Burma Arts through Soviet Eyes: A Postcard Set from the USSR

In the early 1960s, cultural exchange between the Soviet Union and Asia found expression not only in exhibitions and publications, but also in beautifully produced picture postcards. One such result was a scarce postcard set titled “Burma Arts”, issued by the Soviet publisher “Soviet Artists”.

The set comprises 10 postcards, offered at a retail price of 22 kopecks, and was designed by L. Snegirev. Each postcard measures 10.5 × 14.5 cm, and the set was issued in 1964. With a modest print run of just 5,000 sets, it was clearly intended for a limited audience of art lovers and collectors rather than mass circulation.

Wrapper of the postcard set

The postcards reproduce a carefully curated selection of Burmese artistic works, representing both traditional crafts and modern fine art:

1. Fragment of an embossed chasing pattern on a silver bowl from Sagaing, early 19th century

2. Fragment of lacquer painting on a betel nut box made by craftsmen from Pagan, 20th century

3. Buddha image in canonical pose, bronze, 19th century

4. Elephant at work, wood sculpture, 20th century

5. Ceremonial departure, miniature ivory sculpture, 20th century

6. Fragment of a pattern on fabric, 20th century

7. Watercolour “At the Pagoda” by U Lar Ban, c. 1950s

8. Watercolour “Village Scene” by U Ba San, c. 1950s

9. Watercolour “The Lake” by U Ba San, c. 1950s

10. Oil painting “On the Pier” by U Ngwe Gaing, 20th century

These works were drawn from objects and paintings exhibited in 1963 at the State Museum of Oriental Art, where Burmese art was presented to Soviet audiences as part of a broader cultural showcase. The selection deliberately spans centuries and media, from religious bronzes and ivory carvings to lacquerware, textiles, and modern paintings.

Significantly, this postcard set represents the first Soviet issue devoted entirely to artistic examples from Burma, covering a wide range of art forms that developed across different historical periods. Today, the “Burma Arts” postcard set stands as a small but meaningful testament to early international recognition of Burmese artistic heritage—and a fascinating crossover item for collectors of postcards, art history, and Burma-related material alike.

Myanmar Post celebrates Centenary of Mandalay University

Myanmar Post marked the centenary of Mandalay University with the issuance of a souvenir sheet containing a single stamp on 21 December 2025. The stamp depicts the official logo of the centenary celebrations, while the margin of the souvenir sheet features a photographic image of Mandalay University.

Mandalay University was originally established in 1925 as Mandalay College, an affiliated college of the University of Rangoon. The college was closed in 1942 due to the outbreak of the Second World War and reopened after the war in 1947, later developing into one of Myanmar’s leading higher education institutions.

Tragically, on 28 March 2025, Mandalay University suffered severe damage following a powerful earthquake that struck Myanmar. The earthquake caused structural collapses across parts of the campus, and a fire broke out in the university’s main building as a result of an electrical short circuit triggered by the tremors.

The commemorative stamp is denominated K200 and was produced in a quantity of 200,000 copies. No official first day cover (FDC) was issued by Myanmar Post. However, collectors prepared their own private covers. First day cancellation postmarks were made available at Yangon, Mandalay, and Naypyitaw, in line with standard practice for recent Myanmar stamp issues.

Private FDC by U Sein Minn

Private FDC by U Aung Thu Myint

Private FDC by U Chan Myae Aung

Private FDC by U Sun Myint Win

Elected a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London (FRPSL)

I am deeply honoured to share that I have recently been elected a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL) on 19 Nov 2025. Fellowship of the RPSL is one of the highest distinctions in philately, awarded in recognition of sustained contributions to philatelic research, literature, and service to the philatelic community.

Founded in 1869, the RPSL is the world’s oldest philatelic society, and its Fellowship represents an international standard of excellence. I am grateful to the Council of the Society, for this recognition and for their confidence in my work.

This Fellowship is not only a personal milestone but also an encouragement to continue my work in Myanmar philately, particularly in research, publishing, and mentoring new exhibitors. I hope it will further support efforts to promote Myanmar philately on the international stage.

Revisiting Myanmar’s Musical Instruments: From Definitive Stamps to a 2025 Souvenir Sheet

Another unexpected souvenir sheet was issued on 20 November 2025, featuring six stamps depicting traditional musical instruments of Myanmar. A total of 20,000 sheets were produced. The designs are not new; rather, they represent a further reuse of a popular definitive series that has appeared in several forms over the years.

The original stamps were issued between 1998 and 2000 as six different denominations, all bearing the country name “Union of Myanmar.” The issues were as follows:

• Xylophone (K5) – issued on 28 August 1998

• Mon Brass Gong (K10) – issued on 9 October 1998

• Rakhine Auspicious Drum (K20) – issued on 12 February 1999

• Myanmar Harp (K30) – issued on 17 May 1999

• Shan Pot Drum (K50) – issued on 15 November 1999

• Kachin Gong (K100) – issued on 12 February 2000

On 5 March 2014, the Kachin Gong design was reissued with the same denomination (K100), but the country name was updated to “Republic of the Union of Myanmar.”

In 2017, all six designs were again reissued, this time with the country name shortened to “Myanmar” and with new denominations. Two designs—the Myanmar Xylophone (K1000) and Myanmar Harp (K2500)—were issued on 27 July 2017. The remaining four designs followed on 14 September 2017, with the Rakhine Auspicious Drum and Shan Pot Drum denominated at K200, and the Mon Brass Gong and Kachin Gong at K500.

Now, in 2025, all six musical instrument designs have been reissued together as a souvenir sheet, with uniform denominations of K200 for each stamp. The country name remains “Myanmar.”

This latest issue continues Myanmar Post’s practice of revisiting earlier definitive designs, offering collectors another format in which to acquire these long-standing and familiar motifs.

Private FDC by U Sein Minn

Ko Toe’s Postage Rates Book Wins Large Gold at NZNPLE 2025

Ko Toe’s book, Postage Rates of Burma (Myanmar) 1937–2024, was awarded a Large Gold Medal, together with Felicitations for Research and a Special Prize, at the New Zealand National Philatelic Literature Exhibition (NZNPLE 2025) held on 6 December 2025 in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The literature exhibits were displayed at the Christchurch Philatelic Society’s library, providing an appropriate scholarly setting for this specialist exhibition. Open to exhibitors from both New Zealand and overseas, NZNPLE is a prestigious biennial philatelic literature exhibition, held since 1989, and is widely recognised for its high judging standards. The full list of the Palmarès can be accessed here.

Literatures displayed

This marks the second international award for the book. Its first major recognition was a Gold Medal at the Thailand 2025 FIAP Asian International Stamp Exhibition, further affirming its contribution to the study of Burmese and Myanmar postal history.

Ko Toe Philately Celebrates LV Medal at AusVipex 2025

Myanmar Philately by Ko Toe (www.kotoephilately.blogspot.sg) has reached another proud milestone by receiving a Large Vermeil medal (83 points) at AusVipex 2025—the Australian Philatelic Federation’s National Multi-Frame exhibition held online from November to December 2025. The exhibition welcomed participants from Australia and abroad, making the achievement even more meaningful.

Exhibition Logo

Exhibition Website

After eleven years of continuous blogging and knowledge-sharing, this recognition marks the second award ever presented to the Myanmar Philately by Ko Toe website. It stands as both an endorsement of its contribution to philatelic research and an encouraging milestone in its ongoing journey to promote Burma (Myanmar) philately to a wider audience.

A Familiar Set Returns: Myanmar Post Revives Classic Traditional-Costume Designs

 Every now and then, Myanmar Post surprises collectors with an unexpected throwback. Their latest issue does exactly that—a brand-new miniature sheet built entirely from classic stamp designs of the socialist era. For long-time collectors, these images are instantly recognisable; for newer enthusiasts, they offer a glimpse into one of the most iconic definitive series in Myanmar’s philatelic history.

Back to 1974: A Definitive Set That Became a Classic

The story begins on 1 October 1974, when the National Races in Traditional Costumes definitive stamps were introduced. The set consisted of nine denominations across eight beautifully illustrated designs, all issued under the country title “Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma.”

Each design featured a different ethnic group in traditional attire, created by some of Myanmar’s most respected artists:

• U Than Lwin – Chin couple (15 pyas)

• U Ba Moe – Bamar couple (20 pyas)

• U Ko Lay – Mon lady (50 pyas)

• U Nyo Hla – Rakhine lady (1 kyat)

These designs quickly became familiar to postal users and collectors alike. The Chin couple design was even adapted for postal stationery in 1988, marking the beginning of many future reuses.

1989: First Revival Under “Union of Burma”

Fifteen years later, these designs returned. Following the change to the country name Union of Burma, four of the original values—15, 20, 50 pyas and 1 kyat—were reissued with new inscriptions.
The 20-pyas stamp was printed again in 1995 but never officially released, adding a layer of mystery to the set.

1990–1991: Second Revival Under “Union of Myanmar”

Only a year passed before the designs resurfaced once more, now bearing the country name “Union of Myanmar.”
Between 1990 and 1991, all four denominations were reissued. The Chin couple and Mon lady designs also reappeared on a variety of postal stationery items, including envelopes of two sizes issued in 1994.

For collectors of Myanmar postal stationery, these were productive years—multiple issues, country-name changes, and small variations to hunt for.

The Designs That Flew: Aerogrammes and Essays

These traditional-costume illustrations did not stay confined to stamps. They also found their way onto aerogrammes.

• The 20-pyas Bamar couple almost became an aerogramme imprint, but changing postal rates rendered the value unusable. Only an unadopted essay survives.

• The 50-pyas Mon lady did make it onto an aerogramme in 1976, though it was used only briefly.

• The Rakhine lady design was adapted into a 1.25-kyat imprint and appeared across three aerogramme varieties—with three different country names. A delightful field for specialists.

2025: A Third Rebirth—Now All at 200 Kyats

Fast forward to today. In a move no one quite expected, Myanmar Post has brought back all eight designs in a new miniature sheet, this time with each denomination standardised to 200 kyats.
The stamp sizes have been made uniform as well, giving the sheet a clean, modern structure.  This shee was issued on 20 Oct 2025.

Collectors, however, will quickly notice one thing: the printing resolution of the artwork is relatively low. It appears the original designs may not have been available in high-resolution format. Still, the nostalgic charm remains unmistakable.

Myanmar Butterflies Sheetlets Issued on 20 September 2025

Following the re-issue of the bird sheetlets, Myanmar Post released the next set — a beautiful sheetlet featuring 11 species of butterflies of Myanmar.

Because the total number of stamps is 11, designing a balanced layout was quite a challenge. Myanmar Post adopted a 3 – 1 – 3 – 1 – 3 column arrangement, making each sheetlet the same width as a standard stamp sheet (which normally consists of 10 rows × 5 columns).

This unusual size also posed a difficulty for first day covers (FDCs). As Myanmar Post did not issue official FDCs for this release, collectors produced their own handmade covers, most of which were in larger-than-usual sizes to accommodate the sheetlets.

The stamps were officially issued on 20 September 2025. A particularly interesting aspect of this issue was the use of three distinct first-day postmarks:

• Nay Pyi Taw CTO

• Yangon GPO

• Mandalay GPO

Each postmark features the image of three butterflies, adding extra appeal for thematic collectors. The total print quantity was 30,000 sheetlets.

Postcard Story : The Story of Balu Chaung told Through Postcards

Once upon a time, in the mountains of southern Shan State, a river called Balu Chaung tumbled down the valleys with restless force. For centuries, its waters carved rocks, fed rice fields, and carried songs of the forest. Then, in the 1950s, engineers arrived with a dream: to turn that tumbling water into light for an entire nation.

The first postcard shows Balu Chaung No. 2 Power Station, tucked at the foot of a steep, green mountainside. From the crest above, silver pipes snake down like shining ribs of a giant, carrying water with enormous force. At the base, the station waits — turbines inside ready to spin, to roar, to turn falling water into power. This was where Burma stepped into a new age of electricity.

Not far upstream, another postcard captures the intake weir. Calm waters are corralled behind concrete gates, channeled with purpose. People stand on the bridge above, looking down at the rushing flow. It is here the river is persuaded, not conquered — asked to lend its strength to the city far away.

But nature is unpredictable, and the water’s force could never be fully tamed. That is why the engineers built the surge tank and low-pressure pipeline, rising like a sentry against the blue sky. The tall cylinder absorbs shocks when the river surges, while the great pipeline stretches on, a dark artery carrying life to the station below.

Step inside, and another postcard reveals the heart of it all: the generator room. A row of colossal machines stands shoulder to shoulder, their curves gleaming under pale light. Here water becomes electricity, and electricity becomes possibility. Every hum and vibration promises more than lightbulbs — it promises progress, industry, and connection.

Yet power trapped in a valley means little without wings to carry it. That’s why a transmission tower, sketched against the hills in another postcard, stands proud. The caption reads: “230 kV Balu Chaung–Rangoon Transmission Line.” From here, electricity travels across mountains and plains, a journey of hundreds of miles, racing toward the capital.

And there, in the final card, we see the Rangoon Primary Substation. Steel lattice towers and lines stretch against the sky, while a stark white building anchors it all. This is where the river’s energy, born in Shan hills, finally arrives to light the streets of Rangoon, to power trams, radios, and homes.

Together, these postcards tell not just of dams, pipes, and wires, but of a story: a river transformed into power, and power transformed into hope. The Balu Chaung project was not easy — it was carved from jungle and rock, built amid political storms, and demanded knowledge the country was only beginning to acquire. Yet it stood, and still stands, as one of the great achievements of Myanmar’s post-independence years.

Each card is a memory, a fragment of that moment when water met steel, and a nation lit its own path forward.

Souvenir Sheet on Myanmar Endemic Birds

For August 2025, it has reissued the sheetlet from the Myanmar Endemic Birds series, originally released in 2022 and 2023. The new issue, dated 20 August 2025, completes the series of nine stamps, each depicting an endangered bird species native to Myanmar.

The colors of the reissue show slight variations from the originals. Even in the 2025 reissue sheet, two colour variations have been identified. Neither matches the brightness of the 2022–2023 issue; instead, the reissue appears in two forms—a dull version and an even duller version. A comparison of the three colour variations is shown below. A total of 30,000 sheetlets have been printed, each comprising nine 200-kyat stamps, giving a face value of 1,800 kyats per sheetlet. 

Due to a tilt in the perforation comb, one row of perforations has shifted, altering the stamp dimensions. In the example below, the first row is tilted, producing stamps measuring 42 × 31 mm, while the second row measures 42 × 29 mm. The third row remains at the correct size of 42 × 30 mm.

Separately, a team from the Myanmar Philatelic Society, including me, had prepared a souvenir sheet on the bird series in an effort to present an improved layout. Although this design was submitted to Myanmar Post in May 2025, it was noted that the official design as shown above had already been forwarded to Wazi Security Printing Works for production, as the sheetlet series had been planned well in advance of May.

THAILAND 2025 Asian International Stamp Exhibition

The THAILAND 2025 Asian International Stamp Exhibition was held at the Grand Postal Building, Bangkok, Thailand. It was organized by the Philatelic Association of Thailand under the Patronage of H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, together with Thailand Post Co., Ltd., and under the patronage of FIAP.

Myanmar participated in the exhibition with remarkable achievements. Notably, the Gold Medal awarded marked the first-ever gold medal in Myanmar’s philatelic history for my book Postage Rates of Burma (Myanmar) 1937-2024. The Burma StaMPS journal Volume 3 also received a Large Silver Medal—its highest award to date. 

My 8-frame picture postcard exhibit titled "People of Burma and Their Lifestyles" won the Large Vermeil medal, and the new stationery exhibit titled "Postal Stationery Envelopes of Burma (Myanmar) 1988 - Present" won the Large Silver medal award in this exhibition. In addition, the Myanmar Philatelic Society presented a lacquerware painting as a special prize.

On 11 August, at 10:00 AM, U Toe Kyaw Kyar attended the FIAP Executive Committee meeting as an observer, followed by representing Myanmar at the 24th FIAP Congress at 11:30 AM on the same day.

The exhibition concluded successfully, leaving participants and visitors with lasting joy and fond memories.

Puzzling Reissue: Myanmar Post’s 2022 Tiger Stamps Return as 2024 Sheetlet

On 20 July 2024, Myanmar Post reissued the three tiger-themed stamps—originally released on 5 September 2022—as a new sheetlet. Despite being a reissue, the design remains completely unchanged, even bearing the dates of 2022 as in the previous issue stamp. This decision has raised eyebrows among collectors.

Unlike previous reissued sheetlets, which typically compile stamps from different release dates, this one includes all three stamps that were initially issued together on the same day. Reissuing them as a unified sheetlet without any design updates or date modifications makes this release rather puzzling.

Another notable difference is in the print quality: the color of the reissued stamps appears noticeably faded compared to the original 2022 versions. A total of 30,000 sheetlets were printed, each comprising three 200-kyat stamps, making the face value of one sheetlet 600 kyats.

Collectors may find this release curious both for its unchanged design and its subtle variations—raising questions about the motivation and strategy behind this reissue.

Myanmar Post Reissues Third Stamp Sheetlet on Costumes of Six Eras

As anticipated, Myanmar Post continues its monthly stamp releases. For June, it has reissued the sheetlet from the costume series originally released in 2021 and 2022, with the new issue dated 20 June 2025. The complete series comprises 12 stamps across six issues, each depicting male and female costumes from six historical eras: Pyu Costumes, Bagan Costumes, Ava Costumes, Konbaung Costumes, Amarapura Costumes, and Yatanabon Costumes.

In this reissue, the stamp designs have been refreshed. The layouts differ from the previous versions, with noticeable changes in the size and arrangement of country names, denominations, text elements, and the vignettes themselves. The sheetlet measures approximately 152 mm x 216 mm (6 x 8.5 inches) and has a total print run of 30,000 sheets.

Compared with the original issue, the size of the main graphic elements has changed. The country name also differs in size and font. These changes are shown in the comparison image below. In addition, the colour varies from that of the original issue.

There are unconfirmed reports suggesting that unsold sheets from post offices have been recalled by Myanmar Post for redistribution to ASEAN countries. However, this information has not been officially verified.

Myanmar Post Reissues Second Stamp Sheetlet on 10 Arts Series

Just one week after releasing the first sheetlet, Myanmar Post has issued a second reprint—this time featuring the Myanmar Traditional Arts stamp series originally released in 2020. This move suggests that additional sheets from other popular series, such as Endemic Birds, Costume Series, and Butterflies of Myanmar Series, may also be reissued soon. Collectors will have to wait and see what comes next.

The original Myanmar Traditional Arts series began with the Panbe stamp (The Art of Blacksmithing) issued on 24 July 2020, and concluded with the Panyun stamp (The Art of Making Lacquerware) on 18 December 2020. In this new sheet format, the stamps are arranged in their original release order—five stamps on the top row and five on the bottom. The sheet’s margin is labelled “10 Traditional Art Forms of Myanmar”.

Untrimmed sheet with Mandalay GPO First Day Cancellation (U Sein Min)

However, the reissued sheet has drawn criticism. It is sold untrimmed, with a large blank margin beneath the stamps. The full sheet measures 9 x 7 inches (approx. 229 x 178 mm), and the excess blank area is large enough to accommodate another two rows of stamps. This forced collectors to manually trim the sheets using paper cutters or knives to mount them on covers for first day usages—resulting in inconsistent sheet sizes on different covers. No official first day cover (FDC) was issued for this release.

A total of 50,000 sheets were printed, with each pack containing 50 sheets. The official date of issue is 5 May 2025. Due to the oversized format, collectors have resorted to using larger cacheted envelopes, which may exceed the size allowed by standard postal regulations.

Collectors have also noted that the printing quality appears lower than that of the original 2020 stamps. Additionally, two distinct types of perforations have been observed: rough and sharp, adding further variation for specialists to examine.

The first day cancellation was rather messy. It attempted to squeeze illustrations of all ten traditional art forms into a single circular design by dividing it into ten equal segments. This approach resulted in a cluttered appearance. A similar design was used for the 12 Seasonal Festivals and Flowers sheetlet issued last month—this time with 12 segments, making the cancellation even more crowded and difficult to discern.

I have identified a color error involving missing cyan ink. This issue affects the right four stamps on the sheet, while the rest of the sheet appears normal. The image below shows a side-by-side comparison of the standard stamps and the error stamps.

My comparative study reveals that the new 2025 reissue is not a direct reprint of the original 2020 version but a redesigned mock-up. Unlike the 2020 stamps, which featured smaller text and a larger central image, the 2025 version displays enlarged text and a reduced main image. Additionally, the shadow effect in the title of the art, present in the original design, has been removed. The illustration below highlights these differences.

From the Arakan to the Album: Bhanbhagta Gurung on Royal Mail's WWII Stamp Issue

Royal Mail issued a set of ten stamps on 1 May 2025 to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, celebrating the heroic efforts of individuals who served during the conflict. Among them is a stamp featuring Bhanbhagta Gurung, who served with the Gurkhas in Burma.

Sergeant Bhanbhagta Gurung (1921–2008), born in Nepal, served with distinction in Burma during the Second World War. He joined the Gurkha Rifles in 1940 and was part of Operation Longcloth in 1943, the first long-range mission deep into Japanese-occupied Burma. In 1945, during fierce fighting near Tamandu, he displayed extraordinary bravery in clearing enemy positions under fire—a feat for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. His heroic actions in Burma remain one of the most celebrated examples of Gurkha valour in the campaign. In recognition of his courage, the Gurkha training block at Catterick Camp in Yorkshire was named in his honour in 2000.

Royal Mail also released a collector’s sheet, featuring tabs alongside the stamps that depict images highlighting their roles. The tab accompanying the stamp of Bhanbhagta Gurung includes a map of operations during the Arakan Campaign in Burma. Similarly, the tab with the stamp honouring Mahinder Singh Pujji features an image of a fighter aircraft returning from a sortie over the Arakan.

Both the stamp featuring Bhanbhagta Gurung and the complete collector’s sheet make meaningful and attractive additions to any Burma-themed philatelic collection. The technical details about the stamp are as below.


Stamp format: Landscape
Stamp size: 37mm x 35mm
Design: Supple Studio
Stamps per Sheet: 50
Printer: Cartor Security Printers
Print process: Lithography
Perforations: 14 x 14.5
Phosphor: Bars as appropriate
Gum: PVA

New Book Release: Postage Rates of Burma (Myanmar) 1937–2024

New Book Release: Postage Rates of Burma (Myanmar) 1937–2024
By Ko Toe – Launching 2 May 2025

Ko Toe is proud to announce the release of his new book, Postage Rates of Burma (Myanmar) 1937–2024, a comprehensive reference documenting postage rates from the colonial period through to the present day. These rates have been meticulously gathered from a wide range of sources—including Acts, research articles, postal guides, official leaflets, and travel guides—in both Burmese and English. This meticulously researched volume will be an invaluable resource for postal historians and collectors interested in Burma’s philatelic and postal history.

Book Details

• Total Pages: 220

• Binding: Hardcover with thread binding

• Contents: Full-colour printing on 100 gsm coated paper

• ISBN: 978-981-94-2908-0

• Edition Size: Limited to 100 copies

• Price: SGD 50

To purchase a copy, please contact the author directly via email [toekyawkyar@gmail.com]. Trackable registered shipping by SingPost is SGD 44. 

Myanmar Post to Re-Issue Festival Stamp Series as a Sheetlet

In 2019, Myanmar Post issued a stamp series celebrating the country's twelve monthly festivals, each accompanied by the seasonal flower associated with that month. Each stamp represented one festival and flower, with sheets containing 30 stamps of a single design.

The series is now being re-issued as a single sheetlet containing all twelve stamps. While the designs remain unchanged, the new format brings all twelve together in one unified layout. The sheetlet, measuring approximately 203 x 221 mm (8 x 8.7 inches), contains twelve stamps of 200 Kyats each, making the total face value 2,400 Kyats per sheet. The official release date is 28 April.  Total production is 50,000 sheets.

Interestingly, while the Burmese calendar traditionally begins with the month of Tagu—usually falling in April—the original 2019 series began with Pyatho, which fell in January that year. Although the sheetlet’s April release appears coincidental, the arrangement of the stamps on the sheet follows the original order: from left to right, top to bottom, starting with Pyatho.

However, this move has drawn criticism from collectors. Since the stamps themselves are identical to the original 2019 versions and lack any distinguishing features or overprints, removing them from the sheet makes it nearly impossible to tell them apart from the original issue. This could lead to confusion in stamp classification. Some collectors have suggested that an overprint, a revised face value, or the inclusion of the year of issue in the stamp design could have helped distinguish the re-issue.

The sheetlet bears the title “Twelve Seasonal Festivals and Flowers”.  No official First Day Cover (FDC) will be issued, but first day cancellations will be available. Each packet contains 50 sheetlets.

As previously reported in the report for the month of Tabaung, there was an unintentional error in the original stamp design regarding the scientific name of the Tharaphi flower. The correct scientific name for Tharaphi is Calophyllum amoenum, but it was mistakenly labeled as Calophyllum inophyllum, which actually refers to the Ponenyat flower. To address this mistake, the scientific name on the stamp for the month of Waso was replaced with the common name "Alexandrian laurel," which, during the design stage, was noticeably not italicized. However, in the final issued stamp, Myanmar Post italicized the name.

In this 2025 re-issue, it appears Myanmar Post may have used the original design file, resulting in the non-italicized common name being retained—an outcome that is arguably more correct.

Costumes ~ Ava Era

Stamps featuring Ava era costumes are the third sets in the costume series and were issued on 8 Dec 2021.  The set includes two stamps depicting man and woman in Ava era costumes.  At Yangon GPO, Mandalay GPO and Naypyitaw CPO, the envelopes with cachet are sold at 200 Kyats each.  In addition to the envelopes, the folding card with the design facts is also sold at 200 Kyats each.

Technical Information

Date of Issue: 8 December 2021
Denomination: 200 Kyats
Perforation: 14
Colour: 4
Quantity: 300,000 Pieces
Printing Process: Offset
Stamp Composition: 50 Stamps per Sheet
Stamp Size & Format: 30 mm x 42 mm (Vertical)
Printer: Security Printing Works (Myanmar)
Stamp Designer: Professor Myat Tun Aung, Aung Than Hitay
Historical Perspective Adviser: Dr. Chit San Win
Art From Adviser: Academy Zinyaw MgMg (Film), Thiha Lwin (TMH)

Myanmar - Russia Tiger Population Preservation Stamps 2022

The 2nd International Tiger Forum was held in Vladivostok, Russia, on September 5, 2022. The forum aimed to evaluate the outcomes of the Global Tiger Recovery Programme since its launch in 2010 and to discuss future strategies for tiger conservation, with a special focus on the Amur tiger. To commemorate the event, Myanmar Post issued three postage stamps along with three first day covers (FDCs).  Empty first day covers (without stamps or cancellations) were sold for 400 Kyats each.

Additionally, Myanmar Post released a large-format special edition FDC in a limited run of only 200 covers, which were presented as gifts to officials. A notable stamp error was discovered by U Maw Lwin Sein—on one sheet, the bottom row of five stamps was imperforate due to a missing row of perforation.

Technical Details of Stamps

Date of Issue: 5 Sep 2022
Printer : Security Printing Works (Myanmar)
Printing Process : Offset
Stamp Size and Format : 42 mm x 30 mm (Horizontal)
Color : 4
Perforation : 14
Denomination : K200
Sheet Composition :  50 Stamps per Sheet
Quantity : 100,000 pc per design
Designer : The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Conversation of Myanmar

First Day Covers

Official FDC 1

Official FDC 2

Official FDC 3