It is halloween here in Sydney.  we live off the beaten track so to speak, so we don't get children coming to our door trick and treating...   When I lived in a residential neighbourhood  I always wanted to give them stamps and say hey enjoy this wonderful hobby, instead of sweets and cookies, but of course I never did.   I conformed like we all do I guess.

So do you have a halloween story, something funny or scary that happened to you?

I remember years ago when we lived in Toronto we bought these masks - scary they were, and when we opened the front door the children screamed when they saw us.. ha ha ha  ha.. we had fun.. but of course we always gave them a lolly bag if they had not run to far down the driveway.

Tell me your story.. best one in my humble opinion will win this GB Christmas cover. Rather nice.  Images of Christmas, but not the Australian kind of course.

These are so much more interesting than the two Australia Christmas stamps which I bought today.. how boring.. same old same old.......    I won't even show them,  I'd rather show stamps from your country.  I have had a few links sent to me and would like more. So please send me scans of links to the Christmas stamps when they are available.  After all Christmas is only, what, 7 weeks away..  I finished making my Christmas cards today..  if you get one I hope you like it...   and you wont get one if I don't have your mailing address

just email me your story for the GB Cover, cddstamps@gmail.com and please include your mailing address.. 

Best wishes..  enjoy your stamps... Michael

Thanks to Carol.  This I find so interesting.. Hopefully I will get to see these stamps.. what a different design.   Hope you enjoy seeing these.

 

 

Snowflakes generally take one of seven basic forms. For example, stellar, or starlike, snowflakes usually grow six primary branches that support arms, which often develop thin plates of ice at the ends. Bitter-cold conditions create crystals with more facets. The most symmetrical snowflakes occur during light snowfalls when there is cold weather and little wind. If the air is warmer, crystals tend to stick together to form less symmetrical snowflakes, or they can take on a needlelike shape. In higher humidity, snowflakes may branch more, making them dendritic, or plantlike, in appearance.

The Holiday Snowflakes stamps are photographs of two basic snowflake patterns by physicist Kenneth Libbrecht. They are stellar dendrites, which form branching treelike arms, and sectored plates, which as their name suggests, form platelike arms. Because fallen snowflakes start to melt and lose their shape in mere minutes, Libbrecht quickly transferred the snowflakes from cardboard to a glass slide using a paintbrush. He then snapped the photos inside a temperature-regulated enclosure using a digital camera attached to a high-resolution microscope.

Falling from thousands of feet, these intricate ice crystals commonly begin as a piece of dust tumbling through the clouds. Gathering water molecules, they blossom into crystal forms in endlessly different patterns because of the constantly changing conditions of the atmosphere.

 

Anyone else able to scan or copy or direct me to pictures of the Christmas stamps from your country so I can share then with others?  Write to me at cddstamps@gmail.com

 

Have a great weekend.. Michael

 

Hello everyone....  just a short piece tonight.. I was looking through some GB today and found a few stamps on paper with nice postmarks.. what do you think..   probably quite common but the GB QV postmarks interest me.

I am trying to get a copy of a book (Collect British Postmarks) that lists these. In fact when I was in London a few weeks ago I tried to buy a copy but was told the book was out of stock and being reprinted for 2007.  I will be patient.

Anyway, hope you like these and if you know anything about GB QV do write to me at cddstamps@gmail.com.

Oh, and dont forget the IPDA Halloween chat this coming weekend..    go to  http://www.ipdaonline.org for details

Enjoy your stamps..  Michael

Hello, I was reading another stamp blog today,  yes I do read others and some are really good as I have said before.. this was Stamp Collecting Roundup - you can see it on the left in my list of links...  always a good read... and today was no exception..  ..  a piece about Gibralter stamps was very interesting. I looked atthe Gibralter Post Office web site..  very good do have a look if you have the time.. and found their Christmas stamps..  so here I am showing them to you.

Anyway, all this to also say I am still hoping some of you .. just one   will send me a scan of the Christmas stamps from your country so I can show others.. or even mail me a set so I can scan them and show others   ..... go on .. treat me    you could get on my Christmas card list

 

short but hopefully sweet   enjoy your stamps..  Michael

Hello,  how is everyone...  I am exhausted..  been watching a guy level 60 tonnes of dirt  ( aka  topsoil)  on my place ,, he had a machine and I am still tired   ha ha ..

Stamps though.. so much I could write about again.. found these.. I dont know if a complete set but quite nice I though...


Will give them to 5th email.. if you include your mailing address-  cddstamps@gmail.com Have not checked any cat value so hope I am not giving away something too extra special 
What about the halloween chat the IPDA is hosting..... have I mentioned this before? .. I forget.. this coming Saturday.. details on IPDA website    http://www.ipdaonline.org  or go to the IPDA blog.....     http://ipda-news.blogspot.com     and see some details and just click the chat link to go straight to the chat room... how easy..   book mark these sites.. always worth looking at.  And if you buy.. do you buy from someone who is an IPDA member? do you ask them I wonder?.. you should   

Finally.. I still have some special offers left.. have not put them on auction..... yet...  too busy to be honest..  so get in quick.. see previous writing for these....  you basically are only paying postage..  check it out on my website as well    http://www.cddstamps.com

Unashamed promos but have to pay for my Christmas mailings somehow.. ..

ok.. that is enough.. I have bored myself. .  oh.. I am still waiting for some Christmas issues from your countries.. maybe the stamps not issued yet.. but surely some pictures of the releases.. I have not had time to check other countries myself..  but am looking forward to seeing them

Enjoy your stamps... Michael

Hello,  tonight a mini sheet.. National Stamp week in 1980..  found a few of these while sorting through a box of lose stamps and packets.  I have two to give away..  read on..

But first something extremely important.. seriously.. if, in the future, you cannot access this blog site please also look at http://cddstamps. blogspot.com  

I am having real trouble with my current provider (as many people around the world are I might add) and while I will try to keep this blog I have no idea how long the service will be available..   if you have a netidentity account you will know what I am talking about..  so please make as a favourite  http://cddstamps.blogspot.com

Ok.. admin out of the way .. another promo though.. did you read about my offer the other day.. I made up some more packets...  250 plus Australia .. recent on paper fine and close cut so you are not paying postage for paper.. plus two FDC cat at the value of what you pay anyway.. including postage.. US $6...  and I had the local postmaster handfrank my sendings today..  a couple left.. please buy.. help me pay my Christmas card postage   hey,
and you will be on my Christmas card list..   which is worth it I think   email me at cddstamps@gmail.com to make an order.

And an apology.. it would seem the text of recent posting has been screwed ( technical terms for font and line alignment being  unsyncronised .. again this blog has real problems taking a copy from a word document.. probably me.. but I have tried to correct.. so please read previous listings if you have been put off by any poor layout.. of course if you make http://cddstamps.blogspot.com your favourite this wont happen ( he says hopefully).

Ok so I am rambling tonight ... had a stressful day.. won't bore you with details.. least of my issues is my son was driving my car and got a speed camera which he is negotiating for me to accept the demerit points on my license..   did anyone tell me this would happen when I thought kids would be a good idea..   No is the correct answer!!  Of course  he only wanted my car because it  is a nicer drive than his.. and the petrol is free!!!!!!!  Hey that is life..   thankfully I have my stamps to keep me sane

So you have made it this far,  you deserve a copy of that mini sheet... but since I have only two to give away..  first two emails to cddstamps@gmail.com  telling me why the stamps on this mini sheet are different from the stamps that where issued in normal sheets......    this will test you    ..........picture of stamps from normal sheet in a few days..  enjoy your stamps..  and this research.. something I bet you never thought of ...  Michael

You know the famous Oscar Wilde quote.. something along the line 
of when you are bored of London you are bored of life.. well I 
think it was Wilde.. anyway, same has to be true for Machins. Don’t you think. 
  

So much has been written on these stamps, but I think the 
following might be on interest to you. Many thanks to Roy 
Machin Man) from the IPDA for this piece. 

In the early 1960s the stamp advisory commission felt that
the existing Wilding portrait used on definitive stamps and 
special issues (commemoratives) was looking tired and 
needed a revamp. It was decided that several artists would 
submit their ideas for consideration. Arnold Machin’s 
designs were eventually chosen as the way forward. 

Love them or hate them, they are here to stay and are a 
valuable part of British Postal history. 

Arnold Machin OBE RA, (1911 - 1999) was the designer of the 
plaster casts that were used by the Royal Mail. He will go 
down in history as the person who was responsible for over 
180 billion images on the definitive stamps issued so far.

Did you know that at time of the transition to the use of 
the Machin head (1967) it was decided that a smaller version 
of the head was to be used on Special issues? It was decided 
that the head did not work, so Machin created a new cast 
which could be used as a detailed drawing or silhouette on 
special issues.  No one expected that these stamps would run 
a course of 40 years. Yes!  2007 is therefore the 40th 
anniversary of the Machin. 

A miniature sheet reportedly "with a 1.00GBP value Ruby Machin" 
has been chosen to commemorate the event. More information on 
the anniversary stamp when it comes available. 

Anyone got any interesting stores about the Machins?  I’d be 
pleased to hear from you at cddstamps@gmail.com

Best wishes,  Michael

Hello everyone.. time for a trivia question.. and something I hope you will find interesting

Machin stamps... well no.. and then yes...... The Arnold Machin , how about a pub, .........based in the Potteries near Stoke on Trent where the artist worked for Wedgewood.  

This drinking hole is developed from a former Post Office, now owned by the J D Wetherspoons chain. The pub is aptly named after the man who is responsible for the sale of how many definitive postage stamps, which collectors have given his name, specialists have named their societies after etc etc

The Pub.

Machin would turn in his grave if he knew about the service, it is about as slow as it was when the GPO owned it, except they've disposed of the queue rail, and the clerks. The decor is not badly done out, as per most Wetherspoons. Some relation to postal history and a few pictures of the Machin theme are all that remind us it was a post office. Unfortunately its not a stamp collectors meeting place, it's the second home of various alcoholics and derelicts after a cheap pint.

So how many Machin stamps have been issued. . send me a number.. clue.. in the billions..... closest will get a FDC, one I am sure you will like.. email cddstamps@gmail.com  and please include your mailing address  .. Best wishes.. enjoy your stamps......Michael

Hello, how was your day   hot here again.. how nice.. and so good for my tan

Did find time to look through a few stamps.. clearing off the dinning room table so we could have dinner at the table for a change...  well a few times a year is nice don't you think

Found these.. on an envelope.. still quite nice although opened since it was sent to me earlier this year..

Maybe you collect owls on stamps.. I imagine someone does.. or birds....   it is yours.. first email to cddstamps@gmail.com with a mailing address so I can send it to you..

On blogs about stamps .. I have one blog I do read occassionally.. I have not mentioned this one recently but I was reading it today and the article about the new US stamps "love and kisses"  I think it was..  and interesting series.. from way back.. I forget the year Love stamps were first issued but if you look at http://www.stampcollectingroundup.blogspot.com/ you will find out for yourself.

The other day I mentioned someones writing and I didn't know who it was..  or did I.. seems I do.. by association..  oops.. I am useless with names ..  anyway I mentioned PhilatelicMadnessSyndrome@yahoogroups.com  and it seems this is the same guy that writes stamp collecting round up..  the first link I gave you to look at.  I am pretty slow at times.. Now one more things.. this guy has also written about the IPDA on his blog.. how cool.. so thanks Don.. you are a star. and I am a bit slow ..   my only excuse .. is.......  I forget .. ha ha ha ha

Now if you are a seller / dealer.. and you are not a member of the IPDA I will forgive you for now.. but look at our blog..  http://ipda-news.blogspot.com  I did mention this the other night.. you could have me write about you there..  if you were a member of course..     

Finally,  I know eveyone is time poor.. so am I.. honestly.. but if you prioritise the use of your time.. 15 minutes each night.. that is all.. while partner is cooking dinner (dream on) or you are waiting for the pizza to arrive    read the IPDA blog and then my blog of course..  and every other night one of the blogs I show in my links.. how entertained will you be...        gotta go.. pizza is here..    Enjoy your stamps.. Michael

hello, well if that subject matter didn't get your interest, what would I wonder  .

Hope you like these stamps.. lovely block dont you think, and since that are on a firm cardboard they are in lovely condition..

But what is this  15A  marking.. anyone know :-) 

I may find a nice GB, (or Australia  if you prefer) cover for the 10th correct answer 

Go on :-)   email me at cddstamps@gmail.com

and hey, have you read my web site recently..  http://www.cddstamps.com  or the previous writings of this blog..  :-)  you should do.. there are some brilliant sale specials - to help me pay for my Christmas postage.. go on ..  before the price  goes up when I list on an auction site.

and finally.. a new blog.. for the IPDA ( Internet Philatelic Dealers Association) .. go on have a look as awell... http://ipda-news.blogspot.com

so much to read eh!!!!!!!!!!!!!  but all about stamps so, so much to enjoy.........Michael

Hello,  well tonight, after spending quite a few hours sorting some Australia and world mix from boxes I have accumulated over the years, I am ready to start offering some lots for sale on the auction sites.  

Reason???.  well Christmas is coming and I have a high postage bill  so would like to offset it a little.. hey you could get on my Christmas card list   .... if you have seen one of my Christmas Cards you know what I am talking about....   anyway..........

before I do sell some mixes at auction...... and don't think this BS..... I am very genuine here.. I am going to first make an offer to you, my readers.   If I get no takers in 48 hours I will just list on an auction site..  

I have 4 packets already made up..  250 Australia mixed, old to current, definitives to commemoratives; some pre-decimal although most post decimal.... probably some duplicates but not a lot, no heavy cancells ( I took then out and binned them) , no damaged as far as I can tell, I removed them as well, all close clipped so you dont pay postage for wasted paper.. I   packed to weigh in at minimum postage and this includes two GB FDC from 1979/80 with official postmarks and in brilliant condition and with cat value of no less that 4 GB pounds.

So I am asking US 6.00 for a packet and that includes your postage.  That is just over 2c a stamp plus you get minimum of US7.50 cat pricing value worth of FDC for free. And I will get the stamps used on the envelope hand stamped and they will be nice stamps... 

one of the covers that is included is this one.. 

 

So if you want a packet.. or more ( I can make up another 4 I think)  email me at cddstamps@gmail within the next 48 hours...  and I will tell you how to pay.. or if you already know,, just deposit funds to my paypal account and I will mail the stamps and FDCs to you right away.

As for other stamp news..   well there is so much going on....... I  wonder how much you read about on various stamp club boards.. one good one I read these days is at PhilatelicMadnessSyndrome@yahoogroups.com   This guy ( and I have no idea who he is by the way, well I dont think I do and will be somewhat embarassed if I should know him )  is writing some really interesting and topical and current news about stamps..  

check it out ...   he writes what I wish I had the time to know and write about.

Oh ... wanted to tell you.. you know I collect GB GV Downey Heads..    there is a really nice scan of one at  AKPhilately.. have a look.. you will need to scroll down a few pages ..

Have a great weekend.. enjoy your stamps... Michael

Hello, something different tonight.  I was sorting through some material people have sent me for a RR but since I had no takers for the RR I am going to auction this and various other lots ( money will go to IPDA by the way.. not me)  and came across this rather grubby envelope... but with a lovely stamp on it and nice frankings on the reverse side of the envelope

You can clearly see the blued paper I think, even from this scan.

The franking is 28th August 1841, some 15 months after the first stamp issue - the penny black in May 1840.  

I dont have time to check Alphabet, or Die and cannot see watermark but I would guess this is SG 8a .. Nice Rochdale franking and also Tarbert ( anyone know where that is??? )

There is also another cancellation in red which has the letters C 27 M in the middle -  you can just make this out in the top right hand corner above - any experts out there that can help identify this?

For a prize tonight  who will be the first to tell me the name given to the franking on the stamp itself?    email me at cddstamps@gmail.com  and please include your mailing address.

Enjoy your stamps.. Best wishes.. Michael

Hello, two topics today:   first the GB Christmas stamps..  what do you think..  Very Christmassy if you live in the northern hemisphere..  not like this in Australia and many other places of course

 

 

I won’t go into detail about the stamps – you have either already read that or you might want to visit one of my favourite sites http://www.norphil.co.uk/2006/11xmas06.htm    Ian at Norvic Philatelics always has the detail and in a very well presentable form.

 

How about that Virtual Stamp Exhibition I wrote about some time back .  I have seen it written up in a few places  and I repeat again in case you missed my earlier write up.

 

Quezon Philatelic Club (Philippines) is hosting this philatelic exhibition –called QUEZONPEX 3.

The goal of the exhibition is to "showcase outstanding philatelic exhibits, to provide valuable ideas in philatelic exhibiting, and to foster friendship among the exhibitors."

Interested exhibitors can e-mail their 16-page SCANNED exhibit, in its original size – JPEG File with at least 300 dpi resolution to maeca_mvcc@yahoo.com

You can also mail a CD-R to

ALBERTO Z. ALCALA
St. John Street
Reymar Compound
4301 Lucena City
Philippines

For more information and to see some of the exhibits that are already up on the Web site go to http://www.freewebs.com/maeca68/   You will even see my blog logo .   Have a read of the virtual seminar if you are interested in learning about creating an exhibition entry.

 

Scroll down the home page to see the catalogue of entries -  yes my GB George V 1911-12 Downey Head 1/2d collection is there  but there are many better exhibits to see …  a lovely display by Nigel Gooding of the first three Spanish –Philippine issues, and another I enjoyed looking at is Adrian Keppel’s exhibit of Switzerland and the first series of stamps depicting the Alps. Beautiful stamps I think you will agree.

 

Well that is enough for one day – time to go and get some sun   Enjoy your stamps.   Michael

Hello,  I mentioned sometime ago I would get some of the Royal Mail online postage  when I was in England.  I also promised to show you what it actually looked like.  Rather than  just do an envelope I decided to commemorate the IPDA 24 hour stamp marathon with a cover.  Hope you like it.  Not bad with an old computer and old printer, even  though I say so myself.

I made 6 of these.  and mailed them to myself - see the red sorting office cancvellation marks.  Very limited edition.  I sold one by auction ( I wrote about this last week while I was in England) and have given two away. 

I will sell one more through auction only on this and my cddstampsonstamps blogs, and, as with the first one, the funds with go into general revenue for the IPDA.  I expect we will use the proceeds towards more advertising as that is one way we can spread the word about the Association.

So be generous please.  Send me an email to cddstamps@gmail.com with the bid you would like to make.  As I say, the money goes to a very worthy cause.  I'll include a lovely set of a recent Australia issue on the envelope I mail this in. Oh, and I have signed and numbered the back of the cover. Will keep this open until the end of the week and I reserve the right to set a minimum bid.. seems fair ok.

Tomorrow I will write about the new GB Royal Mail Christmas stamps. I saw pictures of them today. They look pretty nice I think.  Have you seen the Christmas issue from your country yet.  Please send me a scan and I'll show everyone else.  And don't forget Christmas might sound a long way away but I think it is only about 10 weeks away. Scary eh.

Are you on my Christmas card list..  bid high for this cover and you could well get on it   and if you have not had one of my Christmas cards I think you will enjoy this years.

Enjoy your stamps.... Michael

Hello, well I am back in Sydney...   quite a comfortable flight back through Singapore and now well rested...   back to stamps then

While in London I made my visit to Stanley Gibbons and a few other stamp stores as I may already have mentioned.  Here is a cover I saw in a reduced for sale box.  I picked it up because I remember showing part of one of these stamps some weeks back and asked if anyone knew the set and details.  Well some people got it correct.  As you can see this is the British Composers issue from 1985 and the stamp I used was the Twenty Two pence one showing the Planets as in the Gustav Holst work.  I think I used this because it was his birthday at the time. 

This is the prize for whoever can tell me what nationality Holst was.   surely a trick question   I look forward to your emails on this one.    email me at cddstamps@gmail.com

I have lots more to write about and lots to show from my UK trip.  will do so over the next week...  back to my stamps..  Best wishes.. Enjoy your stamps.........  Michael

Hello everybody,  Well am getting ready to go to the airport, but a few closing thoughts from the UK before I leave.

What a wonderful day yesterday walking around Fleet Street, the Strand and the Embankment.  Did think of having afternoon tea at the Savoy but it was £31.50  and I thought that a bit too much.  Well also I had spent a few bob in Stanley Gibbons and a few other stamp places.   Even the rain didn't cause me any problems.  

My best buy for the day was a UV test lamp with both short wave and long wave bulbs.  So I should be kept busy when I get home. studying my GB Machin definitives for  phosphor bands varieties etc.

And yes I did find the Templar Church, photos to follow in due course.

Have a great weekend. Enjoy your stamps..  Michael

Hello, another relaxing day in the UK.  And this excellent piece from Roy. Thanks Roy.   Hope you enjoy it including the scan.  This is the mini sheets I picked up a few days ago.

The Wyon head of Queen Victoria was used in conjunction with the Machin Head to produce the Double head Anniversary stamps. These were issued in sheets and booklets to commemmorate the 150th anniversary of the 1d black.

The first day cover shows the full set of stamps from post office counter sheets.
A striking miniature sheet was issued to mark the anniversary and the international Stamp World 90 exhibition held at Earls Court, London. This shows a 20p anniversary stamp and a reprint of the penny black.

It should also be noted that several issues exist from bar code retail booklets with one or more sides imperforate. All of these stamps are collectable and fetch good prices.

There are many combinations available that were released by several different printers, Walsall, Harrison and Questa. These variations are also found on several different types of papers.

A mini collection in its own right.

In January 2000 further panes of double headed stamps were issued, obtainable from a prestige booklet to mark the work of Jeffrey Mathews (the designer). This pane had security ellipses for the first time and contained 1st class Non Value Indicated stamp (NVI)double headed stamp.

Stamp Details of the M/S are:

SGMS1501 "Stamp World 90" International Stamp Exhibition
None (phosphorised paper)
Issued: 3rd May 1990
Design: Sedley Place Design Ltd., Engraving: C. Matthews
Printed in recess and photogravure by Harrison & Sons Ltd. High Wycombe.

PVA gum
Perforations 15x14 - Stamp size 21mm x 24?mm (miniature sheet 122mm x 89mm

Next piece will be after my visit into London and Stanley Gibbons and other stamp shops tomorrow.

Hope you are enjoying your stamps.   Best wishes.. Michael

Hello again, there is no link between the stamps and English Pubs.. other than I had yet another excellent day including a few hours in a pub supping some fine ale and then some time spent looking through some stamps, both those that Roy gave me and some I bought.  I even manged to mail out prizes to a few people. And am catching up on some email.

Now for the printers I asked about last night. I won't write about them tonight because I have had a slow response to the question posed.  Was it that difficult    So the 6 booklets are still open for you to win.

Tonight I will pose another question ...since I have been talking and reading about printers of British Stamps.. there are a number of printing processes...  Digital, Embossing, Gravure, Letterpress, Lithography, Recess,  Screen and Thermography.   All interesting for sure and you might enjoy reading about them;  but one of these you may know or have heard of as intaglio; a very interesting printing process I think.  Which one      

I will find a nice cover to send to the 5th correct answer to cddstamps@gmail.com .  Enjoy your research.  And think about it..... for the stamps you collect do you know what the printing processes are.  If you collect GB, as I do, you will know there are quite a few of these used, and often for same stamp I think.

So another good day here in the UK.  Stamps, Pubs, email and yes lots of sunshine.. oh and too much food..  how good to be on holiday.  And I have a trip to Stanley Gibbons now planned for Friday.  More stamps and a few stamp shops to visit;  as well no doubt, a few London pubs.   

As for the auction of the cover I mentioned  the other night...  I have some bids.......  any more...  please send your bid to me at cddstamps@gmail.com     I'll make it blind for a time.. this is to raise reveneue for the IPDA:  the money goes to a good cause and I will mail the winning bidder the cover in a letter with a set of the latest GB Commemoratives.. music on stamps I think they are called ...  rather interesting new GB issue..... on the envelope...  before I leave here on Sunday..  paid for by me..  so be generous... ok..

Best wishes.. enjoy your stamps... Michael ...

Hello, what a wonderful day.  I just spent a few hours with Roy Simpson from the IPDA, up in his part of the woods near Birmingham.  You will know Roy as Machin Man ( Machins Made Easy), the articles he has written for me,  and his web site on machins - see my links if you have not been to his site.

Apart from being a great source of Machin information and stamps he is a great guy - as I always expected he would be.

He took me to his local stamp dealer.  We spent an hour or so browsing though box after box of covers and stamps.  How fast does time go when you are doing that sort of rummaging through thousands of stamps.  I have some pictures which I will get uploaded on my return to Sydney.

Needless to say I managed to pick up some covers which I think will make some nice give aways, so keep reading and you might find something of interest coming up soon.

After the stamp delaers we were thirsty, so we retreated to a little old pub in the country. A few jars of fine English ale were consumed over chat about stamps. Roy had brought along two cases of material for me to look at.  More conversation about stamps and a few extra stamps that Roy has donated to my competitions. One of Roy's gifts was a few copies of the 10p Royal Mail booklet of machins;  the Farm buildings series - this one is the Wales farm house with 2 by 1/2p, 2 by 1p and 1 by 7p Machins inside, and, 1/2p with a phosphor band shift to the left. Nice addition to your collection I am sure. 

Roy also gave me a small magazine about British Stamp Printers. Very interesting.  To win the booklet send me an email to cddstamps@gmail.com and tell me how many British Security Stamp printers there have been since 1840.    I'll tell you there are only two left today. Tomorrow some more detaials about these printers.  I will give away 6 booklets, so first 6 entries win.

One final piece of News...  Roy and I also put all the names of the people who joined our IPDA stamp chat marathon into a hat, and made the official draw for the winner of the door prize.  And the winner was, "ones", John Johnson from New Jersey USA.  Congratulations if you are reading.  Roy will get the prize, a lovely used copy of SG 512 ( I wrote about this some weeks ago) in the mail to you.

Hope you are enjoying your stamps....          Michael

Hello everyone... well first thanks to those who joined in the IPDA Stamp chat marathon. I have not seen the finally tally of visitors but from the time I was online I know we had a better response than last year.  Hope everyone enjoyed the chat as much as I did.    

I wrote some weeks back about the new Royal Mail online postage..  well yes it is here and I have bought myself some online postage.  The postage is in the form of a preprinted label, much as many post offices print for parcels rather than sell stamps.

I bought 6 and have created some commemorative covers for the IPDA Stamp Chat Marathon. A very very limited edition. Each cover will be numbered and signed by me. I am going to auction one or two to raised funds for the IPDA.

I thought I might auction one on this blog.  that is only to you,  my readers... I know you have not yet seen the cover and I wont be able to scan it until I get back to Sydney but keep this in mind and if you are interested.. just send me a bid.  All monies will go the the IPDA.  I'll close the auction around end of the month.. and will keep you updated..

Am off stamping here in the UK tomorrow. Hope to have some more stamp news for you there.  Have a great week. Enjoy your stamps...  Michael