Song birds on new stamps from USPS

Date of Issue : 5 April 2014

The US Postal Service  has issued 10 wonderful stamps and 10 digital coloured FDC'S on Song birds.

Songbirds have been singing and delighting humans for thousands of years. The U.S. Postal Service celebrates ten melodic voices with the Songbirds stamps: the western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), the mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides), the western tanager (Piranga ludoviciana), the painted bunting (Passerina ciris), the Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula), the evening grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus), the scarlet tanager (Piranga olivacea), the rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus), the American goldfinch (Spinus tristis), and the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis).

Each colorful bird is shown perching on a fence post or branch embellished with vines, pinecones, leaves, or flowers. The artwork appears against a plain, white background.

Why do songbirds make such a glorious racket every morning? In a word, love. Males sing to attract females, and to warn rivals to keep out of their territory. Between 4,000 and 4,500 different types of songbirds can be found around the planet, accounting for nearly half of all bird species. Songbirds are identified by their highly developed vocal organs, although some, like the crow, have harsh voices, and others sing rarely, or not at all. All songbirds are classified as perching birds. With three toes that point forward and one that points backward, they can grip branches, grasses, or telephone wires with ease.

Greetings on Ram Navmi

Today is Ram Navmi , a  Hindu Festival to celebrate the birthday of Lord Rama. Greetings to all  on this special occasion. Nepal Post issued a special stamp on Ram Navmi.

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New stamps from USPS..

 

Date of Issue : 14 February  2014

Winter Flowers

US Postal Service issued a beautiful set of 4 stamps featuring winter flowers. With these Winter Flowers Stamps, the U.S. Postal Service continues its tradition of issuing stamps that present beautiful, floral-themed art.Each of these four stamps depicts a close-up view of one plant—(clockwise from upper left) amaryllis, cyclamen, Christmas cactus, or paperwhite—with detailed and colorful renderings of its blossom and foliage.

These winter-blooming flowers are popular potted plants, especially during the holidays when people enjoy them as gifts or as festive decorations. The Winter Flowers stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps in books of 20. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the

Humming Bird

Date of Issue : 7 February  2014

The new Hummingbirds 34-cent Stamp postcard stamp from USPS celebrates the beauty and grace of the hummingbird.

The stamp art is a tinted, highly stylized, digital depiction of a hummingbird hovering near a plant.
Hummingbirds, known for their agility, brilliant colors, and long bills, are among the smallest birds in the world, ranging in size from about two to eight inches long. Some weigh less than a penny. Special wing anatomy enables hummingbirds to fly forward, backward, and upside down, as well as to hover in one spot. The “humming” sound they produce is made by their rapid wing movements — the wings of some species beat up to 80 times per second !

Club News

January 2014 Edition (Issue 19) of GPA News from Gujarat Philatelists' Association has been released .Please Click Here to Read GPA NEWS .

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New stamp on Abraham Lincoln…

 

Date of Issue : February 12, 2014

The statue of Abraham Lincoln housed inside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., is among the most recognizable statues in the U.S. Now it's featured on a new postage stamp! issued today by US Postal Service. With this striking stamp, the U.S. Postal Service honors one of America's greatest presidents with the Abraham Lincoln 21-cent Stamps.

The stamp features a black-and-white photograph of a close-up view of the statue of Abraham Lincoln by sculptor Daniel Chester French housed inside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Art director and stamp designer Derry Noyes selected a detail of the original image in order to highlight the President's features most effectively.

French's iconic statue enshrines the sixteenth President as he looked during the Civil War. Composed of 28 blocks of white Georgia marble, the statue is an immense 19-foot tall figure. Two of Lincoln's great speeches — the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address — adorn the north and south interior walls of the memorial, reminding visitors of his powerful and universal ideals.

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) served as the 16th President of the United States from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865

ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S LETTER TO HIS SON'S TEACHER...

 

He will have to learn, I know,
that all men are not just,
all men are not true.
But teach him also that
for every scoundrel there is a hero;
that for every selfish Politician,
there is a dedicated leader…
Teach him for every enemy there is a friend,
Steer him away from envy,
if you can,
teach him the secret of
quiet laughter.
Let him learn early that
the bullies are the easiest to lick…
Teach him, if you can,
the wonder of books…

But also give him quiet time
to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky,
bees in the sun,
and the flowers on a green hillside.
In the school teach him
it is far honourable to fail
than to cheat…
Teach him to have faith
in his own ideas,
even if everyone tells him
they are wrong…
Teach him to be gentle
with gentle people,
and tough with the tough.
Try to give my son
the strength not to follow the crowd
when everyone is getting on the band wagon…
Teach him to listen to all men…
but teach him also to filter
all he hears on a screen of truth,
and take only the good
that comes through.
Teach him if you can,
how to laugh when he is sad…
Teach him there is no shame in tears,
Teach him to scoff at cynics
and to beware of too much sweetness…
Teach him to sell his brawn
and brain to the highest bidders
but never to put a price-tag
on his heart and soul.
Teach him to close his ears
to a howling mob
and to stand and fight
if he thinks he’s right.
Treat him gently,
but do not cuddle him,
because only the test
of fire makes fine steel.

Let him have the courage
to be impatient…
let him have the patience to be brave.
Teach him always
to have sublime faith in himself,
because then he will have
sublime faith in mankind.
This is a big order,
but see what you can do…
He is such a fine little fellow,
my son!

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New Butterfly stamp from USPS

 

Date of Issue : 10 February 2014

US Postal Service issued on a beautiful stamp on Butterfly. The Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly Stamp represent the fourth butterfly stamp for use on large greeting card envelopes. The stamp art was created on a computer, using images of preserved butterflies as a starting point. The result is a highly stylized, simplified image of a great spangled fritillary rather than an exact replica.

 

The great spangled fritillary (Speyeria cybele) is named for the silvery spots found on the undersides of its wings. A large butterfly with a wingspan of 2.25 to 4 inches, it is found in all northern states and ranges as far south as northern Georgia in the east and central California in the west. Even though this striking butterfly is a common sight in much of the country, it can be puzzling to identify. Not only are females slightly darker than males, but individuals in eastern populations are more orange in color, while those in western populations are more brown.

All great spangled fritillaries have one thing in common: a very close relationship with violets. Females lay their eggs on or near clumps of violets in August or September. When the eggs hatch, the larvae crawl to nearby violet plants, but instead of having a snack, they hide among fallen leaves and begin to hibernate. When spring arrives, the caterpillars come out of hibernation and feed on fresh violet leaves before forming a chrysalis and transforming into adult butterflies.

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New stamp from USPS..

 

 

200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner

Date of Issue : 28 January 2014

The US Postal Service issued a new Forever stamp on 28th January in commemoration of 200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner . This sparkling stamp features  Flag and  firework . The First Day postmark also features a cracker.

The Star-Spangled Banner Stamps feature a treasured American icon ever since Francis Scott Key celebrated the sight of an American flag still flying over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.
This stamp commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner with a photograph of the flag that flies over Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore. This flag is a replica of the one that inspired Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner” after Fort McHenry withstood the British attack of September 13-14, 1814.

Commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner with this The Star-Spangled Banner Digital Color Postmarks (#6 3/4 envelope) bearing an affixed The Star-Spangled Banner Forever® stamp. The color postmark shows celebratory red fireworks falling over the stamp title, which is printed in blue and gold type and resembles antique wood-block lettering. Also included are the date and location of stamp issuance.

Photographer Gary Clark took the picture of the flag against a backdrop of fireworks during an annual celebration of Defenders' Day. Defenders' Day, according to the National Park Service, is “Baltimore's oldest holiday commemorating the bombardment of Fort McHenry and the writing of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'” Clark said it was a challenge to get the fireworks and the flag in the same shot and that “the wind picked up quite a bit that night.” Art director Phil Jordan designed the stamp.
The Star-Spangled Banner stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps in double-sided booklets of 20 stamps and in self-adhesive coils of 100 stamps. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate.

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New Love stamp from USA

 

US Postal Service will issue a beautiful  “Cut paper heart stamp”   on 21st January 2014 for this year’s Valentine’s Day Greetings.

The romance of the Love stamp series continues with the Cut Paper Heart Digital Color Postmark. This First Day Cover  features an affixed Cut Paper Heart Forever® stamp. The whimsical digital illustration depicts a red square with “pinked” edges — as if cut with pinking shears — containing a large, pink heart surrounded by pink swirls and smaller red hearts.

The color postmark features the stamp title surrounded by a flower-like formation of familiar folded-and-cut red paper hearts, accented with green hearts resembling the flower's leaves. Also included are the official First Day of Issue date and location for the stamp.

Valentine’s Day Postmark from Loveland

 

"A unique design created by a local artist and selected via a competitive contest is stamped on the outside of all Valentine envelopes and re-mailed from the Sweetheart City,  "More than 200,000 cards and letters were handled last year, from more than 100 countries and every state in the Union.
"Since the start of the program in 1947, more than 12 million Valentines have been re-mailed by Loveland.
"To have cards and letters re-mailed with the Loveland postmark, properly stamp and address each individual Valentine and put them all in a larger, stamped envelope and mail them to:

Postmaster
Valentine Re-mailing
446 E. 29th St.
Loveland, CO 80538

"Deadlines for re-mailing and delivery by Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14:
•Feb. 4: Outside of the U.S. to other countries and international destinations
•Feb. 10: Within the U.S. and outside of Colorado
•Feb. 11: Within the state of Colorado"

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2014 – Lunar New Year of Horse

 

Around the world, a new year is welcomed with noise! Chinese drums, with drumsticks painted red for luck, highlight the U.S. Postal Service’s 2014 Year of the Horse stamp, seventh in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Horse begins on January 31, 2014, and ends on February 18, 2015.

Across many cultures, in the United States as elsewhere, the Lunar New Year is celebrated in various ways, often with parades and parties. Firecrackers are traditionally used to scare off evil spirits and welcome this time of renewed hope for the future. Lucky foods are eaten — kumquats,  given as gifts. Festive lanterns, colored red for luck  are common decorations at Lunar New Year celebrations, where they are frequently hung in rows.

The date of issue of this stamp will be declared soon by USPS. The stamp is so beautiful, a nice collectible item for all.

The Year of the Horse stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp in self-adhesive sheets of 12. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate.

Snowflakes on US stamps..…

 

Date of Issue : October 1, 2013

Here is another beautiful set of Stamps issued by USPS in October this year featuring Snowflakes..Celebrating the winters.

Let it snow! The five stamps each feature a photograph of a different snowflake. Although they are all the same type of snowflake — stellar dendrites, with six branching, treelike arms — each of the five looks entirely different. Each snowflake is set against a background of colors that fade from white at the bottom to icy blues and purples at the tops. Along the bottom of each stamp are the words “Presorted Standard.”

Winter is long. Brighten it up by using the beautiful, ethereal Snowflakes stamps for the holidays and beyond.

 

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Kwanzaa festival….

 

Date of Issue : 26 November 2013

US Postal service issued a beautiful stamp on Kwanzaa festival.It is an   annual non-religious holiday, which takes place over seven days from December 26 to January 1, brings family, community, and culture together for many African Americans.

The stamp art features a man, woman, and child dressed in traditional, African-inspired clothing joined together in a unifying embrace. Their intertwined arms form a circle around seven candles, known as the mishumaa saba — a centerpiece of the Kwanzaa table. An open book symbolizes the holiday’s emphasis on knowledge and cultural history. The design is cast in the holiday’s primary colors of red, black, and green.

Created in 1966 by activist and scholar Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa draws on African traditions, deriving its name from the phrase “first fruits” in Swahili, a widely spoken African language. It has its origins in first harvest celebrations that occurred across the African continent in ancient and modern times. Karenga sought to synthesize and reinvent these tribal traditions as a contemporary celebration of African-American culture.

Press Clippings

: Pradip Jain – Patna

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Stamp on Hanukkah festival from USPS..

 

Date of Issue : 19 November 2013

US Postal Service issued a stamp on Jewish festival, Hanukkah . The festival is  celebrated by Jewish people around the world, Hanukkah, the joyous Festival of Lights, spans eight nights and days of remembrance and ritual.

Central to the celebration is the hanukiah, a nine-branched menorah used only at Hanukkah. Eight of its branches represent each of the eight nights and days of Hanukkah, and the ninth, the shamash or “the servant,” is used to light the other candles. The stamp, first issued in 2013, is a photograph of a contemporary forged-iron hanukiah created by Vermont blacksmith Steven Bronstein. Nine lighted white beeswax candles top each of the branches. The word “Hanukkah” is spelled out across the top of the stamp in yellow letters.

Hanukkah is the Hebrew word for “dedication.” Tradition relates how a miracle took place during the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, which had been desecrated. The sacramental oil, thought to be enough for only one day, burned for eight days. The miracle of the oil is at the heart of the ritual of the lighting of the hanukiah.

The celebration of Hanukkah begins on the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, a date that falls in late November or December. In 2014, Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 16.

Hanukkah is the Hebrew word for “dedication.” Tradition relates how a miracle took place during the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, which had been desecrated. The sacramental oil, thought to be enough for only one day, burned for eight days.

The miracle of the oil is at the heart of the ritual of the lighting of the hanukiah, a menorah — candelabra — with nine branches, one for each of the eight nights and days of Hanukkah, and the ninth, the shamash or “the servant,” used to light the other candles. The hanukiah, used only at Hanukkah, is traditionally placed in the window of the home to proclaim the miracle to passersby.

After the lighting of the candles, family members might sing traditional songs and exchange gifts. Children play a game called dreidel. Competing for a pot of chocolate coins, nuts, pennies, or other prizes, each player takes turns spinning the dreidel, a four-sided top with letters on each side that form an acronym for the Hebrew saying “A great miracle happened there.” Depending on the outcome of the dreidel’s spin, the player either takes from or gives to the pot. The game ends when one player has won all the treats.

Feasting is an important part of the celebration as well. Foods associated with Hanukkah include latkes, potato cakes fried in oil; bimuelos, fried dough dipped in honey or sugar; and sufganiot, fried jelly doughnuts.

The eight nights and days of Hanukkah begin on the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, a date that falls in late November or December. In 2013, Hanukkah begins at sundown Nov. 27.

 

From our Readers…

Mr Timir Shah of Vadodara shares here  stamp sheet  of recent Sachin’s stamp issue. The  Inscriptional Margin of Sachin Tendulakar's 200 test match stamp sheet  shows that stamp was printed on 2nd November 2013.

 

 

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Harry Potter stamps from USPS

 

 

  

Date of Issue : 19 November 2013

US Postal Service is issuing today  new stamps on Harry Potter. The Harry Potter films brought J.K. Rowling's magical world to the screen, giving physical shape to the characters, creatures, and places that had lived in readers' imaginations since publication of the first book. The U.S. Postal Service celebrates that magic with a 20-stamp souvenir booklet featuring stills from the award-winning Warner Bros. movies.

 

Today on Tuesday, the US Postal Service is scheduled to release 20 postage stamps honouring Harry Potter, and officials at the cash-strapped agency hope the images, drawn straight from the Warner Brothers movies, will be the biggest blockbuster since the Elvis Presley stamp 20 years ago.

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New stamps from Tunisia

 

 

Parental Love

A stamp on the theme “Parental Love” was issued by the Tunisian Post ON 18th October  2013.

This issue is part of the general awareness about the importance of parents’ place in the Tunisian family and duty to surround and support them to ensure their dignity and well-being in the family and in society.

The stamp depicts some aspects of parental love, like affection, solidarity and communication, as well as the value of family relationships in order to preserve the principles and values of solidarity and mutual support between generations.

Lighthouses of Tunisia

 

 

Date of Issue : 20 September 2013

A set of four stamps featuring Light Houses of Tunisia by Tunisia Post was issued on 20th September 2013.

 

 

 

Stamp on Harvey Milk by USPS in 2014

The Harvey Milk Foundation confirmed  that the U.S. Postal Service would honor gay rights icon Harvey Milk with a stamp in honor of his memory and legacy.

Milk, the first openly gay man to hold political office in California, will break new ground once again as the first openly LGBT political official to be featured on a postage stamp, which will be released in 2014.

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Gingerbread Houses stamps from USPS

 

Date of Issue : November 6, 2013

Here are the most beautiful stamps to be issued by USPS featuring colorful gingerbread houses. These stamps are sure to be loved by all especially the children.

These four new, cheerful holiday stamps capture the delicious tradition and childlike nostalgia of making gingerbread houses. Stumbling across a magical cottage made of cake and candy, Hansel and Gretel knew just how special gingerbread houses could be—but no witches will jump out of these confectionery domiciles. Instead, the Gingerbread Houses stamps will add a touch of whimsy to  holiday mail.

These stamps feature four different gingerbread houses set against a bright blue background. Made with gingerbread and royal icing, each house has sugary fruit slices for shingles, peppermint sticks for support beams, and round, candy-coated chocolate for doorknobs and holly berries, and yet each is unique.

Sally Andersen-Bruce photographed the houses, created by baker Teresa Layman. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps.The Gingerbread Houses stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce rate.

Source : United States Postal Service

 

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New stamp from India

Date of Issue : 12 October 2013

India Post issued today a Miniature sheet in Rs 20 denomination  on Mahatma Gandhi to commemorate Philately Day .

: Kenneth Sequeira – Dubai

New stamps from USA

Date of Issue 10 October 2013

The U.S. Postal Service continues its tradition of issuing classic holiday stamps with this bright and cheerful rendering of America's favorite holiday flower, the poinsettia.The stamp art depicts the rich red and vibrant green leaves surrounding the flower—the cluster of small, rather modest cup-shaped structures in the center. The red “petals” that we think of as the flower are actually modified leaves called bracts. A potted poinsettia was used as art reference.

While considered by the ancient Aztecs to be a symbol of purity, the poinsettia today symbolizes good cheer. The gift of a poinsettia is said to bring with it wishes of laughter and celebration. Found on everything from wrapping paper to holiday jewelry, the poinsettia says “Christmas” more than any other flower. The stamp art's vibrant red—America's favorite poinsettia color—adds a decorative and celebratory note to cards and letters during the holidays.

Date of Issue : 24 October 2013

A new entry in the annual USPS Holiday issues rollout is a Global Forever stamp that depicts an Evergreen Wreath. This international rate stamp offers a single price for any First-Class Mail International one-ounce letter to any country in the world or for a 2-ounce letter to Canada. To distinguish it from domestic rate Forever stamps, it is round and bears the words “Global Forever.”

The wreath that graces the stamp art has a base made of a wire metal frame folded around Styrofoam, which was spray-painted green. The designer attached evergreen twigs onto picks and inserted them into the base, rotating the picks to make the wreath full and lush. The decorations are clusters of bright red Nandina berries and pinecones. The wreath is finished with a traditional red bow.

The sight of a festive and elegant evergreen wreath on the front door offers a traditional welcome to family and friends during the holidays. The U.S. Postal Service celebrates that tradition internationally with Global Forever®: Evergreen Wreath, its first global holiday stamp.

Evergreens are still a popular component of many holiday wreaths. However, wreaths now come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. Made from plants like eucalyptus, laurel, pine boughs, and mistletoe or from material like glass, wood, paper, and wire, wreaths can be shaped into stars, circles, squares, ovals—almost any shape is possible.

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Music Icon - Ray Charles

 

Date of Issue : 23 September 2013

The U.S. Postal Service proudly honors inspiring musician Ray Charles with a stamp, one of several that inaugurates the Music Icons series. This extraordinary composer, singer, and pianist, blind since childhood, went beyond category, blending blues, gospel, country, jazz, and soul music in a unique and highly influential pop music style. His many hits included “I’ve Got a Woman,” “Georgia on My Mind,” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You.”

Celebrating the life and work of a musician beyond category, this First Day Cover (#6-3/4 envelope) bears an affixed Ray Charles Forever® stamp featuring a photograph of Charles taken later in his career.The full-color cancellation shows a vintage 45 rpm record tucked into a paper sleeve, which bears the official date and location of the stamp issuance. The record jacket is labeled with the words “Ray Charles, Music Icons.”

The stamp art features an image of Charles, taken later in his career, by photographer Yves Carrere. The stamp sheet was designed to evoke the appearance of a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve. One side of the sheet includes the stamps and the image of a sliver of a record seeming to peek out the top of the sleeve. A larger version of the photograph featured on the stamp and the logo for the Music Icons series appear on the reverse side.

Looking back over the course of his long career, there seemed to be little Charles couldn’t do. His work spanned almost the entire breadth of American music and brought him 17 Grammy Awards, plus an award for lifetime achievement in 1987. His many other prizes include the National Medal of Arts, awarded in 1993, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 1986. That same year, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He performed at the White House many times for several different presidents.

Ray Charles Music CD

Along with the Ray Charles Forever® stamp, the U.S. Postal Service has released a CD with a collection of remastered classics of some of Ray's most stellar performances, and previously unreleased material. It features 13 tracks, including the USPS exclusive bonus track, “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was.” The CD album cover features art from the Ray Charles stamp. It's available for $9.99 in nearly 5,000 Post Offices nationwide and online in the Postal Store.

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