Great Britain's Air Display Stamps Part II of II

In continuation to the post from Wednesday.

Parachutist, Robert Wyndham, is also honored with a stamp. His popularity from wing walking was fueled by the fact that he completed these dangerous stunts despite only having one arm.

The last stamp in the series features one of the many air races from the early 1900’s. Manufactures would showcase their designs at airshows and races would ensue. This stamp features William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse winning the race. He then went on to be the first pilot to win the Victoria Cross which is the highest military decoration that can be awarded for valor “in the face of the enemy”.

The 100 Years of Aviation Smilers Sheet has an amazing background that feature labeled aviation photographs that were taken from air displays over the past 100 years. There are 20 first class stamps of the Red Arrows in flight in the sheet.

The Royal Mail also produced an exclusive first day cover for the Smilers Sheet that was sold in sets of 4.These stamps would make a great addition to any stamp collection. Click here to purchase a wide variety of stamps that were issued from Great Britain.

Great Britain's Air Display Stamps Part I Of II

These new stamps are super cool! They were released in England on July 17, 2008. The six stamps featured in the series are sure to delight flight enthusiasts and stamp collectors from around the world.

The Red Arrows from the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team is honored on two of the stamps in the series. One stamp shows the airplanes using their trademark red and blue vapors painting the sky and the other shows a young boy watching as seven planes fly in formation overhead. The Red Arrows were formed in 1964 when the Royal Air Force combined all of their aerobatic teams into one single unit. They perform their amazing synchronized feats around
the world.

Another stamp honors the Royal Air Force Falcons which is the famous parachute team from the RAF. Each branch of the service has their own parachute regiment in England. The Falcons are famous for performing their freefalling and canopy maneuvers at speeds of up to 180 mph.

Cold War airplanes, The Avro Vulcan Protype and Avro 707’s, are also included in this stamp issue. These Royal Air Force V shaped bombers served as a nuclear deterrent against the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The planes have been out of service since 1984.

Please check back on Friday for the conclusion to this post.

Canada's Lifesaving Society 1908-2008 Stamp

The wildly popular American television show, Baywatch, brought life guarding and life saving techniques into the mainstream. But lifeguarding is far more than beautiful tans and buffed bodies.

Canada is celebrating the centennial mark of Canada’s Lifesaving Society by issuing a new domestic rate postage stamp. Canada’s Lifesaving Society trains more than 500,000 young people to be lifeguards each year. This new postage stamp shows scenes of lifeguards in action.

Drowning is one of the most common causes of accidental death in Canada and the United States. Most deaths are preventable and occur by non-swimmers when no lifeguard is present.

Canada’s Lifesaving Society’s primary goal is to increase public awareness about water safety and prevent drowning and water related injuries. This new stamp recognizes the importance of lifeguards and was released during the National Drowning Awareness Week.

There are three pictures on this stamp. The woman in the foreground represents all of the Canadians trained in Lifesaving Society programs each year. There are two action photos as well. One is of a lifeguard plunging into open water to make a rescue and the other is of a lifeguard performing CPR on an accident victim.

Official Worldwide Postage Stamp Collection for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad

China has done an amazing job hosting the Olympics this year. There have been many creative and interesting programs put in place that will be hard to beat when the Summer Olympics roll around four years from now.

For the first time ever, for any Olympic Games, there is a special stamp collection available to collectors worldwide. This rare souvenir set is a complete collection of all the postage stamps made for the Olympic Games (prior to the games). The collection has been put together by the China National Philatelic Corporation with approval by International Olympic Committee, and Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad.

The stamp set is titled the “Official Worldwide Postage Stamp Collection for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad”. The stamp collection is a compilation of more than 120 countries’ postages stamps made especially to honor the Beijing Olympics Games. This joint stamp collection truly shows how countries can come together in good spirit and games.

This set is the only stamp set to ever experience this much international participation. There are only 30,000 sets that will be issued world wide. Each set comes in 4 volumes. The price is $4,257 and can be obtained in post offices around China. If you are interested in purchasing this collectors item, call (8610) 65103556 for more information.

United States Beijing Olympic Stamp

The United States Postal Service released their Beijing Olympic postage stamp on June 19, 2008. The stamp was released during first day competition of the 2008 Olympic Team Gymnastic Trials.

The elegant stamp features a drawing of a female gymnast which is surrounded by ribbon design elements. The symbolic Olympic rings appear in the far left hand corner of the stamp with the denomination at the top right hand corner.

There are only three philatelic products available for this particular stamp issue. The First Day Cover is $.80. The Ceremony Program is $6.95 and the First Day Cover Keepsake is $9.20.

The deadline for issuing the First Day of Issue Postmark is TODAY, August 20, 2008. Stamps can either be purchased at www.usps.com/shop or by calling (800) STAMP-24. You can also purchase your new stamps at your local post office if you so choose. Stamps should be affixed to an addressed envelope of your choice and placed into a larger envelope. Those envelopes should be mailed to ASAP on postmarked today. The address to mail envelopes to is:

Olympic Games Stamp

Postmaster

Attn.: First-Day Cancellation – Olympic Games Stamp

3190 S. 70th Street Room 509

Philadelphia, PA 19153-9611

Once the USPS applies the first day of issue postmark, they will return your envelope to you through the mail. There is no additional charge for the postmark, but remember, the deadline is today, so don’t miss this one in a lifetime opportunity!

More Olympic Stamps

China is loving being host of the Olympic Games! As of today, China is leading the world in Olympic gold medals. Philatelists are able to bring home the gold as well this year! China has been releasing new stamps to honor their Gold Medal winners. Stamps are being issued within 48 hours of each and every gold medal win. The first set of stamps has already been issued. Female weightlifter, Chen Xiexia, has been honored with the first gold medal stamp,
from China, which began selling on August 10th.

According to the stamps' publisher, the China National Philatelic Corporation, stamp folders and commemorative first day covers are also available for purchase. The company says the stamp folders include nine stamps for single and double players and five for team players.

Other countries are deciding to feature their gold medal winning athletes on postage stamps as well. Australian swimming great, Stephanie Rice, is the first to be honored with a postage stamp. She won the women’s 400 meter individual medley.

The Australia Post will also be releasing stamps for every Australian gold medalist from the Olympic Games in Beijing. All stamps will be available 2 days after the gold medal is won as well.Don’t you just love the Olympics? For more Beijing Olympic stamps, click here.

Beijing Olympic Stamps

My parents instilled me a love for the Olympic Games, especially the summer Olympics. With the games in Beijing this year, I find myself staying up late, rooting for Team USA, being in awe of the amazing talents showcased from each nation and keeping track of the medals that were won by all. Simply put, it’s just plain fun to watch all of the athletes compete in these competitions. That being said, I thought I would showcase some of the wonderful stamps being offered to honor the Beijing Olympic Games.

In true Olympic host style, China released their initial stamps to commemorate Olympic venues, well before the games began. There are a total of six philatelic products that showcase the China Agricultural University Gymnasium, The Laoshan Velodrome, the National Indoor Stadium, the Peking University Gymnasium, the National Aquatics Center, and the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center. There was an additional stamp issued to commemorate the National Stadium as well.

China also issued a series of stamps that commemorates both the Olympics and the Year of the Rat together. The stamps are titled “Olympic Year in China”. This is the 29th Olympiad and China skillfully integrated the 12 letters of “Olympic Games” with the 12 symbolic animals represented in the Chinese lunar calendar in a joint stamp design. Very cleaver!

Check back here for more Olympic stamp issue information.

Barbados Marine Life Stamps (1985)

People who love the sea are sure to enjoy stamps from Barbados. These stamps depict glorious sea creatures that represent some of what the waters and coral reefs off of the coast of Barbados has to offer.

Some people think that Barbados is located in the Caribbean Sea, but it is actually located just east of it, in the western Atlantic Ocean. Barbados is a tropical island that tourists flock to year round. The constant trade-winds help keep the island a mild temperature that everyone enjoys. The best time to visit the island is from November through May (to avoid the rainy season).

A few countries inhabited Barbados before the British Empire arrived on the island. Interesting enough, when the British arrived, the island was inhabited only by the feral pigs that were descended from those left behind by the Portuguese years before.

Barbados has been an independent nation since 1966, but Elizabeth II is the Queen of Barbados, as head of state. Because of their location, they are usually spared the experience of hurricanes, but typically receive them about every 26 years.

Regardless of what happened in the past, touring Bardados remains one of life’s most beautiful adventures to be had. The exquisite shorelines, marine life and beautiful landscape that slope’s to the sea are all breathtaking.

There are 16 beautiful marine life stamps in this collection. Click here for more information on how to purchase these lovely stamps.

Is Re-gumming A Problem For Me? Part II Of II

In continuation to the post from last Friday.

Some re-gummed stamps have a surface that is glossy. Stamps that have been re-gummed can also have a dull and textured appearance. There can be inconsistencies with the thickness of the gum, especially when it is placed where the light can provide reflection to the stamp. It is wise to compare stamps that you currently have. Re-gummed stamps do look a bit different and can also be spotted by simply comparing stamps with others that you have in your collection.

Often times stamps that have been re-gummed can be detected simply by placing it face down in the palm of your hand. The stamp will curl when placed in your hand if it is re-gummed, but a stamp with its original gum will not. You can also tell if a stamp has been re-gummed if the tips of the stamp perforation feel sharp to the touch. Originally gummed stamps are soft to the touch.

The only way to be absolutely sure that your stamp has not been re-gummed is to look at your stamps with a strong magnifying glass or contact a professional who knows the ins and outs of stamp collecting. It is always wise to contact a professional stamp dealer to get the much needed answers to your questions. When in doubt, check it out! To contact a professional and honest stamp dealer, click here.

Is Re-gumming A Problem For Me? Part I Of II

Stamps are one of the most collected items around the world. With so many stamps available to collect these days; it is sometimes hard to tell when stamps have been re-gummed and when they are in their original condition.

Stamps that no longer contain all of the gum from when it was originally manufactured can often times be found to be re-gummed. Of course their value would then be less than those that have their original gum on them. Gum is original when it is produced from an official postal authority. Once an individual person has applied his own gum blend to a stamp’s backside, it is then considered to be re-gummed.

People choose to re-gum stamps to make them appear to be a nicer more enhanced product and thereby seemingly increase the value of the stamp.

There are several ways to detect if a stamp has been re-gummed. Stamps that contain a watermark can be easily seen on a stamp that has been re-gummed. Stamps with a watermark that have their original gum can be seen when the stamp is dipped in watermark using fluid. The watermark in the original gum can also be seen when the stamp is put up to a very strong light. If you notice that the watermark seems to have been impressed into the gum, then you should be suspicious that there is a problem with your stamp.

Please check back on Monday for the conclusion to this post.

"Kids Need Stamps"

Mark Antony Rossi wants to help parents and children form a stronger bond through the adventures of stamp collecting. His new endeavor “Kids Need Stamps” is a great new resource for kids who are beginning their stamp collection.

On his blog site, parents are informed on the basic how to’s of stamp collecting. He has put together a free starter kit that will assist parents so that they can help their children become more interested in stamp collecting.

Mr. Rossi writes, "The beauty of stamp collecting is a lack of pressure. You don't have to be an expert. You don't need a large budget. You don't have to scream about it from the rooftops or shield it from the world. You can start small. You start big. Start with America. Go to Europe and check out Africa. There's no deadline, no contest....no pressure. Another charming facet of stamp collecting is the clever flexibility it allows by being both an individual hobby and a joint project with parents."

He is willing to mail you, free of charge, a small starter stamp kit to anyone who is interested. He has recently supplied a teacher with enough starter stamp kits so that his entire classroom can learn about and enjoy stamp collecting.

He also has word.doc attachments that he can send you upon request. This information has been compiled to cover topics like Basic Dictionary of Stamp Terms, Postage Art Emblems, Basic Country Name Translation List, and a Cross Country Index to name a few.

If you are interested in receiving your free starter kit, contact Mr. Rossi at kidsneedstamps@yahoo.com or click here for his blog site.

Stamp Mounting Tips Part II Of II

In continuation to the post on Friday.

When using your stamp tongs, be sure to use special care. Stamps are delicate and mint stamp can be very valuable. You need to avoid creasing, tearing or doing any other harm to your stamps.

When mounting used stamps, most people use stamp hinges. Hinges are small gummed pieces of glassine that are lightly moistened and adhered to both the album page and the back of the stamp. Don’t apply to much moisture to the mount as it can become soggy or soiled, which could make the stamp useless.

It would be wise to use hinge-less stamp mounts for mint stamps. These mounts have pockets of adhesive on the back. When using hinge-less mounts, the stamp is placed inside the mount and the back of the mount is moistened. The stamp is not moistened. This will keep the gum of your mint stamp in mint condition. Be careful to never seal the mount completely shut. Stamps need to breathe because they are made of paper. If you make them air-tight; they could become brittle or decompose.

Humidity and moisture are sure to damage your stamp collection. Avoid storing them in attics and basements. A cool and dry place is the best storage option for stamps. Collectors have found that once the stamp gum has become tacky in an album, it is nearly impossible to remove the stamp without destroying it.

The most important thing to remember about stamp collecting is to enjoy your collection. Stamps come from around the world and provide a wonderful learning experience for both young and old.

Stamp Mounting Tips Part I Of II

Once you have some stamps in your collection, you will want to begin to store them in a stamp album. Some questions you might have are….Should I lick them? Do I glue them down and if so, can they be removed at a later date? Illustrations on stamps might also be a point of confusion. How do you tell which stamp is which? What exactly do I have in my collection?

First, you want to make sure that you have a good stamp album and stamp mounts or hinges. Click here for stamp album products. Make sure that you have the needed supplies and tools before you begin. You will need stamps (of course), stamp tongs to handle your stamps, a magnifying glass to read those small markings on the stamps, and perforation gauge to measure stamp perforations. Some people use watermark detection fluid to test for watermarks, but this is not always necessary.

Many stamp albums have illustrations that allow you to locate and identify the stamps that you are attempting to place. Take notice of the fact that there may be more than one illustration of the same stamp listed. Be sure to read the text under the illustration to make sure you are placing your stamps in the correct position.

Once you have your needed supplies and tools, it is time to begin mounting your collection.

Please check back Monday for the conclusion to this post.