A small collection of stamps from India

From Chakkarapalli, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. A small assortment of stamps. Top right is a 2004 Olympic Games stamp. Top middle are a pair of stamps from 2011 commemorating the 10th presidential naval fleet review, with a MiG-29K on the right and the Presidents yacht on the left. Interesting combination. Far left is a 2026 commemorative the honors the shadow puppetry art known as Ravanchhaya. I like that one. And the final stamp honors those who dealt with controlling COVID in 2020.

Street Painters in France

On this cover from France are a pair of recent stamps. The 2026 stamp on the left features street painters, like the ones you would see in tourist areas in Paris. And the stamp on the right is from a 2025 booklet features images of the oceans. I believe the island on this stamp is part of the Glénan Islands.

Mailed in the envelope was this lovely old philatelic souvenir card from 1973. The first-day postmarked stamp commemorates the 46th annual National Philately Congress that was held in Toulouse that year. The image on the card is one of those silk prints that was popular or philatelic items back in the day. It's an image of the tower of the Toulouse capital buildings. Built in 1525, the structure has been the location of the city's tourist office since 1948.

Spanish Architecture

Here's a cover from Vigo on the north-east coast of Spain. On the left are a pair of stamps from a 2007 set showing Spanish architecture with the Market of Santa Caterina in Barcelona on the left and Terminal T4 at Barajas Airport in Madrid on the right. Top-right is a stamp from a 2002 showing Castillo de los Priores in Calatorao, Zaragoza. And below that is a 2002 stamp commemorating the founding of the city of Tudela in 1200.

Animal Illustrations by Kuwagata Keisai, Japan

The stamps on this cover from Osaka are from a 2019 set that features illustrations by ukiyo-e artist Kuwagata Keisai that are part of his 1797 "Abbreviated Drawing Styles for Birds and Animals" collection. On the right is an owl and on the left, a quail.

125th anniversary of the Natural History Museum in Belgrade, Serbia

On this cover from Sremski Karlovci, Serbia, is a set of four stamps from 2020 that commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Natural History Museum in Belgrade. Clockwise from top-right:

• The last bear of Jastrebac mountain, shot in 1885 by King Milan I Obrenović
• Jarandolite, a rare calcium borate mineral, found by geologist Dobrica Stojanović and described in 1992
• This one is a lable: a rare fungus, Myriostoma coliforme, commonly known as the saltshaker earthstar or pepper pot.
• A fossilized skull of an extinct crooked horned antelope
• Rtanjska metvica (a type of mint) that is critically endangered and endemic to Mt. Rtanj in Serbia

Artemis II Launch Cover

This is the Artemis II commemorative launch postmark that was (and I believe still is) available from the USPS. I got this one from the Cape Canaveral "Astronaut Blvd" post office and had it datestamped April 1: launch day. I previously received a cover with the Artemis II Mission Control postmark which also turned out well.

Algerian Traditional Dishes, FDC

On this cover are a pair of recent stamps from a set of four that feature traditional Algerian cusine. On the left is tikourbabine which is a stew combining semolina dumplings, vegetables and chickpeas in a spiced broth. And on the right is a tomato based soup and hand-made pasta dish known called chorba mkatfa.

Small Collection of stamps from Chile

A little group of individual stamps on this cover from Concepcion in central Chile. Clockwise from top-left: 

• a 2015 stamp commemorating the 120th anniversary of the State Defense Council, 
• a 2023 UPAEP stamp. The theme in 2023 was "philately and the postage stamp"
• a 2011 stamp commemorating the 200th anniversary of the the Chilean National Congress
• a 2011 stamp commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Chilean state-owned firearms and munitions manufacturer FAMAE. I was expecting more guns on that stamp. It wasn't instantly apparent from the imagery what it was about.

Valentine's Day Greetings from the Philippines

On this cover from the city of Taguig are 2026 Valentine's Day stamps features popular Valentine's Day flowers, with Alstroemerea on the left and Lilies on the right. The postmark comes from the post office at Market! Market! Mall. It appears to be a shopping mall complex that blends traditional and modern shopping experiences with a large indoor flea market area and an area for food stalls right next door. It's the kind of place I'd be spending a chunk of time in if I were to ever visit Taguig.

Fifty Years of Achievements in Space, United Nations Geneva

From the Geneva office. The two stamps are from a 2007 set of three and a souvenir sheet, with three different issues across the three UN offices. They commemorate 50 years of achievements in space, declaring space for humanity.

Brazil - Romania Joint Issue from 2015

The pair of Brazilian stamps at the top is from 2015 and is a joint issue between Brazil and Romania. Each stamp features a sculpture of the biblical character "Eve" with Brazilian Victor Brecheret's interpretation on the left and Romanian Gheorghe Leonida's interpretation on the right. Below that is a 2002 stamp from a souvenir sheet that brings attention to the environmental protection area for the Southern Right Whale. Unlike their northern Atlantic cousins, the southern right whales are not endangered. 

Artemis II Mission Control

During the recent Artemis II moon mission a couple of commemorative postmarks were made available from the USPS. I got this one from the Hadley Street Post Office in Houston, Texas. It shows the Orion capsule Integrity against the moon with the flight controllers back at Houston Mission Control. I had it datestamped April 6: the day Integrity came within 6500km of the lunar surface.

Colorado Statehood 150th Anniversary, USA FDC

First-day postmarked USPS stamps commemorating the 150th anniversary of the state of Colorado. First thing I think about when I think of Colorado is the Rocky Mountains. And John Denver for some reason. Probably because of his song about the Rocky Mountains. He used to live in Colorado, but not in Denver. That's pretty much everything I know about Colorado. I guess now I can add that I know it's been a state for 150 years.

World Veterinary Association Congress 2026, Japan FDC

The 41st World Veterinary Association Congress was held in Tokyo between the 21st and 24th of April of 2026. The World Veterinary Association mission is to provide global leadership for the veterinary profession and promote animal health and welfare. Their first congress was held in 1863.

50th Anniversary of East German Antarctic Research at Georg Forester

Recent "stamp of the month" postmark produced by Deutsche Post to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the commissioning of the East German Antarctic Research Base Georg Forester on 21 April 1976.

Port-aux-Français on Kerguelen Island

From the French research station of Port-aux-Français on Kerguelen Island in the South Indian Ocean. Throughout the year, 50 to 120 people live and work here: scientists, engineers and military personnel. The 2025 TAAF stamp shows the L'Astrolabe approaching Adélie Land in Antarctica to supply Dumont d'Urville Station.

German Antarctic Research Station Georg Forester

On this cover is a first-day postmarked 2026 stamp from Germany commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the East-German Antarctic Research Station Georg Forester. The base ceased operation in 1993 and was dismantled in 1996.

Here's a 1988 cover commemorating the second East-German Antarctic Expedition. The stamp from 1988 shows a rendering of the the station. And in the postmark is a portrait of Georg Forester, for whom the base was named. He was one of the first Germans to set foot on Antarctic lands when he visited the island of South Georgia in 1775.

The Fibula of Dorestad

The Europa 2025 theme was "National Archaeological Discoveries" and the stamp issued by Post NL for the Netherlands features the Fibula of Dorestad. The guilded broach was found inside a well in 1969 in the town of Wijk bij Duurstede. It was likely hidden there during Viking raids of 850AD in what was then the trading post of Dorestad.

The South Sandwich Islands

From the British Antarctic Survey 's King Edward Point research station on the island of South Georgia in the South Atlantic. The stamps, showing a snow petrel and Cook Island, were from a 2021 set of six showing landscapes and fauna from the South Sandwich Islands. It was the first in an annual series of four. The South Sandwich Islands are a chain of 11 volcanic islands 700km southeast of South Georgia.

Pordenone, Italy

The 2025 stamp on the right commemorates the 50th anniversary of Gardaland: the 8th most visited theme park in Europe. It's in Castelnuovo del Garda, not too far from Verona. And the 2025 stamp on the left commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Fiamme Gialle Ski Club. This is the ski club of the Italian Financial Police.

Switzerland's Kleine Emme River

Definitives on this one from Riva San Vitale in Switzerland. The stamp on the right is from a 2023 set of eight stamps showing river landscapes found in Switzerland. On this stamp is the Kleine Emme river near Lucerne. Beside that is a 1982 definitive depicting the Zodiac sign Aquarius and Bern's Old Town. And on the left is a 2022 coin definitive with a 10 centime coin on it.

Fujiyoshida Cherry Blossoms, Japan

I was reading about this place in Japan that had cancelled their cherry blossom festival because of over tourism. There is viewing platform in a park that offers this amazing view of Mt Fuji and in the spring when the cherry blossoms are out it is an extremely popular destination. 

There is a post office in Fujiyoshida with a landscape postmark that depicts this view. It's an older postmark but apparently it's still in use. I found this old Fuji postcard so I stamped it and sent if off to the post office in Fujiyoshida to see what came back. 

A big one from Pakistan

This envelope is quite large actually, and has stamps on the front and back. Postmarked at the philatelic bureau in Rawalpindi. Twin to neighboring Islamabad. The 2025 souvenir sheet on the right commemorates international women's day. At the top is a 2025 stamp commemorating the five year economic plans launched in 2024 known as URAAN. And on the left is 2026 stamp that commemorates the 25th anniversary of the PARCO Mid-Country Oil Refinery.

More on the back. At the top is a pair of 2025 stamps commemorating the 75 anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Bottom left is a 2014 stamp commemorating the 2013 100th anniversary of Pakistan's paramilitary police force: the Frontier Constabulary. And bottom right is a 2 rupee Jinnah definitive.

Algerian Flora and Fauna

Here's a recent souvenir sheet from Algérie Poste featuring local flora and fauna. On the top are stamps depicting green mint and wild thyme. And on the bottom are the African golden wolf and the cat-like  and elusive genet.

Norway's Thor Heyerdahl

Here is set of stamps issued in 2014 to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl. The raft in the stamp on the left was used in his 1947 Kon-Tiki expedition to sail (drift) from Peru to Easter Island. And the one of the right is the Ra II which he used to sail from Africa to Barbados in 1970. His theories on migration are controversial and perhaps somewhat racist. But he did prove it would have been possible for ancient peoples to cross vast oceans using the limited tools and technology they had available at the time. 

More Than Meets The Eye!

Nothing really special here. Machine cancel from Florida. However, the cover does have an imperf stamp pair on it. Or more correctly, a pair that lacks die-cuts, because all US stamps are self-adhesive. This was a 2021 stamp issue that contains a hidden message in the design that isn't all that hard to figure out. USPS sells sheets or plates of stamps without die-cuts at face value but only in limited quantities. They tend to sell out fast and usually end up on the resale market.

Two Birds and a Helicopter from Mauritius

Perfectly postmarked at the Tribecca Mall in Trianon, in the Plaines Wilhems District near the center of the tropical paradise known as Mauritius. On the left is a Rodrigues Parrot stamp from the 2025 Extinct Species 3 definitive set. In the middle is a 2013 stamp showing a Mascarene Swallow. And the stamp on the right is from a 2024 set commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Mauritius Police Helicopter Squadron.

Les cabanes à sucre

The Canadian province of Quebec produces over 70% of the world's maple syrup. Sugar shacks and the maple syrup they produce are an important part of Québécois culture in Canada. During the spring when the maple sap flows, these shacks become popular meeting places for enjoying traditional food and activities. Canada Post recently issued these stamps, in the shape of maple syrup tins, to honor the sugar shack tradition.

Serbian Underwater Flora and Fauna

On this cover from Novi Sad are a pair of 2024 Europa stamps. The theme that year was underwater flora and fauna. On the left is a European pond turtle and on the right is a white water lily. And something else I just noticed: Latin alphabet on the left and Cyrillic on the right.

Winter Landscapes, USA FDC

This took a while to find it's way into my mailbox. The first-day postmark of 19 Sept 2025 is applied to the 2025 winter landscapes icicles stamp. And smiling out of the cover next to that is a 2025 SpongeBob stamp. He's square so he fits nicely on a stamp. The stamp on the right is 1982 state bird and flower stamp representing the state of Kansas, featuring a western meadowlark and sunflowers. And bottom right is a label promoting the 2026 world stamp exhibition being held in Boston this May.

Floral Greetings from Finland

The flowers on this year's floral greetings stamps from Finland's Posti are roses and malva flowers, on the left and right on this cover respectively. Way too early for flowers to bloom here right now. Helsinki too I imagine. But these stamps give those of us who have had to put up with a cold and snowy winter something to look forward to. 

Terre Adélie 76

A nice cover from the French Antarctic research base Dumont d'Urville. Stamped and signed by expedition participant and chemist-glaciologist Clémence Ferrand. The red handstamp in the middle appears to be that of the MV Astrolabe with it's slogan "Toujours plus sud": always further south. They were able to supply the base on 23 November 2025 which matches the datestamp in the postmarks.

Germany's Hildegard Knef

This is from the German town of Polch: a little to the west of Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate. The 2025 stamp on the left commemorates the 100th birth anniversary of legendary German actress and singer Hildegard Knef.

Hong Kong, Year of the Horse

On this cover from Hong Kong is one of the four stamps from the 2026 Year of the Horse issue by Hong Kong Post. The $1 definitive on the left I've seen before but the 50c definitive is new to me. It's from a 2025 set that shows various landmarks around Hong Kong. And on this stamp is the Hakka village of
Lai Chi Wo.

AAT Krill Stamps from Seymour

From the Australian town of Seymour, north of Melbourne. The two stamps on the left are Australian Antarctic Territory stamps from a 2025 set of four depicting Antarctic krill. AAT stamps can be used on Australian mail just as Australian stamps can be used on AAT mail. The heart shaped stamp with the penguins is a personalized stamp.

The First Swedish Astronaut

The block of stamps on the left were issued in 2009 and they feature scenes from December 2006 when Sweden's Christer Fuglesang became the first Swede in space. During his time at the ISS he carried out three space walks. The stamp on the right is from a 2020 set showcasing Swedish doors. 

German Pets, FDC

A love bird is featured on this first-day postmarked 2026 pets stamp from Deutsche Post. It's part of an annual series that started in 2023 I believe. I think the postmark is just as cute as the stamp.

A Journey Through Italy's Most Beautiful Villages

The postmark commemorates Poste Italiane's publication of the book "A Journey Through Italy's Most Beautiful Villages. One Hundred Portraits of Wonder Through Philately". It is the third and final volume in a book series that promotes small towns in Italy by presenting stamps and postmarks that commemorate them. And the stamp on this cover is a 2023 issue that commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Arena di Verona opera festival.

Falkland Islands Queen Elizabeth II Reissue

Postmarked in Stanley: the capital city of the Falkland Islands. The stamp lower left was originally part of a 2021 set issued to commemorate the 95th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. But after her passing the set was reissued in 2023 and this stamp is from that reissued set. The two stamps on the right are from 2021 and feature paintings of settlements in the Falklands painted by Mike Peake.

Tokyo Skytree

I finally received the last postcard I sent myself from Tokyo. This one I sent from the 350m observation deck of the Skytree. It is the tallest broadcast and observation tower in the world. All mail dropped off in the special mailbox on the observation deck goes to the nearby Mukojima Post Office where they apply a special postmark. The postmark shows the Skytree as seen from the Sakurabashi pedestrian bridge with the Sakurabashi monument in the foreground.

Quite a few post offices around the Skytree have postmarks that feature the tower which makes sense since you can see it from quite far away. We wandered past a couple of those post offices during our travels.

 

The postmark on the card above came from the main Asakusa Post Office. It features the Kaminari Gate of nearby Sensoji Temple and the Skytree in the background. The outline of the postmark is in the shape of a Japanese paper lantern known as a Chochin. The other handstamps on this card I found at the Asakusa tourist office across the street from Kaminari Gate.

And here's another postmark with the Skytree on this card featuring Kaminari Gate. I had this postmark applied at the Honjo-Azumabashi Post Office which is between the Skytree and the Azuma bridge that crosses the Sumida river. You can see the bridge in the postmark as well as the Asahi Brewery headquarters. I believe the frame that outlines the postmark is in the shape of a cherry blossom. And the Skytree eki stamp came from the stamping station next to the postbox at the Skytree.