695. New Issues From Gibraltar, Canada And IGPC.

  The Gibraltar Post Office has found it necessary to release a pair of stamps to commemorate the lunar new year and this time, for the Year of the Monkey, 2 x £2 stamps seem to be necessary to do full justice to the festival. The issue was designed by Stephen Perera and lithographed by Cartor and the date of issue will be 30 January 2016. We may only wonder at what the relevance of the issue is to Gibraltar. Rating:- 0.

  Canada Post will issue a single stamp on 1 February 2016 as part of its ongoing  "Black History" series. The self-adhesive stamp, issued in booklets of 10, specifically will commemorate the centenary of the No. 2 Construction Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia.This was the only Canadian unit of black soldiers to fight in the First World War. Rating:- *****.

  Royal Mail will issue a "Generic sheet" of 20 stamps on 18 February 2016 to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the Penny Red stamp. Each stamp has an attached label depicting a Penny Red or Penny Black or Twopenny Blue. 

  The latest, and enormous, list of new philatelic products from IGPC, a USA-based philatelic agency, includes numerous items which have no relevance of subject matter to the client territories whose names are printed on these items. A few actually do feature relevant subjects and even though I'm dubious that most of this stuff ever gets sold across post office counters in the various territories to their ordinary mail sending public I will add a few of them to my collection of Commonwealth stamps. 

  I particularly like the new set from Dominica which depicts a local UNESCO World Heritage site (the country's first issue for a couple of years), a set featuring Humpback whales from Tuvalu (the species does indeed appear in the seas around the country) and one or 2 sets featuring birds from St. Vincent And The Grenadines (the depicted species are actually found in the country). The rest of the stuff I shall ignore quite happily.

Antigua And Barbuda - 28 December 2015 - "Gemstones of The United States" - 1 sheetlet of 6 stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0

  28 December 2015 - Centenary of the First World War, Poison Gas - 1 sheetlet of 6 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:-0

  Dominica - 1 December 2015 - Morne Trois Pitons National Park, Dominica (UNESCO World Heritage Site) -1 sheetlet of 6 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- ****.

 Ghana - 25 September 2015 - Lunar new year, Year of the Monkey - 1 sheetlet of 3 different stamps. Rating:- 0.

   21 December 2015 - 800th anniversary of Magna Carta - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0.

  7 December 2015 - State visit of President Xi Jinping of China to The United Kingdom, the state banquet at Buckingham Palace (the stamps concentrate on portraying The Duchess of Cambridge) - 1 sheetlet of 3 stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0.

  31 December 2015 - 125th anniversary of the death of Vincent Van Gogh - 1 sheetlet of 11 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0.

  Grenada - 21 December 2015 - Fish of the Caribbean area (part 2) - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0 (see also Blog 681)

  21 December 2015 - Owls - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. This issue appears to have very little relevance to Grenada since, according to Wikipedia, only one species of owl is found in Grenada - the Barn Owl. Rating:- 0.

 21 December 2015 - Art by Qi Bashi and Chinese art - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0.

  2 February 2016 - Chinese painting of soldiers - 1 stamp issued in sheet of 25. Rating:- 0.

  21 December 2015 - Starfishes - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheets. Rating:- 0.

  Guyana - 21 December 2015 - Visit of Pope Francis to New York in The United States - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0.

  21 December 2015 - 150th anniversary of the death of former US President Abraham Lincoln - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0.

  31 December 2015 - Achievement of Queen Elizabeth II in becoming the longest reigning British monarch - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0.

  Nevis - 7 December 2015 - Flowers of the Caribbean region - 1 sheetlet of 6 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0.

  17 December 2015 - Kingfishers of Central America - 6 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. According to Wikipedia, only one species of kingfisher is found in St. Kitts-Nevis - the Belted Kingfisher, depicted on the top left hand stamp in the sheetlet and on the miniature sheet. The issue otherwise has no relevance to Nevis. Rating:- 0.

  17 December 2015 - Visit of Pope Francis to New York in The United States - 1 sheetlet of 6 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0.

  St. Vincent And The Grenadines - 31 December 2015 - Ducks of the Caribbean region (part 2) - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Wikipedia lists 13 species of ducks and geese which are found in St. Vincent And The Grenadines but bizarrely none of them are featured on the stamps of this issue while none of the depicted species occur in St. Vincent. This issue therefore has absolutely no relevance whatsoever to St. Vincent And The Grenadines. Rating :- 0. (See also Blog 681).

  31 December 2015 - Birds (Part 2) - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. All of the birds featured in this issue are actually found in St. Vincent And The Grenadines and this issue is therefore of relevance to the territory. Rating:- ****. (See also Blog 681).

  31 December 2015- "World Famous Paintings" - 1 sheetlet of 3 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0.

  31 December 2015 - Coral reefs of the Caribbean region (part 2) - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0. (See also Blog 681).

  31 December 2015 - The Great Egret (part 2) - 1 sheetlet of 3 x 2 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- ***. (See also Blog 681)

  31 December 2015 - Flamingos (part 2) - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0. (See also Blog 681).

  31 December 2015 - Sharks (part 2) - 1 sheetlet of 6 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0. (See also Blog 681).

  31 December 2015 - Cape hunting dogs (part 2) - 1 sheetlet of 3 different stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- 0. (See also Blog 681).9

  2015 - Canonisation of Pope John Paul II - 1 sheetlet of 6 stamps, 1 sheetlet of 4 stamps and 2 x $10. Rating:- 0. 

  Tanzania - 2015 - Lunar new year, Year of the Monkey - 2 different stamps issued in sheets 20. Rating:- 0.

  Tuvalu - 2 November 2015 - Humpback whales (the Humpback whale is found in the Pacific Ocean around Tuvalu and so this issue has relevance to Tuvalu) - 6 stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Rating:- ****.

694. Dramatic Sea Rescue Stamps From Jersey Post.

  New Zealand Post will issue a set of 6 stamps and 1 miniature sheet on 3 February 2016 to commemorate the Centenary of the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association. The issue was designed by Richard Payne and lithographed by Southern Colour Print. Rating:- ****.

  Jersey Post will issue a set of 6 stamps and ! miniature sheet which combines all 6 stamps on 6 February 2016 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Air Sea Rescue Service which was founded in February 1941. The set was designed by Sharif Tarabay and lithographed by Lowe-Martin. Rating:- *****.

  Jersey Post will issue "Post and Go" labels on 17 February 2016 in new designs at the Spring Stampex philatelic exhibition in London. The stamps will be dispensed from kiosk JE01 and will depict the Jersey Crest with the names of the 12 parishes of Jersey printed in the background and an added inscription, "500 Years of Postal History", to commemorate the alleged 500th anniversary of Royal Mail or more accurately, the 500th anniversary of the knighting of Brian Tuke, the first Master of the King's Posts.

  The items dispensed from JE01 will of course have no postal validity in London and will only be dispensed for the 4 days of the exhibition. Similar labels will also be sold from the Jersey Post stand at the exhibition which will be produced by the " back office" kiosk , B002. These will also have the added "500 Years of Postal History" inscription and ofcourse will also have no postal validity in London.

  Meanwhile, back in Jersey itself, kiosk JE02 in Broad Street post office in St. Helier will begin to dispense "Post and Go" stamps in the new Crest design presumably from 17 February 2016 but without the added "500 Years of Postal History" but, I expect, with the added "Broad Street" inscription. The post office in St. Helier will also sell the Crest stamps produced by back-office kiosk B002 without, I'm guessing, any added inscription at all. This suggests that "Post and Go" completists will have 4 "Collectors' strips" to buy - that is - 24 new labels/stamps. The madness continues.

  Meanwhile, The Isle Of Man postal administration, whose connections with Chinese culture must be tenuous in the extreme, will not miss the opportunity to release a philatelic commemoration of the lunar new year. A miniature sheet costing £2.10 and containing a 10p stamp and a £2 stamp will be released on 20 January 2016 to commemorate the Year of the Monkey. The item was designed by Guo Zhenshan (10p stamp) and Yin Huili (£2 stamp) and the item was lithographed by BDT International. Rating:- 0.

693. Turkish Cyprus' Latest Issues; Australia's New Postage Rates.

  The postal administration of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus released a set of 4 stamps on 23 November 2015 on the subject of the traditional production of a dessert called almond macun. The dessert itself appears to be featured on the TL 2 value and very appetising it looks too. I like these stamp issues which give one an insight into the local culture of various territories though these designs seem to clearly point to the production of the dessert to be an entirely female occupation. I suppose the men are the ones who sit around and eat it! 

  Wikipedia tells us that macun is traditionally served at festivals, may be vividly or brightly coloured and can be flavoured with a range of herbs, spices and fruits including bergamot, cinnamon, plums, mint, rose and lemon.  Rating (the stamps, not the dish):- ****.

  Previously, the Turkish Cypriot postal administration had released a set of 4 stamps on 12 October 2015 which depicted ancient artefacts which had allegedly been smuggled out of the territory. A very interesting set indeed. Rating:- ****.

  Australia Post altered its postage rates on 4 January 2016 so that there are now three domestic postage rates - 

1."Regular" which takes "up to 2 business days longer than Priority rate" to be delivered. "Delivery times apply from the day after posting and vary depending on destination"

2."Priority" which takes 1 to 4 business days to be delivered. "Delivery times apply from the day after posting and vary depending on destination. 

3."Express" - Guaranteed delivery next business day with tracking. 

To use the "Regular" service which according to the above could take up to nine days to be delivered (since only 'Business days' are included in the delivery times and at least 1 weekend must fall into the planned delivery period), the sender need only apply a $1 postage stamp to his envelope and then post it in a standard red post box (the postage rate has been raised from 70c to $1).

To use the dubiously named "Priority" service the sender must first apply a $1 stamp to his envelope and then stick a 50c "Priority label" alongside the $1 stamp and then post his mail in a standard red  post box.

The self-adhesive "labels" are issued in sheetlets of 10 and booklets of 5 should not be postmarked or else the item of mail is to be moved from the priority to the regular mail service. Priority labels are not for use on international mail.

It seems to me that these Priority item indicators should quite reasonably be called postage stamps rather than simple labels since they are receipts for the pre-payment of postage, or at least part of the postage, and therefore fully fulfill the definition of a postage stamp. It was possible to buy the Priority stamps from 14 December 2015 although examples are known to have been bought and used on covers from late November onwards.

Finally, to use the "Express" service, a special Express post envelope needs to be purchased with a pre-paid imprint on it and then placed in a special Express yellow post box.

Block of 4 Priority stamps from sheetlet of 10

  The release of this Priority stamp seems to me to be an important event since it is to be used on mail as part of a new development in the evolution of mail services in Australia. I feel I should an example of these items to my collection.

Express Post envelope

  Interestingly, Australia Post has stated that it will reduce the planned number of stamp issues for release during 2016 to help collectors since the rise in postal rates would impact on collectors. "In response to feedback regarding the cost of collecting I would like to ensure you that we will be making every effort to minimise the proposed stamp price increase impact through a reduction in the initial planned number of stamps to be released. This will ensure that the value of stamps released during 2016 will be only marginally higher than in 2015". 

  So, after the outrageously excessive number of issues with their associated costs released during 2015, Australia Post still intends that the value will be higher in 2016 (yes, but only marginally !). 

  And just how will Australia Post address collectors' concerns. We can gain an inkling from the issues announced to be released during January and February 2016:-

21 January 2016 - Australian Legends (Tennis players) - 12 gummed stamps (12 x $1) (cost $12), 12 booklets (10 x $1self-adhesive stamps, 1 for each design) (cost $120). Let's not mention the 12 "chequebook" booklets, total cost $2,400. Designs to be revealed. The total cost to collectors for this issue is therefore $132.

25 January 2016 - "Love to Celebrate" Greetings stamps - 10 gummed stamps (9 x $1 and 1 x $2 - total face value $11), Weddings prestige booklet (price $32.95), set of 6 booklets (1 for each of 6 of the designs in self-adhesive format) (cost $60) (I shall ignore the set of "chequebook" booklets - total cost $1,200!). Designed by Sierra Delta and lithographed by Egotrade. The total cost to collectors for this issue is therefore $103.95. 

3 February 2016 - issue inscribed "Christmas Island" - Lunar new year, Year of The Monkey - 2 gummed stamps (face value $4), 1 gummed miniature sheet (face value $4), 1 Prestige booklet (total face value of stamps $20, but sold for $20.95!), 1 self-adhesive "Lotus" sheetlet ($9.95, sold in a special pack), 1 "Zodiac sheet" (cost $8) and 1 Silk miniature sheet (sold in a pack of 3 miniature sheets for $25). The total cost to collectors for this issue is therefore $71.95. Designed by Dani Poon and lithographed by RA Print.

      

Self-adhesive "Lotus"sheet 

  9 February 2016 - 50th anniversary of the Introduction of decimal currency - 1 x $1 stamp and 1 x $20.95 Prestige booklet. The total cost to collectors for this issue therefore is $21.95. Designed by Melinda Coombes of Coombes-Whitechurch Design and lithographed by Egotrade.

  So, in the first 2 months of 2016, the collector of Australia Post stamps who just must buy every thing (not including first day covers and all the other paraphenalia) will need to fork out $329.85 (£160) to reach their goal. Good luck with that.

692. Colourful Year Of Monkey Stamps From Canada.

  Following on from the new definitive stamps due to be issued on 11 January 2016, including the marvellous 'P' stamp featuring a wonderful new photographic portrait of Queen Elizabeth II (see Blog 691) Canada Post will release a number of items to commemorate the lunar new year, the Year of the Monkey. 

  The issue is made up of 1 gummed 'P' stamps (depicted in a corner block of four above), 2 miniature sheets, one containing 1 x $2.50 value as depicted above and the second, which marks the transition between the Year of the Ram/Goat/Sheep with the Year of the Monkey and 2 self-adhesive stamps, a 'P' (85c) value from booklets of 10 and a $2.50 from booklets of six. 

  The 'P' value will be issued on 11 January 2016 and the $2.50 will be released on 1 February 2016. The issue was designed by Albert Kai Wing Ng and Linna Xu of Toronto and lithographed by Canadian Bank Note Company.

  These are colourful, immaculately designed and printed stamps and relevant to Canada, given the sizeable population of people who live there who have originated in the "Far East". Rating:- *****.

  I like stamps that depict post offices and post boxes and other subjects related to postal services and  I very much like the single stamp released by Pakistan Post on 29 December 2015 to commemorate Murree general post office. The stamp was designed by Mughiz Khan and lithographed by Pakistan Security Printing Corporation of Karachi. Rating:- *****.

  I see that Pos Malaysia is planning to release 17 issues during 2016 and that the 4th issue of the year is planned for release on 21 April. The subject of the issue is "Literary icons" and the proximity of the date of issue to the generally accepted date of the death of William Shakespeare (23 April 1516) suggests to me that the 400th anniversary of the writer's death will provide the subject matter for one of the stamps of the set.

  Pos Malaysia's first issue of the year is planned for 26 January when a set on the subject of Primates will be released to fit in with the lunar new year for the Year of the Monkey.

  Sri Lanka Post squeezed a final stamp issue of 2015 into the very last day of the year when it released a single stamp to commemorate the Most Venerable Davuldena Gnanissara Mahanayake Thero, the Mahanayake of the Amapura Nikaya, one of the 3 main sects of Sri Lankan Buddhism which was founded in 1803. Rating:-***.