Stamps with Rock Dust - Update

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

Switzerland 2016 Gottardo stamp with rock dust from the Gotthard

Issue date 11 May 2016

Swiss Post to celebrate the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel has issued a special stamp with real rock dust from the Gotthard. Stones from the Gotthard tunnel were extracted, ground into a fine powder and added to the stamps to create the “Gottardo 2016” special stamp. The stamps shows the stations at both end of the tunnel - Erstfeld and Bodio station.


On 1 June 2016, the worlds longest tunnel opened which allowed the Gotthard Shuttle to travel at 200 km/hour. The Gotthard Base tunnel has opened up new prospects for the north and south. At 57 kilometres in length, it is a world-record-breaking tunnel. 28,200,000 tonnes of rock were excavated during the construction process, and 325 trains a day are set to speed through the massif. 

According to ancient legend, the giant Gott­hard perched up high on the granite and gneiss of the massif has parted the waters, the four winds and the cardinal points, dividing cultures, languages and mentalities and dashing all human dreams of mobility and freedom of movement. 

There are few stories of individuals who have somehow succeeded in climbing over the giant’s shoulders. The wild Schöllenen Gorge was conquered – with the construction of a swaying footbridge in the 1200s and, finally, a bridge allegedly built with the aid of the devil which allowed mule trains to pass. The mule tracks were replaced by pass roads which allowed horse drawn mail coaches to pass through. 1980 saw the opening of the road tunnel and the story continued till the opening of the base tunnel.

The rock dust printed on the stamp when viewed at an angle

To view how these special stamps were issued see following video from swiss post website

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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. The pictures have been scanned from my collection. The pictures have been scanned from my collection.

Glow in the Dark Stamp Under UV Stamps - Update

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

Croatia 2010 Minerals and Rocks Stamps with glow in dark printing and embossing

Issue date 22 October 2010

Croatian Post  has issued two postage stamps depicting agate found near the city of Lepoglava and limestone from the island of Brac. 

Stone Top (or Gaveznica) is a fossil volcano near Lepoglava, formed about 22 million years, where agate was first discovered in Croatia, because of which the site was declared a geological natural monument. The stone itself was used as early as the Stone Age, made evident by tools found in nearby caves. It comes in shades varying from light blue to gray and black and is, like many other types of agate, very popular in jewelry making.

Calcite is one of the most common minerals and is mostly found in limestone which forms some of Croatia’s most beautiful mountains. The famous stone from the island of Brac, sometimes referred to as “Brac marble,” has been known since ancient times and was used in the construction of many notable structures, such as Diocletian’s Palace in Split or the parliament buildings in Vienna and Budapest.

The stamps are printed with glow in the dark under UV security logo of the Croatian Post (found in most Croatian stamps) and one of the limestone stamp has embossing while the other stamp has a varnish printed on the stamp

Glow in Dark under UV

Varnish printing on lower left stamp

Embossing on the upper right stamp

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Glow in the Dark Stamp Under UV Stamps 
Embossed Stamps
Stamps with Varnish 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. The pictures have been scanned from my collection.

Metal Foil Stamps - Update

Category - Sight
Subcategory - Metal Foil - Tin Stamps / 3D Hologram 

China 2008 Beijing Olympic Games - The Games of The XXIX Olympiad - The Opening Memorial (tinfoil) minisheet with holographic effect printed on Tin foil  

Issue date 20 December 2007

China Post issued a special 3D holographic minisheet on tin foil to commemorate the opening ceremony of the The XXIX Olympiad held in Beijing from August 8 to 24, 2008. the opening date coincides with the auspicious chinese date of 08.08.08.

Stamps were printed on tin foil with a 3D holographic printing giving out different light colours when viewed at an angle.

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3D - Holographic Stamps
Metal Foil 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.

Silver Stamps - Update

Category - Touch
Subcategory - Silver Stamps

Netherlands 2013 Abdication of Throne Queen Beatrix (1980-2013) to King Willem-Alexander (2013) 3D Silver Stamp

Issue date 30 April 2013

NL Post to commemorate the change of throne from Queen Beatrix to King Willem Alexander, has issued a special 3D Silver Stamp. One can send a domestic registered letter with this stamp.


To view other stamps in this category click on the following link - 
Silver 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.  The pictures have been scanned from my collection.

Stamps with Wood Chips - Update

Category - Touch
Subcategory - Stamps with wood chips printed

Australia 2015 The battle of Lone Pine Medallion Album with wood chips printed on the stamp

Wood chips printed on the tree trunk and branches as well on LONE PINE heading

Wood chips printed on the trench wooden bars of the stamp 

Wood shavings enclosed in the medallion on the album folder

Issue date 14 April 2015

As part of the Centenary of World War I commemoration, Australia Post has issued The Battle of Lone Pine Medallion Album folder which includes a minisheet featuring shavings from the Australian War Memorial - Lone Pine tree as part of the printing process. The stamp on the minisheet was issued as part of a set of 5 stamps for commemorating the Gallipoli Campaign Centenary.

The Battle of Lone Pine was fought between Australian and Ottoman Empire forces during the Gallipoli Campaign of the First World War, between 6 and 10 August 1915.

The folder contains a wonderfully designed medallion that contains shavings from the Australian War Memorial Lone Pine tree grown from a seed brought back from Gallipoli. Shavings used are from a branch that feel during a storm in 2008.

A limited edition of 3000 folders with the unusual minisheet was issued.

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Stamps with Wood Chips


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.  The pictures have been scanned from my collection.

Embossed Gold Stamps - Update

Category - Touch
Subcategory - Embossed Gold Stamps


Japan 2016 Greetings from Japan 24K Gold foil stamps

Issue date 29 January 2016

Japan Post has issued a special stamps set to remind people at home and abroad of the beauty of Japan. 

The design of the stamps is "Ukiyoe" which is said to have had a great influence on the art history of Europe. "Fugaku Sanjurokkei" by Katsushika Hokusai who drew "Mt. Fuji", the representative nature of Japan, is depicted on the stamps. Gold foil hot stamping is used as a part of the design since Marco Polo introduced Japan as "Golden Country". 

Stamps are included in a folded cover on which a certificate of gold leaf and a stamp description are printed. Sale price is 8.000 yen.

The Scan does no justice to the beautiful sheet .. hence producing it from the post office picture

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Embossed Gold 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.  The pictures have been scanned from my collection.

Cloth Stamps - Update

Category - Touch
Subcategory - Cloth Stamps

Mongolia 2006 800th Anniversary of Mongolian Empire Silk Souvenir Sheet

Issue date 09 October 2006

Mongolia Post has issued a Special Miniature sheet on silk featuring a painting by D.Erdenebileg, to commemorate  800th anniversary of Mongolian Empire.

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Cloth 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. The pictures have been scanned from my collection.

3D - Motion Stamps - Update

Category - Sight
Subcategory - 3D - Motion Stamps  

Canada 2016 Star Trek 50th Anniversary – Lenticular Souvenir Sheet 

Issue date 5 May 2016

On the occasion of the Star Trek's 50th Anniversary, Canada Post pays tribute to the "Transporter" which used to instantly beam people from one place to another (most of the time - in the nick of the action) with lenticular stamp images from one of the greatest episodes of the original series, “The City on the Edge of Forever.” The transporter on Star Trek worked by converting its subjects into an energy pattern to beam them to their target, then rematerializing them into matter.

The stamps show crew members magically appearing and disappearing: on the transporter platform of the U.S.S. Enterprise and through a time portal known as the Guardian of Forever.

A  “lenticular” printing process was applied to the stamp which made the images appear to move when viewed from different angles.

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3D - Motion 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.  The pictures have been scanned from my collection.

Wood and Wood Paper Stamps - Update

Category - Touch
Subcategory - Stamps made from different material - Wood

Djibouti  1983 50th Anniversary of Air France Wooden Stamp MS

Issue date 7 October 1983

Postal Authorities of the Republic of Djibouti has issued a self-adhesive souvenir sheet, printed on wood which commemorates Air France 50th anniversary. The miniature sheet features the Air France Concord and other biplanes.

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Wood and Wood Paper 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.  The pictures have been scanned from my collection.

Stamps with Hidden image - Update

Category - Sight
Subcategory - Stamps with Hidden image /    Stamps with Micro text Printing

USA 1998 Red Fox Stamp with hidden image

Issue date 14 August 1998

The red fox ranges more widely than any terrestrial carnivore, spanning most of North America and Eurasia, with several populations in North Africa. 

Red foxes are most commonly a rusty red with white underbelly, black ear tips and legs, and a bushy tail with a distinctive white tip. They eat rodents, insects, fruits, worms, eggs, mice, birds, and other small animals.The red fox is the state land mammal of Mississippi (1997).

“RED FOX” can be found microprinted on a branch at the bottom of the design and “USPS” is microprinted on the splintered end of the limb on which the fox is lying.  and a scrambled indicia image of a fox printed in the lower left corner of the design which is visible using a special decoder lens. 

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Stamps with Hidden image
Stamps with Micro text 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. The pictures have been scanned from my collection.