Slovenia, Hydrometeorology issue, 2000 yr

Let's say, nothing specific in this issue - isn't?

Some design, that can be rated around "6" (from 10), no more - no less! At first glance, I even didn't intend to publish it here, I was thinking what is it worth? Some topic? Flower, satellite, lighting, but it is made like amateur job!

Then, when opening catalog, I see that it is printed just in 70 000 stamp, and time of issue was May 9, 2000, I was very surprised why this quantity, if we know that many countries print more than few million and Slovenia print around 200-250 000 per issue, surprise but now they go down to 70 000. O.K. - not big deal that You will try to obtain it - isn't?

But, it have reason - if You read well "Michel" catalog - You will see that this issue are printed in sheet of 9+1 format, which will give You just 7777 printing sheet (funny number?) out from printing plant!

Now I have just old catalog (from 2008 and 2005) and what made me to change decision and inform readers, was a price tag for this sheet of 9 + 1 tab!

In 2005, "Slovenka" catalog give it one very high price of 120.00 euro per sheet, do You really think that ordinary collector will spend so great (at the time) bunch of money? No, I don't think!

Again - BUT!

It come 2008 year, and "Michel" catalog go further (because inflation?) and price tag is now 200.00 euro per sheet of 9+1! God - who is here on this globe, who drive this "jump"?

Are that speculative move, or it is just one of evidence, that (rumor is going around for long time)

"Michel" is such kind of keeping prices for material that they have (to be fair, I even don't know if they have stamp shop)!

How is - is, and if You find it somewhere in "exchange" base - GRAB it - it is not items (in sheet format) that You will have chance to obtain it in the future!

Czechoslovakia Michel block 67A

Again and again I discover some really nice items from Czechoslovakia.

My 25 year in Philately give me nice knowledge about this country, but with time and by daily work, human lose sense of catching on first sight something beautiful, here was it case.

I have this item/s in my stock for long time, but never have time to examine it in proper way, and with "sense" for detail, which are quiet lot on this m/s.

Let start from catalog information:
date of issue is Jun 3, 1986. Michel catalog marked it by number Block 67A (existed also B and C version), POFIS catalog marked it by number K2747A and Scott by 2689 s/s.

Prices are very different for, because Scott didn't favoring it like Michel or POFIS - but we can more or less, come to one market value by evaluating this parameters. Scott have it on 5.00 $, Michel keep it for some years on 10.00 euro, and POFIS is much low of 40.00 Kron (more or less today 2.00 $). Where is middle? Somewhere between 8.00 to 10.00 US$ I think will be very fair catalog price, which will resulted on market about exactly full Scott catalog prices. Hardly acceptable for US collectors? Probably! But, go around, and see in any US collectors collection if they have this beauty inside! No, You will find very-very almost no-one samples there!

Now, because some "varieties" in this issue, You can well made one small exhibit on this issue. first, this issue have three option. "A" is for s/s perforated in way that You have one stamp, and two tab, "B" is for partially perforated, mean, perforation between stamp and tab are missing, and "C" option is for imperforated s/s. All three option resulted in very different price tag for one issue, where "A" will give just 10.00 euro, "B" go to 20.00 euro, and "C" option to 40.00 euro - nice difference!

Examine POFIS catalog, You will find additional six (6) type for it, because some "repair" in printing process, where engraver work are done to repair "used" printing plate, that occurred in printing process. You must take in account that this issue have around 600 000 pieces printed (all three option together) which resulted in some minor damage to printing plate. Where is difference for this sub-types? In some minor "line" on fingers, face, envelope and post horn, but even that it is "minor" it bring us technically different stamp on market!

And what is even more interesting, that option "B" with imperforated between stamp and tab, give us ONE stamp (if detached from s/s and used on envelope) totally different from "original" stamp (that have just symbol of FIP, globe, Praga 88 logo on it). When we eliminate this perforation between stamp and tabs we have one great design, that have from left side reproduction of one painting from XVIII century, of Post master General Karol Josef hrabe Paar (1654-1725) and from right side is one post history items from Post Museum (post horn, cancel, old mail).

I can say just "great" - great artist work, great history use on postage stamp, and great item that must be included in any serious collection!

P. R. of China 2010 issue:

Just recently received shipment from China, with two hard cover albums for year set of 2010. First, I'm really happy to see that China Post have and continue with one really great design and quality of stamp, and stamp album at all!

Hard cover, well illustrated, well printed, and this last shipment in hard cover pages inside this year album - lux that no every country on this globe can afford to produce. Yes, all depend on peoples that will or will not to purchase this albums, but I made it and obtained - really happy for it.

Prices for this two albums, with postage included from China, "R-Air Mail" - I pay high, around 240.00 US$, that is lot at the moment that whole year set of 2010 can be obtained from dealers for 46.00 US$, but in this two albums are included also sheetlets, booklets and albums alone - all this will rise prices 5x - expensive, but worth it!

What I want to say, is this one issue, numbered at 2010-19, "Musician", portrait of Bach, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. All together face value of 8.10 RNB - no high at all, but design, printing (engraving and offset) are well done. I see that it is printed in printing sheet of 20 (not included in year album), and still didn't see anywhere FDC - but will try to obtain also this two option.

Here, according SG new edition catalog, set is valued at 4.25 BP, but in China it is selling around 1.70 US$ - which a really low value for this precise art work!

P. R. China - Scientist, 1955 yr.

Scott numbered it 245-248a, China catalog C33M Scientist of Ancient China, issued Aug.25, 1955.

Not that it is made with great perfection, but for 1955 year, ethnology level, printing machines, color quality etc, this issue can be named like best -of-the-best!

Simple design give even more beauty to this m/s, and portrait are fine balanced.

here come persons on stamp:

Tsu Chungchin (429-500), mathematics

Chang Heng (78-139), astronomy,

Chang Siu (683-727), astronomy,

Li Shin-chen (1518-1593), physic & pharmacology.

All four stamp are face valued of 8f, at this time standard rate for all China stamp, and with this magic number "8" that characterized China effort in all field of life, from planning economy to the simple day-life.

One color, gravure, paper choice - give just "taste" in Philately, and in wish to include it in every serious collection. Catalog value as in Scott or in China catalog from 1998 and 2006 year, give nice value of 90-100 US$ per set, in mint condition - but if we go to explore little auction houses and eBay, we will discover very fine rise in prices. I see that on market, prices ranged around 300+ US$ per set of four m/s and set in mint condition - this is very nice investment opportunity, even today when we have "great recession"!

Overall feeling for this country philatelic material are and this period - simple, buy it at first glance! mint, used, CTO - don't think twice - even if market will go down, and prices will drop (that I can not see in near future), material will be more and more rare! Too many are going back to mainland, too many collectors in China want this period, material back to collection and offer are near minimum, that what I see on market are very-very high prices!

Right from SG #17 edition catalog, I see that it have 27.00 BP per set and 225.00 BP per four sheets, on China web - it have very great shortage in stock, and single that was available in 2007 year was sold same moment when offered, at the time it was sold for 16.00 $ per set and 144.00 $ per m/s.

Serbian Autonomy Kosovo

Like most of us know, Serbia have two autonomy. One is Kosovo and second Voivodina.

Because destruction of Yugoslavia made some mess around this Balkan territory, with democracy far away from ordinary people, with "no asking" policy when is talking about future of Yugoslavia and Yugoslavian citizen, civil war erupted.

Big power come in (big power = conglomerates and company), with clear intention to "divide and rule" - which resulted, in bombing and final destruction of Yugoslavia, mostly Serbia. Here come one interesting case - Kosovo (text from Wikipedia):

Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia was enacted on Sunday, 17 February 2008 by a unanimous quorum^[1] of theAssembly of Kosovo, with 109 in favor and with no opposition, with all 11 representatives of the Serb minority boycotting the proceedings.^[2] International reaction was mixed, and the world community continues to be divided on the issue of the international recognition of Kosovo.

As of 18 November 2010, 72 out of 192 (38%) United Nationsmember states have formally recognised the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state. Notably, 22 out of 27 (81%) member states of the European Union and 24 out of 28 (86%) member states of NATOhave recognised Kosovo. Serbia refuses to recognise it.

I will not comment now why international community think that "unanimous quorum" can be legalized like democracy or basic for independence, but I will show some fact that is at present there - and some very fine postally used cover, that say opposite of that what EU or USA or NATO countries wish to present worldwide!

When Yugoslavian Army and NATO Force made final agreement that ended bombing of Yugoslavia, Kosovo come under UN Administration for managing Autonomy. I can not say that it was actually occupied by UN Forces, but very near that.

From mid-May 2000 - UN managed also Post and Telecommunication in Kosovo, till when UN forces didn't decided to "run away" (around 2007), and Kosovo start to issue own postage stamp. But - because Kosovo is divided within Muslim population (part) and Serbian population (part), Serbian people continue to keep "order" and Post Offices that are on this territory still have Serbian postage stamp attached and in use. Here is some samples, recently used envelope, delivered to me that have Serbian stamp on it.

Till now, I have 13 different Post Offices cancel, I really don't know how much at all existed there, but it will be very interesting to have it in collection that specialized for Serbia. 

Value are enormous, because in fact, it is one fact-telling material, that can be used like history in every mean.

Bosnia - Serbian part - Republic Srpska

Just today received one great issue from Republic Serbska (Bosnia, Serbian part), it surprised me like with design, massage, history and importance!

Here is part of promotional text that are attached from official site of Poste Srpske, hope that this Authority will not be angry with me because copy right issue:

"...Poste Srpske on the occasion of World Post Day in October 9th issue commemorative stamp with great philatelic interesting thing “Private perforation Banjaluka” connected to the Monastery in Trapisti “Marija Zvijezda” in Banjaluka. Private perforation appeared only on the stamp with the nominal value of 45 hellers, because it is mostly used to deliver packages to the famous cheese “Trappist”. After the stock of perforated stamps were spent, they started to use not perforated sheets of stamps of 45 heller. Monastery got from the post office not perforated stamps in the lack of postal stamp, and because of easier handling, people in the Monastery perforated those not perforated stamps with their perforator in the line perforation 11 ½.

So, one special perforation was created, that was known in the philatelic world as “private perforation Banja Luka” and it was used in the short period during 1910..."

So clever move from this country that I didn't see same or near same move from many other countries in last period! Here we have some topical that can be mentioned, like "stamp on stamp", "cheese", "olive", "building" and some more - it is also nicely designed, arranged and printed - in description it is also very educated from philatelist point of view - I never know this fact about perforation for this stamp - that it is in use just in monastery - someone know it?

Now, how much it will be rare we can just imagine, because hardly that all collectors will have it in mind and know about this issue, and rarity is connected on demand vs availability, but small quantity printed will have an impact, it is just 15 000 pcs printed - I think, most will be delivered to subscribers, and very small quantity will be used on regular mail - because that - if You can obtain it on cover - keep it in Your possession and track the market - You will find very good surprise I think!

Czechoslovakia Michel # 1805 kleinbogen

Searching around my stock for something nice, and thinking that Durer was great!

Here I come across issue from Czechoslovakia (dead country collectors can be interested), year of issue 6 July, 1968. 42 years ago, and so beautiful production, so quality of printing, engraved, color composition hardly that You can imagine it!

This issue is named after 37th Congress FIP, issued in block of four with gutter between two horizontally stamp. On gutter printed World Stamp Exhibition - that was held in Prague (today Czech republic capital city), topic is like You see, Art, Painting, Bible, and some more if You want. In Czech catalog (Specializovana Prirucka, edition from 1988) this issue is named also like auto portrait of Durer. What this Czech catalog have when talking about prices? Not something big, just 60 point - if it is not clear for collectors, it is quality point measurement accepted by Commission in any International held exhibition. Now, when I see on Michel (2007 edition) catalog, there is very nice prices for sheet of 4, 30.00 euro in mint condition, that will fit nice in any collection. But - probably, to find it in perfect condition will be little bit hard task, because period (42 year old item), glue that are cube shaped and very "soft", humidity will attack it "on spot" - because that, handle it very carefully when in Your hand!

Scott catalog (#1555) have prices just for single stamp, and mentioning that existed sheets of 2x2 with label, without stating prices, single stamp have it 3.75 $ against 5.00 euro in Michel, I think that this stamp deserve more than 3.75 $, near full prices of Michel, but it is upon collectors to decide.

I will see just according quantity printed, single stamp are printed 632 400 pcs, and sheet of 4 in just 27 431! Quantity is reasonable for this kind of issue, because many people will search for it if want to complete any serious collection of Art!

Now, we all know, that catalog prices are just "orientation" for market, and Michel catalog have it almost for any country reduced - and for Czechoslovakia, probably You will find it for minimum/maximum 50% catalog value - mean - very affordable for "People Who Know what Philately Is"!