Jamaica: Mail Packet Boats

The featured image is of the mail packet boat Thames which is one of four vessels that appear on stamps issued by Jamaica in April 1974 to commemorate those that frequented Jamaica and neighbouring British embassies, colonies and outposts in the 19th century. The issue was accompanied by a miniature sheet included a depiction of

Thematics: Day of the Stamp

The ‘Day of the Stamp’ is typically a day of the year set aside by postal stamp-issuing authorities to publicise, and in some cases subsidise, philatelic events and exhibitions. The issues were popular in many European countries during the mid 20th Century including Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Netherlands, Italy and Hungary. The Day of the

St Lucia: Saint Lucy’s Day

The featured image is of a 50c postal stamp issued by St Lucia commemorating National Day, 13th December 1971. Beneath the ‘National Day’ banner is a coat of arms, but what is the significance of the female character whose image appears on the left of the stamp? The answer is associated with the naming of

United Kingdom: Platinum Jubilee

This weekend, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II – a Platinum Jubilee. Stamps issued almost 70 years ago commemorate the coronation rather than the accession but comprise more than 100 stamps issued across 68 countries. The accession of Queen Elizabeth II, aged

Jamaica: Self Government

The featured image is of a stamp issued between 1945 and 1946 to commemorate the New Constitution and Self-Government of Jamaica. The issue is typical of many following World War II that introduced sweeping decolonisation. As for many British colonies in the Caribbean, this represented a step in the transition from a Crown Colony to

France: 1946 Airmail Issue

France were early pioneers of aviation, powered flight and airmail services. It is therefore somewhat surprising that it was not until 1927, that France issued its first airmail stamps (Poste Aerienne). That inaugural issue featured two stamps of the noted Merson design, commemorating the first International Display of Aviation and Navigation hosted in Marseilles, and

Bermuda: Down at the Docks

Around the time of the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, pictorial stamp designs were introduced across the British Caribbean territories. Jamaica saw the introduction of the ‘Arms of Jamaica’ issue (1903) and the Bahamas ‘Queen’s Staircase’ issue (1901). This was a break from the traditional young portrait image of Queen Victoria that had graced

France: Le Mans 24 Hour Endurance Race

2022 will mark the 90th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours Endurance Race organised by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO). The race will take place between 11th and 12th June 2022 at the Circuit de la Sarthe near Le Mans, France. The featured image is of a French stamp issued in June 1973 commemorating the 50th

Germany: Berlin Automobile and Motorcycle Exhibition

The striking image that appears on the featured 1939 stamp is of two sports cars of the era battling it out on the track. It is one of three stamps that were issued in February 1939 for the Berlin Automobile and Motorcycle Exhibition, also known as the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA). The event became a target

Netherlands: Erasmus

The Netherlands stamp issued on 30 September 1969 commemorates the 500th birth anniversary of Desiderius Erasmus. His name will be known to many, mainly in the field if education – many schools, facilities and universities employ the name and in Europe, the Erasmus Programme enables students to spend up to a year of their university