Friday 18 December 2015

Four-nation Stamp Exhibition, 2015

Four-nation stamp exhibition (2015) was held in Dataran Pahlawan mega mall, Melaka city, Malaysia from 4 to 6 December.  This annual event is formerly known as Tri-nation stamp exhibition before Indonesia join in 2014.  The tri-nation includes Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.  This year, Malaysia Post and Philatelic Society of Malaysia joinly host the exhibition in Melaka town.


To commemorate this event, Malaysia Pos issued the set of stamps "Traditional attires" of four nations, and the miniature sheet.  The stamps featured the traditional attires for male and female of individual country and its famous architectural place.  Each stamp is valued at 60 sen and the miniature sheet is worth 3 Ringgit.

The Exhibition Cover
The Four-nation stamp exhibition postcard by PSM (front)

The Four-nation stamp exhibition postcard by PSM (back)

I have exhibited my three frames exhibit named "Burma's commemorative covers with special cachet (1937 - 1947)" under the postal history category.  And this exhibit hit 69 points and won the Silver Bronze award.  It is the good start for me to improve the exhibit.


As its name implies, the exhibit shows the covers with cachet in the specific period of 1937-1947, the British Burma period.  It includes study of historical events covers and philatelic covers, postmarks on it, cachet creators and varieties of cachet designs made by individuals.  The material in this exhibit includes Last Day Covers, First Day Covers, Commemorative Covers and Newspaper Wrappers.  Well known philatelists, at that time, made their own private covers for stamps issues, philatelic events and historical events.  The exhibit includes 1 stamp, 63 covers and 4 newspaper wrappers.

Thursday 10 December 2015

More 2013 SEA Games temporary post offices

The last Fantail (Fantail 45) reported on a 2013 SEA Games temporary post office at Zabu Thiri. Actually, there are three temporary post offices at that time: Zabu Thiri (recorded), Wunna Theikdi Sport Complex and Ngwe Saung Beach. The Zabu Thiri postmark and Wunna Theikdi postmark are similar, double circle postmarks. The Ngwe Saung postmark is pictorial, with a sailing design.

Zabuthiri Sport Village PO
Wunna Theikdi Sport Complex PO
Ngwe Saung Beach, Sport Village PO

To reference this article, please cite:

Toe Kyaw Kyar, "New issues and developments: More 2013 SEA Games temporary post offices", The Burma Fantail, Vol. 12, No. 4, Whole Number 46, pp. 51, October 2015.

Tuesday 10 November 2015

Silver Jubilee of United Nations

A 15p valued stamp was issued for the commemoration of 25th Anniversary of United Nations on 26 June 1970.  United Nations emblem and the solar system is illustrated on the pale blue background.

Stamp design

Technical Details of Stamps
Date of Issue: 26 June 1970
Printer : Government Printing Bureau (Tokyo, Japan)
Stamp Size and Format : 22 mm x 45 mm (Horizontal)
Denomination : 15p
Quantity Issued : 1,000,000 stamps[1]
Designer : Ba Moe

First Day Covers



FDC by Burma Stamp Society



References
[1]  “Facts about Stamps of Burma, 1953 - 1985”, The Burma Peacock, 9(2), 35-38, 1988.


Tuesday 3 November 2015

Study on PSEs (Pre-stamped Envelopes) with 15 pyas Chin Couple III

Study on PSEs (Pre-stamped Envelopes) with 15 pyas Chin Couple III

Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay Division, posted from Pyin Oo Lwin to Yangon (27 Jul 1993)
Error: 01.35 value instead of 00.35


Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay Division, posted from Pyin Oo Lwin to Yangon (21 Jul 1993)
Error: 02.45 value instead of 00.35


Other parts:
Study on PSEs (Pre-stamped Envelopes) with 15 pyas Chin Couple I
Study on PSEs (Pre-stamped Envelopes) with 15 pyas Chin Couple II

Thursday 29 October 2015

Myanmar (formerly Burma) Flag on United Nations Stamps

United Nations Postal Administration started its first issue of flag series in 1980.  UNPA issued stamps depicting the flags of its member states.  The denomination for flag series is on USD only.  In 1982 issue, UNPA featured flag of Burma together with the other member countries.  

Flag of Burma, 1982
The other countries in this issue are:
  • Austria
  • Malaysia
  • Seychelles
  • Ireland
  • Mozambique
  • Albania
  • Dominica
  • Solomon Islands
  • Philippines
  • Swaziland
  • Nicaragua
  • Cape Verde
  • Guyana
  • Belgium
  • Nigeria

First Day Covers of Burma Flag (1982 Issue)
Corner block-of-four on FDC by World Federation of United Nations Associations

Se-tenant block of four on UNICEF FDC
Solo use on UNICEF FDC, cachet is the painting by well known artist Paw Oo Thet
FDC with Official Geneva Cachet
FDC by ArtCarft
FDC by ArtCarft
FDC by Artmaster
Maximum Card



UNICEF issued the official proof edition of the stamp, cancelled on the date of issue.  The UNICEF cachet shown above is printed and embossed.  The painting shows the Burmese family from rural area working on toddy palm wine.  The artwork is done by the famous Artist of Burma, Paw Oo Thet.  I framed it for my personal collection.


UNPA also issued the flag and coin series.  The flag and coin of Myanmar was featured on 2007 issue.  3 offices of UN issued different sheets in different denominations for different countries.  The Myanmar's flag and coin is on the sheet issued by Geneva office and denominated F.s. 0.85.  Together with Myanmar, the sheet includes the flags and coins of
  • Burkina Faso
  • France
  • Bolivia
  • Moldova
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Mali
  • Tunisia
On Myanmar stamp, the country name is mentioned as "MYANMAR", as the name of the country is changed from "Burma" to "Myanmar" in 1989.  The coin featured is 100k values coin, with the image of Chinze (mythical lion), released in 1999.

Flag and coin of Myanmar, 2007
The maximum card
According to 2008 Constitution of Myanmar, state flag was changed to 3 colors bar with white big star at the center.  In 2013, UNPA featured flag of Myanmar again to reflect the new flag declared.  $1.10 value stamp is issued from New York office on 2 May 2013.

Flag of Myanmar, 2013
Official FDC by UNPA
In 2013 flag series issue, four nations including Myanmar is featured.  Other three countries are
  • Cape Verde
  • Russian Federation
  • South Sudan

Wednesday 7 October 2015

65th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Myanmar and Russia

One stamp denominated 500K was issued for the 65th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Myanmar and Russia on 10 April 2013.  The illustration includes Mandalay walled fort of Myanmar and Red Square of Russia.  State medias made public announcement on 8 April 2013.

News from State Media
Stamp Design

Technical Details of Stamps
Printer : Security Printing Works (Myanmar)
Stamp Size and Format : 84 mm x 30 mm (Horizontal)
Color : 4
Perforation : 14
Denomination : 500K
Sheet Composition :  30 Stamps per Sheet
Printing Process : Offset

No Official First Day Cover was produced by MPT.

FDC by Myanmar Philatelic Society (Limited Edition of 600 Covers)
FDC of Bo Group (Limited Edition of 70 Covers)

Saturday 26 September 2015

Population and Housing Census Set II

On 10th March 2014, Myanmar Post issued second set of census stamps.  On 6th March, government media released press announcements.

Press Announcements
Day of Issue Postmarks

Technical Details of Stamps
Printer : Security Printing Works (Myanmar)
Stamp Size and Format : 42 mm x 30 mm (Horizontal) (5 Designs) 30 mm x 42 mm (Vertical) (1 Design)
Color : 4
Perforation : 14
Denomination : 100K (6 Designs)
Sheet Composition :  50 Stamps per Sheet
Printing Process : Offset

Myanma Post did not issue official First Day Cover.  As usual, we have to rely on privately produced covers.

FDC of Stamps Myanmar
FDC issued by Myanmar Philatelic Society (Limited Edition of 700 Covers)
FDC of Bo Group (Limited Edition of 70 Covers)
FDC of Ko Wint Khine (KWK)

Friday 25 September 2015

Population and Housing Census Set I

In the year 2014, Myanmar Government take the nation wide Population and Housing Census.  To commemorate this, MPT released two set of stamps on 24th February 2014.  This post is featuring the first set containing five 200K stamps.  Government paper announces the issuing news on 20th February 2014.  The designs are not really nice, just simply texts and logo.  
Newspaper announcements
Myanma Post created two types of first day cancellation, one in Burmese and another in English.

Yangon First Day Cancellations
Technical Details of Stamps
Designer : MPT
Printer : Security Printing Works (Myanmar)
Stamp Size and Format : 84 mm x 30 mm (Horizontal)
Color : 4
Perforation : 14
Denomination : 200K (5 Designs)
Sheet Composition :  30 Stamps per Sheet
Printing Process : Offset

Myanma Post did not issue official First Day Cover.  The private covers are big to accommodate five long stamps.

FDC of Stamps Myanmar

FDC issued by Myanmar Philatelic Society (Limited Edition of 500 covers)
FDC of Bo Group (Limited Edition of 100 Covers)
FDC of Ko Wint Khine (KWK)



Thursday 17 September 2015