Saturday 7 December 2013

334. New Anguillan Issues And 14 Issues In 2014 From Jersey.


  The website of the Post Office of Anguilla has recently added news of 2 sets of stamps which it has issued during November 2013. The website is rather poor technically and suggests that 4 sets of stamps were issued by Anguilla in 2013 but I can only find news of the 2 sets issued in November and no illustrations are included. However the website of a local newspaper, The Anguillan, does include an illustration of one of the sets and I depict it here.
 A set of 3 stamps was issued on 11 November 2013 which commemorated the Bicentenary of the introduction of Methodism into Anguilla. I have not yet tracked down an illustration of this set. However I can illustrate the 8 Stamps which were issued on 25 November 2013 which form a set titled "Anguillan Sea Captains Part 1". There is also an accompanying miniature sheet but I am not sure if the item I have depicted below is the miniature sheet or if it represents the stamps themselves placed on a first day cover. Time will tell.
  As a collectable territory Anguilla is in the first rank and in recent years it has had a marvellously conservative new issue policy which has even not allowed it to issue stamps for the diamond jubilee and 60th anniversary of the coronation of its Queen nor the birth of Prince George, third in line to the British throne which means that one day he will be King of Anguilla. Any stamps it has issued have been of strict local interest and commemorated ordinary local people of note which is just what a commemorative stamp should do.
  Now, if only the Anguilla Post Office could find someone who knows how to use a website properly as well as keeping its philatelic agent informed about what it is doing so that stamp issues get the publicity they deserve.



Footnote Issues.

While I am keen to add the latest Anguillan stamps to my collection, the following will not be finding a place there (I don't think I need to explain why):-

Mozambique - 25 June 2013 - Miscellaneous issues (part 2) - 60 "stamps" issued as 15 sheetlets of 4 different designs and 15 miniature sheets on the following subjects - Bees, Butterflies and orchids, Pope Benedict XVI, Birds of prey, 120th anniversary of the death of Eugene Delacroix (French artist), Dolphins, Lighthouses and birds, Elephants, Marilyn Monroe, Owls and mushrooms, Mushrooms and insects, Pope Francis, Parrots, 120th Birth anniversary of Mao Tse Tung (Chinese statesman), Mahatma Gandhi.

The Sacred:-



And The Profane:-



  The portraits of Pope Francis are almost unrecognisable. It is astonishing to me that anyone would spend good money on these items. This latest production means that Mozambique has now had 418 "stamps" and 91 miniature sheets produced for it during 2013 (and that is only up to 25 June!).

Cook Islands, Aitutaki Cook Islands and Penrhyn Cook Islands - early 2014 - Chinese New Year (Year Of The Horse) - 1 miniature sheet for "Cook Islands" containing 2 different $3 stamps, 1 m.s. for "Aitutaki Cook Islands" containing 3 different $1.50 stamps plus a stamp sized label and 1 m.s. for "Penrhyn Northern Cook Islands" containing 3 different $1.50 stamps plus a stamp sized label.

- early 2014 - for "Cook Islands" - "Insects" definitive series (part 2) - 12 additional stamps plus 1 miniature sheet which contains all 12 values.

Tonga and Niuafo'ou - early 2014 - Chinese New Year (Year of The Horse) - 1 miniature sheet of 4 different $2.45 stamps for Tonga and 1 m.s. of 4 different $1.50 stamps for Niuafo'ou.

Samoa - early 2014 - Chinese New Year (Year of The Horse) - Sheetlet of 6 different stamps.
- early 2014 - "Endangered species" (birds and bats) (part 2 ) - additional 12 stamps (no accompanying miniature sheet).

and so to Jersey Post which has announced that it will release 14 new stamp issues in 2014 (perhaps it thinks it should match the number of its stamp issues to the year (Heaven help us in 2099!)

Appallingly. the greedy little postal administration is hoping that stamp collectors will offer up their money to them for the following stuff:-
7 January 2014 - Jersey architecture (manor houses) - 6 stamps,
25 March - Musical instruments (Europa) - 4 stamps,
23 March - 450th birth anniversary of William Shakespeare - 6 stamps and 1 m.s. (at least Jersey is honouring The Bard in style even if Royal Mail can't be bothered),
6 May - Poppies - 6 stamps and 1 m.s.,
6 June - 70th anniversary of D-Day - 6 stamps and 1 m.s.,
30 June - Summer - 8 stamps,
15 July - The Red Arrows - 6 stamps and 1 m.s.,
11 August Centenary of the outbreak of World War I - 6 stamps and 1 m.s.,
14 August - Commemoration of the 50000th collector to give up collecting Jersey stamps - special £10 stamp issued in a sheetlet of 6, each with a slightly different background to render each design slightly different from one another plus a special miniature sheet with a small emerald stuck to it and offered at a special price of £320 or the same but with a small ruby attached to it sold for only £300 (both items available for the knock down price of £580). The prices do NOT include VAT.
27 August - Jersey's Roman connections - 6 stamps and the inevitable miniature sheet,
17 September - Marine life (crustaceans) 6 stamps and, yes, 1 miniature sheet,
9 October - Oyster fishing - 6 stamps and 1 m.s. and, of course, an additional prestige booklet,
30 October - 350th anniversary of the founding of New Jersey by Sir George Carteret - 6 stamps (what, no miniature sheet?),
12 November - Pirates and privateers - 4 stamps and 1 m.s.,
27 November - Christmas (Bosdet's stained glass windows) - 8 stamps and, yet again, 1 miniature sheet.
You may have noticed that one of the above is a spoof but the question is, which one?

This looks like a Jersey Post Office blue print to ensure that collectors finally stop collecting the island's stamps. Or a last desperate attempt to squeeze money out of a sick and moribund golden goose. I make it a total of 84 stamps, 10 miniature sheets and 1 prestige booklet - not quite up to Mozambique standards. Perhaps Jersey Post Office should give up any pretence at philatelic respectability and invite Stamperija to take over its philatelic activities. At least Stamperija is up front about what it does.




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