Bird

November 2025 update

by Richard Zimmermann

Latest issues:

On November 6, 2025, PR China joined Samoa to issue stamps related to birds. Two identical stamps were issued by each country, showing the white horse chicken (Crossoptilon crossoptilon) and the tooth-billed dove (Didunculus strigirostris). Detailed information from Samoa is still missing and the Samoan stamps depicted below may only be a design and not the final one.

From November 9 to 21, 2025, China (PR), Hong Kong and Macau organized the 15th Chinese National Games held in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. These games were celebrated with stamps from each postal entity that became available on the opening day on November 9, 2025. China released three stamps representing artistic (synchronized) swimming, fencing and table tennis, in panes of 12 each (3x[3×4]), but also as a souvenir sheet containing two strips of the three stamps. Hong Kong issued four different stamps depicting rugby sevens and track cycling, fencing and beach volleyball, golf and triathlon (swimming, cycling, running), handball and basketball. These stamps were issued in panes of 25 stamps (4x[5×5]). Macao released four different stamps showing rugby sevens, basketball, table tennis and volleyball in form of blocks of 4 printed in panes with 4 blocks each, also in four different orders, so that the four se-tenant stamps can be collected either in blocks or in strips of 4 ([2b4x2]. Additionally, all these 11 stamps were printed also within a souvenir sheet, which leads to consider this issue as a Se-tenant issue [S20251109], similar to the Chinese astrological signs stamps issued by these same three postal entities at the beginning of each year (Eric Chan, USA).

On November 25, 2025, as scheduled, Luxembourg and the Vatican State joined to celebrate the 100 years of the Pontifical Institute for Christian Archeology – Pontificio Istituto di Archeologia Cristiana (PIAC), with an identical stamp showing the portrait of Bishop Jean-Pierre Kirsch (1861-1941), the building of the historic headquarters on Via Napoleone III in Rome and the seal of the Institute showing the ‘Christ shepherd’. The PIAC was founded on December 11, 1925, by Pope Pius XI with the Apostolic Constitution Ad providentiam of March 2, 1925, and with the motu proprio “The Primitive Christian Cemeteries,” thanks also to the dedication of the Luxembourgish prelate Johann Peter Kirsch, who was its first Director (Eric Contesse, France and Enzo Cafaro, Italy).

At the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the relationship between Indonesia and the Vatican State, the Vatican issued a stamp on November 7, 2025, that has not yet found a counterpart in Indonesia. This stamp description is reported here primarely to obtain information out of Indonesia and to confirm that it will probably not lead to a joint issue.

From Jaap Sarelse, the Netherlands: On May 7, 2025, Liechtenstein and Switzerland each issued a crypto stamp (Crypto CHLI) as a joint issue showing a cow and mountains, forming a continuous image when placed next to each other. The cow was available in 6 colors, with the rainbow cow having the lowest circulation (50) and the green cow the highest 7500. FDCs were also available, but in limited circulation: 10 copies with rainbow cows; 2500 copies with green cows. This issue was reported earlier.

Liechtenstein and Switzerland decided to extend this series with a similar crypto joint issue. On November 19, 2025, the so-called world’s first Christmas Crypto Stamp was released as an exclusive joint issue of Liechtenstein and Swiss Post (Crypto CHLI 2.0). The same six crypto cows from May 7, 2025 are now presented in a winter landscape. The stamps are embellished with glittering snowflakes. As you can imagine, these items, considered more as numismatic items than philatelic ones, even if they really can be used as stamps, look again like a lottery and have been created to fool collectors. Prices for individual items vary between 10 and 500 Swiss Francs (CHF) for stamps and between 30 and 2,000 CHF for mixed FDCs. We do not recommend to buy them, but they will be reported in the catalogue in the same way as the original items were described [P20250507], with the usual purchasing warning.

On September 16, 2025, San Marino issued a series of four stamps dedicated to UNESCO sites in Andorra, Cyprus, Malta, and Portugal. None of these stamps was associated with stamps issued at the same date by one of these countries. On November 4, 2025, however, the post of Spanish Andorra issued a stamp related to ‘about’ 30 years of diplomatic relationship (1993-2023), without any counterpart from San Marino. There is no link between these two stamps and therefore, also no joint character for these issues. They are reported here simply for information purpose (Enzo Cafaro, Italy).

Issues to be released soon:

On December 1, 2025, Cyprus and Vietnam will celebrate their fiftieth anniversary of diplomatic relations with a twin issue. The Cyprus FDC became available recently (Kenneth Sequeira, Dubai).

The joint issue between Russia and Oman, originally scheduled for April 22, 2025, postponed to September 26, 2025, then successively to October 15, November 14, and December 5, 2025, is now planned to be issued on December 10, 2025.

The Barbados embroidery dove stamp associated to the [T20250919a] issue is apparently expected to be issued on December 8, 2025.

All this information was introduced in the updated catalogue sections (Vol 16). A great thanks to all the contributors mentionned in the text between brackets.

October 2025 News

by Richard Zimmermann

First of all, we have to thank Kenneth Sequeira, Dubai, who discovered a China PR-Indonesia joint issue from August 30, 2025, that we completely missed. This twin issue celebrates the 75th anniversary of relationship between both countries and is illustrated with landscapes of lakes and pagodas: the West Lake with Jingzi Tempel in Hangzhou, China PR and Lake Bratan with the Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, Hindu tempel in Bali, Indonesia.

The Bosnia Herzegovina (Bosnia) – Indonesia joint issue was finally relased on October 3, 2025. This issue was originally scheduled to be released on October 4, 2024, but was finally postponed by more than one year. The stamps issued in miniature sheets of two se-tenant stamps represent the Istiklal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, and the Istiklal Mosque in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The Indonesian souvenir sheet is available perforated and imperforate. The word “Istiklal” in Arabic stands for ‘Independence’. The Jakarta Mosque was opened in 1978. The Sarajevo Mosque was a gift from the Indonesian people and Government of Indonesia for Bosnia and Herzegovina as a token of solidarity and friendship between the two nations. This Mosque was opened in 2001 (Information provided by Kenneth Sequeira, Dubai)

On October 7, 2025, France and Japan celebrated the Week of Letter Writing with a twin issue depicting gardens. On one side the French Vaux-le-Vicomte castle and gardens were represented, on the other one, the Gingaku-ji tempel or Silver Pavilion near Kyoto, Japan, was shown. France issued the stamps in two miniature sheets of 10, while Japan produced a single miniature sheet with 5 se-tenant pairs. Mixed official first day documents and a mixed folder with all four stamps, mint, became also available (This information was first provided by Dominique Josse, France).

Mongolia and India celebrated on October 14, 2025, the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relationship with identical souvenir sheets containing two stamps showing the Mongolian Biyelgee dance and the Ramlila theatrical performance (India). The margins show both national flags, the anniversary logo, national animals (horse and elephant), folk arts, Mongolian ger (yurt) and the blue sky (information provided by Kenneth Sequeira, Dubai, and Robert Schrijvers, Mongolia).

China (PR) and Monaco are celebrating the 30 years of diplomatic relations (1995-2025) on October 15, 2025, with two stamps showing identical flowers, i.e., Canterbury bells, Campanula medium and an orchid, Cymbidium.

The Cat stamps related to the Laos – Russia joint issue from October 15, 2025, were presented in the previous page. Kenneth Sequeira was able to provide the illustration from Laos which is producing both perforated and imperforate stamps and souvenir sheets. The stamps show the Marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) and the East Siberian lynx (Lynx lynx wrangeli). Russian stamps are self-adhesive, sold in miniature sheets of 4 pairs, chessboard ordered. Laos stamps are available as perforated or imperforate souvenir sheets containing the pair of stamps.

The Gibraltar – Liechtenstein issue announced for December 2025 will in fact be released on November 10, 2025. It design is already available on the Liechtenstein postal administration web site (information provided by Kenneth Sequeira). Surprisingly this issue will be available in form of two souvenir sheets containing each a stamp from each country (different stamp designs), which defines this issue as Se-tenant joint issue [S2]. Stamps show falcons and are dedicated to the migration of these birds. Stamps are also available in sheetlets, and mixed FDCs are available.

Catalogues Vol 1 and Vol 16 have been updated with all this information covering the months of September and October 2025.

Dove of Peace embroidery

by Richard Zimmermann

The ‘Dove of Peace’ stamps were issued as expected on September 19, 2025 (except for Greenland and Switzerland). The final list includes Aland – Armenia – Austria – Barbados () – Cyprus – Faroe Islands – Greenland (September 12) – Liechtenstein – Luxembourg – Switzerland (September 4) – United Nations (Geneva) – United Nations (New York) – United Nations (Vienna). These embroideries have a size of about 55×42 mm. Barbados was mentioned in the advertisement of the UNPA, but without illustration, on the contrary to all others, and so far no detailed information is available. If this information is confirmed, then it would not be surprising that other countries could also join over the next months. This has to be watched closely (details provided by Jaap Sarelse, the Netherlands, and Enzo Cafaro, Italy).

The denominations on the stamps are quite high (5 to 10 €uros) and the printing runs remained low. The first data we had access to are related to the following postal administrations: Aland [13,000] – Armenia [5,000] – Austria [90,000] – Liechtenstein [18,000] – Luxembourg [30,000] – UN Geneva [12,300] – UN New York [10,800] – UN Vienna [13,900]. The stamps from the countries with lower printing runs were sold out on the first day. Stamps really used on mail will be exceptions, while quality of the cancellation, even on first day covers, will remain bad, consequence of the thickness of the embroidery. The three stamps from the UPU administrations became available as a mixed FDC. Eventually, these stamps are just products for collectors.

UPU release also a label with the same shape, showing only the word “PAIX” and without denomination (so not considered as a stamp). This label attached to postal cards, without cancellation, was distributed to UPU VIPs, and some of them became available during the 2025 PhilaKorea philatelic exhibition. The printing number is unknown and the first items seen on Delcampe are sold above €200.

Enzo provided also a link to a very nice short video ‘Stitch by Stitch‘ created by Liechtenstein Post, showing the production steps of these specific stamps.

August 2025 News

by Richard Zimmermann

Enzo Cafaro (Italy) completed the information about the dove issue described in a previous post and enhanced the list of participating countries. He provided also the picture of all to be produced items. The country list includes now : Aland, Armenia, Austria, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Switzerland and United Nations (offices of Geneva, New York and Vienna, as well as UPU). By adding all the denominations we reach a total of about 75 Euros for 13 stamps that will never be used on real covers ! Our friend Jaap Sarelse (the Netherlands) will try to create some mixed FDC covers when stamps will be available. We wish him good luck as even the cancellation on such thick stamps (embroidery) may be tricky. If he succeeds, we promise to show results in these pages 😉

Luis Malanco (Mexico) provided some additional information regarding the Ecuador stamps issued on July 28, 2022, together with Mexico [T20220728] and honoring Leona Vicario and Manuela Saenz. The Ecuadorian stamps were issued at a much lower number than initially announced. The stamp was produced at only 2,000 samples, while the souvenir sheet only at 450 units. Those are the figures appearing in the official leaflet published by the “Servicios Postales del Ecuador”.

By coincidence, a forgotten issue was discovered recently by comparing data in the Michel Rundschau Catalogue. On December 29, 2022, Cambodia and Colombia issued twin stamps at the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relationship between both countries. The stamps show a view of Ankor Wat and the Grave in the Archeological National Park of Tierradentro. This issue has not been reported so far and will of course be integrated in the catalogue. The difficulty will now be to find the stamps and not only reproductions.

During the year 2021, Colombia celebrated the 200th anniversary of its independence. Numerous stamps related to this event were issued during this year, which correspoded also to the first recognition of Colombia by other countries. By end of 2022, a first joint issue with Mexico was released (December 20, 2021). Surprisingly, during the following year of 2022, Colombia created a series of different stamps celebrating diplomatic relationships with different countries (not necessarily based on 200 years, but at least on rounded numbers): Egypt (February 23, 2022), USA (May 2), South Korea (May 6), Peru (May 27), Germany (August 5), Cambodia (December 29) and Chile (December 29. This type of issues continued the following year with Barbados (December 18, 2023), Canada December 22) and Argentina (December 23). During the year 2024, only stamps celebrating relationships with Sweden were released (exact issue date is unknown). Among all these stamps, and to our knowledge, only four translated in true joint issues, including Mexico [20211220], Peru (T20220527], Cambodia [C20221229], and Argentina [T20231223]

The design of the North Korean stamps to be released jointly with Russia on August 15, 2025 has been released. We have not seen yet the Russian stamps, but this country confirmed stamp issue in this honour at the same date. Design could be similar.

Last minute information: Kenneth Sequeira just provided information about stamps released by the Philippines on August 5, 2025, jointly with India, celebrating the 75th anniversary of their relationship. Each country issued a pair of identical stamps showing flowers. Note that despite being issued in 2025, the stamps celebrate an anniversary that took place in 2024.

Euromed 2025

by Richard Zimmermann

The 2025 EUROMED issue is dedicated this year to European resources. Almost full freedom was given to the postal administrations to design their stamps, and, as a consequence, individual stamps describe very different topics including national parks, natural (local) or energy resources (wind and sun), landscapes, food, crafts or access to raw material (e.g., salt), with Türkiye showing in a souvenir sheet all possible country resources. So far, 14 countries have released their stamps with the most ciommon date on July 14, 2025. Those countries include: Bosnia Herzegovina (July 10, 2025), strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) derived products, preserves, jam; Croatia (July 14), the Neretva Delta; Cyprus (July 9), wind turbine; Egypt (July 14), energy, oil, sea resources; France (July 11), sea and shore; Greece (July 7), sea sponge (Spongia mollissima) and boat; Malta (July 9), sculptor and building; Montenegro (July 14), Ulcinjska Solana (Ulcinj saltworks); Morocco (July ?), natural resources, “Cap des Trois Fourches” (Cape of the Three Forks), Ramsar wetland; Portugal (July 10), carob collecting and salt harvesting; Slovenia (July 11), karst edge; Spain (July 8), flower (Paeonia cambessedesii), Balearic peony; Tunisia (July 7), Galite and Zembra national parks; Türkiye (Turkey) (July 7), landscape with different resources.

The Euromed association includes also Albania, Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine. With the exception of Albania which always issues their Euromed stamp with a delay of one year, there is limited chances that one of these other countries will participate this year, but who knows?

Information was mainly provided by Med Achour Ali Ahmed (Algeria) and Enzo Cafaro (Italy). Thanks to both of them.

PAPU 2023 issue news

by Richard Zimmermann

The issue of the Commissioning of the Pan-African Postal Union (PAPU) tower in Arusha, Tanzania was recently completed with a large series of new stamps from seven additional countries. This information was provided by Ali Ahmed Med Achour (Algeria) and Enzo Cafaro (Italy). Thanks to them.

So far, we had already listed Algeria, Egypt Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Almost all of them issued on September 2, 2023 (Catalogue [T20230902] with earlier details provided on page PAPU 2023). Burundi (issued November 9, 2023), Central Africa (October 9), Guinea (), Liberia (October 9), Niger (October 9), Sierra Leone (October 9) and Togo () are now new countries to be added to the previous list. Unfortunately, on the contrary to the first series which were all issued on the date of the inauguration, these stamps were produced centrally in a various and large number of different forms. Each of these additional countries released 4 different stamps available in panes of 20 stamps each, also in 4 different souvenir sheets with different denominations, in a single souvenir sheet with all four stamps, in an additional souvenir sheet showing a fifth stamp that takes together the four illustrations of the previous 4 stamps and in a miniature sheet including the 4 individual stamps as se-tenant pairs, together with the fifth stamp. Only Burundi limited the issue to 4 stamps and 4 souvenir sheets. These stamps and souvenir sheets are also available as perforated and imperforated. A full set of a single country, Liberia, is illustrated below (without showing the imperforated analogues).

The illustrations are showing African animals, such as mammals, birds, reptiles, butterflies or lezards, meaning the sales are not only targeting joint issue collectors, but also topical collectors. The illustrations below are limited to the individual 5 different stamps of all these six countries (Liberia’s illustrations being provided above), to show this diversity. Topical collectors may even be interested in the illustrations in the margins of the souvenir sheets, which are also different.

Not taking in account the panes, this represents 11 different products per country for an average sales’ price of about € 75 (Delcampe). Total for panes of 20 stamps for these 7 countries reaches an estimated € 1,100. Almost all this material is also available as imperforate sold at about twice this amount, as well as FDCs, also twice the amount, and even as FDCs of imperforate material at three times the original amount. On this basis, one can evaluate the cost of a full collection limited to these seven additional countries, including Burundi but with its limited number of products. For Guinea and Togo, which stamps are not yet for sale, but as illustrations for their products are already available, sales’ price are estimated at the same level. The total would correspond to an investment through Delcampe or eBay (imperforated included) of about € 4,400 and another € 1,400 for FDCs !!! If one calculates the total face value of these products on the basis of the denominations, this same total leads respectively to about € 3,000 and € 1,000. Up to you to decide to integrate these stamps in your collection or not.

Actually, all of these new countries products were created at the same central place. The number of products released by these countries is unacceptable, and these stamps have definitely to be considered as material abusing collectors. They are not recommended to be purchased. Unfortunately, these stamps have to be considered as official stamps, and therefore have to be reported in the catalogue, but the comment of this excess will be expressed there. Each collector has to decide which products he wants to integrate in his collection, but needs also to know that such stamps are rarely accepted in official philatelic exhibits and resale is close to impossible.

India – Mauritius 2023

by Richard Zimmermann

The India – Mauritius joint issue related to the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations was initially announced to be released by August 15, 2023. Eventually, the stamps became available in both countries on November 2, 2023 (Source Souvik Ghatak, India). To commemorate this anniversary, a common stamp reproducing the national birds was produced in panes, but also as a souvenir sheet with a single stamp. For India, the blue peacock (Pavo cristatus) is shown, while Mauritius has the Mauritius kestrel (Falco punctatus) as emblem. The peacock had already been used as symbol of the country by India in two previous joint issues, with France in 2003 and with Papua Guinea in 2017. So far, only low quality images of this issue are available.

Czech and Slovak postal anniversary

by Richard Zimmermann

Czech Republic and Slovakia postal administration issue on October 2, 2023 a souvenir each at the occasion of the 30th anniversary of establishment of their postal administrations. This identical souvenir sheet shows the particularity that for one country the stamp with denomination is the label of the second country, and vice versa. This type of, still considered as a twin issue, is described under type [T4] in Volume I of the catalogue, and was observed already in the past with e.g., a joint issue involving Jersey and Guernsey [T19941001]. These souvenir sheets and stamps are also available as mixed covers.

The mixed FDC card proposed by the Slovak Post is in fact made of the strip of logos and stamp from each country (taken from the souvenir sheet) and first day cancelled from each country. Slovakia issued 60,000 samples of the souvenir sheet, but Czech Republic only 30,000.

Huginn Mission

by Richard Zimmermann

In mid-August 2023, ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen begins his new mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission has been named Huginn, after one of Odin’s two ravens. In connection with the mission, Posta Faroe Islands and Tusass Greenland publish a joint stamp issue on August 11, 2023 consisting of a souvenir sheet from each postal service. A joint souvenir folder containing both mint souvenir sheets became also available. During this initial long-term mission to the International Space Station, Andreas Mogensen will spend six months on board. There, he will conduct scientific experiments, ranging from virtual reality and sleep to climate science.

The design of the stamp is based on the title of the mission, Odin’s mythical raven Huginn, and how it serves as a symbol of science and the accumulation of scientific information.  There is a rather special convergence between the Inuit culture and the old Norse culture in shamanism, although the Norse Huginn does not exist in Greenlandic culture. When Odin sends both ravens Huginn and Muninn across the different worlds of the Norse universe, he appears as the shaman, who aided by his animistic helpful spirits, gathers information about the state of affairs. In Inuit cultures, the Angakkoq, shaman, also deploys his helpful spirits to retrieve information about the wider world beyond the settlement.
The line art drawing on the left side of the souvenir sheet depicts a scene in which the Greenlandic Angakkoq is communicating with the raven spirit Qaartuluk, while the illustration on the right side of the sheet depicts Odin in the process of receiving Huginn, at home in Asgard. Note that both ravens have an ornamental eye on their body, which symbolises that they are the ’eye of the shaman’ and not ordinary ravens. The large raven on the stamp has neutral ornamentation, so it can represent both the Norse and the Inuit cultural spheres. The sheets displays also the symbol of the mission and Andreas Mogensen portrait.

This issue, originally presented as involving also Denmark, is eventually limited to the two postal administrations. Flight is scheduled for August 25, 2023.

China Spain 2023

by Richard Zimmermann

Enzo Cafaro (Italy) provided information about the stamps involving China and Spain celebrating 50 years of relationship between both countries. This issue was announced for March 2023 in the Spanish philatelic program, but no stamps were released by this country since, except that the design of the stamps was shown. Now, we learned that the Chinese stamps will be released on May 10, 2023 and the announcement from Chinese post confirms the joint status of the issue which is made of identical stamps showing Flamingos in national park lakes (Fuente de Piedra Lake and Hengshui Lake). From the Spanish side, Enzo could provide the picture of the FDC which confirms the same date of issue. China will issue its stamps in miniature sheets of 12 [3×4].

Update March 2023

by Richard Zimmermann

Additional information provided during this month, not reported so far in other posts:

Eventually, both Don Birschel (USA) and Souvik Ghatak (India) found the Indian counterpart of the Luxembourg souvenir sheet of the joint issue between the two countries, already described in an earlier post. The Indian souvenir sheet was released at the same date, namely March 14, 2023.

From Adam Paish, UK: The discovery in March 2022 of the wreck of the Endurance, the barquentine that carried Ernest Shackleton and his crew on the ill-fated 1914-1917 Trans-Antarctic Expedition, is commemorated on a series of joint British Antarctic Territory – Falkland Islands – South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands Territorial/Parallel [PD] stamp issued on March 27, 2023. The ship sank in October 1915, having been crushed by sea ice in the Weddell Sea before the expedition could begin. There are two stamps (issued in sheets of ten) and one souvenir sheet for each territory. 

Also from Adam Paish, UK: On March 13, 2023, the British Antarctic Territory and South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands each released four stamps and a single-stamp souvenir sheet with images from the BBC’s Frozen Planet II television documentary series. The standard sheet stamps are issued only in pictorial single-denomination sheetlets of four. These stamps are also filed as a Territorial/Parallel [PD] issue. The BBC logo remains the only common item linking all stamps.

On March 29, 2023, Liechtenstein and Switzerland issued as scheduled the stamps related to the 100th anniversary of customs agreement binding both countries. Each country issued two stamps representing either the first lines of the contract text or the flags of both countries separated by a zip fastener. Liechtenstein issued also three postal stationeries (postal cards), but without common design. Mixed covers and mixed cards became available.

From Souvik Ghatak (India) and Kenneth Sequeira (Singapore): A surprise issue was announced involving India and Vietnam that were planning to release a joint stamp issue on traditional martial art, Kalaripayattu (India) and Vovinam (Vietnam). The original date of release was supposed to be February 28, 2023 but the issue was postponed to a later stage. In the meantime, a copy of the Vietnamese side of the joint issue became already available. A new release date was set at March 29, 2023, but no news is available from India and this date was postponed again to April 23, 2023. More details will come soon.

Eric Contesse (France) and Jaap Sarelse (The Netherlands) were wondering if the two stamps illustrated below have to be recognized as joint. They were issued at the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the declaration of independence of Kosovo and are identical. The Kosovo stamp was issued on February 17, 2023 in miniature sheets of 4 stamps [2×2]. Unfortunately, no information is available from Albania so far. Any help is welcome.

The following information has been added to or modified in the new version of Volume 15 (Vol 15 V4.04):

  • Update of the list of older issues i.e., Cuba – North Korea from August 29, 2020 [T20200829] (integrated in Volume 14 V4.02),
  • The above mentioned British Antarctic Territories – South Georgia [D20230313] and British Antarctic Territories – Falkland Islands – South Georgia [D20230327] stamps, as well as India – Luxembourg [T20230314] and Liechtenstein – Switzerland [T20230329] have been integrated in the catalogue

The information related to complete descriptions (Table of topics, table of countries) of new sets of joint issues is also dispatched in Vol 1 V4.03. Note that the page “Philatelic resources” is constantly updated to maintain the most accurate level (which is not easy, corrections and additions are welcome) and changes will not be reported here.

Latest news – December 2022

by Richard Zimmermann

A series of new information has come to our attention over the recent weeks thanks to Enzo Cafaro (Italy), Don Birschel (USA), Kenneth Sequeira (Singapore), Grzegorz Smialkowski (Poland) and Ali Ahmed Med Achour (Algeria).

The picture of the Argentinian stamps issued jointly with Poland became available. These stamps were issued on November 25, 2022, the same day as the Polish stamps, but it took all this time to get the information. Poland issued stamps in miniature sheets of 4 pairs of se-tenant stamps, while Argentina issued panels of 4 strips of two se-tenant pairs separated by a label showing the logo of the 100th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between both countries.

In a same way, Enzo Cafaro could eventually provide the information about the identical stamp produced by Mexico jointly with the Vatican State. Vatican stamps were released on November 16, 2022 (sheetlets of 10 stamps), but one had to wait until December 12, 2022 to see the Mexican stamp (sheets of 50).

Georgia and Poland have issued joint stamps to honor Georgian Theologian Grigol Peradze (1899-1942) who died in 1942 at the Auschwitz concentration camp. The stamps were released on December 6, 2022, for both countries in miniature sheets of 8 stamps.

Georgia is also involved in a joint issue with Azerbaijan issued on December 7, 2022. This issue is celebrating the 30 years of diplomatic relations between both countries, also in miniature sheets of 8 stamps each.

We found also two new countries to add to the World Postal day series from October 9, 2022, on one side Indonesia (detailed information still missing) and on the other Saudi Arabia which issued 5,000 stamps in miniature sheets of 6. We have now reached 24 participating countries, and the list does not seem complete yet. Presently, it includes: [2022 (October 9)]: Argentina – Belarus – Bosnia Herzegovina – Cambodia – Central African Republic – Colombia () – Croatia – Djibouti – Egypt – Fiji (September 22) – Guinea Bissau – Iraq () – Mexico – Russia (October 7) – Saudi Arabia – Serbia (October 7) – Sierra Leone () – Sri Lanka – Syria – Thailand – Tunisia – Turkey and Venezuela (). Empty brackets need to be filled with the precise dates of issue.

It seems that the Arab Postal Union has agreed to issue a common stamp celebrating the Soccer World Champion Cup in Qatar, based on a Qatari design, but even if this event is reaching its end (December 18, 2022), very little is known about it at this stage. Hopefully moreto say next time.

Among the new series to be released during year 2023 we have to add Cambodia – Korea (South) (February 10), China – Spain (March), India – Korea (South) (July 28), Korea (South) – Switzerland (September 7) and Hungary – Thailand (October 24). Of course, more to come as well.

Finally, I would like also to mention a new address of a blog I came accross while evaluating the new joint Crypto/NFT stamps, namely Bitter Grounds Magazine, written by Catpaw, which gives news about stamps from the year but also some stamp programs for 2023, and provides a weekly newsletter. An interesting source of information. Congratulations to Catpaw.