Sweden : 02 Early issues

Swedish stamps issued between 1862 and 1872.

Shown in n° 13 and 16 according Scott catalogue. For Michel it's 14 type II and 16a (twice cheapest versions).
Yvert is 12 and 15; in the local FACIT catalogue it becomes 14B (cheapest version) and 20). Both stamps in pretty good condition, except for a tooth missing on the 20 öre-stamp. When i'll be 135 years old, i'll be missing some teeth too i guess.

The difference between Facit 14A and 14B can be determinated by the right upper corner.

The ornament, decorating the design under the frame, follows the frame and then goes downwards into a curl.
With the 14B it's like this.
The 14A version has an extended line, following the frame. As if the curl downwards starts some milimeters before the horizontal line that proceeds the curl ends.
Type A was only printed 709.200 times, type B 10,5 million times. In the detail you see a 14B.
There's a variation which has a print on both sides. Other errors are various colour spots and lines.

Odd stamps : 01a Perfumed stamps

In my neverlasting search of special items, i can't forget 'odd' stamps.
Altough this first post on 'odd' stamps isn't that odd. Trust me, in further post, the oddness of the stamps or what they supposed to be is truly unbelievable.

In this post, I want to show (smelling in yet not available in internet) a sheet of France, dedicated to chocolate.
It's a wonderful sheet, in the shape of a chocolate bar, with different designed stamps.
It smells like chocolate, but it doesn't taste like it.

 

India has recently started to emit scented stamps too. Everytime I open the album, a fresh odour of jasmine, sandalwood and roses encounters my nose.

Sweden : 01 Early issues

Kingdom of Sweden (Konungariket Sverige): one of the Scandinavian countries in Northern Europa. Next to Norway and Finland. Both islands Öland en Gotland belong to Sweden. Capital and largest city is Stockholm.
Sweden started to issue stamps in 1885. Sweden has (accidentally) emitted the most valuable stamp ever. The first stamp of 3 skilling was emitted in the colour of the 8 skilling stamp (yellow). As for now, only ONE stamp has been found. For those who wonder... it's not in my collection.

To determinate old stamps, (especially the different types and the various variations in printing or colour, i always try to get a local catalogue, next to the world catalogues as Scott, Gibbons, Yvert or Michel.
The "Facit" specialised, issued in Swedish and English, is a must for discovering swedish stamps. In the catalogue you will also find Norway, Denmark, Färoër, Greenland, Danish Westindies, Finland, Iceland and Åland.

Depicted are some swedish stamps out of the second emission, the ones from 1858 - 1870.
I always try to get the best possible stamp, (who doesn't), i chose the shown stamps for their general appearance as well as for the cancellations.

Microstates : 02 Redonda (cinderellas)

Redonda is a small island in the Caribean Sea. It's next to St. Kitts & Nevis and Antigua and the Island of Montserrat. All islands, but thrustworthy stamp issuing 'countries'. Redonda however is a different story.

The island of Redonda is not larger as 1,3 km², and in fact it's nothing much more than a rock in the sea.

It was discovered by Columbus on his second journey to the New World, in 1493. However, the Spanish weren't  much impressed by the island.
Matthew Shiell, an Irishman who lived on Montserrat, claimed the island in 1865. He crowned himself king, and the island is known as the Kingdom of Redonda. Shorly after, the British Empire took over Redonda, as a part of the Antigua island. And altough there's nothing much to do or to gain on Redonda, it happened to be a popular place for birds.
They must have tought, if it doesn't make sense, at least it should make money, and in 1890 3 to 4 tons of phosphate were gained yearly on the island. It lasted till the start of the first World War. Since then the island is deserted again.

In 1979 the first stamps of Redonda, were Antiguan stamps with an overprint. There are stories about a postoffice on the rock of Redonda, but those stamps were only valid on Antigua.
Now you'll find more stamps with the name of Redonda. Since there 's no one actually living on Redona, and since it's still part of Antigua. Redondan stamps should be considered as cinderellas.

Theme : Volkswagen Beetle - 02

French postal services dedicated a sheetlet of 10 stamps to ancient cars.
Thinking of French cars, Renault, Citroën and Peugeot will come into our minds quite fastly. And knowing the french... they are very proud on their cars of course. However they dedicated a stamp to the Volkswagen Beetle, and this even on top of the sheetlet.
I managed to buy a proof print in green of the two top stamps.
Thank you, "La Poste"

Belgian banknotes King Albert I (part 2)

As you might have noticed, the face value on the Belgian banknotes is always in French or Dutch. Every next not in the series starts with the opposite language.  This to maintain the fragile balance between the two major language groups in Belgium (Dutch and French), An indication in German (the third official language in Belgium) is only rarely found on banknotes, especially on the smaller denominations.
Next to the face value in Belgian Francs, you'll find another denomination: the "Belga"; one Belga equals 5 Belgian francs.
To compare: around 1920 : 1 belgian franc equals the value of about 1,90 €
(let's say for one belgian franc, you had a decent coffee on a very nice terrace in town)
The 'Belga' was never a real currency, the belgian Franc was, till euro took over in 1999/2002.

As you saw in the previous post, the banknote series start with 1 Belgian franc.
There are notes of 5 Belgian francs (1 Belga); 20 Belgian francs; 100 Belgian francs and even 1000 Belgian francs...
The 1000 Belgian franc banknotes must have had more value than the average income in the 20's of the previous century. It's a spledid design, with on the back side a lace making lady, the Cloth Halls of Ypres and a smaller map of the Northsea region. This banknote is remarkable, not only to the high face value and the extremely nice design, but also the size of the banknote is worth looking at. It's as big as an A5 - paper.
No wonder only wealthy people could possess such a note. They were probably the only ones who could afford a wallet that size.

Belgian banknotes King Albert I

Albert I, third king of the Belgians, was a very popular King.
Upon the death of his uncle, Leopold II, Albert succeeded to the Belgian throne in December, 1909 (Albert's father having died in 1905). Previous Belgian kings had taken the royal accession oath only in French; Albert innovated by taking it in Dutch as well (Bronne). He and his wife, Queen Elisabeth, were popular in Belgium due to their simple, unassuming lifestyle and harmonious family life, which stood in marked contrast to the aloof, autocratic manner and irregular private life of Leopold II. An important aspect of the early years of Albert's reign was his institution of many reforms in the administration of the Belgian Congo, Belgium's only colonial possession.

He was the King who reigned Belgium during the second World War, and joined the soldiers in their battle against the nazi-regime. Therefor he's also know as the soldier-king, and often depicted with helmet.

A passionate alpinist, King Albert I died in a mountaineering accident while climbing alone on the Roche du Vieux Bon Dieu at Marche-les-Dames, in the Ardennes region of Belgium near Namur. His death shocked the world and he was deeply mourned, both in Belgium and abroad. Because King Albert was an expert climber, some questioned the official version of his death. Nonetheless, rumors of murder have been dismissed by most historians.

 

Theme: Volkswagen Beetle - 01

The Volkswagen Beetle

In the late 20's of the 20th century, the German nazi-leader Hitler, came up with the idea of a car, affordable by any German family. The car should be decent, solid and under the price of 1000 German Marks.
Although the idea seemed unattainable, Ferdinand Porche, managed to create a car within the given limits.

The initially by F. Porche called 'Porche Type 60', was officially named the KdF-Wagen by Hitler, when the project was lauched. The name refers to : Kraft durch Freude ('Strength Through Joy'), the official leisure organization in the Third Reich. In order to obtain a car, families could save 5 German Marks per week on a 'saving card'. No one ever managed to get a full card, and because of the second World War, the KdF-Wagen never came into production. In order to promote the car and the automobile and motorcycle exhibition in 1939, Germany issued a set of stamps of which the 25 + 10 pfennig was the highest value.

Other issues with Volkswagen Beetle : April 16, 1971 (the year Volkswagen sold over 1,3 million !! Volkswagen Beetles). Germany introduces new traffic rules. On the FDC a picture of a Volkswagen Beetle is shown while applying the new rules.

Finally, in 2002, a set of 5 stamps were issued. They depict some of the most famous cars. A Volkswagen Beetle is shown on a 55 + 25 pfenning stamp.

The legend goes on...

Theme : Tintin (Kuifje) - 02

Although a Belgian hero, Tintin appears on stamps in The Netherlands and France too.

The Netherlands dedicated a sheetlet to 'Tintin on the Moon'

The French postal services depicted all main characters on a sheet of 6 stamps.
Next to Tintin and Snowy (Milou in French), professor Calculus (Zonnebloem in Dutch, Tournesol (Sunflower) in French), captain Haddock, the detectives Thomson and Thompson (Jansen en Janssens - Dupont and Dupond, Bianca Castafiori 'La Castafiori' (the famous Milanese nightingale) and finally Chang, the Chinese friend of Tintin, who made his appearance in 'The blue Lotus'.

Theme : Tintin (Kuifje) - 01

Tintin

Tintin (Kuifje in Dutch), is a reporter living in Brussels. His first assignment is to the former USSR. Later he also visits Africa, Tibet... He's a passionated boxer too. His best friend, captain Haddock, who's lost without his whiskey, a would-be-hero, but always on Tintin's side and the smart dog Snowy (Bobby in Dutch)
Tintin was created by the Belgian designer Georges Rémi (Her-gé).

Hergé was born in 1907, and  grew up during the first World War.  He grew up in a middle class family, and was much influenced by his catholic background. His interests in politics, combined with the politic situation of Europe at that time made his albums subject to discussion. Most of his albums have a political undertone and should be placed against a more right-winged background. In the album 'The blue Lotus' he was inspired by the Chinese-Japanes war in 1934. In 1942, 'The mysterious Star' was released, knowing that the newspaper he worked for (Le Soir) was under nazi-German influence. The vilains are the Americans and a jewish oil tycoon. In a reviewed version, the names were changed into more neutral ones. On the other hand, the album 'King Ottokar's Sceptre' which was released before the second World War, can be seen as a protest against nazi-germany. His first album, Tintin in the USSR was released in 1929, the last album : 'Tintin and the Alph-Art' in 1986, 3 years after Hergé's death.

Hergé always tried to design his albums with a high sense of perfection, realistic backgrounds, cars, .... but on the other hand, with lots of stereotypes as well. This led to a 18+ rating for the album 'Tintin in Africa' since it was considered to be racist - of course all faced to the time and the ideas of that era.

As Tintin is one of the few Belgian heros, several stamps and commemorative coins were dedicated to Hergé and Tintin. Not only in Belgium, although the sheet of 25 stamps, released in 2007 is truly among the best sheets ever emitted in Belgium.