cddstamps on stamps

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

Saturday, March 28, 2015



Tonight I hope you enjoy seeing this se-tenant strip,  click image to enlarge for better view of the details.

The 2004 World of Wearable Arts issue SG 2701 - 2705 (must have had a dry spell think of commemorative issue topics perhaps!)  These are full gum but have commemorative cancel on them. Anyone know if this detracts or adds value?

Pretty stamps all the same.

Have a great weekend,  ... Michael  www.cddstamps.com

Thursday, March 19, 2015



Hello,   tonight this stunning issue from Hong Kong Post. I really like these. Hope you do.   click image to enlarge for better view.

The issue is titled  "Astronomical Phenomena".   Issued March 17th and showing seven astronomical phenomena to introduce us to the fascinating world of astronomy.

$1.70  Solar Eclipse
When the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth and blocks the Sun, a solar eclipse occurs. There are three types of solar eclipses: total solar eclipse, partial solar eclipse and annular solar eclipse. When a total solar eclipse occurs, in which the Sun is completely blocked by the Moon, the surrounding environment on the ground suddenly turns dark. This dramatic change is spectacular.

$2.20  Meteor Shower
When the Earth passes through the orbit of a comet, its meteoroids will enter the Earth's atmosphere. Heated by the atmosphere, the meteoroids will become visible as meteors. A meteor shower is an event in which an unusually large number of meteors can be seen streaming from a certain point in the sky known as the "radiant". Meteors from most meteor showers are fragments left over by comets in space.

$2.90  Comet
A comet is a celestial body that travels between the outer and the inner parts of the solar system. When it approaches the Sun, the temperature increases and, affected additionally by solar radiation and charged particles, the dust and rocks of the comet will be carried away or ionised, and separated from the comet's surface. A comet normally shows two tails, one composed of dust and the other of ionised gas.
$3.10  Saturn's Ring Tilt Variation
The tilting angle of Saturn's ring does not change with respect to Saturn itself. However, if observed from the Earth, we will see that the tilting angle of Saturn's ring appears to change. It is because the orbital period of the Earth is one year, while that of Saturn is about 30 years. When the Earth revolves once around the Sun, the relative position of Saturn also changes a little bit.

$3.70  Sunspot
Sunspots are small black spots on the surface of the Sun which are related to the magnetic activity of the Sun. A large group of sunspots may appear during a peak in solar activity. Sunspots are in fact not dark. They only appear dark as their brightness is lower than the normal surface of the Sun. Sunspots mostly concentrate around the solar equator and can last for hours or months.

$5  Moon-Planet Conjunction
The orbit of the Moon and the orbit of the Earth and other planets lie nearly in the same plane. So when we observe from the Earth, the Moon is sometimes seen to be very close to other planets. We call it a conjunction when the Moon and a planet are at an apparent closest approach. A Moon-planet conjunction may form an interesting pattern such as the "smiley face" in the stamp.


Interesting,  I hope you agree. Enjoy your stamps. Thanks to Hong Kong Post for the information. Well done.

Michael 

Friday, March 13, 2015


Hello, Friday again and time for some writing. Another week passed me by so fast. I packed stamps orders but that was about it as far as philatelic activities went. Next week will be worse and then I am off overseas again on the Friday morning so apology if you don't hear much from me for a while.

Tonights stamp is one I saw at random in my stock - to be listed I might add in my bidStart Store - may do some this weekend if time permits - as have so much NZ stock to still list for you.

Interesting gentleman and quite an achiever I believe.

In 1871, the Directors of the Emigrants and Colonists Aid Corporation in Great Britain began to look at selecting a block of land in Australia or New Zealand so they could proceed with their proposed emigration scheme.  Feilding, a colonel at the time, and one of the Directors of the Corporation, was selected to travel to both Australia and New Zealand  to look for possibilities. During his trip his social standing gave him an entree to the people who mattered in government circles in both countries. 

After Australia was deemed unsuitable (really!!!)  he went to New Zealand  and eventually found  106,000 acre which was purchased for the then price of  £75,000 from the Wellington Provincial Government.  Nice little block eh!!!  That is about  £8 million in today’s money.

Anyway the stamp is SG 1237 and is catalogued at £0.20. Issued at a face value of 20c back in 1981.

Moral of the story. But land not stamps. Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Have a great weekend,  and  to help you, just have a look at cddstamps.com and perhaps find a few stamps to fill some of those gaps in your collection. Cheaper than land, of which I don’t have any to sell!!!!

Michael

www.cddstamps.com


Sunday, March 08, 2015



Hello, well another weekend just shot by. Apart from a rather mediocre game of golf I listed over 300 stamps  to the bidStart store including the above. All from New Zealand from the 1960s. A good selection if you are looking to fill a few gaps in your collection at very reasonable prices and well described condition.

 The above, as no doubt you know, is SG 862 from the 1967 Decimal Issue.  Surely a cheap  Catalogue value at £6.00

Enjoy your stamps and enjoy cddstamps.com 

Best wishes... Michael

Wednesday, March 04, 2015



Hello,  tonight a complete change of style.  I randomly opened my New Zealand stock  and saw this. I really am not a cat lover. Lovely as they are. I  prefer fish in a tank to be honest :-)

From the 1983 Health stamps issue - Cats and Health stamps don't seem to me to go together -  but whatever!!   Anyway SG 1322 and MUH as this is,  cat at £0.50p (GBP)    used is £1.00.   surely under priced!

I even have the miniature sheet. One day I will get to add to the bidStart Store.

In the meantime,  just enjoy if you like stamps with cats as a thematic,

Best wishes.. Michael
www.cddstamps.com


Monday, March 02, 2015

Hello everyone, 

After I wrote a few days ago about the New Zealand watermarks I received some really useful material which I share below. This  just one of two pages, another tomorrow night perhaps.    click image to enlarge.



I think this is certainly is worth having if you are studying early New Zealand.  Might be the difference between a 20c stamp and a $100 stamp.

Enjoy studying those early New Zealand issues. Some really nice designs although I note the catalaogue price for  most of the 1940s through 70s issues is pretty low.  And don’t forget,  if you do have a few gaps in your collection just visit my sales here  and pick up a few bargins, especially as I just listed another 250 lots this past weekend.

Enjoy your philately .. Michael  www.cddstamps.com

Hello everyone, 

After I wrote a few days ago about the New Zealand watermarks I received some really useful material which I share below. This  just one of two pages, another tomorrow night perhaps.    click image to enlarge.



I think this is certainly is worth having if you are studying early New Zealand.  Might be the difference between a 20c stamp and a $100 stamp.

Enjoy studying those early New Zealand issues. Some really nice designs although I note the catalaogue price for  most of the 1940s through 70s issues is pretty low.  And don’t forget,  if you do have a few gaps in your collection just visit my sales here  and pick up a few bargins, especially as I just listed another 250 lots this past weekend.  ...........  and lots more to come now I have my stock here  and ready to be listed.

Enjoy your philately .. Michael  www.cddstamps.com

Click to zoom in on my visitor map!
Click to zoom in on my visitor map!