2416. 🇦🇺 Australia Post’s First Issues of 2024.

 

New issues.

🇦🇺 Australia Post -

🇳🇫 Issue inscribed Norfolk Island Australia -

8 January 2024 - Humpback whales - 2 stamps and 1 miniature sheet containing both stamps. Designed by Jo Muré and lithographed by Southern Impact. Perforated 14 x 14.5. Rating:- ***

22 January 2024 - Nostalgic tinned fruit labels - 3 gummed stamps and 3 self-adhesive stamps from booklets and 1 miniature sheet containing the 3 stamps. Rating:- 0.

🇨🇽 Issue inscribed Christmas Island Australia -

29 January 2024 - Lunar new year, Year of the Dragon - 3 stamps, 1 miniature sheet including all 3 stamps, 1 ‘Zodiac sheet’ containing 15 different stamps, 1 ‘Calendar sheet’ containing 12 different stamps and 2 Dragon ‘gold’ miniature sheets each sold for A$109.95. Designed by Chrissy Lau and Sharon Rodziewicz and lithographed by RA Printing and perforated 14.5 x 14. Rating:- **.

13 February 2024 - Australian ground parrots - 3 gummed stamps, 3 self-adhesive stamps from booklets and 1 miniature sheet containing all 3 stamps. Designed by Kevin Stead and Sonia Young and lithographed by RA Printing and perforated 14 x 14.5. Rating:- **.

20 February 2024 - ‘Retro audio’ - 3 gummed stamps and 3 self-adhesive stamps from booklets. Designed by Melissa Webb and Jo Muré and lithographed by RA Printing and perforated 14 x 14.5. Rating:- 0.

🇦🇺  Issue inscribed Australian Antarctic Territory -

20 February 2024 - Petrels - 4 gummed stamps and 1 miniature sheet containing all 4 stamps. Designed by Sharon Rodziewicz and lithographed by RA Printing and perforated 14 x 14.5 Rating:- ****.

27 February 2015 - Gert Sellheim travel posters - 3 gummed stamps, 3 self-adhesive stamps from a single $24 booklet and 1 miniature sheet containing all 3 stamps. Designed by Simone Sakinofsky and lithographed by EGO and perforated 14.5 x 14. Rating:- 0.

1977. 🇭🇰 Father Christmas Visits Hong Kong Movie Locations.

 

🇭🇰 The final issue of the year from Hong Kong Post will be a set of 4 stamps and 1 miniature sheet to commemorate Christmas. The theme of the set is that of Hong Kong locations used to film scenes from movies. To be seasonal, Father Christmas is depicted being shown the sights. Certainly an original approach to the Christmas theme. Rating:- ***.

🇮🇲 In Blog 1973 I mentioned a set of 7 stamps to be released by Isle Of Man Post Office to commemorate the 75th birthday of Sir Barry Gibb, former singer of the old popular music group, the Bee Gees. It appears that the issue also includes a miniature sheet containing all 7 stamps.

🇮🇳 India Post issued a single stamp on 10 November 2021 to commemorate Dattopant Thengadi whom Wikipedia describes as a “Hindu ideologue, trade union leader and founder of the Swadeshi Jangaran Manch, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and the Bharatiya Kisangani Singh”. Another one of those dull politician stamps with which the Indian postal service is obsessed. Rating:- **.

1876. 🇨🇾 Cyprus Commemorates National Hero.

 

🇨🇾 Cyprus Post issued a single stamp on 6 May 2021 to commemorate Efrosini Proestou (1903-93) who is known as the Lady of Lapithos, a hero of the 1974 struggles in the island. The issue was lithographed by Baltic Banknote High Security Printing.  Rating:- ***.

🇬🇧 Let’s be honest. After the break-up of The Beatles does not the work of English musician Paul McCartney become little more than a footnote in British music history? So the commemoration of this aged songwriter and musician using the tired old formula showing his post-Beatles music album covers, of which most of the people of Britain are now blissfully unaware I should think, is probably misjudged by Royal Mail which is still hoping that the remaining enthusiasts for music of a bygone age are around in sufficient numbers to want to spend very large amounts of money on stamps and other products which feature him. If Royal Mail had waited until next year they would at least have been commemorating his 80th birthday.

  This assault on the collector’s pocket to be carried out from 28 May 2021 onwards is made up of many, many items but principally a set of 8 stamps (total cost £10.20p), 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps (£5.10p), 1 ‘Collectors sheet containing 1 each of 6 of the values and two each of the other two all with attached labels (£13.00), 3 different ‘fan sheets’ (2 at £7.50 each and the other sold for £10.90), 1 Prestige booklet sold for £20.25p containing 4 different panes including 1 pane of Machin Head definitive (2x 1st, 2x 2p, 2x10p, 2x50p plus one stamp-sized label depicting the performer), 1 ‘limited edition Prestige booklet similar to the ordinary edition but with a different cover (£49.99p) and 1 counter booklet containing 4 x 1st Class rate Machin Head definitive plus 1 each of the 1st Class stamps (£5.10p). That makes, I think, if you ignore the rest of the paraphilatelic detritus being offered for sale along with these items, a total cost of £129.54. Good luck with that one, anyone who must have ‘one of everything’.

  The proud designers of this issue are Baxter and Bailey and the stamps were lithographed by International Security Printers and are perforated 14. Rating:- 0.