Postage Stamp Collecting Update
Is stamp collecting lucrative?
In the edition of Collect in 2010 (number 66) TNT gave you the advice to keep stamps. "What philatelists already know, is now scientifically proven: collecting stamps is a lucrative business," says the magazine of the stamp seller. This is certainly a handy trick to persuade wavering buyers. TNT suggests that buying postage stamps will always lead to profit and is never a waste of money, but is it really?
Is stamp collecting lucrative?
Breeding Penguins
This stamp issue illustrates the breeding penguins of the Falkland Islands. Local photographer Alan Henry and Reinhard Mischke took the pictures for the postage stamps. The set comprises of six Airmail Postcard rate postage stamps (currently 55p) showing the head profile of each type of the five breeding penguins and an unusual picture of an albino Rockhopper penguin. Penguins are generally regarded as being synonymous with the Falkland Islands and attract a great number of tourists each year to our shores. The stamps are available singly in sheetlets of 10 and combined in a souvenir sheet.
Breeding Penguins
Britain's Longest Reigning Monarchs
On 21 December 2007 Elizabeth II became Britain's oldest reigning monarch surpassing Queen Victoria who died aged 81 years, seven months, four weeks and one day on 22 January 1901 and George III five days earlier. However, Queen Elizabeth II still has several years to go before becoming the longest reigning monarch. The Queen, the fifth longest-reigning monarch in 1,000 years of British history, will on March 5 next year overtake Henry III, who reigned for 56 years from 12161272. It will be 2011 before she passes the record of King James VI of Scotland and I of England and then 2012 before she overtakes George III, who served for 59 years from 17601820. With Queen Victoria remaining as the longest serving monarch who ruled the Empire for almost 64 years, providing Queen Elizabeth is still on the throne on 9 September 2015, she will take Queen Victoria's place.
Britain's Longest Reigning Monarchs
Christmas and Henry VII
The Christmas Stamp of Luxembourg this year, depicting a roe deer, is the work of well-known Belgian wildlife artist André Buzin. He is the artist of more than 300 postage stamp designs around the world.
Christmas and Henry VII
Court of Justice
To build Europe, the member States have entered into treaties forming the European Community, then a European Union, supported by institutions, which adopt the rules of law in specified fields.Luxembourg issued a special postage stamp on 2 December 2008.
Court of Justice
Great Pipe Organs
This third collection of special postage stamps traces in sound and vision the History of some of the most beautiful pipe organs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and is part of a special series which began in 2006.
Great Pipe Organs of Luxembourg
RMS Queen Elizabeth 2
The contract to build Cunard's replacement for the Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mary was signed between Cunard Line and John Brown (Clydebank) Limited on 30th December 1964. However it was not until September 1967 that her enormous hull was ready to slide down the spillways into the Clyde, launched by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Farewell to RMS Queen Elizabeth 2
Finnish Christmas stamps
On the Finnish Christmas stamps, bear fetch their Christmas tree and forest animals dance in a round game. At the same date, the transparent Frosty Night stamp was issued. Finland's Christmas stamps were issued on 6 November 2008.
Finnish Christmas stamps
Nordenskiöld
Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld, the famous Finnish-born scientist and explorer, is the subject of a miniature sheet with two 1st class non-value indicator stamps to be issued on 20 October 2008. A Norwegian-born Swede Martin Mörck designed these stamps.
Nordenskiöld
Falkland Islands' coastline
The Falklands' coastline is enriched by a series of magnificent bluffs and numerous offshore islands and stacks. The postage stamps in this series illustrate both some of the best-known and other more obscure examples of these features. Many are seldom seen other than from the air and can only be visited by way of a long and arduous boat ride. Their very remoteness has meant that, in certain cases, they have remained almost untouched by man and free of introduced species. Such islands have retained the qualities of true wilderness remaining, as they have, virtually unchanged for thousands of years.
Falkland Islands' coastline
Christmas on Ascension Island
Raymond Briggs was born in Wimbledon Park, London, in 1934. At the age of fifteen he went to the local art school and then studied painting for two more years at the Slade School of Fine Art and here he was awarded 'The Diploma of Fine Art (London University)'. Since leaving the Slade School of Fine Art in 1957 he has been a freelance illustrator, book designer and writer producing a number of highly successful illustrated books including The Snowman, Fungus the Bogeyman, When the Wind Blows and Father Christmas, many of which have won prizes including the Kate Greenaway Award.
Christmas on Ascension Island
Port Louis on Falkland Islands
The history of the discovery of the Falkland Islands is somewhat complicated, as there are claims that a number of different explorers first sighted one or other of the many Islands, which make up the group.
Port Louis on Falkland
NAMSA and Happy
Luxembourg issued a special postage stamp for the 50th anniversary of NAMSA. In 1958, NAMSA (NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency) was founded in France. Since 1968, this primary management and logistical support organization of NATO has been headquartered in Capellen.
NAMSA and Happy
Mika Waltari and Kimi Räikkönen
On 5 September 2008, a total of 11 new postage stamps were issued in four separate issues in Finland. Two of the issues are miniature sheets. One of them celebrates author Mika Waltari, who was born a century ago this year, and the other honors the 2007 Formula One World Champion, Kimi Räikkönen.
Mika Waltari and Kimi Räikkönen
Greetings from Luxembourg
In 2008 the P&T Grand Prix for philatelic illustration by young people took place from 10 September 2007 to 29 February 2008. The drawing competition was organized by the P&T Stamp Office in partnership with the National Tourist Office, Luxembourg City Tourist Office, the Museum of History of the City of Luxembourg and the Ministry of National Education.
Greetings from Luxembourg
The Fourth International Polar Year was launched in March 2007 and runs to March 2009 to allow for two field seasons at both Poles. Falkland Islands released a set of four postage stamps depicting four famous polar explorers.
This collection of six postage stamps celebrates the world of James Bond novels written by their originator, Ian Fleming. Each stamp includes an original Cape book cover, as well as three others from later editions. The first-ever Bond novel, Casino Royale, is featured, and Dr No, Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever, For Your Eyes Only and From Russia with Love are also part of this very special collection.
The stamps of Ascension Island are produced in sheetlets of eight. A very attractive photograph of Princess Diana, Princess of Wales appears in the border. The FDC depicts Princess Diana during her visit to Leicester in May 1997.
On 1 August 2008 a new definitive series on Falkland Islands was released, comprising of twelve new stamps depicting airplanes that flew above the Falkland Islands.
Helsinki City Transport and the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council hosted a major public transport event in Helsinki: the 57th world conference of the International Association of Public Transport.
In their Centennial Year it is right that the 29 million Scouts worldwide should look back on the pioneering work of the past and the success it has brought. Sea Scouts still flourish across the globe.
Had it not been for the Falklands war in 1982 the Vulcan would have flown for its entire service life without ever dropping a bomb in anger. Although the primary weapon for the Vulcan was nuclear, it could carry up to 21 x 1000 lb bombs and 30 years after its maiden flight the Vulcan was able to successfully complete what was to become the longest successful combat flight in history (until the 15t Gulf War).
Two miniature sheets were issued at the same time as the Christmas stamps in November 2007. The Memories of Finland miniature sheet celebrates outstanding years of Finnish independence. The miniature sheet includes eight stamps showing the lives of Finns, using real pictures from Finnish home photo albums. The other miniature sheet is a joint issue with the postal operator of Hong Kong. It is comprised of two stamps, one of which shows modern Finnish crafts and the other ancient craft work from China.