🇬🇬 Guernsey Post plans to issue 14 stamps as its Christmas issue - 7 will be inscribed "Guernsey" and the remainder will be inscribed "Alderney". Both subsets will be issued on 8 November 2017 and are on the theme of "Christmas carols". The stamps, designed by Keith Robinson, are pleasant enough though nothing we haven't seen before. The "Guernsey" stamps depict scenes from the traditional carol, "Good King Wenceslas" and the Alderney issue depicts scenes from "The Holly And The Ivy". The issue is self-adhesive with "simulated" perforations and was lithographed by Southern Colour Print. Each subset costs £4.45p with a total face value of £8.90p. The total population of Guernsey is about 65,000 and that of Alderney is about 2,000. Collectors will draw their own conclusions about whether such a small population needs 14 different Christmas stamps. Rating:- **.
The Platinum Wedding set was designed by Two Degrees North and lithographed by Enschedé and perforated 13.5. I'm sure that collectors are thoroughly bored with the never ending release of countless stamps related to the British royal family though I can understand the wish and need for territories of which Queen Elizabeth is the monarch to release sets honouring her. This set appears to be exceptionally dull. Rating:- **.
So, with 26 stamps being issued in just 4 days, what little gems are Guernsey Post planning to try to sell us next year? Do we care?
The 2018 programme lists 14 issues but says nothing about additional planned sets such as the "Visiting cruise ships" Post and Go stamps and other special Post and Go issues.
1 February 2018 - Year of The Dog - 6 stamps and 1 miniature sheet
14 February - Endangered species - the Black Rhinoceros (frequently to be seen roaming the sweeping plains of Sark)
14 February - 50th anniversary of The Wombles (actually not so silly as it sounds since the creator of these children's characters was a resident of Alderney for many years). Inscribed "Alderney".
14 February - "Valentine's Spring Stampex 2018 Exhibition sheet"
14 February - Post and Go stamps - Flowers of the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
2 May - Europa, Bridges
23 May - 65th anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
1 August - Centenary of the Royal Air Force, 201 Squadron (Guernsey's Own)
1 August - Alderney Week. Inscribed "Alderney".
1 August - SEPAC, "Spectacular Views"
8 November - Christmas, Charles Dickens' "Christmas Carol"
8 November - Christmas, Charles Dickens' "Christmas Carol". Inscribed "Alderney".
8 November - 70th Birthday of The Prince Of Wales. Inscribed "Alderney".
8 November - Centenary of The First World War, Part 5, "Memorials".
🇮🇳 India Post issued a single stamp on 11 October 2017 to commemorate the late Nanaji Deshmukh (1916 - 2010) who was a social activist working in the fields of education, health and rural self-reliance. Rating:- **.
🇬🇧 In Blog 1098 I included depictions of the no fewer than 12 Christmas stamps which will be issued on 7 November 2017 by Royal Mail. There will also be 2 "Generic" (Smilers) sheets, each made up of 20 stamps with attached labels. The price of the first sheet will be £16.40p and it will include 4 x 2nd Class stamps and 4 x 1st Class stamps and 1 each of the other values. All designs featured in the first sheet are religious in nature. Rating:- 0.
The second sheet is made up of 10 x 1st and 10 x 2nd Children's art competition stamps with attached labels and will be sold for £12.60p. Rating:- 0.
Not content with the above items, Royal Mail will then issue another similar sheet on 16 November 2017 on the subject of "The Year of The Dog". The sheet contains 20 x 1st "Fireworks" stamps with attached labels. Rating:- 0.
Maybe the 2000 residents of Alderney feel they should have their own stamps, though I suspect most don't care, given that Guernsey stamps are valid there.
ReplyDeleteCompletists will feel compelled to buy everything but should ask themselves whether it's right to duplicate the Christmas set.
And if they didn't have two rates a penny apart (59p, 60p) that would eliminate one stamp (in each set).
Thank you, Ian. As long as collectors and casual buyers continue to buy stamps and postal administrations can make a profit on them, then I suppose the situation will remain unchanged. Whether a territory has a population of 2000 or 2 billion, if there's money to be made then their postal service will continue to produce philatelic collectibles.
DeleteThat is the reality of the situation. If they can't sell it then they won't produce it. If collectors don't like something then it's up to them to say to themselves that enough is enough. Up until that happens we'll continue to have some postalservices/Philatelic agencies pouring stuff on to the market to get their share of it. But collectors are getting older. I don't believe the young people in Britain at least are even vaguely interested in this old grandpa's hobby. So as the collectors die off and are not replaced so stamp issuing will grind to a halt. We've long gone past the point where stamps are needed as a receipt for postage paid.
We who still enjoy adding things to our collections should just make the most of things, collect what gives us pleasure and not feel pressurised to buy stuff we don't want.