Joint issue - Bridges

Another short one today - An joint issue for between Singapore and Phillipines and Singapore. Bridges are an favourite subject of mine because I used to go over and under them often enough, but don't you think that bridges are a very apt subject for to countries to send across an joint issue over?

The Australian dollar coins

People who collect stamps will agree that the stories behind stamps are as interesting as the stamps themselves. As I was emptying my pockets after the recent Australian trip, I wanted to check what the story behind the coins might be.

The coin on right is the standard 1 dollar coin. It has the distinction of being the only coin in Australia to replace a circulating note. The design on the coin is called the 5 "mob of roos' and was designed by Stuart Devlin, who by all accounts is a rock star among coin designers and is as big as an gold and silversmith can get. 

The coin on the left is the 2 dollar coin and has a whole lot more interesting storyline. The Aboriginal  on the coin is supposed to be based on a painting  by Ainslie Roberts, of a man called "one pound Jimmy". Apparently he was called one pound Jimmy because any time someone asked how much it would cost to buy something made by him, his answer would be "one pound boss".

In line with our topic of Philately, one pound Jimmy also featured on two stamps of 1950 & 1952 for about 8 pence. Judging by the rate of inflation, I think One pound Jimmy has pretty much maintained his prices over an amazingly long period. 

Hong Kong - Lighthouses

A miniature of lighthouses today from Hong Kong. Even though I did make a trip down to Hong kong last month, this sheet was picked up in Sing post as part of the foreign postal series.

Its always fun to pick up stamps of light houses and the fact that the positions are plotted could even help some loser go on google earth and actually plot these lighthouses.

Anyway, it is sort of cool to imagine the sight from these lighthouses. Check out the tug dragging around a sand barge if front of the first light house.

Singapore - Monuments

Just a quick one today. For some reason, I'm not connecting with the stamps in Singapore. The stamps are a bit expensive and they cost too much. And on top of it some of them are pricey too.

But some of these are pretty. I like this stamp because of the Sepia and mossy look to it, which is rather apt for a stamp based on monuments.

Australia - Year of the Rabbit

Here's another set released by Australia. I love it because it adds to my Chinese years collection & also because it is so beautiful. Would I actually preferred it to be a miniature sheet, but since they only released the stamp set, got an FDC for it.

Don't you think the Tiger in the sheet is cool? :)

Down under - Kate - William Wedding

Went to Australia for three days to attend a vessel. Sadly though the trip happened over the long weekend and though down under they decided to have a winter in June, I report with regret that postal employees in the southern hemisphere also take holidays on the weekend.

As such managed to only get my hands on a few stamps. One of which is the above sheet of the recent royal wedding. Such fun.

Frogs

Frogs always remind my of Eric Bruth. Anyone with an interest in either stamps or frogs should visit his blog.

So when I read that Sing post had released a series based on pond life which also featured frogs, I decided to pick them up on his behalf. As it turns out Sing post has come out with a really pretty collectors sheet for the pond life, but it cost's 28 SGD. A sum for which I could have probably bought the whole of the Giripeth post office with the well thrown in as compliments of the India postal service.

I decided to shortchange Eric and instead just bought the above first day cover with the two frogs. The lady behind the counter, a jolly person who thinks of the most apt thing to say at all times, saw the completed FDC and commented, "Looks like the two frogs just broke up."

I also took along the above sheet of paper where she had tried out the cancellation mark. After all we can never have too many jumping frogs in our life.

welcome To Singapore

It has been a long time since I posted and though there are a lot of things I can blame it on, I guess its basically me that the needle firmly points on.

As it turns out, I have exchanged the environs of a ship with the cubicles of an office and relocated to Singapore.

Naturally my stamps may now focus more on this part of the world, but I will sorely miss the India Post that I have so much grown to love and admire.

Hope all the readers of this blog have done well over the last so many days and wish you all the very best.

In case I can send you something from this part of the world, please do let me know.

PS : Please do take note of my new address in case you want to send something my way ( Top right)

Cheers,

Velu

La Central - Classic Matchbox

Location : Pajaritos , Mexico

It was a disappointing visit to the local post office. Apart from an addition to my postage stamp collection of airplanes. The post office here is a small outlet as befits the town and they didn't have a philately section or any stamps such as the Polar stamps that had been requested.

But I did come across a nice matchbox. Now I don't collect match boxes, but a fellow collector had requested me to keep my eyes open for such things on my travels and I am sure that he will be happy to get this.

This is a matchbox released by the La Central company of Mexico and this match box is from their "Classic" collection. you can find more infor about them here.

Mexico - 100 Years of flight

Location : Gulf of Mexico

In the sheet of 100 years of Aviation that I had put up some posts back, I
spotted this set of two stamps that commemorates the first flight in Mexico
that happened on the 8th of January 1910. So it is actually 100 years today
that the flight took place. Isn't that great?

Congrats Mexico!

Merry Christmas - USA

Location : Gulf of Mexico

Wish you all a very happy christmas and new Year!

This is a very beautiful stamp issued by the USPS on christmas and I am
actually trying to collect stamps based on paintings of great painters.
Especially Van Gogh. Let me know if you guys have any to spare.

Mansoor Ji - Thanks for commenting. I would love to send you a couple of
Paquebot mails. But as I don't have internet, I can't go on your blog to
check your mailing id. Drop your address in the comments and I will get the
notification. Sadly, US post is very bad in Paquebot mails and I have had so
many mails that were either rejected or not stamped at all. But hopefully
you should get a nice Paquebot from Mexico.

Happy Holidays

Location : Gulf Of mexico

Well the winter holidays are finally here, though we'll be lucky to even get
an anchorage over here so that we can relax a bit. Still, I hope you all
have a great and safe holiday.

Best Wishes!

Letters to Santa

Location : Off Houston

The fog set in again yesterday and it just might mean another extra day out
here at the anchorage. But the Telly is working here, so not much to
complain. The season to be merry seems to have set in on the Americans, and
crazy sales ads are the only things that seem to be on.

The whole nation seems to be firmly in the grip of the Christmas season,
though nobody seems to be sure of what role Christ had to play in the whole
event. I think this has firmly become an Santa event, with gifts becoming
the main focus. The last time I was in Macy's in Beaumont, TX, they had a
table set up for kids to write postcards to Santa.

I loved the concept. The Kids could write postcards to Santa, and mail them
right there in the Macy post-box. macy promised to donate 1 dollar for every
card that was dropped in their box up to a million dollars. Apart from the
fact of the donation of money, I love the concept of mails being written to
Santa. I need connection to the net to get more figures / fact on this, but
the USPS actually has a process for dealing with Santa mails that land up in
its post-boxes. If you register with the USPS, you can even get the Santa
mail delivered to you so that you can take action on mails that you want.
And be the defacto Santa.

I think its also a neat way to get children to write atleast a couple of
postcards a year. :)

I picked up a couple of cards myself and maybe I'll post one myself. I just
don't know how much postage its going to take to the Northpole!

USA - Gary Cooper

Location : Off Houston

The US government usually releases stamps in a series. This stamp is from
its "Legends of Hollywood" series and is actually the 15th in the series.

Honestly, I'm not a fan of Gary Cooper, and though I have heard of the
movie, "High Noon" I haven't seen it or his other Oscar winning movie the
"Sergeant York". But I am a fan of the Western Genere. Where Cowboys whip
out guns on dusty streets and shoot down dastardly outlaws. Unless the hero
himself is an outlaw and shoots down the Dastardly sheriff. And then rides
off with the damsal in the sunset.

But that apart, I wanted to put up this stamp to show the great manner in
which USPS promotes understanding of the subject. Gary Cooper died in 1961
and its unlikely that even American Kids have much idea about who the chap
was. Writing a short note about him in the sides, adds so much value to the
collector. India releases so many "Personality stamps" every year. There
seems to be absolutely no reasoning behind the choice of people selected.
Unless a FDC is released on the person, there is no written info provided to
tell you anything about the concerned person.

If the Indian post put in just a little more imagination and inserted a
couple of lines about the achievements of the person or subject, wouldn't
that be great. After all, one assumes that if a person deserves to be on a
stamp, he must have done atleast enough to merit a couple of lines!

Mexico - 100 yrs of aviation

Location : Gulf of Mexico

If I am not mistaken, the first flight by the Wright brothers was made in
1909. As a result countries around the world have released stamps to
comemorate the 100 years of aviation.

I had already acquired the sheet released by India during my vacation, so
was pleasently surprised to find the Mexican sheet still on sale.

This was an added bonus because I also collect stamps of Airplanes /
Military.

Incase you guys have your own country's stamps on this subject, it would be
great to exchange them.

PS : Cheers All! Thanks for the many comments.

Mansoor ji: Do let me know which subjects you collect on and I can buy an
extra set for you.

Lefung : The twon where I go to in Mexico has a very small post office and
they didn't have the polar stamps on sale. But I will send you a postcard
from the place the next time I visit. Let me know if you need any other
stamps that I put up here.

Gulfman : Thanks for the wishes. Good luck to you too.