Stamp Collecting News for Beginners and Philatelists

The Isle of Man Post Office is pleased to present a special issue of stamps to celebrate Christmas 2007.

This highly decorative set has been produced entirely as a self-adhesive stamp issue (and in sheets of 20 stamps) in response to popular public demand. The stamps also ulitise silver litho and advanced varnish printing techniques. It is the first time that the IOM Post Office has produced a 'self-adhesive-only' issue, making the First Day Cover in particular highly collectable.

Local artist Julia Ashby Smyth, who was commissioned to produce this year's Christmas stamps, describes her working process: "Using the carol Hark the Herald Angels Sing as the theme, I wanted to create a serene gentle flowing quality and included the lute, harp and trumpet to give a musical lilt. Just as I was starting these illustrations, I went to see the falconry display at the Wildlife Park, where I had the opportunity to get up close and personal with the hawks and falcons. I managed to get loads of photos of wings which were extremely useful."

Tags: Christmas Isle of Man 

Former First Lady Betty Ford will join Postmaster General John E. Potter on Friday, August 31 to dedicate the stamp bearing her husband's image at 10 a.m., PT in Palm Desert, CA, at the McCallum Theatre. A similar dedication ceremony will occur simultaneously in Grand Rapids, MI, at the President Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum at 1 p.m. ET. The Gerald R. Ford commemorative stamp honoring the Nation's 38th President will be available nationwide Friday, August 31.

Tags: USA 

This stamp release commemorates the APEC Australia 2007 Economic Leaders Meeting held in Sydney.

The APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit, held over 8–9 September, is the culmination of a series of meetings that have been held around Australia since January 2007. These are the most significant international meetings ever held in Australia.

Tags: Australia 

In 1947, as the people of Great Britain were rebuilding their lives after the devastation of World War II, a Royal celebration heralded nationwide rejoicing. On 20 November, Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (the elder daughter of King George VI, and soon to be Queen Elizabeth II) married His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh – an occasion we remember in 2007 as the couple celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary.

Tags: New Zealand Royal Wedding 

Ten of the most beautiful wildlife and scenic U.S. postage stamps to be issued this year will be unveiled in their home setting of Rocky Mountain National Park Aug. 28. The U.S. Postal Service will bring awareness to the importance of our natural ecosystems with the issuance of the new 41-cent Nature of America: Alpine Tundrastamps.

Tags: USA 

In August 1987, the Estonian fight for freedom had advanced to the stage where it was possible to gather under political slogans. For the first time a meeting was held without the restricting framework of Soviet propaganda. The demonstration at Hirvepark broke the dam, so to say, and allowed the events leading to the restoration of Estonia's independence to take their course.

Tags: Estonia 

Bollywood actress and former Miss World is to feature on a new 100 rupee postage stamp in time for her birthday on November 1st this year.

The stamp's design is still a closely guarded secret but philately sources have hinted strongly that like her latest New York Madam Tussaud's waxwork statue Aishwarya will be portrayed as four months pregnant.

Tags: India 

Huttpex 2007 is a New Zealand Post sponsored National Stamp Exhibition to be held at the Lower Hutt Town Hall Complex between 31 August and 2 September 2007.

FIP (International Philatelic Federation) Qualifying classes at the exhibition include: Postal History, Aerophilately, Thematic, Revenues, Maximaphily and Youth as well as the stamp classes there are a number of postcard exhibits.

Non-FIP Qualifying Classes: Polar, First Day Cover (first time at a New Zealand National Stamp Exhibition), Cinderella and Youth Development.

Tags: New Zealand 

The SEPAC group of post offices (Small European Postal Administrations Cooperation) will launch their first joint stamp issue in the new SEPAC collection on 1 October this year.

The member post offices in the SEPAC Group are Aland Post, Faroes Post, Gibraltar Philatelic Bureau, Post Greenland, Guernsey Post Ltd, Iceland Post, Isle of Man Post, Jersey Post Ltd, Liechtenstein Post Corp., Maltapost plc, Monaco Post and San Marino Post.

Tags: SEPAC 

The Italian mail service Poste Italiane has announced that it will be issuing a new postage stamp on 22 September featuring Italy's seven protected donkey breeds. The animals featured are the "Romagnolo", "Martina Franca", "Ragusano", "Amiata", "Pantelleria", "Sardo" and "Asinara", named after the regions or localities where they originated.

Tags: Italy 

Souvenir-sheet
Price: 1.85 ˆ

Twenty nations will compete in the Rugby World Cup 2007. The finals tournament, held mainly in France but with some matches played in Cardiff and Edinburgh, will take place between 7th September and 20th October, and the matches will be spread between 12 stadiums.

Portugal, where rugby is an amateur sport, is contending for the first time - the first time in the history of the Rugby World Cup that a country where rugby is not played professionally has reached the major tournament.

Tags: Portugal 

In a world where tumult and destruction dominate the headlines, we all hope for peace – especially for our children and their children's children.

These stamps illustrate the 'Peaceful World' theme through some well known symbols of peace from nature – the peace lily, the dove and the Japanese crane. Held safely in children's hands, they communicate the importance of trust, respect and a willingness to change: 'hands on peace'.

Tags: New Zealand 

Tomorrow, the U.S. Postal Service salutes a World War II veteran who rose from the rank of private to retire as a brigadier general — one of the highest ranks ever achieved by a Hollywood actor. During World War II, as a B-24 combat pilot and commander, James Stewart flew 20 missions over Germany including one over Berlin. His first movie after the war was It's a Wonderful Life.

Tags: USA 

Say "Disney" and the word "magic" springs to mind, along with visions of genies, sorcerers, and pixie dust—but Disney magic is more than mere fantasy. U.S. Postal Service will dedicate new 41-cent Art of Disney: Magic stamps at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Walt Disney World Resort in central FL near Orlando, bringing magic to the mail.

Tags: USA 

To celebrate the ongoing and remarkable success of the Irish rugby team, and in anticipation of the Rugby World Cup, An Post will issue two special stamps on 20 August 2007.

Tags: Ireland 

The huge riverside forests along the Danube are home to the white-tailed eagle, and represent the link behind the joint Austria-Serbia issue.

Tags: Austria Serbia 

Continuing the series of animals on stamps, Royal Mail's block of 10 stamps shows birds identified by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) as endangered.

Tags: United Kingdom 

As usual Royal Mail will issue a set of 6 Christmas stamps, a miniature sheet and a Smilers Sheet. This year's Christmas stamps mark a return to a religious theme with traditional Italianate representations of angels created by Italian illustrator Marco Ventura who works on gesso coated paper. The stamps will be issued in definitive and large sizes. The two Madonna stamps were produced in reaction to a popular demand for stamps bearing an overtly Christian image and will be reissued in future years.

Tags: Christmas United Kingdom 

The U.S. Postal Service showcases the beauty of nature's fresh flowers with the nationwide issuance of the 41-cent Beautiful Bloomsstamps Aug. 10 in Portland, OR.

The stamps are offered in booklets and in coils — a format favored by frequent mailers. The 10 unique designs show flowers that can be found throughout America — in gardens, lakes and backyards — coast to coast.

Tags: USA 

On 7 August An Post were proud to issue a 55c stamp to mark Ireland's Viking Heritage and the reconstruction of the Skuldelev 2.

The stamp features the huge Viking ship Skuldelev 2, which was excavated in 1962 at the bottom of the Roskilde Fjord in Denmark. The longboat has been fully reconstructed following a three year restoration project, and a crew of 65 men and women will be attempting to sail the ship from Denmark back to Dublin, where the ship was built.

Tags: Ireland 

With this 13th stamp in the "Legends of Hollywood" series, the U.S. Postal Service honors James Stewart, a quintessential American film hero whose lanky physique, drawling speech and naturalistic acting style made the characters he played seem "real."

Tags: USA 

The U.S. Postal Service dedicated the new Purple Heart stamp today during a ceremony at Walter Reed Army Medical Center where two wounded soldiers — Army Sergeant Robert Evans and Private First Class Marcus Labadie — were awarded Purple Hearts by General Colin L. Powell (Retired).

Tags: USA 

This commemorative stamp issue in support of WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) features the Royal Penguin which inhabits the region of the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT).

Tags: Australia 

Due to the phenomenal success of the original 'Wedding' stamp which was issued on 26 January at N rate, AN Post have now issued the same Wedding stamp but with the new 55c rate denomination.

Tags: Ireland 

If you've always wanted to own a boat but could never afford one, you'll be able to own a fleet of four for the price of First-Class Mail postage when the US Postal Service issues the Vintage Mahogany Speedboats commemorative stamps tomorrow.

Tags: USA 

Superstars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are set to join the Queen, the Pope and the nation's sporting heroes by being immortalised in an Australia Post stamp.

Tags: Australia 

Isle of Man Post have issued a new set of stamps featuring maps of the Island taken throughout the ages.

The six stamps each feature a map of the Isle of Man taken from different periods, with the earliest based on a personal survey conducted by Thomas Durham in 1595.

Tags: Isle of Man 

Members of the Royal Family are accustomed to their lives being of great interest to the public and particularly the media. Happily, in the year of their Diamond Wedding Anniversary, it is the durability of The Queen and Prince Philip's marriage that is currently attracting attention.

These stamps celebrate the relationship of Britain's premier couple and feature: a young couple clearly in love (32p), married, and enjoying parenthood (37p), off duty and relaxing at home (45p), travelling the world together (48p), proud grandparents (50p), older but still active (71p).

Issue Date: 2 August 2007

Tags: Guernsey Royal Wedding United Kingdom