🇮🇴 The postal service of British Indian Ocean Territory will issue a superb set of 6 stamps on 8 June 2017 on the subject of Mega fauna of the Indian Ocean. These are excellent designs and I shall be delighted to add them to my collection. Rating:- ****** (6 stars!).
🇯🇪 I can not understand what it is about the 200th anniversary of the kaleidoscope, which apparently falls in 2017, that has made Jersey Post believe it to be necessary to release a set of 6 stamps (total face value £4.61p) and a miniature sheet containing all 6 stamps (also costing £4.61p)) but it would indeed appear important enough for such a stamp issue to be released and sold to collectors for a grand total of £9.22p.
Though the subject is purely fatuous the designs by Mark Wilkinson are clever, placing shells, flowers, marine life, insects and so on in kaleidoscopic patterns in the designs and the stamps make a pleasant and attractive set. But the complete lack of necessity for such an issue makes me rate it just * (one star) and I shall be holding on to my £9.22p though I shall be sorry to be not adding such a clever and attractive issue to my collection.
Also six stars for the price of the BIOT set?
ReplyDeleteExcellent designs, I agree, but if I want them I would have to pay €20 or more at a new issue dealer.
Hello Stewie. I sympathise with your point about face value but these really are excellent stamps and BIOT doesn't issue more than 3 sets per year usually. The face values reflect that most Mail in the territory must be for overseas mail given the type of population of the islands.
DeleteAs regards paying dealers' prices, BIOT has an excellent philatelic bureau, accessible via the internet, from which it is easy to obtain new issues at face value so that amounts to £9.60p and with the £ being weak against the € buyers in Europe are at an advantage!
I think it's better to spend a little more on some really good stamps than some of the stuff that appears on the market. Nevertheless, on reflection prompted by your comment, perhaps this set could have been a little cheaper and that might have helped to increase sales for the BIOT postal service.