Children's Welfare Stamps
Dehradun October 2026 Vol.
XIX Issue No. 226
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Date of Issue: 25 September 2026
Editorial….
Dear
Reader,
I am pleased to present the
October 2026 issue of Rainbow Stamp News.
The Philatelic Congress of
India (PCI) has announced the National Stamp Show – 2026, a National Virtual
& Physical Philatelic Exhibition to be held from 5th to 15th December 2026.
This is a good opportunity for Indian philatelists to participate and showcase
their exhibits. The exhibition is being organized by the Philatelic Congress of
India as part of its Golden Jubilee celebrations and will be held in a combo
format – Virtual and Physical. In the first phase, all exhibits will be
displayed at the Virtual Exhibition, and exhibits winning a Vermeil Medal and
above will qualify for the Physical Exhibition.
While going through the
prospectus, it is observed that the entry fee is quite high – Rs. 2200 per
frame in the Competitive Class and Rs. 2700 for One-Frame and Literature Class
entries. The fee should be moderate, as PCI states that this exhibition is being
organized for the promotion of philately. Being the Golden Jubilee celebration
of PCI, the organizers should keep the fee low so that many philatelists from
different parts of India can take part.
In the Literature Class,
digital entries are not accepted, which is contradictory for a virtual
exhibition. Digital entries must be permitted in the Literature Class in a
virtual stamp show.
It is also not clear in the
prospectus whether participants whose exhibits are finally selected for the
second round – the physical exhibition – will have to pay the entry fee again
or whether it is a one-time fee. Clear information should be given in the
prospectus, as the guidelines for the physical exhibition for final
participants will be issued by the organizers only after the virtual
exhibition.
If we talk about promotion
of philately, the entry fee should definitely be pocket-friendly, so that a
large number of philatelists may be encouraged to participate in the
exhibition.
This
is all for this month… Happy Collecting!
Contents
. Editorial
· From the Desk of
Naresh Agrawal
· Recent Indian Issues
· In the News
. From the Pen of
Dipok Dey
. Book Review
. Specialized Section
· Beginners’ Section
. Stories Behind
Stamps
. Remarkable Stamps of
India
. New Issues from
Other Countries
. Stamp of the Month
· Philatelic Clubs and
Societies
· Blogs and Websites
on Philately
· Current Philatelic
Magazines and Newsletters
A great news that has sent a strong wave of pleasure amongst the Indian philatelists is that PCI is organizing a National Virtual & Physical Stamp Show 2026 named as PCI National Stamp Show-2026 to celebrate its Golden Jubilee. The event would feature a unique combination format, starting with a comprehensive National Virtual Exhibition scheduled from 5th December to 15th December 2026 followed by physical Exhibition dates of which are yet to be announced. It is set to feature around 600 competitive frames in Virtual Class contributed by collectors and researchers from all over the world. This Combo Format is unique in nature as initially the entire exhibits shall be presented in the online virtual mode. Then the exhibits winning the Vermeil Medal or above shall be qualified for subsequent Physical Exhibition. It has also been assured that winning suitable higher awards at this National Level event will grant participants eligibility to move on to intercontinental and international events hosted by FIP and FIAP.
This is a great opportunity for at least Indian philatelists to participate in such a National Level Show which will open the gateway for participation in International Exhibitions. As application dates are already open, there is not much time left to think. They need to grab this opportunity and act quickly. Of course, their participation would also add to the great celebrations of PCI, our parent body in India.
I do like to mention here that some of the prospective participants feel that the entry fee is high in comparison to the other digital exhibitions held in the past but looking in to the event where so much is to be done by PCI and sponsorships are hard to get now a days; members of PCI and the participants need to help this cause. Yet, for the selected ones like new comers and some other PCI feels deserving ones, the fee may be reduced, if requested. Secondly, awards are the most motivating stuff and help promote philately in a great way; PCI needs to look into this aspect carefully and liberally.
PCI has invited original and research-based articles for the special edition of Signet to be issued on this occasion. Certainly, this is a welcome act and also as sufficient days to prepare such articles are given, members and other philatelists have a nice opportunity to come up with their research-oriented works.
As usual, I understand PCI would appreciate receiving sponsorship of awards or mementoes to be given to the award-winning selected participants. I would also request and appeal to the members and other stamp lovers to open up their hearts and help this great aspect of encouraging philatelists.
Apart from the special, best and innovative exhibits, PCI should also encourage new stamp lovers and new participants as they are the future of philately in India and they need to be encouraged and motivated. Philatelic Societies are the ones which generate stamp lovers and nourish them. There are several philatelic societies in India (whether PCI members or not) which are genuinely working hard to keep philately alive and help regular promotion. Such selected and dedicated Societies genuinely require motivation and high appreciation.
Philately is changing and so exhibiting. People who have contributed actively and supported such acts need to be recognized and appreciated. The members of PCI who indirectly help PCI and promote philately too need appreciation and recognition. Literature is coming up speedily on the surface of philately by way of digital magazines, bulletin and journals. New literature entries are now coming up in the competitive section at high level exhibitions and winning higher awards too. PCI should recognize the true servers of philately and true research-based exhibits in the last few years and appreciate those too. Philatelic writers, promoters and journalists are the pillars of philately and so PCI must not ignore them.
Finally, while I congratulate the team of leaders of PCI and also to all the members of PCI for successful completion of 50 years of service to philately and so to philatelists and would place my best wishes for the success of this show which is an innovative idea and will be held for the first time in the world. I must place my thanks to the torch bearers of philately in India most importantly to Sri Rajesh Bagri who has been instrumental in bringing Indian philatelists on the world platform and to bring honours to India in philatelic field in the last few years when graph of philately in India on world map was declining. By saying this I am not ignoring the work being done by the other stalwarts. My thanks to each and every one of the PCI office bearers and the members for their contribution.
Looking forward to yet another great show and great celebration.
Naresh Agrawal, Bilaspur (C.G.) email nareshkumar1992@yahoo.co.in Mob /
WhatsApp: 09425530514
Recent Indian Issues
4
September 2026: Birth Centenary of Uttam Kumar- Rs5
5 September
2026: Platinum Jubilee of Dinamalar Tamil News Daily-
Rs5
12 September 2026: 18th
BRICS Summit New Delhi 2026 – 2 X Rs 20 + MS
15 September 2026: Sant
Shri Malookdas – Rs5
New Special / Permanent
Cancellations
22 September 2026:World Rhino Day
30 September
2026: International Podcast Day
30September
2026 Summerhill 171005 Western Tragopan
2 October 2026
National Wildlife Week, Rajkot
3 October 2026:
National Wildlife Week, Bangalore
15 September 2026: 133 Eco Task Force
29 September 2026: Habba Khatoon Peak Gurez Valley:
Baramulla
29 September 2026: SIMPEX 2026: Shimla
30 September 2026: Snow Leopard - State Animal of Himachal
Pradesh : Shimla
1 October 2026: Annie Besant School,Prayagraj: Prayagraj
3 October 2026 : Buldana Urban : Buldana
New Picture Postcards
2.Incredible Himachal Pradesh
In The News
PCI NATIONAL STAMP SHOW – 2026
National Virtual & Physical Philatelic
Exhibition
PCI
National Stamp Show - 2026, National Virtual & Physical Philatelic
Exhibition.
National
Virtual exhibition will be held from 5th to 15th December 2026.
The
exhibition is being organized by Philatelic Congress of India celebrating its
Goden Jubilee for promotion of philately. The exhibition will be held in combo
format i.e. Virtual and Physical. First all the exhibits will be displayed at
the Virtual Exhibition. Exhibits winning Vermeil Medal and above will be
displayed at the Physical Exhibition. The date and venue of the Physical
Exhibition will be announced later. Eligible exhibits for the physical
exhibition will be judged again. Award function will be held during the
Physical Exhibition only for the participating exhibitors in the same. All the
other medals will be sent by Post. The participants of the Physical Exhibition
will be eligible to participate at the International Exhibitions as per the
rules and regulations of the FIP and FIAP. It will provide an opportunity for
philatelists to participate in the National Exhibition featuring exhibits
exclusively on all aspects of India and Indian states philately and thematic
exhibits on any them including Indian theme. PCI National Stamp Show - 2026
will be open to four categories of exhibits (Competitive Class, Championship
Class, Invitee Class and Court of Honour). The exhibition will be judged based
on the rules and regulations of FIP.
5.
CLASSIFICATION OF EXHIBITS
5.1 Invitee
Class / Court of Honour (Non-Competitive Class) Outstanding exhibits of jury
members and eminent philatelists will be exhibited by invitation only.
5.2
Competitive Class: Class 1: Championship Class
Class 2:
Traditional Philately
2A India
Pre-Independence, including French India & Portuguese India, India Used
Abroad
2B Indian
Princely States
2C India since
Independence
2D Rest of the
World
Class 3:
Postal History
3A India Pre
Adhesive Period
3B India
Pre-Independence, including French India & Portuguese India, India Used
Abroad
3C Indian
Princely States
3D India since
Independence
3E Rest of the
World
Class 4: Postal Stationery
4A India
Pre-Independence, including French India & Portuguese India
4B Indian
Princely States
4C India since
Independence
4D Rest of the
world
Class 5:
Aerophilately / Astrophilately
Class 6:
Thematic – Any Theme
Class 7:
Maximaphilly
Class 8:
Revenues
8A India
8B Indian
Princely States
Class 9:
Indian First Day Covers
Class 10: Open
Class
Class 11:
Modern Philately (Philatelic material issued after 2000)
Class 12:
Picture Postcard
Class 13:
Single Frame exhibits - In case of thematic it can be any theme, all other
disciplines it should be India and Indian States philately
13A
Traditional
13B Postal
History
13C Postal
Stationery
13D
Aerophilately / Astrophilately
13E Thematic
13F
Maximaphily
13G Revenue
Applications for Single Frame exhibits must clearly indicate the applicable
sub-class (A to G), as listed above. Single Frame exhibits will be awarded
points, which will be mentioned in the certificate. No medals will be awarded.
Class 14:
Youth Class (Completed age as on 01-01-2026) - In case of thematic it can be
any theme, all other disciplines it should be India and Indian States philately
14A Age for
Group A between 10-15 Years
14B Age for
Group B between 16-18 Years
14C Age for
Group C between 19-21 Years Class
15: PHILATELIC
LITERATURE
15A Philatelic
Hand Books, Monographs, Specialized Research Articles, Exhibition Catalogues,
etc. (Should be published on or after 01.01.2021)
15B Philatelic
Journals, Periodicals (Should be published on or after 01.01.2024). For
Journals, the
most recent
complete volume should be submitted.)
15C Catalogues
(Should be published on or after 01.01.2024)
The address
and other details pertaining to the submission of Literature entries will be
communicated separately in due course.
Note: No
digital entries will be accepted. Results will be declared during the physical
exhibition.
6.
APPLICATIONS FOR ENTRY IN COMPETITIVE CLASS
6.1 Exhibitors
desirous of participating in the exhibition should apply online on the website www.pcistampshow.com
Last
date of application is 15th October 2026.
6.2 The
Youth Group A & B may apply for 2, 3 or 4 frames and Youth Group C for 3, 4
or 5 frames.
9.
PARTICIPATION FEES
9.1 The
applicable participation fees per frame will be as under:
Invitee and
Youth Classes - No participation Fee.
Championship
Class - Rs. 3,500
General
Competitive Classes - Rs. 2,200
Single Frame
Exhibit Class - Rs. 2,700
Literature
Class – Rs. 2,700
15.
CONTACT DETAILS
In case
of any query regarding the exhibition, please send mail to info@philateliccongressofindia.com
PHILATAIPEI 2026
PHILATAIPEI
2026 World Stamp Championship Exhibition. (FIP)
The
exhibition is scheduled to be held from November 20 to 25, 2026, at Taipei
World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 1, Areas B and C. It will be organized under
the Patronage of the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP)
National
Commissioner for India,
Pratisad
Neurgaonkar, 884, Bhandarkar Road, 14
Patil Terraces, Pune 411004
Email pratisadn@gmail.com.com / WhatsApp
+91-9766310553
the Apprentice National
Commissioner for India : Sunil Joshi Phone: 9822026422
AUSVIPEX
2026
Deadlines
Entries Open: 30 March
2026
Entries Close: 30
September 2026
Title Pages to Judges:
Wednesday 07 October 2026
Scans of Exhibits
required by: 14 October 2026
Exhibits available
online for Judges: From Sunday 01 November 2026
Judging concluded:
Sunday 22 November 2026
Results available:
Monday 30 November 2026
Feedback to
Exhibitors: Week commencing Mon 7 December 2026.
On Line until 28
February 2027
Frames Available: 500
Exhibition Website : https://apfvirtual.com
Organisation
The Australian Virtual Philatelic Exhibition 2026 is an online National
Philatelic Exhibition organised by the Australian Philatelic Federation (APF).
These regulations are based on the APF Regulations for Australian Philatelic
Exhibitions.
For all enquiries
email: apfvirtual@gmail.com
AMSIPEX-27
3rd International Virtual Aero- & Astrophilatelic Exhibition
14-21
February 2027
For details Visit : www.amsipex.com
SLOVPHILEX 2027
SLOVPHILEX 2027, a specialised World Philatelic Exhibition to be held at Bratislava, Slovakia from June 30th to July 4th 3027.
The Classes of Exhibits are: Traditional Philately, Postal History, Revenues, Thematic Philately,
Picture postcards, Open Philately, Non-Standard Frames (1-3 Frames)
exhibit and
Philatelic Literature.
The last date for acceptance of application forms is October 15th 2026.
-G. Anil kumar Reddy, Commissioner Ph.98410 22884: email: anilreddy.stamps@gmail.com
Virtual One Page Philatelic Exhibition 8 – 23 October 2026
EROPEX 2026: 25 &26 November 2026: Erode
News from Philatelists and Philatelic Societies
Himachal Pradesh
Release
of Special Cover on Snow Leopard, state animal of Himachal Pradesh ; set of
postcards and a permanent pictorial cancellation on Western Tragopan during SIMPEX
2026.
Dr. Ritu Kalra, Shimla
Jammu And Kashmir
The
district-Level Philately Exhibition at Baramulla under the name “VARMULPEX-2026
was inaugurated at Kashmir University North Campus Dalina Baramulla Auditorium
Hall with the objective of promoting philately—the collection and study of
postage stamps—as an educational and cultural hobby for the younger generation
and the aspirants of philately. A special cover of historical importance “Habba
Khatoon Peak Gurez Valley” was released as an activity during the inauguration.
Air Mail Society India Foundation
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The Air Mail Society India Foundation (AMSI) is
undertaking an international initiative to compile “The 100 Most Important
Aerophilatelic and Astrophilatelic Rarities of the World.”
AMSI invites collectors, museums, institutions,
societies and philatelic specialists worldwide to recommend significant Aero-
and Astrophilatelic material that they believe deserves consideration for
inclusion in this compilation.
The material may be from any part of the world,
including both Aerophilately and Astrophilately.
For each recommended item, please provide:
• Image of the material (prefer minimum 300 dpi
hi-res jpg) – front and reverse
• Title and date
• Why the material is significant or special
• Collection or source details (example- Museum,
institution with name, auction house, private collections or any other source)
Submit your
recommendations by visiting AMSI website www.airmailsocietyindia.org
Your
knowledge can help bring these rarities to the attention of the wider
philatelic community.
Editor’s Mail Box
Smriti Rana, Shimla
PCI
is conducting National level online exhibition, PCI Stamp Show 2026 in December. It’s fee per frame is 2200, I
personally feel it is too exorbitant. I may be wrong also by doing this i feel
they are not encouraging / promoting philately but certainly discouraging.`
IN
QUEST OF POSTAL HISTORY AND COMMUNICATIONS
KAUTILYA
(IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATIONS)
Kautilya (Chanakya) and his Arthashastra
The
Arthashastra is believed to have been written by Kautilya (also known as
Chanakya or Vishnugupta) around the 4th century BCE.
Kautilya
(Chanakya), in his Arthashastra, gave great importance to communication and
intelligence networks as the backbone of administration, trade, and security —
all key parts of a strong economy.
The
Arthashastra by Kautilya (Chanakya) is regarded as the first comprehensive
treatise on economics and politics in the world. It systematically covers
topics such as administration, taxation, trade, espionage, diplomacy, and
communication — making it a true manual for governance and economic management.
It not only laid down principles of governance and administration but also
emphasized the importance of an efficient communication system for the smooth
functioning of the state. Kautilya described networks of messengers, spies, and
couriers — elements that symbolically anticipated the foundations of India’s
early postal system.”
Here’s how
Kautilya emphasized it:
1. Messenger
System (Dūtas) – He mentioned the use of dūtas or messengers for regular
communication between the king, provincial officers, and spies. These ensured
that information and royal orders moved quickly across the empire.
This can be
seen as an early form of an organized postal or relay communication network.
2. Spies and
Information Network – Kautilya described a vast spy system to collect
information about trade, markets, and people’s sentiments. This flow of
information helped the king make economic and political decisions efficiently.
3. Trade and
Administration – Efficient communication was vital for regulating taxes, trade
routes, and transportation of goods. Kautilya emphasized that roads,
messengers, and reporting systems must be well maintained to keep the economy
running smoothly.
4. Economic
Stability through Coordination – He saw communication not only as political
intelligence but as the lifeline of administration, linking the king with
revenue officers, traders, and the army.
LETTERPRESS PRINTING
PRINTING AS A MEDIUM OF MASS COMMUNICATION:
AN EARLY PARALLEL TO POSTAL
HISTORY
Throughout
human history, rulers, statesmen, teachers, and philosophers have sought
effective ways to spread their ideas widely. Public gatherings were limited by
geography, time, and willingness; oral transmission alone lacked permanence.
The desire to reach people irrespective of consent, distance, or generation led
to one of humanity’s greatest inventions: printing.
EARLY ORIGINS OF PRINTING
One of the
earliest breakthroughs occurred in China, where the Buddhist Diamond
Sutra—originally composed in ancient India in Sanskrit as the Vajracchedikā
Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra—was reproduced using carved wooden blocks. During the Tang
dynasty (7th century CE), the technique of printing text and images from
engraved woodblocks, known as xylography, became firmly established. This
marked a turning point in recorded communication, enabling texts to circulate
far beyond their place of origin.
Like early postal concepts, printing technology gradually traveled
westward. Long before Europe’s printing revolution, Korea had already
introduced metal movable type by 1392 CE, while China experimented with clay
and ceramic types. These innovations influenced regional printing practices
across Asia.
Gutenberg and the European Printing Revolution
In Europe,
JOHANNES GUTENBURG introduced the mechanical movable-type printing press
between 1440 and 1450 CE. By 1455, the Gutenberg Bible demonstrated the
transformative power of this invention. Early European printing relied on
wooden or metal movable types, printed on hand-operated flatbed presses,
producing uniform and repeatable texts on an unprecedented scale.
Gutenberg’s
enduring achievement lay not merely in invention, but in systematization: the
casting of durable metal type from alloyed metals and its integration with a
mechanical press. This innovation laid the foundation of modern print culture
in Europe.
PRINTING AND POSTAL HISTORY:
A Shared Purpose
From a
philatelic and postal-history perspective, the evolution of printing closely
mirrors humanity’s broader quest for reliable communication. Just as postal
networks enabled the physical transmission of messages, printing ensured their
replication, permanence, and preservation. Together, they transformed ideas
into enduring artifacts—capable of crossing borders, generations, and
civilizations.
Letterpress Before Postage Stamps
Long before
the first adhesive postage stamp appeared in 1845, letterpress printing was
widely used for books, labels, posters, and official notices. Text was printed
using movable types, while images were produced from carved wooden blocks.
Remarkably, this traditional wooden-block technique continues to survive in
India’s textile printing industry, preserving an ancient craft into the modern
age.
LETTERPRESS ENTERS POSTAL HISTORY: BASEL DOVE (1845)
A historic
milestone occurred in Switzerland when JOHANN JAKOB SPEISERIF introduced
letterpress printing for postage stamps in 1845, producing the legendary Basel
Dove. With this single issue, Switzerland not only entered postal history but
also created multiple world firsts.
Speiser
prepared relief printing blocks (wood and/or metal high blocks) suitable for
typographic printing. These were not intaglio-engraved dies, but raised designs
characteristic of letterpress.
Each colour
required a separate relief block:
Black: Dove
and inscriptions
Red
(carmine): Shield background
Blue: Outer
frame
Printing Method of the Basel Dove
Individual
relief blocks were arranged repeatedly to form a printing forme, commonly
believed to contain 40 stamp subjects per sheet.
The forme
was locked tightly using quoins inside a chase:
CHASE →
metal frame
QUOINS →
locking wedges
FORME →
assembled printing matter
Printing was
carried out on a hand-driven flatbed letterpress:
Ink applied
to raised surfaces
Dampened
paper laid on the forme
Pressure
applied manually
This process
was repeated three separate times, once for each colour, with precise alignment
(registration).
RESULTS AND SIGNIFICANCE
The result
was extraordinary:
The world’s
first tricolour postage stamp
Switzerland’s
first postage stamp
Slight
embossing caused by letterpress pressure
Introduction
of colourless (blind/albino) embossing, another world first
Switzerland’s
international reputation for precision—whether in watchmaking or printing—is
perfectly reflected in the BASEL DOVE.
THE GOLDEN ERA OF LETTERPRESS STAMP
With
advancing technology, letterpress evolved further. In 1855, DE LA RUE & CO.
introduced letterpress (surface printing) for low-value stamps, a method that
remained dominant for decades. The period from 1855 to 1930 may rightly be
called the golden era of letterpress stamp printing, particularly exemplified
by the numerous issues portraying QUEEN VICTORIA.
Notably,
many denominations were engraved on steel dies specifically for letterpress
printing, as seen in the classic issues of the East India Company.
PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE DECLINE OF LETTERPRESS
Between the
1850s and 1880s, the development of photogravure and halftone processes—using
screens to break images into dots—integrated photography into mass printing.
This marked a decisive shift away from hand-engraved blocks.
Before
photography, printed images required slow and expensive manual engraving.
Photography enabled faster, more accurate, and cheaper reproduction, especially
with innovations such as the rotary press (1840s) and later photomechanical
processes.
OFFSET, PHOTOGRAVURE, AND DIGITAL PRINTING
By 1904:
Offset printing began to emerge
Late 20th
century: Photogravure gained prominence, gradually replacing letterpress.
EARLY 21ST CENTURY: DIGITAL PRINTING TECHNOLOGIES EMERGED
In the early
2000s, Hewlett-Packard’s investment in and acquisition of Indigo accelerated
digital printing’s growth. Digital printing transformed the industry by
enabling short runs, personalization, and rapid turnaround—ushering in a
departure from traditional analog methods.
FAREWELL TO LETTERPRESS
With these
developments, the printing industry gradually bid farewell to letterpress—and
symbolically, said goodbye to Gutenberg. Yet, despite its decline, letterpress
remains one of the most influential technologies in the history of
communication, leaving an indelible mark on printing, philately, and postal
history alike.
EXAMPLES OF LETTERPRESS PRINTING IN POSTAGE STAMPS
SELECTED COUNTRIES, YEARS, AND PRINTING CHARACTERISTICS
The
application of letterpress (typography) in postage stamp production spread
rapidly across the world during the 19th century. Different regions adapted the
process using locally available materials—ranging from metal relief plates to
carved wooden blocks—especially in colonial or emergency situations.
SWITZERLAND
1845 – Basel
Dove
Printer:
Johann Jakob Speiser
Method:
Letterpress (typography)
Material:
Relief blocks (wood/metal)
Significance:
World’s
first tricolour postage stamp
First use of
blind (albino) embossing
Multi-pass
printing with precise registration
GREAT BRITAIN
1840 – Penny
Black / Penny Red
Printer:
Perkins, Bacon & Co.
Method:
Line-engraved intaglio (not letterpress)
However:
1855 onward
– Surface-printed issues (Queen Victoria)
Printer: De
La Rue & Co.
Method:
Letterpress (surface printing)
Material:
Relief plates from steel-engraved dies
Significance:
Beginning of large-scale letterpress stamp production
INDIA (BRITISH INDIA)
1854 – Half
Anna Blue
Printer:
Survey of India
Method:
Typography (letterpress)
Material:
Metal relief plates
1860s–1900s
– Queen Victoria surface-printed issues
Method:
Letterpress
Significance:
Extensive
use of steel-engraved relief dies
Long-lasting
durability under tropical conditions
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE / SOUTH AFRICA
(Woodblock Printing)
1861 –
Woodblock “Hope” Issues (1d Red & 4d Blue)
Printer:
Saul Solomon & Co., Cape Town
Method:
Letterpress from carved wooden blocks
REASON FOR
USE:
Emergency
local production due to stamp shortages
Characteristics:
Designs
carved directly into wood
Mirror-image
blocks manually prepared
Numerous
plate varieties and errors
Famous
accidental colour swap (1d blue / 4d red).
This is one
of the most important examples of woodblock letterpress printing in world
philately, demonstrating survival-era typography under colonial constraints.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
1847–1851 –
Early Issues
Method:
Engraved intaglio
1894 onward
– Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Low-denomination
definitive stamps
Method:
Letterpress (surface printing)
Used mainly
for:
Newspapers
stamps
Parcel Post
Coil stamps
FRANCE
1876–1900 –
Type Sage & Type Blanc
Method:
Letterpress
Material:
Metal relief plates
Significance:
Transition from engraved to surface printing for economy
Germany
(German States & Empire)
1872 – Small
Shield Issues
Method:
Typography (letterpress)
Material:
Metal relief plates
Widely used
for official and low-value issues
ITALY
1863–1889 –
De La Rue-printed issues
Method:
Letterpress
Used for
definitive and postage due stamp
AUSTRALIA
1913 –
Kangaroo and Map (Low values)
Method:
Letterpress
Material:
Metal relief plates
Later
combined with photomechanical processes
JAPAN
1871–1872 –
Dragon Issues
Method:
Letterpress
Influenced
by traditional woodblock printing culture
Early
experimentation combining Eastern and Western techniques
PHILATELIC SIGNIFICANCE
These
examples demonstrate that letterpress was not a single uniform technology, but
a flexible system:
Woodblocks
(South Africa, Asia)
Metal relief
plates (Europe, India)
Steel dies
adapted for surface printing
Letterpress
served as the bridge between craft-based printing and industrial mass
production, just as postal systems bridged private correspondence and global
communication.
HOW TO IDENTIFY LETTERPRESS PRINTING (TYPOGRAPHY)
Identifying
Letterpress (Typographic) printing is a very important skill in philately,
especially for classic stamps and Indian Princely State issues. Below is a
clear, practical guide, written especially for stamp collectors.
1. RAISED
IMPRESSION – Inked areas feel slightly raised to the touch; you may sense
relief with a fingertip or oblique light.
2. SHARP
OUTER EDGES – LINES AND LETTERS have crisp, clean boundaries, often with slight
ink spread at corners.
3. INK
SPREAD AND UNEVEN EDGES– Ink may appear heavier at the edges of letters or
design due to pressure from raised type.
4. UNEVEN
INKING – Colour intensity may vary within the same design, showing light and
dark patches.
5. NO SCREEN
DOTS – Under magnification, solid ink areas, not composed of halftone dots
(unless a photo block was later introduced)
6. INDENTED
PAPER BACK – On unmounted stamps, a reverse impression may be visible on the
back.
7. SIMPLE
LINE DESIGNS – Commonly used for text, frames, numerals, coats of arms, and
geometric motifs.
8.
REGISTRATION VARIATIONS – Slight misalignment may be seen in multi-colour
letterpress printings.
9. PAPER
PENETRATION – Ink often sinks into the paper fibres, not sitting flat on the
surface.
10. HAND-FED
PRESS CHARACTERISTICS – Minor irregularities between copies indicate manual or
semi-manual printing.
11. SOLID,
FLAT COLOUR AREAS
Letterpress
excels at solid blocks of colour.
Large areas
often show:
Slight ink
texture • Minor irregularities
No tonal
gradation like photography
12. THICK
LINES AND SIMPLE DESIGNS
Designs
usually consist of:
Bold
lettering •Thick frames •Simple ornaments • Fine hairlines are rare and often
inconsistent.
Indian States such as Bundi, Alwar, Jaipur,
Soruth, Cochin, Travancore commonly used this style.
Dipok Dey: email: dipokdey38@gmail.com
Book Review
Milestones in Indian Postal History (1766-2026)
By Dipok Dey
Milestones in Indian Postal History (1766-2026) By Dipok Dey: Pages 52: Type: Booklet Published by Kaushik Dey: Cover Design and Pre Press work by Babul Dey, ADSONATA, Kolkata: Contact email: kaushikbabul01@gmail.com
Milestones in Indian
Postal History (1766-2026) – By Dipok Dey
The booklet ‘Milestones in Indian Postal History (1766-2026)’ by Dipok Dey gives comprehensive details of the various postal services introduced in the Indian Postal System from 1766 to 2026. It presents a chronological record of services introduced in India from time to time. The booklet is divided into the following sections:
1.First Introductions in the Indian Postal System (1766-2026)
2.Modern Digital Era Services
3.Mail Transport Systems in Indian Postal History
4.India Post – Saving Certificates & Similar Instruments (1882-2025)
5.Defined Post Offices in Indian Postal History
6.Barcode-Based Tracking in India Post
In every section, details have been given in chronological order. The first introductions in the Indian Postal System, Modern Digital Era Services introduced since 2014, various Mail Transport Systems and the barcode-based tracking system in India Post are all listed chronologically.
A special section on ‘Defined Post Offices’ is particularly interesting. A ‘Defined Post Office’ was a post office specially identified with and officially established for a particular institution, building, company, government office or locality. They were known as ‘Defined Post Offices’ because their names were defined by the establishment or institution with which they were associated. These post offices have been listed in the booklet.
The Savings Certificates and other financial instruments issued by India Post have also been listed. This data is very important for philatelists interested in postal history.
This booklet is an excellent reference book for
every philatelist, especially for those collecting and researching Indian
Postal History. It is a complete reference for philatelists, researchers and
postal historians, and is highly recommended for every keen philatelist. It is
an asset for any philatelic library.
-Jeevan Jyoti
Specialized Section
Encased Postage
US #EP162 –
A 5¢ Jefferson in a John Shillito & Co., Cincinnati postage case
On August 12, 1862, John Gault received a patent for a design to encase postage stamps to use as currency. By early 1862, the US was fully engulfed in the Civil War. Many people began conserving their resources as they didn’t know how much longer the war might last. Among the most hoarded it.
US #63 – an 1861 1¢ Franklin stamp that would have been encased
Back in 1861, the US began
printing paper notes to finance the war. Known as greenbacks (because the back
sides were printed in green), they were initially redeemable in coins, but as
the war raged on, they became merely promises of the US government to pay.
Since the notes had no metal money behind them as security, people began to
hoard their gold and silver coins.
US #67 – an 1861 5¢ Jefferson
By 1862, greenbacks were being used more frequently, as coins disappeared from circulation. Eventually, small change vanished completely, and greenbacks were the only currency being used. Since much of what people needed cost less than a dollar, they found themselves faced with an unusual dilemma: how to pay for things without using their precious coins. Soon people were buying a dollar’s worth of stamps and using them as change instead. But the resulting wear and tear made it difficult for postal clerks to tell unused stamps from those that had been washed for reuse.
Eventually, the government
officially acknowledged the use of postage stamps as payment. On July 17, 182,
they passed a law that would allow postage stamps to be used to pay off debts
to the government under $5. As stamps became an accepted form of currency,
several new ideas developed.
US #69 – an 1861
12¢ Washington
Among those looking for a solution was businessman John Gault. On August 12, 1862, he received a patent for a “Design for Encasing Government Stamps” to be used as currency. His design would encase the stamps and protect them from wear.
The back portion of the quarter-sized encasement was made of brass. A layer of cardboard padding and the stamp were placed on the frame then covered with a thin sheet of clear mica. A frame of brass fit over the invention to secure it. This enabled stamps to be passed like coins, without destroying them. The stamps used in encased postage were the 1¢, 3¢, 5¢, 10¢, 12¢, 24¢, 30¢, and 90¢ stamps from the 1861 issue.
Soon, companies were imprinting messages on the back part of the frame. Stores and manufacturing companies such as Ayer’s Pills, Burnett’s Cooking Extracts, and Lord & Taylor began impressing their name and product on the back of the metal frame and began using them for advertising. At least 30 different companies took advantage of this new advertising tool.
Source: Mystic Stamp Co.
Beginners’ Section
Potato Stamps
On August 24, 1935,
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Potato Control Law, which led to the
creation of short-lived Potato stamps.
The Potato Control Act was an amendment of the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA). The AAA had been passed in 1933 by President Roosevelt to help boost agricultural prices by decreasing surpluses. The AAA also created the Agricultural Adjustment Administration to oversee the grants given to farmers.
The Potato Control Act
was first brought before the House on June 15, 1935, by John M. Jones and was
signed into law two months later. The goal of the law was to help the nation’s
30,000 potato farmers. They were concerned that new farmers who had to abandon
their land due to other AAA stipulations might overburden the potato market.
The law went into
effect on December 1, 1935. Part of the law restricted potatoes from being
exported, instead providing that they be supplied for relief to those in need.
The act also included a crop-adjustment program of ploughing under every fifth
row of potatoes to prevent a surplus. Each farmer was given a quota of
production and for any excess had to pay a ¾ cent per pound tax. All the
potatoes that were sold under the allotments were tax-free and for this, a
tax-exempt stamp was used.
Under this law, people and companies were not allowed to buy or offer to buy any potatoes that were not packed in containers approved by the Secretary of Agriculture and sealed with the official stamps. If anyone was found in violation of the law, they could be fined $1,000 for their first offense and $1,000 and a year in jail for their second offense.
Many
saw the act as radical and unconstitutional because the federal government was
directly involved in the economic affairs of potato growers. Many were
outraged. A group in New Jersey issued a statement, “That we protest against
and declare that we will not be bound by the ‘Potato Control Law,’ an
unconstitutional measure recently enacted by the United States Congress. We
shall produce on our own land such potatoes as we may wish to produce and will
dispose of them in such manner as we may deem proper.”
The
outrage over the law brought it before the Supreme Court. On January 6, 1936,
the US Supreme Court declared that the AAA was unconstitutional. And a month
later, the Potato Act was repealed on February 10. Few farmers used the stamps
because they were only on sale for less than two months. Potato stamps were the
only US stamps valued in an edible commodity.
Stories Behind Stamps
Turkey - 2 Piastres Labourer’s
Passport Tax stamp, 1921
Price: USD 5,750
The 2 Piastres Labourer’s Passport Tax stamp, produced in 1921, is a famous Turkish philatelic item. It appeared in the passports of foreign workers who came to work on the Hejaz Railroad. According to philatelists, a total of 182 stamps were overprinted, but the majority of them were lost during the fire at the Bozuyuk Post Office. Nowadays, collectors can only find used copies of these products (less than 20) that have been cancelled at Bozuyuk or Inonu. In January 2014, Cherrystone auctioned off one of the most renowned specimens of 2 Piastres Labourer’s Passport Tax Stamps. The artifact, which had moderate thinning and staining at the top and was signed Herbert Bloch, sold for $5,750. The auctioneer stated that "only four to five copies of this type are recorded; this is the single most valuable stamp of both Turkey and the Liberation War".
Foreign exchange rates are as on May 21, 2021. Now by 2026 Turkish Lira has devalued extensively.
Reference : https://findyourstampsvalue.com/rarest-stamps/most-valuable-turkish-stamps
Nisarg Sutaria : email : nisargsutaria78@gmail.com
Remarkable Stamps of India
Remarkable Stamps of India — thoughtfully curated posters that celebrate
India’s philatelic heritage through meaningful quotes and striking visuals.
𝐃𝐫. 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐧𝐚𝐧
(5 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓
1888 – 17 𝑨𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒍 1975)
N𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐣𝐚 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭
(7 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 1963 – 5 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 1986)
Neerja Bhanot was an Indian flight attendant. On 5 September 1986, she saved a large number of passengers aboard Pan Am Flight 73, which had been hijacked by four Palestinian militants belonging to the Abu Nidal Organization during a stopover at Karachi Airport in Pakistan.Admired for her gallantry, Neerja Bhanot turned terror into hope—opening an exit, saving lives, and becoming the youngest and first female Ashoka Chakra awardee, honoured even by Pakistan with the Tamgha-e-Pakistan.
𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐝𝐡𝐲𝐚𝐲
(15 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 1876 – 16 𝑱𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒚 1938)
B𝐡𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐡
(27 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 1907 – 23 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 1931)
Bhagat Singh was a revolutionary and freedom fighter who became a powerful symbol of resistance to British rule. On 8 April 1929, he and Batukeshwar Dutt threw non-lethal bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi and deliberately courted arrest. Earlier, Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar had mistakenly killed British police officer John P. Saunders while seeking revenge for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai. Convicted in the Lahore Conspiracy Case, the three were executed on 23 March 1931. Bhagat Singh is remembered for his intellect, writings, dedication to India’s independence and supreme sacrifice.
-Prashant Pandya: email: edesk@prashantpandya.com
New Issues from other countries
Austria
1 October 2026 : 150
Years of the Cafe Central
150 Years of the Cafe Central
Indulgence with a history
Since 1876, the Café
Central in Vienna’s city centre has been more than just a coffee house,
becoming a true Viennese institution with plenty of charm and a rich history.
The Café Central is
located in the Palais Ferstel on the corner of Herrengasse and Strauchgasse.
The palace was designed by the architect of Vienna’s Ring Road, Heinrich von
Ferstel, commissioned by the k. k. privilegierte Nationalbank (Privileged National
Bank), to serve as a bank and stock exchange building including commercial
spaces, executed in the Venetian-Florentine Trecento style. After building was
completed in 1860, the Vienna Stock Exchange occupied the ground floor of what
was then the most modern building in the city, moving out shortly afterwards,
however, due to space related issues.
The brothers Gustav
and Hermann Pach subsequently opened the Café Central in 1876 in the rooms
formerly occupied by the stock exchange. Not least because of the wide range of
foreign-language newspapers available there, in the period around the turn of the
century, the café was a meeting place for intellectuals and artists: Sigmund
Freud, Arthur Schnitzler, Robert Musil and Leon Trotsky were regulars, as was
the author Peter Altenberg, who actually gave out the Café Central as his home
address. The coffee house closed in 1943 after being badly damaged, restoration
work only being started in 1975, with the café once again occupying its former
place in the pillared hall of the Palais Ferstel from 1986.
Following a comprehensive renovation on its anniversary, the Café
Central will soon once again be a popular highlight with visitors from Austria
and abroad. Its impressive interior is as much a part of the attraction as the
speciality coffees, the fine pastries and classic dishes such as Wiener
Schnitzel and Kaiserschmarren.
1 October 2026 : Coffee Bean - Coffee Scented Stamp -
Miniature Sheet
Coffee Bean - Coffee Scented Stamp
With
this fragrant stamp, Austrian Post is once again setting new standards in the
particularly innovative design of stamps.
Coffee is
indispensable for many people whether drunk early in the morning to wake them
up or as a reviving aromatic drink throughout the day. But once the coffee has
been drunk, we are left with the coffee grounds, a valuable material that it is
a shame to just throw away. Dried coffee grounds can be scattered as fertiliser
and also help ward off various pests, as well as being used in cosmetics as
peelings or in soap to neutralise odours, for example.
Coffee leather can
also be made from the grounds, and it is from this that this original stamp
block is made. For this, fine, dried coffee grounds were sieved onto a natural
fleece, sprayed with an ecological binding agent and pressed into a thin sheet
in multiple stages. This vegan coffee leather is flexible and tear-resistant,
and, what is more, not only does it have the slightly grainy texture of ground
coffee, but it also naturally smells of coffee. After printing, an adhesive
film was applied and the stamp cut out in the shape of a coffee bean. The
narrow stripe down the centre represents the groove that is typical for a
coffee bean, while also reminding us of the delicious aroma of a bowl of hot
coffee. Upcycling thus turned coffee grounds that had been collected from
offices and hospitals into a new philatelic product that will add a hint of
that delicious coffee smell to every item of post and delight everyone, not
just coffee drinkers.
France
28 September 2026 : 1946 - Airborne Troops Training Center - Pau Idron - Miniature Sheet
Airborne Troops Training Center - Pau Idron
On September 28, 2026,
La Poste (the French postal service) issued a block of two stamps to
commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Airborne Troops Training Center
(CETAP).
Attached to the French
Army on July 10, 1945, the French airborne troops faced the challenge of having
their training centers dispersed.
Military authorities
decided to consolidate all parachute regiments, along with the necessary ground
and air resources for their instruction and training, in the Southwest, a
region whose infrastructure had been spared by the war.
In September 1945, the
first class of paratroopers graduated, and the Airborne Troops Organization and
Training Center were established in October in Mont-de-Marsan. Around the same
time, the 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment trained in Pau and carried out its
jumps at Uzein from Junkers Ju 52 aircraft arriving from Le Bourget. The
geographical location of the Pau garrison, combined with favorable weather
conditions known since the dawn of aviation, naturally designated it as the
future national parachute training center.
Starting in February
1946, the Lannion school was gradually transferred to the region. The Airborne
Troops Training Center (CETAP) was established in Pau and Idron on April 16,
1946. It brought together the Mont-de-Marsan center, the Lannion school, and military
personnel of all ranks from the 25th Airborne Division who had remained in
mainland France. In May 1946, CETAP incorporated 3,000 recruits destined to
reinforce the 25th Parachute Division stationed in North Africa.
On June 1, 1946, the
military parachutist badge was created. Earning it required eight
automatic-opening jumps, performed under varying conditions. On June 1, 1947,
CETAP became the Airborne Troops School (ETAP). To date, more than 713,000
military parachutists have earned their wings in Pau, a center of expertise for
military parachute training.
Gibraltar
30 September 2026 :
GONHS 50th Anniversary - Wildlife & Flora - Miniature Sheet
GONHS 50th Anniversary - Wildlife & Flora
Founded in 1976, the
Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society (GONHS) has spent five
decades studying, protecting and promoting Gibraltar’s unique natural heritage.
Through research, conservation, education and environmental advocacy, the
Society has played a central role in safeguarding the biodiversity of Gibraltar
and the waters of the Strait.
Despite its small
size, Gibraltar supports an extraordinary variety of wildlife and plants,
reflecting its position between two continents and two seas. Its limestone
cliffs, maquis habitat, coastline and surrounding marine environment provide
refuge to endemic species, important migratory birds and a rich Mediterranean
flora and fauna.
This commemorative
stamp issue celebrates a selection of species closely associated with Gibraltar
and its natural history. They include the endemic ant, Technomyrmex vexatus;
the striking jewel beetle, Buprestis sanguinea calpetana; the impressive Gibraltar
Funnel-web Spider, Macrothele calpeiana; and marine life such as the Loggerhead
Turtle, Caretta caretta, the Mediterranean Ribbed Limpet, Patella ferruginea
and the Short-snouted Seahorse, Hippocampus hippocampus.
The issue also
features the Greater White-toothed Shrew, Crocidura russula; nocturnal birds
including the Red-necked Nightjar, Caprimulgus ruficollis and the Eurasian
Eagle-Owl, Bubo bubo; the Pallid Swift, Apus pallidus, whose colonies fill
Gibraltar’s old town skies; and two characteristic plants of Gibraltar’s flora,
the Gibraltar Candytuft, Iberis gibraltarica and the Giant Squill, Scilla
peruviana.
Together these species
highlight the exceptional biodiversity of Gibraltar and reflect the continuing
work of GONHS to document, study and conserve the natural environment of the
Rock and surrounding seas.
Spain
30
September 2026 : Spain in Justice
Spain is Justice
The 2026 “Spain Is”
stamp issue, dedicated to Justice 2030 and the BECAS SERÉ programme, highlights
Spain’s commitment to a more accessible and modern justice system. The issue
commemorates initiatives aimed at promoting equal opportunities, legal education
and access to justice, bringing together social values and the ongoing
transformation of Spain’s judicial institutions.
Slovenia
25 September 2026: Milestones of Slovenia's Technical Heritage - TOPS S-3 Typewriter
TOPS S-3 typewriter
The TOPS typewriter
factory in Ljubljana was the only specialised typewriter manufacturer in
Slovenia and an important part of the post-war Yugoslav precision engineering
industry. It grew out of Rog, best known for making bicycles, and operated from
1952 to 1967. Its first domestically produced typewriter, the Emona, was
introduced in 1953. In addition to standard office typewriters, TOPS also
manufactured the portable Sava, M-1 and M-2 models, as well as duplicating and
calculating machines.
The S-3 ranks among
Slovenia’s best-known standard office typewriters. Designed for everyday office
use, this robust mechanical machine was available with a Slovene (Yugoslav)
keyboard layout in both Latin and Cyrillic versions. Its features included a decimal
tabulator, a column-setting release mechanism, touch control, a mechanism for
rapid platen adjustment for cleaner, sharper typing and a precision carriage
mechanism for smooth carriage movement. It was produced with 30 cm, 45 cm or 62
cm platens to accommodate different paper sizes. Although most machines were
finished in grey or green, the collection of the Technical Museum of Slovenia
includes an unusual example with a body that was repainted red at a later date.
During the 1960s the
S-3 was widely used throughout Yugoslavia and was also exported abroad. Today
it stands as an important Slovene engineering achievement from the pre-computer
era.
Stamp of the Month
Twopenny Blue
The Penny Black, the world’s first postage stamp, covered the cost of
letters up to half an ounce (just over 14 grams) in weight. For letters between
that weight and 1 ounce the cost was twopence.
A two-penny stamp was produced, called the Twopenny Blue, which was in use from 6 May 1840 along with the penny Black. The Twopenny Blue stamp is extremely similar to the Penny Black except ‘TWO PENCE’ appears at the bottom instead of ‘ONE PENNY’.
Stamps were first
cancelled (marked as used) with red ink. However, this could be easily removed,
and the stamp reused. A black mark worked better but could not be seen on the
Penny Black stamp. Alternative colours were tested and within a year the one penny
stamp changed colour to red.
A new blue ink was
also prepared for the Twopenny blue stamp that helped prevent reuse. To
distinguish this type from the original, a white line was added above and below
the portrait of Queen Victoria.
Unlike the Penny
Black, Twopenny Blue stamps are a rarer find as sending items through the post
at the greater weight was infrequent. Examples of the first version of the
stamp are most sought after but full sheets of these stamps no longer exist.
The first sheet
(printing plate number 3), with the new additional white lines, is a unique
piece also held in the museum collection.
Source : The Postal
Museum
Philatelic
Clubs and Societies
Air Mail
Society India Foundation - https://www.airmailsocietyindia.org/
Karnataka
Philatelic Society - https://www.karphil.in/index.html
Prayag Philatelic Society
- http://www.prayagphilatelicsociety.org
Ananthapuri Philatelic Association, Thiruvanthapuram
Baroda Philatelic Society - http://www.vadophil.org/
Chandigarh Philatelic Club
Deccan Philatelic Society – Pune, Maharashtra
Eastern India Philatelists’ Association - https://eipa.in/home
The Hyderabad Philatelic and Hobbies Society
India Study Circle -
http://www.indiastudycircle.org/
Indian Thematic Society, Ludhiana
Ludhiana Philatelic Club
Numismatic
& Philatelic Association of Vellore Fort
Philatelic Congress of India - http://www.philateliccongressofindia.com/
Philatelic Society of Rajasthan, Jaipur
Philatelic Society of India , Mumbai : http://www.psi1897.com/
Orissa Philatelic Association, Mail id-: orissaphilatelic@gmail.com
Rainbow Stamp Club -http://rainbowstampclub.blogspot.com/
Rajkot Philatelic Society – Rajkot, Gujarat
Gujarat Philatelic Association - Ahmedabad
South India Philatelists Association - http://www.sipa.net.in/
The Army Philatelic Society, Pune
Stamps of India – http://www.stampsofindia.com
Durgapur
Philatelic & Numismatic Society – https://www.facebook.com/share/1B3TasUbyR/
Philatelic Society of Bhopal
Madurai
Philatelist & Numismatist Association (MAPNA)
- https://madurai-mapna.blogspot.com/
Blogs & Websites
Jusqu’a
Markings and other Route Indicators
RAINBOW STAMP CLUB
This is a blog of e-Stamp Club www.rainbowstampclub.blogspot.com The idea of
this blog is to extend the philatelic fraternity to all corners of the world.
Readers may write about themselves with their collecting interests and share
new ideas with other philatelists. New
Posts on recent issues, news on stamp activities, and Contributions by members
are published every day on this blog. Readers may also express their views on
any philatelic matter which will be published under Club News at Rainbow Stamp
Cub Blog. Philatelic Clubs and Societies may also send brief write ups. Readers
may send reports on new issues, special covers, cancellations & philatelic
activities in their area for inclusion in this Blog. - Editor
-VADOPHIL, Editor - Prashant Pandya &Timir Shah and
published by Baroda Philatelic Society, Vadodara. Website -http://www.vadophil.org/
-Ananthapuri Stamp Bulletin - Monthly e -stamp bulletin of Anathapuri
Philatelic Association, Thiruvananthapuram. Editor – Mohanachandran Nair
-Journal of the Army Philatelic Society
-India Post – Quarterly Journal of the India Study Circle publishes original
articles submitted by members of ISC.
-Deccan Philatelist edited by Dr Anjali Dutta email : dranjalidutta0303@gmail.com from Deccan Philatelic
Society, Pune.
-SIPA Bulletin issued by South India Philatelists’ Association
-The Fila Capsule issued by
Eastern India Philatelists' Association, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Editor - Dr
Bibhudutta Mishra
- Philatelic Society of Delhi Newsletter edited by Tarun Jain
Gibbons Stamp Monthly edited by Dean Shepherd –
Stanley Gibbons
Acknowledgment
-Air Mail Society India Foundation :
Newsletter
-Fila Capsule August 2026 issue : e- magazine of Eastern India
Philatelists' Association, Bhubaneshwar Odisha; Chief Editor: Dr Bibhudutta
Mishra-email :bhanubibhu68@gmail.com
-Anathapuri
Stamp Bulletin October 2026 : Editor : Mohanachandran Nair : Anathapuri
Philatelic Association : email apa.tvpm@gmail.com
Courtesy - News and Image Resource to this issue : SIPA, Philately Promoters, EIPA , Indian Philately,
Prayag Philatelic Society Group, Philatelic Exhibitions, WhatsApp WOPA ; Pan India Pictorial Place Cancellations ; Mystic Stamp Co..Dr Ritu Kalra, Shimla, Neelam Chandel, Shimla
Address for communication:
Jeevan Jyoti, 509, Design Arcade, Chandrabani, Wildlife
Institute Road, Dehradun-248001. India .
e-mail
– j.jyoti9@gmail.com
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Happy Collecting ……….
Rainbow Stamp News is edited and
published monthly by Jeevan Jyoti from Dehradun (Uttarakhand) India for free
circulation among philatelists.