All About Stamps And Coins

Fierce Dragon

2012-01-30T12:45:00.000+01:00

The Chinese postage stamp depicting a dragon – designed by Chen Shaohua – has drawn sharp criticism on the nation's microblogs, with many saying it puts too frightening a face on their rising country. In defense, Chen Shaohua, said the fierce-looking dragon represents China’s growing confidence.

Well ...

London Calling

2012-01-11T08:37:00.011+01:00

Two British students – Saiman Miah and Pippa Sanderson – have had the honour of designing the official UK coins to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The winning designs were selected following a Royal Mint competition for art and design students attending higher education colleges and universities across the UK.

Saiman Miah designed the Official London 2012 Olympic £5 coin. His design features the London skyline and the River Thames, with the pictograms of athletes placed around the outside of the design like a clock face, representing one of London’s greatest icons - Big Ben.

Pippa Sanderson, graduated student at Hereford College of Arts, won the Royal Mint competition to design the official UK £5 coin for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Stars on Stamps

2011-12-03T09:56:00.011+01:00

No meat: here are new U.S. holiday postage stamps launched by PETA(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to salute famous vegetarians. One sheet with 20 stamps costs US$ 19,99.

Former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson teamed up to unveil the postage sheets in Hollywood.

Paul McCartney: "If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat. That's the single most important thing you could do. It's staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot: ecology, famine, cruelty."

Ancient coins found in Jerusalem

2011-11-24T12:02:00.006+01:00

As the Washington Post reports the four bronze coins were stamped around 17 A.D. by the Roman official Valerius Gratus. The coins were found inside a ritual bath that predated construction of the renovated Temple Mount complex.

This newly found coins underneath Jerusalem’s Western Wall could change the accepted belief about the construction of one of the world’s most sacred sites two millennia ago, Israeli archaeologists say.

Christmas is coming

2011-11-14T10:43:00.013+01:00

Far far East on the globe the Australia Post has started the Christmas countdown with the release of this year's festive stamps featuring three themes: traditional religious scenes, joyous 'Celebrate Christmas' images and the animated Christmas Island issue.

The festive themed stamps (55c) are illustrated by Simone Sakinofsky and feature familiar Christmas symbols such as the decorated Christmas tree, star and colourfully wrapped gifts.

And on the other side of our globe the Bahamas Post Office has released a set of six Christmas stamps illustrating Christmas Angels watching over familiar scenes from the Nativity Story.

It celebrates the 400th Anniversary of the publication of the King James translation of the Bible; which is said to have been the most widely read version of the Bible ever produced in the English language.

Therefore the Royal Mail celebrates the anniversary as well on their Christmas stamps for 2011.

Appearing in 1611 the new Bible was slow in rising to fame, and it was not until the late 17th century that its remarkable qualities began to be recognised. By the beginning of the 18th century, the King James Bible was being hailed as a religious and literary classic. Yet even today, many still prefer the 1611 translation to its more modern rivals.

Heavy Kangaroo

2011-10-27T10:33:00.007+02:00

The biggest, heaviest, inherently the most valuable gold bullion coin in the world has now been unveiled by The Perth Mint. The one tonne masterpiece features a bounding red kangaroo surrounded by stylised rays of sunlight and bordered by the inscription 'AUSTRALIAN KANGAROO 1 TONNE 9999 GOLD' and the year-date 2012. The monumental coin measures nearly 80cms wide and more than 12cms deep.

“To cast and handcraft a coin of this size and weight was an incredible challenge, one which few other mints would not even consider,” Chief Executive Officer, Ed Harbuz said.

The Australian Kangaroo Gold Bullion Coin Program offers a choice of gold bullion coins in a range of sizes, with various mintage limits and annual design changes.

Lucky Treasure Hunter

2011-10-17T11:42:00.008+02:00

As the Sunday Mercury reports Britain's biggest haul of Roman gold, worth millions of pounds, could have been found near Bredon Hill in Worcestershire by a treasure hunter.

Details of the treasure remained sketchy and the identity of the lucky metal detecting enthusiast has not been revealed, yet. The article cited an an expert in Roman archaeology from the University of Birmingham, who described the possibility of a new find in Bredon as “exciting”.

At least for the finder!

Birthday Coin

2011-09-27T13:41:00.004+02:00

The Central Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan) will release commemorative coins on Oct. 6 to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Republic of China, Shih Tsuen-hua, a director of the bank, said Tuesday. This fine commemorative silver coin weighs an ounce, is legal tender and is engraved with a face value of NT$100. It costs NT$2.000 each.

The silver coin is lodged in a wooden box lined in red velvet, and will be sold on site at the Bank of Taiwan. Each person will be allowed to purchase one coin.

Rugby in 3D

2011-09-10T19:50:00.007+02:00

For the first time ever New Zealand Post is set to release a 3D stamp - and the legendary Webb Ellis Cup has been chosen as its theme.

The large full-colour stamp, which has a $15 face value, has been produced in strictly limited quantities to coincide with New Zealand's historic hosting of the Rugby World Cup 2011.

"We expect this limited edition stamp to sell quickly", says Simon Allison, New Zealand Post's Sales and Marketing Manager for the stamps business. Unless stocks are exhausted earlier, these stamps will remain on sale until 6 September 2012.

Chasing the Gold

2011-08-31T12:08:00.009+02:00

Today News has revealed an interessting story about the most valuable coin in the world. The 1933 Double Eagle has a face value of just US$20, but a market value of nearly US$ 8 million.

It was among the last batch of gold coins ever minted by the U.S. government. The coins were never issued; most of the nearly 500,000 cast were melted down to bullion in 1937.

Most, but not all. Some of the coins slipped out of the Philadelphia Mint before then. That's where the story starts ...

Mint Luke

2011-08-17T12:47:00.011+02:00

New Zealand Mint has launched one of cinema's most enduring and beloved franchises, Star Wars, as a legal tender coin set. The coins feature a full coloured image of ten favourite characters: Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, R2-D2, C-3PO, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, and Emperor Palpatine.

Each coin in the Star Wars set is struck from Silver Plated base metal. No more than 50,000 of each coin will be issued by the New Zealand Mint. The coins are legal tender of Niue.

"Luke, I am your coin!"

Jersey Shipwrecks Stamps

2011-07-12T07:07:00.008+02:00

The dangerous waters of the Channel Islands have been testing ships to destruction for centuries. Today, Jersey Post has issued a set of stamps and a Miniature Sheet depicting some of the vessels which have met disaster in the sea surrounding the Island.

The six stamps come with a booklet including illustrations and details of what happened to the ships. The stories are taken from the book Shipwrecks of the Channel Islands.

The ships featured on the stamps are the TSS Princess Ena from 1935, the SS Caledonia from 1881, the TSS Ibex from 1897, the SS Schokland from 1943, the USS PT509 from 1944, the PS Superb from 1850, and a £3 stamp featuring the TSS Roebuck from 1911.

Treasure in litter

2011-06-24T14:28:00.011+02:00

A woman from North Carolina found a 272-year-old British coin while picking up litter. Suddenly Kemila Slade held a 1739 George II farthing coin in her hands.

The fortune is not coming from the coin, which is currently valued between US$ 6 and US$ 15, but Mrs. Slade receives US$ 250 as statewide first place prize for finding the coin. The judges decided her capture as the most unusual thing found during the spring cleanup.

Well, go ahead and clean your own community!

Thomas the Stamp

2011-06-15T13:41:00.006+02:00

A new Thomas the Tank Engine stamp collection, released by The Royal Mail, is set to fund thousands of pounds worth of repairs at St Edmund, Emneth. Sales from the First Day Cover Stamps will go towards the upkeep of the 15th Century Norfolk church.

Thomas the Tank Engine is a ten-stamp issue, with six printed individually and one miniature sheet of four additional stamps. The sheet stamps celebrate the images familiar from the TV series while the mini sheet stamps reflect on the heritage of the book.

Yosemite in Silver

2011-05-11T17:06:00.006+02:00

The United States Mint is scheduled to release the collector 2010-P Yosemite National Park 5 Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin for California on Thursday, June 9, 2011. The coin is currently priced at U$279.95.

It is the third in a new series of celebratory coins with reverse designs honoring a U.S. National Park or National Site.

Struck in .999 fine silver, these coins display the "P" mint mark, indicating production at the United States Mint at Philadelphia. To protect its uncirculated finish, each coin is enclosed in a capsule and protective outer box and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

Aromatic Australia

2011-05-10T20:39:00.007+02:00

The Australia Post will release romatic postage stamps infused with eucalyptus oil on 17th May 2011. Have a taste ...

This stamp issue includes a special sheetlet pack of 10 stamps infused with the clean, fresh smell of Australian eucalyptus oil. Gently rubbing the stamps (or the cover of the sheetlet pack) will release the oil's fragrance.

The eucalyptus oil industry, which began in 1852 in Victoria, has been called the first truly Australian industry. Today Australia accounts for only 10 per cent of the total world production, but it is regaining some of the market share for medicinal oil lost to China.

Wrong liberty

2011-04-18T12:28:00.009+02:00

It took quite a while finding out that a new US Firstclass postage stamp is not bearing the original Statue of Liberty in New York, but the face of a replica outside a Las Vegas casino!

After printing 3 billion copies a USPS spokesman had to admit, that USP certainly regrets having made the error. Despite the false face USPS has no further plans to issue a recall, but at least will correct the catalogue information connected with the stamp.

So, collectors will have to live with the vilely lapse.

20 Cents down under for the Royals

2011-04-12T13:24:00.009+02:00

Prince William and Kate Middleton get an Australian 20 cent royal wedding coin. Not just one, at least five million coins will go into general circulation after their wedding on April 29th.

The Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten remarked that it would continue the royal mint's "tradition of honouring and preserving royal history" and create the "excitement of checking your change" to find the royal coin.

The coin, designed by the mint's sculptor, Vladimir Gottwald, was approved by the Queen. There will also be offered a collectible uncirculated 50 cent coin as part of the Royal Wedding Set.

Royal Wedding Coins

2011-03-23T18:18:00.012+01:00

Britain's Royal Mint released commemorative coins featuring portraits of Prince William and his bride-to-be, but critics said the results were far from lifelike.

Some critics say Kate Middleton appears plump in the face and lips and has bags under her eyes, while others suggest William looks more like former U.S. vice-president Al Gore.

Because of the coin’s official status, the Royal Mint has already received thousands of pre-orders with global demand expected to exceed more than 250,000.

The official UK Royal Wedding Coin is only the second UK coin ever struck by the Royal Mint to celebrate this hugely important event, the first being that of Prince William’s parents The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.

The official UK coin to commemorate Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s wedding is available now to pre order from the Royal Mint’s website priced at £ 9,99.

SMS trashes Stamps

2011-03-08T07:42:00.012+01:00

As time goes by: No more Stamps - no more licking in Sweden? Under plans being considered the Swedish Postal Service wants to substitute ordinary stamps for text messages.

"We're very interested and are just now looking into a solution," the postal service's head of marketing and development Anders Asberg told The Local, an English-language Swedish news site.

After mobile users sent a text message the new payment system would reply a code to be written on a piece of mail, whichs represents the amount of paid postage. Denmark is likely to unveil a similar system on April 1st.

Sounds like an early April fool hoax, doesn't it?!

Vote for Your fav stamp

2011-02-16T17:54:00.008+01:00

For the past 14 years now the Croatian Post has encouraged people to choose their favourite stamp, or which they felt was the most attractive, from the previous year.

It's time again, inviting everyone to choose the most beautiful stamp issued by Croatian Post in 2010. You don't need to be a citizen of Croatia, just log on to the Voting website and publish your favourite stamp.

The luckiest participants will receive Croatian postage stamp albums and new theme sets.

Good luck!

A pretty good investment

2011-01-31T09:16:00.004+01:00

This coin was regarded as the "Blue Mauritius" among coin collectors and is an utmost rarity. At an auction in Berlin the Chinese one-dollar coin dating 1911 has been auctioned for more than half a million euro. That was a pretty good exchange rate after a hundred years of collecting.

The silver dollar, a sample imprint from the last year of the reign of the last Chinese emperor, was bought by an anonymous bidder for 530.000 Euro.

After the Opium War (1840-1842) China was overrun by U.S. dollars. Then the kingdom itself coined in 1890 coins, which were named dollar.

A pretty good investment.

Precious Euro

2011-01-21T16:24:00.004+01:00

Despite the high pressure, the European single currency is currently suspended, there's also some good news. Because the production of counterfeit notes and coins remains relatively low.

The number of counterfeit euro coins removed from circulation in 2010 increased by 8 percent compared to the year before, with a total of 186.000 coins seized, compared to 172.100 in 2009. The 2-euro coin remains by far the most affected by this criminal activity, representing almost 3 out of every 4 counterfeit coins.

On top of that, 751.000 counterfeit notes were also taken out of circulation.

While the number of fake coins may have risen, their total value was only about 300.000 Euros. The value of counterfeit euro notes came to about 30 million Euros.

Algirdas Semeta, the European commissioner responsible for anti-fraud activities said in a statement, "we will continue to dedicate all necessary resources to finding these fakes, in an effort to stamp out the problem across the EU".

Cathedral for 2 Euro

2010-12-28T08:08:00.010+01:00

The Cathedral of Cologne is one of Germany's most important architectural monuments. This Gothic masterpiece, situated in the heart of Cologne, is the third tallest cathedral in the world and boasts the highest church spires ever built.

The new commemorative 2 Euro coin of Germany, which belongs to the German Federal States series, shows the Cathedral of Cologne in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

This coin will be issued on January 28th 2011.

Cracking Christmas

2010-12-09T18:09:00.012+01:00

Wallace and his sophisticated dog Gromit have been amongst Britain’s favourite animated characters for more than ten years now. They are multi Academy Award winners and global screen stars, and now make a special appearance in millions of homes worldwide after signing up to feature on Royal Mail’s Christmas stamps.

W 'n' G go carol singing on the 2nd Class stamp and dress the Christmas tree on the 60p stamp. As usual, Gromit is left to do the majority of the work, carrying the cards and hauling an unfeasibly large Christmas pudding around on the 97p stamp with his reward being a bone-themed jumper shown on the £1.46 stamp.

Perfect Pals!

Golden Salvation

2010-11-29T20:14:00.013+01:00

Lucky catch! The Aurora Salvation Army in Illinois/USA has found a one-ounce gold South African coin in one of its kettles.

This coin was spent on November 19th in Naperville and is worth more than 1.000 US-Dollar. "That was a golden start to the season to say the least," Salvation Army Captain Antonio Romero said. "It caught us all by surprise.

Father Christmas on te run!

Fernando

2010-11-10T09:59:00.013+01:00

When one thinks of "Fernando", he may think of an ABBA-Song. And when you think of "Poe", the first thought would be "Edgar Allan" possibly. Both in combination will lead to Fernando Poe, an actor from the Philippines, who once had ran an unsuccessful bid for President of the Philippines in the 2004 presidential election against the former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Now the Philippine Postal Corporation has come up with stamps featuring National Artists Series – including a souvenir sheets of the late action star Fernando Poe, Jr., with a denomination of P 21.00 and 5.000 pieces.

Poe was a Filipino actor and cultural icon. From the 1950s, Poe played steadfast film heroes who fight for the common man, which won him respect and admiration. He did not complete high school but went on to win numerous awards and prizes as an actor and film director.

The winner takes it all!

Expensive Audrey

2010-10-17T10:55:00.006+02:00

The German postal service originally had printed 14 million of the Audrey Hepburn stamps in 2001 showing the actress in her most famous role as the ebullient Holly Golightly in "Breakfast at Tiffany's." But without obtaining the rights to the picture

Lately a rare sheet of these stamps have fetched 430.000 Euro at a charity auction in Berlin. Of which two thirds will go to help educate children in sub-Saharan Africa. The other third will go to UNICEF Germany.

Hepburn was a UNICEF ambassador from 1988 until shortly before her death from colon cancer in 1993.

Never seen again?

2010-09-21T10:53:00.011+02:00

The production of a russian one kopek coin costs 47 kopeks, reports the moscow news. The smallest-value is 47 times dearer than it's production. Ridiculous! And the fiver production cost is about 69 kopeks per coin!

Therefore the Russian Central bank has gone back to the State Duma with a request to stop the production of one and five kopeck coins.

Frightfully clever!

Smart Stamps

2010-09-04T18:56:00.010+02:00

The British Royal Mail has launched the world’s first "Intelligent Stamp" through its latest issue of Special Stamps - Great British Railways.

Viewing the stamp with a smartphone will take users to a related webpage. But only if they use the supporting software called Junaio – a free image recognition application. Junaio works on both iPhone and Android phones.

"Intelligent stamps mark the next step in the evolution of our stamps, bringing them firmly into the 21st century", claimed Royal Mail Stamps spokesperson, Philip Parker. Not only a letter in the envelope - also a story behind a stamp.

Smart!

We are the people

2010-08-31T13:02:00.007+02:00

On October 3rd, 2010 Germany will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of its reunification. And already over a year ago the Federal Government had decided that a 10-euro commemorative "20 years of German unity" will be later issued in September 2010. The coin was designed by Erich Ott of Munich.

The side with the value of the coin shows an eagle, the words "FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY", the twelve Euro-star, the point value of the euro name and the year 2010 and the mint mark "A" of the State Mint in Berlin.

Successful collecting!

Anti-Semitic Coin

2010-08-23T12:41:00.006+02:00

The Haaretz Online-Service reports that Romania's central bank would not withdraw a coin featuring an image of Miron Cristea, who had stripped 37 percent of the Jewish population of its citizenship before World War II. He led the Romanian Orthodox Church from 1925 to 1939 and was prime minister from 1938 to 1939.

The bank said in a statement that "the set of coins were decisively and intrinsically linked ... to an institution which had an essential role in defining and developing the national and cultural identity of Romania." The Anti-Defamation League responded angrily to the decision to mint the coin. "We are shocked and disappointed that the National Bank of Romania has decided to honor Miron Cristea, even after consideration of his anti-Semitic actions and statements."

Olè

2010-07-12T11:56:00.008+02:00

Today, 24 hours after the football worldcup final, which the Spanish team has won for their first time, the Spanish Post did not issue a stamp of their honor.

Instead a block with the image of the tapestry Zenobia and emperor Aurelia, which dates from the 17th century. The tapestry belongs to the series History of Zenobia and the emperor Aurelian. It was woven following the design of Justus van Egmont, painter born in Leiden in 1601 and decesed in Antwerp in 1674.

The tapestry is decorated with a border of garlands, fruits angels and other floral and plant elements. It depicts Zenobia handing over the keys of the city to emperor Aurelian on a horse and wearing a Victory crown.

The "victory crown" these days looks different.

Les Bleus passé

2010-06-23T14:57:00.002+02:00

One Goal. One Point. Not enough. The french team, as one may call it, had to quit the tournament. Not worth a thing.

Even the offical stamps issued by the French Post in June has dropped in value. Hard to gain even three Euro at ebay for this collection. Les Bleus passé!

Two of four stamps illustrate football images, while the other two represent the parliament of Pretoria (administrative capital), the other a view of Cape (legislative capital). The background of the block includes a savanna like landscape adorned with the flags of 32 participating countries.

Well four of them are missing by now.

Socceroos got stamped

2010-06-10T12:34:00.009+02:00

The Football World Cup is comming up, and the German Team is facing the Australians on Sunday. The Australia Post had issued souvenir stamps featuring the Socceroos from down under on the eve of the World Cup in South Africa.

A stamp sheet with 10 images – sponsored by the Australian Airline Qantas – shows ten Socceroo stars in action and is on sale at Australia Post outlets. Football Federation Australia chief executive Ben Buckley said the players were "humbled to be honoured in philatelic form".

But no reason to beat the Germans though.

World Cup Coins

2010-05-23T18:30:00.008+02:00

The Central Bank of Brazil launched a South Africa World Cup commemorative silver coin. The face value is of R$ 5 (about 2,22 Euro). One side of the coin shows a landscape of the African savannah with a soccer player in composition with the map of Africa, with particular reference to South Africa with particular reference to South Africa.

The reverse side highlights the image of two players on the move with the ball, against the background of the stylized Brazilian flag. The maximum circulation of the currency will be 25 thousand pieces, which will be marketed in Brazil and abroad. FIFA have set the value and companies authorized to sell the currency outside of Brazil.

GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!

Black and white on green into the blue

2010-05-13T13:21:00.003+02:00

Just four more weeks to go and the German Football Team is facing the men from down under. The German Post has already issued wet sticking stamps for each 55 cents plus 25 cents in a sheet of 10, suitable for the franking of standard letters up to 20 gramms. This stamp is from the series "For the Sport" and has been designed by Lutz Menze.

With this series the Federal Ministry of Finance supports the German Sports Aid Foundation. The additional revenues are devoted to the promotion of amateur and professional sports. In fact it helps 4.000 athletes as well as 600 young talents in the sports boarding schools with about 12 million € per year.

Successful Diggin'

2010-04-23T13:09:00.003+02:00

Archaeologists in Egypt have now unearthed several hundred bronze coins dating back to the reign of King Ptolemy, who ruled Egypt about 2,300 years ago.

The 383 items dating back more than 2.250 years were found near Lake Qarun in Fayum oasis, roughly 120 kilometres from Cairo, the ministry said in a statement and that they were in excellent condition.

Now, let's dig in our own backyard!

Britannia's new silver and gold

2010-04-22T12:11:00.005+02:00

A new collection of gold and silver coins have been released by the British Royal Mint within its 2010 Britannia Silver and Gold Collections.

The coins come in four different sizes: the highest denomination coins of the realm, are struck in 22 carat yellow gold to glorious Proof quality – the large £100 coin contains a full ounce of gold, the £50 a half-ounce, the £25 and £10 a quarter-ounce and tenth ounce respectively.

All of them feature a new design of Britannia on the reverse as envisioned by artist Suzie Zamit.

Easter Bunny with the missing L

2010-03-25T14:12:00.002+01:00

Already waiting for the Easter Bunny to come laying colourful eggs in your green nest on the last weekend in March? Bunny and eggs? Isn't that strange? Well, it's allbout a misunderstanding.

Some sources say that in the early days – perhaps in the 16th century – eggs of the hazel grouse were given as Easter presents and so became a part of the Christian festivities in rural Germany. Now the German word for hazel grouse is "Haselhuhn" – the short version "Hasel". And the German word for a bunny is "Hase".

And just the shortage of an "L" nowadays let the bunnies lay their eggs at Easter time. Hard to believe, but funny enough for the Hungarian Post to issue a stamp with a hopping hare.

Parcheesi

2010-03-16T17:11:00.010+01:00

According to wikipedia Parcheesi is an American adaptation of the Indian Cross and Circle game Pachisi. Created in India around 500 BC, the game is often subtitled Royal Game of India because royalty supposedly played using costumed dancers as pieces on large outdoor boards (such a court is preserved at Fatehpur Sikri).

Anyhow, the german edition of Parcheesi is called "Mensch ärgere Dich nicht" – meaning "Don't get upset" – and close to 70 million board games have been sold over the past 100 years after publication.

Reasons enough for the German Federal Ministry of Finance issuing a special stamp for all friends and foes of that game.

Veggie Stamps

2010-02-23T15:51:00.011+01:00

The Winter 2009/10 is history. And it's about time looking forward to spring with the help of the finnish post service. Finland's stamps in 2010 offer not only rock and pop but also fruit from the garden.

On March 8th the "Funny Vegetables" stamp booklet will be issued and gives you an opportunity for a little hands-on work. You can give the tomato a moustache or put a hat on the asparagus or ears on the cucumber.

You can dress up the vegetable stamps designed by Nina Rintala as you wish with the accessories included in the booklet.

But don't forget franking your mail!

A fair Commentary

2010-02-02T11:36:00.017+01:00

Mrs. Nickel the cloak-room charge predicted me at the very beginning of the World Money Fair that it will be a cheery weekend. And it was without wasting any words on the financial crisis. At the booths satisfaction seemed to be in everyone's face, because the rush of visitors made the cash tills ring.

And it was perfectly organized with almost invariably neat and tidy booths to rummage in. Roughly sorted by coin dealers, auction houses, accessory suppliers and mints coins from around the world. And easy to stroll through.

Brightly polished were the precious metals either gold, platinum or palladium. The visitor could even marvel at one ounces (31,1 grams) of rhodium, which a dealer offered for 1.750.- Euro.

But I don't know, whether he has sold it for that price.

World Money Fair in Berlin

2010-01-29T09:28:00.007+01:00

From today until Sunday the World Money Fair will be held at the Estrel Convention Center in Berlin.

Over 50 mints and national banks, supplier companies, eleven national and international associations plus 170 coin dealers will display in five exhibition halls. The World Money Fair is open to the public. A day pass costs 7 Euro. Last year, the event had attracted about 13.000 visitors.

This year South Africa, the home of the Krugerrand and host nation of the upcoming soccer world championship, is the guest of honor.

Penny sold for big Bucks

2010-01-15T17:13:00.004+01:00

This valuable penny bears an image of King George V who died in January 1936. Nevertheless coins with this image continued to be made that year.

What makes this penny rare is that it's one of only three known 1936-dated Canadian cents struck by the Royal Canadian Mint. This coin shows a small but distinctive dot below the date in order to indicate that it actually was made one year later in 1937.

The predicted price before the auction in New York was US $300.000. But it was sold for US$402.500!

A collector becomes rich being penny-wise!

Aromatic Stamps

2010-01-07T13:22:00.004+01:00

Letters from Germany will have their special flavour very soon. Because these stamps, which have been issued this week by Germany's Finance Ministry meant to support charities are scratch and sniff.

Customers are able to choose between apple, strawberry, huckleberry and lemon scents.

The proceeds from stamp sales go to the non-statutory welfare services known as the Freie Wohlfahrtspflege. Each stamp costs around 20 to 55 cents more and the extra money is used in social welfare projects such as kindergartens, integration measures, youth initiatives and environment protection.

Rip-Off with Obama

2009-12-18T09:53:00.008+01:00

Loooking for a late Christmas present? Something rare and special? Okay, you may come across several collectable item like ...

... but not all of them are splendid investments. (Please, read the full story here). Coin dealers and small non-governmental mints were already selling Obama coins (medals) even before he was elected President of the United States.

Mostly Obama coins being sold are unofficial marketing ploys sold by TV shopping Channels, or special, private, limited editions for party supporters. The sellers play up the historic and emotional aspects of Obama's success and not the value of the coins.

Obama coins are being sold for prices ranging from US$9.95 plus shipping (total: US$14.90) to nearly US$30 each, and all they really are is defaced Presidential Dollars that you can get for US$1 at the bank!

Merry Christmas, Dear fellow collectors!

Christmas Greetings from Latvia

2009-11-30T15:38:00.007+01:00

The Latvian postal service has launched its homemade Christmas card campaign. "Its about restoring the tradition of sending Christmas greeting cards", said the marketing director for Latvian Post, Karīna Jankovska.

This campaign should encourage Latvian citizens - especially children - to create their own greeting cards. The postal service is providing blank white postcards free of charge to encourage Latvians to come up with their own designs.

"There is much joy and satisfaction in sending and receiving a homemade card. Its something special", Ms. Jankovska resumes.

Peaceful Revolution

2009-11-09T14:30:00.031+01:00

Tonight's the night! And Berlin will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall with a Festival of Freedom, during which over 1.000 foam domino tiles over 8 feet tall will be stacked along the former route of the wall in the city center and toppled.

This fall of the wall marks also the end of the Peaceful Revolution, which had been a series of peaceful political protests against the Communist regime of East Germany. The group grew from week to week and by October 9th 1989 there were about 120.000 non-violent protestors, and a week later there were more than 300.000 people.

In honor of those that marched for their freedom the German post has issued this stamp with a face value of 55 Eurocent.

French heros on Stamps

2009-10-26T12:13:00.052+01:00

Asterix, the French cartoon character created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, is turning fifty in December 2009. In view of this occasion the French Post is issung a block of 6 stamps especially designed by Uderzo.

The sheet shows Asterix plus prominent members of the village during a distribution of the magic potion by Getafix, while Cacofonix, as usual, is hanging from a tree, Obelix following the Gaulic beauty queen Falbala and Dogmatix chewing on a mighty bone.

This block of six stamps costs 5,20 Euro with 1,84 Euro will be donated to the French Red Cross.

On December 2nd the first issue will be sold at the Carré d'encre (13 bis rue des Mathurins, Paris 9e), from 9 am to 7 pm.

Oh dear Bob

2009-10-14T14:31:00.116+02:00

This Post refers to a readers comment on the article "How many ..." including the deliberate allusion to Bob Dylans song "Blowin' in the wind".

In fact, the American songwriter has even appeared on stamps. For istance in 1996 on a Gambian stamp.

2001 the tiny Republic of Kabardino Balkaria, a federal subject of Russia located in the North Caucasus, had issued a stamp sheet, showing nine different photos of the famous folk singer.

So, how many times must a man look up, before he can see the sky?

Bullish Gold

2009-10-09T10:21:00.090+02:00

Gold prices have surged to record highs, and many experts say there's even more to come! "History suggests a run at $ 1.500l", said Jordan Kotick, global head of technical analysis at Barclays Capital.

Investment guru Jim Rogers believes that gold has a significant upside potential into 2010. "Gold should be over $ 2.000 an ounce sometime in the next decade,” the legendary investor predicted.

Meaning a golden future?

How many ...

2009-09-29T15:37:00.038+02:00

... coins must a man collect, before he puts them in a row?
The answer, my friend, is watch this video.
And count them quickly.

How to put a stamp on the wall

2009-09-18T08:08:00.057+02:00

Happy Weekend, dear fellow collectors!

High Noon

2009-09-10T12:48:00.033+02:00

With the 15th stamp in its Legends of Hollywood series, the U.S. Postal Service honors Gary Cooper (1901–1961), a popular leading man from Hollywood’s “Golden Age.”

For many decades, Cooper was the all–American hero whose believable performances and strong, silent appeal brought him a lifetime of fame.

Cooper won an Oscar for his portrayal of Sgt. Alvin York, in "Sergeant York," in 1941. The following year he played slugger Lou Gehrig in "The Pride of the Yankees."

Perhaps his best known role, though, was as Marshal Will Kane in the classic "High Noon" in 1952. And he won another Oscar for that performance.

Heavy Gold

2009-09-03T09:24:00.049+02:00

The world's largest and heaviest Gold Maple Leaf coin from the Royal Canadian Mint has reached Europe and was presented to journalists by Canadian embassy commercial department head Sameena Qureshi in Prague.

This masterpiece of 100 kg and 99.999% pure gold bullion coin with a $1 million face value ( estimated at about 2.5 million Euro) has been proven by Guinness World Records to be the world's largest gold coin.

The Maple Leaf will continue its journey to other European cities. From Prague it will be transferred to Vilnius and Copenhagen.

London Calling

2009-08-27T08:38:00.052+02:00

To celebrate three years to go until the Paralympic Games, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) had recently announced that a series of London 2012 themed stamps – including Paralympic sports - will be issued over the next three years in a licensing deal with Royal Mail.

The first set of ten 1st Class stamps will be issued on 22 October with illustrations featuring Olympic and Paralympic sports. This will be followed by further issues of sports stamps in 2010 and 2011.

Alongside the stamps will be first day covers, presentation packs and other commemorative products.

Independance Stamps

2009-08-17T13:13:00.050+02:00

Until 1969 Guernsey’s postal service was run by the UK’s General Post Office, before the island took over the responsibility itself.

As they celebrate their 40th anniversary of what is now Guernsey Post Ltd, the proud Guernsey Post honoured it with a new set of stamps.

These convey general impressions of each decade from the 60s to the present – a tall order which the designer addressed through the use of appropriate visual styles, rather than picking a single event or object at the expense of other, equally deserving ones.

Stamp of Approval

2009-08-03T06:24:00.083+02:00

Mark Webber's breakthrough Formula One win at the German Grand Prix has been commemorated by Australia Post with a souvenir stamp sheet.

The three images on the domestic-mail 55-cent stamp released last Friday shows Webber on the podium, another in his racing car on the grid and a third close-up with his

Webber's victory on July 12 was the first by an Australian in an F1 race since 1981, when Alan Jones won at Las Vegas. It was Webber's first win in 132 GPs.

Jack Brabham, who won three world titles and 14 GPs between 1955 and 1970, is the only other Australian to have won a Formula One race.

Lewis Hamilton’s F1 World Championship of 2008 had already been honored with a stamp.

Red Box

2009-07-25T17:49:00.052+02:00

The earliest known surviving posting slot was placed in the wall of Wakefield Post Office in 1809. Britain’s first roadside pillar boxes appeared in the early 1850s but in more remote and less populated areas, a cheaper and more practical alternative was needed, resulting in the development of smaller post boxes.

Initially, they were installed in walls, buildings or brick pillars: later designs were also attached to lamp posts.

To celebrate this anniversary Royal Mail is releasing this Miniature Sheet of four stamps featuring iconic wall mounted post boxes on August 18th.

Cultural Coins

2009-06-25T19:21:00.098+02:00

The Central Bank of Malta has issued a silver and a gold coin with the theme “La Castellania” as part of the Europa Programme 2009 dedicated to "Cultural Heritage".

The obverse of the coins shows the Emblem of Malta with the year of issue 2009. The reverse depicts the Castellania, which is one of the most architecturally striking buildings in Merchants Street in Valletta.

Since 1895 this building has housed the Medical and Public Health Head Office. The "Europa Star", which is the official logo of the programme, is also shown on the reverse side of the coins.

Gold version
Face Value: € 50
Diameter: 21mm
Weight: 6,5 gramm
Alloy: 0,916
Quality: Proof
Minting Limit: 3.000

Silver version
Face value: € 10
Diameter: 38,61mm
Weight: 28,28 gramm
Alloy: 0,925
Quality: Proof
Minting Limit: 15.000

Valuable Mistakes

2009-06-17T10:00:00.129+02:00

3.000 mistakes could turn out to be worth millions. The collection of the former stockbroker Robert H. Cunliffe, who died at age 83 in April last year, includes inverted printed planes, cars, U.S. presidents, landmarks and other designs from the United States and around the world.

"It is without question the most comprehensive collection of inverted centers and inverted printings ever formed," said Charles Shreve, president of Spink Shreves Galleries.

Photo: Spink Shreves Galleries

Cunliffe's collection includes an "inverted Jenny," a famous U.S. stamp from 1918 featuring an upside-down biplane. It's expected to bring of at least $125,000 to $150,000. The auction starts on next Thursday, June 18th at 2:00 p.m.

Get your bids ready!

Travelling for Gold

2009-06-02T10:37:00.126+02:00

Admitted, a journey from Wiesbaden to Alaska is a long way, but definitely worth it. Not least because discovering the "El Dorado" this summer (until August 2nd) at the Anchorage Museum is a dazzling reason to travel north.

Photo: Anchorage Museum

Exhibition highlights include examples of the first gold coins minted in ancient Lydia and Ionia (now Turkey); gleaming pre-Columbian jewelry; a Tiffany brooch designed by Paloma Picasso, a Fabergé Easter egg and Walter Cronkite’s Emmy.

Visitors can literally surround themselves with gold. An entire 300-square-foot room in the gallery is covered floor-to-ceiling with just three ounces of 23-karat gold leaf.

The Anchorage Museum is the largest museum in Alaska with more than 170,000 square feet of indoor galleries and public space. The museum’s permanent collection holds more than 24,000 objects and 500,000 historical photographs. It is one of the ten most visited attractions in the state with an annual attendance of more than 140,000 visitors.

Change for Charity

2009-05-22T17:39:00.153+02:00

It is very easy to end up with some leftover foreign currency, mainly coins, as you wrap up a trip abroad. Just small change, you may think. But even this small change can make a change for someone else.

Since 1987, the UNICEF runs one of it's best-known and longest-running programms: The alliance is designed to collect unused currency from passengers and convert spare coins and notes into life-saving materials and services for the world’s neediest children.

Currently, 10 major airline carriers are conducting collections on their international and sometimes domestic flights. In more than 20 years this programm has generated well over 50 million Euro.

Funds collected are then donated to the respective National Committee for UNICEF which regularly transfers the funds to UNICEF's programmes helping children in over 150 countries around the world.

Astrostamps

2009-05-18T18:34:00.158+02:00

Two years ago the UN had declared 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy. Now this global initiative leaves its marks on stamps, while many countries have issued and still will issue stamps with astronomical motifs. Like Ireland has on May 15th.

The 55c stamp bears a picture of the Crab Nebula. First observed by the English astronomer, John Bevis, in 1731, this nebula was named by William Parsons, the Third Earl of Rosse, based on observations made from Birr Castle, Co Offaly. The brightest and most recent supernova close to the Earth, this may very well be the most studied object in the sky. It is associated with a number of important scientific discoveries in Ireland.

The 82c stamp shows an artist's impression of jets from a Brown Dwarf. These are astronomical objects whose mass is smaller than that of a star but larger than that of the largest planets. There is a great deal of research being carried out on Brown Dwarfs at the moment, with Irish astronomers very much at the forefront.

On May 20th even the Vatican will next issue these two stamps with an religious perspective on the International Year of Astronomy.

One Penny Red

2009-05-08T07:28:00.169+02:00

Today at an auction in a ballroom of the Essen Hugenpoet Palace Hotel, bidding for the Red is to open at EUR 200.000.

The stamp is from the first series issued on the island of Mauritius and is distinguished by the legend "Post Office", instead of the words "Post Paid", as printed on later Mauritius stamps.

There are thought to be only 15 of the stamps in existence and they are only exceeded in value by the legendary matching Two Pence Blue, of which only 12 are believed to survive.

A German stamp collector, who 20 years ago mislaid one of the world's most valuable stamps, is now offering his most valuable treasure.

(Update: The One Penny Red has been sold for "just" 210.000 EUR. The former owner was a little disappointed, because he had expected a higher bid.)

Quartermaster on Auction

2009-05-04T18:10:00.115+02:00

The famed Quartermaster Collection, containing many of Australia’s most valuable and highest quality gold coins, will be going to auction on the 4th of June 2009.

The collection features the excessively rare Adelaide Assay Office Ingots, Port Phillip Patterns & 1852 Five Pounds, the finest quality Adelaide Pounds and complete set of Australian Sovereigns and Half Sovereigns. Like this historically important and excessively rare object:

A pentagonal cast gold ingot (undated 1852); estimated price: $ 800.000 - $ 950.000.

Struggle on Stamps

2009-04-30T06:49:00.179+02:00

"Today, many workers still struggle for an eight hour work day and workers worldwide are engaged in battles to defend their rights against corporate globalization", declared Denis Lemelin, National President, Canadian Union of Postal Workers.

Unlike several of the democracies, Canada has no stamps marking the establishment of unions, the enactment of labour laws, or the celebration of labour days, and only one stamp commemorating an individual union leader.

May Day (May 1st) is about the historic struggle for an eight hour work day that culminated in an 1886 protest in Haymarket Square in Chicago.

Most countries celebrate Labour Day on May 1st, known as May Day and International Workers' Day. As a day of celebration the holiday has ancient origins, and it can relate to many customs that have survived into modern times.

Many of these customs are due to May Day being a cross-quarter day, meaning that in the Northern Hemisphere it falls approximately halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice.

In Germany, Labour Day was established as an official holiday in 1933 after the Nazi Party rose to power. It was supposed to symbolise the new-found unity between the state and the German people. However, just one day later all free unions were outlawed and destroyed.

In the Soviet era, Labor Day celebrations traditionally began with parades, with the nation's most important one held in Moscow's Red Square.

Fake £1 coin

2009-04-24T22:31:00.279+02:00

Visitors from Europe are taking advantage of the weak pound and give the British tourist industry its busiest weeks this year so far. Tourists snapping up CDs, T-Shirts and all sorts of stuff they may not need despite the recession.

But (not only) tourists should have a close look at the £1 coins in their purses, cause there might be fake ones among.

The Royal Mint suggest around 2.5% - or one in 40 - are copies, but coin testing companies say it is one in 20. So there could be 73 million fake coins, experts estimate.

But how to detect a fake coin? Therefore the BBC has produced a very helpful video. You should watch it prior to your travel.

Abe at great cost

2009-04-22T08:45:00.439+02:00

A collections of stamps bearing Lincoln’s portrait was auctioned last week in New York by Spink Shreves Galleries, bringing nearly US $ 2 million.

Highlight of the auction: a mint-condition block of six of a 90-cent stamp issued in 1869, with Lincoln’s portrait in black surrounded by a red frame, selling for US $ 149.600.

The whole collection was amassed by William J. Ainsworth, a retired executive from the consulting and accounting firm KPMG. He inherited his father’s stamp collection in 1963. Then, after meeting with a former postmaster general who specialized in stamps showing Benjamin Franklin, he began building his Lincoln collection.

Although this is the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth, Mr. Ainsworth said his decision to sell now was prompted by his health. But Mr. Ainsworth said he had no regrets, adding, “I’m very pleased.”

The Simpsons are back

2009-04-21T09:52:00.269+02:00

“We are excited to celebrate The Simpsons on postage stamps,” said U.S. Postal Service Executive Director of Stamp Services David Failor.

Mr. Failor is convinced that The Simpsons stamps, which includes known philatelists Bart Simpson, will serve as a great opportunity to interest youngsters into stamp collecting.

“We are emotionally moved by the Postal Service selecting us rather than making the lazy choice of someone who has benefited society,” said James L. Brooks, executive producer of The Simpsons.

The Simpsons stamps will be released at Fox Studios in Los Angeles at 11:15 a.m. on May 7th.

Coins of Cleopatra

2009-04-17T10:00:00.263+02:00

Archaeologists in Egypt are to search three sites that they say may contain the tomb of doomed lovers Anthony and Cleopatra. Excavation at the sites, which are near a temple west of the coastal city of Alexandria, is due to begin next week, as the BBC reports.

The teams also found a bust of Cleopatra and coins carrying her image. Zahi Hawass, Egypt's chief archaeologist, said the coins found at the temple refuted "what some scholars have said about Cleopatra being very ugly".

Photo: Newcastle University

The archaeologists from Egypt and the Dominican Republic have been excavating at the temple of Taposiris Magna for the last three years. The temple was built during the reign of King Ptolemy II (283-246BC).

Alongside the coins and bust of Cleopatra, a mask believed to belong to Mark Anthony was also found. Anthony and Cleopatra committed suicide in 30BC after losing the Battle of Actium.

Happy Easter

2009-04-09T18:01:00.250+02:00

With the Easter holiday approaching, true to its traditions the Slovak Post has issued a new postage stamp: an Easter Egg.

Painted and decorated eggs are intrinsically associated with Easter. They symbolize spring and new life, for Christians they are associated with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The symbolism of the egg dates to pagan times when it was associated with fertility and the cycle of life.

This may be the reason why the tradition of putting eggs into a grave alongside the deceased existed in many ancient cultures. A similar custom in the Slavonic territory is documented as early as the 9th century when items put into graves in Kiev Russia included decorated eggs modelled from clay.

Some medieval works of literature from the Slavonic territory even suggest that ancient Slavs believed in the origination of the world from a cosmic egg.

Silver Wall

2009-04-04T14:24:00.222+02:00

The Perth Mint of Australia has created the "Fall of the Berlin Wall" Silver Proof Coin. The fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989 was undoubtedly one of the most memorable events of the late 20th century.

East and West Germans joined in wild celebrations, the euphoria marking the end of the Cold War amid renewed hope for the reunification of the country.

This 20th anniversary commemorative is struck by The Perth Mint from 99.9 percent pure silver in proof quality. The coin’s reverse portrays a stylised representation of the number 20, which separates a coloured image of the sky featuring a peace dove, and a close-up interpretation of the Berlin Wall.

As well as depicting Germany’s symbolic Brandenburg Gate, the design also includes the inscription FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL NOVEMBER 9TH 1989 and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark.

No more than 5.000 of these coins will be released by The Perth Mint.

Kings and Queens

2009-04-01T11:21:00.224+02:00

There are countless pubs in the whole of Britain called "Kings and Queens". Life would be far too short to visit them all and have a cold lager with the Inn keeper.

And "Kings and Queens" is also the most significant series of stamps issued by Royal Mail for almost a decade. Issued over four years, it features all six Royal Houses and spans 700 years of British history.

Marking the 500th anniversary of the accession of Henry VIII, The House of Tudor is the second issue in Royal Mail’s Kings and Queens series and it features individual portraits of the monarchs, complemented with a four-stamp Miniature Sheet illustrating significant people and events from the period.

The House of Tudor stamps and miniature sheet will be issued on April 21th.

Stamp for the Change

2009-03-18T14:09:00.256+01:00

Some 40 countries will issue stamps on climate change this year. The Finnish joint issue on climate change is a two-stamp miniature sheet entitled Melting Glaciers.

The sheet depicts a Polar sea in which pieces of melting ice shelf are floating. In the middle of each stamp on the sheet is a snowflake symbol, the campaign insignia used by all the issuing countries. The miniature sheet will be issued today.

Golden Opportunity?

2009-03-17T06:02:00.328+01:00

Mints around the world say the demand for gold coins has risen sharply as interest in the precious metal soars on the back of financial instability and concerns over the global inflation outlook.

The gold price fell from US$1.000 an ounce, but fund managers said financial uncertainties will keep alive a safe-haven bid for the precious metal. Many analysts expect gold to jump back above that high unless the global economic recession takes a turn for the better.

The Production of Modern Stamps

2009-03-09T08:51:00.298+01:00

The postage stamp is a relatively modern invention, first proposed in 1837 when Sir Rowland Hill, an English teacher and tax reformer, published a seminal pamphlet entitled Post Office Reform Its Importance and Practicability.

Most early stamps were of a single color – the United States, for example, did not produce multicolored stamps until 1869, and they did not become common until the 1920s. The penny black and other early stamps needed to be separated with a scissors; perforated stamps did not appear until 1854 in England and 1857 in the United States.

Initially, stamps were manufactured by the same businesses that provided a country with currency, or by a country's mint. Today, stamp making processes utilize much of the finest printing technology available, as this video shows:

Presidents in Gold

2009-03-02T13:02:00.282+01:00

The United States is honoring their Presidents by issuing $1 circulating coins featuring their images in the order that they served.

In 2009 the United States Mint issues four Presidential $1 Coins, with Presidents William Henry Harrison (9th President in 1841), John Tyler (10th President from 1841-45), James K. Polk (11th President from 1845-49) and Zachary Taylor (12th President in 1849/50).

These coins feature larger, more dramatic artwork, as well as edge-incused inscriptions of the year of minting or issuance, "E Pluribus Unum" and the mint mark. "In God We Trust" will appear on the face of the coin.

Put A Smile On Your Stamp

2009-02-24T17:14:00.368+01:00

In Great Britain they are called Smilers: Personalised Stamps. And this month it has been five years ago that they'd been introduced by the Royal Mail. A sheet of ten stamps costs from £7.42 (EUR 8.30).

The Rules: Any photos can be used, as long as they aren’t nude or rude, though group shots should be kept to four people for the best results.

This funny commercial should inspire any customer.

Here's to dear Uncle Heinz!

2009-02-20T07:52:00.408+01:00

A Master of puns, a musician, a singer and comedian, all that was the German accomplished actor Heinz Erhardt. A funny, scatterbrained and overstressed father, a conventional civil servant with horn spectacles or a petty Entrepreneur – no matter which role Mr. Erhardt played, he always won the profound love of his Million audience.

Mr. Erhardt was born in Riga on February 20th 1909. The spectacle wearer and funny enough non-swimmer Mr. Erhardt was drafted into the German navy during the Second World War. But only on the third call-up; he served as a pianist in the Marine orchestra.

After World War II he moved to Hamburg and worked as a radio moderator in the beginning of his spotless career. Mr. Erhard was married to Gilda Zanetti and they had four children.

Heinz Erhardt suffered a stroke in 1971, which left him unable to speak or write. He died in 1979.

Today, in honour of his 100th birthday the German Post has issued this stamp for a value of 0.55 EUR.

Charmed Stamps

2009-02-16T08:11:00.327+01:00

Did you know that Harry Potter even appears on stamps? STAMPELLIARMUS!!

But France wasn't the first country to put the bespectacled schoolboy wizard on a stamp. Australia, the Isle of Man and Taiwan, for example, have already issued stamps honoring the literature hero of J.K. Rowling's books.

Harry franks the French domestic priority mail. His friend Ron Weasley appears on stamps for slow domestic mail, whilst Hermione Granger appears on stamps for international mail.

She will enjoy the long run!

I Love You

2009-02-14T08:18:00.359+01:00

In order to commemorate St. Valentine's Day, Poczta Polska presents for the fifteenth time a special postage stamp which features the symbol of good fortune and luck - a four leaf clover. Its leaves are presented as hearts, one of which - the unique, pink one, is not only for collectors!

This day originates from the feast of St. Valentine, the bishop of Terni - a town in Italy located near Rome. For Polish people, the town of Chełmno, known as the town of love, means as much as Terni for the Italians. The local Church of the Assumption houses a baroque side altar dedicated to St. Valentine, and one of his relics, famous for its miraculous properties. Worth a visit.

Dear Rupees

2009-02-09T14:42:00.386+01:00

The Rupee was the currency of Burma (now Myanmar) for nearly 100 years from 1852 and 1952. Except for two years during World War II from 1943-1945. When Burma was conquered by the British, the Indian Rupee replaced the Kyat at par.

For this One Rupee silver coin with superb quality you may pay up to 50 Euro nowadays.

And this bank note of Ten Rupees showing King George V. is even dearer.

One may pay several hundred Euro at an auction.

Stamp Inspection

2009-02-05T16:18:00.327+01:00

The shown application designed by the Austrian Research Centers in Vienna/Austria presents a fully automated quality inspection due to the production of postage stamps.

The system aquires the stamps with high definition cameras and checks them for stamp-collectors quality. Incorrect prints are seperated out automatically – the machine learns to see through human eyes.

Please, take an inspection tour.

A Good Democrat

2009-02-03T15:29:00.372+01:00

Theodor Heuss was one of the drafters of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany and from 1949 to 1959, the first President. His progressive and citizen-oriented administration earned him the affectionate nickname of "Papa (Daddy) Heuss".

Mr. Heuss was born on 31. January 1884 near Heilbronn and had studied several subjects such as art history, philosophy or economics in Munich and Berlin.

After World War II he was the first Minister of Culture in Baden-Württemberg and a co-founder of the Democratic People's Party (Demokratische Volkspartei), which is now the Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP).

After being elected to the first German Bundestag, he relinquished his parliamentary mandate in September 1949, when he was elected President by the Federal Assembly. Mr. Heuss shaped the office of president by his non-partisan governing.

As a representative of the democratic-liberal and cultural traditions of Germany, he was a symbol of confidence in the German post-war republic in the international community.

The stamp "125th birthday of Theodor Heuss" was issued on 2. January 2009 and has a value of 1.45 EUR.

Sweet Stamps

2009-01-30T15:19:00.377+01:00

This stamp, which came in a foil-wrapped booklet , much like a chocolate bar, really makes you want to lick it.

But, please, do not bother! It only smells like chocolate, but tastes like plain old stamp glue. The block was issued on on 9th May 2001 and each stamp has a value of 0.90 CHF.

A Swiss Post spokesman said that the feedback of the public had been enormous. Chocolate is one of the Swiss cliches just like the Alps, clocks and cheese.

Three Pence Beaver

2009-01-29T20:55:00.363+01:00

Called the First Stamp of Canada. Designed by the young Sandford Fleming, a civil engineer at the time, the Three Pence Beaver featured an engraving of a beaver at a rushing river’s edge inside an oval with the words, “Canada Postage Three Pence”, and a crown with flowers and the letters VR – initials of Queen Victoria. It was printed on non-perforated paper in red hues with a “3” in each corner, and issued on April 23, 1851.

The Three Pence Beaver also made of couple of other firsts: It was an adhesive stamp, not used before in Canada, but was made of “laid paper” which did not stick well. And it was the first official postage to portray an animal instead of a Royal profile.

Yellow Rayon

2009-01-26T11:04:00.371+01:00

The local mail and rayon stamps of 1850 and 1852 constituted the first series of postage stamps issued by the Swiss Post. Rayon means radius and so these stamps were defined by the distance or road transport time (whichever was higher) between sender and recipient.

The "Rayon II" with a postage of 10 Rappen was defined by a maximum distance of 48 km or a maximum transport time of 10 hours. The date of first issue is October 1st 1850.

The stamps depict a bugle atop the Swiss coat of arms.

Saliera is Golden

2009-01-22T12:12:00.300+01:00

A unique and special Saliera postage stamp is being issued on 24. January and will be sold at a special post office in the foyer of the Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM) at Vienna/Austria. This is the first time in the history of philately that a postage stamp has been printed with real gold leaf. The nominal value of this block of stamps is 2x 2.10 Euro.

A Short History of Coins

2009-01-18T16:27:00.306+01:00

All western histories of coins begin with their invention at some time slightly before or after 600 BC in Lydia. Since that time, coins have been the most universal embodiment of money.

These first coins were made of electrum, a naturally occurring pale yellow mixture of gold and silver that was further alloyed with silver and copper.

Here's a five minute video which tells the history of the coin making.

Lewis to lick

2009-01-15T23:45:00.384+01:00

The Isle of Man is to celebrate Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 F1 World Championship with the issue of a set of six postage stamps, featuring images of his championship year. The Isle of Man Post Office will issue a first day cover, presentation pack and special sheet folder on Thursday January 15th. And that is today!

The Isle of Man Post Office is obviously keen on racing as it launched a set of British Racing Greats in the days before the British Grand Prix in July. They even issued Lewis en block!

The Adventures of Tintin

2009-01-10T08:07:00.794+01:00

Today, 80 years ago this comic strips appeared for the first time. The hero of the series is Tintin, a young Belgian reporter. His 23 adventures, created by designer Herge, have been translated into some 50 languages as Tintin's popularity has spanned generations and national borders.

In order to celebrate Tintins 75th birthday the Belgian Mint had issued 20.000 pieces Tintin 10 Euros silver proof commemorative coins in the year 2004. The commemorative 10 Euro coin features Tintin with his dog Snowy on one side, and a map of Europe on the other.

Spurious Simpsons

2009-01-08T16:34:56.198+01:00

The postal administration of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania has been more than once a victim of proliferation of illegal postage stamps. This case refers to the year 2003.

One miniature sheet containing nine stamps, each stamp featuring a different scene from the television series "The Simpsons". The miniature sheet is inscribed "THE SIMPSONS" at the top. The value shown on each stamp is 60 UM (Ouguiya) equivalent to 0,19 EUR.

Euro Starter Kits

2009-01-03T23:38:00.072+01:00

A Euro starter kit, is a collection of euro coins of all the eight denominations sealed in a plastic bag.

In Germany, each bag contained 20 coins for the total of 10.23 EUR, equivalent to 20,01 DEM. They were released for the public seven years ago today!

And there are five different kinds of kits, one for each mint (A, D, F, G and J). The following are the mintage quantities per mint:

12.100.000 Kits with A, 11.600.000 Kits with D, 12.100.000 Kits with F, 8.100.000 Kits with G and 9.600.000 Kits with the letter J.