1351. 🇦🇴 Stamperija Takes Angola.

  🇦🇴 In Blog 1301 I reported that Angola had indicated that it was interested in joining The Commonwealth. It seems that it has also decided that the country will allow Stamperija to be its philatelic agent. On sale this week on an Internet website are a number of items produced by the much loathed philatelic agents which have the name of Angola printed on them. It's like a spreading disease.

  Fortunately the process of achieving admission to Commonwealth membership is very long winded and so, who knows?, by the time the process is finished Angola might have given up using Stamperija to produce its stamps. We live in hope.

  🇲🇿 Such hopes may be ill-founded as Mozambique, Angola's Lusaphone neighbour, has been a willing client of Stamperija for many years and has allowed the 'agency' to release paraphilatelic products in its name in their thousands. Among this week's latest offering from Stamperija which bear the name of Mozambique are a miniature sheet of 4 stamps and a single stamp miniature sheet on the subject of the British liberation of the Falkland Islands though why Mozambique would want to commemorate that particular historical event is another one of those modern day philatelic mysteries which make new issue collecting a more complicated and unhappy a process than negotiating British withdrawal from the European Union.

  🇳🇿 If you have more money than sense, as my dear old grandmother used to say, New Zealand Post is offering you a golden opportunity to prove it by giving you the chance to buy a limited edition numbered gold foil miniature sheet of its upcoming Year of The Pig stamps. The item is on sale for an astounding NZ$1888 which is equal to £1023.92p. How on Earth they arrived at that price is beyond my understanding but some have been sold so someone somewhere must think it represents good value. Rating:- 0.

  🇮🇳 India Post issued a single stamp on 13 December 2018 to commemorate the late Ustad Sabri Khan, a distinguished musician who died 3 years ago. How delightful it is to have such an interesting and colourful issue from this postal administration for a change. Rating:- ****. 

  🇬🇬 It's hard to understand what is the relationship between Guernsey and Chinese New Year but it's clearly an important one as Guernsey Post feels it's necessary to issue 6 stamps and 1 miniature sheet which contains all 6 stamps on 22 January 2019 to commemorate the Year of The Pig. The designs are pretty poor. Rating:- 0.

1350. 🇰🇾 Quirky Cayman Islands Christmas Stamps.

  🇰🇾 The Cayman Islands postal service issued a set of 4 gummed stamps and 1 self-adhesive stamp, sold in booklets of 10, on 23 November 2018 to commemorate Christmas 2018. The designs are a little unusual and try to introduce a quirky Cayman Islands slant to various Christmas carols which are partly quoted in the designs. I'm afraid they don't really work for me. Rating:- **.

  🇯🇪 Jersey Post has given a foretaste of what its incredibly unnecessary set of stamps to be issued on 18 January 2019 on the subject of Popular culture of the 1970s will be like. The design of the 65p value has been depicted in some publicity and it celebrates the Punk culture of that decade. Ho hum. Rating:- 0.

  The Post and Go issue to be released on 13 February 2019 will be on the subject of 'Durrell - Saving Primates', by which I expect to see stamps featuring apes rather than Archbishops. This issue will take its place as one of the 9 stamp issues which are planned for this small island's postal service to release during the first 6 months of 2019.

  🇵🇰 Pakistan Post issued a single stamp on 9 December 2018 to commemorate the National Accountability Bureau which is involved in the fight against corruption in Pakistan. The design is circular and was produced by Adil Salahuddin and the stamp was lithographed by the National Security Printing Company in Karachi and is perforated 13. An important subject but not a great design. Rating:- *.

  🇮🇳 India Post has released more My Stamps:-

  12 October 2018 - 25th anniversary of the National Human Rights Commission. One stamp with attached label sold at a premium in sheets of 12 stamps:-

  29 October 2018 - World Stroke Day. One stamp with attached label sold at a premium in sheets of 12:-

  12 November 2018 - Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited. One stamp with attached label sold at a premium in sheets of 12:-

1349. 🇯🇪 Europa Birds And Chinese Pigs In 2019 From Jersey Post.

  🇯🇪 After reporting the vast number of new stamp issues to be released by Australia Post in the first 2 months of 2019 in Blog 1348, we now have news of the first stamps of the new year to be expected from Jersey Post. 

  Previously stated to have been due for issue on 5 March 2018 is a set which includes 6 Bird stamps to represent Jersey Post's contribution to this year's Europa theme which is 'National birds'. I don't think that Jersey officially has a 'national bird' so Jersey Post has got around that slight awkwardness by labelling this set 'Birds and Symbolism'. More details to follow. Rating:- **.

  Of no relevance at all to Jersey are the stamp and miniature sheet to be released on 4 January 2019 which commemorate the Chinese New Year, the Year of The Pig, unless perhaps they like to eat a lot of bacon sandwiches on Jersey. This issue was designed by Wang Huming of Beijing. Rating:- 0.

1348. 🇦🇺 January And February With Australia Post.

  🇦🇺 Australia Post, with the prospect of its almost universally adversely criticised Sticker Stamps lurking just around the corner, has released the details of its vast outpouring of new issues planned for the first 2 months of 2019. Those who run Stamperija and IGPC have lessons to learn in exploitation from Australia Post and then some.

  8 January 2018 - Issue inscribed 'Christmas Island Australia' - Lunar new year, The Year of The Pig - 2 gummed stamps, 1 miniature sheet, 1 self-adhesive stamp with attached label for personalisation, 1 gold-foil miniature sheet on sale for $99 issued (naturally) in a limited edition of 500, 1 'Zodiac sheet' containing 14 different stamps on sale for $8, 1 'silk minisheet' pack containing 3 similar miniature sheets but each printed on different materials sold for $25 and 1 'Lotus sheet' containing 12 different stamps on sale for $11.20c. There is also a Peppa Pig pack containing 2 different panes of 10 x $1 Greetings stamps with attached labels on sale for $23 and inevitably there is a Prestige booklet containing several different panes on sale for $20.95c. There are also numerous other philatelic products related to this issue but the above details the various forms in which stamps have been prepared for this issue. According to my calculations 'one of each' will cost the collector a little short of $200 (approximately £113!). Rating:- 0.

  22 January 2019 - issue inscribed 'Norfolk Island Australia' - The original settlement of Norfolk Islanders by Pitcairners - 2 stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Designed by Jo Muré and lithographed by Egotrade and perforated 14 x 14.5. Rating:- ***.

  17 January 2019 - Australian Legends - 5 gummed stamps and 5 self-adhesive stamps sold in individual booklets of 10 x $1 (total cost of booklets is $50). Details awaited.

  5 February 2019 - 'Moments To Treasure', Greetings stamps - 8 gummed stamps (7 x $1 and 1 x $2), 8 Self-adhesive stamps (from booklets of 10 x $1 [7 different booklets] and 1 booklet of 10 x $2, total cost amounting to $90), 1 gummed sheetlet containing 1 of each stamp and 1 Prestige booklet costing $32.95c containing 16 x $2 Weddding stamps with attached labels. Rating:- 0.

  12 February 2019 - Centenary of the Birth of Robin Boyd, architect and architectural commentator. Designed by Jo Muré and lithographed by RA Printing and perforated 14 x 14.5. Rating:- ***.

  26 February 2019 - 150th anniversary of the 'Welcome Stranger' gold nugget by John Deason and Richard Oates at Moliagul. Designed by John White and lithographed by Egotrade and perforated 14 x 14.5. Rating:- ****.

  8 February 2019 - Stamp packs sold for $23 each. Each pack contains 2 panes each of which is made up of 10 x $1 stamps with attached labels (the packs are therefore sold at a premium of $3 each). The subjects have nothing to do with Australian culture - Mary Poppins, Popeye and Looney Tunes. Rating:- 0.