772. Makers Of India.

  In previous Blogs 682, 686, 702,744 and 761 I have given updates of the piecemeal issue of India's latest definitive series stamps of which have been appearing since 2015. The issue, described as India's 11th definitive series, is titled "Makers of India". Below are depicted the 21 stamps which have appeared starting with the 25ps Mahatma Gandhi and 25ps Yoga stamp and including 1 x Re1 stamp, 3 x Rs3, 1 x Rs4, 12 x Rs5 and 1 x Rs10. 

  The total issue should eventually be made up of a total of 27stamps - there is to be a further Re3 stamp as well as 3 further Rs5 stamps, 1 more Rs10, a Rs20 (Mother Teresa) and a Rs50 stamp (Rabindranath Tagore). As an interesting series (though the quality of production leaves a lot to be desired) - Rating:- ***.

Post scriptum:- since writing the above, I have added a 22nd stamp to the illustrations below - a Rs2 value depicting Dr. BR Ambedkar.

Post post scriptum (18 June 2016) - further stamps in this series have now appeared - a Rs 3 value depicting Bhimsen Joshi (illustration awaited), a Rs 5 value which depicts Jawarhalal Nehru (illustration awaited) and a Rs10 value depicting Maharana Pratap (depicted below). The set now includes 25 values. 

  An absolute orgy of "Post And Go" label issuing has taken place with the dispensing of vast numbers of labels from the kiosks situated at the various branches of the National Museum of The Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm Museum, HMS Caroline, HMS Trincomalee, Royal Marines Museum, Royal Navy Museum and the Royal Navy Submarine Museum) all with additional inscriptions applied to commemorate the centenary of the Battle of Jutland. 

  Two designs have been sold - the increasingly boring "Machin Head" design and the equally tiresome "Union Jack" design thus resulting in 8 new "Collectors strips" or 12 if the collector wishes to include the HMS Caroline and HMS Trincomalee labels which are identifiable from their kiosk number (A008 and A006 respectively). With 6 labels per strip, a total of 48 new labels, or even 72, have been produced by this single issue. The labels are being dispensed for a 1 month period from 31 May to 30 June 2016. Rating:- 0.

Royal Navy:-

HMS Trincomalee:-

HMS Caroline:-

Submarine Museum:-

Fleet Air Arm Museum:-

Royal Marines Museum:-

  New Zealand Post will issue a sheetlet of 10 different lozenge-shaped stamps titled "The Road To Rio" on 6 July 2016. The stamps feature emblems of the 10 Olympic sports in which New Zealand has previously won gold medals against a background of New Zealand scenery and feature the emblem of the New Zealand Olympic Committee rather than of the Games itself and by not commemorating the Games but the team's preparation for them New Zealand has cleverly got round the restrictions and some of the great expense of commemorating the Rio Games whilst issuing a large set of stamps.

  The issue, designed by Jonathan Gray, is only available in miniature sheet format. The sheet was lithographed by Southern Colour Print and perforated 14 x 14.5. Rating:- *****.