Monument to Tsar Peter the Great in St. Petersburg

The Bronze Horseman is an equestrian statue of Peter the Great in the Senate Square in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Commissioned by Catherine the Great, it was created by the French sculptor Étienne Maurice Falconet. The name comes from an 1833 poem of the same name by Aleksander Pushkin, which is widely considered one of the most significant works of Russian literature. The statue is now one of the symbols of Saint Petersburg. The statue's pedestal is the enormous Thunder Stone, the largest stone ever moved by humans. The stone originally weighed about 1500 tonnes, but was carved down during transportation to its current size.

Stamp on postcard is The 100th Anniversary of the Dmitrovsky Kremlin Reserve Museum, issued on 13.12.2018.


Thank you, Angelina!

Cover from Republic of South Ossetia – the State of Alania

This is my first cover from Republic of South Ossetia – the State of Alania, or the Tskhinvali Region, disputed territory in the South Caucasus, in the northern part of the internationally recognised Georgian territory. It has a population of 53,000 people who live in an area of 3,900 km2, south of the Russian Caucasus, with 30,000 living in Tskhinvali. The separatist polity, Republic of South Ossetia (or the State of Alania), is recognized as a state by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria. While Georgia lacks control over South Ossetia, the Georgian government and most members of the United Nations consider the territory part of Georgia.

Stamp on cover is very interesting, it's joint issue of South Ossetia and Transnistria, celebrating 20 yours of friendship treaty by South Ossetia and Transnistria! Stamp is part of set issued on 26.12.2014.


Thank you, Jinesh!

Cover from Donetsk People's Republic

This is my first cover from disputed territory called Donetsk People's Republic, and it's same like with Luhansk People's Republic. The Donetsk People's Republic is a declared people's republic and proto-state in the Donetsk Oblast of Ukraine recognized only by the partially recognized South Ossetia and Luhansk People's Republic. Ukraine is at war with the DPR and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) and has designated it as a terrorist group. It was part of the unrecognized Novorossiya confederation with the LPR until 20 May 2015, and since February 2015, has postured itself as the successor to the historic Donetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic.

There's no international postal service in Donetsk, only domestic. So you can receive mail only to address within Donetsk, as you can see on this cover. This stamp on cover is from set Khomutovsky Steppe, issued on 5.6.2018.


Thank you, Jinesh!

Cover from Luhansk People's Republic

This is my first cover from disputed territory called Luhansk People's Republic, in the Donbass region, in eastern Ukraine. Along with the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the LPR declared independence from Ukraine in the aftermath of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution. An armed conflict with Ukraine followed its declaration of independence, during which the LPR and DPR received military and humanitarian assistance from Russia. This conflict is still ongoing as of August 2019. LPR remains unrecognised by any UN member state, including Russia.

There's no international postal service in Luhansk, only domestic. So you can receive mail only to address within Luhansk, as you can see on this cover. This flower stamps are part of set Red Book, issued on 20.8.2018.


Thank you, Jinesh!

Postcard from South Sudan

This is my firs postcard from South Sudan, a landlocked country in East-Central Africa. It gained independence after bloody war from the Republic of the Sudan in 2011, making it the most recent sovereign state with widespread recognition. Its capital and largest city is Juba. Sudan was occupied by Egypt under the Muhammad Ali dynasty and was governed as an Anglo-Egyptian condominium until Sudanese independence in 1956. Following the First Sudanese Civil War, the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region was formed in 1972 and lasted until 1983. A second Sudanese civil war soon broke out, ending in 2005. Later that year, southern autonomy was restored when an Autonomous Government of Southern Sudan was formed. South Sudan became an independent state on 9 July 2011, following 98.83% support for independence in a January 2011 referendum. It has suffered ethnic violence and endured a civil war since 2013.

There is no postal service in South Sudan at the moment. You can get cancellation in Juba, but than you must use DHL to send abroad. Stamp on postcard is President John Garang, issued in 9.7.2011.


Thank you, Jinesh!

Hargeisa War Memorial on postcard from Somaliland

This is my first postcard from Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia. Somaliland doesn't have real postal system. This postcard was cancelled in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland and then sent with DHL. On this card you can see Hargeisa War Memorial, set up to commemorate Somaliland's breakaway attempt in the 1980s, and is a symbol of struggle for the people of this province. The memorial is located in Hargeisa's Freedom Square. It consists of a MiG-17 fighter aircraft of the Somali Air Force, which crashed nearby.

These are not real postage stamps, these are fiscal stamps used for postage!

Thank you, Jinesh!

FDC China 2019 Philatelic Exhibition, Wuhan

China 2019 World Stamp Exhibition was held at the International Expo Center in Wuhan, China, from 11-17th June 2019, with 4,700 frames (competitive class 3,500 frames and the non-competitive class 1,200 frames). This is the third time that China was host of the international exhibition since the exhibitions China 1999 and China 2009. The purpose of the exhibition is to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Chinese Post issued nice set on 11.6.2019. for this exhibition, and on this cover you can see wonderful mini sheet from that set and First day postmark, and also special postmark dedicated to exhibition in lower right part of this cover.

Thank you, Annie!

Red panda on cover from Bhutan

I received cover from Bhutan with red panda, one of my favorite animals! The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List because the wild population is estimated at fewer than 10,000 mature individuals and continues to decline due to habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and inbreeding depression. The red panda is the only living species of the genus Ailurus and the family Ailuridae. It has been previously placed in the raccoon and bear families, but the results of phylogenetic analysis provide strong support for its taxonomic classification in its own family, Ailuridae, which is part of the superfamily Musteloidea, along with the weasel, raccoon and skunk families. This fantastic mini sheet is from set Mammals of Bhutan, issued on 1.2.2019.


Thank you, Aniruddha!

Registered cover from Azerbaijan and new Formula 1 stamps

I ordered some stamps from Azerbaijan and i received them in my first registered cover from Azerbaijan. Cover is prepaid, but 3 stamps are added for registered cover. This cute dog is Shar Pei (Canis lupus familiaris), from set Domestic Dogs, issued on 27.8.2014.

I ordered full sheet of these stamps Azerbaijan Formula One Grand Prix, issued on 19.4.2019.

And also this mini sheet from same set.

Headquarters of the United Nations in New York City

The headquarters of the United Nations is a complex in New York City designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. The complex has served as the official headquarters of the United Nations since its completion in 1952. It is located in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, on spacious grounds overlooking the East River.

 Four stamps on postcard, but only two are cancelled. Interesting postmark with date upside down.
Stamps on postcard:
United Nations, issued on 7.5.1993.
Hands holding flags, issued on 3.2.2006.
UN Emblem, issued on 28.3.2003.
The Golden Rule, issued on 11.9.1991.


Thank you, SL Liew!

Postcard from Vigur Island, with smallest post office in Iceland

Vigur is the second largest island of the Ísafjarðardjúp fjord in Westfjords, Iceland. The island is around 2 kilometres (6,600 ft) in length and 400 metres in width. The island is most noted for its sheep farming, with only a single farm being located on Vigur. Smallest post office in Iceland i slocated here, and my friend Wolfgang sent me this beautiful aerial view of the island from that place.

On this fantastic stamp you can see White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), from set Europa (C.E.P.T.) 2019 - National Birds, issued on 11.4.2019.


Thank you so much, Wolfgang!

Bermuda in Bloom on cover from capital city Hamilton

This beautiful cover arrived from Bermuda, from capital city Hamilton. This two stamps are from set Bermuda in Bloom, issued on 18.8.2016. On left stamp you can see Lagerstroemia indica , a species in the genus Lagerstroemia in the family Lythraceae, which is native to the Indian Subcontinent (hence the name indica), and also to Southeast Asia, China, Korea and Japan. Planted in full sun or under canopy, the tree is a popular nesting shrub for songbirds and wrens. In the United Kingdom, Lagerstroemia indica has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

On right side you can see Cassia javanica is a species of tree in the family Fabaceae. Its origin is in Southeast Asia, but it has been extensively grown in tropical areas worldwide as a garden tree owing to its beautiful crimson and pink flower bunches. C. javanica is one of Thailand's Nine Auspicious Trees and is said to bring good luck, ensure continued high rank and afford victory.


Thank you, Holger!

Fauna of Indonesia

This cover from Indonesia shows three species of fauna found in Indonesia, from set issued on 5.11.2018. Knobbed Hornbill (Rhyticeros cassidix) is a colorful hornbill native to Indonesia. The species is sometimes placed in the genus Aceros. The knobbed hornbill is the faunal symbol of South Sulawesi province. Ursine Tree-Kangaroo (Dendrolagus ursinus) is a species of marsupial in the family Macropodidae. It is endemic to the Vogelkop and possibly the Fakfak Peninsulas, West Papua, Indonesia. It is threatened by habitat destruction and is listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Celebes Crested Macaque (Macaca nigra), also known as the crested black macaque, Sulawesi crested macaque, or the black ape, is an Old World monkey that lives in the Tangkoko reserve in the northeastern tip of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi (Celebes), as well as on smaller neighboring islands. 

Thank you, Irene!

Eurovision Song Contest special postmark and ATM label from Israel

After Netta's victory in Lisbon in Lisbon, the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest took place in Tel Aviv, Israel. The 64th Eurovision Song Contest was held at Expo Tel Aviv (International Convention Center). This was the third time Israel has hosted the contest, having previously hosted in 1979 and 1999. To mark this event, Israeli post issued ATM label and special postmark.  There is also a stamp The Nabi Sabalan Tomb, issued on 22.7.1986.

And this is front of postcard, inspired by Israel's victory at the 2018 contest in Lisbon, Portugal, with the song "Toy", performed by Netta.  

Thank you, Oleg!

75th anniversary of D-Day on cover from Canada

D-Day or The Normandy landings were the landing operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The operation began the liberation of German-occupied France (and later western Europe) from Nazi control, and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front. My friend Trevor marked this day with this nice cover he designed and also with this personalized stamp (upper right corner) of his great uncle Alvin Peterson which fought there.
There is also one older Canadian stamp dedicated to D-Day, issued on 6.6.2004.

There's also a lot of interesting data on the back of cover and couple of nice old propaganda posters.


Thank you, Trevor!

Les Království Dam and Bible of Kralice on cover from Czech Republic

 

On this cover from Czech Republic you can see in the middle stamp Les Království Dam (issued on 6.3.2019.), which from a distance looks like a castle. It borrowed its name from the neighboring former royal forest.  Thanks to its location in the forested valley of the river Elbe, and its architectonic rendering, the dam is one of the most beautiful in the entire Czech Republic, and perhaps that’s why it was declared a National Technical Monument in the year 1964.

Last stamp is dedicated to The 400th Anniversary of the Bible of Kralice, and it's issued on 16.10.2013. The Bible of Kralice was the first complete translation of the Bible from the original languages into the Czech language. Translated by the Unity of the Brethren and printed in the town of Kralice nad Oslavou, the first edition had six volumes and was published between 1579 and 1593.

Thank you, Miška!

Endangered species on cover from Tunisia

This is cover from Tunisia with complete set Endangered species, issued on 23.5.2019.

The addax (Addax nasomaculatus), also known as the white antelope and the screwhorn antelope, is an antelope of the genus Addax, that lives in the Sahara desert. The addax is a critically endangered species of antelope, as classified by the IUCN. The addax was once abundant in North Africa, native to Chad, Mauritania and Niger. It is extinct in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Sudan and Western Sahara. It has been reintroduced in Morocco and Tunisia.

The Mogod Pony comes from the northernmost area of Tunisia and is thought to be a strain of the mighty Barb horse, refined and bred to suit the area over centuries. Sadly as machines began to replace animals in the 20th century their numbers began to dwindle.

Oryx is a genus consisting of four large antelope species called oryxes. Their fur is pale with contrasting dark markings in the face and on the legs, and their long horns are almost straight.
The Arabian oryx was only saved from extinction through a captive breeding program and reintroduction to the wild. The scimitar oryx, which is now listed as Extinct in the Wild, also relies on a captive breeding program for its survival.

Thank you, Mohamed!

The 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad on cover from American military base in Germany

This fantastic stamps set with gold foil is issued on 10.5.2019. to commemorate The 150th Anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad. The Transcontinental Railroad was a 3,077 km continuous railroad line constructed between 1863 and 1869 that connected the existing eastern U.S. rail network at Council Bluffs, Iowa with the Pacific coast at the Oakland Long Wharf on San Francisco Bay. The resulting coast-to-coast railroad connection revolutionized the settlement and economy of the American West. It brought the western states and territories into alignment with the northern Union states and made transporting passengers and goods coast-to-coast considerably quicker, safer and less expensive.

On scanned copy you can't see beauty of gold foil printing, so i decided to took couple of shots with mobile phone camera.

Thank you so much, Kathy!