Russia 2017 Overprint:

Overprint for "55 year of First Human Flight".

2017 year:

 G. Titov (2010) 

and U. Gagarin (2009) issue.

It is well know part of history (First Flight), and Russia Postal Administration know well how to celebrate it. This time, they just overprinted this two issues, and, made it "celebrity" in Philatelic Community and Philatelist well!

This two samples of overprint come in 2017 year, under Michel catalog number 2341 klb (G. Titov), and 2301 klb (U. Gagarin), with very "nice" catalog of 250.00 and 70.00 euros per sample.

I don't see U. Gagarin in Scott catalog update, just G. Titov overprint I see (Scott #7754), and G. Titov, single stamp with overprint, have also one good level (17.50 $ per single), U. Gagarin will be (probably) less valued, as quantity printed are much bigger, but, as this topic are very-very popular in Philatelic community, so some nice surprise can be (in catalog value).

Market? As usually, it is very difficult to say "stable" price, but somewhere between few hundred US$ per "superior" pack format, to 20-30.00 US$ per single (G. Titov), and some 40-50.00 US$ per souvenir pack, or 5-8.00 US$ per single stamp (U. Ggarin).

So, all depend of quantity printed around, but I think, that this issues will have "nice" future on the market!

Suggestion?

Take it now, as smile in the future!

Italian Occupation - FIUME-KUPA 1942:

Here we have one great history of this very important place on Adriatic Sea.

Shortly just to inform about FIUME - Free State of, even that most of collectors have this knowledge, but "new generation" hardly know even where it is!

FIUME have an name on map long time back. In 1917 this territory first have an autonomy, at the time of Roman Empire, as free port. With a time go, this territory was under Hungarian Empire, than to Croatian "ban", than back and forth, till it come to the hands of Kingdom of Yugoslavia and so on.

In WWI it was under Italian Occupation, and as usually postage stamps was made.

This time, it was just postage stamps, which was available in Kingdom of Yugoslavia, King Peter II (Yugoslavia, 1939 issue) overprinted in Italian language ZONA/OCCUPATA/FIUMANO/KUPA, and so on with other text as O. N. M. I. or this one for "Maternity and Childhood" - Pro Maternita e Infanzia".

FIUME-KUPA "lived" very short period, from 1941 to 1943, and have just few postage stamps issued, all come of this Yugoslavia King Peter Ii issue, all together just four sets made, with first overprint come on May 16, 1941, set of 14 values. Next was in Jun 1941 with three value in set, than another overprint with overprint MEMENTO AVDERE SEMPER and one shown, which come on 1942 year, set of three value.

First set of 14 values, have an really great catalog value (Michel catalog number 1/14) of 13 000.00 euro for mnh condition.

Second set (Michel catalog number 15/17), with 15.00 euro for mnh condition.

Third single with two overprint variation (in black or violet color, Michel number 18a/b), have one good catalog price of 35.00 or 150.00 euro per sample.

last one (shown), is set of three value (Michel catalog number 19/21), with affordable 36.00 euro per set in mnh condition.

Little bit strange, but I don't see this catalog mark ("Falsh") near any of this issues, mean there is not known fake on market, but, for sure, I will suggest to everyone, if will go and purchase this issues, to go and buy it from really trusted dealer, or to have it with certificate, You know well that certificate is worth price!

Now, what You will find on market or internet offerings?

Little, better say almost nothing offered!

And that I see, is valued from full catalog, to even 300% up to catalog prices.

So, good luck! 

Travel & Philately:

Travel & Philately

Two great passions, which make our life more interesting, better, and in the end, live some "traces" to future generation.

Even that I'm not fun of visiting Antarctic, or other "untouched" part of our planet, I like when 

people, that visit far end of the world, bring back home memory in the form of post card or letter, properly canceled.

From this kind of artifact, our future generation, can learn a lot, as properly canceled post card or letter, give us some great information about place we visited.

Recently, I received this post card (as a gift), so I was happy to research little bit, about place 

someone visited.

As I read from cancel, it is Port Lockroy Post Office, which produced this clear cancel on British Antarctic Territory (BAT as better known in "Philatelic" language), postage stamp.

Happy to see, that cancel is actually applied on stamp, so we (collectors) have this nice feeling to know that, YEAH, there are humans there! Personally, I hate "industry" made tourist items, in form of post card with imprinted cancel on it.

On same side of post card, near post office cancel, are another cancel, with penguin as central figure, and with coordinates of same Port Lockroy, than third cancel for Antarctic Heritage Trust.

Stamp used for postage come from 2014 year set of 5 stamps, for Airmail Postcard

(65 p face value). Stamp is produced in small format, so you will need lenses to see the beauty of design.

Stamp used on this post card, actually don't have "great" market value (around 1.50 US$ in mint or used condition), but full set of five stamps, can reach near 8.00 US$, on some online sites, and as on 

eBay, I see that people are offering it for near 12.00 US$ plus postage.

Will this item(s) have any market value in the future?

Hardly. I'm sure that BAT produced enough quantity to fill dealers need, so market will have it in offer for near or far future, and as tourist visit this places more and more frequently, that say, there will be lot of this kind post card around. But, who know what future will bring to us!

So, go, travel, spend on it, bring back home memory in form of PHILATELIC item(s), which will keep "traces" of You, to the future.

In the end, our next generations will have nice memory of us, probably, this way, we will keep 

PHILATELY FOREVER!

p.s.

Again, great THANK go to Assaf Ben-Ary

(אסף בן ארי)

father, for this post card.