A set of stamps to celebrate Canadians sporting inventions is being released in August by Canada Post.

Basketball
Hoping to devise an indoor game to fill the winter months between football and baseball seasons, James Naismith’s experiment in a YMCA class was an instant hit. A long way from its peach-basket beginnings, basketball is now an international athletic and marketing phenomenon that stands among the world’s most widely played sports.

Lacrosse
When French explorers were first introduced to the native ball and (read more)

published July 5th, 2010

Of all the people in our society, our children are surely among the most deserving of unconditional love, unstinting support and opportunities to reach their true potential. This 81st annual Children’s Health stamp issue recognises that, like the butterfly, our most vulnerable children sometimes need wings to fly.

New Zealand Post continues its long tradition of supporting Children’s Health Camps in New Zealand with the issue of its 81st edition children’s health stamps on 7 July, reflecting the ability of every child to ‘fly’.

The annual stamps issue recognises the contribution of Children’s Health Camps to New Zealand society.

Te Puna Whaiora – the New Zealand Foundation for (read more)

published July 4th, 2010

On July 15, 2010, in Kansas City, Missouri, the Postal Service™ will issue a 44–cent, Negro Leagues Baseball commemorative stamp in two designs, designed by Howard E. Paine of Delaplane, Virginia.

The Negro Leagues Baseball stamp pays tribute to the all–black professional baseball leagues that operated from 1920 to about 1960. Considered the “father” of Negro leagues baseball, Andrew “Rube” Foster (1879–1930) established the Negro National League in 1920, the first successful league of African–American baseball teams. Although no longer a vital component of American baseball after about 1960, the Negro leagues led to lasting changes within the sport. The two se–tenant stamps feature a scene painted by Kadir Nelson of San Diego, California.

published July 4th, 2010

Marianne is a symbol of the Republic of France. A Marianne is a bust of a proud and determined woman wearing what is known as a Phrygian Cup. She symbolises the attachment of the common citizens of the revolution to the Republic – Marianne is liberty, egality and fraternity.

Marianne has been used on most definitive stamps issued since 1944, as well as several commemorative issues. When Marianne is not clearly wearing a Phrygian cap, as is the case on some Marianne stamps, she is known as ‘the Republic’

The Marianne stamps are for French Philatelists like the Machin Head are (read more)

published July 3rd, 2010

Magyar Posta is marking the 19th FIFA World Cup, which is to be held in the Republic of South Africa between 11 June and 11 July, by issuing a special stamp. This is the first time the event is being held in Africa and, after it has taken place, Oceania will be the only geographical region not to have organised the world championship.

 After the qualifiers, of the 204 countries entering the competition out of the 208 members of FIFA, 32 teams will vie for the world championship. They are Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Côte d’Ivoire, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Honduras, Italy, Japan, Korea DPR, Korea Republic, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Paraguay, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa (host), Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay and the United States of America.

Africa won the (read more)

published July 3rd, 2010

A joint issue is the release of styamps by two or more countries to commemorate the same topic, event or person of relevance to both countries. Joint issues typically have the same day of issue and their design is often similar or identical, except for the identification of country and value. Nowadays more and more countries are issuing these stamps as a way of cooperating with each other and more and more collectors are rightly started to add these stamps to their own collections. The Issue date of this recent joint stamp issue between Portugal and Romania was the 30.06.2010.

 In 1880, Portugal recognized Romania’s independence. Celebrating the 130th anniversary of this event, Romfilatelia introduces into circulation the joint stamp issue entitled „Ceramics – Tiles“.

Magic of fire and mystery of the clay moistened by the life-giving water, the (read more)

published July 2nd, 2010

Pos Malaysia Berhad will issue its new collection of national series definitive stamps on Thursday in conjunction with the new postal tariff.

Senior Assistant Manager of Stamps and Philately Diyana Lean Abdullah said the stamps carrying the theme of garden flowers were priced from 30sen to RM1 per piece.

“Choices of stamps will vary from eight different flowers such as Morning Glory, Bougainvillea and Hibiscus and two new designs, Canana orientals and Allamanda cathartica,” she said at the media preview of the stamps at the Stamp Gallery in Dayabumi Complex, here Tuesday.

She said (read more)

published July 1st, 2010

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, known around the world as Mother Teresa, the Austrian Post Office is issuing a commemorative that in a way is to be seen as a sign of respect for this great woman.

Mother Teresa was born on 26 August 1910 in Üsküp in what was then the Ottoman Empire and is today Macedonia. She was brought up in a wealthy Catholic family to strict religious standards. As early as the age of 12, she decided that she would become a nun, and at the age of 18 asked to be admitted to the order of the Sisters of Loreto. First assigned to Ireland, she soon moved to India, where, in Calcutta, she took her first vow as a nun. She spent the following 17 years in St. Mary's School in Calcutta, first as a teacher and later as headmistress.

On one of her many journeys through Calcutta on 10 September 1946, she is alleged to have felt a divine calling to help the poor. She described this experience in her diary as a “mystic encounter with Jesus” who ordered her to “abandon everything and follow him into (read more)

published July 1st, 2010

Hongkong Post today (June 29) announced that a set of four special stamps on the theme of “Biodiversity” will be released for sale together with philatelic products on July 15. The United Nations has proclaimed 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity and encouraged people around the globe to devote greater attention to safeguarding wildlife and preserving ecological balance.

Inspired by the amazing variety of local flora and fauna, Hongkong Post presents a set of four special stamps featuring endemic species including the

1) Hong Kong paradise fish (the only freshwater fish named after the territory),

2) Romer’s tree frog (the smallest frog species found in Hong Kong), (read more)

published July 1st, 2010

Issue Date: July 6, 2009

Nothing beats a Canadian road trip. From the rocky splendours of the west, through spectacular stretches of alpine meadows, towards the sweeping ocean vistas of the east—it seems that, no matter which way we steer the wheel, there’s something to see. But it’s not all natural scenery; the landscape abounds with quirky landmarks that capture the spirit of small-town Canada and never fail to get tourists talking. This July, Canada Post will issue the first set in a three-year stamp series showcasing Canada’s famous roadside attractions.

We kick off our cross-country journey in the wonderful west, home to vistas of snow-peaked mountain ranges, panoramic seascapes, and, of course, Mr. PG. At a (read more)

published June 30th, 2010

Three of Australia’s most renowned and beautiful beaches are featured on this new International Stamp issue.

The Bay of Fires in north-eastern Tasmania is located within Mt William National Park. The rocks and stones along the beach are visible reminders of the land bridge once connecting Tasmania to the mainland.

Cape Tribulation, in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area in northern Queensland, is in one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world. The Eastern Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal people are the traditional owners of this area.

Hellfire Bay is located east of Esperance in Cape Le Grand, one of Western Australia’s best known and most (read more)

published June 30th, 2010