2509. 🇮🇪 🇵🇰 Irish Republic Europa Issue; Pakistan WWF Issue.

 

New issues -

🇮🇪 An Post (postal service of the Republic of Ireland) - 

6 June 2024 - EUROPA, Year of Oceans - 2 self-adhesive stamps from sheetlets of 8 x Domestic rate and 4 x Worldwide rate. Designed by Jenny Dempsey using illustrations by Shevaun Doherty and lithographed by Enschedé. Rating:- ****.

🇵🇰 Pakistan Post -

24 May 2024 - Worldwide Fund For Nature,International Day of the Markhor - 1 stamp and 1 imperforate miniature sheet. Lithographed by National Security Printing Company, Karachi. Rating:- ***.

🇮🇳 India Post -

2024 - 35th anniversary of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, My Stamp - 1 personalised stamp issued in sheetlets of 12 with attached labels and sold at a premium.

🇴🇲 Oman Post -

2 June 2024 - Endowment’s Year 1444 AH - 1 stamp from sheetlets 8and 1 miniature versions containing a single stamp. Rating:- **.

1120. 🇲🇹 Christmas In Malta.

  🇲🇹 Malta Post will issue a set of 4 stamps to celebrate Christmas on 17 November 2017. The designs by Mark Micallef Perconte depict charming figurines of the infant Jesus which are to be found in four different churches in the island. The issue was lithographed by Printex and is perforated 14. Rating:- *****.

  🇮🇳 India Post issued 2 stamps and 2 miniature sheets on 14 November 2017 to commemorate Children's Day. The designs, based on children's art, depict birds and their nests and are pleasing, colourful and charming. Rating:- ****.

  🇨🇰 Few philatelic entities issue, or have issued on their behalf, as many WWF, Worldwide Fund For Nature, stamps as the postal administration or its philatelic agents, Philatelic Collector Inc., of Cook Islands. In 2016 there were 2 sets - one with the name of Aitutaki printed on it and one inscribed with the name of Rarotonga. Now we have 2 more issues - inscribed Cook Islands or Penrhyn - which each appear to be made up of 4 stamps and 1 miniature sheet which contains 2 se-tenant strips of four. The Cook Islands-inscribed set is on the subject of the Bristle-thighed curlew and that inscribed Penrhyn portrays the Bennett's butterflyfish. These stamps are not terribly interesting especially the Penrhyn set - you can only depict a fish in so many ways - swimming to the right or swimming to the left or perhaps swimming towards the observer or away from him - the designer has missed the chance of using the last two of these postures so all we are left with is a fish swimming to the right or to the left. Ho hum. Rating:- **.

1052. 🇳🇿 New Zealand Ends Health Stamps After 88 Years.

  🇳🇿 New Zealand Post has announced that it will no longer issue its annual Children's Health stamps which were first issued in 1929. New Zealand Post has said that "In recent times, mail volumes have been in decline and this has been reflected in the number of Children's Health stamps sold. Unfortunately this has lead to it being no longer financially viable for New Zealand Post and Stand to administer this stamp issue .... As a result, this annual stamp issue will no longer be continued, however New Zealand Post will continue to support the great work that Stand does by other means. September 2016 was the last date of issue for Children's Health Camp stamps.....".

  How long before it becomes "no longer financially viable" to issue new stamps of any kind?

  I recently mused about the non-appearance of any philatelic products from the philatelic agency Philatelic Collector Inc. so far during 2017 but now a whole host of such items has been put on to the market minus anything from Samoa one might add.

  There are items with the names of 2 postal services printed on them - Cook Islands and Tonga. The number of items offered for sale has been increased by producing items for parts of the territories- the islands of Aitutaki and Penrhyn in the Cook Islands and the island of Niuafo'ou which is part of Tonga. All five of these entities have had their names printed on products which commemorate Easter 2017, the 65th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II and the Centenary of the birth of former US President Kennedy. Ho hum.

  🇨🇰 Cook Islands - 12 April 2017 - Easter - 1 miniature sheet- Rating:- *

  3 July 2017 - Kennedy Centenary - 1 miniature sheet- Rating:- *.

  9 July 2017 - 6 Surcharges on previously issued World Wide Fund For Nature stamps - Rating:- ***.

  14 July 2017 - International Year of Sustainable Tourism For Development - 1 miniature sheet containing 6 different stamps - Rating:- ****.

  17 July 2017 - Sapphire Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II - 1 miniature sheet of 4 different stamps- Rating:- **.

  🇨🇰 Cook Islands Aitutaki - 12 April 2017 - Easter - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps- Rating:- 0.

  3 July 2017 - Kennedy centenary- q miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps- Rating:- 0.

  17 July 2017 - Sapphire Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II  - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps- Rating:- *.

  🇨🇰 Cook Islands Penrhyn - 12 April 2017 - Easter - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps- Rating:- 0.

  3 July 2017 - Kennedy centenary- 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps- Rating:- 0.

  17 July 2017 - Sapphire Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps- Rating:- *.

  🇹🇴 Tonga - 10 April 2017 - Easter - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps- Rating:- 0.

  7 June 2017 - Sapphire Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II -1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps- Rating:- *.

  10 July 2017 - 25th anniversary of Eua Natuinal Park - a se-tenant block of 4 stamps and 1 miniature sheet - Rating:- ****.

  14 July 2017 - Chinese fashion - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps - Rating:- 0.

  18 July 2017 - International Year of Sustainable Tourism For Development - 1 sheetlet of 6 different stamps - Rating:- ****.

  21 June 2017 - Kennedy Centenary - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps- Rating:- 0.

  🇹🇴 Tonga Niuafo'ou - 10 April 2017 - Easter - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps - Rating:- 0.

  7 June 2017 - Sapphire Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II - 1 miniature sheet of 4 different stamps - Rating:- 0.

  12 July 2017 - 4 stamps and 1 miniature sheet containing a single stamp - Rating:- 0.

  21 June 2017 - Kennedy Centenary - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps - Rating:- 0.

  🇭🇰 Hong Kong Post issued a set of 5 stamps and 1 miniature sheet and 1 HK$48 Prestige booklet on 13 June 2017 to commemorate the Centenary of the use of numbered typhoon signals. The issue was designed by Kallen Yan and lithographed by Cartor and perforated 13.5 (basic stamps) or 14.5 (miniature sheet). This is an interesting set which commemorates an unusual anniversary Rating:- ****.

  🇵🇰 Pakistan Post issued a single stamp on 6 July 2017 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of co-operation by Pakistan with the Asian Development Bank. The sadly uninteresting stamp was designed by ADB Pakistan Resident Mission in Islamabad and lithographed by National Security Printing Corporation, Pakistan and perforated 13. Rating:- *.