Thursday 19 December 2019

1563. ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia Post Begins 2020 With Philatelic Deluge.

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia Post has announced a shockingly large number of new issues with which it intends to start off 2020. There does not appear to be an ‘Australian Legends’ set but the issue detailed below which commemorates veteran sports commentators may be a substitute for that series. 
  We may also recall the MyStamp issue detailed recently in Blog 1560. Before all this there is a late 2019 issue of which to take note.

16 December 2019 - Australian fauna - 4 gummed stamps, 2 self-adhesive stamps from a coil and 2 self-adhesive stamps from a booklet of 10 x $1.10 (koala) and a booklet of 20 x $1.10 (wombat). Designed by Sonia Young and lithographed by RA Printing and perforated 14 x 14.5. An attractive set but no reason is given for its issue in the midst of numerous other issues. Rating:- *.






2 January 2020 - ‘Joyful Occasions’ (Greetings Stamps) - 10 gummed Stamps, 7 self-adhesive stamps from individual Booklets and 1 Wedding Prestige booklet (sold for $35.95). Rating:- 0.









๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฝ Inscribed Christmas Island Australia - 8 January 2020 - Chinese New Year, Year Of The Rat - 3 gummed stamps, 1 self-adhesive stamp from sheetlet of 5 (sold for $12.50), 1 Prestige booklet sold for $29.95, 1 miniature sheet $6.90, 1 ‘gold’ miniature sheet sold for $88, 1 ‘Zodiac sheet’ sold for $13.80 and 1 Lunar New Year Calendar sheet sold for $15.50. Designed by Yan Lin and lithographed by RA Printing and perforated 14.5. Rating:- 0.








๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ซ 14 January 2020 - inscribed ‘Norfolk Island Australia’ - Early botanical art - 2 gummed stamps and 1 miniature sheet containing both stamps. Designed by John White and lithographed by Ego and perforated 14.5 x 14. Rating:- **.



 21 January 2020 - ‘Tree dwellers of the Tropics’ - 3 gummed stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Designed by Kevin Stead and lithographed by RA Printing and perforated 14.5 x 14. An attractive issue but what is the reason for issuing it? Rating:- *.




4 February 2020 - Australian sports commentators - 4 gummed stamps and 1 Prestige booklet sold for $26.95. Designed by Sean Pethick and lithographed by Ego and perforated 14 x 14.5. Rating:- *.





11 February 2020 - 50th anniversary of the Transcontinental railway -1 gummed stamp produced in sheetlets of 10 and 1 self-adhesive stamp sold in booklets of 20 (sold for $22). A wothwhile commemoration. Designed by Jamie and Leanne Tufrey and lithographed by Ego and perforated 14 x 14.5. Rating:- ****.



18 February 2020 - Medical innovations- 4 gummed stamps and 4 self-adhesive stamps (3 from booklet of 20 x $1.10 and the other from a ‘sheetlet’ of 5 costing $16. Designed by Nigel Buchanan and lithographed by RA Printing and perforated 14.5 x 14. Rating:- *.





๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡บ The single stamp issued by Mauritius Post to commemorate its Metro Express rail service (see Blog 1544) was released on 18 December 2019. 

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡นMaltaPost has recently issued two items to commemorate its participation at philatelic exhibitions- as usual they take the form of a previously issued Greetings Stamp with an appropriate attached label.
  The items commemorate the Monacophil 2019 exhibition held from 28 to 30 November 2019 and the 20th Maltex exhibition held from 22 to 24 October 2019. Rating:- ***.



๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฌ The Mahatma Gandhi issue from NiPost, the postal service of Nigeria, released on 2 October 2019 and previously mentioned in Blogs 1534 and 1547, is available in two formats - a single stamp from ordinary sheets with and without a hologram, and perforate and imperforate miniature sheets. These are all illustrated below.





2 comments:

  1. Hate to correct you White Knight, but there is a very good reason for the Native Animal stamps released on 16 December. Australia Post will be increasing all domestic letter rates by 10% on 2 January, hence these are for the rate rise. Likewise the Celebration stamps are being released for the same reason. The Bulletin also states that the Legends issue will be released at a time more suited to the subject matter (so if the issue was famous Olympians they will release them around the time of the Tokyo Olympics to maximize publicity).

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    1. Thank you very much, Chris. That information is very helpful. I’m always glad to be corrected by people who have more knowledge on a subject than I do. Best wishes, WK.

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