Past Bird of the Year Issues

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April 16, 2025

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BirdLife International is a global family of 123 national partners covering all continents, landscapes and seascapes and the official scientific source of information on birds for the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. BirdLife International’s mission is to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people toward sustainability in the use of natural resources. The stamps seen here were issued in collaboration with BirdLife International and various postal authorities.

Solomon Islands produced the magnificent stamp sheets above and below in 2004 and 2005 respectively. The top six stamps depict: the West Solomons Owl (Athene jacquinoti), a Solomons Nightjar (Eurostopodus nigripennis), the Guadalcanal Owl (Athene granti), a Marbled Frogmouth (Podargus ocellatus) and the Hawk Owl (Ninox jacquinoti). The middle sheet features the Beach Kingfisher (Todiramphus saurophaga), the Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris), the Ultramarine Kingfisher (Todiramphus leucopygius), the Moustached Kingfisher (Actenoides bougainvillei), the Little Kingfisher (Alcedo pusilla) and the Variable Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx lepidus). Bottom six show: the Rufous-tailed Waterhen (Amaurornis moluccana), the Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus phillapensis), Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio), Woodford’s Rail (Nesoclopeus woodfordi), the Roviana Rail (Gallirallus rovianae) and the Makira Woodhen (Gallinula silvestris).

Top sheet shows: Finsch’s Pygmy Parrot (Micropsitta finschii), a Cardinal Lory (Pseudeos cardinalis), the Solomons Corella (Cacatua ducorpsii), a Moluccan Eclectus (Eclectus roratus), a Coconut Lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus) and a Song Parrot (Geoffroyus heteroclitus). in the middle is: a Red-knobbed Imperial Pigeon (Ducula rubricera), the Yellow-bibbed Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus solomonensis), the Claret-breasted Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus viridis), a Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica), Stephan’s Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps stephani) and the Crested Cuckoo-Dove (Reinwardtoena crassirostris). The bottom sheet has: the Pied Goshawk (Accipiter albogularis), an Imitator Goshawk (Accipiter imitator), a Buff-headed Coucal (Centropus milo), a Black-faced Pitta (Pitta anerythra), the Melanesian Megapode (Megapodius eremita) and Blyth’s Hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus).

Kyrgyzstan is active with its BirdLife International issues. Above, from 2019 is the Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax).

The following year’s stamp featured the White-browed tit-warbler (Leptopoecile sophiae) a rare, non-migratory bird native to Kyrgyzstan. It belongs to the Long-tailed tit family of birds from the order Passerine. This is one of the smallest representatives of Kyrgyz fauna.

Then, the 2021 and 2023 stamps had the Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) and the Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus), a migratory bird from the duck family. A characteristic feature of the appearance of these geese is the presence of two black bars on the crown and nape. In Kyrgyzstan, they nest exclusively on the high mountain lake Chatyr-Kul.

From Belarus, its BirdLife International stamps from 2020 and 2022 depicted the Western Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) and, below, an Azure Tit (Cyanistes cyanus).

Rubik’s Cube

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April 10, 2025

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The Rubik’s Cube (Magic Cube) is a mechanical puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and architecture professor Ernő Rubik. It was patented in Hungary in 1975 and gained extraordinary worldwide popularity during the 1980s. Both Hungary and Kyrgyzstan produced stamps to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its appearance.

The player’s task is to “solve the Rubik’s Cube” by rotating its faces to restore it to its original state, where each face consists of squares of the same colour. Enthusiasts of speed-solving the Rubik’s Cube are called speedcubers, and the activity itself is known as speedcubing. In the classic 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube speedcubing discipline, the current world record for a single attempt is 3.13 seconds, set by American Max Park. Speedcubing competitions are held at the European, Asian and world levels.

In May 2024, a robot developed by Mitsubishi Electric engineers set a new Guinness World Record by solving the Rubik’s Cube in 0.305 seconds, surpassing the previous record.

In addition to mechanical versions, electronic versions of the Rubik’s Cube also exist.

Recently Added to Stock

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April 4, 2025

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A fine collection of Vatican City stamps has been added to PostBeeld’s stock, a selection of which is seen here, along with many other interesting items. Check the Freestampcatalogue.com website often for the latest stock updates.

Pope Pius XI (31 May 1857-10 February 1939), was elected Pope and head of the Catholic Church in 1922. Upon the creation of the Vatican City as an independent state in 1929 he became its first “sovereign”. He remained pope until his death in February 1939. At top we have the first definitive stamps issued by Vatican City after becoming an independent state.

Here is a fine set of 1931 definitives overprinted “Per Pacchi” (parcel post).

Above, six 1931 postage due overprints.

The eighteen stamps above were issued by Vatican City in 1933. The stamps have differing values and designs and there are two special delivery stamps. Four of the stamps feature the Vatican Gardens and the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. The special delivery stamps show an aerial view of Vatican City State.

And here is an overprinted 1934 Provisional Series set.

Definitives from 1939, the year of Pius XI’s death. The stamps are overprinted “Sede Vacante”, the period when the Holy See (the jurisdiction of the Pope in Rome) lacks a pope. The Latin phrase is commonly used in reference to the time between the end of one papacy and the beginning of another.

Great stamp sheet issued by Canada in 2002. The stamp sheet has eight stamps showing mountains from different indicated continents. The mountains are (clockwise from the top): Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Aconcagua (Argentina), Mount McKinley (USA), Mount Logan (Canada), Elbrus (Russia), Puncak Java (Indonesia) and Mount Everest (Nepal/China).

Many Ukrainian stamps added to the catalogue, including the frog/toad stamps shown here and two fine Ukrainian stamp minisheets depicting Chinese zodiac creatures.

And a great new selection of items from China. Above, a 1997 stamp sheet overprinted Year 2000. Below, a Chinese fairy stories stamp sheet.

The last stamps are from Ghana. Above, issued to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Penny Black in 1990.

And finally, from 1995, a Water Birds sheet and two Olympic Games stamps produced for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

New Great Britain Myths & Legends Stamps

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March 26, 2025

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New Great Britain Myths & Legends Stamps

Great Britain’s Royal Mail has issued eight new square First Class stamps telling the story of some of the United Kingdom’s popular myths and legends – from the heroic Beowulf to the legendary Loch Ness Monster.

Artist Adam Simpson’s beautiful and evocative illustrations bring to life these fabled figures of folklore in vibrant, enchanting detail. The stamp below depicts the warrior Beowulf battling with his arch enemy Grendel.

The epic poem “Beowulf” deals with events of the early 6th century and was possibly composed c.700–750. It tells the story of the Scandinavian hero Beowulf, who gains fame as a young man by vanquishing the monster Grendel and Grendel’s mother. Later, as an ageing king, he kills a dragon but dies soon after, honoured and lamented.

From Welsh mythology comes the story of Blodeuwedd, a character from the stories of the Mabinogi. The Mabinogi is a collection of mythical Welsh tales divided into four parts.

Scotland’s Loch Ness Monster is probably the most well-known of the myths.

Cornish Piskies (Pixies) were a mythical fairy tribe in Cornwall, said to have been helpful yet mischievous and often blamed for leading travellers astray.

Fionn Mac Cumhail or Finn MacCool was the legendary giant Irish warrior/hunter who led a band of Irish warriors known as the Fianna and created what is known as the Giant’s Causeway, now one of Ireland’s biggest tourist attractions.

Eastern England’s Suffolk Coast is known to be steeped in ancient legends and myths, not least the chilling tale of a ghostly dog by the name of Black Shuck! The beast is said to roam the coastline and countryside of East Anglia, its name possibly derived from the old English word ‘succa’ meaning devil.

In England’s red and white rose counties Lancashire and Yorkshire, there are folk tales of small, scaly humanoid creatures with green skin. They have sharp teeth and vicious claws at the end of their long fingers. These creatures, called the Grindylow, supposedly live in marshes and ponds, waiting to ambush prey. When a child comes too close to the water surface, the Grindylow snatches it and drags its victim under the water.

A selkie is a marine legend, with roots in Irish and Scottish mythology, that tells of people who are half fish and half-human. In the water, they are seals, but on land, they shed their skin and take on human form.

Denmark’s PostNord will deliver its final letter at the end of 2025!

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March 18, 2025

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Denmark’s PostNord will deliver its final letter at the end of 2025!

PostNord will deliver its final letter in Denmark at the end of 2025 and focus its business on one core service from 2026: Parcels. Our goal is to become the Danes’ preferred parcel courier. Research shows a decrease of more than 90 percent. in the volume of letters handled by PostNord Danmark from 2000 to 2024. It’s rather ironic that PostNord issued the stamps below in 2024, beautifully designed by Thomas Thorhauge, depicting Danish postmen through the ages. The stamps are for domestic use only

From 2026, this means that you will no longer be able to send and receive letters with PostNord in Denmark. From 2026, this means that you will no longer be able to send and receive letters with PostNord in Denmark. PostNord Denmark has been appointed by the Danish Ministry of Transport to handle international mail until 31 December 2025. After that, it will be up to the Ministry of Transport to decide, e.g. through a tender, who will handle the task in the future.

From June 1st 2025 PostNord will begin removing the 1,500 mailboxes currently located around the country, and we will continue the removal until the end of 2025. Each mailbox well be marked well in advance when it will be removed. The mailboxes can be used until they are removed. All mailboxes are expected to be fully removed by 31 December 2025. We are working to ensure that the iconic red mailboxes will have a new purpose when they no longer contain letters.

The souvenir stamp sheet above was issued in conjunction with the stamp exhibition “HAFNIA 2024” in Copenhagen. The theme of the exhibition was to celebrate 400 years of a postal service in Denmark, the oldest postal service in the Nordic lands.

Irish Independence

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March 16, 2025

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The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on the 6th of December 1922 to end the Irish War of Independence and declare Ireland as an autonomous state, free from English rule. The south of Ireland would now embrace twenty-six counties, then known as the Irish Free State. Northern Ireland, comprising six counties, remained governed by the English.

In February 1922, James Joseph Walsh, Postmaster-General of the provisional Irish government, launched a competition to design postage stamps for the Irish Free State. The designs had to be characteristically symbolic and have inscriptions in Gaelic characters. A prize of £25 was offered for each accepted design. Four designs were accepted.

The first stamp issued was a 2d stamp, designed by James Ingram, that featured a map of Ireland without showing the border between Southern and Northern Ireland. The design thus making a political statement. The map of Ireland appeared within a Romanesque arch, over which can be seen the shamrock and further Celtic ornaments.

The second accepted design was by John J. O’Reilly. It featured the Sword of Light (in Gaelic An Claidheamh Soluis) in a frame set against animalistic ornaments. The Sword of Light appears in Gaelic tales from Ireland and Scotland. In Irish folk tales, typically, the sword appears as a quest item. The tales often involve the hero’s would-be bride or lost bride. An Claidheamh Soluis also was the name of the journal of the Gaelic League (Conradh na Gaeilge). Among its editors was Pádraig Anraí Mac Piarais, one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising.

The accepted design by Lily Williams featured a Celtic Cross (Cros Cheilteach) surrounded by shamrocks. The design is based on the twelfth-century Cross of Cong (Cros Chonga) made for the High King of Ireland, Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (ca. 1120–1156).

The final accepted design by Millicent Grace Girling featured a shield with the arms of the old Irish fifths (cúigí) against a background of shamrocks and zoomorphic ornaments. These fifths were the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland. After Leinster (Laighin) and Mide (Mhídhe) had merged, four provinces remained. Clockwise starting with the north-east quarter appear the arms of Connacht (Cúige Chonnacht), Munster (Cúige Mumhan), Ulster (Cúige Uladh), and Leinster (Cúige Laighean).

Jakub Obrovský (1882-1949), Jakub of all Trades

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March 5, 2025

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Jakub Obrovský was a Czechoslovak artist, sculptor, stamp designer and writer. The stamp at the top of the story was issued by Czechoslovakia in 1987, his 105th birth anniversary.

He designed the above 1919 stamps commemorating one year of independence for Czechoslovakia, the country created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria/Hungary. These 1919 stamps feature a mother and child and a symbolic lion breaking free from its chains.

These stamps, also designed by Jakub Obrovský with the subject being Agriculture and Science, were produced in 1923.

Gimmicky Stamps are not a New Thing

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February 28, 2025

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We see all over the world that postal services are pouring all their creativity into issuing stamps in all kinds of shapes and, literally, flavours. This is primarily to encourage collectors to include these special issues in their collection.

We already have stamps in three-dimensional form, in the form of gramophone records (that you can actually play), with smell and taste, made of wood, gold leaf, embroidered, and all kinds of other materials. But is that so new?

Almost 67 years ago, on October 24, 1958, a postage stamp was released in Poland on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the Polish Post. This 2.50 Zloty stamp was printed in black on coloured watermarked and serrated paper. On the occasion of the anniversary, Polish Post published an illustrated book. A sheet was pasted in the front containing the same stamp, but in a slightly larger size. That was the first peculiarity. 1,405,033 copies of the regular stamp were sold. The book sold 30,240 copies. But that wasn’t all! On December 12, 1958, Polish Post surprised eveybody. The same stamp was reissued, now in the value of 50 Zloty. The colour was changed to blue-black and the stamp paper was replaced with…. silk! Despite the relatively high amount of the ‘postage value’, 167,810 of these pieces of silk were still sold. Quite a lot of material in total! This block is highly sought after by thematic stamp collectors of horses, means of transport or anniversaries.

PostBeeld Online Auctions

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Freestampmagazine

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February 1, 2025

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Dear readers/PostBeeld clients, in case you are not aware PostBeeld holds an online auction that takes place on the first day of each month. Bidding is always possible from the 16th day of the previous month. In the auctions PostBeeld will offer different items than those found in our webshop. For example: Errors and misprints, proofs, imperforated stamps, personal stamps, postal history, covers, special cancellations, small collections, blocks of four and sheetlets, special maximum cards and first day covers, unique classic stamps, Cinderellas, fiscal stamps, philatelic souvenirs, special thematic objects or collections, specimens, coin covers and other rare items. A few of the 1st February 2025 auction items are seen below.

Germany 1949, collection of 13 covers or cards commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, regarded as the greatest and most influential writer in the German language.

Great Britain definitives 1900.

A postcard from Rabbits Bay in the Highlands of Ontario, Canada and a Military mail card with a German soldier holding a hare.

Above we have from France, a cover for the 1988 nature and hunting exhibition in Couvrot in the Marne department in north-eastern France. Also, from Canada a 1933 First Official Flight cover from Beauval, Saskatchewan to Green Lake, British Columbia. with HARE cancellation

The Year of the Snake

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Freestampmagazine

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January 30, 2025

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The Chinese New Year is upon us, this year being the Year of the Wood Snake. International designer Tiger Pan combined two traditional Chinese cultural elements for this Liechtenstein stamp sheet – the snake as a sacred animal that symbolises luck, wealth, wisdom and longevity, and the concentration game mahjong. The shape of the snake is geometric and its body is made of pieces arranged in familiar patterns.

The miniature sheet above, from Åland, in the stamp series featuring Chinese horoscope animals shows a grass snake swimming along Åland granite cliffs. The grass snake (Natrix natrix) is one of three species of snakes in Åland, the others being viper and smooth snake. The grass snake lives near streams and lakes and moves quickly and easily both on land and in water. Grass snakes are often black with a small head and yellow or white neck patches.