Hello, wet and windy weekend here in Hong Kong so time to write and do some stamps. I just finished writing the IPDA April Newsletter - If you are a seller and would like to find out more about us I will send you a copy of the Newsletter if you email me at michaelatipda@gmail.com.

For those collectors who are looking to fill a few gaps in your collection, especially GB commemoratives like the one above I hope you have time to visit my Bidstart Store. Have a look at http://cddstamps.com/bidstart-sales/ to see the countries I stock in my Store.

The stamp above as I expect you know is from the 1995 Science Fiction Issue. SG 1880 and with a 2013 SG Concise catalogue value of £1.60. It is in VFU condition and just one of many 100's of GB commemoratives I  have for sale in my Store.

If references help establish credibility I have had nearly 800 sales in the past three months. Get me over the 1000 mark by the end of March eh!!!! and fill some of those gaps in your collection. I will be listing more this weekend if it doesn't stop raining.  Oh, yes I should tell you  it is easy to find what you are looking for, just type the SG number into the Search Store For field. easy as!!

have a great weekend.. best wishes... Michael

Hi, I thought today I would tell you about the Internet Philatelic Dealers Association. A global "non profit" association of stamps dealers. All of our members are respected Internet Philatelic Traders, you can deal with them with confidence. You can see a list of members, and read more about us on our web site at http://www.ipdastamps.org

If you are an Internet philatelic dealer, or sell stamps via an online auction why not become a member? 

On the IPDA home page you will see some useful material about the benefits of joining the IPDA and a comparison of the benefits and features of the IPDA compared to other dealers associations. 

We have a membership drive on at the moment as we would like to grow our numbers and have a greater presence for the benefit of those collectors who buy online.

The many auction sites one finds on the internet these days make it easy for anyone to sell anything and stamps are just one item that we see many, shall I say less than qualified, people selling. 

By joining the IPDA - assuming your qualify and get accepted - you can perhaps add a bit of credibility to your name. 

There are so many, what I might call mom and pop, sellers who really have little to no idea about stamp quality, stamp values or stamp prices that the uninformed collector can quite easily be buying something that is not what it is advertised as, of poor quality, or worse still, fraudulent. 

If you sell stamps in some capacity, preferably not the mom and pop seller (sorry folks) please have a look at our web site at http://www.ipdastamps.org. You can quickly fill out the online application form, and, by all means mention my name.

I think we have lots to offer, including, if I do say so myself because I write it, the monthly Newsletter.

Best wishes  

Michael

www.cddstamps.com

Director IPDA and Newsletter Editor

Hello, back again from Sydney and looked what I picked up while I was there.  Shame England lost of course hahahahah, but thought you would like to see this cover and MS anyway. The URN RETURNS, What a clever turn (no pun intended) of phrase.

This is a gift to whoever can tell me the score in the final test match, ( I mean full score please, and not just that Australia won by 281 runs. I am looking for Australia innings score and England innings score,  and please send answer with your mailing address to cddstamps@gmail.com

And while you are thinking of stamps and what you can get for free... well lets just say at a very competitive price ....and great quality, please have a look at my Bidstart sales at http://cddstamps.com/bidstart-sales/   select the country you collect and see if I can help you fill a gap or two or more in your collection. Sales so far this year are over 600 items so I think I am doing something right.

After all, I need something to help fund these prizes don't I :-)

Oh and do write to me anyway with your thematic collecting interests and I will try to show stamps accordingly

Best wishes..    Michael
www.cddstamps.com

hi, yes I know its been a long time since I wrote but I am still alive and, well got a cold, but other than that, I am well..

 Hope you like this cover. I know some of my readers  have Post Office Boxes as a thematic collection or are interested in Post Office Boxes on stamps.

Issued in 1991 to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Hong Kong Post Office. A lovely cover. and dare I say it,  but I have copies for sale in my Bidstart Shop.  Go on treat yourself   :-)   have a look here
http://www.bidstart.com/shop.php?keywords=hong&category=0&userid=105545&advsrc=&submitsearch

Am flying again over next 5 days so wont be writing to next week.  Hope you look in again then.

Best wishes.. Michael

Well, on a cold Saturday morning what better way to warm up than look at some stamps  :-)   Now these make me feel real warm, compared to how cold it would have been for the men on the Antarctic Expedition back in 1914.

These were issued to commemorate the centenary of the AAE Homeward Board  journey. This is the fourth and final  issue in a 4 year program celebrating the AAE. The stamps show images of the explorers and the environment they lived in; from left to right, Mawson on a motor launch, Hurley with camera, Mawson hold a fishing net, the returning party, and finally Mawson again.

Nice MS I think.  Click image to enlarge

Have a great weekend.   Michael

www.cddstamps.com

Hi,  yes I realise I have not written for ages.. been so busy. Poor excuse :-).  I have friends staying with me and  from New Zealand and to say thanks, great to have you here and have a chance to show you around some of Hong Kong, this stamp.

And for those of you who collect New Zealand and want to fill a gap or two in your collection I hope you enjoy looking at the stamps in my Bidstart Store  http://www.bidstart.com/shop.php?keywords=new&category=0&userid=105545&advsrc=&submitsearch

 michael