Myanmar hosted the 23rd Anniversary of the Postal Business Meeting, and to mark the occasion Myanmar Post issued a commemorative set of stamps. The set comprises two denominations, 100 kyats and 500 kyats. In addition, a set of postcards bearing the same designs as the stamps was released, together with an official first day cover.
Technical Details of Stamps
Date of Issue : 21 Nov 2016 Printer : Security Printing Works (Myanmar) Printing Process : Offset Stamp Size and Format : 30 mm x 21 mm (Horizontal) and 21 mm x 30 mm (Vertical) Color : 4 Perforation : 14 Denomination : K100, K500 Sheet Composition : 100 Stamps per Sheet Quantity : 100,000 pc per design Stamp Designers : Myanmar Philatelic Society
August 8 is the founding day of ASEAN association. Myanmar Post participated in Joint stamp issue of ASEAN anniversary 2019. This year, theme set among the ASEAN postal authorities is "National Costume". Since the beginning of the year, Myanmar Post is planning for an issue. The hobbyist U Thiha Lwin sponsored the cost for photo shot of 8 major ethnics groups of Myanmar, which was estimated at 50 Lakh Kyats.
Public Announcements in Newspapers
When we are talking about National Costumes, it is not appropriate to issue just the costume of Bamar ethnics. So, it should includes all 8 big groups of ethnics. But, to me, one set of 8 stamps or one MS with all ethics group is good enough to be issued. Myanmar Post issued two sheetlets of 8 stamps each for this release, one normal posture and one dancing in ethnics costumes.
Costumes of Myanmar's Ethnics Groups
Dancing in Costumes
The controversial issue to discuss is the name of the designer. All covers mentioned U Thiha Lwin as a designer of the stamps, but as far as I understand, he is the sponsor or donor of the photos for the usage in stamp production. Interestingly, the Shan man playing the Shan pot drum is identified as U Thiha Lwin. Anyway, his efforts to come out with design are to be recognized.
During the design stage of postmark, U Wai Zin Paing brainstormed the postmark design which can reflect the theme and Myanma's tradition. He designed the postmark with Spinning wheel used in making the threads for the preparation of looming the traditional cloths. Meanwhile, U Thiha Lwin proposed Myanmar Post that it is more convenience to use long postmark with wavy lines (like a roller canceller), suggesting one impression cancel all the stamps.
Suggested Postmark designs
Myanmar Post issued two types of official FDCs, two types of postcards sold at 100 Kyats each and one empty folder which was sold at 2500 Kyats. Myanmar Philatelic Society also produced two types of FDCs. All the FDCs includes stamps' technical details at the back of the cover. All FDCs are designed by MPS and B(M)PSC member U Wai Zin Paing.
The quantity of FDC on sale is notable and FDCs are serialized. There are two types of FDCs sold for each design, with or without the post office name. Selling price for one empty cover is at 200 Kyats. So, counting to the varieties of FDC, there are 12 types.
With PO name
Without PO name
Nay Pyi Taw
2 x 500 sets
2 x 1000 sets
Yangon
2 x 500 sets
Mandalay
2 x 500 sets
There are some registration errors recorded by others. Here, I would like to record perforation error which I have collected. On the dancing sheet shown below, the left most two stamps has lesser perforation holes. This two Kachin and Mon stamps has only 21 perforation holes, while the rest has 22 holes. The stamps' width is measured at approximately 29 mm.
Sheet with perforation error
Technical Details of Stamps
Date of Issue : 8 Aug 2019
Printer : Security Printing Works (Myanmar)
Printing Process : Offset
Stamp Size and Format : 30 mm x 42mm (Vertical)
Color : 4
Perforation : 14
Denomination : K100 (16 designs)
Sheet Composition : 2 x 8 stamps per sheet
Quantity : 100,000 pcs each design
Stamp Designers : Thiha Lwin (TMH)
Myanmar Post announced on 7th Nov that the stamps tor the commemoration of 50th anniversary of ASEAN will be released on 11 Nov 2017. As I reported before, Laos, Brunie and Myanmar did not participated in joint issue, but now Myanmar surprisingly announced the stamp will be issued. In the newspaper announcements, Burmese Padauk is mentioned as national flower.
The appearance on The Mirror (Left), The Myanma Alin (Right Top)
and The New Light of Myanmar (Right Botton)
Technical Details of Stamps
Date of Issue : 11 November 2017
Printer : Security Printing Works (Myanmar)
Printing Process : Offset
Stamp Size and Format : 30 mm x 42 mm (Vertical)
Color : 4
Perforation : 14
Denomination : K1000
Sheet Composition : 50 Stamps per Sheet
Quantity : 100,000 pcs
Stamp Designers : Myanmar Post
First Day Covers
FDC by Stamps Myanmar
FDC by Myanmar Philatelic Society (Limited Edition of 450 covers)
FDC by KWK (Limited edition of 15 covers)
Official FDC by Myanmar Post
First Day Cancellations of Yangon GPO, Naypyitaw CPO and Mandalay GPO
Relating to the national flower of Myanmar and ASEAN nations, I have reported in this blog. Laos recently issued 10 stamps set featuring national flowers of ASEAN countries, just about 8 months before the ASEAN joint issues of stamps featuring national flowers. Joint issue is for commemoration of 50th anniversaries of forming ASEAN and Laos, Brunie and Myanmar did not participate in the joint issue.
In the set issued by Laso PDR, Padauk is used as Myanmar national flower. The stamp is valued at 1000K.
On 8th August 2015, all the member country of ASEAN issues the stamps to commemorate the 48th anniversary of founding of ASEAN. All the stamps will share the same design and postmark also will share common design. The theme is "One Vision, One Identity, One Community". The stamps and postmarks are selected through the "Stamp Design Contest" where Ms Vu Kim Lien from Vietnam won the stamp design contest and Mr Nguyen Du from Vietnam won the postmark design contest. The final design is slight different from the awarded design. The sun at the middle of the flags was replaced with the ASEAN emblem. The ASEAN emblem at the upper right corner was removed.
Myanmar Post and Telecommunications issues a set, with two set, where all other ASEAN countries issues as single. The set contains 100K and 500K valued stamps. Total of 100,000 pcs is printed for 500K and 300,000 pcs for 100K. It is in vertical format (21 mm x 30 mm) although all others in square format. State medias announced it on 5th August 2015.
Newspaper appearances
Stamp Designs
First Day of Issue Postmark
Winner of the design contest was declared in Feb 2015
Technical Details of Stamps
Designer : Ms. Vukim Lien (Vietnam)
Printer : Security Printing Works (Myanmar)
Stamp Size and Format : 21 mm x 30 mm (Vertical)
Color : 4
Perforation : 14
Denomination : 500K & 100K
Sheet Composition : 100 Stamps per Sheet
Printing Process : Offset
Quantity : 100,000 (500K design) 300,000 (100K design)
Myanmar Post issued official first day cover for this stamps. Post sold the plain cover at the price of 300K and the buyer have to affix the stamps and make FDC by himself.
FDC by Myanmar Post
FDC by Stamps Myanmar
FDC by Myanmar Philatelic Society (limited edition of 300 covers)
FDC by Hlwan Hmi, cancelled at Mandalay GPO
The cachet used is the original artwork awarded at the stamp design contest.
FDC by Min Ko Ko
FDC by Ko Wint Khine (Limited Edition of 25 Covers)
"SPECIMEN" overprinted stamp and Imperf version stamp of Vietnam are also available in the market.
Normal Stamp, SPECIMEN overprinted Stamp and Imperforated Stamp of Vietnam
Thailand Post, Laos Post issued not only the stamp but Miniature Sheet also.
