New issues: Lithuania - "XXI Olympic Winter Games. Vancouver"

The Games expect to have participants from almost 100 countries. That will be a new record of the number of participating countries in the history of Winter Olympics. The authors of this record will be also sportsmen from Lithuania. Four skiers, one biathlete and one alpine skier will represent our country. For the biathlon contestant Diana Rasimovičiūtė and skier Irina Terentjeva it will be the third Winter Olympics.
The debut of Lithuania in the Olympic Winter Games was in 1928, when the skater Kęstutis Bulota performed in St. Moritz. Lithuania has two champions of Winter Olympics: biathlete Algimantas Šalna and his team won gold in the relay in 1984 Sarajevo Games, and the skier Vida Vencienė became Olympic champion in 1988 in Calgary. She also became a bronze medallist there.
The sportsmen will be given 1.014 medals in Vancouver.
Tehnical details:
Issue date: 2010.01.30
Description: The XXI Olympic Winter Games shall take place in Vancouver, city of Canada, on 12-28 of February 2010
Face value – 2,45 Lt
Edition: 0,15 m
Artist H. Ratkevičius
Offset. Art paper. Stamp - 34,5x30 mm
Perf.14. Sheet of 10 (5x2) stamps. The margins of a sheet are with pictures.
Printed in Osterreichishe Staatsdrukerei GmbH printing-house in Vienna (Austria)

Postal Authority Lithuania

New issues: Japan - "The landscape of the journey Series Vol 7 "

Japan Post Service Co., the first in a series of landscapes and scenery, and subject to such typical tourist spots in Japan as seven bullets, stamps home "The landscape of the travel series 7 Collection "and will issue a stamp book.
7th Collection is designed and dedicated to the Three Views of Japan Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture and Sendai City. Chosen out of your letter or your travel memories of this stamp, also available as souvenirs.
However, according to the issuing of stamps, and issued a stamp album.

Tehnical details:
Date: 2010 January 29

Number issued: 1,200 million copies each (120 million sheets)
Design: Vista Matsushima/Vista Matsushima, Sendai Castle, Puru Sendai-Ru/Jozenji copy, Sendai Tanabata Festival/Zuiho-den Hall and Rinnoji/Rinnoji
Dimensions: 33.5mm×28.0mm
Color printing: 5 color offset
Sheet configuration: 10 pieces (two pieces next five vertical pieces)
Photo: Keiichi Takita, Nishida Takashi, Shooting Higuti Tetsu, Fumiaki Kanematsu, Kida Norio and Watanabe Katsuhiro
Original sheet margins: Hana Teru (writer paintings)
Design: Fumiaki Kanematsu (stamp designer)

Postal Authority Japan

New issues: Austria - "UNESCO World Heritage List: Salzburg Old Town Centre"

There can be no doubt that Salzburg’s historic old town centre is one of the most beautiful places in Europe - as was confirmed by its being made part of the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1997. In terms of its layout, the old town centre is bisected by the Salzach river, the source of the town’s lifeblood for many years, descending from its origins in the Alpine foothills to the south and dividing the town into a left and a right bank. The left bank is the "even older part" more >>>
Tehnical details:
Release Date: 2010-01-29
Number of Copies: 250.000
Printing Style: Photogravure and Intaglic
Design: Peter Sinawehl
Artist: Prof. Wolfgang Seidel
Printed by: Österreichische Staatsdruckerei GmbH
Type: Special issue series

Postal Authority Austria

New issues: Slovakia - "President of the Slovak Republic"

Ivan Gašparovič (born March 27, 1941) is a Slovak politician and law professor who has been the President of Slovakia since June 15, 2004. He is also the first Slovak president to be re-elected.

Gašparovič's toned down and non-confrontational approach to presidency has increased his popularity with many voters, and he is a generally popular president now. However, to date he has remained unapologetic about his role in the Mečiar's regime, which is generally perceived to have set back Slovakia's post-communist political and economic progress and development. Gašparovič was supported by the Direction - Social Democracy of Prime Minister Robert Fico and the Slovak National Party (SNS) an extremist nationalist party led by Jan Slota.
In 1964, Gašparovič married Silvia Beníková, with whom he has two children. In his private life, he is a sports fan, mainly of motor racing and of ice hockey, which is the national sport of Slovakia. He was one of the leaders of the hockey club Slovan ChZJD (later called HC Slovan Bratislava). He was vice-president of the International Commission of the Czechoslovak Ice Hockey Union and vice-president of the hockey team of the sports unit ŠK Slovan Bratislava.

Tehnical details:
Issue number: 469
Date of Issue: 29. 01. 2010
Face value: 0,40 €
Dimensions: 22 x 27,2 mm
Layout/Format: TL
Stamps per TL: 100
Number in set: 1
Stamp designer: Ivan Schurmann
Stamp engraver: Rudolf Cigánik
Printer: Poštovní tiskárna cenin Praha, a. s.
Print technology: Rotary recess printing combined with gravure
Stamps edition: 2 mil.
FDC designer: Ivan Schurmann
FDC engraver: Rudolf Cigánik
Cancellation design: Ivan Schurmann
FDC Printer: TAB, s. r. o., Bratislava
FDC edition: 3 200 ks

Postal Authority Slovakia

New issues: Morroco - "Flora of Morroco - Rosa Damscena"

La rosa damascena or damask rose stems, as its name indicates, in Syria where it was probably brought to Europe by Robert de Brie on his return from the crusade in 1254. It is a deciduous shrub reaching 2.2 m high. The stems are armed with strong curved spines, implanted in number and accompanied by stiff hairs. The leaves are pinnate and consist of five (rarely seven) leaflets. The Damascus roses are known for their delicate fragrance. They are grown for its therapeutic and cosmetic. Morocco is currently the third largest producer of the flower, after Bulgaria and Turkey.
Tehnical details:
Title of Issue: Flora of Morocco: Rosa Damscena
Size: 30mm x 40mm
Issue date: 14/01/2010
Value: 7,8 Dh
Design: L. Edfouf

Postal Authority Morroco

New issues: Morroco - "Flora of Morroco - Orange blossom"

Orange blossom growing on sour orange which is a shrub of the family Rutaceae (citrus). The sour orange tree is a 5 to 10 meters in continuous bloom, leaves oval and shiny, with a prickly thorn in the axils of lower leaves. Very fragrant and a white or pink, orange blossom is used to make water of orange blossom and neroli oil used in perfumery and to flavor foods. The tree "orange blossom" was widespread in early Christian era in India and was introduced into Palestine by the Arab caravans, and thence imported into Europe by the Crusaders in the twelfth century. The Moors cultivated extensively near Seville in Spain, and the name stuck to him.
Tehnical details:
Title of Issue: Flora of Morocco: Orange blossom
Size: 30mm x 40mm
Issue date: 14/01/2010
Value: 10.4 Dh
Design: M. Waguaf

Postal Authority Morroco

New issues: Spain - "Butterflies"

This year’s Fauna issue is made up of two stamps devoted to two butterflies: the Artimelia latreillei and the Zygaena rhadamanthus.
The Artimelia latreillei, from the order of the lepidopetrans, belongs to the family of the Arciidae and the genus ocnogyna. This butterfly is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and its colonies, although scattered over Spain and Portugal, are geographically isolated in mountainous areas (up to 1.500-1.800 high) as well as lower regions and the coastline. The males are very active during the day, even during the hottest hours in the morning and with their low, fast and erratic flight chase the females which remain still on the ground or on low branches. They are very active and polyphagous butterflies feeding in May and June from plants and petals from different species. Its hibernating chrysalis is of a reddish colour and barrel shaped and remains on the ground protected by a lightweight silky cocoon. The image is based on a photograph by Enrique Aguilar Gil depicting a female species belonging to the collection of entomologist Tomás Latasa.
The Zygaena rhadamanthus is a butterfly of the order of the lepidopterans, from the family of the Zygaenidae and the genus Zygaena. It lives in dry, sunny areas with low vegetation between south Portugal, Spain (except the northwest) and the south of France. Flight occurs from May to July, covering short distances between flowers in straight lines. Their wings go from a light grey to a dark greenish blue colour, and their rear wings are usually blue. Larvae hibernate by their host plant where they make their cocoon of a white colour. The Zygaena is a polymorphic species. Both the image featuring in the stamp and the butterfly belong to the photographer and entomologist above mentioned.
Tehnical details:
Date of issue: 20.01.2010
Printing: Offset
Paper: Self-adhesive phosphorescent
Perforation: 13 3/4
Stamp size: 35 x 24.5 mm (horizontal)
Souvenir sheet size: 177.5 x 86 mm. (horizontal)
Face value of stamps: 0.34 € (Artimelia latreillei) and 0.64 € (Zygaena rhadamanthus)
Effects Statement: 100
Edition: Unlimited for two reasons

Postal Authority Spain

New issues: Iceland - "Icelandic design II. - Furniture"

The Hanger TREE, 2001. Created by Katrín Ólína Pétursdóttir and Michael Young, this clothes hanger is among their designs which has achieved the greatest international popularity.

The Tango Chair, 1999. Architect Sigurður Gústafsson, the designer of this chair, has used his knowledge and insights into architectural history for furniture designs.
MGO 180 Dining Room Table, 2005. The company Epal reconstructed a dining room chair by Sveinn Kjarval dating back to the fifties. Designers Guðrún M. Ólafsdóttir and Oddgeir Þórðarson were assigned to design a modern dining room table suited to this chair.
The Sofa Dimon, 1999. This sofa was designed by Erla Sólveig Óskarsdóttir and reveals some distinct characteristics of her work as a designer. Erla‘s furniture are light and graceful characterized by a strong sense of form.

Tehnical details:
Day of issue: 28-01-2010
Printing process: Offset Litho + TOPSTAR silfur (silver)
Number in Sheet: 10
Printer: Lowe Martin Group
Size: 23 x 56 mm
Designer: Örn Smári Gíslason
Value: 75, 140, 155, 165 ISK

Postal Authority Iceland

New issues: Iceland - "Seals I."

Habor seal (Phoca vitulina) is the most common seal species in Icelandic waters. They are found in coastal waters of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as those of the Baltic Sea. Only the harbor seal and the grey seal bear pups in nearshore costal terrain in Iceland. The entire harbor seal population is estimated at 400- 500.000 individuals. These are social animals and can be seen in shoals off coasts. Harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) is a mottled seal living in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. This seal is a common vagrant in Icelandic waters. The Icelandic name „school seal“ derives from the large shoals of harp seal seen around Iceland in formar times. Harp seal equals harbor seal in size and often travels in large groups. The world wide population is estimated at approximately 10 million individuals.
Tehnical details:
Day of issue: 28-01-2010
Printing process: Offset Litho
Number in Sheet: 10
Printer: Joh. Enschedé
Designer: Jóhann Jónsson

Postal Authority Iceland

New issues: Sweden - "Europa 2010 - Children books"

Date of issue: January 28, 2010

New issues: France - "Abbé Pierre"

L'Abbé Pierre, GOQ (born Henri Marie Joseph Grouès; 5 August 1912-22 January 2007) was a French Catholic priest, member of the Resistance during World War II, and deputy of the Popular Republican Movement (MRP). He founded in 1949 the Emmaus movement, which has the goal of helping poor and homeless people and refugees. Abbé means abbot in French, and is also used as a courtesy title given to Catholic priests. He was one of the most popular figures in France, but had his name removed from such polls after some time.
Tehnical details:
Issue date: 23.01.10
Format: 25 x 36 mm - sheet of 48 stamps
Printing technique: Taille-douce
Issuer: Claude Andréotto
Theme: Famous people

Postal Authoruty France

Prestigious award for a stamp in the Isle of Man

Isle of Man Post Office’s Beijing Olympics miniature stamp sheet has scooped a top award at the Annual Best Foreign Stamp Poll in China.
The committee for the poll consists of key sponsors along with representatives from the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the China Philatelic Federation and the Association for Promotion of West China Research and Development. The purpose of the poll, which involves more than 40 countries, is to enhance the relationship between China and foreign countries.
Stamps issued back in 2008 were evaluated by the poll committee in 2009 and the results have now been announced with Isle of Man Post Office securing the "Best Printing Award" for its Beijing Olympics miniature sheet. The sheet with its excellent theme and design and in particular its printing technique grabbed the attention of the judges.
• Beijing-based philatelist and Isle of Man Post Office’s representative in China, Charles Cao, attended the ceremony and collected the prestigious award.
To date, Isle of Man Post Office has successfully attended the Beijing 2008 Olympic Exposition, 2008 Beijing International Stamp and Coin Exposition and the 2009 China World Stamp Exhibition. This year Isle of Man Post Office will be attending the 2010 Beijing International Stamp and Coin Exposition in October and will be further promoting Isle of Man stamps in the China market.
• Dot Tilbury, General Manager of Isle of Man Stamps & Coins said: "We are delighted to have been recognised by the philatelic world in China and are grateful to Charles Cao for attending the awards ceremony on our behalf. China currently has almost 50,000 philately associations and universities in Fujian and Jiangxi offer elective courses in stamp collecting so this is a very exciting area for us to showcase our stamps". - write in a communique published by the Isle of Man Post Office.

New issues: Israel - "Birds of Israel"

1 - The Goldfinch or European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) is a small passerine bird in the finch family.
The goldfinch breeds across Europe, North Africa, and western and central Asia, in open, partially wooded lowlands. It is resident in the milder west of its range, but migrates from colder regions. It will also make local movements, even in the west, to escape bad weather. It has been introduced to many areas of the world.
The average Goldfinch is 12–13 cm long with a wingspan of 21–25 cm and a weight of 14 to 19 grams. The sexes are broadly similar, with a red face, black and white head, warm brown upperparts, white underparts with buff flanks and breast patches, and black and yellow wings. On closer inspection male Goldfinches can often be distinguished by a larger, darker red mask that extends just behind the eye. In females, the red face does not reach the eye. The ivory-coloured bill is long and pointed, and the tail is forked. Goldfinches in breeding condition have a white bill, with a greyish or blackish mark at the tip for the rest of the year. Juveniles have a plain head and a greyer back but are unmistakable due to the yellow wing stripe. Birds in central Asia (caniceps group) have a plain grey head behind the red face, lacking the black and white head pattern of European and western Asian birds.
2 - The Graceful Prinia (Prinia gracilis) is a small warbler (in some older works it is referred to as Graceful Warbler). This prinia is a resident breeder in Northeast Africa and Southwest Asia, from Egypt and Somalia east to north India, where it is sometimes called Streaked Wren-Warbler.
This active passerine bird is typically found in shrub or tall grass in a variety of habitats with thick undergrowth, tamarisks or similar cover. Graceful Prinia builds its nest in a bush or grass and lays 3-5 eggs.
These 10-11 cm long warblers have short rounded wings, and a long tapering tail with each feather tipped with black and white. In breeding plumage, adults are grey-brown above, with dark streaking. The underparts are whitish with buff flanks, and the bill is short and black.
The sexes are similar. In winter, adults are brighter sandy brown above with weaker streaking, there is more buff on the sides, and the bill is paler.
There are 12 subspecies, of which P. g. akyildizi, of southern Turkey is the darkest, brownest, and most heavily streaked above, and has the brightest buff flanks.
The long tail is often cocked, and the flight of this species is weak. Like most warblers, Graceful Prinia is insectivorous. The call is a rolling trilled breep, and the song is a hard rolling repletion of zerlip.
3 - The Hoopoe (Upupa epops) is a colourful bird that is found across Afro-Eurasia, notable for its distinctive "crown" of feathers. It is the only extant species in the family Upupidae. One insular species, the Giant Hoopoe of Saint Helena, is extinct, and the Madagascar subspecies of the Hoopoe is sometimes elevated to a full species.
The Hoopoe is a medium sized bird, 25–32 cm (9.8-12.6 in) long, with a 44–48 cm (17.3-19 in) wingspan weighing 46-89 g (1.6-3.1 oz). The species is highly distinctive, with a long, thin tapering bill that is black with a fawn base. The strengthened musculature of the head allows the bill to be opened when probing inside the soil. The hoopoe has broad and rounded wings capable of strong flight; these are larger in the northern migratory subspecies. The Hoopoe has a characteristic undulating flight, which is like that of a giant butterfly, caused by the wings half closing at the end of each beat or short sequence of beats.
The song is a trisyllabic "oop-oop-oop", which gives rise to its English and scientific names.
The Hoopoe has two basic requirements in its habitat; bare or lightly vegetated ground on which to forage and vertical surfaces with cavities (such as trees, cliffs or even walls, nestboxes, haystacks, and abandoned burrows) in which to nest. These requirements can be provided in a wide range of ecosystems and as a consequence they inhabit a wide range of habitats from heathland, wooded steppes, savannas and grasslands, as well as glades inside forests. The Madagascar subspecies also makes use of more dense primary forest. The modification of natural habitats by humans for various agricultural purposes has led to them becoming common in olive groves, orchards, vineyards, parkland and farmland, although they are less common and declining in intensively farmed areas. Hunting is of concern in southern Europe and Asia.
Tehnical details: Issue Date: 27/01/2010
Designer: Tuvia Kurtz, Ronen Goldberg
Series Name: Birds of Israel
Stamp Name: Goldfinch, Graceful Prinia and Hoopoe
Denominations: 2.40
Size of Stamp: 30.8 mm x 40.0 mm

Postal Authority Israel

A Kennedy Family Postage Stamp Legacy

The passing of Senator Edward Kennedy on August 25, 2009, the third longest serving Senator in U.S. history, marked the death of the last of Joseph and Rose Kennedy’s sons. The first U.S. postage stamp to depict a Kennedy son featured the second oldest on May 29, 1964, the birthday of President John F. Kennedy in the year following his assassination. President Kennedy’s widow Jacqueline Kennedy made the final design selection. Another stamp was issued with a more joyful image of President Kennedy three years later.
On January 12, 1979, one day before the first U.S. stamp to honor Dr. Martin Luther King was issued; the third oldest Kennedy son was depicted on a U.S. postage stamp. The release of the Robert F. Kennedy Issue marked the first time that two brothers had been honored on separate U.S. postage stamps.
Seven months after her younger brother was honored on a stamp, the life’s work of Eunice Kennedy Shriver - The Special Olympics - was featured on a stamp. Since 1979, several other U.S. stamps have showcased Eunice Kennedy’s legacy of the Special Olympics.
We’ll have to wait at least five years (by USPS regulation) to see if the youngest child of Joseph and Rose Kennedy, will join his brothers as the subject of a United States postage stamp.

National Postal Museum Blog

New issues: Israel - "Alliance Israe`lite Universelle 150th Anniversary"

Issue Date: 27/01/2010
Designer: Zvika Roitman
Stamp Name: Alliance Israe`lite Universelle 150th Anniversary
Denominations: 8.80
Size of Stamp: 40.0 mm x 30.8 mm

Postal Authority Israel

New issues: Israel - "Lions Israel 50th Anniversary"

Issue Date: 27/01/2010
Designer: Igal Gabai
Stamp Name: Lions Israel 50th Anniversary
Denominations: 4.60

Postal Authority Israel

New issues: Israel - "«Past and Future inour Hands» International Holocaust Remembrance Day"

Issue Date: 27/01/2010
Disigner: Osnat Eshel, Photograph: Karen Gilerman-Harel
Stamp Name: "Past and Future inour Hands" International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Denominations: 6.70
Size of Stamp: 51.4 mm x 34.6 mm

Postal Authority Israel

New issues: Israel - "Fifty Years of Settling the Arava"

Issue Date: 27/01/2010
Designer: Eli Carmeli
Stamp Name: Fifty Years of Settling the Arava
Denominations: 1.60
Size of Stamp: 40.0 mm x 30.8 mm

Postal Authority Israel

New issues: Republika Srpska - "600 years of Zvornik"

Zvornik is a city on the Drina river in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located south of the town of Bijeljina in the Republika Srpska entity. The town Mali Zvornik ("little Zvornik") lies directly across the river in Serbia, and not far north is Loznica. Zvornik is first mentioned in the year 1410, although it was known as Zvonik ("bell tower") at that time. The town's geographic location has made it an important trade link between Bosnia and the east. For instance, the main road connecting Sarajevo and Belgrade runs through the city. Zvornik has also the distinction of being the only city in Bosnia that directly lies on the border to Serbia.
During the Ottoman period, Zvornik was the capital of the Zvornik sanjak (an administrative region). This was primarily the case because of the city's crucial role in the economy and the strategic importance of the city's location.
Tehnical details:
Author: Bozidar Dosenovic/Nebojsa Djumic
Type of issue: commemorative
Date of issue: 26.01.2010
Technique: multicolor offset print
Printed by: FORUM - Novi Sad
Paper: muflep, 100g
Sheet: 8+1 (3x3)
Perforation: 13 3/4
Face value: 0,70 KM
Quantitiy: 15,000
Motive: fortress in Zvornik

Postal Authority Republika Srpska

New issues: Singapore - "Anniversary"

¢ 50 - 50 Years of Public Housing (Housing& Development Board - HDB)
¢ 50 - 50 Years People´s Association
S$ 1 - 100 Years Customs
S$ 1 - 100 Years Singapore Scout Association
Tehnical details:

Date of issue: 26 January, 2010
Stamp Size: 45mm x 24.6mm

Perforation: 13
Paper: unwatermarked
Printing process: offset lithography
Printer: Secura Singapore Pte Ltd.
Sheet content: 10 stamps per sheet
Local Price: S$ 3.00
Overseas Price: S$ 3.00

Postal Authority Singapore

New issues: UK - " Business and Consumer Smilers 2010"

To refresh the existing range available for customisation, Royal Mail has created an additional four Consumer and six Business Smilers® stamps in a miniature sheet format.

Consumer Smilers® - four stamps Among the most popular occasions for sending greetings are birthdays so there are two new designs illustrating a birthday cake and a gift.
And to extend the service to cover overseas greetings, Royal Mail have included two new airmail values for Europe and Worldwide, which explored a generic ‘hello’ and greeting concept.
These four stamps will only appear together on the Miniature Sheet, and their long term use is for Smilers® sheets.
Business Customised - six stamps Following research with our philatelic business customers we selected six new subjects to extend this service into the key thematic areas of rail transport, vehicle transport, air travel, sea travel, royalty and remembrance.

***

Royal Mail is producing a First Day Cover, Presentation Pack, Stamp Cards, and Generic Sheet to accompany the Smilers® 2010 stamp issue.
Technical details:
Issue Date - 26 January 2010
The miniature sheet and generic sheet will be printed by Cartor Security Print in lithography. Dimensions: 123mm x 70mm, stamps are 20 x 24mm. Designs: Seal and Crown - Hat Trick; Transport - Andrew Davidson; Cake & Parcel - Annabel Wright; Europe and Worldwide - Lucy Davey.

Postal authority United Kingdom

New issues: Romania - "Honey Bees"

Coming to all philatelists’ needs, Romfilatelia introduces into circulation the postage stamps issue "Honey Bees".
The European honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) is shown on the stamp having a face value of ­RON 0.50. This is a bee with a special resistance to winter’s cold and an increased tendency of defense against enemies. It collects a large volume of pollen and lives longer than other bees. It also has the capacity to fly long distances. This bee lives in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, the Great Britain, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, North of Switzerland, North-West of Austria, Belarus, North of Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Russia.
The Italian honey bee (Apis mellifera ligustica) is shown on the stamp having a face value of RON 2.10. This bee spreads through North America, South America and Southern Europe. It is mild and ­produces honey in considerable amounts. It lives in large colonies needing more food resources to survive the winter.
The Slovenian honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica) is shown on the stamp having a face value of RON 3.10. It is a sub-species of the European honey bee ­originating from Slovenia but it may be found in Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Romania.
The Caucasian honey bee (Apis mellifera caucasica) is shown on the stamp having a face value of RON 4.30. It is a larger bee than the average; it is mild and hard working. It is usually found in the Caucasus Mountains.
Tehnical details:
Issue date: 22.01.2010
Number of values: 4
Stamp size: 36mm x 36mm
Minature sheet size: 92mm x 104mm
Page composition: in sheet of 28 stamps, minisheet of 4 stamps with illustrated attachment and gold foiling, and miniature sheet of 4 stamps with illustrated attachment
Printing system: offset in 4 colours on chromo paper
Run printing: 532,352 stamos; 464,352 stamps in sheets of 28 stamps, 64,800 stamps in minisheets of 4 and 3,200 stamps in miniature sheets numbered in red from 001-800
Designer: Mihai Vămășescu

Postal authority Romania

New issues: Switzerland - "Centenary of the Basel Carnival Committee"

The Carnival of Basel (German: Basler Fasnacht) is the biggest carnival in Switzerland and takes place annually between February and March in Basel. It has recently been listed as one of the top fifty local festivities in Europe. The Basler Fasnacht starts on the Monday after Ash Wednesday at precisely 4:00 am with the so-called Morgestraich (see below). The carnival lasts for exactly 72 hours and, therefore, ends on Thursday morning at 4:00 am. During this time, the old town of Basel is ruled by the Fasnächtler (the participants), where they run loose in the streets and restaurants. Basler Fasnacht is often referred to as die drey scheenschte Dääg ("the three most beautiful days").
Tehnical details:
Date of issue: 12.1.2010
CHF 1.00 Spalentor
CHF 1.00 Rathaus
CHF 1.00 Münster

Postal authority Switzerland

New issues: Latvia - "Coats of Arms – Ligatne, 2010"

Administrative divisions of Latvia, (valid 1 July 2009). According to the Administrative territorial reform of Latvia, Latvia changed its administrative divisions from two-level municipalities (towns, cities, towns countryside territories and parishes were the first level, districts were the second level municipalities) to one-level municipalities - districts were liquidated, but towns (Latvian: pilsētas, plural), towns countryside territories (Latvian: pilsētu lauku teritorijas, plural) and parishes (Latvian: pagasti, plural) were merged into 109 municipalities (Latvian: novadi, plural) and there are 9 republican cities (Latvian: republikas pilsētas) with own city council and administration.
0.35 - Viesīte municipality (Latvian: Viesītes novads) is a municipality in Selonia, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Elkšņi parish, Rite parish, Sauka parish and Viesīte town with its countryside territory; the administrative centre being Viesīte.
0.40 - Līgatne municipality (Latvian: Līgatnes novads) is a municipality in Vidzeme, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Līgatne parish and Līgatne town the administrative centre being Līgatne.
0.55 - Iecava municipality (Latvian: Iecavas novads) is a municipality in Zemgale, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2003 by reorganization of Iecava parish the administrative centre being Iecava.

Tehnical details:
Nominal (Ls): 0.35, 0.40 and 0.55
Date of issue: 16.1.2010
Designer: Ģirts Grīva
Printed. SIA "Baltijas Banknote", Latvia
Copy: 300.000

Postal Auhority Latvia

New issues: Spanish Andorra - "Natural Heritage"

On January 12 will be issued a postage stamp series for the Principality of Andorra Natural Heritage, called dels Lliris Pirineus. It is a bulbous plant with sturdy stems and bracts large and swollen. The leaves are long, narrow, ribbed and shiny on top. The flower is single, hairless and very large, purple or deep blue, white and yellow stained orange on the lower petals.
Tehnical details: Date of issue: 10-01-2010
Offset Printing
Self adhesive fluorescent paper
Perforation: 13 3/4
Size: 28.8 x 40.9 mm (vertical)
Face value: 0,34 €
Postal Authority Spanish Andorra

New issues: Spain - "Autonomous Communities"

The series devoted to the Autonomous Communities (regional governments) of Spain, is issued in a booklet format of eight self adhesive stamps with a domestic A rate depicting the facades of the Congress and Senate and the outline of the map of six Autonomous Communities with their flags.
The Congreso de los Diputados (Congress) is the constitutional body representing the Spanish people. The representatives are elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation in constituencies matching the Spanish provinces. Together with the Senado (Senate), it holds the legislative power in Spain.
The Spanish Senate (Senado) is the upper house of Spain's parliament, the Cortes Generales. All senators serve four-year terms and meet in the two plenary sitting sessions that take place throughout the year or on initiative of the Government, the permanent deputation or by a majority vote of either the Congress or the Senate.
La Rioja, in northern Spain, is an autonomous community since 1982. Its capital is Logroño and its flag is made up four horizontal stripes in red, white, green and yellow.
Castilla-La Mancha is divided into 5 provinces: Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca, Guadalajara and Toledo where the regional parliament is. It is an autonomous community since 1982 and its flag is a rectangle divided vertically into two equal squares: the first, by the flagpole, is bright red with a golden castle and the second one is white.
The Comunidad Valenciana is also an autonomous community since 1982 and is divided into three provinces: Alicante, Castellón and Valencia. The seat of the government is in Valencia and the flag design is four red stripes over a yellow background with a blue vertical stripe by the flagpole.
Canarias is also an autonomous community since 1982. It is an archipelago made up of the islands of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. The seat of the Parliament is in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The flag is vertically divided in white, blue and yellow.
The Region de Murcia was also granted its autonomous community status in 1982. Its flag is red with four golden castles on the left hand corner and seven royal crowns on the bottom right hand corner.
Since 1982 Aragón has also the status of autonomous community and comprises the provinces of Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza, which is the capital city. Its flag is horizontally divided in four red stripes on a yellow background and a coat of arms.
Tehnical details:
Date of issue: 2-01-2010
Offset Printing
Self adhesive fluorescent paper
Perforation: 13 3/4
Stamp size: 35 x 24.5 mm (horizontal)
Sheet size: 166 x 63 mm block (horizontal)
Face value: Schedule A (1 stamp = standard letter up to 20 gr. for Spain)

Postal Authority Spain

New issues: Spain - "Turism"

The stamp depicts a painting by J. Carrero featuring a Spanish beach with a horse galloping on the shore and a woman facing the sea, holding carnation flowers and wearing a Manila shawl.
The beach, the Spanish horse, the carnations and the Manila shawl which illustrate this issue are all representative elements of Spanish tourism and often feature in press and television advertising. Spain is one of the most important and sought after tourist destination with its sunny beaches, handicrafts, beautiful and skilled horses, fiestas and traditional rituals, with carnation flowers adding their colourful stroke and the warmth of the Spanish people. All these elements have contributed in making Spain an attractive tourist destination.
Our many wonderful beaches with an exceptional climate, the beauty and skill of the Spanish horse forever present in festivals and shows all over Spain, the colours and aroma of our rich flora, represented in this stamp by carnations and finally the Manila shawl are all characteristic elements of tourism in Spain. The Manila shawl is an accessory for dresses very popular amongst the court ladies in the XIX century and was used as a complement and as a way of keeping warm. It has always been a key element in Spanish costumbrism painting and a much treasured piece of handicraft.
It is therefore with great skill that artist J. Carrero has depicted in one painting all these visual icons characteristic of tourism in Spain.
Tehnical details: Date of issue: 2-01-2010
Offset Printing
Self adhesive fluorescent paper
Perforation: 13 3 / 4
Stamp size: 40.9 x 28.8 mm. (horizontal)
Face value: Rate B (1 stamp = standard letter up to 20 gr. Internacional Europa)

Postal Authority Spain

New issues: Japan - "Greeting Spring"

Japan Post Service Co. is available to you in your letter for Valentine's Day and spring, greeting stamps "Spring Greetings" will be issued. So far, "Winter Greetings" is has been issued, "spring greeting stamps" will be issued for the first time.
Tehnical details:

Name: Greeting Spring - Chocolate and Flower
Date of issue: January 25, 2010
Design:
Chocolat
(1) Watering of green
(2) Fairy country's postal and
(3) Flower Basket
(4) Bird flight
(5) Flower choir
Flower
(1) Spring Bouquets
(2) Lady of the Flute
(3) Bouquet of sky
(4) Clef
(5) Rabbit Hill
Dimension sheet: 67.5mm×187.0mm 67.5mm
Color printing: Six color offset
Issue number: 500 million copies each (each sheet 100 million)

Postal Authority Japan