Grand Island Ice Caves (U.S. 2020)

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[press release]
U.S. Postal Service to Issue New Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express Stamps
Big Bend and Grand Island Ice Caves Featured on Stamps

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today revealed two additions to the 2020 Stamp Program: Big Bend and Grand Island Ice Caves. Both stamps will be released on Saturday Jan. 18, 2020. There will be no national first-day-of-issue ceremony for these stamps. Details on obtaining first-day-of-issue cancellations will be announced in a future Postal Bulletin issue.

These stamps are a convenient way for customers to pay for Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express Flat Rate shipping with a single stamp. Priority Mail is a fast domestic service that includes flat rate shipping in one, two or three business days based on where your package starts and where it’s being sent. Priority Mail Express is the fastest domestic service, with limited exceptions; available 365 days a year, with a money-back guarantee and delivery shipping to most U.S. addresses, including PO Boxes.

Grand Island Ice Caves
With this new Priority Mail Express stamp, the Postal Service celebrates the winter beauty of the Grand Island Ice Caves in Lake Superior. Located near Munising on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Grand Island is marked by massive sandstone bluffs. Impressive in any season, the bluffs are especially dramatic in winter when lake water seeps into the crevices and caverns, forming magnificent ice curtains and icicles that hang like stalactites from ceilings. The stamp art features a colorful illustration of how one of these ever-changing ice caves might appear from the inside looking out toward the west at sunset. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with original art by Dan Cosgrove.

Big Bend is here.

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.
Information on ordering first-day-of-issue postmarks and covers is at usps.com/shop.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5430.

Further updates will appear below the line, most recent first.

January 21st: The “killerbar” postmark is also available for this issue, similar to this mock-up:

December 20th: Here are the first day cancels for this issue:

The DCP measures 2.85″ x 1.25″ The B&W pictorial measures 2.74″ x 1.17″

December 19th: From the Postal Bulletin

On January 18, 2020, in Munising, MI, the United States Postal Service will issue the $26.35 Grand Island Ice Caves Priority Mail Express stamp in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of four stamps (Item 129100). The stamp will go on sale nationwide January 18, 2020, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

With this new Priority Mail Express stamp, the United States Postal Service celebrates the winter beauty of the Grand Island Ice Caves in Lake Superior. Located near Munising on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Grand Island is marked by massive sandstone bluffs. Impressive in any season, they are especially dramatic in winter when lake water seeps into the crevices and caverns, forming magnificent ice curtains and icicles that hang like stalactites from ceilings. The stamp art features a colorful illustration of how one of these ever-changing ice caves might appear from the inside looking out toward the west at sunset. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with original art by Dan Cosgrove.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 129100, $26.35 Grand Island Ice Caves Priority Mail Express PSA Pane of Four Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes
of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Grand Island Ice Caves Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by May 18, 2020.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Grand Island Ice Caves Stamp
Item Number: 129100
Denomination &
Type of Issue: $26.35 Priority Mail Express Rate
Format: Pane of 4 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 18, 2020, Munising, MI 49862
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: Dan Cosgrove, Chicago, IL
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Stevens Vari-Size Security Press
Stamps per Pane: 4
Print Quantity: 1,260,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 1.085 in/36.068 x 27.559 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.225 in/39.624 x 31.115 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.12 x 3.45 in/104.648 x 87.63 mm
Plate Size: 100 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in two corners of pane
Back: ©2019 USPS • USPS logo • Four barcodes (129100) • Plate position diagram (5) • Promotional text

Big Bend Priority Mail (U.S. 2020)

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[press release]
U.S. Postal Service to Issue New Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express Stamps
Big Bend and Grand Island Ice Caves Featured on Stamps

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service [December 12th] revealed two additions to the 2020 Stamp Program: Big Bend and Grand Island Ice Caves. Both stamps will be released on Saturday Jan. 18, 2020. There will be no national first-day-of-issue ceremony for these stamps. Details on obtaining first-day-of-issue cancellations will be announced in a future Postal Bulletin issue.

These stamps are a convenient way for customers to pay for Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express Flat Rate shipping with a single stamp. Priority Mail is a fast domestic service that includes flat rate shipping in one, two or three business days based on where your package starts and where it’s being sent. Priority Mail Express is the fastest domestic service, with limited exceptions; available 365 days a year, with a money-back guarantee and delivery shipping to most U.S. addresses, including PO Boxes.

Big Bend
With this Priority Mail stamp, the Postal Service celebrates the beauty of the Big Bend region in West Texas, where river, mountain and desert ecosystems coexist in its vast expanses. The stamp art depicts the Rio Grande flowing between the sheer limestone cliffs of Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with original art by Dan Cosgrove.

Grand Island Ice Caves is here.

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.
Information on ordering first-day-of-issue postmarks and covers is at usps.com/shop.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

The Scott catalogue number for this issue is 5429

Further updates will appear below the line, most recent first.

January 21st: The “killerbar” postmark is also available for this issue, similar to this mock-up: December 20th: Here are the first day cancels for this issue:

The DCP measures 2.02″ x 1.47″ The B&W pictorial measures 2.67″ x 1.20″

December 19th: From the Postal Bulletin

On January 18, 2020, in Big Bend National Park, TX, the United States Postal Service will issue the $7.75 Big Bend Priority Mail stamp in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of four stamps (Item 120800). The stamp will go on sale nationwide January 18, 2020, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.

With this Priority Mail stamp, the United States Postal Service celebrates the beauty of the Big Bend region in West Texas, where river, mountain, and desert ecosystems coexist in its vast expanses. The stamp art depicts the Rio Grande flowing between the sheer limestone cliffs of Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp with original art by Dan Cosgrove.

Availability to Post Offices: Item 120800, $7.75 Big Bend Priority Mail PSA Pane of Four Stamps: Stamp Fulfillment Services will not make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Big Bend Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by May 18, 2020.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Big Bend Stamp
Item Number: 120800
Denomination & Type of Issue: $7.75 Priority Mail Rate
Format: Pane of 4 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: January 18, 2019, Big Bend National Park, TX 79834
Art Director: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Designer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Typographer: Greg Breeding, Charlottesville, VA
Artist: Dan Cosgrove, Chicago, IL
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 4
Print Quantity: 6,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Stamp Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 1.42 x 1.085 in/36.068 x 27.559 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.56 x 1.225 in/39.624 x 31.115 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 4.12 x 3.45 in/104.648 x 87.63 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in two corners of pane
Back: ©2019 USPS • USPS logo • Four barcodes (120800) • Plate position diagram (5) • Promotional text

U.S. Scott Catalog Update (December 2019)

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5420 (55¢) Spooky Silhouettes – Cat and Raven
5421 (55¢) Spooky Silhouettes – Ghosts
5422 (55¢) Spooky Silhouettes – Spider and Web
5423 (55¢) Spooky Silhouettes – Bats
a. Block of 4, #5420-5423

5424 (55¢) Christmas Wreaths – Aspidistra Leaf Wreath
5425 (55¢) Christmas Wreaths – Wreath Made of Gilded Pine Cones and Magnolia Pods
5426 (55¢) Christmas Wreaths – Wreath Made of Gilded Hydrangea, Eucalyptus, Nandina and Ribbon
5427 (55¢) Christmas Wreaths – Wreath Made of Woodland Bush Ivy and Red Winterberry
a. Block of 4, #5424-5427
b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 5 each #5424-5427

Hotchner: Getting Started, Part 1

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The Hardest Part of Collecting is Beginning
By John M. Hotchner

When the bug bites, and one thinks, “Hey, I might try stamp collecting!” what is the next step? Actually, it may not be as clear as that. The collector-to-be may find herself saving the odd stamps that come in on mail, or purchased at the post office. A small accumulation builds up in a kitchen drawer, and the thought occurs: “Maybe I could put these in an album or display them in some other way.”

It can be tempting for “real collectors” to denigrate the accumulator, but a lot of accomplished stamp and postal history collectors began by saving the odd stamp. The question is how to provide resources and encourage people who are attracted to the hobby to become practicing members of the guild?

Three immediate questions present themselves: How do I get more stamps?, What do I want to collect?, and Where do I get more information about the hobby? Let’s take them in reverse order since, in practice, that is the order in which the caterpillar beginner becomes an experienced butterfly.

Ideally, the beginner knows someone who is a collector who can be a mentor. Failing that, such a person can be found at a nearby stamp club. As most of us these days are on the Internet, use your favorite search engine to research “(the name of your area) & stamp collecting”. As an example, I Googled “Northern Virginia & Stamp collecting”. A cornucopia of response came back pointing me to physical addresses and websites of dealers, shows, clubs, and auctioneers in Washington, D.C., from suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia as far south as Richmond.

In setting up your search criteria, my advice is not to be too specific. I could have put my precise area (e.g. Arlington, Virginia) into Google, but the regional approach will get a wider range of possible resources.

You can also go to www.stamps.org, which is the website of the American Philatelic Society (APS). Don’t let the name scare you. Philately is simply a fancy name for stamp collecting, and the 30,000+ members of what we call “America’s Stamp Club” range from lifelong scholars to the newest of beginners. You need not be a member to use the majority of the website, and you will find it helpful as you think about where you want to go with your new hobby. Among the resources on this website is a listing of the stamp clubs across the nation that are Chapter members of the APS.

Once you have found a stamp club — hopefully within a half hour’s drive — visit and introduce yourself. Most clubs will have members willing, even eager, to help newcomers to the hobby. They can explain how the club can help you, what is going on philatelically in the area, how to access and use stamp catalogs, how to get and use various stamp collecting implements such as tongs, stock cards, watermark detectors, etc., and can show you a range of stamp collecting periodicals that open the door to the world of philately.

I recognize that there are people who prefer to collect “anonymously.” That is to say, as a matter of security, they want to do nothing that “exposes” them as a stamp collector so that no one is tempted to rob them. While I personally think that is an excess of caution, it is a personal choice. Just realize that if you choose it, you lose the benefit of joining a club, and/or having a mentor.

If you choose to be a loner, you can use APS and other Internet resources to find books on how to get started in the hobby, and periodicals like this one that can keep you apprised of the current events and issues in the hobby. As to stamp catalogs, often your local library will have them in the reference section; though they might not be the most up-to-date versions. For stamp collecting supplies and implements, an Internet search will help you find suppliers such as Subway Stamp Shop.

Once you are connected to resources to help you get going, the next thing to establish is what you are going to collect. You have probably given this some thought already, and perhaps have been guided by what you have accumulated. That is one approach, but not the only one.

It used to be that most philatelists began by collecting the country in which they live. After all, there is a ready-made connection, and it is relatively easy to get more stamps for the collection. But another alternative is to give some thought to your or your spouse’s heritage, which got me collecting Italy and Poland in addition to the United States; your interests or profession, which motivated me to collect Russian stamps up to 1930, and American diplomatic history on foreign stamps; countries you have visited or lived in, resulting in collections of India, Venezuela, and Spain.

Today, I think more and more collectors are attracted to interest areas as a base for stamp collecting. This is often called topical or thematic collecting. If you are fascinated by the space program, themes that have to do with preserving our environment, great art on stamps, or any of thousands of other topics, there will be multitudes of stamps that connect to your interest, and a national philatelic society, the American Topical Association (which has an excellent website), can be a tremendous resource.

I would suggest one other approach; the one I began with (can it be?) 65 years ago: my father gave me a packet of 2,500 worldwide stamps. I loved them all; every last cheap example. I spent hours learning where they came from, grouping them by country, looking at the designs and trying to relate them to the area of the world they came from, trying to find them in the Scott Catalogue.

I stayed with worldwide collecting for probably three years; learning more geography than I did at school. During that time I also learned the rudiments of the hobby from a wide perspective, and came to some conclusions about what countries’ stamps particularly appealed to me.

Eventually, realizing that I could not afford to collect the world, I gave that up in favor of about a dozen countries, headed by my USA collection, that were especially appealing. But I had a pretty good foundation of hobby knowledge.

So, based on my own experience, I recommend starting if you can with a worldwide focus. I guess I never lost that approach as I still seek out what a friend used to say of her collection. She collected “any given stamp,” by which she meant stamps that appealed to her regardless of country of issue. It might be one or two stamps from a particular country. It might be a hundred. But I feel some sort of connection when I look at them.

The overriding point to keep in mind is that philately is a smorgasbord; from which you are entitled to sample at your whim, to choose as you wish, and to alter your choices when you feel like it. No one can tell you how to collect or what to collect. Yes, there may be a certain amount of sneering from established collectors who have come to believe that their way is absolutely the best way, and may try to convince you to go in their direction. They can be blissfully unaware that you are a round peg that does not fit in their square hole. You can patiently explain this to them, or just pity them their myopia.

We have one more question to answer: How do I get more stamps? We will take a look at some strategies in our column.

Should you wish to comment on this column, or have questions or ideas you would like to have explored in a future column, please write to John Hotchner, VSC Contributor, P.O. Box 1125, Falls Church, VA 22041-0125, or email, putting “VSC” in the subject line.

Or comment right here.

Queen Visits London Club’s New HQ

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[press release]
The Queen opens new Royal Philatelic Society of London headquarters

On Tuesday, 26 November Her Majesty the Queen graciously visited 15 Abchurch Lane to open officially the new headquarters of The Royal Philatelic Society London. Her Majesty was greeted by The Lord Mayor, Alderman William Russell as Lord Lieutenant, who presented Mr Richard Stock FRPSL, President of the Society, to Her Majesty together with Peter Cockburn FRPSL and Mike Roberts, FRPSL, Vice-Presidents, and Patrick Maselis RDP FRPSL, the immediate Past President.

The Queen then met those closely involved with refurbishing the new premises and organizing the move that took place during the summer, notably Christopher King RDP FRPSL and Brian Trotter RDP FRPSL.

[At left, Her Majesty unveils the RPSL HQ’s plaque.]

It was fitting that The Queen’s visit took place during the Society’s 150th anniversary as Her Majesty had previously visited the Society on 14 April 1969 to mark its Centenary.

The Queen toured the new premises and Nicola Davies, the Head of Collections, showed Her Majesty some of the important artefacts held by the Society, including the letter from the future King George V to Lord Crawford regarding the use of the Royal prefix in the Society’s name.

In the Meeting Room on the first floor The Queen viewed a special display of material from the Society’s Philatelic Collections, and a selection of the Society’s extensive publications. Representatives from some of the eighty countries where members reside were presented to Her Majesty and she showed great interest in the work undertaken by the Expert Committee. Her Majesty heard how the Society is encouraging collecting among young people.

The Queen visited the Society’s Philatelic Library, amongst the finest in the world, where Her Majesty was presented with a copy of the recent publication A History of the Royal Philatelic Society London 1869-2019.

Throughout her visit The Queen met members of the staff, Officers of the Society and many of the volunteers who ensure its position as the premier philatelic society in the world.

The President thanked Her Majesty before she signed the Attendance Book and unveiled a plaque to mark the official opening of the new premises.

U.S. Stamps Going Off Sale

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These issues will be removed from sale December 31, 2019:

472800 (Forever) Special Olympics PSA Pane of 20
473800 (Forever) Jaime Escalante PSA Pane of 20
474000 (Forever) Star Trek PSA Pane of 20
476800 (Forever) The Art of Magic Pane of 20
556600 (Forever) Kwanzaa 2016 PSA Pane of 20
560600 (Forever) National Parks Full Pane of 16
561100 (Forever) Service Cross Medals SS/12
564400 (Forever) U.S. Flag 2017 ATM Sheetlet of 18
564700 (Forever) Love Flourishes PSA Pane of 20
586800 (Forever) Classics Forever SS/6
586900 (Forever) World Stamp Show NY-2016 SS/24
589000 (Forever) Elvis Presley PSA Pane of 16
589700 (Forever) Medal of Honor: Vietnam War SS/24
589800 (Forever) Gifts of Friendship PSA SS/12
681200 (Forever) Nativity Booklet of 20
681700 (Forever) Frozen Treats Booklet of 20
760000 (Forever) Patriotic Spiral PSA Coil/10k
786200 (AddOz) Penguins PSA Coil/100
788100 (5¢) Art Deco Bird Nonprofit PSA Coil/3k
788200 (5¢) Art Deco Bird Nonprofit PSA Coil/10k
788500 (25¢) Spectrum Eagle Pre PSA Coil/10k

Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker (U.K. 2019)

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[press release]
Special Star Wars-Themed Stamps From Royal Mail Mark The Final Instalment Of The Skywalker Saga

  • Royal Mail issues the third and final stamp set in their Star Wars-themed collection [November 26th]
  • The new set includes 10 character-themed stamps, featuring three brand new characters from the forthcoming film, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
  • Characters featured on the stamps, from the highly anticipated final instalment in the Skywalker saga, are: Jannah; Zorii Bliss; Lando Calrissian; Poe Dameron; and the all-new Sith Trooper
  • The new set also features other classic characters from the Skywalker saga including Count Dooku; Grand Moff Tarkin; Darth Maul; the Wicket the Ewok; and Queen Amidala
  • Completing the set are six further stamps presented in a miniature sheet, illustrating some of the most iconic starships in the galaxy: Poe’s X-wing fighter; Jedi starfighter; Slave I; TIE silencer; Podracers; and speeder bikes
  • The artwork on the stamps feature original illustrations by British artist Malcolm Tween, who also designed the hugely popular Star Wars stamp sets issued in 2015 and 2017
  • Each stamp features a secondary character or scene illustrated by Tween especially for the stamps
  • The style of the ‘1st’ value on each of the stamps replicates the iconic font used for the films
  • A full set of all 16 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £12.00
  • The stamps, and other collectible products, can be pre-ordered now at www.royalmail.com/starwars and by phone on 03457 641 641
  • The stamps will be available on general sale at 7,000 Post Offices across the UK from 26 November 2019

Royal Mail has revealed the images of the final set of stamps in its own Star Wars-themed collection.

The 16-stamp set will mark the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – which is in cinemas from the 19th December – and features characters and iconic vehicles from the Skywalker saga.

Ten character stamps feature: Count Dooku; Lando Calrissian; Sith Trooper; Jannah; Grand Moff Tarkin; Darth Maul; Zorii Bliss; Wicket Warrick; Poe Dameron; and Queen Amidala.

Character-themed stamps making their debut in Royal Mail’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stamp set are Jannah, Zorii Bliss and the red armoured Sith Troopers.

The characters of Count Dooku and Grand Moff Tarkin, are both included in the new set.

Art of the Ewok character, Wicket Warrick, as well as the character Jannah, are also included on the stamps.

Completing the set are six stamps featuring some of the most iconic vehicles in the Star Wars galaxy including a Podracer and Slave I. Poe’s X-wing fighter; Jedi starfighter; TIE silencer; and speeder bikes also make an appearance.

All 10 character stamps are original, exclusive illustrations by digital artist and Star Wars fan Malcolm Tween. Tween blended the main images with background scenes to create striking and hyper-realistic montages. Tween also designed the hugely popular 2015 and 2017 Star Wars stamp issues.

As with the previous two issues, the style of the ‘1st‘ value on each of the stamps will replicate the iconic font used for the films.

Philip Parker, Royal Mail, said: “Once again Malcolm Tween takes us on a journey across the Star Wars galaxy with extraordinary artwork of characters old and new. The stamps are miniature masterpieces and a fitting tribute to mark the end of the Skywalker saga.”

The full set of 16 stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £12.00.

The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/starwars and by phone on 03457 641 641.

The stamps will be available on general sale at 7,000 Post Offices across the UK from 26 November.

Stamp-by-stamp:

Count Dooku
The sinister and elegant Count Dooku trained as a Jedi Master but joined Darth Sidious as a Sith. Working secretly with Sidious, he leads a droid army against the Republic and initiates the deadly Clone Wars at the Battle of Geonosis, where he engages in a lightsaber battle with Jedi Master Yoda. Sidious betrays Dooku, and the Count is killed by Anakin Skywalker.

Lando Calrissian
The one-time owner of the “fastest ship in the galaxy”, the Millennium Falcon, Lando Calrissian was a gambler and a smuggler who lost the Falcon in a game of sabacc to Han Solo. Later the administrator of a sophisticated resort on Bespin, Cloud City, he allies himself with the Empire before joining the Rebel Alliance and helping to destroy the second Death Star.

Sith Trooper
Inspired by the power of a dark and dangerous legacy, the Sith troopers are Kylo Ren’s new breed of highly skilled soldiers. Trained to elite level, these fearsome warriors can handle close-combat blades and blaster rifles as well as long-range heavy artillery. The Sith troopers are to be employed in the First Order’s final push for ultimate galactic domination.

Jannah
Armed with weapons such as an energy bow and a grapple hook, Jannah is the honourable leader of a fierce band of warriors from an oceanic moon. Jannah is athletic and superbly skilled at archery and riding. She joins legendary heroes such as Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca in the fight against the evils of the First Order.

 

Grand Moff Tarkin
Wilhuff Tarkin became the Emperor’s first Grand Moff, a title given to a governor who rules over star systems that show signs of rebelliousness. Tarkin commanded the Death Star, a superweapon employed against whole planets to demonstrate his maxim of “ruling through fear of force”. Tarkin dies on the Death Star when it is obliterated by the Rebel Alliance.

Darth Maul
A Zabrak with head horns and face tattoos, Maul is trained in the dark arts as a Sith warrior by Darth Sidious. He emerges from his training on Tatooine and confronts Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. In this battle, Jinn is killed, while Maul is sliced in two at the waist. However, he manages to survive and fights in the Clone Wars on robotic legs.

 

Zorii Bliss
Zorii Bliss is a tough spice runner from the snowy planet Kijimi. Armed with twin blaster pistols and wearing a visored helmet to hide her face, Zorii just wants to keep her business to herself. But even streetwise scoundrels such as Zorii are forced to take sides in the increasingly high-stakes war between the First Order and the Resistance.

 

Wicket Warrick
An Ewok scout and warrior, Wicket W. Warrick befriends Leia Organa on his homeworld, the forest moon of Endor. The peaceful planet has become the site of an Imperial generator that powers the energy shield protecting the second Death Star. Using only simple weapons and traps, Wicket and his fellow Ewoks help Leia and the Rebel Alliance defeat the Empire during the battle of Endor.

Poe Dameron
Ace pilot Poe Dameron is a highly skilled member of the Resistance. Assisted in his customised T-70 X-wing fighter by his trusty droid, BB-8, he leads a daring raid to find a weak spot in Starkiller Base. Preferring action to passivity, he clashes with the leadership of the Resistance over his desire to strike at the First Order but remains at the heart of any battle.

Queen Amidala
At the age of 14, Padmé Amidala becomes the monarch on her planet Naboo. A skilled diplomat and fighter, she goes on to represent Naboo as its senator on Coruscant, where she falls in love with a dashing young Jedi, Anakin Skywalker. Witnessing Anakin’s fall to the dark side, Amidala is forced to flee after she becomes pregnant with their twins, Luke and Leia.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is released in cinemas on 20 December.

Holidays (Netherlands 2019)

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[press release]
PostNL December stamps 2019: colourful parade of people and animals

The Hague, 4 November 2019 – This year’s PostNL December stamps were illustrated by Lieke van der Vorst. The internationally sought-after illustrator from Eindhoven was inspired by her personal memories of the month of December.

All about family
The stamp sheet of twenty December stamps contains a drawing of a colourful parade of ten characters, both human and animal, in a winter landscape. The stamps exude a warm atmosphere due to the contrasting colours with a sky of snowflakes and stars in the background. “At my parents’ home, the Christmas holidays are all about family,” says Lieke van der Vorst. “They’re about being together, about sharing. On Christmas Day, we stay at home. On Boxing Day, we visit family and friends and everyone brings a dish with them.”

Merging effect
The drawings on the stamps merge into each another. This has created a kind of story on the stamp sheet. “It has turned into a parade going from left to right,” says Van der Vorst. “A parade on a snowy road that ends with the polar bear at the mailbox who is sending cards to those who can’t be at the party. That completes the story.”

Special December rates
PostNL issues new December stamps each year. With the stamps, consumers and businesses can send Christmas and New Year cards weighing up to 50g at a cheaper rate. The special December price of €0.82 per stamp applies from 4 November 2019 until 3 January 2020. This year, a sheet of 20 December stamps costs €16.40. Upon purchase of two sheets of December stamps, the buyer receives a special bag made from 100% recycled PET plastic.

Love for the world around her
Illustrator Lieke van der Vorst (1989) grew up in Kaatsheuvel, just north of Tilburg. Her upbringing was dominated by nature, and her love for the animal world and her immediate surroundings is reflected in her work. Her work is in great international demand, and there is a huge amount of interest in Australia and South Korea. Van der Vorst previously worked on the 2017 December stamps as one of the ten young talented individuals linked to ten famous Dutch people.

Precise style of working
All of the illustrations for the December stamps were drawn by Van der Vorst separately by hand on A4 paper, including the background and typography. Later she combined them on the computer with the space at the top of the sheet. In her work, she almost exclusively uses watercolour pencils and ballpoint pen to create harder lines. “Over the years, I have tried out all of the techniques,” says Van der Vorst. “But pencil and ballpoint suit me best. The advantage is that it allows you to be very precise in your work. You can control the intensity of each line by applying varying amounts of pressure.”

Availability
The December stamps are available from 4 November from 7,200 sales points in the Netherlands (including Jumbo, Albert Heijn, Bruna, Primera, Kruidvat and The Read Shop), through our website and from the Collect Club customer service on telephone number +31 (0)88 – 868 99 00. December stamps can also be used outside of the Christmas period, as long as they are accompanied by an extra stamp for the price that is valid at the time of sending.

Monsters (Israel 2019)

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Monsters
Issue Date: November 26th

Monsters have been part of human lure throughout history. They arouse our fears as well as our curiosity. Monsters are found in Greek and Indian mythology, in China and Japan, among the Vikings and African tribes, as well as the Biblical Nephili and Og king of Bashan and the Golem from Prague in Jewish folklore.

These monsters symbolize the fear of the unknown, which is especially prevalent in young children. At this age anxiety and thoughts turn into terrible creatures hiding in the room, under the bed or in the closet which may come out of hiding at night and cause harm. Every parent experiences his/her child’s fear of these “monsters” and their real fear of them, most commonly at bedtime. This fear can persist for many months.

The monsters featured in this stamp series, created by illustrator Yossi Abulafia and author Ephraim Sidon, are an attempt to deal with these fears by presenting the monsters as funny clumsy characters that, despite their frightening and threatening appearance, are actually good creatures that just want to be loved, encouraged and have friends like everyone else. Thus, this stamp series joins the current trend in children’s literature to “humanize” monsters in order to neutralize the fear they instill in the young.

Like the monsters in Where the Wild Things Are, There’s a Nightmare in my Closet and the Shrek movies, the inhabitants of the Monsters Garden are seemingly frightening and intimidating. But outward appearances can be deceiving. These creatures believe they are beautiful, clever and talented, and they especially crave children’s love. And in fact, the enthusiastic response from tens of thousands of children upon meeting these monsters proves that fear can indeed be conquered through humor.

Muglevi (Cowardly Heart)
Muglevi is a lonely monster with no family or home. He develops many fears, such as a fear of heights, lows, closed spaces, open spaces, public singing, root vegetables, stage fright and fear fright. And he is especially afraid of the monsters Akavishamish (Spider) and Mar-bitz (Hitter) that appear alongside him on each stamp. But beware! If frightened, Muglevi grows to be 4.68 meters tall, weighing 4.72 tons, he bears his teeth and claws and… and… faints.

Kishta (Go Away)
This is Kishta… and if you ask her this question: Why do you have such fingernails and why are you so scary?” she will give you an angry look and reply: Why do you care – it’s none of your business. Go away, just go away from here! I don’t want to see you.

And she mostly wants Kadmoni, the monster that follows her everywhere, to go away…

Sanani (Hater)
Sanani mostly hates everything! But you can’t blame him, after his difficult childhood. He was the fifth child in a family that only had two children. His mother died three years before he was born and when he was just two days old, he was sent off to hunt turnips.

Thus, he hates heartily and there are things he doesn’t like. He even hates the other monsters that are constantly by his side.
—Ephraim Sidon

The stamp series was inspired by the Monsters exhibit at the Eretz Israel Museum (Initiative and artistic management: Zachi Becker) which was designed and written by Yossi Abulafia and Ephraim Sidon. Also inspired by the book “The Monsters Garden” by Ephraim Sidon and Yossi Abulafia.

This stamp sheet was produced using hexachrome (6-color) printing.

Technical Specifications:

  • Moglevi
  • Kishta
  • Sanani

Denominations:NIS 4.10
Size of Booklet: W: 30 mm H: 40
Plate nos.: 1139
Designers: Yossi Abulafia & Miri Nistor
Printers: Enschede, Netherland
Printing method: Offset
Sheet type: Special & small decorated sheet
No. of stamps in sheet: 6 (6 tabs)
Place of cancellation: Tel Aviv – Yafo
No. of FDCs: 1
Price of FDCs: NIS 13.50
Place of cancellation: Tel Aviv – Yafo
Special comments: This stamp sheet was produced using hexachrome (6-color) printing.