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

Flaw or Tear?

I found something interesting in recent ebay listing, the 5R value of 1946 King George VI stamp has obvious white strip.   The strip cross the King's face from nose to mouth.  It is unclear from the photo uploaded by the seller, but I tried my luck to explore more of the strip, flaw or tear.

When the item arrived to me, I takes the microscopic photos of it and did analysis.  Based on the close up photos, it is assumed as a flaw.  One more analysis to do is to use electronics watermark detector to check the thickness of the stamp paper.  If it has same thickness throughout the stamp, it can be confirmed that as a flaw.  The close up view is displayed below.