The seventh stamp of the festivals series is for the month of Wagaung and
it was issued on 1 Aug. It is the 1st Waxing of Wagaung. Total of 3200 official FDC were issued. On the first day of issue, 1250 FDCs were sold at Mandalay GPO.
The month of Wagaung (August) is the fifth month of traditional Burmese calendar. During this month, monks are invited to receive the bowls filled with rice meal or some offerings prepared by donors. Alms-giving is by means of casting lots. Each monk receives whatever bowls his lot falls. The stamp on the card featured
Wagaung's seasonal flower Khatta [Crimum amoenum] and Buddhist Offering Festival.
Stamp design
Technical Details of Stamps
Date of Issue : 1 Aug 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)
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)
SINGPEX 2019 36th Asian International Stamp Exhibition was held at Suntec Convention and Exhibition Center from 31 Jul to 4 Aug 2019. Competitive exhibits of 1207 frames and 38 literature exhibits from 26 countries
participated in the show.
Exhibition Logo
I served my duties as a Commissioner for Myanmar. Myanmar participants entered two exhibits under the
competitive classes.
Commissioners
My own exhibit titled "The Development of Letter Sheets of Burma (Later
Myanmar) 1946-2001" participated under the postal stationary class. It
scored 83 marks and won Vermeil medal. The other exhibit under Literature class is the book written by Dr Kyaw
Myint Maung. The book named "The Articles on Stamp Collecting Hobby"
scored 70 marks and won Silver medal.
The
commercial tax labels were in use from 1st November 2014.In Fantail 55, second printing of these
labels was reported and the author questioned about prefix “B”.These labels are printed with security number
of 9 digits prefixed by a letter.The
prefixed letters recorded so far are “A” and “C”. On one of the recent eBay listing, the prefix
“B” was found out.It is on 5000 Kyats
values.The dealer posted a piece of
receipt taxed with the total value of 35000 Kyats.It was used on 21 June 2015, which is just
before the next printing arrives.The
printing with prefix “C” was recorded in 2016 as earliest usage.So, we can assume that prefix “B” was
distributed only limited quantity and used for short period only.It still needs more evidences of “B” prefix
on values other than 5000 Kyats.
I published my study report on the Burma's air letter sheets in GSM, 2019 May issue. It is also the beginner's guide to air letter sheets of Burma (Myanmar) covering from first issue of 1946 to last issue of 2001.
First page of an article
Toe Kyaw Kyar, "The Development of Burma's Letter Sheets: A Brief History", Gibbons Stamp Monthly, pp. 62-65, May 2019.
The seventh stamp of the festivals series is for the month of Waso and
it was issued on 2 Jul. It is the 1st Waxing of Waso. On the first day of issue, 1200 FDCs were cancelled and sold at Mandalay GPO.
The month of Waso (July) is the fourth month of traditional
Burmese calendar. In the ancient time, the Buddhist ordination ceremonies and noviciation ceremonies are held throughout the nation. It is also the first month of the three-month annual retreat observed by Theravada monks and practitioners. The stamp on the card featured Waso's seasonal flower Ponenyat [Alexandrian laurel] and Buddhist Ordination Festival.
Stamp design
The scientific name of the Ponenyat flower is Calophyllum inophyllum. As I reported in here, the name is replaced with the common name.
Technical Details of Stamps
Date of Issue : 2 Jul 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)
The sixth stamp of the festivals series is for the month of Nayon and
it was issued on 3 Jun. It is the 1st Waxing of Nayon.
The month of Nayon (June) is the third month of traditional
Burmese calendar. During this month, national Pariyatti Sasana
Examinations for Buddhist monks are held countrywide. The exams were held
since the time of the Burmese Kings. The exam includes written test and
viva voice. The stamp on the card featured June's seasonal flower Sabei [Jasminum
Arborescens Robx] and religious exam festival.
Stamp design
Technical Details of Stamps
Date of Issue : 3 Jun 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)
