2706. 🇸🇭 Tristan Da Cunha Commemorates Submarine Visit Anniversary.

🇸🇭 Postal service of Tristan Da Cunha -

28 April 2025 - 90th anniversary of the visit of Hr Ms K XVIII to Tristan in March 1935 - 1 miniature sheet containing a single £5 stamp. This was a Dutch vessel which made a journey around the world and carried research scientists who were conducting gravity experiments. The abbreviation Hr Ms refers to Her Majesty (the Queen of the Netherlands) and the K. stands for ‘Koloniën’ (colonies) meaning that its primary function was to defend the then Dutch colonies. DesignedAndrew Robinson and lithographed by Cartor and perforated 13.5 x 13. Rating:- ****.

Thanks to Isle Of Man Stamps& Coins for information about this issue.

🇯🇪 Jersey Post -

5 May 2025 - EUROPA, Local archaeological discoveries - 6 stamps and 1 miniature sheet containing all 6 stamps. This issue was reported in Blog 2701 but I now illustrate the miniature sheet below. Designed from illustrations by Hannah George and lithographed by bpost. The combined face value of the six stamps from sheets and the miniature sheet is £21.10p. Greedy JerseyPost. 

Important British events and anniversaries not commemorated by Royal Mail (part 1) -

23 April 2025 - 250th anniversary of the birth of JMW Turner, English artist.

One of the most notable artists in British history, the bicentenary of Turner’s birth was commemorated on 19 February 1975 by the release of four stamps depicting paintings by Turner. Co-incidently 23 April is also St George’s Day and the anniversary of the birth and death of the great English playwright William Shakespeare. Royal Mail feels that no issue is needed for the 250th anniversary of this great Briton, or so it appears, but instead a set featuring an American dog cartoon is of higher priority.

🇺🇸 Intergovernmental Philatelic Corporation -

It did not take long after the announcement of his death, for IGPC to realise that it might be able to flog off a few of the numerous Pope Francis issues featured on its internet site. It’s likely that even now someone is beavering away in front of a computer screen manipulating images to produce designs for philatelic products featuring the late Pope and rake in a few dollars to boost the company’s finances.

2705. 🇻🇦 Death Of Pope Francis. Many Stamp Issues Expected.

 

🇻🇦 The Vatican announced the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday morning, 21 April 2025. The 88 year old pontiff had previously been hospitalised for a severe case of pneumonia but on Sunday appeared before thousands of Roman Catholics in St Peter’s Square in Vatican City to make an appearance and to give a shortened blessing to the faithful. He was dead less than twenty fours later. 

  Pope Francis was the first non-European Pope to be elected to the post since the Syrian-born Gregory III who died in 741 and he was the first pope to come from the Americas and the southern hemisphere. He was elected to be pope on 13 March 2013 and since then numerous stamp issues featuring him were released particularly by the Intergovernmental Philatelic Corporation with the names of its various client countries printed on them though the subject of the issues rarely had any direct relevance to the countries in whose names they were issued. Most of the IGPC issues had less to do with honouring the Pope and more to do with making a fast buck.

  We must expect that a large number of stamps commemorating the late Pontiff will be released in the coming months from entities such as IGPC and the notorious Stamperija as they attempt to cash in on the memory of Francis and doubtless there will be even more depicting his successor, once chosen. A papal death and election are always a business opportunity for the less scrupulous producers of philatelic products.

Some previous philatelic products which featured Pope Francis -

New issues -

🇱🇹 Stamperija -

🇹🇬 Issues inscribed Togolese Republic -

I do not usually report Stamperija products but as these are the first items of 2025 to purport to emanate from Togo, I mention them with illustrations to remind us all of the cynicism and bad taste of this particular ‘agency’ - 

1 April 2025 - Miscellaneous subjects - 13 miniature sheets or sheetlets containing varying numbers of ‘stamps’. Produced in perforate and imperforate forms. Two miniature sheets (one of 4 stamps and the other containing a single stamp) on the subject of the war in Ukraine giving the impression that the government of Togo supports the Ukrainian fight against the Russian invaders and 11 sheets depicting scenes from vintage Walt Disney cartoons - 8 showing the character Mickey Mouse and three depicting scenes from the Danse Macabre (skeleton dance). All very tasteless and exploitative. 

It is worth noting that while these stamps give the impression of Togolese support for Ukraine, at the UN General Assembly meeting held on 24 February 2025, the Togolese delegation failed to support a Ukrainian motion calling for peace and highlighting the role of Russia as the aggressor and instead Togo abstained on the vote (which was better than the United States which supported Putin and voted against the motion). There’s no point in issuing stamps suggesting support for a cause if that support does not actually exist.

Rating - 0 - Avoid.

2704. 🇯🇲 Jamaica Commemorates College Centenary.

 

New issues - 

🇯🇲 Jamaica Post -

16 April 2025 - Centenary of Kingston College - 3 stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Lithographed. Better quality illustrations and more information will be posted when available. Rating:- ****.

🇬🇭 Ghana Post -

15 May 2023 - Traditional African musical instruments - 2 miniature sheets, one containing 4 stamps and the other a single stamp (see Blog 2306). A comment from a reader sheds new light on this issue and demonstrates that at least one of the stamps from these sheets has received postal usage in Ghana. Rating therefore upgraded to ***. Thanks to Anonymous for contributing this very useful comment.

🇵🇬 PNG Post (postal service of Papua New Guinea) - 

2024 - Traditional women’s dresses (see Blog 2703). Another very helpful comment from a reader confirms that this issue appears to have gone on sale in 2024. I have requested Anonymous to ask if they would kindly let me know if any other purchases of issues from 2024 were made which have not been covered in recent CSO Blogs. In the mean time, my thanks for the information.

2703. 🇵🇬🇫🇯🇲🇾 PNG Women’s Clothing; More Fiji Surcharges, Raja Of Perlis’ Silver Jubilee.

 

New issues -

🇵🇬 PNG Post (postal service of Papua New Guinea) -

?2025, the issue was stated previously to have been released in June 2023 though this date must be very dubious - Meri blaus, Women’s dresses - 4 stamps and 2 miniature sheets, one containing 4 different stamps and the other a single stamp. Lithographed. Rating:- ***.

🇫🇯 Fiji Post -

?2025 - Previously issued definitives reissued with surcharges applied - 38c value obliterated in two formats (XX and XXX) and 42c with two obliterations in two format (XX and XXX);- ****.

🇲🇾 Pos Malaysia - 

26 April 2025 - Silver Jubilee of Raja Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail of Perlis - 3 stamps. Lithographed.  Rating:- ****. A better illustration will be added when available.

2702. 🇬🇧 Royal Mail EuroPhilEx Sheets.

 

New issues -

🇲🇾 Pos Malaysia -

17 April 2025 - Stamp 2025 Fair, Putrajaya - 1 previously issued miniature sheet containing a single stamp with an overprint applied. Rating:- ***.

🇬🇧 Royal Mail -

1 May 2025 - Valour and Victory stories of the Second World War, 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe - 10 stamps with an accompanying miniature sheet featuring the ‘Forces’ Sweetheart’, singer Vera Lynn (see Blog 1690).

7 May 2025 - EuroPhilEx philatelic exhibition, Birmingham - it has been announced that Royal Mail will issue the 1 May miniature sheet with an overprint to commemorate the exhibition and sold for £6.60 (limited edition of 7500) as well as a ‘Collector sheet’ titled ‘Victory Stamps. 1946. Symbols of Peace and Reconstruction’ (10 self-adhesive Union Flag stamps with attached labels printed by lithography). The price will be £17.70. Additional illustrations and information awaited.

🇱🇹 Stamperija or an agent related to Stamperija -

🇸🇱 Products inscribed Sierra Leone -

15 January 2025 (date on cancellation of ‘first day cover’) - ‘Summer Games 2024’ (presumably an attempt to cash in on the Paris Olympic Games) - 16 ‘stamps’ (8 stamps in 2 different formats produced in miniature sheets and sheetlets as well as a number of other philatelic products. Not surprisingly, sold in both perforate and imperforate forms. Rating:- 0.