Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Thai coins : 01 d - 10 baht commemorative coins

More of Thailands 10 baht coins

Y # 371

In February 2000, at the occasion of the National Economic and Social Development Board, a commemorative coin was emitted. Showing at the front side, King Rama IX; at the back 3 seated figures.
BE 2543
Y 371 front
Y 371 back
Y # 373

Also in February, but in 2001, the Department of Land celebrated its centennial with a commemorative coin.
At the front, King Rama V and King Rama IX, at the back the Department's seal.

Y 373 front
Y 373 back
Y # 381

Another centennial was celebrated and commemorated in 2002 (BE 2545). The Irrigation Department, celebrated also its 100th anniversary. Both kings are on the front side, on the back is the Department logo.

Y 381 front
Y 381 back
Y # 382

60 years can be celebrated too, this coin commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Department of Internal Trade. King Rama IX is depicted on the front side, the Department logo is shown on the back side.
Year of issue is 2002 (BE 2545)

Y 382 front
Y 382 back
... to be continued ...

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Thai coins : 01 c - 10 baht commemorative coins

Thai coins and the bimetallic 10 baht coins, are such a nice topic to collect.
In this item, I'll continue the list of coins.

Y # 352

In March 1998 (BE 2541) King Rama III was honoured with the title 'great'.
This was commemorated with a special 10 baht coin.
On the face side of the coin, King Rama III  is depicted, on the back the royal arm of the king are shown.

Y # 352 front
Y # 352 back

Y # 354
100 years after the founding of the Army Medical Department, the anniversary was celebrated with a coin.
Both kings, Rama V and Rama IX are on the front side of the coin, at the back, we see the emblem of the Army Medical Department.
This coin has no date, but the coin was issued in 2000 (BE 2543).


Y # 354 front
Y # 354 back

Y # 358

Not only centenials are celebratede in Thailand.
The next coin is to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Ministry of Commerce.
The royal portrait of King Rama IX is on the front, and on the back we see the Ministry logo.
A very nice design with a square and circle which made me thing ok certain Nepalese coins.
This coin was emitted in 2000 (BE 2543)
Y # 358 front
Y # 358 back

Y # 361

Living in Thailand means living long and healthy.
Prove is next coin, which shows the King's mother at the occasion of her 100th anniversary.
Of course the front side shows the King's mother, an emblem on the back side.

Y # 361 front
Y # 361 back

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Theme : Esperanto 08

When talking about Esperanto, we're talking about a language.
Call it 'constructed' or 'artificial', speaking Esperanto, doesn't give me the feeling there's much artificial about it. It's a tool to make people understand eachother in a world with so many languages.

According the Bible (First or Old Testament) in the beginning there was only one language. (which wasn't Esperanto I suppose).
But menkind became
presumptuous, and tempted God by building an enormous tower according to the Book of Genesis,  in the plain of Shinar. Pretending that speaking in one language, one voice, would make them invincible.
"And so God scattered them upon the face of the Earth, and confused their languages, and they left off building the city, which was called Babel "because God there confounded the language of all the Earth."(Genesis 11:5-8)"
Also in the Qur'an there is a story with similarities to the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel, though set in the Egypt of Moses. In Suras 28:38 and 40:36-37, Pharaoh asks Haman to build him a stone, or clay tower so that he can mount up to heaven and confront the God of Moses.

This image inspired Pieter Bruegel the Elder, the flemish renaissance painter in 1563 to make a painting of the so called 'tower of Babel'.

The Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1563).
The painting of Breugel, was in 1982 the idea for a stamp dedicated to the theme of Esperanto.
As the tower symolises the
confusion of tongues, and Esperanto offers a solution for this confusion, the tower of Babel appears in this belgian stamp, having a green star (the symbol of Esperanto) on top of the tower as a comet flying into the scenery.

Belgium - Esperanto 1982

A very nice stamp, and a very nice tribute to Dr. Zamenhof.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Theme : Volkswagen Beetle - 14

Bestand:LocationÅland.svg
Åland on the map
booklet - outside
booklet - inside
the single Åland stamp - first class
Åland licence plate on the car

Friday, September 16, 2011

Theme : Volkswagen Beetle - 13

In 2001, the smal country of Luxemburg, made me happy.
Luxemburg always makes me happy, but this time, it was for a special reason.
A small booklet with 12 auto-adhesive stamps was issued, dedicated to the Postal Services of Luxemburg.
Depicted were two cars that were used by the postal services.
One was the Citroën 2CV, the other one the Volkswagen Beetle.

Being in the middle of two big countries in Europe (France and Germany). A set of stamps with the most famous cars of both countries, wasn't a bad idea at all.

Altough there are 2CV collectors, I will focus on the Volkswagen Beetle, as it 's my topic.

VW Beetle, used as postal vehicle in Luxemburg
On the booklet there are 6 stamps with the Citroën 2CV and 6 with a Volkswagen Beetle.
The Citroën has a facevalue of 0,07 €; the Volkswagen 0,45 €

inside the booklet
outside the booklet
I was lucky to be in Luxemburg at the time of issue.
This made it possible to find (and buy) two additional first day covers.

First day cover with two different stamps

First day cover with two 'beetle stamps'

First day cancel

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Microstates : 14 Isö (bogus)

Ever heard of Isö?
If you're thinking of an item in Ikea, then I can tell you, you're not really that mistaken.
According to Wikipedia, it's a "local issued stamp from (Eastern) Sweden.
So far the link with Ikea.

In fact it has nothing to do with Sweden at all.
The CTO cancels on the Isö labels do mention 'Sverige' (Swedish for 'Sweden'). However there's no value in öre or krone.

The labels are purely fantasy and show pictures of marine life, historic events or people (hardly recognisable) and places (here London).
Except for the fish maybe, no link with Sweden.

Isö - topic UK (London)
Isö - topic fish

Try to recognise the 'famous' people...

Iso - topic WWII historic events
Those cinderellas are easily found in thematic collections. Wildlife, animals, historic events and so on.
Don't be misled, they are as fake as the Swedish words in Ikea.
But at least Ikea is real :-)

Monday, September 12, 2011

Thai coins : 01 b - 10 baht commemorative coins

This second post on 10 baht commemoratives coins, will show another 4 beautiful bi-metallic coins.
For info on the thai numeral system, see post 01 a.



Y # 347

100 years before this coin was minted, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) did a European Tour.
Quite innovating at that time. This trip made the Thai aware of what was happening in the world, at the end of the 19th century.
In 1997 (BE 2540) a commemorative coin was made in honour of King Rama V. (front)

Y 347 front
Y 347 back

Y # 348

Every year, the asian countries have their own 'Olympic Games', similar to Europan Championship, the Asian Games are for all participating countries in the Asian region.
No better event for a commemorative coin of course.
On the front side, King Rama IX, ont he back the symbol of the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok (1998)

Y 348 front
Y 348 back

Y # 349

A lot of events celebrated their anniversary. Thanks to King Rama V, who established many institutes and foundations at the end of the 19th century.
One of those organisations is the Customer's Department, who celebrated their 125th anniversary in 1999.
Coin minted in BE 2542 (1999)
On the front King Rama IX and King Rama V.
On the back buildings and the emblem of the organisation.

Y 349 front
Y 349 back

Y # 350

A birthday is aways good to commemorate.
This coin remembers the 72nd birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (King Rama IX)
On the front side, the king is depicted, on the back the royal emblem.
At the bottom on the back the year is visible : BE 2542 (1999) - ๒๕๔๒
Y 350 front
Y 350 back