Hello, I often ask what would you like to hear about. I had a suggestion for something on Self Adhesive stamps.  Very interesting topic to research and read about. I hope you enjoy this writing.

Self-adhesive stamps were first issued in such tropical climates as Sierra Leone and Tonga in an attempt to avoid the tendency of traditional water-activated stamps to stick together in humid conditions.

The United States Postal Service’s first foray into self-adhesive stamps was in 1974 with the 10-cent dove weathervane. Stamp Collectors criticized the format, as the glue used tended to progressively yellow the stamps. They also found them difficult to remove from covers, and to save in mint condition, though self-adhesives of recent years have improved in these respects. Outside of the philatelic community, the stamps have been welcomed as more convenient; by 2002, virtually all new USPS stamps were issued as self-adhesives.

The following are links you might enjoy – do read on for my competition though

http://www.linns.com/howto/refresher/selfadhesives_20020218/refreshercourse.asp?uID=

Of course a question more commonly asked is do I and how do I soak Self Adhesive stamps; - this from Beginners Information from the American Philatelic Society web site:

Some self-adhesive stamps have a special, water-soluble backing, and they can be soaked off envelopes. You just need extra patience, as they may have to soak for an hour or more before they will separate from the backing paper. In general, U.S. self-adhesive stamps from about 1990 and later can be soaked with water; earlier ones cannot. If you don't want to try soaking, just trim the paper closely around a self-adhesive stamp on cover, and then mount it in your collection with a stamp mount.

Look also at http://www.stamps.org/care/subp2.htm for tips.

Other and more general stamp collecting tips can be found at http://www.stamps.org/kids/kid_tips.htm

OK a quiz for an Australian FDC of my choosing.. will be a nice one I assure you:  In what year did Sierra Leone issue its first self adhesive postage stamps?

Enjoy your stamps.. Best wishes… Michael

Hello, how was your weekend.  Mine has been as busy as ever…..  and to top it off we have thunder and some rain right now. I hope there is no serious lightning as I will have to unplug the modem and wont be able to publish this piece.  Last night I wrote about Mozart.. and was really pleased that so many of you replied to my quiz. I assume from that, that you enjoyed the article. Well done to Beth in Queensland Australia for first answer.  Maybe an advantage in one lives in Australia given time differences so tonight I will take the tenth correct answer,, if the idea I write about below materializes J

In one email I was reminded of Oscar Wilde  - no connection to Mozart I realize.. well none that I can see or maybe there was…   – so tonight some stamps on Wilde.  

I like these but sadly I don’t have them.. so tonight instead of me giving a prize .. is there anyone out there who would send them to me.. and if get a set I will send them on to whoever gets the answers to my questions…  10th email will win these stamps if someone donates them…  I will tell you all if I get a donation.. so don’t let that hold you back from answering the questions. Keep reading…………

I have a book to read by Richard Ellmann – a biography of Wilde.. one day I will read it.. print is small so that puts me off starting although I have enjoyed reading Wilde’s stories in the past so just want to read this biography as he was such an amazing and talented man.

As I am sure you all know he was one of the most flamboyant and celebrated literary characters of the late 1800’s. He was from … where was he from I wonder????    And he was vilified and imprisoned and sadly died a broken man in exile.. where did he die..  remind me… J

Of course he was also famously known for his wonderful wit.. and so many quotes..  one of my favourites of course.. well how could it not be  J … is “I can resist anything except temptation”  ……… been true for me  but I don’t wish to digress …. J   another that is so true……….“Experience is the name everyone gives to their ??????????  their what..  ??

Wilde described himself as professor of aesthetic…  this was when he left Oxford…  in 18?????    I forget …………  ok four questions.. do you have the answers and if I get a donation of the stamps they are yours to the tenth correct entry.. am being a bit ambitious here.. lets see what happens…  

By the way there are some really good web sites out there on Wilde.. and Wilde on stamps.. hope you enjoy looking around them.. no obvious links tonight though J

Best wishes.. enjoy your stamps…  Michael

Tonights stamp is in my view quite memorable, in terms of who it is portraying, what he achieved in his short life (35 years) and in the design of the stamp itself.

I remember seeing the film Amadeus many years ago. It had a lasting impression and to this day I can still see the young Mozart acting the fool and playfully chasing the women of the court. I thought the actor who played the part of Mozart was superb.  Who was he?.. I forget. anyone know? No prize for this.. prize questions are at the end.

Something about Mozart: He was born on 27 January 1756 in Salzburg. His father, Leopold, was a well-known musician and the first teacher of his gifted children: his son Wolfgang and his 4 years elder sister Nannerl. Mozart first performed at the age of 5 and it is believed he started writing his own compositions around that age.

From 1762 the Mozart family traveled around Europe giving very successful concerts at courts.

Mozart worked many years at the court of the prince archbishop as a concertmaster but the employer’s requirements hindered the development of his talent. In 1782 he married and settled in Vienna. Six years later he received the title of the emperor’s composer.

Mozart lived a short life (he died on 5 December 1791), but created easily, so he left a vast musical output. He composed operas including Figaro’s Wedding, The Magic Flute and Don Giovanni, concerts, symphonies, masses, string quartets, piano sonatas, serenadas for example the famous Eine kleine Nachtmusik, songs and canons. His last, unfinished composition was the wonderful Requiem. Despite his genius he was not always duly appreciated and had financial problems. After death he was buried in a mass grave, perhaps due to the plague.

The FDC envelope accompanying the stamp has been decorated with an ornament characteristic for the composer’s époque, combined with a note inscription.

This month in Sydney the Sydney Opera are performing The Magic Flute.  I am hoping to get two tickets. I’d offer one of them to one of you as a prize  so you could accompany me but you all live so far away       ….  And anyway there is someone I want to take

Also I cannot offer this cover as I don’t have it but I can offer a 200 world mix to whoever get  the answers to these five questions:

1)      who designed the stamp

2)      on what type of paper was the stamp printed

3)      in what voice does Tamino sing

4)      what is the Opera called in German

5)      Tamino is given what instrument to help him free Pamina

Some useful and interesting links although I doubt you will find all the answers in this.

http://www.culturevulture.net/Opera/MagicFlute.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_Flute

If you enjoyed this please let me know ….. if you did not enjoy this please also let me know and perhaps a reason why, so I can do better next time…….   

Best wishes… Michael

Hello, yes I have been rather busy.. dinner one night, function another and by the time I get home just no time for stamps. But it is Friday and I was determined to make the time for some stamps. Thank you for your emails and with apology for not replying. We are all busy I know..   this past week has just shot by.. seems ages ago that I was in London only last week..   could we slow the pace down a bit I wonder 

So for Military stamps. Have shown a few on this topic but these stamps were recently issued by Guernsey Post, [16th February actually] 

Hope you like them. Sorry they are not for a giveaway as I collect Guernsey. I will give a GB FDC to someone if you are able to tell me something about these stamps. For example 

From what war did the Victoria Cross originally come from; the war was from 1854-1856.  How easy is that .................

Some trivia which may interest you:  At the time only senior officers were awarded medals so QueenVictoria and Prince Albert ordered the War Office to design an appropriate medal. The prince suggested a name - the Victoria Cross for “an order of merit for distinguished and prominent personal gallantry to which every grade and individual from the highest to the lowest may be admissible.”  

These stamps commemorate six different wars, battles and conflicts in which this world-famous medal was awarded, showing medals from the troops involved in each action: The Charge of the Light Brigade, Crimean War (68p); Rorke's Drift, Zulu War (47p); Gallipoli campaign, World War I (42p); El Alamein, World War II (38p); Falkland’s Conflict (34p); Iraq Conflict (29p).

The 29p value commemorates the most recent Victoria Cross awarded to Private Johnson Beharry of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (Guernsey’s own adopted regiment).

So many difficult questions I could have asked but I am so kind I made it easy

Look forward to hearing from you.. best wishes.. enjoy your stamps.. Michael

...no time to look at stamps or even think about stamps    maybe I am getting a life... no seriously I am just so busy at work... and will be for a few days..  maybe longer..  I catch the train home and hope inspiration comes but tonight nothing..  oh well that is how it goes some days. Tomorrow I have a dinner so I doubt I will even get time to write. BUt wanted to say if you have any ideas on what you would like me to write about I would be pleased to hear from you..    hey no one has had a guess at the number of stamps issued for the GVI stamp I wrote about a few days ago..  I have quickly looked at my email.. sorry not replied to many of you.. and Pricilla was the first reply.. sorry to the rest of you  .. cover will be packed and mailed this weekend..... Must crash.. Good night,  Hope everyone well and enjoying their stamps... Michael

Hello, I thought you might like to see these tonight. These celebrate Her Majesty's 80th birthday and were issued on 16th January 2006.

I know a lot of people collect stamps showing Royalty and in particular Queen Elizabeth II.  The UK has issued many over the past 50 plus years.  Too many some would say no doubt. But whatever ones political view they are always popular.

These are a pleasant set dont you think?

They certainly tell a history of her life.  Reading left to right.............The 20p stamps show her as the Princess Elizabeth in 1931 at the age of five with her mother the Duchess of York;  then another with her in the ATS uniform probably taken around 1944; then another picture taken around the time of her Accession to the throne in 1952. and finally with Prince Philip The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Princes Anne and Prince Charles, taken in 1972.

The 80p stamps show the Queen and Prince Philip taken at Balmoral in 1972; another of the Queen portrayed for the first time since her Coronation with her Regalia as the Sovereign in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palce in 2001;  the next one shows Her Majesty on the balcony at Buckingham Palace, and finally a stamp showing Her Majesty in 2002 welcomed by wellwishers during her visit to the Market Square in Alyesbury ( just outside London in the UK)

I am not giving these away.. shucks you say..  but I will find a nice GB FDC to the first person to tell me who is the baby in the first picture of the 20p stamps set  

I hope you enjoy seeing these...  and maybe you will enjoy the research as well.

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

that is the number of the 3d stamps that were sold from this Great Britain 1948 Olympic issue.

 There is plenty to read from a google search and you might enjoy reading this site http://www.olympic-museum.de/stamps/stamps1948.htm

I found an auction lot of these, from Norway, asking US $5 for Mint.. that means they are hinged  I would expect: that is amazing since the cat value for a mint unhinged set is only £2.25.

Oh well see what value you get from reading me.. you know not to bid dont you

anyway.. if you want a set mint hinged I do a have a few spare...  1,948th email to tell me the withdrawal date of the stamps will win a mint hinged set... ok .. how about 4th email is that better.    Anyone know the number of stamps issued of the 2 1/2d... should be easy..   I want exact number ok..  if you guess I will give it to whoever is closest.. so that is two sets I will give away...

Must go and rest.. been gardening and sunbathing today..  both garden and me are looking very nice ...

best wishes.. enjoy your stamps..... Michael

Hi.. first let me say how good it is to get emails and comments that say welcome back. I enjoy writing but it is a wonderful feeling to get your emails, so thank you so much for taking the time to write. Thanks also for Valentines days cards.. I had 321.. amazing.. oops typo      ha ha ha ha

I have had a bit of time today to catch up on some  - but not much - stamp activities, still much email to reply to and my apology for that. Been too hot here to do too much to be honest..   Not like England where I was shivering cold. Am I a wimp or what. Yes I am ok

In my mail box today I received some really good looking stamps from the US.. Buddy .. thanks a million they were brilliant and I will write soon I promise. Here is one set. These in my eyes are truly beautiful. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as someone once said..   Dont know what you think but if you have never seen these I hope you enjoy seeing them.

I have asked in the past; what are your favourite stamps   and had some good responses. It seems to me there are so many new issues these days it is becoming an impossible task to keep up and even say what is a favourite as there are some really nice new issues; excepting GB of course.. am only joking

tonights quiz - thought you might like one after a week of none..  just occurred to me.. and am wondering if Australia post will be issuing a stamp.. what is the name of the first Australian Gold Medal winner at the winter Olympics...  and what sport  ?   and if you dont know off the top of your head you might be quite surprised.. I was when I read about it.  first email to cddstamps@gmail.com gets a GB FDC cover.

Hope you are all having a great weekend.. Best wishes.. Michael

Hello, well I am back. I actually got back yesterday but was inundated with email ( I was only gone three nights  as well) and things to do so never got round to writing last night. Here is a lovely "cover" I hope it shows ok in the scan.

Seems extravagent but I couldn't resist the chance to get this. I think I was very lucky to find  post office where it would be hand franked. Well I friend of mine knew the guy in this tiny village shop that was a post office twice a week and so we got it hand franked.  Ok so it didn't go through the mail  - for you purists out there - but what chance to get it franked AND returned to me in a respectable condition. Little to none is my view.

Hope you enjoy seeing this.  sorry I have been away..  did you miss me

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

Hello, if you collect Great Britain Machins and Wildings then the following might be interesting news for you.

The British Decimal Stamps Study Cicle (BDSSC) has merged with the GB Decimal
Stamp Book Study Circle (GB DSB SC) to form the Modern British Philatelic Circle.

 The new organization was inaugurated on 1st January 2006  You can have a look at 
http://www.bdssc.co.uk  for more information.   

As often with things philatelic a cover was produced – nice, simple and clean  
(Inauguration of the 2  associations)  1st Jan 2006. 

I have recently had some emails from new collectors and one of the questions I have had
is what is a gutter pair. Tomorrow I will show you in pictures, some nice ones issued here 
in Australia and a maybe one or two from Great Britain.

Best wishes.. Enjoy your stamps..     Michael

once a well known television program I believe, and to some of you I am aging myself, or maybe I just heard about it from my parents.  Where does the time go. Had an awfully busy week  and it is hard to believe we are at 10th February..month nearly half over. OK so I am rambling but it is Friday night.  I tried writing last night but my internet line kept dropping out. For those of you in Australia let me tell you Telstra is the worst service provider company I have come across in all my years dealing with companies in the UK, US, Canada or here in Australia.  One gets into this perpetual loop of non service. To say I am angry with them is to put it mildly.   I have lodged a formal complaint - if it gets anyway only time will tell. One goes round and round the same cirlce.. I have had 4  - I lost count - maybe 5 technicians visit my property and still the line keeps dropping out.

will this get posted I ask myself.   ....one person I spoke to on the technical support desk ( misnamed group if ever there was one )  even told me to change service providers .. to another company  .. wow.. is that service or what .... 

You want to hear about stamps.. sorry.....  I have had no time to even think of stamps let alone look at them. Yes this is withdrawl symptons at work.   for stamps look at my Stampoffers lots or my eBay lots.. or scroll down and read my PhilagapMail item..

I was in such a good mood when my internet was working   ..  enjoy your stamps ... Best wishes,,  will try to get back to real stamps tomorrow.... Michael

On the train home tonight I was thinking about what to write.  By the time I got to my station I had not come up with a topic. Of course now I am home surrounded by stamps I think I must be able to see or think of something. But no. Nothing yet………………. Ok got it.. how about the Commonwealth Games again. After all, if Australia Post can issue new stamps for the Games every now and then, surely I can write about them every now and then J   I see that the next issue – referred to as Part 2 – will be released on March 1^st. And they are getting more expensive I noticed,  this being an issue with one 50c, one $1.20 and one $1.80 stamp.  I must admit they do look rather interesting from the publicity material I have seen.

Of course if you are lucky enough to get one of my giveaways you will get these stamps used on the envelopes.. I will make sure I use them whenever I can.

If you buy from my stamp auction lots then I guarantee will get them J   is that  motivation to look at my lots on Stampoffers or eBay. I hope so.. big smile J  Oh also.. just a plug for Stampoffers.. in my humble opinion a good site.. have a look if nothing else..  www.stampoffers.com

Finally.. nothing to do with stamps.. well only indirectly maybe .. did you see the stock market drop here in Sydney today.  Probably not.. I am still feeling week at the knees.. J   so go on, have a bid on my auction lots J 

Enjoy your stamps… Best wishes…………… Michael

Hello,  well it is not long before the 2006 Commonwealth Games opens in Melbourne. I was in the Post Office today and saw this FDC. Quite nice. Well I thought so.  Had a few spare coins so got two copies.

Yours for an email to me at cddstamps@gmail.com if you can answer the following and get the answers correct, and if you are the  123rd...[ no only joking I dont get that much email...]     if you are the 6th and 8th email.

Question 1 - how many athletes will Australia have in the Games?

Question 2 - How many of the Australian athletes will be competing in their 4th Commonwealth Games?

Question 3 - How many Gold medals has Australia won in the Commonwealth Games since 1930?

Question 4 - How many nations are there in the Commonwealth?

Question 5 - Name them all..     JOKING...  HA HA     no seriously,  you only have to answer the first four questions.  I hope you enjoy reading about the games.. 

I suspect there will be more stamps over the next few months.  I read somewhere there will be one issued for each gold medal Australia wins.   Well I expect to go broke just on that let alone      and I am still saving for all those new issues from Great Britain. Which makes me think     .... have you looked at my StampOffers lots.. some useful and extremely cheap offers there - starting at a dollar and to be honest if you bid a dollar then based on recent experience I think you will get the lot. Pity really that more people dont look at Stampoffers as I think it is one of the better Auction sites.  http://www.stampoffers.com and search by seller cddstamps. Not all my eBay lots sold either so I relisted what did sell went for a bargain so have a look at them as well..  my id is michaelatcddstamps

Enjoy your stamps.. Best wishes... Michael

Hello, one the exciting things about stamp collecting, as with many other collecting interests, is to find 
something that is shall we say rare, an error, a flaw of some kind that makes what seems to be
 a really normal item just that bit different, and therefore potentially very valuable. 
 
One of my favourite stamps – or block of stamps actually - is this block of Great Britain £2 high 
value definitives. Have a careful look and you will see why.  
 
The other day I read about a new find, an error on the 2004 Ocean Liners miniature sheet. 
Below is my copy of the MS, sadly no error.  
 
The error is that the 57p stamp shows, in error, the value of 53p instead of the correct value 
of 57p. This sheet with the 53p value was produced ORGINALLY as a proof, and it is thought
that a batch of these got mixed up with the re prints and were circulated to certain post offices.
 
Check your copy(s) now, you may have a rather useful investment in your collection. 
 
Have you any errors in your collection that you like and can scan and send to me so I can 
show others?  Please email me at cddstamps@gmail.com  I look forward to hearing from you.. 
 
Enjoy your stamps..  Best wishes….Michael

Hello, well I was reading more about this topic of micro printing on the Northern Ireland regionals. It would seem the Micro printing of  '(c) 2001' appears on Northern Ireland country stamps from 2001, as follows : -

42p on the '2' on Walsall printings

42p on the '4' on De La Rue printings

68p on the '8' on borderless stamps

68p on the '6' on white border stamps

5p on the '5' on borderless stamps  

E- on the bottom bar of the'E'

1st - on the bottom of '1' 2nd - on the bottom tail of '2'  

And, I am told there is no micro printing on the NI stamps with silver numbering.  

Of course I cannot check myself as I do not have any NI regionals.. or if I do they are in a rather large unsorted box of definitives, mostly Machines though, which one day I will study; One day !!!!

Point of clarification here – the microprinted date is only found on Northern Ireland regionals, but not the regionals with Machin design, (these are no longer produced)

The New Regionals are different designs called Pictorial Definitives.  And for further information, these pictorial definitives are also produced for England, Wales, and Scotland in gravure and for Northern Ireland in Litho with one different set for each country.  

Here is a scan of what the microprint looks like,  remember you need high magnification.

While on the subject of GB I did say I was going to tell you about some more new issues.

Courtesy of Ian at Norvic Philatelics here are some more new issues -  to end of June.

I think this should be enough to remind us how much we need to save if we are going to buy these for our collections. J  If you click the links you should see the stamps, or visit Norvic from my favourites.

18th April - HM The Queen's 80th birthday - 8 stamps (4 se-tenant pairs)

11th May   - Wembley Stadium - Miniature sheet and Smilers sheet (possibly later)

27? May   - Washington 2006 International Stamp Exhibition Smilers sheet Link to W2006 site

6th June   - World Cup (soccer) 6 stamps

 20th June  - Modern Architecture 6 stamps  

Well that is a lot for today.. Hope it is clear.. these things are never as simple as one might like and I hope I have explained it clearly.  

Ogh and I can take one maybe two more for my world wide Round Round.. do read details in previous writings if you want to sign up.. email me at cddstamps@gmail.com

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

Hello, first a plug for an eBay lot – no not mine this time - 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SPECIALISED-MACHINS-ENSCHEDE-TRAINING-STAMPS-AY-PHOS_W0QQitemZ5662112620QQcategoryZ70090QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I have had a few people write to me and ask about stamps with marks on like these.. they are stamps used for Postal staff training.. thought you might like to see them. And I know the guy selling them – very reliable if you are interested.  

Second, thanks for your emails..  yes the Roman goddess of love was Venus; so many of you wrote  with interesting articles and pieces about Valentines day and the Romans and Greeks for that matter.. I do wish I had the time to read and learn more.. there is just so much of interest around us from the past and present  

As for the present; have you sent your flowers for Valentines day. No nor me.. but….. if you haven’t sent my card yet.. you had better get a move on..  J    

Third, what about these stamps.. 

anyone know anything about them? Well if you want some interesting reading have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benin   I find learning about different places so enjoyable.

Want these stamps ????..  just to let you know, one pair is mint with a small black mark on the back, another is CTO and with gum tears, and the other is clean mint unhinged. Anyway might be a nice country filler for you….. email me at cddstamps@gmail.com and tell me the official language that is spoken in this country – I should add that the country is now known as Benin. Anyway, hope you get to read the link. An interesting and well written piece, with photos and even a map. 

Tomorrow, a scan of the microdots on the GB Northern Island regionals I mentioned a few days ago.Have a great weekend….. Enjoy your stamps.. Best wishes… Michael 

Hello, well Friday has arrived and I am home with a lovely glass of Shiraz. Been waiting all week for that

And I might add a lovely FDC;  

I got 4 of these this week and thought I would give these away tonight if you can tell me who was the goddess of love and beauty in ancient Roman times. How easy is that   email me at cddstamps@gmail.com

It is Valentines day in a few days..  and while I don’t expect anyone to send me roses;  I never had anyone send me roses when I was younger either  and I don’t expect anything to change now I am mature ( yeah who says !!)  and even better looking  ha ha ha ha  …... you know,     now I think about it I never used to get that many Valentines days cards either.. I did get one last Valentines day from a stamp collector.. I thought that was nice…   so it occurs to me…... hey .....send me a Valentines day card and I will send whoever sends me the best card – my  impartial judgement of course  and I don’t means what you write but the card itself – then I will send you some lovely stamps as a thank you. And know that if you don’t win,  all the cards you send will

a)      get my wife wishing she had remembered to send me a card

b)      make the postman jealous

c)      give some children somewhere some lovely new stamps

Ok,  address,  if you don’t know it,  is PO Box 3482, Dural, NSW 2158, Australia. Go on surprise me..

Will get to stamp news tomorrow..  maybe ..   enjoy your stamps.. best wishes.. Michael

Hello, after another far too long day at the office I was just looking forward to getting home and looking at some stamps and reading stamp news. I opened an album and saw this cover.  Quite nice.

Useful cat value as well. I could sell it but given I am feeling like an army is invading me at work at the moment I thought I would offer it as a giveaway; give you my invading army   ha ha ha ha..

So if you would like this tell me the year that the Royal Scots became the 1^st Regiment, or also known as Royal Regiment.

Email me at cddstamps@gmail.com

Apart from rather long hours at work I have little to report on the stamp scene. But that is not to say there is little to report. I have read quite a bit about the new GB issues and I will try to find time over the coming weekend to give you some more updates – you may have read these elsewhere but if not, then you may find my updates informative.

Ooops.. dinner called.. see, no time to even write. Enjoy your stamps.. best wishes .. Michael

PS please don’t forget to check out my Stampoffers and eBay lots.. only a few days left I think.

PPS many thanks to all read.. you made over 11,000 page views in January. well done and thank you Hopefully you will keep telling your friends and we can all share in this wonderful hobby.