Hello,  The world in the Mailbox..  what is this.. well have a look at http://www.geocities.com/coversmoderator/ and you will find out..

An idea from a group of collectors in Portugal who started a group where people could exchange stamped covers between each other.

This initiative had a good acceptance in Portugal so they decided to try to make it global.

How does it work?

The basis of the exchange is the building of a chain where everyone involved has to create the most interesting cover they can think of to send to others

Do have a look at the web site and if you are interested then join up.  I have and am looking forward to receiving and creating a cover.

Enjoy your stamps... best wishes.....  Michael

Hello,  short piece tonight.. hope you like these two stamps..  and they could be yours..  I am giving these away to the 21st email...   and if no 21 then the last email I receive..  email me at cddstamps and tell me..  what is the uniform that the Duke of Edinburgh is wearing..  Admiral of the Fleet will do ..   I am so kind   did anyone really know that...  

Stamps come in the presentation folder so you can read all about the Royal Visit to Nauru

and  just a quick reminder.....Christmas competition closes in 4 weeks..   see http://www.cddstamps.com   fun to read the questions, and maybe even educational as well..   go on, have a look and try.. and remenber your entry, even if it doesn't win, will help some children somewhere as I use the stamps from the letters you send me in my Childrens Corner packets.

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

Hello everyone, I do not often write about other sites so thought it was about time I did..  I could write for hours on this but to start with I will just give you a few references.  I like these sites as they offer good buys and can be good role models for design and layout and content, well for me anyway..   the first is Commonwealth Stamps.....    have a look at the home page  http://www.commonwealthstamps.com.tom.webhoster.co.uk/documents/23.html and then there is the special at the moment for Hong Kong  at http://www.commonwealthstamps.com.tom.webhoster.co.uk/documents/56.html worth a visit me thinks if you are interested in British Commonwealth and I have to say, Chris is a member of the IPDA (in fact a past Director) so you know you can deal with him with confidence.

The second site I really like, and I am a subscriber although have not bought from then for a while now is Buckingham Covers .. http://www.buckinghamcovers.com/

I have bought from these people and have been very impressed with their service.  I also receive the newsletter / new listings / new covers available brochure they send out and it is worth a read even if you dont want to buy anything.

Do have a look, especially if you collect covers and any specialist types of covers.  In fact one or two of the covers I have shown you over the past year will have come from Buckinghams.

Anyway, there are so many good sites on the net these days I am sure you will agree. Do you have a favourite, or one or two you think are just extra good?  send me an email telling me about them so I can tell others.... cddstamps@gmail.com

Have a great weekend, and enjoy your stamps....   oh.. and dont forget to look at http://www.cddstamps.com    well how could I not mention that brilliant site     and the amazing Christmas Competition      ..............Michael

Hello, just a reminder about the Christmas Competition at http://www.cddstamps.com

I have enjoyed reading the entries sent so far and especially the stamps you have used on the letters to me..  I am sure there will be many happy children when they finally get resent to requests from my Childrens Corner emails and letters. So thank you for entering.

One letter I received today had these stamps on the cover.. nice dont you think.. many thanks to Jose...

Must go to bed.. sorry for not much else tonight..  best wishes...  Michael

I have  written about this before but just wanted to remind you again - today was the first official day of the virtual philatelic exhibit, QUEZONPEX 3.  Do have a look.. it is really quite something.  http://www.freewebs.com/maeca68/  

This is the FDC that was issued for the exhibit.   Rather nice.  

Notice the little vehicle to the left,  this is a Jeepney  - a common public utility vehicle in the Philippines known for its sturdiness and colorful designs, it also shows the Coconut tree - the main crop of Quezon Province, popularly known as the tree of life.

Enjoy the exhibit, and hey… maybe think about an exhibit you could put together.. all the advice you need is there on the web site.

Best wishes…Michael

Tonight a piece by Roy Simpson, Machin Man. As informative and educational as ever.

I hope you enjoy this.

When surfing eBay for potential bargains, I always buy my stamps in multiples. MV Coils are a particular favourite of mine. You may ask why?

Recently I purchased a small collection of multi value coils for just a few pounds, amongst them where 3 that are quite rare. These were early 5p Multi value Machin coils 1 x 2p + 2 x ?p + 2 x 1p on Original Coated paper with gum Arabic.

Whats so special about that?  Well, the answer is "know what to look for"..

Sometimes the seller may not realise what they are offering, and in job lots it is possible to pick up these  rare items for peanuts. These coils with gum arabic and with a silicone coating carry a very large premium over the norm and are catalogued at a staggering £250.00 per coil.

In 1972, by order of Royal Mail, certain stamps from this issue were experimented on by the printers , thus they have a silcone coating  over the printed image.

Gum Arabic was a problem for Royal Mail, not only did it have a tendancy to curl, stamps often stuck together. The silicone was introduced in an attempt to stop stamps sticking together, this was a problem for Royal Mail as it often happened during humid , or wet conditions whilst stamps were stored in the vending machines.

After a six month trial it was found that the silicone coating did not solve the problem completely so the experiment continued, with a change of paper to Fluor Coated /  Gum Arabic, these coils with FCP are not rare as stamps from the original trial as they ran for approx 2 years up to 1974 when, the gum was changed to PVA Dextrin .

With the introduction of PVA Dextrin the problem seemed to be cured.
------
More information on Multi Value coils (if required) can be found on Roy's brilliant website at  http://www.gbmachins.co.uk/html/rolls___coil_strips.html

Enjoy your stamps..  Best wishes.. Michael

Hello,   look what I got in the mail today.. quite nice, as I do like these stamps.. I wrote about them a few weeks back..   and from Honolulu..

Sadly the post offices in either both the US and / or  Australia bent the corner of the envelope although stamps are ok...  pity about the franking from the US..  but better than often seen..   all told I am pleased to have got them.. Many of you will see thousands of these no doubt.. but then again many of you won't see them at all so I hope you enjoy seeing these.

And if anyone wants to send me scans - or letters even :-) with the Christmas stamps from their country I would be really please to see them and show them to all my readers.  And if I send you something I do include our Australia Christmas issue.

Best wishes... Michael

Hello,   ..  has the weekend been as hot for you as it has been here?   Lovely weather we are having.. my tan is stunning

But stamps.. well I was packing some to send this weekend and found this Papua New Guinea presentation pack for the 1978 issue commemorating the Police Force.  Anyone interested in this let me know and by mid week I will randomly select a name and mail these to you..  fine unmouned mint of course in the presentation sleeve they were issued in. Just email me aat cddstamps@gmail.com

A nice addition to your collection maybe.

I also went to my PO Box today and found a copy of the Royal Mail ( GB) Collection booklet for 2006. a rather nice publication. Have you been sent a copy I wonder. If you dont subscribe to the Royal mail issues I doubt you wikll see one..  and to be honest I am keeping Royal Mail items as "collector" item and research material for future years.  A reasonably simple yet comprehensive guide to the isseus of 2006.... and were there a few of them.. awesome total cost if one was to buy one of everything advertised..   would have me broke that is for usre.

Talking about being broke...   I still have a few special packets left..  and I am sending extra FDCs so check out http://www.cddstamps.com of you want some extra stamps and FDCs for Christmas presents.

Hope you had a great weekend..  Enjoy your stamps...........   Michael

Hello everyone..   sorry for no blog these past few days.. time just seems to fly by..

I have been so busy..    won't bore you will all the details..  but I am exhausted is enough for you to know   ....been good though.. although no time for stamps..  Hope you like the pictures I have for you tonight.. first some stamps........

I received these on a letter  nice nice me thinks..  notice they have no perforations..  I would normally add these to my Childrens Corner box but thought I'd give them away..  first email telling me the three creatures....  email me at cddstamps@gmail.com   Interesting postmarking..... note the Canada postmark and the Australian lettering at the top  SWLF.... not often this clean I should add.

Also to let you know I have a few of my special offers still for sale.. they are going slowly..  which surprises me.. oh well..     please have a look at http://www.cddstamps.com  ....... get a packet for Christmas and give to a friend..   I always include good quality and some extras..   sorry for sales pitch but all extra funds helps ne with my Christmas card mailings... I wrote about a few special only available on the blog.. a few weeks ago.. two packets left...   steal at US $5.. email me or read the old postings. 

I said I'd tell you of a really interesting web site didn't I.. have a look at  http://www.snap-dragon.com/first_issues_guinness.htm  I think you will enjoy this one...  

So what else have I been up to..    well... glad you asked...  riding is the answer,,  am working a young horse..    won't bore you with picture of me   hee hee  but hope you like the horse..

hey, a good friend took the picture and topped me !!!!!!!!!  probably best eh!!!!!!

Enjoy your stamps and everything else you are interested in.... Michael

well I am thinking of this gift as a christmas present..  what a wonderful surprise, when I went to the PO Box today.. there was this envelope, with what I can only describe as stunning stamps with beautiful frankings (excepting the Australia Post habit of overfranking which in this case does not detract I am pleased to say.) 

So, many thanks to Eric from France..  I hope you know of him and his  blog ..  http://my-philately.blogspot.com/    if not have a look...  very good ...  and I don't  say this just because he sent me this cover.   You can see the M/S of these stamps- as issued by the French Post Office on his blog from a few days ago.

This cover goes into my flight collection.

Now thinking of French stamps, something different for me I know.. what about this stamp  ....ok, so obviously it is from France, but in what year was it issued  

and why do you think it would be of some interest   I know that is a bit vague but there is something special about it.. any ideas...   I think I might just find a few nice Austarlia FDCs for the 4th email cddstamps@gmail.com with something close to the correct answer. 

And tomorrow I may show you a web site that I think you will really enjoy, and on which you will find the answers.  Last nights Christmas cover was won by Baiju from India, he was the third email..   sorry for the others of you who sent in replies.. luck of the email system eh!!!!!!!!!!

Best wishes..   enjoy your stamps..   Michael

Hello everyone,  just a short piece tonight.. there is plenty for you to read  in last few postings eh!!!

I found this cover today, rather nice I think..  it is in plastic wrapping so in lovely condition.

It is tonights prize  if you are the third email to me at cddstamps@gmail.com with the correct answer to this question:  there is controvesy, so it is said in a Japanese newspaper, over the design of the Christmas stamps from which country . It seems the the postal authority is having to defend the design of the stamps for not being religious enough.

Enjoy your stamps  ..............   oh, and dont forget my Christmas competition closes on December 25th, so please mail your entries soon..    see http://www.cddstamps.com and the Competition link on the navigation bar...                  best wishes......... Michael

Hello everyone,  the following auction listing was sent to me (not because I might buy it.. shame though :-)  So I thought I'd show it as you might enjoy reading about this beaustiful stamp. 

Canada #3, 12p Black on laid paper, a spectacular premium used example of this world-class rarity, with numerous marvelous features that seldom come together in one stamp, including being in an intense deep black color with full strong detailed impression on bright paper indicating that this was probably from an early impression of the plate, margins are large to especially wide and possessing beautiful balance, in addition this example has been neatly cancelled by a single clear strike of the seven-ring target postmark, extremely fine; an extraordinarily attractive and eye-appealing stamp.
The extreme rarity of this high value is explained by a brief history of the production and usage of this stamp. A total of 51,000 stamps were printed, a mere 255 impressions of the 200 subject plate.

By all standards for a regular issue stamp this is a miniscule printing. But the real rarity is seen in that in the short period from 1851-1854 only 1,450 were sold. The unsold remainders were then collected and destroyed.

The apparent reason that so few were sold is that there were very few uses for this specific rate, and none of them were common destinations that saw much mail.

The Twelve Penny Black of Canada has long been recognized as one the rarest and most desired stamps of the British Empire. Not only have few survived but obtaining quality collectable examples has proved even more difficult.

The fragile laid paper was prone to damage and many existing copies have faults of various degrees leaving very few completely sound examples.

As with all imperforates, obtaining nicely margined copies is a challenge. But most germane to this particular value is that the black target cancel used at this period was frequently applied with great abandon and often obscured the black design of the stamp.

Taking all of these factors into consideration the example offered here has always been offered as, the finest known used example. Its beauty certainly bares that out and this rarity is unquestionably worthy of the finest collection.

And what about this piece of news.. is it really true  that some used a 1918 Inverted Jenny stamp, on a ballot return.   Supposedly one turned up on Tuesday night in Fort Lauderdale, where election officials were inspecting ballots from parts of south Florida, Broward County Commissioner John Rodstrom told Reuters.  more in this link

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061110/ts_nm/life_stamp_dc  Best wishes... Michael

Hello, well  thank you all for your emails in follow up to my piece last night.... you all know so much..      and I learn so much.. and isn't that something that is so wonderful about stamp collecting..

No one had any stamps showing DH Lawrence - The author of Lady Chatterleys Lover..  I assume most of you worked that out...  I had a some stamps showing Richard Burton; thanks to those who sent links and references..   This is quite nice...thanks Jose...

There is also a link here, stamps from Somalia..  I have never seen stamps from there.. anyone have any ???? http://www.coolstamps.com/som9904co-6stars-male.jpg  Not sure I ever saw Richard Burton with hair like that .. but then I didn't know him that well.. ha ha .. name the other 5 actors and be first to email me and I'll send a lovely FDC as a prize. email me at cddstamps@gmail.com 

Some other interesting birthdays this past week I thought I'd share with you, and many thanks to Jill for this information............There was some publicity around this week for Joan Sutherland, celebrating her 80th birthday on 7th November (Cup Day). Australia Post finally recognised her as an Australian Legend in 2004 with a couple of stamps. Pierrette Alarie, a Canadian soprano, celebrated her birthday on November 9th. She and her late husband (Leopold Simeneau) appeared on one of Canada's recent opera stamps, issued on October 17th.  November 12th is the birthday of Grace Kelly and Nadia Comaneci, both of whom have appeared on several stamps. Mongolia SG 1005 (1976) shows Nadia Comaneci. Of course Grace first appeared on stamps when she married Prince Ranier of Monaco in 1956. The US brought out an attractive stamp of her in 1993 (SG 2778).

How interesting can stamp collecting be I ask myself..  yes there is more to life than just my Downey Heads .

So finally, I have to ask ..........  have you read my Christmas Competition questions.....     go on  have a look ......  http://www.cddstamps.com  and click on Competition in the navigation bar on the left of the page...  enjoy..... I did, writing the questions.. and if you enter, even if I dont get your entry much before 25th December - the closing date - I will send you  a cddstamps Christmas card..    surely a collectors item     

Ok time for bed.... might not sleep much tonight though.. air con is not working and temperature must be 30 something   .. yeah I know, you feel sorry for me   

enjoy your stamps and have a great weekend..............   Michael

I was thinking about stamps,  as I occassionally do    ..  and wondered what stamps were issued today.. couldn't find any.. but I was surprised to find this

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/10/newsid_2965000/2965194.stm

Hope you enjoy the link..  how things have changed in ... what is it, 56 years...   I wonder if any stamps were ever issued to celebrate the author.. a FDC if you can tell me the author and if any stamps where ever issued to commemorate that person........     then I remembered that today was Richard Burton's birthday.. you remember him..... what a brilliant actor and such a wonderful voice.  I have an album of him reciting Under Milk Wood.     Were any stamps ever issued to remember him   do tell me or maybe you can send a scan of the stamps so I can show everone else..     FDC to whoever replies to this part...

email me at cddstamps@gmail.com

And don't forget the Christmas competition... it is fun just to read..  but there will be 12 prizes, so go for it...  and even if you don't win, know that your letter / entry and the stamps on the envelope will go into my "Childrens Corner" box of stamps...  ... look at http://www.cddstamps.com and click on "Competition"

Enjoy your stamps..... Have a good weekend...  and if you have a famous birthday you know of with a link to stamps please let me know...............Michael 

yes that is the same title as a few days ago but I do want to remind you there are not that many weeks until Christmas....  how fast time goes by. 

Also, I have posted a piece on the IPDA-News blog http://ipda-news.blogspot.com about the new Royal Mail Pricing in Proportion stamps..  really amazing level of detail courtesy of Machin Man ( Machins made Easy - Roy Simpson, another IPDA Director and his web site is in my links).   Do have a look if you thought you had all the stamps..  just a few of them  ..  think again..  believe me you dont. 

then again......... back to my Christmas Competition questions..  http://www.cddstamps.com and go to Competition in the left hand navigation bar -  see question 9  .. the answer is now surely obvious 

Enjoy your stamps...  Best wishes...   Michael

   Hello everyone,  I had a lovely weekend.. sorting more stamps and writing my Christmas competition, You can see it from this link http://www.cddstamps.com/competition.htm or get to it from my website http://www.cddstamps.com

I hope you enjoy this competition, have some fun reading it    and researching the answers..... nothing really Christmassy  this time..... something a bit different;  a question for each of the 12 days of Christmas so to speak.........   entries due to me by 25th December please.. in the mail so I can collect the stamps on the envelopes for my Childrens Corner supply. There will be 12 prizes as well, a surprise for everyone as I am sorting minisheets, FDCs, various assortments, packets and presentation packs.

I was on the IPDA chat earlier today and had fun talking to quite a few people. I said I'd show some PHQ cards.. but as yet I have not found them. I have no idea where they went..  too many boxes to through I am afraid.

Have a great week, and I do hope you get to read the Christmas Competition,,  Enjoy.. 

Michael

Hello, something GB for this piece, inspired by a chance converstaion I had last night.

It is always good to catch up with old friends and colleagues but when gets chatting and finds out you have something in common it is even more enjoyable. During one conversation last night I found out just how enjoyable that can be.  What surprises me is that we worked togther, and travelled together on the occassional long haul flight, yet never found out we both collected stamps.  And what is more we both collect and specialise in GB GV.  So I was thrilled last night to be talking stamps to an old friend, and as I say, am inspired to show an example of a stamp from the Profile Head issue of 1924 - 26 - because it is his specialism.

The Profile Head issue replaced the Downey Head Issue (my speciality as some of you may recall)  in 1912, larely, I believe, because people did not like the view of the Kings head that was used on the Downey issue.   The Profile Head design was based on the coinage and medal profile of the King, a design made by Bertram Mackennal. These stamps are also often referred to as Mackennals, not surprisingly  

The stamps were isued with two different watermarks over the years 1912 through to 1926, with two different dies, various colour shades, two printers, and many now recorded varieties.  The control shown above is from the 1924 - 26 issue with the Block Cypher watermark -(about a month ago I wrote a piece showning GB watermarks, have a look through previous writings if you want to remind yourself of these).   This control has the variety  "Gash in Crown" on the right hand margin stamp and the detail is shown below; just to the left of the top of the crown is a small white gash ( loooks like a while line) as correctly called, cutting through the border of the stamp.

Maybe some more on this interesting issue over the weekend.    Enjoy your stamps... Michael

Hello everyone, just a short piece tonight..    to remind you that the Quezon Philatelic Club (Philippines) is in the final phase of their  preparation for QUEZONPEX 3. This is the Virtual Stamp Exhibition hosted at http://www.freewebs.com/maeca68

If you have not had a look yet, I do think it worth a few minutes, or more once you get started, to have a look at the exhibits that have been submitted.  Open 24 hours a day so to speak.. and for longer than just a few days as is the case with normal (that is physical) Stamp Shows and Exhibitions, and hey, no entrance fee    

I have written about some of the exhibits before but there are some new ones so have a look if you enjoy looking at stamps and want some ideas about how to prepare and present an exhibition display.

http://www.freewebs.com/maeca68   enjoy your stamps..  Best wishes... Michael