72nd Anniversary of Independence Day

On 4th Jan 2020, Myanmar Post issued a set of three stamps for 72nd anniversary of Independence Day.   This year, the stamp designs are based on the photo greeting cards produced by the Ministry of Information.  The original greeting cards are distributed among the Government.  All the stamps featured the national races of Myanmar and Independence Monument.

Stamp Designs

Technical Details of Stamps

Date of Issue : 4 January 2020
Printer : Security Printing Works (Myanmar)
Printing Process : Offset
Stamp Size and Format : 42 mm x 30 mm (Horizontal)
Color : 4
Perforation : 14
Denomination : K200 three designs
Sheet Composition :  50 Stamps per Sheet
Quantity : 300,000 pc per design
Stamp Designers : Zay Yar Lin

Design 1 (left) used same design of one stamp issued during 2016.   The independence monument seen in design 1 and 2 (left and middle) is the monument from the Mahabandoola park near the Sule pagoda.  The monument in the design 3 (right) is also known as the Pinlon Union munument, which is located at Pinlon.

Two simple commemorative postmarks were used  on the first day of issue.  One in Burmese and the other in English.  My personal view to this is unnecessary to have two different cancellation.  It will be better to include both languages in one chop (I know there was a proposal of such).

I witnessed the stamp sale on the first day at Yangon GPO.  All the empty FDC at Yangon GPO are sold out within first few hours.  One official empty FDC are sold at 200 Kyats to public.  MPS is selling its FDC at 200 Kyats to its members, and 300 Kyats to the public for fund raising purpose.  Joining MPS can save 100 Kyats for every FDC purchased.

First Day Covers

Official FDC by Myanmar Post

MPS FDC

U Mya Thaung FDC

FDC by Hobby (Thein Tun Kyaw)

Maximum card

MRTV News

Low value definitive (1st stamp)

Due to low stocks of 100K and 200K stamps at Post Offices, the Post Office is planning to issue a new series of Definitive.  As there is an urgency, the new series with new topic cannot be adopted immediately as it needs long and time taking process of approval.  So, the temporary solution is to reuse the topic which was previously used as definitive.   In 2017, the Musical Instruments definitive of 1990s were revisited with new arrangements and denominations.  This time also, adapting the same idea and Bird series of 1960s is revisited.

The first stamp in this series is Indian Roller bird (Hnat Khar), of which scientific name is Coracias benghalensis.  It is the same bird illustrated in my logo. The four color stamp has denomination of 100 Kyats.  Total of 3400 official FDCs were produced.

Stamp Design

   Technical Details of Stamps

Date of Issue : 12 Dec 2019

Printer : Security Printing Works (Myanmar)

Printing Process : Offset

Stamp Size and Format : 30m x 42m (Vertical)

Color : 4

Perforation : 14

Denomination : K10

Sheet Composition :  50 Stamps per Sheet

Quantity : 2,000,000 pcs

Stamp Designers : Wai Zin Paing

First Day Covers

Official FDC, cancelled at Mandalay

MPS FDC (1000 Covers) [MPS-FDC-040]

145th Anniversary of UPU (World Post Day)

Universal Postal Union was established in 1875 by the Treaty of Bern.  In 2019, UPU celebrates its 145th anniversary.  Currently, with its 192 member countries, the union is headquartered in the Swiss capital Berne.  On 9th October, World Post Day, Myanmar also issued a stamp to commemorate the 145th anniversary of UPU.

Stamp Design

 Technical Details of Stamps

Date of Issue : 9 Oct 2019

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 : 1,000,000 pcs
Stamp Designers : Universal Postal Union

Maxicard

First Day Covers

Official FDC by Myanmar Post

MPS FDC (900 Covers) [MPS-FDC-037]

FDC by U Mya Thaung

On 9th October, the World Post Day celebration was held in Nay Pyi Taw by Myanmar Post.  At this event, a special commemorative cover was prepared and gave to the attendees as a souvenir and sold a few numbers of covers.  Total of 500 covers were produced.  The cancellation is also different from the first day cancellation.  The cover is shown below.

150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

This year marks 150th Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, and many countries around the world issues stamps commemorating Mathama Gandhi.  Myanmar also join the commemoration by issuing the stamp.  Mathama Gandhi was born on 2 Oct 1869.

Empty first day cover were sold at 200 Kyats each, and postcard at 100 Kyats.  Large folder which can hold one full sheet, a postcard and a first day cover are also sold at 5000 Kyats.

On the first day of issue, 50000 stamps, 1000 First Day Covers, 700 postcards and 200 folder were sold at Mandalay GPO.

Stamp Design

 Technical Details of Stamps

Date of Issue : 2 Oct 2019
Printer : Security Printing Works (Myanmar)
Printing Process : Offset
Stamp Size and Format : 42 mm x 30 mm (Horizontal)
Color : 4
Perforation : 14
Denomination : K100
Sheet Composition :  50 Stamps per Sheet
Quantity : 1,000,000 pcs
Stamp Designers : Thiha Lwin (TMH)

First Day Covers

Official FDC by Myanmar Post, cancelled at Mandalay

MPS First Day Cover (900 Covers) [MPS-FDC-036]

U Mya Thaung FDC

Video News (Mandalay GPO)

The month of Nadaw

The twelveth and last stamp of the festivals series is for the month of Nadaw and it was issued on 27 November which is the first day of the month of Nadaw.

The stamp for the month of Nadaw depict its seasonal flower Thazin [Bulbophyllum auricomum] and Myanmar Literature festival. The artists and writers are invited to give a talk on their literature.  First Waxin of Nadaw is also known as writers’ day.  But, in the old time, Nadaw is the month of ritual feasts honouring Burmese Nats (spirits).

Stamp Design

 Technical Details of Stamps

Date of Issue : 27 Nov 2019

Printer : Security Printing Works (Myanmar)

Printing Process : Offset

Stamp Size and Format : 84 mm x 30 mm (Horizontal)

Color : 4

Perforation : 14

Denomination : K200

Sheet Composition :  30 Stamps per Sheet
Quantity : 150,000 pcs each design
Stamp Designers : Wai Zin Paing (MPS)

Maxicard

Grab your copies at my eBay store. 

First Day Covers

Official FDC by Myanmar Post

FDC by Myanmar Philatelic Society (1000 covers) [MPS-FDC-039]

U Mya Thaung FDC

 <More images to come, stay tune!>

The month of Tazaungmone

The eleventh stamp of the festivals series is for the month of Tazaungmone and it was issued on 28 October which is the first day of the month of Thazaungmone.

The stamp for the month of Tazaungmone (November) depict its seasonal flower Khawe [Luffa acutangula Roxb] and Kathina or Kahtein robe offering festival. Buddhists bring offerings, which must include the new robe, to the monastery.  Burmese hung the robe and other offerings on the Kahtein Trees or Badaythabin and donates to the Monks.

Stamp Design

 Technical Details of Stamps

Date of Issue : 28 Oct 2019

Printer : Security Printing Works (Myanmar)

Printing Process : Offset

Stamp Size and Format : 84 mm x 30 mm (Horizontal)

Color : 4

Perforation : 14

Denomination : K200

Sheet Composition :  30 Stamps per Sheet
Quantity : 150,000 pcs each design
Stamp Designers : Wai Zin Paing (MPS)

 First Day Covers

Official First Day Cover by Myanmar Post

FDC by Myanmar Philatelic Society

FDC by U Mya Thaung

Maximum Cards

Video News and my interview (Yangon GPO)

My Interview in radio
https://soundcloud.com/myanmar_radio/xetlya4yzbzd

Rare 1938 FDC of China Arts Co.,

The cover illustrated below is the 1938 First Day Cover prepared by China Arts Co., cancelled Rangoon G.P.O REG, and Rangoon registration label affixed at the back.  Registration Receipt is attached at the back of the cover.  The cover is backstamped Registration Rangoon DELY mark 15 Nov 38.  It is the philatelic cover with excess postage.

Back of the cover

Richards's Who Was Who in Burma Philately indexed China Arts Co. as Dealers, at Wyndham St., Hong Kong. Their Rangoon addresss – 345 Phayre St. – appears on fdc’s from 1938
onwards.  The Rangoon address was noted as different.

110th Anniversary of Yangon GPO Building

Myanmar Post issued single stamp to mark the 110th anniversary of Yangon GPO building.  The building was originally built by Scottish brothers James and George Bulloch in 1908. 

Myanmar Post invited interesting parties to submit the design concept for this commemoration through MPS.  Some members showed their interests and created an artworks.  Unfortunately, Myanmar Post just used simple portrait of Yangon GPO Building, due to late submissions.  Among the artworks, the concepts created by Wai Zin Paing are outstanding.  It featured the element of Yangon GPO building such as portico,  balusters and windows.   

Myanmar Post officials also satisfied with his design works.  So, they decided to use them in other ways.  Wai Zin's designs are used in first day cancellation, official first day cover, and four official postcards.  Wai Zin also helped Myanmar Post to design official stamp presentation folder, which was sold at 500K without the stamp.  Being the member of MPS, Wai Zin contributed to MPS first day cover.  As single designer contributed in many items, their designs shared the common features.      

Two controversial issues here is the stamp sheet preparation and missing country name.  The stamp do not show the country name in Burmese and English.  It just shows "100th anniversary of Yangon GPO building" in Burmese and "AD 1908-2018" in English.  Another issue is sheet preparation.  The Burmese wording touch the frame in some stamps, and some not.  It is obvious that it is not an registration shift of black, but the design inconsistency throughout the sheet.  Close observation tells that wording placement is same for the stamps in the same column.  It is concluded the wording for the whole column of 10 is copied and paste into five.

Myanmar Alin Newspaper (13 Sep 2018)

Technical Details of Stamps

Date of Issue : 20 September 2018

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 : 1,000,000 pcs
Stamp Designers : Myanmar Post

Cancellation Designer : Wai Zin Paing (MPS)

Stamps Myanmar FDC

Official FDC by Myanmar Post

FDC by Myanmar Philatelic Society

Stamp Folder (Front)

Stamp Folder (Inside)

Privately produced maxicard by Wai Zin Paing

Official Postcard 1 - GPO Building

Official Postcard 2 - Balusters of Yangon GPO

Official Postcard 3 - Windows of Yangon GPO

Official Postcard 4 - Portico of Yangon GPO

Who is/are Royalage?

Burma First Day Covers collectors may aware the term 'Royalage'.  The 1940 stamp centenary FDC prepared by Royalage - Rangoon is frequently seen in the market.  One of the example in my collection is addressed to Royalage, (Stamp Department), 218-37th St., Rangoon.

1940 Postage Stamp centenary FDC prepared by Royalage

But based on that cover, the identity of Royalage cannot be proved yet.  Richard recorded the Royalage as as Dealer. A firm trading at 218, 37th St., Rangoon, incorporating a “Stamp Dept.” that produced first day covers for the 1940 stamp centenary and the one pie stamp" in his book Who Was Who in Burma Philately.  The FDC prepared by Royalage for one pie stamp and comment from Steven Zwillinger in his exhibit is displayed below for your viewing.

<from Steven Zwillinger's exhibit>

So, who is/are the Royalage? The puzzle of the royalage is solved when I discovered earliest FDC prepared by Royalage.  Royalage also prepared FDC for 1938 KGVI definitive issue.  But, no pictorial cachet was created and simple pen writing marks said First Day Cover.  The rubber stamp impression identifies Royalage as bankers and traders.  So, it can be confirmed that Royalage is a group of bankers and traders.  They have their own stamp department, which may be helping them in posting of mail, and philatelic service for hobbyist.

Earliest cover with the word 'Royalage'

The cover is addressed to Mr Shamo Jamwa, C/O Rangoon Stamp Co., 138-30th Street, Rangoon. 

High Value Definitives of 2017

To cope with the new postage rates adopted on 25 May 2017, new high value definitive stamps were issued.  The new rate cost 1000K for ordinary foreign mail up to 20 gram and additional 1500K for registration fees for registered mail, which will cost total of 2500K.  Two new stamps are face valued at 1000K and 2500K which can be solo used for ordinary and registered mail.  The design is similar to previous definitive issue of 1990's, xylophone and harp but different image.

Newspaper Announcement

Digital Arts

Technical Details of Stamps

Date of Issue : 27 July 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, K2500

Sheet Composition :  50 Stamps per Sheet

FDC by Ko Sein Minn (cancelled at Mandalay GPO)

FDC cancelled at Naypyitaw CPO

FDC by Myanmar Philatelic Society (limited to 300 covers)
 

Solo use of 2500K stamp, registered to Singapore.

Ordinary mail, 1000K rate to Singapore.