Postcards from USA

We have received several beautiful postcard in cover from Maryland. Four of them are Minions, our favorite animated characters!

Minions are small, yellow creatures who have existed since the beginning of time, evolving from single-celled organisms into beings who exist only to serve history's most villainous masters.

They find great masters, including a T-Rex, a caveman, an Egyptian pharaoh, Dracula, and Napoleon, but after accidentally killing nearly all of them with their incompetence, they decide to isolate themselves from the world and start a new life in Antarctica.

By 1968, the lack of a master to serve drives them into depression, so one minion, Kevin, plans to find a new one for his people by going back into the world. Stuart, a bored, teenage minion obsessed with guitars, joins him unwitting, as does an over-enthusiastic young Bob, who begs Kevin at first, and then is chosen due to no one else willing to volunteer.

After a long journey, the Minions arrive in New York where they learn about Villain-Con, a convention to be held in Orlando where supervillains gather from around the world. They hitchhike to the convention, where they become the henchmen for Scarlet Overkill, the world's first female supervillain, by completing her challenge to steal a ruby from her.

This is official trailer for Minions movie

And this is fifth card from envelope

There is a lot of beautiful stamps on envelope:

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, issued on 2013-11-19

Black Heritage - Robert Robinson Taylor, 1868-1942, issued on 2015-02-12

Music Icons - Elvis Presley, 1935-1977, issued on 2015-08-12

Legends of Hollywood - Ingrid Bergman, 1915-1982 - Joiunt Issue with Sweden, issued on 2015-08-20

Maya Angelou, issued on 2015-04-07

Global: Silver Bells Wreath, issued on 2014-10-23
Ringling Bros. Shows, issued on 2014-05-05

Michelangelo, from "School of Athens," by Raphael, 1509, issued on 1974-06-06
Maryland Ratification Date, issued on 1988-02-15

Thank You very much Charlotte for this awesome envelope!

Germany: Asterix stamps

What a awesome mini sheet!

This great mini sheet is issued on 2015-09-01

Design: Thomas Steinacker   Perforation: 13¾

I have also received this nice viewcard od Salzburg (Austria)

Very nice stamps on envelope:

Max and Moritz, issued on 2015-04-02

125th anniversary of the 1st Bavarian Costumes Association, issued on 2015-06-11

1200 years Diocese Hildesheim, issued on 2015-03-02

100 year First World War - No more War, ever, issued on 2014-08-07
Battle of the Nations Monument, issued on 2013-10-10
2015 The 1000th Anniversary of the City of Leipzig, issued on 2015-07-01

Thank You very much Dustin!

Russia: Plain by Artem Rhads Cheboha

Very nice illustration by Artem Rhads Cheboha. You can see other Artem's art here http://rhads.deviantart.com/

As you can see, main stamp on postcard is stolen! Other stamps are Coat of arms of the town of Alexandrov, issued on 2013-06-18 and Kazan Kremlin, issued on 2009-10-01.

There is also fantastic hologram sticker of Edvard Munch's painting The Scream!


Thank You very much Violetta!

Indonesia: Colours of Medan

Medan is the capital of the North Sumatra province in Indonesia. Located on the northern coast, Medan is the fourth largest city in Indonesia behind Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung; and the largest Indonesian city outside Java.

Stamp is The 23rd World Scout Jamboree - Yamaguchi City, Japan , issued on 2015-07-28


Thank You Agung!

Postcard from Germany

Very nice funny postcard, and awesome stickers on back side :)

Stamp on postcard is Wild Germany - Ostsee, issued on 2015-01-02

Thank You Elena!

Russia: Komi Culture Center

This postcard is from Russian Komi Republic. It shows Komi Culture Center in capital city of Komi Republic, Syktyvkar.

The Komi first appear in the records of the Novgorod Republic in the 12th century, when Novgorodian (East Slavic) traders travelled to the Perm region in search of furs and animal hides. The Komi territories came under the influence of Muscovy in the late Middle Ages (late 15th to early 16th centuries). The site of Syktyvkar has been settled since the 16th century. In 1780, under Catherine the Great, it was used as a penal colony.

Starting from the expedition led by Alexander von Keyserling in 1843, the Komi territory was most extensively explored in the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries by the Russians, who found ample reservoirs of various minerals, as well as timber, to exploit. After the founding of the Soviet Union, the Komi-Zyryan Autonomous Oblast was established on August 22, 1921, and on December 5, 1936, it was reorganized into the Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.

This postcard came in this prepay FDC dedicated to Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin, top Soviet flying ace and a Marshal of the Soviet Air Force. There is also a stamp Moscow Kremlin, issued on 2009-10-01.

Thank You Eugene!

Triggerfish

Triggerfishes are about 40 species of often brightly colored fishes of the family Balistidae. Often marked by lines and spots, they inhabit tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world, with the greatest species richness in the Indo-Pacific. Most are found in relatively shallow, coastal habitats, especially at coral reefs, but a few, such as the aptly named oceanic triggerfish (Canthidermis maculata), are pelagic. While several species from this family are popular in the marine aquarium trade, they are often notoriously ill-tempered.

This postcard doesn't have stamps, only this sticker for postage, clearly issued at Busan National University in South Korea. Sticker is taped on both sides of postcard.


Thank You Taeun!

FDC and 7 postcards from Taiwan

FDC commemorates the centenary of the completion of the Control Yuan building, which headquarters the Control Yuanh monitors the other government departments. Cover is issued on 2015-04-24. Stamps on cover are Taiwan Dragonflies - Chalky Percher (Diplacodes trivialis), issued on 2006-08-16 and Taiwan Scenery, issued on 2003-10-28.

I have received seven postcard in this cover.

Thank You very much Chiu!

Germany: Sütterlin script

Sütterlin script is the last widely used form of Kurrent, the historical form of German handwriting that evolved alongside German blackletter typefaces. Graphic artist Ludwig Sütterlin was commissioned by the Prussian ministry for culture to create a modern handwriting script in 1911. His handwriting scheme gradually replaced the older cursive scripts that had developed in the 16th century at the same time that bookletters developed into Fraktur. The word Sütterlin is nowadays often used to refer to all varieties of old German handwriting, although only this specific script was taught in all German schools from 1935 to 1941.

Stamps:

Tulip, issued on 2005-09-08
Elves Krokus, issued on 2005-08-11
Karl Leisner (1915-1945), Catholic Priest, issued on 2015-02-05
Numeral 3, issued on 2012-11-02


Thank You Doris!

There's no place like home

This very famous quote is from from L. Frank Baum's 1900 fantasy The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Near the end of its 1939 adaptation, Dorothy repeats that phrase to return home to Kansas.

Stamp is Ludwigslust castle, issued on 2015-01-02

Thank You Sandra!

Taiwan: The Dome of Light at Formosa Boulevard Station

This station is currently the largest round-shaped station in the world. The “Dome of Light” is featured on the upper part of the station, is known as the biggest public art installation all over the world. The author Narcissus Quagliata puts together the dome in a little less than four years, which including shipping art pieces of colored glass directly from Germany. The amazing art piece spans a 30-meter diameter, as visitors walk around, views of story of human life, transitioning from the section that represents water, the womb of life, to earth, which embodies the act of growing and prospering are to be seen. There are also sections on light and fire, the latter representing on the one hand destruction and on the latter rebirth. The main message that pervades the dome, however, is one of love and tolerance.

Stamp is Tabebuia chrysantha, issued on 2009-03-12

Thank You Sharon!

EuroBasket 2015 - stamps from Croatia and Macedonia

Macedonian and Croatian posts has released stamps EuroBasket 2015.

FIBA EuroBasket 2015, is the 39th edition of the EuroBasket championship that is organised by FIBA Europe.

It is taking place in 4 different countries (Croatia, France, Germany, and Latvia) making it the first EuroBasket to be held in more than one country. It started on 5 September, with the finale scheduled for 20 September.

The top two teams will qualify to the 2016 Summer Olympics. The next five teams advance to the World Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

On 18 December 2011, FIBA Europe decided to let Ukraine host Eurobasket 2015, after France, Croatia, Germany and Italy withdrew their joint bid.On 19 March 2014, tournament director Markiyan Lubkivsky announced that EuroBasket 2015 will not take place in Ukraine because of the political and financial crisis and the championship will be relocated.

The knockout stage of the EuroBasket 2015 will take place between 12 September and 20 September 2015. All games will be played at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, France.

One non-European team have won the EuroBasket, Egypt. 19 different countries have won it in total, while 47 countries have competed with Iceland being the latest of those making their debut this year in Berlin. It’s not the first time that the EuroBasket is being held in 5 different cities like many believe, but it is the first time it’s being held in 4 different countries because of the situation in Ukraine.

Taiwan: Vase Rock maximum card

I have received beatiful maxicard from Taiwan! Vase Rock is so beautiful!

Vase Rock is the most famous tourist attraction on Liuqiu. It was formed by the rising of the coastal coral reefs. The coral formation looks like a vase because its lower part becomes thinner as a result of being eroded by the sea for a long period of time.

As evidenced by the newly-formed coral reefs around Vase Rock, Liuqiu is still under the influence of upward movement of the Earth’s crust.

Located near the main port Baisha Port, Vase Rock is often the first destination for visitors. It is the most famous landmark and seen as a guardian of Liuqiu.

Stamp on front side of maxicard is The 30th Asian International Stamp Exhibition - Taiwan Vase Rock, issued on 2015-04-27, and on backside is Alpine Lakes of Taiwan, issued on 2014-07-17.

Thank You very much Minos & Chinrou for this awesome surprise!

Serbia: World football champions U-20 New Zealand 2015

The 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the twentieth edition of the U-20 World Cup since its inception in 1977 as the FIFA World Youth Championship. The competition took place for the first time in New Zealand. Serbia won the final against Brazil 2–1, becoming the first team representing the country to win a FIFA competition title since their independence from Yugoslavia and the dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro. Yugoslavia previously won the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Serbian player Sergej Milinković-Savić is awarded with Bronze Ball, and Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Rajković with Golden Glove.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: International Day of left-handed people - Croatian post Mostar

Croatian post in Bosnia and Herzegovina has released stamp International Day of left-handed people.

August 13 is designated International lefthanders Day by lefthanders International. It was first observed on the 13th of August, in the year 1976.

As the name suggests, it is meant to promote awareness of the inconveniences faced by left-handers in a predominantly right-handed world. It celebrates their uniqueness and differences, who are from seven to ten percent of the world's population. Thousands of left-handed people in today's society have to adapt to use right handed tools and objects.