases the evolution of Hong Kong buses.

This $20 stamp though is printed in lithography plus lenticular. Three Euro V buses are set against a backdrop of the magnificent views of Victoria Harbour in daytime, at twilight and at night to signify the round-the-clock bus services in Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong Buses" Special Stamps
Date of Issue: 24 September 2013

Buses have been plying the roads of Hong Kong for the better part of a century. They were seen in the urban area as far back as the 1920s. Nowadays, with a territory-wide network, buses provide millions of commuters with convenient and reliable services every day. This popular means of transport has kept pace with the times and continuous improvements are made in terms of the buses' bodywork, capacity, comfort level and their effect on the environment. Hongkong Post issues a set of special stamps on "Hong Kong Buses", which features seven prototypes of buses from different decades and offers an overview of the development of buses in Hong Kong.

$1.40Tilling Stevens Bus
Hong Kong's population continued to grow during the immediate post-war period. In 1947, the Tilling Stevens, the bus commonly known as the "White Water Tank", commenced services to meet the huge passenger demand. The stamp depicts a Tilling Stevens, the oldest extant bus in Hong Kong. First registered by China Motor Bus Company Limited in 1949, Tilling Stevens buses were retired in 1967.

$1.80Daimler A
Public demand for transport services grew as a result of the city's rapid development and population boom. Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited introduced the first double-decker bus – the Daimler A – to Hong Kong in 1949. With their original metal radiator grilles, the first batch of Daimler A buses were dubbed the "Black Mouth Curs". Daimler A buses were retired in the 1980s.

$2.40Albion Coach
Following Hong Kong's economic take-off in the 1970s, people's expectations for bus services rose as living standards improved. In 1975, Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited first brought in the single-decker Albion Coaches. These buses were fitted with high-back passenger seats and man-made leather upholstery. Albion Coaches were retired in 1990.

$2.50Leyland Olympian 11m
Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited introduced the first air-conditioned double-decker Leyland Olympian in 1988. Since then, air-conditioned buses have progressively become our main public vehicles. Leyland Olympian 11m buses were retired from the franchised bus service in 2011.

$3Volvo Olympian 11m
Hong Kong's last batch of non-air-conditioned buses – the Volvo Olympian 11m – were brought in by Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) in 1995 to serve urban and highway routes. Following the deployment of air-conditioned buses in KMB's entire fleet, non-air-conditioned Volvo Olympian 11m buses were retired in 2012.

$5Dennis Trident
The first ultra-low-floor double-decker bus – the Dennis Trident – commenced service in Hong Kong in 1997, providing convenience for mobility-impaired passengers and wheelchair users. Dennis Trident buses are still in use today.

$5 Stamp Sheetlet - Euro V Bus
To improve our air quality, the Government implemented Euro V emission standards. The stamp sheetlet features Euro V buses owned by Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited, Citybus Limited and New World First Bus Services Limited. Fitted with engines that meet Euro V emission standards, Euro V buses have been in service since 2009.

. 

Acknowledgements: China Motor Bus Company Limited,
Citybus Limited,
Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited,
New World First Bus Services Limited

Just a nice selection tonight, I hope you agree and  enjoy seeing. One of the downsides to being here in Hong Kong is I do not have my catalogues with me so when I find stamps like these I cannot check them out for SG number or catalogue value. I think next trip back to Australia I may bring a few with me, but as you all probably know they are heavy, and being the FF that I am I do not have check-in luggage. Maybe time for an exception :-)   To see in more detail just click the image.

Best wishes..  Michael

http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm   do have a look. Am seeing people from many countries buyy now so I think I am offering some good material as very competitive prices.

One thing I realise I miss being in Hong Kong is the stars at night. Well at this time of year anyway, because it is so cloudy much of the time and even if there are not clouds then to be honest we don't get the clear night skies I was used to seeing in Australia. I was reminded of this when I saw this MS in my 'stamps to sort and do something with' collection. Not sure what to do with it because while it is beautifully postally used it has far too many parcel bends. Not creased, so maybe needs a good pressing  :-)

It was issued in 2002, and is listed by SG as MS 2315 with a catalogue value of £6.00

Hope you see stars tonight!!!

Michael

http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm

Hi, continuing the theme of last nights piece on Hong Kong I thought you might enjoy this. From a cover I picked up last weekend at the stamp arcade. This show the skyline of the northern shore of Hong Kong from Wanchai to to Central. It was issued in 1997 and there is one aspect of this skyline that actually did not exist at the time the MS was produced. It was deliberately added by computer effect. Anyone know what it is? Click image for larger view

Hope your weekend was great.

best wishes.. Michael
http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm

Hello everyone. Last Tuesday, you may recall,  I asked for entries to a competition that required readers to write a piece on Hong Kong stamps. I had this brilliant piece from one of my regular readers in The Netherlands. Congratulations for the writing.  I hope everyone enjoys reading it and seeing the stamps I will be displaying over the coming days. The above stamps are the first issue  

The reader writes:

Before I read this blog I didn’t knew that there was a recent handover of Hong Kong. And also didn’t know much about Special Administrative Regions of the People’s Republic of China. As a recently started World Wide collector it’s time to learn more about it. So were to start, of course Wikipedia and Google.

Just a brief overview, there is a lot of info to be found on the internet.

The handover of Hong Kong took place on 1 July 1997, which marked the end of British rule in Hong Kong. Hong Kong became China’s first Special Administration Region. The handover ended officially the 156 years of British colonial rule. There is a second Special Administration Region; Macau, which transferred on 20 December 1999.

Back to the philatelistic facts.

Before the handover in 1997 , the poststamps of Hong Kong had the portrait of King/Queen of the United Kingdom. After the handover it uses the words “Hong Kong, China”, which is required by Basic Law.

Poststamps prior to the handover were demonetized, however, politically neutral stamps were not.

So were there any poststamps published by a country to mark the Hong Kong handover. I search the internet and a lot of catalogues, and game up with the following countries, which issued at least one or more stamp(s), souvenir sheet, first day cover, booklet, presentation pack  or any other kind of philatelistic stuff. This list isn’t properly by far complete, but I find it interesting that so many countries gave it “a little” attention. Of course this list contains a lot of British Overseas Territories. However, no Dutch stamps were published with this subject.

This is the 10th Anniversary issue.

Hereby the countries with a few poststamps as an example:

Ascension Island, Bahamas, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, Central African Republic, China (of course), Dominica, Falkland Islands, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Isle of Man, Great Britain, Grenada, Grenada Grenadines, Guyana, Korea (several stamps), Namibia, Norfolk Island, Palestinian Authority, St. Helena, Samoa, Sierra Leone, South Georgia, Tanzania, Togo, Tristan Da Cunha, Tuvalu

and this just one of the other issues from other countries, from Namibia.

Thanks to J .  Hope everyone enjoyed this.

Michael   www.cddstamps.com

Hello, well it has been another busy day and tonight I was relaxing sorting some stamps and found this. Now nothing special you may say but it was very nostalgic for me because all of a sudden I remembered the very first film I saw. It was Davy Crockett. In the Greenford Cinema (UK)  as it was back then.  I cannot admit to how many years ago that was :-) but having looked up the release date I am surprised I remember it. But hey it was a pretty bid deal even for a very small boy. Produced by Walt Disney and starring Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen. Thanks to my parents for the treat. It was for my birthday  :-)

I so love stamps, they are just more than pieces of paper :-)

have a great weekend.

Michael  http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm

Hello, tonight just a short update. My ignorance about the Australia stamps last night was compounded, it seems, by my tiredness. My only excuse  J

 Thanks to one of my readers from Melbourne in Australia, who knew both her AFL and her stamps :-)

she writes....These are NOT all from the 1996 AFL Centenary issue.

The 2 stamps on the left are from the 1999 Centenary of Australian Test Rugby set: SG 1887 (kicking) self-adhesive, SG 1886 (lineout) self-adhesive.

The 2 stamps on the right are from the AFL Centenary set: Freemantle (green, white, red & purple jersey) SG 1616 self-adhesive; St Kilda (red, white & black)
SG 1613 self-adhesive.

Many thanks for writing to me. Others also wrote, and I thank them also for knowing more about AFL and the stamps than I did last night

Best wishes.. Michael

http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm

Hello, back to Australia stamps tonight. I am sorting a few and found these. Nice, VFU and with Cat value at £0.90 each.    I think these are very collectible.  They are from the 1996 issue to commemorate the Centenary of Australian Football League and each stamp in the set shows a player in their team colours. Now you would think having lived in Australia for many years and being able to read !!!  I would be able to identify them from the catalogue listing. But I cannot.  Anyone know the SG numbers for these. left to right? All I know about the game is they play with a funny shaped ball :-)

I am listing in my Bidstart store ( but if someone really wants them I am sure I can hold of listing for a few days) click image to see larger size.

Look forward to hearing from someone.

Best wishes.. Michael
http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm

Hello, Home from work and relaxing with some stamps   This is one of the covers I picked up at the Mong Kong stamp arcade this past weekend, and that I am giving away as a prize.

Of course, since this is one of 5 MSs that were issued for this event it would be too easy to ask which one this was, wouldn't it :-)  and since it is such a lovely cover with a nice value stamp I thought I really should make the quiz a little bit hard. So how about this.

I will select a winner from all entries received by late Friday this week my time (Hong Kong time) .. the winner will be the person who sends me, what is in my opinion, the best short article (500 words or there abouts) about Hong Kong stamps post the 1997 handover. All writings must be original and you must give me permission to republish on my blog. Seems fair?. Topic is yours entirely but it must include one at least stamp image to illustrate the writing. Just send to cddstamps@gmail.com and include your mailing address. There will also be two runner up prizes. I'll decide what when I see what entries I get, but you know you wont be disappointed.

Enjoy your stamps

Michael  www.cddstamps.com
PS click image to see larger size.

Hello, this interesting MS from one of my readers in the Philippines.   I love cooking and while not that good, well my pizza is and my apple pie is good,  but the rest I am not so sure about.

Anyway, this MS was issued to commemorate Teresita “Mama Sita” Reyes.  She is  well known for her extraordinary gift with food cooking, incorporating, even selecting ingredients that really make Filipino's favorite food taste even better. Her mother, Doña Engracia Reyes, is known as the “Mother of Filipino Cooking”. Through her parents, Mama Sita first learned that nothing could compare to the goodness of Filipino cooking. Her family ran the restaurant Aristocrat, which is why at an early age, her life already revolved around the world of food.

Why the Philippines issued a stamp for her I have no idea but I like the fact she was recognised.

OMG............  don’t tell me,  the Royal Mail will pick up on this and start issuing stamps for every bloody British chef….. there will be hundreds of stamps ..  wow a series of 12 issues with  10 stamps to an issue..  easy,  surely.   oh dear, I feel to blame for  having even suggested it. :-)

Enjoy your stamps…… and whatever you collect. Maybe a thematic collection on cooking. 

Best wishes….... Michael

PS and if you don't believe me read http://www.msita.com/whois.htm

Hello, back to Machins for a change because I just loaded 35 lots to my Bidstart store  - 2102 and 2013 Security Machins with Source code noted. so if you are looking to fill a gap in your collection please have a look at http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm 

I also spent a wonder few hours in the Mong Kok Stamp arcade, here in Hong Kong yesterday and picked up a few lovely covers.  Here is one which I hope you also enjoy seeing. Maybe do a competition this week as I bought a few that I thought would make nice prizes. this one issued by China - Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications to celebrate world Environmental Day in 1988.

Best wishes... Michael  www.cddstamps.com

Hello, Saturday morning and into some stamp work as soon as I got up. I decided it was time to sort and catalogue these beautiful Diamond jubilee Machins.  And yes I will list some in my Bidstart store  when I have finished the study. It will take some time as there are quite a few varieties, that is with different security codes.  7 that I am aware of.

The reason I am also showing these is because I saw something I have not seen before and I have sorted thousands of security Machins over the past few years. see below. Can you see what it is?  click on the image to enlarge it. So much for not being able to reuse an unfranked stamp eh!!!!

Best wishes.,. have a great stamp weekend and enjoy my Store http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm  I am back up to over 6800 listings again :-)

Michael

Hello,  Hope you liked last nights stamp. How about these.   This is the 19 1/2p value from the set. Issued in 1982 but with a variety I have not seen listed in GB Catalogue (unless the wording is different).  

I saw this described as double gray printing error and it was sold for over £10,000 in 2011. GB describes it as black printed double and if the same it is now catalogued at  £5,000 a stamp.  Check your stock :-)

happy studying of those old stamps

Best wishes

Michael

www.cddstamps.com.    and if you want a copy of my September newsletter, the first in new format just email me at cddstamps@gmail.com

Hi, another long day but I find it relaxing to write and show some stamps. I just finished looking through a few more GB and thought I would show another I rather like. No idea why but the design just appeals to me for some reason..  What do you think?  If you have a stamp, or stamps,  from your country you like please send me a scan to cddstamps@gmail.com and if I publish it here I will send you some stamps as a thank you. Just don't forget to send me your mailing address and perhaps tell me why you like the design, if you just like it that is ok as well.  I often wonder if the stamp designers these days are designing stamps for themselves,  or the Postal Authority or the buying collectors. I guess it is some of each.

And,  if you didn't read last nights post please can I let you know that I have just published my September Newsletter. Actually only my second this year and this one in proper newsletter format. It is just one page of easy reading. If you want a copy please email me at cddstamps@gmail.com and I will send a copy to you.

Hoping to hear form you
Best wishes..   Michael     www.cddstamps.com

Hi,  another cover from Macau. Hope you like it. sort of the same theme as the other night. Click the image to see a larger view. Just looking at the top right stamp which shows the Lin K'ai Temple you might enjoy reading more about it from  http://www.temple.mo/?mod=temples&id=76&lang=en  so much history and interesting reading. All of it we can learn from stamps

And, on a totally different subject, I have just published my September  Newsletter. Actually only my second this year and this one in proper newsletter format. It is just one page of easy reading. If you want a copy please email me at cddstamps@gmail.com and I will send to you.

Best wishes..

Hi, well I am back from Macau and I did manage to find time to visit that stamp shop I mentioned last night. I picked up a few stamps including this MS which I thought you might like to see. If you click the image I think you will see the stamp in more detail. Very beautiful in my view.

This, and a set of 4 similar designs, are from the paintings of artist Didier Bayle. He is a French artist who expresses his point of view of Asia through watercolour. He was living in Macau for several years and spent much of his time painting  architectural and street impressions with Asian influences. 

and below, the Stamp shop.   it is located down a side street. How I found it again I don't know, but I did. will show a few more stamps I picked up over the coming days.

Best wishes.... Michael  www.cddstamps.com

Hi,   it has been a good day.  I sorted, catalogued, scanned and loaded over 150 more GB stamps to my Bidstart Store and of them, about a  100 were new additions and mostly high value ones from the commemoratives issues over past 15 years or so. and, at very competitive prices.  use this link to go to my store selection http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm

Hope you like the stamp above. Just one of the commemoratives and below a definitive pair I found

Nice eh!!!

Best wishes,..  have a great weekend.

Hi, Friday night here. And yes I am happy :-)   But not a policeman hahahahaha     Home alone in Hong Kong and just finished loading a few more new items, recent GB Commemoratives actually, to my Bidstart store. This one above gave me a surprise when I looked at the catalogue price. Without checking, do you know the catalogue value of the set of 10?    I will tell  you at the end.

I have listed some Used stamps. I do not usually do this because I try to keep to VFU and FU. But I have found many higher values which sadly have tiny short perfs (by my standards anyway) and even some with paper thins on reverse. Sad, but I think they will still be nice for a complete collection. Many of these higher value GB Commemoratives are just so hard to find postally used. Basically they are just found in mint condition in collections and never used for real postage.

More stamps tomorrow I hope, then maybe a day trip to Macau on Sunday to a stamp dealer there I like to visit occasionally. Some thing different eh!!!

have a great weekend.. Michael  wwww. cddstamps.com  ...

.oh yes.. the cat for the set is £26, that is US$40, or for me, 315 HKD

http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm
 

Hello, sorting more stamps and loading to the Bidstart store. Do you have this one I wonder?

have a close look.

Bidstart store click http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm  then GB and in the search for field type 1931.. Of course it is not SG 1931 is it :-)

Enjoy..  Michael

www.cddstamps.com

Hi,  some stamps tonight that I just loaded to my Bidstart store. I do not have the SG numbers. These stamps only released recently. Classic Cars set and the Andy Murray tennis stamps

If you visit my store http://www.bidstart.com/stores/michaelatcddstamps  just  type Classic or andy in the search for fields and you should find the listings

Nice stamps.  I think you might like them and used..  well surely hard to get to add to your GB collection.

Best wishes.. Michael

http://www.cddstamps.com/bidstart_store.htm