Motorcycle pilots are the most preferred mode of public transport in Goa. Painted black and yellow like auto-rickshaws or taxis, these two-wheeler motorcycle pilots have their history since the Portuguese rule in Goa.
This commemorative envelope was
issued to celebrate the first mail run of the 1980 season for the Detroit River
Mail Boat Service. This unique postal operation is famous for being the only
floating ZIP code (48222) in the United States, utilizing the tugboat J.W.
Westcott II to deliver mail to massive freighters while they are still in
motion. The envelope features a "cachet" (the artwork on the left)
provided by the Motor City Stamp & Cover Club, which depicts the small mail
boat alongside a towering freighter to illustrate the "mail-in-the-pail"
delivery method.
The postmark is dated April 9,
1980, marking the official start of that year's delivery season after the
winter ice had cleared from the Great Lakes. To make it a true collector's
item, it includes both a standard circular date stamp and a special pictorial
cancellation—the ink illustration over the 15-cent flag stamp—which features a
ship and the text "Since 1855." These specific markings verify that
the envelope was actually processed through the Detroit Marine Post Office on
that historic day rather than just being a souvenir print.
This fascinating
philatelic artifact tells the story of a "Ballonpost" flight
conducted on September 1, 1996, to benefit children suffering from cystic
fibrosis. The event, titled "Ballonstart zum Sommerfest der an
Mukoviszidose erkrankten Kinder," combined community spirit with the
unique tradition of aerophilately. Despite a minor delay noted by a green stamp
indicating the launch was "postponed due to bad weather," the balloon
"Albuch" successfully took flight from Heuchlingen.
The document is a
treasure trove for collectors, featuring striking markings that authenticate
its journey. Notable highlights include the blue circular seal of the
Bürgermeisteramt Heuchlingen and a red diamond-shaped Bordstempel (on-board
stamp) for the balloon "Albuch" (D-OAEG). It also carries a "Par
Ballon Monte" cachet and a purple "Luftpost" stamp, marking its
status as official air mail.
Piloted by Hans-Jürgen Stäudle, whose hand-signed signature authenticates the flight, the balloon covered 28 km before landing at Hohlenstein. This specific card, numbered 0272, was addressed to Rolf Groner and bears an 80-pfennig German stamp commemorating the Halberstadt Cathedral.
Released on the occasion of the 150th Birth Aniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, this special cover commemorates the second phase of Harijan Padyatra Gandhiji from the Byree Railway Station, Jajpur District, Odisha. The mail was carried by Bhadrak-Cuttack Passsenger Train.
