Costume

Horses, map and traditions

by Richard Zimmermann

On December 5, 2025, Uruguay and Romania issued joint stamps at the occasion of the 90th anniversary of their diplomatic relations establishment. The commonly accepted topic was horse breeding illustrated by two stamps showing the Romanian Lipizzan horse and the South American Criollo horse. The Uruguayan stamps have not been seen so far, but their issue confirmed by an announcement describing a se-tenant pair of stamps printed at 2,500 samples in miniature sheets of 4 pairs (so, only 625 miniature sheets available). At the other end, Romania is still complicated in terms of proposing different sub-types and their limited number of prints. In this country the following items are available: the two stamps, issued in panes of 32, within which the next to last row is printed upside down to allow creating tête-bêche samples (printed 2×5,472 stamps, i.e., 2×171 sheets only – a part was taken to create first day covers), 2 miniature sheets with 3 stamps and one label at the top right position (122×91 mm – printed 2×1,550 miniature sheets), one illustrated souvenir sheet with a pair of non se-tenant stamps (120×164 mm – printed 3,150) and another illustrated souvenir sheet with the non-se-tenant stamps, same size, but imperforate and numbered, available only in a folder produced at 277 (!) samples.

The 40th anniversary of the relationship between Oman and Russia was finally released on December 10, 2025 (after 5 successive announcements of changes of issue dates). The issue initially intended to celebrate the Omani explorer Ahmed bin Majid and the Russian traveler Afanasy Nikitin, led finally to a common stamp showing an old map, taken from the manuscript Kharīdat al-ʻAjāʼib wa Farīdat al-Gharāʼib, or ‘The Pearl of Wonders and the Uniqueness of Things Strange’ (written 1419), by Oman scientist Umar ibn Muẓaffar al-Wardī (died 1447). In both countries, the stamps have been released as miniature sheets [3×3], containing 9 stamps for Oman, but with central label for Russia, so, only 8 stamps in the Russian miniature sheet. Oman released another souvenir sheet, showing the two explorers, with a perforation centered over the portrait of the Omani traveler. This item shows a design which could have been used by Russia, simply by shifting the perforations, but this was not translated in a Russian product. The choice of the map as common design, may also explain the delays, probably upon reluctancy of the Russian post to use the Omani proposal (which is not a standard Russian stamp printing form).

On December 11, 2025, Indonesia and Serbia surprisingly issued stamps to celebrate relationship illustrated with typical local houses and a couple dressed in local costume. For both countries, the stamps are issued se-tenant, in miniature sheets of 4 pairs.

The first images of the December 19, 2025, Laos Thailand joint issue have been made available, but details for Laos are still missing. The Thailand stamps were issued in miniature sheets of 5 se-tenant pairs, chessboard ordered.

We are still missing information from Vietnam about the joint issue with Cyprus issued on December 1, 2025. So far we had only access to the FDC cover from Cyprus.

Most of this information was provided by Kenneth Sequeira (Dubai) and Enzo Cafaro (Italy). Thanks to both of them.

                                                                                                       –

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.

AICEP, UPU and dolls

by Richard Zimmermann

Upon a proposal from Portugal, the five lusophone countries Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Macau and Portugal came together to celebrate with a twin issue the 35th anniversary of AICEP (Associação Internacional das Communicaçóes de Expressão Portuguesa – International Association of Portuguese Expression Communications). Stamps with the same design were all released on May 13, 2025, during the XXXII AICEP forum.

This AICEP anniversary issue could include the other countries members of the association, namely Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe and Timor, but so far no information is available from these countries (images provided by Enzo Cafaro, Italy and Kenneth Sequeira, Singapore – Image from Angola is still missing, although participation is confirmed).

In the previous blog page, we described souvenir sheets released on April 25, 2025 by Belarus and Russia to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). Kenneth Sequeira, Singapore, reported stamps issued by Kazakhstan and Mongolia at the same occasion. The Kazakhstan souvenir sheet including a round stamp was issued also at the same date of April 25, 2025 and must be added to the previous countries. This souvenir sheet, printed only at 2,500 samples, became also available with a “PCC/RSS” overprint (Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communication) within the stamp, not related to this joint issue. Mongolia produced a completely different stamp in sheetlets of 4 [2×2] released on April 30, 2025. It is not clear if this fourth country participated to a joint effort with the three other countries, and for the time being these stamps will only be described as a footnote in the same entry.

Enzo Cafaro, Italy, was able to provide the preliminary sketches of the joint issue between the Russian Federation and the Dominican Republic planned for July 17, 2025. The final design may still change slightly but illustrations show that it will be almost identical for both countries.

Some surprising self-named joint issues appeared over the past months. The first one is related to the 90th anniversary of the relationship between Egypt and Switzerland. Egypt issued a stamp, but nothing was produced on the Swiss side. This Egyptian stamp will definitely remain an unilateral issue.

Also, Cambodia and Cyprus revealed by mid May (19 or 20) a so-called joint issue commemorating the 25th anniversary of their relationship. This information appeared on a UPU Facebook blog page (confirming a kind of postal commemoration), but the design that is shown looks like a stamp only through the perforations: there is no identified single country mentionned on the stamp, nor a denomination. As additional information from both countries is missing, it may be possible that this picture is just the symbolic design of the anniversary framed with perforations, and not a stamp, or at least not the final design. More information is needed here.

Ali Allawati, Oman, provided information from his country: next to the recently issued joint issue between Oman and Singapore reported under T20250221, Ali describes first an Iran-Oman issue (see illustration below), announced on May 27, 2025, issued in honour of the official Visit of His Excellency Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to the Sultanate of Oman. The Oman stamp is not yet available for purchase, and information is missing from the Iranian side.

On April 22, 2025, Oman Post had also annnounced the issuance of a joint stamp celebrating the enduring relations between the Russian Federation and Oman, coinciding with the state visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to Russia. At this stage this is the only information available.

To the already very large October 9, 2024 UPU joint issue, one has also to add Aruba as a new country, which released a souvenir sheet containing a triangular shaped stamp, showing the UPU 150th anniversary logo in the margin. The souvenir sheet was issued on October 9, 2024, but was discovered only recently.

For those interested in the 2025 Europa stamps, this is the status of the issuing programme. The stamps with common topic National archeological discoveries (which topic was postponed to 2025 from originally 2024), were issued with a date centered around May 9, 2025. This year, these stamps are not considered as joint and will be reported under a simple list entitled [N20250509]. In the following list, empty bracket represent countries that announced their participation but from which data and in particular issue date are still missing, while absence of date means that those stamps were issued on May 9, 2025: Aland – Albania () – Andorra (French) (May 11) – Andorra (Spanish) – Armenia (April 29) – Artsakh (Armenia) () – Austria (May 1) – Azerbaijan (May 5) – Azores – Belgium (April 7) – Bosnia Herzegovina – Bosnia Herzegovina (Croatia) (April 5) – Bosnia Herzegovina (Serbia) (April 24) – Bulgaria – Croatia – Cyprus – Cyprus (Turkish) (May 8) – Czech Republic (May 7) – Denmark (May 28) – Estonia – Faroe (May 26) – Finland (May 7) – France – Georgia – Germany (May 8) – Gibraltar (May 8) – Greece (May 7) – Greenland (May 26) – Guernsey (May 1) – Hungary – Ireland (May 8) – Isle of Man (April 8) – Italy – Jersey (May 5) – Kazakhstan () – Latvia – Liechtenstein (April 1) – Lithuania (April 25) – Luxembourg (May 6) – Macedonia (North) (May 7) – Madeira – Malta – Moldova (April 11) – Monaco – Montenegro – Netherlands – Norway (April 24) – Poland (April 28) – Portugal – Romania (April 29) – San Marino (February 11) – Serbia (May 6) – Slovakia (April 30) – Slovenia – Spain – Sweden (April 24) – Switzerland (May 8) – Türkiye (Turkey) – Ukraine (August) – Vatican (May 27)

Eventually, we learned also that a new crypto-stamp joint issue involving Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal. Details will be known during the summer.