Music

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.

Update October 2023

by Richard Zimmermann

Alike in 2022 [B20221009], UPU proposed a common design at the occasion of the World Post Day and interested countries could adapt and join. These stamps were discovered accidentally, when the first stamps issued by Egypt and Sri Lanka were released on October 9, 2023. This year only a limited number of countries did participate, but the list is not complete yet and we are expecting discovering more of them. The design shows handshaking in violet and the size and structure of the stamp is similar as the one issued last year. The different adhering postal administrations could adapt the size and the language. This is not a true joint issue, but it will be described in the catalogue under the category Borrowed design [BD]. Other countries such as Malaysia, Pakistan, Thailand, issued also one or two stamps at the same date, related to the World Post Day, with different designs. Those stamps cannot be considered as joint as they are just commemorating a same event.

From Enzo Cafaro (Italy): The ‘Endurance’ stamp series involving British Antarctic Territory, Falkland Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and described so far under March 27, 2023 [D20230327] has in fact never been released and was postponed recently a new time. The description of these stamps had to be removed from the catalogue and is now available in the waiting list at the end of the catalogue.

Jaap Sarelse (The Netherlands) discovered a series of three Singapore aerogrammes belonging to the 1992 ASEAN series. This country issued these postal stationeries on top of the stamps they released the same day. Up to now, those items were not described in the catalogue and the update will appear under the heading [P19920808], year 1992, Volume 6. Thanks Jaap, for providing this missing information.

New information related to the Euromed 2023 issue [P20230710]: Jordan issued a 6-stamp sheetlet on September 10, 2023. (Source Jeff Courtright, USA). On October 20, 2023, Albania issued the 2022 (!) Euromed stamp [P20220711] (Source Enzo Cafaro, Italy).

From Adam Paish, UK: there is an unusual Guernsey Post Office stamp issue scheduled for release on November 3, 2023, a souvenir sheet which contains two stamps, one inscribed ‘Guernsey’ and the other ‘Alderney’, depicting their respective courthouses. It celebrates the seventy-fifth anniversary of the 1948 Transfer Agreement which saw Guernsey take over responsibility for most of Alderney’s public services. Stamps inscribed Alderney or Guernsey are valid on mail from all the islands of the Bailiwick: Guernsey (incorporating Herm), Alderney and Sark. This item will be considered as a Territorial Se-tenant issue [SD].

The first image of the Thailand stamp/souvenir sheet from the Hungary – Thailand joint issue to be released on November 29, 2023 was presented. This issue will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between both countries.

September 2023 News

by Richard Zimmermann

The month of September led to more new products than the whole preceeding Summer period including some surprising items, next to the already reported PAPU issue (7 countries), the China-Hong Kong – Macau series and the Switzerland – South Korea stamps.

Don Birschel, USA, reported about an unexpected joint issue between Guatemala and Mexico, released on September 18, 2023 and related to the 175th anniversary of their relationship. The stamps represent the Pyramid of the Sun, San Juan Teotihuacan, Mexico and the Tempel of the Great Jaguar, Tikal, Guatemala (pre-Columbian Maya civilization). Don provided the images, but we are still missing some details about the Guatemala stamps.

The 200th anniversary of the relationship between Argentina and Brazil translated into a stamp showing the Iguazu falls at the Brazilian-Argentinian border, issued on September 7, 2023, while Brazil released on September 29, 2023, a panel of 8 stamps showing Mafalda comics from the Argentinian artist Quino. Despite the common title, this issue cannot be considered as joint (different dates of issue, different designs, no claim as joint – information provided by Enzo Cafaro, Italy).

On September 26, 2023, San Marino issued a stamp related to the 15th anniversary of relationship with Mexico. No Mexican counterpart was seen so far, and probably nothing has to be expected from the mexican side.

More recently, on October 2, 2023, Slovakia issued, jointly with Azerbaijan, stamps at the occasion of their 30 years of relationship, the same day Slovakia issued stamps with the Czech Republic (see previous blog page). This series describes folk music styles illustrated with string instruments: the Terchova region music and the Mugham Azerbaijani folk music. Azerbaijan has issued the stamps apparently only as a souvenir sheet at only 5,000 samples (Information provided by Eric Contesse, France).

A new crypto stamp (NFT) joint issue, to be released during the month of October 2023 (probably on the 23rd), was announced involving Austria, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Stamps are similar. More details soon. For explanations about crypto stamps, see austria-netherlands-crypto-stamp.

There is still a problem with these new products: crypto stamps are always very expensive, their value is linked to crypto money that is fluctuating a lot over time (value of previous NFT stamps has dropped a lot recently) and above all, these so-called stamps are never used on real mail. To our opinion, they are more to be considered either as a piece of art or as a kind of currency, and seem to stay away from real philately (in terms of collecting items used to compensate for mail fees). Eventually, look like material to fool the collectors (abusive issues). Those stamps have to be reported in the catalogue as they are claimed as joint issue “stamps”, but there is no recommendation to buy them. On the other hand, a collection of such stamps on cancelled mail, i.e., for real non-philatelic mailing purpose, would be a real interesting topic. Apparently, in none of these countries, the denomination corresponds to a true postage fee and their use alone on a cover should not exist (except on FDC covers).

Euromed 2023

by Richard Zimmermann

The yearly Euromed issue was released on July 10, 2023 with the common topic “Festivals”. So far, all participating countries have issued their stamps on this same date, with the exception of Tunisia which released its stamps on July 11, 2023. There are 13 countries participating, including Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Tunisia. Other potential countries, having participated to Euromed issues in the past years, could also include Albania, Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Turkey, but no information is available from these countries at this stage.

The scope of festival is quite large and each country selected one specific topic including film, dance, theater, music or photography festivals, but also food, fireworks or even the very specific Moreska Sword Dance Festival.

Mongolia – Russia 2021

by Richard Zimmermann

Robert Schijvers (Mongolia) provided some updated information about recently issued Mongolia stamps: The Mongolia Russia joint issue was released on November 5, 2021, not November 11, with an official opening ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on that Friday, but the Mongolia stamp became available only on November 8, 2021, as the 859th anniversary of Chinggis Khaan’s birthday was also celebrated on November 5. The Mongolia stamp came in a sheetlet of 6 as well as in a souvenir sheet. Russia issued one stamp in miniature sheets of 9.