2154.. 🇨🇾 Cyprus - Gods Of Olympus And Asia Minor Catastrophe.

 

New issues.

🇨🇾 Cyprus Post -

19 September 2022 - Centenary of the Asia Minor Catastrophe- 1 miniature sheet containing a single stamp. Lithographed by Baltijas Banknote, Latvia. Rating:- *****.

  In the wake of the First World War and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire war broke out between Greece and Turkey. The Greeks hoped to establish a state taking in territory both in Europe and Asia Minor. In May 1919 Greek forces were sent to Smyrna to protect those of Greek heritage who lived there and secured the town and the coastal areas of Asia Minor. At this stage conflict broke out between Greek royalists and those supporting the former Greek prime minister Venizelos and in consequence the army was purged of the supporters of Venizelos. The Greek Army became isolated in central Turkey and was defeated by Ataturk’s forces. The army was forced to retreat to the shores of the Aegean and tens of thousands of Greek and Christian residents fled with them fearing they would be massacred by the Turks. 

  In September 1922 the Turks burned Smyrna to the ground and massacred thousands of Greeks and Armenians who were in the destroyed city. It was estimated that hundreds of thousands of Greeks were killed at this time. A pro-Venizelos revolution broke out on board the Greek naval ship Lemnos among the officers of the Second Army which had been evacuated from Smyrna and this spread to Athens. The king was exiled and the officers and politicians who were seen as being responsible for the defeat in Asia Minor were put on trial and executed with only the British government protesting at this action.

  1650000 Greek Orthodox Christians fled from Turkey while while 650000 Greek Muslims escaped from Greece to Turkey fearful of reprisals against them. As a result of the influx of refugees from Turkey the population size of both Athens and Thessaloniki doubled in size. For the first time in 3000 years there was no Hellenic presence in Asia Minor.

19 September 2022 - The twelve god of Mount Olympus - 12 stamps issued in a sheetlet containing all 12 stamps. Printed by Baltijas Banknote, Latvia. Rating:- ***.

🇱🇹 Stamperija (Lithuania-based producer and vendor of paraphilatelic products with contracts from some Commonwealth postal administrations allowing it to produce items on their behalf).

Togo (issues from 25 June 2022 which is when Togo became a member of The Commonwealth) - 

1 September 2022 - Sinking of the Russian warship Moskva by Ukrainian forces - 2 ‘stamps’ produced in 2 sheetlets of 6 and 2 miniature sheets. Rating:- 0.

These are the first products released by Stamperija after 25 June 2022 with the name of Togo printed on them following Togo’s admission to Commonwealth membership. Further products released by Stamperija in the name of Togo will not generally be mentioned in this Blog.

1853. 🇨🇾 Cyprus Commemorates Greek Revolution Bicentenary.

🇨🇾 Cyprus Post will issue 2 stamps and 1 miniature sheet on 24 March 2021 to commemorate the Bicentenary of the Greek revolution. The two stamps depict part of the monument of Cypriot Fighters located in the Garden of Heroes at Messolonghi which was erected in 2006 and the Mausoleum of Cypriot Fighters of 9 July 1821 dating back to 1930 located in Nicosia, both designs being against a background of a Greek flag dating to 1822 which used a blue cross on a white field though soon afterwards the colours were reversed to a blue cross placed on a white field.The colourful miniature sheet depicts the painting by Alexandros Soutzos painted in 1865 and now located in the national gallery in Athens which shows the national flag being blessed by Metropolitan Germanos of Patras. Rating:- *****.

  Two Anniversaries stamps will also be issued on the same date - the first commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Cyprus Cancer Association and the other commemorates the 60th anniversary of Cyta, an organisation which was set up to “give the newly established state [of Cyprus] communication channels, to highlight its place on the international map and to keep step with every era”. Rating:- **. 

 🇺🇸 The latest products from the US-based IGPC include this month a large number of new items with the name of Antigua And Barbuda printed on them:- 

No date of issue is stated for any of these products (not even the year). All are rated 0.

Birth centenary of the late Pope John Paul II - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps. 

Centenary of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps.

20th anniversary of the Mini Cooper motor car - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 4 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

Quatercentenary of the arrival of the Mayflower in America - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps.

40th anniversary of the Audi Quatro motor car - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 4 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

50th anniversary of the Range Rover motor car - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 4 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

70th anniversary of the Morgan Plus 4 motor car - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 4 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

75th anniversary of The United Nations Organisation - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps.

Flowers of the world - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 4 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

Marine life of the world - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 4 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

Rabbits of the world - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 4 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

Ghana - the list also includes a miniature sheet with a stated day of issue of 31 December 2020 with the name of Ghana inscribed on the stamps contained in it. No other details are currently available other than that the item is another one of those numerous IGPC products said to commemorate Dorje Chang Buddha III.