Odd stamps : 01b Perfumed stamps

On of the first articles ever, and the first topic on 'odd stamps' was about perfumed stamps.

I didn't continue with that topic, but that doesn't mean there isn't anything more to say about it.
Today, another smelly stamp (block) for you.

full sheet of chocolate stamps

The sheet promotes the export of Liberian products.
I suppose they export cacao beans and not the finished chocolates as shown on the sheet.

One problem with scentened sheets / stamps is that the fragrance is lost after a while and only a duff chocolate odour is left.

one of the stamps in detail

the first article was listed under : Odd stamps : 01a Perfumed stamps

Theme : Volkswagen Beetle - 09

One of the most beautiful sets of minisheets i have on the topic of Volkswagen Beetle, is again from Liberia.
A set of 8 blocks were issued, each with a picture of a Volkswagen Beelte, a year and a small story.
Although the story has little to tell about the history of the Volkswagen Beetle, it makes the entire sheetlet worth looking at. The pictures show various types, with a particular design on the car.
The series start in 1950 and the last picture shows a New Beetle.

It's really worth looking more closely to each design in particular :

1951

1955

1960

1966

1970

1979

1986

1998

On the first sheet, I noticed an error in the caption beneath the car :
I think they were too enthousiastic writing about the Beetle, that they added an extra T :-)

To be or not to be : CTO - The very obvious ones 03 a

The african continent has it share of CTO as well, unfortunatly.

Some countries have issued stamps that hardly are collected mint. In order sell the rather useless stamps, and to avoid they are re-used for postal usage. They are cancelled CTO.
Most of them are easily recognised, as the title says : the obvious ones.

The list of CTO cancels is nearly endless...
luckily the 'obvious' ones are easy to regognise. At least if you have a couple of the same country or set, to compare.
A good way to recognise is that the CTO cancels mainly refer to the capital city.
Liberia -> Monrovia
or the name of the country is on the cancel (you won't see that on most postally used cancels)
Togo, Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, ...
or 4 stamps can easily be put together, forming the complete cancel.
Almost all of those cancels are printed, and not 'stamped' as they usually do in postoffices.

Theme : Volkswagen Beetle - 08

Liberia isn't the first country that pops my mind when it comes to Volkswagen Beetle.
However, Liberia is a country that pops my mind when it comes to lots and lots of stamps, in order to get funds.
In that perspect, it's not my favourite country, but the stamps and sheets that were emitted by Liberian post are very very nice.
I agree, it's a way of ripping of the theme collector (such as me), but on the other hand, the stamps aren 't bogus issues, so they fit into my ('any') collection.

set 1

set 2

Of course the main reason why I got this set, of course, was because of the Volkswagen Beetle stamp.
The set has actually 2 subsets with each a different style. The only common thing on the issue, is the theme: ancient cars.
On one of the sets, a 1950 Volkswagen Beetle is depicted. In the background the VW-logo is shown.

On top of this beautiful stamp, a small souvenirsheet was emitted as well.
Here we find a 1979 Convertible Volkswagen Beetle.

The design shows the Convertible Beetle from the side. Funny detail is the licence plate of the car, that starts with VW.The souvenir sheet is also the key value of the set.

Odd stamps : 08 Stamps with special cuts - 03 c

Africa had a nice contribution when it comes to triangular stamps (see before), but how about diamond shapes? Well also here, the ebony continent has a lot to offer for collectors of odd stamps.
Far from complete, but a nice teaser from all over Africa.

First stop is in the North, Egypt :<
U.A.R. : United Arab Republic

to the West, a small island formerly under Portuguese authority

All the way down there's another portuguese colony, Angola.
same style of stamps :

Still at the western side, but again a bit up north there's Liberia and Guinea

Let's end this journey in the heart of Africa :
two former colonies of Belgium : Congo Demotratic Republic and Burundi

Odd stamps : 08 Stamps with special cuts - 02 c

After previous topics on triangular stamps of South and Latin America, I take you to the African continent.
Triangular stamps are as popular there as in the rest of the world.

As it's impossible to show all triangular stamps of all african countries, I'll just give you a peek preview of what is out there.

And there are plenty more ....

Finally, some triangular stamps from Northern Africa, including the Middle-East