940. Latest Products From IGPC And Stamperija.

 Collectors will be overjoyed to know that this Blog contains news of the latest stuff with the names of Commonwealth countries printed on it to be put out by both IGPC and Stamperija.

  🇬🇲 The Gambia - 8 March 2017 - ?Definitive stamps - Although The Gambia is not at present a member of The Commonwealth it is expected to rejoin the organisation in the foreseeable future after the removal of the tyrannical former president earlier this year. This set of 3 stamps looks rather like 3 definitive values and if so may well be in actual postal service use in The Gambia when it rejoins The Commonwealth and it therefore makes sense to obtain these 3 very attractive stamps with that thought in mind. Rating:- *****.

  Post scriptum - see the comments at the end of this Blog. I completely reverse what I wrote in the last sentence of the above paragraph! Revised rating:- 0!

  🇱🇷 Depicted below are similar stamps produced by IGPC for Liberia - see the Comment section at the end of this Blog. The total face value of this trio is equivalent to £190!

  🇬🇩 Grenada - 28 February 2017 - Bats (found in Grenada) - 1 sheetlet of 6 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet of 2 different stamps. Rating:- ****.

  28 February 2017 - 50th anniversary of Ranger 7 space craft - 2 miniature sheets each of 4 different stamps. Rating:- 0.

  🇬🇭🇬🇩🇻🇨 Issues commemorating the Birth Centenary of John Kennedy (former US President) - In addition to previously mentioned items, further issues have been produced by IGPC in the names of Ghana (1 miniature sheet of 6 different stamps, 1 ms of 4 different stamps and 1 ms of 1 stamp, issued 14 March 2017), Grenada Carriacou And Petite Martinique (1 miniature sheet of 6 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet of 4 different stamps- see also Blog 925, issued 28 February 2017) and St. Vincent And The Grenadines (1 miniature sheet of 6 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet of 4 different stamps, issued 28 February 2017). Rating:- 0.

  🇦🇬 Antigua And Barbuda - 

  3 February 2017 - Death Centenary of Count Ferdinand Von Zeppelin - 1 miniature sheet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet of 2 different stamps. Rating:- 0.

  3 June 2017 - 55th anniversary of Yuri Gargarin's first manned space flight - 1 miniature sheet of 6 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet of 2 different stamps. Rating:- 0.

  🇹🇻 Tuvalu

    11 January 2017 - Commemoration of the late King Bhumibol Adulayadej of Thailand - 1 sheetlet of 6 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet of 4 stamps. Rating:- 0.

  15 February 2017 - Pacific jellyfish - 1 miniature sheet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet of 2 different stamps. Lithographed. Rating:- ***.

  15 February 2017 - Commemoration of the late Shimon Peres, former President of Israel - 1 sheetlet of 6 different stamps. Rating:- 0.

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  🇸🇱 There's no reasonable explanation for the issuing of "stamps" with the name of Sierra Leone printed on them when they commemorate such unlikely subjects as the Centenary of the death of the spy Mata Hari and the 55th anniversary of the Cuban Missiles Crisis. But the relevance of subjects to the unfortunate country whose name is inscribed on the paraphilatelic products which emanate from the philatelic agency known as Stamperija has long been of trivial importance to the agency providing they sell their products and make a huge profit at the same time. 

  So the latest such items to be inscribed "Sierra Leone" generally remain irrelevant in subject matter to that country and include the above two improbable subjects along with the 50th anniversary of the Outer Space Treaty, the 50th anniversary of Valentina Tereshkova's space flight, 20th anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, Birth Centenary of the former US President JF Kennedy, 160th anniversary of the Indian Mutiny, Centenary of The Russian revolution, 180th anniversary of the death of Alexander Pushkin and the 220th birth anniversary of Frank Schubert.

  As usual these items are issued in sheetlets of 4 different "stamps" and accompanying miniature sheets and there are 10 sets in all which are stated to have been "issued" on 27 February 2017 though whether any of them were actually put on sale at any post office counters in Sierra Leone is another question altogether. Rating:- 0. Examples of 3 of the sets are shown below:-

939. Malta Architecture, Malaysian Calligraphy And Myanmar Foreign Affairs.

  🇲🇹 Anyone who has had the pleasure to visit Malta will appreciate how the character of the island is brought out in the wonderful buildings that one sees all around one and therefore it's easy to understand why Malta Post issues a set of stamps annually which showcase various aspects of the island's architecture.

  A set of 3 stamps will be released therefore on 30 March 2017 which depict the interesting balcony corbels which can be seen around the island; this will be the second such issue with another set of three on the same subject having been released in 2016. This attractive and interesting set was designed by Cedric Galea Pirotta and lithographed by Printex Ltd. and perforated 14. Rating:- ****.

  🇲🇾 Pos Malaysia issued a set of 3 stamps and 1 miniature sheet on 28 March 2017 on the subject of Calligraphy with regard to local festivals - Hari raya, Idil fitur and Chinese New Year. The set was designed by Shahrul Izhar, the calligraphy being carried out by Adam Ng, Mohd Fathi Roseli and Velu Perumal. Rating:- *****.

  🇲🇲 The postal service of Myanmar has issued a single stamp which depicts General Aung San, the country's first foreign minister, by way of commemorating the 70th anniversary of Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is an interesting little item and was issued on 17 March 2017. Rating:- ****

938. Whales From Bahamas; Independence Celebrations From Maldives; Transport From India.

  🇧🇸 The Bahamas Postal Service will issue a set of 4 stamps on 10 April 2017 as the second part of its series which commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation. The set features local whales and was designed by Andrew Robinson and lithographed by Cartor and perforated 13.5. Another excellent issue from Creative Direction/Pobjoy Stamps. Rating:- *****.

  🇲🇻 Maldives Post is said to have issued 11 "local" miniature sheets during 2016 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the country's independence. Independence Day was celebrated on 26 July 2016. I do not know the date of issue of these sheets but if they were released on Independence Day then they would have been issued while Maldives was still a member of The Commonwealth so I suppose, given their local nature, that I really ought to add them to my Commonwealth stamp collection. Rating:- ***.

  🇮🇳 India Post issued 20 different stamps on 25 March 2017 on the subject of "Means of Transport". The issue was produced in various formats - 5 miniature sheets each of 4 different stamps (Palanquin, Bullock cart and horse carriage, Rickshaw, Vintage car and Public transport) issued in a Prestige booklet sold for Rs600, 1 sheetlet of 20 different stamps and 5 sheetlets each containing 5 se-tenant strips of 4 different stamps and each sold for Rs275. Rating:- **.