Odd stamps : 03h 3D stamps (moving)

Fans of Star Wars have been spoiled with special issues on this topic.
I posted already a set of stamps with the main characters. All in lenticular printing.

The set is completed with a souvenir sheet, showing a space ship. The miniature sheet has the oulines of the vessel on the top side.

The Millennium Falcon

The depicted space craft is the Millennium Falcon, (type YT-1300f Light Freighter) which appears in all episodes starting from III. It's the personal vessel of Rey and Chewbacca.

In the sheet, also a stamp is included.
Since the sheet is printed in a kind of plastic, the stamp needs to be cut out of the sheet in order to be used.
The sheet is not gummed, nore auto-adhesive.

When tilt, the sheetlet reveils extra information on the space ship, and the 'stamp' switches images.
We see the character of Han Solo in one image.

Han Solo - solo

On the second image, we see Han Solo and Chewbacca. He is the 234 year old Wookiee co-piloot of the Millennium Falcon.

Han Solo and Chewbacca

Odd stamps : 03g 3D stamps (moving)

The Star Wars Saga is like a never ending story.
So far 8 episodes have been made so far (2018).

The story starts with episode 3... It was released in May 1977 already.
A time where space exploration was still more or less 'science fiction'. In the late 70's there was still hope, so 'a new hope' was warmly welcomed.
In May 1980, the empire strikes back, with a second movie, part 4 in the saga.
3 years later, again in May, the Jedi returns with episode 5.
Then the fans have to wait till ... May 1999 when a prequel (episode 1) comes to the theaters.

This 'first' episode was not a phantom menace to all movies that were made in 1999. With over one billion USD in revenue, it whipped out all other movies that year.
In 2002 (guess what ... in May) the clones attacked us again with a fifth movie. This movie was the second of the prequel series.
In ... May 2005, the prequel was completed with a 6th (of sith) revenge.

In 2015, the forces awakened again, and a third trilogy started, this time ... in December.
This movie had over 2 billion USD in revenues!
Two years later,George Lucas found a last Jedi to make the 2nd movie of the sequel-trilogy.
The movie came out in December as well...
Now it's waiting till (December) 2019 (?) for the ninth movie, to complete the trilogy-trilogy.

Many postal services took their part in the huge commercial succes of George Lucas' movies.
For this blog, I limit myself to 'odd' stamps on this topic.

Spain 3D sheet - Star Wars

Spain issued a 3D sheet, with 6 'stamps' depicting characters from the movie,
but only one out of the six stamps is actuallly a stamp.

Dart Vader on a 3D stamp Spain

The other 5 look similar but have no country name, nore a value.
The labels depict : A storm trooper - Chewbacca - R2-D2 - Yoda and C-3PO

 

It's not the best issue Spain made so far, and it's not a superb 3D-sheet either, but I guess it's a must have for all die hard fans ... but that's another movie.

Odd stamps : 03f 3D stamps (moving)

At the occasion of the 2010 Fifa World cup, the republic of Slovakia issued a sheet with two identical lenticular stamps.
On the stamp, a football (soccer) player is kicking a ball toward the goal on the opposite site of the field.
In the last 'image' the ball is out of sight, but the player cheers, as if he scored.

Slovakia - Lenticular stamp 2010

 The 2010 World Cup was held in South Africa.
Slovakia survived two rounds, but got kicked out before reaching the quarter finals, by the Netherlands. The Netherlands became second in the end.

Slovakia 3D - 2010

Slovakia 3D - 2010

On the back side of the sheet, all 32 participating countries are mentionned, each in it's own group.

For the record .... Spain won the world cup in 2010 -  Germany became third.

Odd stamps : 03e 3D stamps (moving)

Among the numerous issues on Queen Elisabeth, I have picked up a special issue featuring 3D images.
New Zealand - where QE II is still the head of State - honoured the British monarch with a solid sheet, with 3 stamps of 5 NZ$ each.
The stamps have the shape of an old style painting, and can be 'pushed out' of the sheet.
Each of the stamps has 3 different images, which can be seen alternately by flipping the stamps to the back or the front.
As it is nearly impossible to scan those images in a decent way, I took the liberty to take the images from another site : http://philatelynews.com/.

When flipped to the back, we see a photo taken in 1926, 1936 and 1947.
1926 : "Birth of a princess"
1936 : "Childhood in London"
1947 : "The royal wedding"

3D sheet NZ 2016 - flipped to the back

The normal frontal vieuw, shows pictures taken in 1949, 1963 and 1977.
1949 : "Family time with Prince Charles"
1963 : "Opening New Zealand's parliament"
1977 : "Royal visit to New Zealand"

3D sheet NZ 2016 - frontal view

Finally, flipped to the front, another 3 pictures can be seen, from 1995, 2002 and 2015.
1995 : "Royal visit to New Zealand"
2002 : "Royal visit to New Zealand"
2015 : "Attending Anzac centenary commemorations"

3D sheet NZ 2016 - flipped to the front

Not sure if many of those stamps will end on a letter or postcard from New Zealand, but for the collectors of QE II - stamps, surely a splendid addition to their collection.

Odd stamps : 03d 3D stamps (moving)

3D stamps will always be spectacular. to look at...
Not to print, or to be put on a website like this one.

Thunderbirds' lenticular sheet (from UK's Royal Mail website)

The pic above was taken from the website of the UK's Royal Mail. As my picture is less fancy...

same sheet, my scan ...

The UK's royal mail created a set of lenticular stamps to honour the work of Supermarionation legend Gerry Anderson MBE and his team at Century 21 Productions. The lenticular stamps feature the countdown and launch sequence of all the legendary Thunderbirds craft from the iconic 1960's series' title sequence.

Some episodes have been on (British) television in the 90's as well, but I'm not sure if young readers will remember the Thunderbirds as the British science fiction television series.
It was first broadcasted during 1965 and 1966, devised by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and made by their company, AP Films, using a form of marionette puppetry dubbed "Supermarionation". 
The series followed the adventures of International Rescue, a secretive organisation created to help those in grave danger using technically advanced equipment and machinery launched from its hidden Tracy Island base. The series focused on the head of the organisation, ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy, and his five sons who piloted the "Thunderbird" crafts. Its London agent, Lady Penelope, also makes frequent appearances. The series has benefited from periodic revivals since - as well as subsequently inspiring other television programmes and advertisements, theatrical productions, feature films and substantial merchandise.

Thunderbirds in action

It's not easy to make scans of 3D images, so I tried to scan the sheet in different ways, hoping to give an impression of the images that can be seen on the 4 lenticular stamps.

view on the lenticlar sheet

Another view on the lenticular sheet

The stamps have also been issued as non-lenticular images.

I found this video on the 3D sheetlet :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=k05u3mIltG0#t=22s

more to follow ...

Odd stamps : 03c 3D stamps (moving)

Once in a while, I get new material for previously posted items.
Today, I 'm happy to show you another 3D sheetlet.
It was issued in Malaysia in 2011, to promote and show the Excellence of Underground Engineering.

The issue commemorates the Kuala Lumpur SMART Tunnel construction
As Malaysia suffered in the past from many floodings, a solution was sought to keep traffic going on.
Tunnels used to flood, roads as well.
A special tunnel was designed and constructed between 2003 and 2007.
It is called the 'SMART' tunnel : Storm Management And Road Tunnel. (smart, isn't it?)

entrance of the SMART tunnel

The purpose of this tunnel is to keep traffic going on under normal conditions even with small floodings of the city. The tunnel is designed to divert the floodwater.

There are 3 modi in which the tunnel can be used :

1st modus: normal conditions, no storms, traffic can use the tunnel, no water is diverted
2nd modus: small storms and flooding, water is diverted, but cars can still use the tunnel
3rd modus: heavy storms and floodings, all water is diverted, cars can't use the tunnel, until 48 hours after the tunnel is cleared again.

Only few weeks after opening the SMART tunnel, modus 3 was already activated!

testing the tunnel in modus 3 - diverting the water

Now back to the stamps...
A sheetlet of 6 stamps were issued, as well as 2 auto-adhesive 3D stamps.
I only have the 3D stamps so far, but in order to show the images that appear when moving the 3D stamps, I'll show a picture of the regular stamsp, as those images are easier to post.

3D sheet - 2RM and 3RM auto-adhesive stamps

1st 3D stamp (2RM)

 Following images can be seen on the first 3D stamp :

construction of the SMART Tunnel

construction of the SMART Tunnel

2nd 3D stamp (3RM)

breakthrough of the tunnel

Sceme and tunnel in full operation

Odd stamps : 04d 3D stamps (static)

I wasn't sure if should post this article under 'static 3D' stamps, or make a complete new category.
In fact the stamp I'm prensenting you today, is not really 3D itself, it's a stereoscopic stamp that needs special tools, (glasses, container) to create the 3D effect.

Maybe some of us played as a kid with a 3D toy called a 'view master'.
It's a kind of binocular where a paper disc can be inserted.
Each image on the card, is printed twice and are shown simultanously when you see through the binocular.
Both images have small differences and as you 'see' only one image, the differences between both pictures create a 3D effect.

viewmaster with discs

viewmaster disc

same images

 This technique was used to create a 3D image of the Titanic stamp on a belgian sheet, issued in 2012.
At the 100th anniversary of the trip of the RMS Titanic.

The sheet can be bought separatly (2 stamps for non-standard mail to the world) @ 7,74 € face value! (prices 2012)
The stamps are 'forever' and facevalue will go up in the coming years.
The additional 3D glasses need to be bought separatly!

Full Titanic sheet

folder with glasses, stamps inside

To see the 3D effect, the stamps have to be taken out of the sheetlet and inserted to the holder.

This effect is created because the 2 stamps are slightly different from eachother...

In blue, the border of the ship is nearer to the the border of te stamp in the first stamp.
In red, the iceberg is smaler on the first stamp
In yellow, the mast goes between the I and E of "België" ; in the second stamp only behind the E
In purple, the smoke runs through the I and Q of "Belgique" ; in the second stamp, only through the Q
In green the last iceberg is smaller in the second stamp.

If you wish to see the 3D effect AND keep an intact sheet, you need to buy 2 sheets already.
And not to mention the 2 slightly different stamps on the sheet that are needed individually in preprinted stamp albums.

Total package : around 25 €

Expensive, yes, but yet, for those kinds of stamps, ... my heart will go on and on ...

Odd stamps : 03b 3D stamps (moving)

While I'm waiting for a letter from Finland, to redirect to Asia, I received from a Malaysian friend... stamps from Finland...
How stampcollecting makes the world smaller...

But thanks to this letterswaps, I can present you today something special.
It's been a long time since I posted some 3D items, but in this post I can spoil you all with amazing 3D stamps.
Even more... this time the whole sheet is 3D and moving.

The first item is not from Finland, but from North Korea.
It might not be the most popular country for stamp collectors, but the following sheet is really worth looking at, and an amazing asset for collectors of odd stamps, theme collectors (animals)

North Korea full 3D sheet

3D stamp from sheet (60x24mm)

And as second 3D sheet, the post I just got from my Malaysian friend.
A large 3D sheet on wintersports in Finland.

It's not easy to scan 3D stamps or sheets and show the effect of the 3D.

full 3D sheet Finland (225x114 mm)

The stamp in the top right corner is the most interesting.
A snowboarder is jumping from above the stamp, flies diagonally trough the stamp,
goes to the middle of the sheet and lands in the snow, from there he dissapears downwards.

detail 3D sheet Finland

I added a line to show the movement of the snowboarder.
You can see the snowboarder clearly in the stamp, and slightly further on the sheet.

The other stamps are moving skiers.

3D Finland (detail)

Truly an amazing sheet, issued January 24, 2008 by the Finnish Post.

Odd stamps : 04c 3D stamps (static)

I wonder if the Umm-al-Qiwaini ever saw these stamps in the postoffice.
They are all officially emitted, but as you might have noticed, they are all for airmail.

I can't tell you if these stamps have actually been used for sending letter. The structure of the stamp (plastic) isn't really ment for cancelling, and besides of that, the stamps are quite big too. Machines that process letters nowadays, might rip off the stamps when such letters are passing through.
The sets I have (and I don't have them all !) are available for fair prices, in MNH-condition, but I doubt if they can be found postally used. If so, they are rare.

In my previous post, I have shown some of the 1971 and 1972 issues.
1972 was indeed a year with almost alone 3D stamps. And since I have recently purchased some of those sets, I'm sharing some more with you today.

Umm-al-Qiwain - dogs (1972)

Umm-al-Qiwain - flowers (1972)

Umm-al-Qiwain - butterflies (1972)

Odd stamps : 04b 3D stamps (static)

It's been a while since I posted 'odd' stamps.
Since the year is ending, it's a nice time to share some 'oddies' as my early new year's gift.

I can imagine that 'Umm-al-Qiwain' isn't the most wanted country for stamp collector.
Being part of the United Arab Emirates, they don't issue their own stamps anymore. But until 1972, the stamps of this Emirate were indeed in use. From 1973 on all of the sultanats and emirates were joined into the United Arab Emirates and since then they issued their stamps under that name.
All 'Umm-al-Qiwain' stamps that were issued after 1973, are private issues.

But why 'Umm-al-Qiwain'? Except form dessert, oil, and expensive hotels, I can't imagine this state as being very touristic. Pardon me if it's really worth visiting; one can always learn something new.
From the philatelistic point of view, this Arab country isn't really a hot topic.

Umm al Qiwain - racecars 1971

In the early 70's; several countries emitted static 3D stamps. In fact it's a thick plastic stamp that gives the impression of a tridimentional image. Nature and cars are favourite topics to depict.

Umm al Qiwain - birds 1972

Umm al Qiwain - wildlife 1972 (1)

Umm al Qiwain - wildlife 1972 (2)

Odd stamps : 04a 3D stamps (static)

The 3D dynamic stamps (with moving pictures) are indeed very impressive. But with recent printing techniques, a lot is possible.
In the early 70's of the 20th century, the asian state of Bhutan, was world leader in emitting odd stamps.
In what follows, i'll show you 2 series of static 3D stamps. Static, because the image doesn't really move.
It gives you a 3D simulation of an object and it's background.

Although it might not be as impressive anymore as it was in the 70's, it's still a fine piece of printwork.
I wonder how Bhutani people must have experienced those stamps in those days.

The first series i show in this post, emitted in 1970, is a set of 13 wildlife animals. The set has commemorative and airmail stamps.
They're all printed on hard plastic paper. All unperforated and protected with a paper foil on the back.
After removing the paper foil, the stamp was ready to be used on an envelope.

Secondly, also from Bhutan, a set with vintage cars. Very nice, and surely wanted by theme collectors.

This is surely not the last post of Bhutani stamps. The country is undoubtable world record holder in odd stamps.
But that will be for a later post.