USSR Great Patriotic War - 1942-1943

 

ПОЧТА CCCP (Post of the USSR) stamps from the Great Patriotic War (World War II) era were issued between 1942 and 1943 and served as mobile posters, carrying patriotic slogans like "Everything for the Front! Everything for Victory!" into every Soviet household; essentially these stamps were propaganda to bolster national defense and support for the front lines.

The stamps depicted various scenes including women workers, soldiers, a flaming Nazi Germany tank, planes, and food shipments to the front lines. 

Several stamps in this image appear to be "Cancelled to Order" (CTO), meaning they were cancelled by the postal authority without actually going through the mail.

The stamps shown:

- ПОДАРКИ-ФРОНТУ (GIFTS FOR THE FRONT)

- СМЕРТЬ НЕМЕЦКИМ ОККУПАНТАМ! (Death to German Occupiers!)

- СЕЛЬСКОЕ ХОЗЯЙСТВО - ФРОНТУ! (Agriculture - for the Front!)

- ВСЕ ДЛЯ ФРОНТА! ВСЕ ДЛЯ ПОБЕДЫ!  (Everything for the Front! Everything for Victory!)

- ЗА ПОЛНЫЙ РАЗГРОМ НЕМЕЦКИХ ЗАХВАТЧИКОВ (For the Complete Rout of the German Invaders)

Singapore Cultural Dances

SINGAPORE issued between 1968 and 1973, stamps featuring cultural dances and masks.

Shown here:

- Lion Dance Mask (6 Cents), representing Chinese cultural performances.

- Indian Classical Dancer (10 Cents), depicts traditional Indian dance forms.

- Malay Dancer (15 Cents), showcasing traditional Malay attire and dance.

CÔTE FRANÇAISE DES SOMALIS "Danakil Tent" - 1947

CÔTE FRANÇAISE DES SOMALIS (French Somali Coast), a former French colony that is now Djibouti, issued on 6 October 1947, this definitive series known as the "Danakil Tent" set. The design depicted a traditional nomadic Danakil tent set against a landscape of palm trees and the coast. 

Denominations shown:

- 10c: Yellowish brown and bluish violet.

- 30c: Yellowish brown and brownish olive.

- 40c: Yellowish brown and brownish olive.

Photogravure method was used and printed by Hélio-Vaugirard in Paris. 

Unfortunately these stamps were damaged when placed in my album, over 60 years ago.

Côte Française Des Somalis "Chiffre-taxe" - 1947

CÔTE FRANÇAISE DES SOMALIS (French Somali Coast) issued in 1947 a series of postage due stamps ("Chiffre-taxe"), this one being with a denomination of 10 centimes. They were used to collect unpaid or underpaid postage from the recipient.

The stamps featured a geometric purple design, inscribed "Côte frse des Somalis".

Nederland Luchtpost - 1921

NEDERLAND LUCHTPOST (Netherlands Airmail) 60 cent stamp, first issued in 1921, depicted an allegorical design in the Art Deco style.

Postes France Libre (Free France Post) - Côte Française Des Somalis - 1943

POSTES FRANCE LIBRE (Free France Post) - CÔTE FRANÇAISE DES SOMALIS (French Somali Coast- Djibouti) was issued in 1943. It was part of the "London Series" (type Dulac), which was issued by the Free French Forces (France Libre) during World War II. Besides this stamp, there was a set of stamps with the same design, but rendered in different colours and denominations.

The stamp depicted a steam locomotive, representing the vital railway line between Djibouti and Addis Ababa. Other motifs included a traditional indigenous hut (case),  traditional dhow, palm tree patterns, and the Cross of Lorraine  signifying Free French resistance.

During WWII, territories like the French Somali Coast were contested between Vichy France and the Free French Forces led by Charles de Gaulle. This specific series was produced in London to replace Vichy-issued stamps and assert Free French authority in the colony. The territory eventually became independent as the Republic of Djibouti in 1977.

LIETUVA Peace Definitives - 1940

LIETUVA (Lithuanian) postage issued in 1940 represent two of the six definitive stamps symbolising "Peace".

- Green stamp (right) is a 10 centų (ct) stamp featuring an image of an angel.  Some versions of this stamp exist with overprints (like "LTSR") from the period of Soviet occupation in 1940.

- Maroon stamp (left) is a 5 centų (ct) stamp displaying a stylised version of the 'Vytis', the traditional coat of arms of Lithuania, depicting a knight on horseback.

Persian/Iranian Local Scenes

PERSIAN/IRANIAN postage stamps from the early 1940s featuring local and 'modern' landmarks. 

- The red stamp depicts a bridge, potentially the Karun River bridge. 

- The green stamp contains a different bridge, possibly the Hasan Beg Bridge. 

- The other green stamp shows the Ministry of Justice building.

Seychelles Christmas - 1971

SEYCHELLES Christmas postage stamps from 1971. 

- The green stamp is the 15-cent value featuring Santa Claus on a giant tortoise, designed by Edison Thérésine. 

- The blue stamp is the 10-cent value depicting Santa on a flying mat, designed by Jean-Claude Waye Hive. 

- A third design (not shown) with Santa in a beachside hammock was also issued in this set.

I received these stamps from Seychelles. They came affixed to an envelope with an enclosed QSL postcard from a radio station (FEBA) that I received  on a snowy evening in Colorado, long ago in the early 1970s.

Poșta Română "Costume Naționale"

POȘTA ROMÂNĂ (Romania) in 1973 issued a series titled "Costume Naționale" (National Costumes), highlighting traditional folk attire from different regions of the country. 

The series typically consisted of six different designs. The three stamps in here represent:

- 10 Bani (Blue): Features a woman's costume from the Suceava region.

- 40 Bani (Beige): Shows a man's traditional dress, also from the Suceava region.

- 55 Bani (Brown): Depicts a woman's costume from the Harghita region.

Territorios Del África Occidental Española Sahara Desert Scenes

TERRITORIOS DEL AFRICA OCCIDENTAL ESPAÑOLA (Spanish West Africa) issued between 1949 and 1951 a series of stamps depicting Sahara Desert scenes with inset portrait of General Francisco Franco. The denominations shown here are for the 2, 5 and 10 Céntimos stamps. F. Nuñez De Celis designed the stamps, whereas  they were printed by  Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre (F.N.M.T.).

Pilipinas Koreo Rajah Soliman

PILIPINAS KOREO on 30 November 1962 issued a First Day Cover (FDC) to commemorate Rajah Soliman (also known as Rajah Sulayman), the 16th-century ruler of pre-colonial Manila. 

This particular cover featured two 30s (sentimo) stamps from the Famous Filipinos definitive series (1962–1969). The stamps depict Rajah Soliman and were printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. Ltd.

The "G.O." overprint stands for "Government Official," indicating the stamp was intended for use by government agencies for official mail.

The circular postmark cancellation originated from Maynila (Manila) dated Nov. 30, 1962. The phrase "Unang Araw ng Labas" in Tagalog translate to "First Day of Issue".

The cachet depicts a large illustration of Rajah Soliman in traditional armor.

Rajah Soliman was the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Maynila in the late 16th century and was a nephew of Raja Ache of Luzon. He was the commander of the Tagalog forces in the battle of Manila of 1570 against Spanish forces.

Helvetia Brustbild Allegory and Chateaux de Chillon

HELVETIA (Switzerland) issued this common 10-rappen (centimes) definitive postage stamp, featuring the "Sitting Helvetia" (Brustbild) allegory, first in 1909.

HELVETIA (Switzerland) first issued in 1934 and used through the 1930s and 1940s this 10-centime definitive postage stamp. It was one in a series of stamps showing Swiss landscapes.

The particular design features Chillon Castle (Château de Chillon) on the shores of Lake Geneva (Lake Léman) with the Dents du Midi mountain range in the background.

The vertical black text overprinted on this stamp, "es-postaux", is part of a postal service cancellation (likely from a "chèques-postaux" or postal checks department), indicating it was used for official administrative or financial postal services rather than standard mail.

Helvetia (Switzerland Wilhelm Tell - 1914

HELVETIA (Switzerland) long-running series of Swiss hero William Tell (Wilhelm Tell)  was  first introduced in 1914 and used through the 1930s. One of the postmark cancellations shows a date of September 1923 (IX.23).

Freistaat Bayern Overprints of Germania Stamps - 1919

FREISTAAT BAYERN OVERPRINTS, originally Deutsches Reich stamps, were issued in 1919, after the fall of the Bavarian Socialist Republic when Bavaria declared itself a free state within the Weimar Republic.

During the transition of the Weimar Republic, regular German "Germania" and Bavarian definitive stamps were overprinted with the words "Freistaat Bayern" to reflect Bavaria's status as a free state. 

These were among the last stamps issued specifically for Bavaria; regular German postage replaced them in April 1920 with the establishment of the Weimar Republic.

- The carmine-coloured "Deutsches Reich"  design depicts the Reichspostamt (Imperial Post Office) in Berlin. 

- The blue-coloured "Deutsches Reich" stamp contains an allegory of the German Empire -- Northern (Protestant) states and Southern (Catholic) regions -- with the text "Deutsches Reich" on the sides and the motto "Seid Einig - Einig - Einig!" (Be United - United - United!) at the bottom.

- The grey-coloured "Deutsches Reich" stamp shows the 100th birth anniversary of Emperor Wilhelm I (1797-1897), featuring a depiction of the Brandenburger Tor. 

- The central red image on this "Deutsches Reich" stamp shows Kaiser Wilhelm II giving a speech in 1896 on the 25th anniversary of the German Empire. At the bottom of the stamp it states, "Ein Reich, Ein Volk, Ein Gott" (One Empire, One People, One God). Interestingly, the Nazis would use a similar phrase in the Austrian Anschluss "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fürher".

Republic of Argentina "Lanas" (Wool) Industry

REPUBLIC OF ARGENTINA issued on circa 1935–1936 a 30-centavo stamp showing a Merino sheep (Oveja Merina) to represent the "LANAS" (Wool) industry in the country.

République Française (French Algeria) "Rue de la casbah" 1926

RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (FRENCH ALGERIA) issued in 1926 a set of definitive postage stamps depicting a "Street in the Casbah" (Rue de la casbah), Algiers. 

This  scenic view of the Casbah of Algiers, is now a historic citadel and UNESCO World Heritage site known for its narrow, winding streets and traditional architecture.

Stamp values and colours shown:

1c: Olive-grey

2c: Claret or reddish-brown

3c: Orange-red

These stamps belong to a larger series of pictorial stamps issued between 1926 and 1939 that featured various Algerian landscapes and landmarks.

French Establishments in India Apsara

FRENCH ESTABLISHMENTS IN INDIA (Établissements Français dans l'Inde) issued between 1948 and 1952 three stamps based on Apsara.

The Apsara are known for their exceptional beauty, grace, and skill in dance, music, and the arts. Originating as water and cloud spirits during the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean), they reside in Indra's heaven as dancers for the gods and consorts to the Gandharvas. They are sometimes sent to seduce sages or mortals performing intense penance that threatens the gods' power.

The name translates to "one who moves in water" (ap = water, sara = motion). They appeared during the churning of the ocean.

 This was part of a "Hinduist Sculptures" series featuring deities and architectural motifs from the region.

This particular stamp had a face value of 1 cache. The set was designed by Rolland  and printed/engraved by H. V. PARIS

Postes République Françs De L'océanie Spear Fishing

POSTES RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE ETS FRANÇS DE L'OCÉANIE (French Oceania, now part of French Polynesia) issued on 19 March 19 1934 this stamp and similar design of different colours and denominations.

The central image depicted a fisherman standing in a boat or canoe, poised to strike with a spear. The stamp was framed by palm trees and traditional ornamental patterns.

Herviault was the designer and A. Mignon was the engraver.

U.S. Postal Company Centenary of Fort Bliss - 1948

U.S. POSTAL COMPANY on 5 November 1948 issued a 3 cent centennial commemorative postage stamp of Fort Bliss. First Day of issue originated from El Paso, Texas. Charles R. Chickering designed the stamp.

The design was unique for featuring both historical and then-modern elements: the original Fort Bliss buildings and a rocket  (specifically a V-2 rocket) in flight, reflecting the post-WWII use of Fort Bliss for rocket testing. 

It is famously known amongst collectors as a stamp featuring a camel, which can be seen in the small vignette below the "3¢" on the left side.

U.S. Postage Stamp Centenary of the First Adhesive Stamps in the US - 1947

U.S. POSTAGE STAMP Centenarycommemorative issue, released on 17 May 1947. It was issued to mark the 100th anniversary of the first adhesive postage stamps in the United States. 

It  featured portraits of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, who were pictured on the original 1847 stamps. It also highlighted the evolution of mail transportation over a century, showing a Pony Express rider, a steam locomotive, a diesel locomotive, a modern ocean liner, and a four-engine transport plane.

It was first released in New York City on the opening day of the Centenary International Philatelic Exhibition (CIPEX).

Approximately 127,000,000 of these stamps were printed in a dark blue color using the recess printing method.

Spanish Protectorate Of Morocco Cabo Juby

MARRUECOS PROTECTORADO ESPAÑOL (Morocco Spanish Protectorate) issued in 1942 the Cabo Juby airmail postage stamp. The stamps featured an airplane flying over a minaret in Cabo Juby. Face value was 10 centimos. The stamp was printed by Rieusset, S.A. in Tangier. 

Another stamp in the series depicted a landscape with a Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 aircraft flying overhead. The scene captured a rural area with figures and pack animals, characteristic of the local landscape at the time. The stamp was printed by Rieusset S.A. - Heralmi, as noted at the bottom of the design. 

Cape Juby was a Spanish possession located on the coast of present-day southern Morocco. During the Spanish protectorate era (1912–1956), various stamps were issued for use in the territory, often as overprints on Spanish or Moroccan issues, or as unique designs like this airmail series. This specific 1942 series was part of a larger set of landscapes with aircraft.

Correos Del Ecuador

CORREOS DEL ECUADOR issued in the late 1930s to 1940s stamps depicting Mount Chimborazo (Chimborazo-Andes Ecuatorianos), an inactive stratovolcano in the Andes. These stamps were released in different colours and either a face value of 30 Centavos (Treinta Centavos). American Bank Note printed the stamps.

Mount Chimborazo  is a major national landmark; although not the highest peak by elevation above sea level, its position on the equatorial bulge makes its summit the point on Earth closest to the sun.

Maygar Posta Traditional Attire

MAYGAR POSTA in 1963 issued a series of nine stamps based on traditional attire of Hungary. Shown here are two of those stamps: the Kapuvar and Madarsko costumes.

Poczta Polska Stanisław Moniuszko Operas

POCZTA POLSKA in 1972 issued a series of eight stamps honouring composer Stanisław Moniuszko and his famous operas. Shown here are  scenes from four operas, such as "Halka" and "Straszny dwór" (The Haunted Manor).

Império Colonial Português (Cape Verde and Mozambique) - 1938

IMPÉRIO COLONIAL PORTUGUÊS (Cape Verde) in 1938  issued a postal stamp featuring the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama. It was part of a series commemorating the Portuguese Colonial Empire. Face value of the stamp was 5 Centavos.

IMPÉRIO COLONIAL PORTUGUÊS (Mozambique) in 1938  issued a airmail postal stamp. Face value of the stamp was 5O Centavos.

Cochin Anchal Maharaja Ravi Varma - 1946

COCHIN ANCHAL [Indian Princely State of Cochin (now part of Kerala)] was issued in 1946-1947. This 9 Pies postage stamp shows a portrait of  Maharaja Ravi Varma.  It has a distinct black overprint, such as 'ON' or 'ON CGS', meaning (On Cochin Government Service), which was used for official government correspondence. "Anchal" refers to the local postal service that operated in the states of Travancore and Cochin.

Manchukuo airmail stamp - 1936

MANCHUKUO airmail stamp issued in 1936, with a denomination of 39 Fen, showing an aircraft flying over a railroad bridge.

Manchukuo was a puppet state established in Manchuria (northeastern China) by the Empire of Japan, which existed from 1932 to 1945.

Poczta Polska Polish Calvary

POCZTA POLSKA in 1972-1973 issued a Polish Cavalry series, including a 10th-century Piast knight on horseback, a 13th-century knight, and a 17th-century Polish Winged Hussar, all designed by I. Maciąg.

Österreich Post Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

 

ÖSTERREICH POST issued on 30 July 2004 a special First Day Cover stamp of then Governor of California, actor, body builder, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The date  coincided with his 57th birthday.

The stamp design featured a portrait of Schwarzenegger with the word "Governor" and his name. The background included a likeness of the American flag. The postmark cancellation depicted an imprint of the state of California, the California symbol of a Bear and the Austrian and US flags, signifying Schwarzenegger's Austrian origin. The stamp had a face value of 100 Euro Cent (1 Euro). Approximately 600,000 of these stamps were produced. The image displayed here shows a postmark from Graz, Austria, dated 30 July  2004.

USPS Muhammad Ali

USPS on 15 January  2026 issued two First Day Cover (FDC) stamps honouring Muhammad Ali, which were officially issued in his hometown of Louisville, KY. Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps. The USPS printed 22 million of these commemorative stamps.

One cachet design includes the famous quote "I am the Greatest" and images of Ali's victories, such as his 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" against George Foreman, and matches against Sonny Liston and Joe Frazier. 

The other cachet design features a 1974 black-and-white Associated Press photograph of Ali in a classic boxing stance.

The stamps fulfilled a lighthearted prediction Ali once made: "I should be a postage stamp, because that's the only way I'll ever get licked."

HELLENIC POST Greek History and Mythology - 1937-1938

HELLENIC POST  issued in 1937–1938 a series of stamps depicting various scenes from Greek history and mythology. This set is often referred to as the "Historical Issue" or "Greek History" series.

The set shown:

- Lady of Tiryns. The 10 lepta stamp.

- Statue of Zeus of Dodoni. The 20 lepta stamp.

- Statue of Aphrodite of Melos (Venus de Milo), sculpted around 150-125 BC. The 80 lepta stamp.

- Allegorical painting  entitled "The Glory of Psara" by Nikolaos Gyzis. The 25 drachma stamp.

- Ancient Minoan sport of Tavrokathapsia (bull-leaping). 5 Lepta stamp.

- Delphic Amphictyony coin. The 40 lepta stamp.

- Diagoras of Rhodes being carried by his sons after a victory at the Olympic Games. 50 Lepta stamp.

- Alexander the Great at the Battle of Issos. The 15 drachma stamp. 

Pos Malaysia 50th Anniversary of World Children's Day

POS MALAYSIA issued in 2003 a set of stamps to mark "Sambutan 50 Tahun Hari Kanak-Kanak Sedunia" (the 50th Anniversary of World Children's Day), which was first organized in 1953 and later recognized by UNICEF and the UN in 1954. 

Stamps shown:

(Top): This 20 sen stamp featured children from diverse backgrounds holding hands in a circle around a world map, symbolizing global unity and friendship.

(Below): A collection of four 30 sen stamps depicting illustrations of children playing, school life and family, entitled "Keluarga Saya" (My Family) and "Negaraku" (My Country).

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Imperial Japan Mount and Yomei Gate of the Tosho-gu Shrine Yakedake and

IMPERIAL JAPAN (1st Showa) issued between 1937 and 1940 a blue 5 sen  definitive stamp,  featuring an image of Lake Taisho and Mount Yakedake in the Kamikochi area of the Japanese Alps.

IMPERIAL JAPAN (1st Showa) issued in 1938 a red 10 sen  definitive stamp,  featuring the Yomei Gate of the Tosho-gu Shrine in Nikko.

Republic of China Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Inflationary Stamps

REPUBLIC OF CHINA (ROC) issued in 1947-1948 these definitive stamps of  Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, the first provisional president of the ROC. These  100,000, 700, and 25,000  denomination stamps were printed by the Dah Tung Book Co. in Shanghai during a period of high inflation in China.

Republic of China Lin Sen and Chinese Junk

REPUBLIC OF CHINA issued this green stamp depicting Lin Sen (1868–1943), who served as the Chairman of the National Government of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1931 to 1943. This was a postal savings stamp, rather than a regular postage stamp. It was issued in 1942 as part of a series intended to encourage national savings during the war period. This specific green stamp had a face value of 1 Yuan. It was issued by the Postal Savings and Remittance Bureau of the Republic of China.

REPUBLIC OF CHINA issued this  2nd Peking print in approximately 1923. It featured  a traditional Chinese junk boat with a calm sea and a train in the background. 

This stamp was released in three primary issues: the 1913 London Printing, the 1915 First Peking Printing, and the 1923 Second Peking Printing.

This specific 10-cent denomination, often found in green or olive green, is frequently associated with the 1923 Second Peking Printing.

Saint-pierre And Miquelon Soldier's Bay

POSTES RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE - SAINT-PIERRE AND MIQUELON, a French overseas collectivity near Newfoundland, issued in 1947  stamps depicting the rocky cliff landscape of Soldier's Bay on the island of Langlade. The set included denominations of 10, 30, 40, and 50 centimes. They  were designed by J. Lhuer and J. Jacquin.

Hellenic Post Environment Protection Conference

HELLENIC POST issued in 1958, a set of six stamps highlighting the International Congress for the Environment Protection Conference. The stamps featured Greek mythological figures: Adonis and Aphrodite (hibiscus), Apollo and Daphne (laurel), Narcissus (narcissus/daffodil), and Pan and the Nymph Pitys (pine tree)—alongside native Greek flora like the Iris Cretica, Tulipa Boeotica, Attica Crocus, and Cyclamen greacum.

EF Indochine French Governor General, Naturalist, Explorers in Indochina - 1944

EF INDOCHINE (French Indochina) commerative postage stamps issued during Vichy period in 1944. Printer/Designer was Ideo/Chuoc.

Top row: Joost van Vollenhoven, who was the acting Governor-General of French Indochina from January 1914 to April 1915. 

Middle row: Jean Marie Antoine de Lanessan, a French naturalist, politician, and Governor-General of Indochina. 

• Bottom row: Auguste Pavie, a prominent French explorer and diplomat, honoured for his role in the exploration and expansion of French influence in the Indochina region.