New issues – December 2021

Enzo Cafaro (Italy) provided also information about two not yet reported joint issues to be released this year, namely Croatia – Poland on December 2, 2021 and Albania – Slovenia on December 22, 2021. More information to come, but in the meantime, here are the first images from the Croatia stamp FDC and the Albania FDC (out of program issue confirmed by Slovenia). Still no news from the announced Albania – Ukraine issue for 2021.

Moldova – Romania 2021

On November 24, 2021, Moldova and Romania issued each two stamps dedicated to viticulture and showing grapes. Moldova issued stamps in miniature sheets of 10 stamps 2x[5×2], but also as a se-tenant miniature sheet of 3 pairs [3x1p], alternating stamps (i.e. when cut either in 3 vertical pairs or 2 horizontal + 1 vertical). Romania proposed stamps in sheets of 28 (2x[4×7]), but also in miniature sheets of 5 stamps and one label 2x[3×2] consisting of a row of 2 and a row of 3 stamps. The label is positioned at the end of the first row, and represents the design of the second stamp type. Only 980 pairs of these Romanian miniature sheets have been printed. Mixed covers with stamps from both countries became also available.

Cancellations

Kenneth Sequeira (Dubai) and Jaap Sarelse (the Netherlands) reported a few cancellations of previously announced joint issue. The Tajikistan philatelic program shows now the Tajikistan – Kyrgyzstan joint issue crossed out. This issue was initially planned for Quarter 4, 2021, but without more precision regarding the date. At the same time the Kyrgyzstan philatelic office informed us that the issue of the Kyrgyzstan stamps from the Croatia – Kyrgyzstan joint issue is postponed (i.e. probably towards early 2022), but not cancelled. Croatia had issued their stamps as planned on September 22, 2021 (topic: woodpeckers) and (identical) designs of the Kyrgyzstan stamps appeared on the Delcampe web site before being retrieved. At the same time, Ukraine announces three joint issues for 2022 with Italy (150th birthday of Solomiya Krushelnytska), Singapore (topic unknown) and the USA (100th anniversary of the first performance of the Ukrainian carol ‘Shchedryk’ in Carnegie Hall, New York), without more precise date, and no confirmation from the partner country.
The TAAF/Portugal joint issue must also be considered as cancelled. Stamps on the expected topic (Portuguese prersence in the Austral seas by Joao da Nova) were issued by Portugal on October 11, 2021, without any reference to a joint character. There is no more information available on this topic from the French side.

Blue Belt Programme (2)

Adam Paish (UK) completed the information regarding the Blue Belt program with the designs of the stamps from the British Antarctic Territory (issued November 23, 2021) and Tristan da Cunha (issue date November 29, 2021), as complement to the stamps from Ascension Island and the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands already issued on November 9, 2021.

Switzerland – Thailand 2021

The Switzerland – Thailand joint issue was released as planned on November 11, 2011. This series is celebrating the 90 years of relationship between both countries. Topics are different (trains and mountains) but related to both countries. Thailand stamps are printed as se-tenant pairs issued in miniature sheets of 5 pairs. Mixed FDCs are also available.

TGM (2021)

Tomas Garrigue Masaryk (1850-1937), familiarly called TGM, co-founded Czechoslovakia at the end of WWIO, in 1918, together with Milan Rastislav Štefánik (1880-1919) and Edvard Beneš (1884-1948). He served as its first president from 1918 to 1935. He is the first head of state to visit the Mandate for Palestine in 1923 and 1927. Czech Republic and Israel issued identical stamps on November 30, 2021. The stamps represent the portrait of the politician and an artistic mosaic of the Kfar Masaryk kibbutz in Northern Israel (founded by Jewish immigrants from Czechoslovakia and Lithuania). The tabs show the flags of both countries. Mixed FDCs, mixed souvenir sheets and mixed maximum cards became available.

Mongolia – Russia 2021

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.

Blue Belt programme

From Adam Paish (UK): The British government’s flagship ‘Blue Belt Programme’ has been supporting a number of UK Overseas Territories with the protection and sustainable management of their marine environments since 2016. The territories currently involved in the initiative are: 

  • Ascension Island
  • Saint Helena
  • Tristan da Cunha
  • British Antarctic Territory
  • British Indian Ocean Territory 
  • Pitcairn Islands
  • South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands

On November 9, 2021, the postal administrations of Ascension Island and South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands each released four stamps and a souvenir sheet (containing slightly different versions of the stamps) to publicise the programme. Stamps of similar designs will be released by Tristan da Cunha and the British Antarctic Territory as part of this issue, but no release date for these has yet been announced. The other territories are not expected to participate.