1117. 🇬🇮 Rock Cake.

  🇬🇮 This year's Christmas stamps from the Royal Gibraltar Post Office are certainly original. The subject of all 6 is "Christmas Cupcakes" and the designs, as usual by Stephen Perera, include cupcakes decorated with a Barbary ape wearing a Father Christmas hat, a representation of the Rock of Gibraltar, a penguin (which doesn't seem to have much of a connection with Gibraltar as far as I can see) and Father Christmas's legs.

  The cupcakes themselves were designed by Piece of Cake Bakery and very cheerful these stamps are too for use on Christmas mail from Gibraltar. The set, issued on 2 November 2017, was lithographed by Lowe-Martin. This is a likeable issue but sadly only one of 12 released so far this year by this small territory. Rating:- ***.

  🇲🇾 Pos Malaysia issued a single stamp on 8 November 2017 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Sarawak state legislature. An interesting stamp which depicts the current legislature building and the earliest such building. Rating:- ****.

  🇿🇦 The South African Post Office issued a miniature sheet which commemorates the Centenary of the birth of Helen Suzman, the anti-apartheid activist and politician, on 7 November 2017. A dignified design and worthy subject. Rating:- ****.

  🇱🇰 Sri Lanka Post issued a stamp and a miniature sheet on 2 November 2017 to commemorate the holding of the 7th World Buddhist Supreme Conference in Sri Lanka. The miniature sheet in particular is an attractive and interesting item. Rating:- ****.

1116. 🇬🇧 Dull Platinum Anniversary Issue From Royal Mail.

  🇬🇧 No-one will be surprised to discover that the previously mysterious stamp issue due to be released by Royal Mail has been revealed on its website to be a commemorative issue to mark the 70th Wedding anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh. The issue date is 20 November 2017. The issue takes the form of a miniature sheet containing 6 different stamps and is one of those dull monochrome items with which Royal Mail likes to mark a happy event or anniversary. The design is by Mytton Williams and the issue was lithographed by International Security Printers and is perforated 14. Very dull. Rating:- **.

  🇵🇰 Pakistan Post issued a single 6 sided stamp on 1 November 2017 to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Government Islamia College at Railway Road in Lahore.The stamp was designed by Mughiz Khan and lithographed by National Security Printing Corporation In Karachi. An unusual stamp. Rating:- ***.

  🇨🇦 Canada Post issued a single self-adhesive stamp sold in booklets of 10 on 6 November 2017 to commemorate the Centenary of the explosion on board the ship Mont Blanc in Halifax Harbour (correction made from earlier text - see comment below) which resulted in the death of more than one thousand people and the injury of 9000 others. The issue was designed by Larry Burke and Anna Stredulinsky of Burke and Burke. Rating:- *****.

1115. 🇵🇰 Pakistan Commemorates Cricket Victory.

  🇵🇰 Pakistan Post issued a se-tenant strip of 3 stamps and 1 miniature sheet on 2 November 2017 to commemorate the victory of the Pakistan team in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy competition. A colourful and interesting set. Rating:- *****.

  🇮🇶 In Blog 1112 I wrote about the Balfour Declaration and mentioned the British involvement in the Middle East at that time - that is - 1917 as British Imperial forces tried to wrest away the territories of the Ottoman Empire and help the Arabs to liberate themselves from Ottoman rule. The British invaded and occupied parts of what was to become Iraq and released postage stamps which were old Ottoman stamps with inscriptions overprinted on them which read "Baghdad in British Occupation".

  One hundred years later, the Iraq postal service has issued 3 stamps and 1 miniature sheet to commemorate the centenary of the issue of these stamps. This is an excellent set and very interesting- even if one cannot afford to buy the true stamps of 1917 this Centenary set offers the collector the opportunity to own some facsimiles since 3 of the stamps are depicted on the actual stamps while other values are illustrated on labels which are part of the sheets which contain the basic stamps. See Blog 424.

  Rating:- *****.

  🇲🇿 I recently came across a blog called Filatelia de Moçambique, which dates to 2008 to 2010, where I discovered a stamp of which I was not previously aware. I have in my collection a single stamp issued on 10 June 2006 which commemorates the 25th anniversary of Telecomunicações de Moçambique and this is mentioned in the blog but it also draws attention to the same stamp being reissued in August 2006 with a surcharge applied - 33,000MT/33,00Mtn.

  I have never seen the surcharge being offered for sale anywhere though it may be featured in the latest edition Of Stanley Gibbons Southern Africa Catalogue which unfortunately I have not got round to looking at. Importantly of course, this is a real postage stamp unlike the stuff produced by Stamperija with the name of Mozambique printed on it which is mostly what has been sold as "Mozambique stamps" in recent years. Rating:- *****.

1114. 🇨🇦🇮🇳 Animals Depicted On Canada's Charming Christmas Set; India Stamp Banquet.

  🇨🇦 I think my favourite Christmas stamps of the year are likely to be the charming new set from Canada Post. The issue is made up of 3 self-adhesive "secular" design stamps from booklets with a gummed miniature sheet and 1 self-adhesive "religiious" design stamp from booklets of 20.

  This is a lovely set with a well chosen "Old Master" painting featured on one of the "P" rate stamps and 3 charming depictions of Canadian animals in a Christmas setting.

  The issue was released on 3 November 2017 and designed by Helene L'Heureux from illustrations by Christian Beauregard (secular stamps) and Louis Methé (religious design).

  The 'P' value stamps are issued in booklets of 20 stamps and the $1.20c and $2.50c are issued in booklets of 6. Rating:- *****.

  🇬🇩 The names of a number of countries continue to be dragged through the mud when it comes to their philatelic reputation and few fare worse than Grenada. The Beijing- and New York-based philatelic agency, IGPC, has issued a single stamp with the name of Grenada printed on it on the subject of Swarovski crystals. I have not seen any details, including a "date of issue", of this item but the subject of the issue clearly has nothing to do with Grenada and presumably amounts to promotional material for the crystal company.

  It is shocking the way that those in charge of the Grenada Post Office continue to allow their country's name to be applied to such stuff. For Grenada, it is a national disgrace. Rating:- 0.

  Addendum - the date of issue of the Swarovski crystal issue is stated to have been 1 December 2016.

  🇮🇳 India Post issued another gargantuan set of stamps on 3 November 2017 on the subject of Indian Cuisine when a sheet of 24 different stamps was released along with 4 miniature sheets each containing 6 different stamps. There are also 4 sheets each containing 4 x 6 different stamps in se-tenant format.

  To be honest, I rather like the set and wouldn't mind laying a table and settling down to guzzle myself on some of the delicious-looking foods depicted on the stamps. But rather like a meal with just too much to eat in it I think enough is enough and that India Post has issued far too many stamps this year and really things have to be cut back to make the country's stamps worth bothering with. Rating:- **.