Saturday 29 November 2014

Glow in the Dark Stamp Under UV Stamps - Update

Category - Sight / Touch
Subcategory - Glow in the Dark Stamp Under UV Stamps

South Africa 2014 Lighthouses - Glow in Dark MS under UV









Issue date 20 August 2014

For about 400 years, from the 15th to the 19th century, sailing around the southern tip of Africa, was a deadly business, as evidenced by some 2 000 shipwrecks along our 3 000-km coastline. In the 1800s, the first South African lighthouses were built to warn ships of the treacherous conditions. Today, there are 45 lighthouses along South Africa’s beautiful coastline. South African Post has featured a set of five self-adhesive stamps designed by JWS Longland, a student from North-West University featuring some of the lighthouses along South African coastline.

Once widely used, the number of operational lighthouses has declined due to the expense of maintenance and replacement by modern electronic navigational aids. In South Africa, some of these beacons of light from days gone by, are now national monuments and popular tourists attractions. The lighthouses featured on the stamps were chosen either for their historical value, their particular location or their special features.

Green Point - Cape Town

The Green Point lighthouse in the Mother City is famous for its ‘Moaning Minnie’ foghorn, and has been prominent landmark in Table Bay since 1824. It was the first solid lighthouse structure on the South African coast and is the oldest structure of its kind in South Africa. The lighthouse, with its distinctive diagonal red and white candy stripes, was first lit on 12 April 1824.

Most likely designed and built by Hermann Schutte, the original building consisted of a tower surrounded by two lanterns. The present light was erected in 1865, improved in 1906 and electrified in 1929. Standing 19,5 m above high water, its light has a range of over 20 km. It was declared a National Monument on 12 January 1973.

Cape Agulhas - L’Agulhas/Bredasdorp

The Cape Agulhas lighthouse presides over the southernmost tip of Africa, a coastline that was once a frequent graveyard for ships along the route. It boasts the only lighthouse museum in South Africa and is the second oldest working lighthouse in South Africa.
Building started in 1847 on land donated by Michiel van Breda, the founder of Bredasdorp, and the lighthouse started operating on 1 March 1849. It is built from limestone in the style of the ancient lighthouse at Pharos in Egypt, which was famous as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

The lighthouse, which was declared a national monument in 1973, is a popular tourist attraction. Visitors who climb the narrow ladder to the top are rewarded with a panoramic view of the Indian Ocean.

Robben Island - Cape Town

Commissioned in 1865, this historically important lighthouse is a well-known landmark on an island that has become world-renowned for its most famous “”resident””, Nelson Mandela. Being situated in the middle of the notorious Table Bay at the Cape of Storms, the lighthouse is still very active, with a focal plane of 47 m and an 18-m round white brick tower with a red lantern and gallery.

The white light flashes around Table Bay, and a red light is pointed to the south south-east to warn ships leaving Cape Town away from the island. Today the entire island is part of the Robben Island Museum and a World Heritage Site.

Bird Island - Alexandria/Port Elizabeth

Bird Island lighthouse stands on the largest of a group of islands and rocky formations north-east of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. It houses the largest population of Cape gannets in the world, and a substantial number of penguins.

A wooden structure was first built on this site in December 1852, but was replaced by a masonry tower in 1873. The tower was further heightened by 6 m in 1893, and now stands at 26 m tall. The focal plane is 30 m above sea level. Now fully automated, a helicopter visits it every few weeks to take technical staff across for maintenance.

Umhlanga Rocks - Umhlanga/Durban

The lighthouse on the beach at Umhlanga Rocks, which is a popular tourists destination, was completed in 1954, and has been the subject of numerous paintings and memorabilia. It stands guard to some of the most treacherous waters of Southern Africa and not only warns ships of the hidden dangers, but the flashing light also welcomes ships sailing into the safety of the Durban harbour.

The circular concrete tower, painted white with a red band at the top, stands 21 m above the beach and has a focal plane height of 25 m. The fixed red light enables ships waiting to anchor in the outer anchorage, to monitor its position.

Slangkoppunt lighthouse at Kommetjie/Fish Hoek is featured on the stamp sheet.

This majestically tall lighthouse within the boundaries of the marine protected area of the Table Mountain National Park, is the tallest cast iron tower in South Africa. One of South Africa’s oldest lighthouses, it has been a beacon of light to ships on the rocky shore since 1914, becoming fully automated in 1979.

Painted white like a guardian angel, the tower’s light shimmers 33 nautical miles out to sea from its 33 m circular construction. It emits four flashes every 30 seconds with a candlepower brightness of 5 000 000 CD on a focal plane of 41 m above high tide. Tourists can take guided tours up the steep internal spiral staircase for a breathtaking view of the surrounding area.


The stamps contain an extra exciting feature, which is glow-in-the-dark ink.


To view other stamps in this category click on the following link - 
Glow in the Dark Stamp Under UV Stamps 

Disclaimer - Information about the stamp issues on this page has been taken from the net and are for informational purposes only. No copyright claim is made for the above mentioned information/pictures.



Tuesday 25 November 2014

Stamps with Holes/Design Perforations/Cut Outs - Update

 Category - Touch
Sub-Category - Stamps with Holes/Design Perforations/Cut Outs

Switzerland 2014 Pipilotti Rist Stamp sheet with design perforations





Issue date 13 Nov 2014

Pipilotti Rist, a Swiss Video Artist, has designed as stamp sheet dedicated to the five senses featuring a tongue. 

The sheetlet also features other four senses - Sight (Eye), Hearing (Ear), Touch (Fingerprint) and Smell (Nose) in the form of design perforations on the Sheet.

Our tongue can differentiate between 5 types of taste : Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter and Umami. Right you say - "New Taste Word learnt". What is Umami you say? Umami is known for the last few years, it is the taste of glutamate, a substance found in many foods that makes us perceive a food as strong in taste like parmesan cheese, Soya sauce or stock. Different areas of the tongue are responsible for recognizing the five flavors.

To view other stamps in this category click on the following link - 
Stamps with Holes/Design Perforations/Cut Outs


Disclaimer - Information about the stamp issues on this page has been taken from the net and are for informational purposes only. No copyright claim is made for the above mentioned information/pictures.

Saturday 22 November 2014

Trading Card Size Stamps

Category - Sight
Subcategory - Trading Card Size Stamps

Canada 2014 NHL Original Six Trading Card Size Stamps



Issue date 3 Oct 2014

Bobby Orr, Pierre Pilote, Red Kelly, Doug Harvey, Harry Howell and Tim Horton were among the great Canadian players that dominated the sport from the 1940s to the 1960s. They were part of NHL (National Hockey League) Teams as defence men.

Canada Post issued a souvenir sheet in the form of a trading card with details of the players on the reverse. These six souvenir sheets were sold in a packet with one in every 50 packets having a signed sheet by one of the above players. Each sheet size was of 52.5 mm x 79 mm. These sheets had a value of CAD2.50 (International postal rate in 2014)







Also issued was pane sheet of 6 stamps with team logo embossing of each player on the sides of the pane. The stamps were of the Domestic Rate and features as Permanent stamps for domestic postage. Stamp size 32 mm x 40 mm. 


You can also check the comparison of the Trading card sized stamps with the size of domestic stamps below





Disclaimer - Information about the stamp issues on this page has been taken from the net and are for informational purposes only. No copyright claim is made for the above mentioned information/pictures.

Tuesday 18 November 2014

Stamps with Thermochromic Ink Printing - Update

Category - Touch
Subcategory - Stamps with Thermochromic Ink Printing

Spain 2014 Christmas Tree with Thermochromic ink printing





Issue date 11 November 2014

Spanish Post has issued stamps for Christmas over the many years. This year a miniature sheet made up of 6 Class B stamps when joined together form a Christmas Tree. The miniature sheet as a whole forms a Postcard with a Christmas wish "Light up your Christmas". The stamps features thermal ink printed on the stars on the stamps which becomes white like stars shining when you heat up the stars with your hand.

The Christmas Tree usually of the Pine variety due to its evergreen color and symbolizes eternity. 

To view other stamps in this category click on the following link - 
Stamps with Thermochromic Ink Printing



Disclaimer - Information about the stamp issues on this page has been taken from the net and are for informational purposes only. No copyright claim is made for the above mentioned information/pictures.

Monday 17 November 2014

Unusual Postal Stationery - Update

Category - Sight
Subcategory - Unusual Covers, Envelopes, Folders and Postcards 

China 2012 Ci of the Song Dynasty Silk First Day Covers








Issue date 31 August 2012

China National Philatelic Corporation issued 2 sets of Silk First Day covers with a set of 6 Special stamps titled "Ci of the Song Dynasty".

Details of the stamps have been printed on the reverse of the silk FDC's 

To view other stamps in this category click on the following link - 
Unusual Postal Stationery

Disclaimer - Information about the stamp issues on this page has been taken from the net and are for informational purposes only. No copyright claim is made for the above mentioned information / pictures. 

Friday 14 November 2014

Stamps with Crystals - Update

Category - Touch
Subcategory - Stamps with Materials affixed - Crystals/Odd Shaped Stamps/Odd Shaped Miniature Sheet 

Niger 2014 Indian Gods - Lakshmi and Ganesha Miniature sheet with Red Swarovski Crystals







Issue date 10 September 2014 

Issued by Republic of Niger, the flower leaf shaped miniature sheet contains 2 round stamps depicting Indian Gods - Laxmi (Goddess of Wealth) and Ganesha (God of Wisdom) for the festival season which starts from Ganesh Chathurthi (29 August 2014) and ends with Diwali (22 October 2014) in India. The round stamps have been affixed with a Red Swarovski Crystal.

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with great devotion all over India. People bring home murtis (Idols) of Lord Ganesha and celebrate the festival by worshiping the Lord in a special way for a day and a half, 5 days, 7 days or 11 days depending on the family tradition and commitment of each individual. On the last day of worship the idol is taken out in a colourful and musical procession to be immersed traditionally at a beach.

Ganesha is the one who can remove all obstacles to success. He is the giver of fortune and can help to avoid natural calamities.

Diwali is one of the most important and colourful festivals of the Hindu calendar. It is a time when charity, goodwill, family values and the love of God are celebrated and reinforced.

Diwali or Divali also known as Deepavali and the "festival of lights", is an ancient Hindu festival. The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. Prayers are usually offered to Laxmi - Goddess of wealth and prosperity on the first day of Diwali.

To view other stamps in this category click on the following link - 
Stamps with Crystals
Odd Shaped Stamps
Odd Shaped Miniature Sheet 


Disclaimer - Information about the stamp issues on this page has been taken from the net and are for informational purposes only. No copyright claim is made for the above mentioned information/pictures. 

Tuesday 11 November 2014

Stamps with Rock Dust - Update

Category - Touch
Subcategory - Stamps with matter affixed - Rock dust      

Spain 2014 Ancient Cultures Menorca Talayótica Stone Monuments 






Issue date 01 Oct 2014

Spain Postal Authority Correos has issued a new stamp series devoted to Ancient Cultures which commemorates the settlers that occupied the Iberian Peninsula and the island territories thousands of years ago.

 The Talayotic settlements and the Torretrencada taula stone monument, in Menorca, are excellent examples of these ancestral cultures. An innovative aspect of the stamp is that it is encrusted with a small amount of limestone dust from the area where the monuments are found.

The island of Menorca has been populated since ancient times. Some historians date the existence of caves and burial sites in coastal precipices and cliffs back to the Iron Age, recognising different stages in the island’s history. The monuments most characteristic of the ancient cultures that populated the island are the talaiots, taulas and navetas.

A naveta is a megalithic burial monument, a collective ossuary, whose name is derived from its exterior resemblance to an upturned boat. Their floor plan is usually elongated, ending in an apse containing an inner chamber. These monuments indicate the existence of settlements. The most famous is the naveta des Tudons, near the town of Ciutadella.

The Talayotic culture, as represented by settlements with cyclopean, or mortar-free, stone monuments, is unique to the islands of Mallorca and Menorca. A talaiot is essentially a large, cone-shaped tower with a small inner chamber. These monuments can be found either in isolated spots or grouped within the settlements. There are some doubts as to their function, given that no complete structure stands to make it possible to assess it reliably. They could be guard towers for defensive purposes that simultaneously served funeral aims. It also seems probable that they were the centre of the dwellings of the tribe chieftains, whose units were placed along the outer edges. They could have a circular, oval or square floor plan. There are more than 200 of these monuments in Menorca. 

The taulas are distinctive monuments unique to the island of Menorca. Each one consists of a massive cut stone set into the ground and topped by another in a horizontal position, forming a capital “T.” It is thought that they might be supports for architectural structures or be for a merely religious purpose.

The Torretrencada taula, in the Talayotic settlement of the same name, has a reinforcement pillar at the back, but the walls of the site have disappeared almost completely. It was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1966.

(Subject matter taken from the Spanish Philatelic Website - Beautiful descriptions of the ancient structures which I felt needed to described as is. Hope to visit it someday.)

To view other stamps in this category click on the following link - 
Stamps with Rock Dust


Disclaimer - Information about the stamp issues on this page has been taken from the net and are for informational purposes only. No copyright claim is made for the above mentioned information/pictures. 

Friday 7 November 2014

Stamps with Holes/Design Perforations/Cut Outs - Update

Category - Touch
Sub-Category - Stamps with Holes/Design Perforations/Cut Outs / Odd Shaped Miniature Sheet 

Liechtenstein 2014 Chinese Zodiac - Year of the Sheep Miniature Sheet




Issue date 10 November 2014

To commemorate the next Chinese year (19 February 2015 to 7 February 2016), following the issue of Special Stamps on the Chinese zodiac signs, Liechtenstein has issued the special stamp on the chinese zodiac sign of the “sheep” (value: CHF 1.90).

The year 2015 will be ruled by the gentle wood sheep. In China, it is said that the sheep is a bearer of peace or creator of harmony but it can also nag until justice is done.

People born in the Year of the Sheep are usually good-natured and friendly as well as artistically talented and elegant. But they are also often thoughtful, shy and pessimistic. Although they are not very eloquent, they empathically and passionately stand up for whatever they believe in. As a result, particularly the fine arts, such as painting, writing or acting, benefit from the wood sheep. All manner of domestic arts such as cooking or interior decoration are also popular this year.In contrast, sports or other physical activities are not the favourites of the sheep.

The motif was designed in the shape of a delicate silhouette and produced using ultramodern laser technology with the colour red, the symbol for luck in China. All the prints are affixed in high-grade gold foil embossing. The 4-stamp sheetlet is also cut in the shape of a sheep.


To view other stamps in this category click on the following link - 
Stamps with Holes
Odd Shaped Miniature Sheet 

Disclaimer - Information about the stamp issues on this page has been taken from the net and are for informational purposes only. No copyright claim is made for the above mentioned information/pictures.

Tuesday 4 November 2014

Stamps with World Record - Update

Category Sight
Subcategory - Stamp with World Records 

Switzerland 1996 Guinness World Record 10'070 people on a Swiss Stamp    






Issued on 22 June 1996

Swiss Post issued a special stamp which created a record in the Guinness Book of world records using 10070 people to assemble on a Bern football stadium to create the "largest living stamp".

The stamp was designed by Jean Benoit Levy.

To view other stamps in this category click on the following link - 
Stamps with World Record 


Disclaimer - Information about the stamp issues on this page has been taken from the net and are for informational purposes only. No copyright claim is made for the above mentioned information/pictures.





Saturday 1 November 2014

Stamps with Interactive Games - Update

Category - Sight
Subcategory - Stamps with Interactive Games  

Happy Halloween...

Austria 2013 Halloween Cartoon Jigsaw Puzzle Miniature Sheet



Issue Date 14 October 2013

On the occasion of Halloween, Austria Post has issued a miniature sheet with comic Jigsaw puzzle stamps. 

Halloween or  All Hallows Eve or All saints eve is celebrated annually on 31 October dedicated to remembering the dead including saints (hallows) and martyrs.

Typical festive Halloween activities include trick or treating, attending costume parties, decorating and carving pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns, visiting haunted house attractions, telling scary stories around bonfires and watching scary movies.


To view other stamps in this category click on the following link - 
Stamps with Interactive Games

Disclaimer - Information about the stamp issues on this page has been taken from the net and are for informational purposes only. No copyright claim is made for the above mentioned information/pictures.