1782. 🇬🇸 South Georgia New Issue Will Feature Royal Navy Ships.

 

🇬🇸 The postal service of South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands will issue another excellent set of 4 stamps on 8 December 2020 on the subject of Royal Navy ships. These are wonderful designs by Andrew Robinson and the stamps were lithographed by Cartor and are perforated 13.5. Rating:- *****.

🇧🇸 Pobjoy Stamps has released information about the Bahamas Christmas set of 4 stamps mentioned in Blog 1777 which will be issued on 3 December 2020 (not 22 October as originally reported). The production of the issue was coordinated by Creative Direction and the stamps were designed by Andrew Robinson and lithographed by Cartor and are perforated 13.5. Rating:- *****.

Thanks to Juliet Warner of Pobjoy Stamps for the above information.

🇭🇰 In Blog 1704 I mentioned the issue planned by Hong Kong Post to commemorate the life of the film actor the late Bruce Lee. Here now are more details of the issue:-

Date of issue - 27 November 2020 - 6 stamps, 2 miniature sheets (one of which has additional printing with hot foil stamping with embossing), 1 ‘mini-pane‘ contains 2 sets.The issue was designed by Gideon Lai Wai-Kwan and lithographed by Southern Colour Print and is perforated 14. An interesting set but patently excessive. Rating:- **.

  Hong Kong Post will round off the year with a Christmas issue made up of 4 stamps, 1 gummed miniature sheet, 1 self-adhesive miniature sheet and 4 booklet panes each containing 4 identical stamps. The issue will be released on 4 December 2020.

  Hong Kong Post has also revealed its programme of new issues for the first half of 2021 - 

28 January 2021 - Chinese New Year, Year of the Ox - 4 stamps, 1 miniature sheet containing a single $10 stamp, 1 ‘silk’ miniature sheet containing a $50 stamp and  2 ‘mini-panes’, each containing 12 ‘Heartwarming’ stamps (one sheet for Local Mail postal rate and the other for Airmail) and 1 ‘gold and silver’ miniature sheet containing 2 different stamps both of $50 face value.

23 February 2021 - “Intangible cultural heritage, the Dragon and Lion dance” - 4 stamps, 1 mini-pane containing 2 sets and 2 miniature sheets, I x $10 and the other 1 x$20 with a “special printing effect”.

16 March 2021 - “Classical novels of Chinese Literature, Romance of the Three Kingdoms” - 6 stamps and 2 miniature sheets, 1 x $10 containing a single stamp and the other a $20 Stamp with “special printing effects”.

22 April 2021 - Local snacks - 6 stamps, 1 miniature sheet containing a single $10 stamp, 1 mini-pane containing 2 sets and a ‘Collector card’ co6 self-adhesive stamps.

25 May 2021 - Hong Kong Museums Collection, 19th century China trade paintings - 6 stamps2 miniature sheets (one containing a single $10 stamp and the other a single $20 stamp with special printing effects) and 1 mini-pane containing 2 sets.

22 June 2021 - Centenary of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Hong Kong) - 6 stamps and 1 miniature sheet.

1781. 🇷🇼 Ten Years Pass Since Last Rwanda New Issue.

🇷🇼 15 November 2020 marks a very special philatelic anniversary - it is the 10th anniversary of the most recent stamp issue of the postal service of Rwanda. On 15 November 2010 a set of 4 stamps depicting gorillas was released which was only Rwanda’s third stamp issue of the 21st century and its second since joining The Commonwealth on 29 November 2009 (a set of 4 stamps was issued on 1 January 2003 noting the country’s anti-AIDS campaign and a set of 5 on 15 October 2010 depicting local dance). It took until the July 2017 edition of Gibbons Stamp Monthly Catalogue Supplement for the Gibbons Catalogue to include the two 2010 issues in its listing and they did not feature in the ‘Part1’ (Commonwealth) section but in that part dedicated to the ‘Rest of the World’. The Rwandan postal service did not commemorate philatelically the 50th anniversary of its Independence from Belgium in 1962 which is commemorated by Independence Day On 1 July.

🇬🇮 Whilst we are on the subject of primates, Royal Gibraltar Post Office will issue a set of 4 stamps on 20 November 2020 on the subject of the Barbary Macaques of Gibraltar. There does not seem to be any particular reason for this set to be released at this particular moment and the designs are about as simple as they could be - the portraits of the monkeys are digitally cut-out black and white pictures on a wholly uninteresting background. For this issue the collector will have the pleasure of paying £6.20p. At least there is no accompanying miniature sheet.The set was designed by Stephen Perera and  lithographed by Cartor. Rating:- *.

🇲🇲 The postal service of Myanmar was planning to issue a single stamp around the 20 to 24 October 2020 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations Organisation but the issue does not seem to have appeared possibly due to the fact that the UN was preparing and has now passed a resolution on the human rights situation in Myanmar whereby the General Assembly expressed grave concern about continuing reports of serious human rights violations as well as of violations of international humanitarian law in Myanmar against Rohingya Muslims and other minorities, including arbitrary arrests, deaths in detention, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 140 nations voted for the resolution while it was opposed by only 9 (Russia, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Zimbabwe, Laos, Cambodia, Belarus and Philippines). It’s not surprising therefore that Myanmar did not feel like commemorating the UN’s notable birthday and has apparently pulled the issue.

🇬🇬 Guernsey Post will issue its strip of 6 Post and Go Local fishing boats stamps on 1 December 2020 with an additional inscription, “Wishing you a/safe Christmas”. The stamps will be sold until 24 December and dispensed from kiosk GG02 situated in Envoy House in St Peter Port. The additional message is unusual replacing the usual ‘Merry’ or ‘Happy’ with a message which is clearly relevant to this first COVID-19 Christmas and as such makes this issue rather more interesting than it otherwise would be. Rating:- ***.

🇲🇾 Pos Malaysia issued a Setem Ku sheet of 10 different (Personalised) stamps to commemorate the festival of Deepavali. The sheet is sold in a folder which also includes 3 postcards and 3 envelopes.

1780. 🇫🇰🇧🇳 Falklands Christmas And Brunei Fire Service Stamps.

🇫🇰 The postal service of Falkland Islands will issue a set of 4 Christmas stamps on 20 November 2020. The designs by Bee Design depict children’s artwork and the stamps were lithographed by Cartor and perforated 13 x 13.5. Rating:- ****.

Thanks to Juliet Warner of Pobjoy Stamps for information about the above issue.

  🇵🇰 The postal service of Pakistan issued a single stamp on 11 November 2020 on the subject of Pink ribbon breast cancer awareness. The issue was designed by Adil Salahuddin and lithographed by National Security Printing Company, Karachi and is perforated 13. Rating:- **.

🇧🇳 The postal service of Brunei Darussalam issued a block of 4 stamps on 20 October 2020 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the local Fire and Rescue Department. The issue was designed by Pengiran Haji Malik Hijrarahuddin bin Pengiran Haji Tengah and printed in lithography. This is the first issue of 2020 by the Brunei Darussalam postal service. Rating:- ****.

1779. 🇧🇩 Bangladesh Update.

 🇧🇩 There are a number of stamps from the postal service of Bangladesh with which to catch up. The subjects are mainly centred on various anniversaries tied to the the Centenary of the Birth of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who is seen as the ‘Father’ of the country, Bangabandhu. Other issues of 2020 relating to this anniversary can be found mentioned in Blogs 1623, 1717, 1718 and 1748 and Blog 1623 deals with Sheikh Mujib’s rise to the leadership of what was then East Pakistan. The following make up a fascinating series telling the story of important events which occurred in the early years of the existence of Bangladesh. Rating:- ****.

23 June 2020 - 45th anniversary of the inauguration of the Betbunia satellite earth station by Sheikh Mujib on 14 June 1975 - 1 stamp.

23 June 2020 - 71st anniversary of the founding of the Awami League - 1 stamp.

8 August 2020 - 90th anniversary of the birth of Bangamata Martyr Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, wife of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman - 1 miniature sheet containing a single stamp.

16 September 2020 - 64th anniversary of Sheikh Mujib’s joining of the coalition government aas minister with responsibility for Industries, Commerce, Labour, Anti-corruption and Village aid.

25 September 2020 - 46th anniversary of Sheikh Mujib’s first speech in Bengali at the United Nation on 25 September 1974 - 1 stamp.

1 November 2020 - Bangabandhu National Youth Day - 1 stamp.

3 November 2020 - Jail Killing Day - 5 stamps in a se-tenant strip. Jail Killing Day commemorates the 4 leading members of the Awami League who were senior government ministers brutally murdered whilst under arrest following the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family by revolutionaries.

4 November 2020 - Constitution Day - 2 stamps se-tenant with a label in between and 1 miniature sheet containing the same stamps.

1778. 🇩🇲 Dominica Back With Typical IGPC Issues.

 🇩🇲 It is regrettable that the postal service of The Commonwealth of Dominica is once more allowing the US-based philatelic agency IGPC to issue stamps with the country’s name printed on them after a five year break but that, alas, is the sad reality. Three ‘issues‘ labelled ‘Dominica’ are included in the further latest flood of products to be announced by the American agency which are listed below but not illustrated apart from the Dominica products which are shown just to emphasise that they are as ghastly as they always were up to 2015. All the following products are rated ‘0’.

Dominica - 

3 November 2020 - COVID-19 campaign - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps (no designs specific to Dominica).

3 November 2020 - 50th anniversary of the first manned lunar landing - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 3 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

18 November 2020 - 500th anniversary of the death of Raphael, Italian artist - 1 miniature sheet containing a single stamp.

🇬🇲 The Gambia

30 October 2020 - 150th anniversary of the death of Charles Dickens, English novelist - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 5 different stamps and the other 2 different stamps.

30 October 2020 - 250th Birth anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven, German music composer - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 4 different stamps and the other 2 different stamps.

30 October 2020 - Peace Agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 6 different stamps and the other containing a single stamp.

30 October 2020 - The Somali ostrich - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps

30 October 2020 - The Southern ground hornbill - 1 miniature sheet containing 4 different stamps.

30 October 2020 - The yellow collared lovebird - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 3 different stamps and the other a single circular stamp.

🇬🇩 Grenada -

30 September 2020 - 150th death anniversary of Charles Dickens - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 5 different stamps and the other 2 different stamps.

30 September 2020 - 250th anniversary of birth of Ludwig van Beethoven - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 5 different stamps and the other 2 different stamps.

30 September 2020 - 75th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe in the Second World War - 1 miniature sheet containing 5 different stamps.

30 September 2020 - Flamingos - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 5 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

30 September 2020 - Flycatchers - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 3 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

30 September 2020 - Plants and flowers - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 4 different stamps and the other 2 different stamps.

30 September 2020 - Seabirds - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 4 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

🇬🇩 Grenada Carriacou And Petite Martinique - 

30 September 2020 - 50th anniversary of the first manned lunar landing - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 3 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

30 September 2020 - Coral reefs - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 5 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

30 September 2020 - Seahorses - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 4 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

30 September 2020 - Seashells - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing a single stamp and the 5 different stamps.

🇻🇨 St Vincent And The Grenadines -

15 November 2020 - Dorje Chang Buddha III - 1 miniature sheet containing 8 identical stamps.

18 November 2020 - The Vietnam War - 5 miniature sheets, 2 containing 4 different stamps and the others each a single stamp.

🇹🇻 Tuvalu -

30 November 2020 - 10th anniversary of the invention of the first generation i Pad - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 4 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

30 November 2020 - 500th anniversary of the death of Raphael - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 4 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

30 November 2020 - 150th Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi - 2 miniature sheets, 1 containing 6 different stamps and the other a single stamp.

1777. 🇸🇬🇧🇸 Caring And A COVID-19 Christmas.

 🇸🇬 Singapore Post will issue 4 gummed stamps and 1 miniature sheet containing the same 4 stamps in self-adhesive form on 13 November 2020 which will be the company’s first charity stamps. The stamps depict work by local artists who have special needs and were designed by Hazel Lee and lithographed by Secura Singapore with the gummed stamps being perforated 13. Singapore Post states that, “As an affirmation of our commitment to the community we have served for 160 years , Singapore Post is proud to launch Asia’s first charity stamps. For this inaugural issue SingPost has partnered with Community Chest and Movement for the Intellectually Disabled in Singapore (MINDS) to showcase the artistic talents of youths with special needs. Through their illustrations of four themes close to their hearts .... brought to life on our stamps and given wings through post, we hope to present their capabilities and talents to the nation, and even the world”. Rating:- ****. All expected issues of 2020 from Singapore Post have now been illustrated in this Blog.

🇧🇸 It is reported that the postal service of Bahamas has combined its annual Christmas stamps with a COVID-19 theme and the stamps illustrate how to try to avoid the virus during the Christmas season. An apt Christmas issue. The date of issue is said to have been 22 October 2020, the same day as the previously featured Medicinal plants set. Rating:- ****.

🇺🇸🇲🇭 As it is not a member of The Commonwealth and has never had any links with it you would not normally expect any philatelic items with the name of Marshall Islands printed on them to be featured here on this Blog but it would not be the first time I have drawn attention to fascinating snippets of non-Commonwealth philatelic news. So while the present President of The United States, one Donald Trump, sits fuming, spluttering and manipulating in the White House, that new issue bête noire, IGPC, has announced that it will release in the name of Marshall Islands one of two miniature sheets “it prepared earlier” to commemorate someone’s victory in the United States presidential elections, the outcome of which remains uncertain at the present time (here in the UK it is 6 November) three days after the election itself. The issue is said to have been intended to have been released on 3 November but the lack of clarity of a result has delayed matters like everything else in the United States. The eventual issue will feature the winner of the election - Mr Trump or his Democratic Party opponent Mr Biden - as things stand it looks like it will be the befuddled and senile Biden - and the fate of the other miniature sheet prepared for issue will be to be consigned to history like the politician it features. What fun!