Czechoslovakia - Endangered Species - Butterfly

 

Czechoslovakia - Endangered Species - Butterfly

This stamp from Czechoslovakia depicts a butterfly that is on the endangered species list.  It was issued in 1983 as part of a set of six stamps showing endangered species.  Others included in the set were a lynx, a heron, a frog and a bird.

Perforations: 12

Date of Issue: 1983

Saint Thomas and Prince - Butterflies

Saint Thomas and Prince - Butterflies

This stamp issued by the island of St. Thomas and Prince depicts a butterfly of the Catagramma iyca-satrana genus.  "Catagramma" species are commonly called  "88s" by collectors because of the pattern on the undersides of the lower wing that looks like the number 88. 

Perforations: 14

Date of Issue: 1996

Cuba - Orchid

Cuba - Orchid

This stamp from Cuba depicts the Phalaenopsis amabilis or Moon Orchid.  It was first discovered on a small island off the east coast of New Guinea by a native botanist in 1653.  It remained unknonwn outside of New Guinea until 1825 when Karl Ludwig Blume discovered the same species and named it the Moon Orchid. This species is found mostly in the eastern to southeastern regions of Asia. This stamp is one of a set of five showing different Orchids.

Perforations: 14

Date of Issue: 1992

Australia - Blue Mountain Tree Frog

Australia - Blue Mountain Tree Frog

This stamp from Australia depicts the Blue Mountain Tree Frog indigenous to Eastern Australia.  They average 2 inches long and are very strong swimmers.  As with all frogs, they eat a variety of insects and as such, are good for the environment.  This stamp is one of a set of four stamps showing Australian amphibians and reptiles.  Part two of the set was issued in June 1982.

Perforations: 14.5

Date of Issue: April 19, 1982

Azerbaijan - Domestic Cats

Azerbaijan - Domestic Cats 

This stamp from Azerbaijan depicts a cat of the Cymric breed.  This stamp is 1 of a set of 6 that were issued to celebrate the domestic cat.  The Cymric is a muscular, compact, medium to large cat with a sturdy structure. They typically weigh between seven and thirteen pounds.

Perforations: 14

Date of Issue: 1995

France - Royan Beach

France - Royan Beach

Royan has a long history as a seaside resort.  The area has a climate similar to areas of the Mediterranean coast. Royan was one of the very first resorts in France in the early 20th century when it became popular for wealthy tourists to holiday at the beach.

The sight of a family dining on the beach with maids waiting at table was quite common.  Unfortunately much of the area was destroyed during the Second World War.  The beach stretches for several miles on either side of the town of Royan.

Perforations:

Date of Issue:  1954

Canada - Christmas Sleigh

Canada - Christmas Sleigh

This stamp depicts a scene from Christmas.  The meaning of Christmas to children of Canada was captured in a group of twelve drawings chosen in the Canada Post Office stamp design project in 1969. The theme of the contest was "What Christmas Means to Me".  Entries were based on actual experiences from Christmases past.  The drawings were submitted to regional committees who narrowed the selections down to the final ones sent on to the postal selection committee, who chose the final 12.

Perforations: 12

Date of Issue:  October 7th, 1970

Angola - Centenary of the First flight

Angola - Centenary of the First flight

This stamp from Angola depicts the first airplane created by the Wright brothers.  The stamp was issued to commemorate the 100 years since that first flight.

Perforations: 13 by 13.3

Date of Issue: August 21st, 2003

Afghanistan - National Understanding in Afghanistan

Afghanistan - National Understanding in Afghanistan

The stamp depicts images of the many tribes of Afghanistan with a white dove.  The intent is to show the progress that has been made in creating a national understanding of the peoples of Afghanistan.

Perforations: 13 by 13.5

Date of Issue: July 18th, 2002

Argentina - Argentine Landscapes - Faro San Jorge, Chubut

Argentina - Argentine Landscapes - Faro San Jorge, Chubut

The stamp depicts the St. George lighthouse overlooking the Gulf at San Jorge.  The lighthouse is located in the southern province of Chubut in Argentina. The construction of the lighthouse was begun in January 1924 and  completed in March 1925. This is a concrete tower approximately 80 feet tall. 

Perforations: 14 by 13.6

Date of Issue: June 29th, 2002

Armenia - Europa year of the Circus

Armenia - Europa year of the Circus

Every year the members of PostEurop, the European post offices department under the Universal Postal Union (UPU), issue a stamp under a common theme. The year 2002 has been designated as - Year of the Circus.  This stamp from Armenia depicts one of the common themes of a circus - a magicians top hat with cards, birds and steamers coming out of it.  This was part of a 2 stamp set honoring the circus theme.

Perforations 14.8 by 14.4

Date of Issue: July 30th, 2002

Australia - Lighthouses - Macquarie NSW

Australia - Lighthouses - Macquarie NSW

The stamp depicts the lighthouse at Macquarie New South Wales that overlooks Sydney harbor.  The Macquarie Lighthouse is Australia's first and longest operating navigational light. There has been a navigational aid on this site since 1791 and a lighthouse since 1818.  The construction of the current Macquarie Lighthouse was begun in 1881 and completed for the first use in 1883.  Over the years, the lighthouse has undergone several upgrades.  In the beginning, the primary light was provided by a gas burner with a magneto powered electric system for use in extreme weather.  In 1912, the system was converted back to run on kerosene due to the expense of running the electric system.  In 1933, the system was converted back to electricity when it was connected to the city power supply.  In 1976, the lighthouse was changed to an automated operation and in 1989 the last lighthouse keeper was retired. 

Perforations: 14.5 by 13.8

Date of Issue: March 12, 2002

 

Algeria - Minerals - Calcite

Algeria -  Minerals - Calcite

The stamp shows a sample of the mineral Calcite.  It was issued as part of a set of 4 stamps all depicting different minerals.  The others in the set were Feldspar, Galena and Conglomerate.  This set continues the use of minerals on stamps by  Algeria that began with the issues of 1983 and 1994.

Perforations: 14

Date of Issue: 24 July 2002

Venezuela - Virgin of Coromoto and Child

Venezuela - Virgin of Coromoto and Child

Our Lady of Coromoto, also known as the Virgin of Coromoto is a celebrated Catholic image of an apparition of the Virgin Mary. In 1950 she was declared the Patroness of Venezuela.  The image on this stamp commemorates the 300th anniversary of the appearance of the Virgin Mary to the indigenous population of Venezuala.  There is a legend that the Virgin Mary appeared twice to the chief of the local tribe, once in 1651 in a river canyon when she told him to be baptised, and again, when he was still refusing Baptism, on September 8, 1652, when she appeared in his hut. This time he is said to have tried to grab her and she vanished, leaving behind a small painting of herself.

Perforations: 11

Date of Issue: October 6, 1952 

Uraguay - 100 YEARS of "I accuse" by Emile Zola

Uraguay - 100 YEARS of "I accuse" by Emile Zola

Emile Zola was born in Paris on April 2, 1840. He established himself as a writer of poems and stories.  He also worked as an art critic. In January 1898 he became involved in the Dreyfus affair, when he wrote an open letter published in the Paris newspaper L'Aurore that attacked . the French authorities for imprisoning Jewish artillery officer Alfred Dreyfus for treason.   Following the publication of this letter, Zola was exiled to England for a year. He later returned to Paris where he died  on September 29th 1902.

The stamp shows an image of Zola to commemorate the centennial of the letter.

Perforations: 11

Date of Issue: January 4,1999

Ukraine - Centenary of Ukrainian Settlement in Canada

Ukraine - Centenary of Ukrainian Settlement in Canada

The first wave of Ukrainian immigration to Canada began in 1891 when several families settled near Edmonton.  Dr. Josef Oleskow is considered responsible for the large Ukrainian Canadian population through his promotion of Canada as a destination for immigrants from the Western areas of the Ukraine.  This stamp celebrates the 100th anniversary of the first settlers with a depiction of a couple in traditional Ukrainian dress.

Perforations: 12

Date of Issue: January 3, 1992

Finland - Paris Peace Treaty 1947

Finland - Paris Peace Treaty 1947

This stamp was issued by Finland in 1947 to commemorate The Peace Treaty in Paris.  The wording PAX 1947, means the second year of Peace following WW II.  It features and image of a plowman with a horse based on a painting Ilmarinen, the plowman by Akseli Gallen-Kallela from 1900.

Perforations: 14

Date of Issue: February 6, 1947

Heros

Today we remember the Heros of the day and mourn for the many innocent lives that were lost.

New Zealand - Victory

New Zealand - Victory 

Immediately following the cessation of hostilities in November 1918 a request was made to the Post and Telegraph Department to issue a set of stamps to commemorate the declaration of peace. The suggestion was adopted that same month and resulted in the issuance of a set six stamps.  The 1/2 pence shown here depicts the lady victory with a lion to represent the British empire.  The lion is modeled after the ones in Trafalgar Square, London.

Perforations: 14

Date of Issue: January 27, 1920

Monaco - Campaign against starvation

Monaco - Campaign against starvation

As part of the global campaign to end hunger, Monaco issued this stamp.  It depicts a white dove feeding it's babies with wheat.  

Perforations 12

Date of Issue 1963 

Israel - 25th anniversary of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

Israel - 25th anniversary of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra 

Issued to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, this stamp shows stylized designs that represent may of the major orchestra instruments.  

The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1936, at a time when many Jewish musicians were being fired from European orchestras. Its inaugural concert took place in Tel Aviv on December 26, 1936, and was conducted by Arturo Toscanini.

Perforations: 14
Date of issue: December 26, 1961

Italy - The Basilica in Assisi

Italy - The Basilica in Assisi.

This stamp features an image of the Basilica of Saint Francis and the friary as seen from the plain.  The construction work of the basilica of St. Francis two years after the Saints death in 1226.  Pope Gregory IX laid the first stone of the Lower Basilica the day after the canonisation of St Francis, on July 17th 1228.  On May 25th, 1230, the Saint’s body was transferred to the basilica from its temporary burial site in the Church of St. Giogio in Assisi.

Perforations

Date of issue: Jan. 30, 1926

Austria - Vienna Woods Costume - 1949

Austria - National Costumes

The female national dress of Austrian is based on a great number of variations of one principal garment - the smock worn in these regions since the late Middle Ages. The smock has undergone several changes over the course of time, but its basic shape has remained the same, with a close-fitting bodice and full skirt, as can still be seen in the modern-day dirndl dresses. In some more modern interpretations, the upper body is covered more completely, while the waist is emphasized less. There is one exception to these dirndl-style costumes - the slip worn in the Bregenzerwald region in northern Vorarlberg. In this regional variation, the waist is not taken in, but merely adjusted using a belt.

Just as this highly characteristic costume differs from all other Austrian costumes in its main component, the accessories can be quite different. The girl´s head-dress called a "Schäppeli" is typical maiden´s bonnet going back to the early Middle Ages. In the High Alpine region, women wore fur bonnets and wool bonnets made of tightly woven yarn. Both the basic design of national costumes and their accessories constantly reflect the interactions that exist between traditional styles and influence of modern fashions. It is these interactions that endow the national costumes with their characteristic charm.

Perforations: 12

Date issued: September 24, 1949

Canada - Halifax Harbor - 1938

Canada - Halifax Harbor

The commemorative pictorial stamps issued by Canada's post office department in 1938 depicted the gateways into Canada from the four points of the compass. The 1938 series continues the practice of using the higher-value stamps to showcase subjects that have significant historical interest to Canadians.

This stamp shows the entrance to Halifax harbour, Nova Scotia. It is the final issue of the series first released in June, 1938.

The picture looks out to sea over the harbor from the city. It shows the entrance to the harbor with a large passenger ship in the distance and the Harbor lighthouse near the center of the image.

Perforations: 12

First issued: November 15,1938