San Marino: EUROPA - "Castles"

This Cover was also mailed from the International Stamp Fair in Essen. It arrived some days ago and shows the contribution of San Marino to this year's EUROPA stamps theme. San Marino is an enclaved microstate surrounded by Italy, situated on the Italian Peninsula on the northeastern side of the Apennine Mountains. Its size is just over 61 km2 (24 sq mi), with a population of 33,562. Its capital is the City of San Marino and its largest city is Serravalle. San Marino has the smallest population of all the members of the Council of Europe.

The € 0.95 value shows the Second Tower of San Marino, called Cesta, situated on the highest point of Mount Titano, 755 meters above sea level. It was an ancient Roman watchtower and in 1956 it became the seat of the Museum of Ancient Arms. The €1.00 value shows the First Tower, named Guaita, which is the major and most ancient of the three rocks, dating back to the 11th century.

Stamps:
EUROPA "Castles" (Full Set) - Issued: 07-03-2017

Switzerland: Churfirsten Mountain Range

Churfirsten is a mountain range of peaks that rise up to 2,306 metres above sea level over Lake Walen, Switzerland. They form the natural boundary between the canton's Toggenburg and Sarganserland districts. The name is a plural, indicating the peaks forming the historical boundary of the bishopric of Chur. It has historically also been folk-etymologized as "Kurfürsten", i.e. the prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire who in the later medieval period (until 1648) numbered seven, which in turn encouraged the count of seven main or "official" peaks. The standard "seven peaks" of the Churfirsten are (from west to east):Selun (2205 m), Frümsel (2263 m), Brisi (2279 m), Zuestoll (2235 m), Schibenstoll (2234 m), Hinterrugg (2306 m), Chäserrugg (2262 m).

Stamps:
Churfirsten (Strip of four Stamps) - Issued: 11-05-2017


Many thanks to Hansjürg for this great Cover!

Guernsey: EUROPA - Castle Cornet

Another nice Cover with the 2017 EUROPA Theme stamp. This comes from Guernsey, an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy. The stamps on the cover were issued in a set of six different views of Castle Cornet. But only these two stamps are the contribution to the 2017 theme. Castle Cornet is located on a former tidal island, also known as Cornet Rock or Castle Rock. Its importance was as a guardian not only of the Island, but of the roadstead. It became part of one of the breakwaters of St Peter Port's harbour, the main one in the island, since 1859. It was built between 1206 and 1256 and in use until mid 19th century.

I sent this cover from the International Stamp Fair in Essen and so a special Postmark from this event was also applied on the Cover.

Stamps:
EUROPA "Castle Cornet" (from a set of six) - Issued: 04-05-2017

Finland: EUROPA - "Castles"

The Europa issue (also known as Europa - CEPT until 1992) is an annual joint issue of stamps with a common design or theme by postal administrations member of the European Communities (1956-1959), the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT from 1960 to 1992), then the PostEurop Association since 1993. The Theme for this year, 2017, is "Castles". The Finnish Post was very creative with it's design of the stamp. They just choose a Snowcastle - brilliant idea!

Stamp:
EUROPA "Castles" - Issued: 20-01-2017


Many thanks to Kimmo for this nice Cover!

Germany: Essen International Stamp Fair 2017

The 27th Essen International Stamp Fair took place from 11th to 13th May 2017. It is the oldest event of its kind in Germany, or for that matter, in the entire world. Collectors have been streaming to the Ruhr metropolis from near and far since 1976. Since 2006, the event has been held on an annual basis at the beginning of May. I attended this Stamp Fair for one day and sent this Cover to myself.

The postmark on this cover is kind of special, because its only available at this Stamp Fair. You can read the german word "Messe" ("Fair") on the postmark which indicates this.

Stamp:
The 50th Anniversary of Sports Charity Stamps (from a set of three) - Issued: 11-05-2017

France: The Great Wave

The beautiful stamp on this Cover from France shows "The Great Wave off Kanagawa", also known as "The Great Wave" or simply "The Wave". It is a woodblock print by the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai. It was published sometime between 1829 and 1833 in the late Edo period as the first print in Hokusai's series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. It is Hokusai's most famous work, and one of the most recognizable works of Japanese art in the world.

Stamp:

Hokusai - The Great Wave off Kanazawa - Issued: 19-01-2015

Many thanks to Eric for sending me this nice stamp on a cover!

Liechtenstein: Ruggeller Riet

Ruggell is the most northerly and low-lying of the Liechtenstein communities/municipalities. While Liechtenstein is known as a largely mountainous country, Ruggell is largely flat and is situated along the Rhine River, where the international borders with Switzerland and Austria meet. The stamp shows the Ruggeler Riet Nature Reserve. It covers an area of 90 hectares. Its rich variety of local fauna and, in particular, flora makes it a fascinating region perfect for nature-lovers.

Stamps:
Nature Reserves in Liechtenstein – Ruggeller Riet (from a set of four) - Issued: 06-06-2016

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on the Expedition PS 104 (Punta Arenas – Punta Arenas)

This is another great cover from the german Research Vessel and Icebreaker Polarstern. The Expedition PS 104 was planned to start on 6th February 2017 from Punta Arenas to the Amundsen Sea (Antarctica) and then return back to Punta Arenas on 18th March 2017. The main research programme of the Expedition PS 104 was aimed to use the so called MeBo seabed drilling system to drill a series of up to 70 m long sediment cores from the oldest to the youngest sedimentary sequences of the Amundsen Sea Embayment shelf.

For further Details of the Expedition check: http://expedition.awi.de/expedition/PS104?alias=null

Stamp:
Youth Philately - Indigenous Saltwater Fish (from a set of 3) - Issued: 04-08-2016 with Ship Cancellation of RV Polarstern


Thanks to the Crew of RV Polarstern for the excellent work!

Germany: Frankfurt (Oder)

Frankfurt (Oder) is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, located on the Oder River, on the German-Polish border directly opposite the town of Słubice, which was part of Frankfurt until 1945. At the end of the 1980s, it reached a population peak with more than 87,000 inhabitants. The number dropped below 70,000 in 2002 and was just above 60,000 in 2010. The official name Frankfurt (Oder) and the older "Frankfurt an der Oder" are used to distinguish it from the larger city of Frankfurt am Main.

Stamp:

Easter Cartoon (from a set of two) - Issued: 01-03-2014

Many thanks to Holger for this nice card!

Switzerland: 200th Anniversary of the Bicycle

The first verifiable claim for a practically used bicycle belongs to German Baron Karl von Drais, a civil servant to the Grand Duke of Baden in Germany. Drais invented his Laufmaschine (German for "running machine") of 1817 that was called Draisine (English) or draisienne (French) by the press. Today, 200 years later, the bicycle is seen as an efficient and highly ecological means of transport that enhances the quality of life. Like in many other countries Bicycles are very popular in Switzerland, too. Swiss Post celebrates this event with a set of two different Stamps (CHF 1.00 Draisine and CHF 1.00 Modern Bicycle).

Stamps:
200th anniversary of the bicycle (full set) - Issued: 02-03-2017


Many thanks to Hansjürg for this great cover!

Germany: Town Musicians of Bremen

Like every year the german post issued a stamp series dedicated to Welfare. This year's Welfare Stamps Theme is "Town Musicians of Bremen". It is a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. In the story a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster (or hen), all past their prime years in life and usefulness on their respective farms, were soon to be discarded or mistreated by their masters. One by one they leave their homes and set out together. They decide to go to Bremen, known for its freedom, to live without owners and become musicians there.

The Set of welfare stamps includes three different motifs out of this fairy tale: 1.  „Freunde treffen“ (70 Cent + 30 Cent), 2. "Der Überfall" (85 Cent + 40 Cent) and 3. "Im Neuen Zuhause" (145 Cent + 55 Cent).

Stamps:
Charity Stamps - Town Musicians of Bremen (full set) - Issued: 09-02-2017 with Special First-Day of Issue Postmark

France: "Coeurs Balmain"

Since the year 2000 the French Post issued a series of heart-shaped stamps. In the past, luxury designers like Lanvin, Christian Lacroix and Yves Saint Laurent have been selected to design the annual heart-shaped stamp, and this year, Balmain's Olivier Rousteing has been recruited.

Stamps:
Valentine's Day "Coeurs Balmain" (full set) - Issued: 20-01-2017


Many thanks to Eric for this great Cover!

Gibraltar: John Lennon & Yoko Ono

My first covers from Gibraltar. Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula. It has an area of 6.7 km2 and shares its northern border with Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region. At its foot is a densely populated city area, home to over 30,000 Gibraltarians and other nationalities.

The stamps are showing John Lennon and Yoko Ono on their Marriage on 20th March 1969 in Gibraltar. John Lennon said: "We chose Gibraltar because it is quiet, British and friendly (...)".

I sent another cover to Gibraltar in October 2016 but the postmark was not very clear:

Stamps:
John Lennon - Issued: 20-03-1999

Germany: The Girl with the Wine Glass

The Girl with the Wine Glass (Dame en twee heren) is a painting by Johannes Vermeer from 1659-1660. Johannes, Jan or Johan Vermeer (1632 – December 1675) was a Dutch painter who specialized in domestic interior scenes of middle-class life. Vermeer was a moderately successful provincial genre painter in his lifetime. The Painting can be seen in the Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum in Braunschweig, Germany.

Stamp:
Treasures of German Museums - Paintings (from a set of two) - Issued: 02-01-2017 with special First Day of Issue Postmark

Kenya: African Safari

Some days ago I received my first card from Kenya. Officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country in Africa and a founding member of the East African Community (EAC). Its capital and largest city is Nairobi. It is bordered by Tanzania to the south and southwest, Uganda to the west, South Sudan to the north-west, Ethiopia to the north and Somalia to the north-east. Kenya covers 581,309 km2 (224,445 sq mi), and had a population of approximately 48 million people in January 2017.

Kenya has considerable land area devoted to wildlife habitats, including the Masai Mara, where blue wildebeest and other bovids participate in a large scale annual migration. More than 1 million wildebeest and 200,000 zebras participate in the migration across the Mara River.The "Big Five" game animals of Africa, that is the lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros, and elephant, can be found in Kenya and in the Masai Mara in particular.

Stamp:
African Fish Eagle (from a set of 9) - Issued: 00-00-2014


Many thanks to Ramona for this great card!

USA: Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character is said to be a founding member of the Justice League, demigoddess, and warrior princess of the Amazonian people. In her homeland, she is Princess Diana of Themyscira, and outside of her homeland, she is known by her civilian identity Diana Prince. Wonder Woman was created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston, with his wife and co-creator Elizabeth Holloway Marston, and artist H. G. Peter. The character first appeared in All Star Comics #8 in December 1941 and first cover-dated on Sensation Comics #1, January 1942. The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986. In 2016 The U.S. Postal Service celebrates Wonder Woman’s 75th anniversary with a set of four stamps.

Stamp:
The 75th Anniversary of Wonder Woman (from a set of four) - Issued: 07-10-2016 with Special First Day of Issue Postmark


Many thanks to Eric for this great Card!

Germany: Reformation 500th Anniversary

On October 31, 2017, Martin Luther’s recorded posting of the 95 theses on the door of the Wittenberger church castle celebrates its 500th anniversary. The Protestant Reformation, often referred to simply as the Reformation (from Latin reformatio, lit. "restoration, renewal"), was a schism from the Roman Catholic Church initiated by Martin Luther and continued by John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli, and other early Protestant Reformers in 16th century Europe. Martin Luther is widely acknowledged to have started the Reformation with his 1517 work The Ninety-Five Theses.

Stamp:
The Luther Bible - Issued: 02-01-2017 with sSpecial Cancellation

Singapore: Flag of Singapore

A happy (belated) New Year to everyone. This is my first Post in 2017 and it comes with a nice card from Singapore. It shows the national flag of the country. The national flag of Singapore was adopted in 1959, the year Singapore became self-governing within the British Empire. It was reconfirmed as the national flag when the republic gained independence on 9 August 1965. The five stars on the flag stand for democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality.

Stamp:
Festivals (from a set of 8) - Issued: 19-10-2016


Many thanks again to Vivian for this card!

Greenland: Christmas Card from Santa Claus Post Office

This nice Christmas Card comes from Greenland. It got one of the new Christmas stamp from Greenland and a special postmark from Santa Claus Post Office. Greenland Post Service uses this postmark only during the period 1st – 30th December 2016.

Stamp:
Christmas (from a set of two) - Issued: 17-10-2016


Merry Christmas to everyone!

Antarctica: Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station

I received this special cover yesterday. It took a long way from Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. The Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station is a United States scientific research station at the South Pole, the southernmost place on the Earth. The station is located on the high plateau of Antarctica at an elevation of 2,835 metres (9,301 feet) above sea level and is administered by the Division of Polar Programs within the National Science Foundation under the United States Antarctic Program (USAP).

The original South Pole station, now referred to as "Old Pole", was constructed by an 18-man United States Navy crew during 1956–1957. It was then moved and rebuilt in 1975 as a geodesic dome 50 meters (160 feet) wide and 16 meters (52 feet) high, with 14 m × 24 m (46 ft × 79 ft) steel archways, modular buildings, fuel bladders and equipment.

The Amundsen–Scott South Pole Scientific Station is the southernmost habitation on Earth. It is continuously inhabited. Its name honors Roald Amundsen, whose Norwegian expedition reached the Geographic South Pole in December 1911, and Robert F. Scott, whose British expedition of five men reached the South Pole about one month later (in January 1912) in a race to become the first person ever to reach the South Pole. All of Scott's expedition perished during the journey back towards the coast, while all of Amundsen's expedition returned safely to their base on the seacoast of the continent.

Stamps:
3x Go Green (from a set of 16) - Issued: 14-04-2011
+ added at the South Pole Post Office (i guess) a special stamp with great cancellation!


This is also my 300th Post - many thanks to all for sending me nice cards and covers! Keep it up! ;)

Germany: Christmas Stamps

As every year the German Post issued two christmas related stamps. The first one shows a scene of the Hortus deliciarum (Latin: Garden of Delights). Its a medieval manuscript compiled by Herrad of Landsberg at the Hohenburg Abbey in Alsace, better known today as Mont Sainte-Odile. It was an illuminated encyclopedia, begun in 1167 as a pedagogical tool for young novices at the convent. It is the first encyclopedia that was evidently written by a woman. The scene shows the "Annunciation to the shepherds".

Stamp:
Christmas - Issued: 02-11-2016 with special Postmark from Engelskrichen


The second stamp shows a very famous part of the christmas tree decoration. The bauble is one of the most popular Christmas ornament designs, and they have been in production since 1847. The german town of Lauscha in Thuringia is known as "Home" of the Christmas Baubles because of its traditional  glassblowing.

The stamps was planned to be issued on 2nd November, but because of some misspelling on the stamp it was issued on 30th November.

Stamp:
Christmas - Issued: 30-11-2016 with special first day of Issued postmark

USA: President Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to be elected to office and the first president born outside the contiguous United States. In 2009 Obama was named the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. He was elected the 44th President of the United States on November 4, 2008, and sworn in on January 20, 2009. After being re-elected in 2012, President Obama is currently serving his second and final term, which will end in January 2017. He will be succeeded by Donald John Trump.

Stamps: (from left to right)
The White House - Issued: 18-10-2000
2x The 75th Anniversary of Wonder Woman (from a set of four) - Issued: 17-10-2016


Many thanks to Eric for this great card!

Tristan da Cunha: Return-to-Sender from Tristan da Cunha

Some weeks ago, I received my Cover back from Tristan da Cunha. Tristan da Cunha is the name of both a remote group of volcanic islands in the south Atlantic Ocean and the main island of that group. It is the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, lying 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) from the nearest inhabited land, Saint Helena, and 2,400 kilometres (1,500 mi) from the nearest continental land, South Africa. As of September 2016, the main island has 265 permanent inhabitants. Meanwhile, the other islands are uninhabited, except for the personnel of a weather station on Gough Island.

Tristan da Cunha is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. This includes Saint Helena and equatorial Ascension Island, some 3,730 kilometres (2,318 mi) to the north of Tristan.

I sent my cover on April 21st 2016 and it arrived back after 198 days on November 5th.

Stamp:
Definitive Issue - Flowers "Narcissus sp." - Issued: 02-01-2006

France: The 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Verdun

The Battle of Verdun (fr: "Bataille de Verdun"), fought from 21 February to 18 December 1916, was one of the largest and longest battles of the First World War on the Western Front between the German and French armies. An estimate in 2000 found a total of 714,231 casualties, 377,231 French and 337,000 German, an average of 70,000 casualties a month; other recent estimates increase the number of casualties to 976,000, with 1,250,000 suffered at Verdun during the war. The Battle of Verdun lasted for 303 days and became the longest and one of the most costly battles in human history.

Inside the cover I found this sheet with the stamp on it and the First-Day-Cancellation and a mint stamp:

Stamp:
The 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Verdun - Issued: 29-05-2016


Many thanks to Roland for this great Cover!

Germany: The 125th Anniversary of the Birth of Otto Dix (1891-1969)

Wilhelm Heinrich Otto Dix (2 December 1891 – 25 July 1969) was a German painter and printmaker, noted for his ruthless and harshly realistic depictions of Weimar society and the brutality of war. Along with George Grosz, he is widely considered one of the most important artists of the Neue Sachlichkeit.

Stamp:
The 125th Anniversary of the Birth of Otto Dix (1891-1969) - Issued: 02-11-2016 with Special Postmark