Double overprinted David Livingstone stamps on cover from Zambia

I received my first cover from Zambia, with block of four overprinted stamps dedicated to Anniversary of David Livingstone at the Victoria Falls. This stamps are originally issued in 2006, but they are overprinted together with bunch of other stamps twice! This second overprint is issued on 22.3.2013.

Livingstone became convinced of his mission to reach new peoples in the interior of Africa and introduce them to Christianity, as well as freeing them from slavery. It was this which inspired his explorations. In 1849 and 1851, he traveled across the Kalahari, on the second trip sighting the upper Zambezi River. In 1852, he began a four year expedition to find a route from the upper Zambezi to the coast. This filled huge gaps in western knowledge of central and southern Africa. In 1855, Livingstone discovered a spectacular waterfall which he named 'Victoria Falls'. He reached the mouth of the Zambezi on the Indian Ocean in May 1856, becoming the first European to cross the width of southern Africa.


Thank you, Wolfgang!

Russia: Weapons of the Victory stamp series

Russian post (Почта России) issued stamps series Weapons of the Victory from 2009 until 2015, and whole series is dedicated to Soviet weapons used in WWII. I received in cover whole series except year 2011.

 

I also received inside this card dedicated to Victory day and legendary Marshall Zhukov.

All this arrived in this cover with complete set 100th Anniversary of the Foreign Intelligence Service from 2019.


Thank you so much, Виктория!

Precious Pets on cover from Norway

On this lovely cover form Norway you can see stamp set Precious Pets released on 5.10.2019. This two beautiful animals are Norwegian elkhound and Norwegian forest cat, designed by Cecilie Sørgård and printed in 330.000 copies.

The Norwegian Elkhound is one of the Northern Spitz-type breed of dog and is the National Dog of Norway. The Elkhound has served as a hunter, guardian, herder, and defender. It is known for its courage in tracking and hunting moose (or elk) and other large game, such as bears or wolves. The Norwegian Elkhound was first presented at a dog exhibition in Norway in 1877.

The Norwegian Forest cat is a breed of domestic cat originating in Northern Europe. This natural breed is adapted to a very cold climate, with a top coat of glossy, long, water-shedding hairs and a woolly undercoat for insulation. Although this is uncertain, the breed's ancestors may have been a landrace of short-haired cats brought to Norway by the Vikings around 1000 AD, who may also have brought with them long-haired cats, like those ancestral to the modern Siberian and Turkish Angora breeds. During World War II, the breed became nearly extinct until efforts by the Norwegian Forest Cat Club helped the breed by creating an official breeding program.

Thank you, Rune!

Postcard from Norwegian archipelago Svalbard

Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Situated north of mainland Europe, it is about midway between continental Norway and the North Pole. While part of the Kingdom of Norway since 1925, Svalbard is not part of geographical Norway proper; administratively, the archipelago is not part of any Norwegian county, but forms an unincorporated area administered by a governor appointed by the Norwegian government, and a special jurisdiction subject to the Svalbard Treaty that is, unlike Norway proper, outside of the Schengen Area, the Nordic Passport Union and the European Economic Area. Since 2002, Svalbard's main settlement, Longyearbyen, has had an elected local government, somewhat similar to mainland municipalities. Other settlements include the Russian mining community of Barentsburg, the research station of Ny-Ålesund, and the mining outpost of Sveagruva. Ny-Ålesund is the northernmost settlement in the world with a permanent civilian population.

This two beautiful birds on stamps are White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe), issued on 3.10.2015. And there is fantastic postmark from main settlement Longyearbyen.


Thank you so much, Rune!

Various fauna on cover from South Korea

Here is another nice cover from South Korea, with 3 stamps from different sets dedicated to fauna. First one is from set Chinese New Year 2014 - Year of the Horse, issued on 2.12.2013. Second one is from set Endangered Species : Korean Mountain Goat, issued on 20.2.2017. And third stamp in pair is Tawny Owl (Strix aluco), issued on 1.9.2005. This special postmark is dedicated to the 70th Anniversary of the South Korean Air Force.


Thank you, Li Ming!

Domestic Birds on cover from Moldova

I received cover from Moldova with complete stamp set Domestic Birds, issued on 23.8.2018. Four featured birds on stamp are duck, goose, rooster and turkey. Far from exotic birds, but stamps are beautifully designed by Vladimir Melnic.


Thank you, Holger!

Fauna on cover from Zimbabwe

This is my first cover from Zimbabwe, a landlocked country located in Southern Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique. On this cover you can see 3 stamps from set National Animals, issued on 9.10.2007. Gemsbok (Oryx gazella) is a national animal of Namibia, Nyala (Tragelaphus angasii) is a national animal of Malawi and Burchell's Zebra (Equus burchelli) is a national animal of Botswana.


Thank you, Jinesh!

Cover from Central African Republic

On this cover from Central African Republic you can see on left stamp central chimpanzee or tschego (Pan troglodytes troglodytes). The central chimpanzee occurs in Central Africa, mainly in Gabon, Cameroon, and Republic of the Congo, but also in the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, the Cabinda exclave of Angola, south-east Nigeria, and the coastal extension of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its range extends north to the Sanaga River in Cameroon, east to the Ubangi River that defines the border between the two Congos, and south to the Congo River, which defines a large part of the same border. Chimpanzees are found predominantly in tropical moist forests and wet savanna woodlands, as well as the forest-savanna mosaics where these two biomes meet, from sea level to 3,000 metres. They tend to have larger ranges in the forest-savanna mosaics. The average range is 12.5 km2, but can vary from 5 km2 to 400 km2. Second stamp is dedicated to tennis.


Thank you, Jinesh!

Tyrannosaurus rex on cover from US military base

Extinct for some 66 million years, the carnivorous Tyrannosaurus rex dominated the Cretaceous period, which was the tail end of the dinosaur age. With powerful jaws packed in its 4-foot-long skull and banana-sized teeth serrated like steak knives, T. rex easily bit through the flesh and hefty bones of even large dinosaur prey. Its full-grown weight was six to ten tons. Its maximum length was about 40 feet. Although the name “Tyrannosaurus rex” means “tyrant lizard king,” and “dinosaur” means “fearfully great lizard,” they were not lizards at all. Dinosaurs were from a separate reptile lineage, whose closest living relatives are birds and crocodilians.

USPS issued set of four stamps dedicated to Tyrannosaurus rex on 29.8.2019. There's a 3D effect on right stamp, but is not very good, it's hard to see difference. I took two pictures in different angles, but this is the best i can do to show you this effect. Upper picture shows much smaller T-rex head turned to the right, than the bottom one, which is much bigger and clearer.

Thank you, Kathleen!

70th Anniversary of the South Korean Air Force

South Korea's Air Force was established on Oct. 1, 1949, with around 1,600 personnel and 20 light aircraft. Upon the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, the Air Force acquired 10 F-51 Mustang fighter bombers, its first-ever fighter jets, from U.S. forces and carried out operations. Seventy years on, the Air Force has made marked progress and now possesses state-of-the-art weapons systems like F-35A stealth fighters and KC-330 aerial tankers, and it aims to be a leading aerospace power that could rule future warfare, according to officers. South Korean marked 70th anniversary with this beautiful stamp and postmark.


Thank you, Choonjong!

View & Landscapes of Yilan County on registered cover from Taiwan

I received this registered cover from Taiwan, wit complete set  View & Landscapes of Yilan County, issued on 16.7.2019. Situated in Northeastern Taiwan, Yilan County is surrounded by both the ocean and the mountains. Yilan is officially administered as a county of the Republic of China. The name Yilan name derives from the aboriginal Kavalan tribe. Other former names in reference to this area in the Yilan Plain include Kabalan, Kavalan, Kavaland, La-A-Lan,E-A-Lan, and Gilan. Before 2009, the county's official name was transliterated as Ilan.


Thank you, Li Ming!

Pakistan: IDEAS - Arms for peace

The International Defence Exhibition and Seminar, more commonly referred to as IDEAS, is a defence sector event, held biannually, in Pakistan. The Pakistan government attaches a high level of importance to IDEAS; despite the fact that it attracts a large number of delegates, it is seen as a vehicle for facilitating their own indigenous arms trade. Pakistani post issued this stamp on 27.11.2018.

 There's also one stamp and two nice postmarks at the back.


Thank you, Faisal!

Greetings from series: China

I got postcard from Greetings from series from China after long time. It shows some basic facts about China, but too little to be honest, and not so good selection of data. For example, there's no mention of The Great Wall of China.

Three nice stamps at the back:
Vacation Activities, issued on 19.5.2015.
Conservation of water, issued on 1.4.2002.
Pineapple from set Fruits (Series 3), issued on 14.7.2018.



Thank you, Wendy!
 

Stamp Art Award on cover from FInland

I received stamp set on cover from Finland which is impossible to scan properly cause its printed on some type of metal foil. You also must find right angle under light when you take picture with camera. Posti Ltd has given the stamp art promotion award of 2019 to Mert Otsamo, a fashion designer who has designed clothes and jewelry for various celebrities for events such as galas, stages and the annual Independence Day Reception. AD Paula Salviander is responsible for the graphic design of the Posti art award 2019 stamps.

Thank you, Kimmo!

Cover from El Salvador

I received few months ago this lovely cover from El Salvador with 3 nice stamps and lovely oval postmarks. First stamp is from set History of Aviation in El Salvador, issued on 7.12.2017. On second stamp is Canonization of Saint Oscar Arnulfo Romero, issued on 3.10.2018. And third one is dedicated to Ernesto Antonio Claramount Roseville, and is issued on 20.7.2016.

These nice postmarks are also on the back of cover. 

Thank you, William!

Flags of the World Series: Guatemala

Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, Belize and the Caribbean to the northeast, Honduras to the east, El Salvador to the southeast and the Pacific Ocean to the south. With an estimated population of around 17.2 million, it is the most populated country in Central America. Guatemala is a representative democracy; its capital and largest city is Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción, also known as Guatemala City.

There's no postal service in Guatemala last few years, but is possible there to get postmark like this one.


Thank you so much, William!

International decade for natural disaster reduction on cover from UN New York

The United Nations General Assembly designated the 1990s as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. Its basic objective was to decrease the loss of life, property destruction and social and economic disruption caused by natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions, droughts, locust infestations, and other disasters of natural origin. The decade was intended to reduce, through concerted international action, especially in developing countries, loss of life, property damage and social and economic disruption caused by natural disasters.


Thank you, Wolfgang & Martin!

Cover from Monastic Republic of Mount Athos

The Monastic Republic of Mount Athos is a region of northern Greece around the Mount Athos peninsula, in Chalkidiki, enjoying a status of autonomy comparable to the peripheries (Greek administrative regions). It brings together twenty monasteries and the different villages and houses that depend on them. They house around 2,000 Eastern Orthodox Greek, Serbian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Russian  and other monks who lead a life of seclusion, introspection and prayer. The small village of Karyes is the administrative center and the seat of the synod.

This was my last missing territory from Europe. It was very hard to get this cover because you need permit to go there, and they admit only hundred people per day, only men and mostly Orthodox Christians. But i had luck, cause i find priest of Serbian Orthodox Church from my city who went there. So i prepared blank cover with my address, postal clerk added this stamp from set Paintings by Vladimir Davidoff and he sent me cover from Karyes.


Thank you, Neša!

Shaped postcard from Western Sahara

Western Sahara is a disputed territory on the northwest coast and in the Maghreb region of North and West Africa, partially controlled by the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and partially occupied by neighboring Morocco. Its surface area amounts to 266,000 square kilometres. It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly consisting of desert flatlands. The population is estimated at just over 500000, of which nearly 40% live in Laayoune, the largest city in Western Sahara.  Occupied by Spain until the late 20th century, Western Sahara has been on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories since 1963 after a Moroccan demand. In 1975, Spain relinquished the administrative control of the territory to a joint administration by Morocco and Mauritania. A war erupted between those countries and a Sahrawi nationalist movement, the Polisario Front, which proclaimed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic with a government in exile in Tindouf, Algeria. Mauritania withdrew its claims in 1979, and Morocco eventually secured de facto control of most of the territory, including all the major cities and natural resources. The United Nations considers the Polisario Front to be the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people, and maintains that the Sahrawis have a right to self-determination.

Of course, there's only Moroccan postal system there and Moroccan stamps are used for mail.


Thank you, Stanislav!

Another nice big registered cover from Canada

Here's another fine Canadian cover with a lot of stamps from recent years, and also sent by my friend Trevor. For this one he used stamps from this sets: Sharks (2018), 100th Anniv. of the Sinking of the RMS Empress of Ireland, Prehistoric Canada (5th series), Haunted Canada, Lunar Year, Endangered Turtles, Vancouver Asahi Baseball Team, Eid, Diwali, Black History Month, 150 years of Canadian photography... And on the bottom you can see flip over sticker. On second picture you can see postage meter sticker for additional postage.

Thanks, Trevor!

Registered jumbo cover from Canada

I received another beautiful big registered cover from Canada last year, with a lot of beautiful Canadian stamps from various sets, mostly from last couple of years. My friend Trevor used stamps from sets: Emergency Responders, Chinese New Year - Year of the Pig, Canada Post Community Foundation, From Far and Wide, Canadians in Flight and few from other sets.


Thanks, mate!

Flags of the World Series: Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia is a sovereign island country in the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. The island was previously called Iyonola, the name given to the island by the native Amerindians and later, Hewanorra, the name given by the native Caribs. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 617 km2 and reported a population of 165,595 in the 2010 census. Its capital is Castries.

The French were the island's first European settlers. They signed a treaty with the native Island Caribs in 1660. England took control of the island from 1663 to 1667. In ensuing years, it was at war with France fourteen times, and the rule of the island changed frequently (it was ruled seven times each by the French and British). In 1814, the British took definitive control of the island. Because it switched so often between British and French control, Saint Lucia was also known as the "Helen of the West Indies" after the Greek mythological character, Helen of Troy.

Two big postmark on stamps showing Vermillion Saddlebags (8.4.2013.) and Hog plum (5.12.2005.)


Thank you, Camille!

Blue Whale on registered cover from Canada

I received last year Canadian registered cover with Blue whale stamp on it, the biggest stamp and highest stamp denomination Canada Post has ever produced. Stamp is part of long running Canadian Wildlife series and this one is issued on 4.10.2010.

Size, power and speed, the majestic blue whale (Balænoptera musculus), king of the animal kingdom, has it all. Weighing in at between 80 and 180 metric tonnes and reaching lengths of more than 30 m, our planet has never—even in the age of dinosaurs—seen another creature this big. It can travel at speeds of 33 km/hr, accelerating to 48 km/hr when chased, making it among the fastest whale species. This fascinating giant of the deep is also unmatched in the projection of its voice, emitting low-frequency sounds that can travel hundreds of kilometers (and possibly entire oceans) under water.

There is also one more stamp from Canadian Wildlife series on this cover among other stamps. This is Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), issued on 15.10.1997, and this stamp is first one in this series.


Thanks a lot, Trevor!

Field flowers on cover from Netherlands

Dutch post issued stamp set dedicated to field flowers on 9.4.2018. On this cover you can see two flowers from set, briza and cuckooflower.

Briza is a genus of annual and perennial plants in the grass family, native to northern temperate regions of Eurasia, North Africa, and certain islands in the Atlantic. The group is generally referred to as the quaking grasses because the flowers and seedheads shake on their stalks in the slightest breeze. Some of its members are grown as ornamental plants.

Cardamine pratensis (cuckooflower, lady's smock, mayflower, or milkmaids), is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, native throughout most of Europe and Western Asia. The specific name pratensis is Latin for "meadow." 

Thank you, Albert!

Military Working Dogs on cover sent from US military base

US Post issued stamps set dedicated to military working dogs. On this cover you can see two stamps with German Shepherd and Labrador Retriever. 

The German Shepherd is a breed of medium to large-sized working dog that originated in Germany. Despite its primitive, wolf-like appearance the German Shepherd is a relatively modern breed of dog, with their origin dating to 1899. As a herding dog, German Shepherds are working dogs developed originally for herding sheep. Since that time, however, because of their strength, intelligence, trainability, and obedience, German Shepherds around the world are often the preferred breed for many types of work, including disability assistance, search-and-rescue, police and military roles and acting.

The Labrador Retriever is a medium-large breed of retriever-gun dog. A favourite disability assistance breed in many countries, Labradors are frequently trained to aid those with blindness or autism, act as a therapy dog, or perform screening and detection work for law enforcement and other official agencies. The breed is best known for their obedience, loyalty, and playful composure. Additionally, they are prized as sporting and hunting dogs.


Thank you, Kathy!

Postcard from Dildo community in Canada

Dildo is a community on the island of Newfoundland, in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is located on the southeastern Dildo Arm of Trinity Bay about 60 kilometres west of St. John's. South Dildo is a neighboring community of 250 residents. The place name "Dildo" is attested in this area since at least 1711, though how this came to be is unknown. The name, then written as "Dildoe", was first applied to Dildo Island, located offshore from the present-day community of Dildo. This use was recorded in 1711 and 1775, and the name was thereafter applied to the Dildo Arm of Trinity Bay and other local physical features. Social scientist William Baillie Hamilton notes that Captain James Cook and his assistant Michael Lane, who mapped Newfoundland in the 1760s, often displayed a sense of humour in the place names they chose, and were not above selecting names that might offend over-sensitive readers. Regardless of the origin, the name has brought the town of Dildo a measure of notoriety.

 Very nice and clear postmark from Dildo post office on stamp from set From Far And Wide, issued on 14.1.2019.


Thank you very much, Trevor!

Black guillemot on cover from Faroe Islands

Faroe Islands issued two stamps for this year Europa CEPT theme National birds, both with black guillemot. I received cover with first stamp from set, issued on 29.4.2019. The black guillemot or tystie (Cepphus grylle) is a medium-sized seabird of the alcid family, Alcidae, native throughout northern Atlantic coasts and eastern North American coasts. It is resident in much of its range, but large populations from the high arctic migrate southwards in winter. The bird can be seen in and around its breeding habitat of rocky shores, cliffs and islands in single or smalls groups of pairs. They feed mainly by diving towards the sea floor feeding on fish, crustaceans or other benthic invertebrates. They are listed on the IUCN red list as a species of least concern.


Thank you, Henrik!