Stamps and Numismatic exhibition held at Duga School

DECEMBER 21, SINGTAM: Sikkim Philatelic and Numismatics Society held an exhibition on - Stamps, Numismatics, Autographs and other hobby related materials at the Aurora Student Fest 2019 held at Sunrise Academy, Duga, East Sikkim on December 21.

Award winning philatelic exhibits, old Indian bank notes and foreign currencies was displayed. The crowd was excited to see the autographs of Bhaichung Bhutia, Danny Denzongpa, MS Dhoni, Kunti Mokhtan, Bhuwan KC and others. The society was represented by Ganesh Pradhan and Shital Pradhan, President and General Secretary of SPNS and Sishir Pradhan, member SPNS. The crowds especially the student's guardians thanked SPNS for this innovative exhibition. The students thoroughly enjoyed the displayed items.

Sikkim Philatelic and Numismatics Society would like to thank the organisers of Aurora Student Fest 2019 especially DB Chettri, Suresh Lama, Sanjay Agarwal, Ramesh Chettri and others for their generous work providing opportunity to the students of the nearby regions to showcase their talents.

Sikkim Philatelists grabs 2 Silver and 3 Bronze at WEBPEX- 2019

SINGTAM, NOVEMBER 21: Sikkim won two silver and three bronze medals at Ekla Cholo Re 2019, West Bengal State Philatelic exhibition held at Kolkata. The philatelic exhibition was held from November 16-22 at Academy of Fine Arts, Maidan, Kolkata.

Roshan Prasad and Sishir Pradhan won Silver for their exhibits ‘The story of Cricket’ and ‘The World of Football’. Ganesh Kumar Pradhan, Sunita Gurung and Tanishka Pradhan won three bronze medals for their exhibits Philatelic Exhibition of India, Special Cover Issued in Sikkim and Jawaharlal Nehru. 

Seven philatelists from Sikkim Philatelic and Numismatic Society had participated at the exhibition where five of them came with medals is a big achievement for Sikkim, told Shital Pradhan, Secretary SPNS in the press release. This time we had three new entries and it is encouraging all three brought laurels to the state. Roshan Prasad and Sishir Pradhan had submitted five frames for the exhibition while rest of the philatelists had displayed single frame exhibits, added Pradhan.

CINEPEX 90 RITWIK GHATAK : SPECIAL COVER

The special cover of Cinepex - 90, National Philatelic Exhibition on Cinema & Performing Arts was designed by Dipok Dey and released at Parish Hall, Calcutta. The exhibition was held on January 11-18, 1990. The Illustration cover was made on Ritik Ghatak, legendary Bengali filmmaker and script writer.

Darjeeling celebrates Everest Day ; releases a Special Cover on Tenzing Sherpa

 

A Special Cover featuring the Legend –Tenzing Norgay was released from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling today commemorating the 105th Birth Anniversary of the Legend. The cover was released at a function organized by the HMI celebrating the 105th Birth Anniversary of Tenzing Norgay. After conquering the highest mountain peak – Mount Everest in 1953 with Sir Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay was always associated with the HMI, Darjeeling ever since its establishment in the year 1954. He was the first Director of Field Training of the HMI and an advisor till his death.

A special cover is a cover (an envelope) that is released for a special person, occasion, monument or a place.  It has to be approved by the Postal Department of India. They are released in limited quantities and so they hold philatelic values and are sought by Philatelists and collectors all around.

 

The special cover and the special cancellation for the event was designed by Vivek Yonzone, a National award winning Philatelist from Darjeeling who is also the Secretary of Alpine Philatelic and Numismatic Society Darjeeling.

 

He said that it’s an honour to work on the cover of such an Icon, a Legend, the First Man on Top of Mt. Everest and thanked the Principal of HMI, Capt. Jai Kishan for entrusting him with this responsibility and opportunity. Darjeeling last witnessed a Special Cover release in the year 2014, so this was a release after 5 years and it is also an effort to promote Philately in the Hills, which is the main motive of the Society, he added.

 

 

The cover was released by the Chief Guest, Sayeed Ahmed Baba, Jamling Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, son of the Legend, The District Magistrate of Darjeeling, The Director of Postal Services, Principal of HMI, Capt. Jai Kishan and Vivek Yonzone.

First man on the moon

The First man on the Moon is one of the popular stamps in the world issued by the US Post Office to depict the space exploration by the US astronauts. The stamp shows Neil Armstrong, the first man to step on moon taking his first step on the moon on July 16, 1969. The three astronauts Commander Neil A. Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr.  had landed on the moon in a Apollo 11. The stamp was released on September 8, 1969.

The stamp designed by Paul Calle was the largest in size at that time from USA. Interestingly the stamp was printed from a master die which Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin carried with them to the Moon on the lunar module Eagle.

Later that same day, at 20 seconds after 10:56 p.m. EDT, Armstrong descended a ladder, stepped off the lunar module's footed to the Moon's surface and radioed his famous message: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

Madhubala Maxim Cards and a booklet (2008)

Madhubala Maxim Cards-6v set-issued by 

Department of Post,Kolkatta (2008). Designed by Dipok Dey

Golden Dragon (China SG55) from 1897

Off recently i had been hearing that there has been increase in people about collecting Chinese rarities. Stanley Gibbon has reported that "Golden Dragon" (China SG55) from 1897 is estimated to had been only printed in 300 numbers. In 2006, this SG55 from China was cataloged at £18,000. Now it's valued at £100,000, 

Paul Fraser Collectibles has reported that this piece of 10 cent on 12 candarin deep orange stamp from an 1897 issue was highly desirable example of popular Dowager stamp and therefore estimated at HK$500,000-600,000. at January 2012 sale at Hong Kong.

It is believed that only 14 unused and 51 used variety had bee known so far.

A postage stamp that started a war

Stamps depicting a map of the Gran Chaco were issued in 1932

Both Bolivia and Paraguay had conflicting territorial claims over the region known as "Gran Chaco." The dispute escalated in 1931 when Bolivia issued postage stamps featuring a map where the region was labeled as "Chaco Boliviano." In response, Paraguay issued its own stamp in 1932, featuring the slogan "Has been, is, and will be," with the region labeled as "Chaco Paraguayo." The issuance of these stamps symbolized the intensifying tensions between the two countries.

Subsequently, a full-fledged war erupted over the disputed territory. The conflict resulted in significant casualties on both sides, and Bolivia's economy suffered severe devastation as a result. The war continued for several years until a resolution was reached during the Conference of American States held in Buenos Aires from 1938 to 1939.

At the conference, negotiations took place, and an agreement was reached to settle the dispute. Ultimately, the territory was awarded to Paraguay, thereby bringing an end to the war. The outcome of the conference was significant in determining the ownership of the Gran Chaco region and establishing Paraguay's sovereignty over it.

Source: http://www.groseducationalmedia.ca 
http://www.aps.gen.nz/149/chaco_war.html

From the world's first omnibus stamp series

On 1^st April, 1898 a set of eight stamps in eight different designs was issued by Portugal and its colonies marking the 400th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's voyage to India, making it the world its first omnibus stamp series.

Grace Kelly's Monaco wedding stamp with Prince Rainier (1956)

Grace Kelly's Monaco wedding stamp with Prince Rainier (1956)

Grace Kelly, an American actress started acting in films with “Hours” in 1951 when she was 20 years old. She received a star status with the film “Mogambo” in 1953; she received an Academy Award for her role in “The Country Girl” the next year. At 26, when her world was at her feet, she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco. The marriage was performed twice, once in a civil ceremony on the 18th of April 1956 and on the 19th of April 1956 in a religious ceremony.

Grace Kelly acted in 11 films in her short and illustrious career. To commemorate the marriage five sets of stamps were released by Monaco. These attractive stamps showed Prince Rainier III and the beautiful American actress Grace Kelly was issued on April 19, 1956. The stamps were designed by Detaille from a photo by Jules Piel and Gravure printed by B. Minne.

Grace Kelly is also the first actress to appear on a postage stamp.

1/2d Lake Marion of Tasmania 1899

Tasmania 1899 ½d Green Pictorial Lake Marion

The photograph of the stamp is taken from famous Tasmanian photographer James Watt Beattie.

Stamp of Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (1922)

Stamp of Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (1922)

Is this stamp of Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic forged ?

The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was formed in 1922, lasting through 1924, when Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia combined forming the Transcaucasian SSR. The Azerbaijan SSR issued stamps from 1922-1924.

Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

 The 1922 stamps had a set of 13 stamps. One of the stamps I have in my collection seems like a forged one though many forged items of the Old Russian issues are heard.