1776. 🇨🇦 Canada Post Religious Stamp Features The Nativity.

  

🇨🇦 In Blog 1775 I failed to mention the beautiful religiously themed Christmas stamp which was issued on 2 November 2020 by Canada Post along with the 3 other stamps detailed there. This rendition of The Nativity with ox and donkey was designed by Soapbox Design and was printed in booklets of 12. The stamp is self-adhesive. Rating:- *****. Is this the most appealing stamp design of 2020?

🇮🇪 The postal service of the Republic of Ireland, An Post, issued 6 self-adhesive Christmas stamps on 5 November. 2020. Four stamps are in the Domestic Mail rate and the other 2 are at the International rate. The Domestic stamps are issued in 2 booklets and the International rate stamps are sold in a third booklet costing €8.50. These are cheerful but are inconsequential like the recently mentioned Gibraltar stamps. Rating:- **.

 🇹🇹 T &T Post, the postal service of Trinidad And Tobago issued a set of 5 stamps and an accompanying miniature sheet containing 3 different stamps to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the first arrival of the East Indian community in the islands. I mentioned this very attractive issue in Blog 1698 but now show better quality illustrations below:-

🇬🇮 In addition to the ordinary set of 6 Christmas stamps and 1 miniature sheet to be issued by Royal Gibraltar Post Office on 2 November 2020 (see Blog 1775) there will also be an incredibly dull Christmas Post and Go stamp depicting a stylised Christmas tree dispensed by kiosk GI04. The item bears the inscription ‘Christmas/2020’ and is sold in 6 values. The item was designed by Stephen Perera and printed by Walsall.

🇬🇧 The Intelligent AR Post &Go internet site has reported that the Post and Go stamps which were to have been dispensed from kiosk A003 at the Fleet Air Arm Museum from 11 November 2020 (See Blog 1764) will not now be made available as the museum will be closed because of the new 4 week-long ‘Lockdown’ across England which is about to begin. The museum will be closed until further notice. The proposed stamps which were to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Taranto were to have had the additional inscription as depicted below.

1775. 🇨🇦🇬🇮 Christmas Stamps From Canada And Gibraltar.

🇨🇦  Canada Post issued a set of 3 delightful self-adhesive Christmas stamps sold in booklets and 1 gummed miniature sheet containing the same stamps on 2 November 2020. The delightful designs featured work of the great Canadian folk artist Maud Lewis (1903-1970). The domestic ‘P’ rate is sold in a booklet of 12 and the $1.30 and $2.71 in booklets of six. The issue was designed by Hélène L’Hereux.  Rating:- ****.

Canada Post will also issue a single self-adhesive stamp sold in a booklet of 10 on 5 November 2020 to commemorate the festival of Hanukkah. The stamp was designed by Entro Communications. Rating:- ***.

Here are some Post and Go stamps that I do not recall illustrating previously:-

🇬🇧 Royal Mail - 12 October 2020 - STEAM GWR Museum, Swindon, kiosk A010 - 20th anniversary of the museum - 2 stamps - Machin Head design in various values and Travelling post office design in various values with additional inscription ‘Celebrates 20 Years’ plus museum logo.

Royal Gibraltar Post Office - 7 May 2020 - 2 stamps - 75th anniversary of the Allies’ victory in Europe in World War 2. Gibraltar Flag stamp with added inscription ‘VE Day 75th’(kiosk GI04) and the same with added inscription ‘Philatelic HQ/VE Day 75th’ (kiosk GI05).

  

While on the subject of Gibraltar, the designs of the Christmas set have been revealed. The issue which is made up of 6 stamps and 1 miniature sheet containing all 6 stamps is cheerful but inconsequential. Still, I suppose we all need cheering up as 2020 draws to a close. The issue was designed by Stephen Perera from illustrations by ingimage.com and was lithographed by Cartor. Rating:- **.

1767. 🇳🇿 New Zealand Commemorates Chinese New Year.

🇳🇿 New Zealand Post plans to issue 4 rather unusual and original stamps on 2 December 2020 to commemorate the lunar new year which will be the Year of the Ox. The designer, Ying-min Chu is said to have taken inspiration from the Chinese Ninhua poster tradition which are created specifically to commemorate the arrival of the new year. The style has its origins in the wood block printing of the Ming Dynasty at the time of which various motifs were used from portraits of gods to illustrations of myths and depictions of beautiful babies. The promotional magazine published by New Zealand Post, Focus, says that, “By referencing the Ninhua poster, the stamps create a connection between Chinese New Zealanders and the ancient cultural practices of Mainland China”.The issue was lithographed by Southern Colour Print. I like this unusual set. Rating:- ****.

🇲🇿 In Blog 1762 I mentioned that it appeared that a single stamp had been released by the postal service of Mozambique to commemorate International Family Remittance Day and that this was part of a joint or omnibus issue. It appears that a miniature sheet was also issued as shown above.

🇸🇬 Singapore Post has revealed the designs of two of the three remaining sets of stamps it is planning to issue during 2020.

25 November 2020 - Joint issue with the postal service of Mongolia commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries - 2 stamps and 1 miniature sheet. The issue was designed by Ivory Seah and lithographed by Secura Singapore and perforated 13. Rating:- ****.

1 December 2020 - Early maps of Singapore - 4 stamps. Designed by Wong Wui Kong and lithographed by Secura Singapore and perforated 13. Rating:- ***.

Details of the remaining planned issue, that titled ‘We care’ due for issue on 13 November 2020, are awaited.