Latest update of this archive: 29 January, 2015
For older items, see News Archive July - December 2013
News Archive January - June 2013
News Archive July - December 2012
News Archive January - June 2012
News Archive July - December 2011
News Archive January - June 2011
News Archive July - December 2010
News Archive January - June 2010
News Archive 2009
News Archive 2008
News Archive 2006-2007.
Issues to Keep an Eye on in 2014
Switzerland will issue a set of two stamps (each CHF 1.00) dedicated to Jim Davis' Garfield on 4 September 2014.
The 2014 US stamp programme have som sets that might be of interest to cat collectors. A set called Most Loved Pets consisting of multiple commemorative Forver-stamps is announced for May. It would not suprise us if there'd be a cat amongst them. In June, another set of multiple commemorative Forever-stamps dedicated to Circus Posters is planned. Big Cats have allways been popular at the circus..... In September a set is planned celebrating either Hanna-Barbera or Sesame Street. In case of Hanna-Barbera, there's a chance for Tom of Tom & Jerry or maybe Top Cat.
Heraldic Griffins
Reported by Geir Arveng
Bremen Town Musicians on FDP
On 5 June 2014 Germany will issue a set of stamps in the series "The Most Beautiful Panoramas of Germany". The two stamps shows the Market Square of the North-German city of Bremen in a se-tenant composite design.
Just around the corner from the square you will find a bronze statue of the Bremen Town Musicians - one of them a cat - and although it is not visible on the stamps, it is shown in the Berlin First Day Postmark for this issue. The statue was made by German sculptor Gerhard Marcks in 1953.
Reported by Geir Arveng
Chittenden Fishing Derby Postmark
Reported by Marci Jarvis
French Circus Tiger
Reported by Nahum Shereshevsky
Monaco FIFA World Cup Stamp
Heraldic Lions in the Spanish flag.
Reported by Geir Arveng
Velké Losiny Paper Mill
Reported by Geir Arveng
Joint Issue Switzerland and Russia
Reported by Marci Jarvis
US Jaguar Postmark
Reported by Marci Jarvis
Bicentenary of the Norwegian Constitution
Reported by Nahum Shereshevsky and Geir Arveng
Several Cat Issues for the Planète Timbres Stamp Show in Paris
Reported by Geir Arveng
South Africa's Big Five
Reported by Marci Jarvis
Luxembourg's 175th Anniversary of Independence
Reported by Elisabeth Hallsjö
US Circus Posters
Reported by Marci Jarvis
French Vacation Booklet
Reported by Nahum Shereshevsky
Provincial Garden Show of Baden-Württemberg
The Provincial Garden Show of Baden-Württemberg takes place in the city of Schwäbisch Gmünd, and the German Post takes part in the show with a commemorative postmark on 30 April 2014.
The postmark schows a simplified version of the Baden-Württemberg coat of arms with its 3 lions passant.
The postmark can be ordered by sending addressed envelopes/ postcards franked with German stamps (computer postage not allowed) to:
DEUTSCHE POST AG
Niederlassung Privatkunden/Filialen
Sonderstempelstelle
DE-92627 WEIDEN, Germany
The outer envelope should be marked with "Sonderstempel nr. 07/077", and must arrive at the Special Postmark Office no later than the last date of use.
Postage rates:
Germany: Postcard EUR 0.45 / Standard letter EUR 0.60
International: Postcard/letter: EUR 0.75
Reported by Geir Arveng
Macau Animal Protection Stamp Issue
Reported by TS Tan
50th Anniversary of Eschenbach Stamp Friends
On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Stamp Club of Eschenbach in Oberpfalz and the 25th Anniversary of the twinning with Eschenbach in Luzern, Switzerland, a commemorative postmark will be in use on 27 April 2014.
The postmark shows the CoA of Eschenbach in Oberpfalz with a crowned lion rampant.
The postmark can be ordered by?sending addressed envelopes/ postcards franked with German stamps (computer postage not allowed) to:
DEUTSCHE POST AG
Niederlassung?Privatkunden/Filialen
Sonderstempelstelle
DE-92627 WEIDEN, Germany
The outer envelope should be marked with "Sonderstempel nr. 07/072", and must arrive at the Special Postmark Office no later than the last date of use.
Postage rates:
Germany: Postcard EUR 0.45 / Standard letter EUR 0.60
International: Postcard/letter:?EUR 0.75
Reported by Geir Arveng
French Birthday Card / PAP with Tiger
Reported by Nahum Shereshevsky
50th anniversary of the Regional Council Mateh Yehuda
Reported by Nahum Shereshevsky
Schöppenstedt Heraldic Lion Postmark
On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Stamp Club of Eschenbach in Oberpfalz and the 25th Anniversary of the twinning with Eschenbach in Luzern, Switzerland, a commemorative postmark will be in use on 27 April 2014.
The postmark shows the CoA of Eschenbach in Oberpfalz with a crowned lion rampant.
The postmark can be ordered by sending addressed envelopes/postcards franked with German stamps (computer postage not allowed) to:
DEUTSCHE POST AG
Niederlassung?Privatkunden/Filialen
Sonderstempelstelle
DE-92627 WEIDEN, Germany
The outer envelope should be marked with "Sonderstempel nr. 07/072", and must arrive at the Special Postmark Office no later than the last date of use.
Postage rates:
Germany: Postcard EUR 0.45 / Standard letter EUR 0.60
International: Postcard/letter:?EUR 0.75
Reported by Geir Arveng
Children's Lion Dance on Taiwanese Stamp
Reported by Geir Arveng
26 March 2014:
Bohumil Hrabal Birth Centenary
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Lion Cub from Budapest Zoo
Reported by Marci Jarvis
Solomon Islands Domestic Cats
Reported by Marci Jarvis and Patrick Roberts
Finnish Greeting Stamps
Reported by Marci Jarvis
35th Anniversary of Germing Stamp Friends/Germering Exchange Day
The Geman Post takes part in the philatelic exchange day arranged by Germeringer Briefmarkenfreunde (Germering Stamp Friends) in Germering, Bavaria. The postmark shows the stamp club's logo, which includes the Germering CoA and its Lion Rampant.
The postmark can be ordered by?sending addressed envelopes/ postcards franked with German stamps (computer postage not allowed) to:
DEUTSCHE POST AG
Niederlassung Privatkunden/Filialen
Sonderstempelstelle
DE-92627 WEIDEN, Germany
The outer envelope should be marked with "Sonderstempel nr. 03/013", and must arrive at the Special Postmark Office no later than the last date of use.
Postage rates:
Germany: Postcard EUR 0.45 / Standard letter EUR 0.60
International: Postcard/letter: EUR 0.75
Reported by Geir Arveng
21 February 2014:
Barbados: The Lion of Gun Hill
On 21 February 2014 Barbados issued a set of stamps called "The Seven Wonders of Barbados". One of the seven BBD 0.65 stamps shows the Lion Monument at Gun Hill Signal Station outside of St. George's. One would think that a set entitled "The Seven Wonders...." would consist of seven stamps, but no. Besides the seven single stamps issued from ordinary sheets, there's also a sheetlet of seven stamps, the cantral of which is another version of the Lion stamp in a large, square version - so: Seven wonders on eight stamps!
There are two First Day Covers - one with the single stamps, and one with the sheetlet. The Lion monument is also shown in the First Day Postmark.
Reported by Marci Jarvis and The Barbados Stamps Website
Classic Locomotives of Wales: Lion First Day Postmark
New Footbal Heroes Booklet from Royal Mail
150th Anniversary of Moscow Zoo
[Text from Russia Post Press Release]
In 2014 the Moscow Zoological Park, one of the oldest zoos in Europe, will become 150 years old.
At the opening it contained 134 domestic animals, 153 wild animals and birds and 7 reptiles. Today one can see in the Moscow Zoo more than eight thousand animals, some species have been bred by experts for the first time in the world. The zoo participates in many international programmes for the preservation of endangered types of animals, working with global environmental organisations.
In the middle of a huge bustling city the zoo delights its visitors with a new, modern, and beautiful appearance and is always glad to welcome its guests.
The margins of the souvenir sheet depict: a Macaw parrot, a giraffe, a tiger, a manul cat, a peacock, a crocodile, a brown baby bear, a pink flamingo, an Asian elephant, and a gibbon; the postage stamp shows the main entrance to the building of the Moscow Zoo.
An illustrated cover has been prepared for the release with a souvenir sheet and a FDC with cancellation (Moscow) inside.
Design: R. Komsa.
Face value: 40 rub.
Sheet size: 107x80 mm; stamp size in the sheet: 50x37 mm.
Circulation: 85 thousand souvenir sheets.
Reported by Geir Arveng
19 February 2014:
Jersey Post & Go Labels
Belgian Lynx
Belgium issues a miniature sheet of 5 stamps denominated 2 (inland letter up to 100g - 1.40 / 1.54 on issue). The stamps show mothers and offspring of mammals, amongst the Eurasian Lynx.
The issue date is 17 February 2014, with advance sale on 15 February 2014 in Wilrijk.
The MS will be available from the bPost online shop.
Article from bPost Philinfo magazine.
Reported by Geir Arveng
Hansel and Gretel and the Witch's Cat
Reported by Nahum Shereshevsky
Serbia: Year of the Horse - with a Tiger on Board
Reported by Geir Arveng
Monaco International Cat Show
Reported by Marci Jarvis
Tiger from Grenada
Reported by Marci Jarvis
French Zodiac Booklet
On 20 January France's La Poste issued a booklet with twelve stamps showing the signs of the Western zodiac - amongst the the Leo, of course. The stamps are denomineated Lèttre vert 20g (economy letter - EUR 0.61 on issue).
The booklet can be ordered fro La Poste's online boutique.
Reported by Geir Arveng
British Children's Television
Britain's Royal Mail kicks off the 2014 stamp year with an issue celebrating British children's television. Cats are popular TV characters, and this set of twelve stamps includes two.
The first one is Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate's popular TV cat Bagpuss, loved by British kids since it premiered in 1974. The other one is Postman Pat's feline companion Jess. Postman Pat premiered in 1981 and was originally created and developed by writer John Cunliffe and animator Ivor Wood.
All stamps in the set are denominated 1st (inland 1st class - GBP 0.60 on issue) and are sold in self-adhesive booklets.
The stamps will be for sale at Royal Mail's online stamp shop from the date of issue, and is presented at the splendid website of Norvic Philatelics. We hope for First Day Postmarks with the cats, but we have not seen any yet.
Reported by Marci Jarvis
Monaco International Circus Festival
Reported by Marci Jarvis
For older items, see News Archive July - December 2013
News Archive January - June 2013
News Archive July - December 2012
News Archive January - June 2012
News Archive July - December 2011
News Archive January - June 2011
News Archive July - December 2010
News Archive January - June 2010
News Archive 2009
News Archive 2008
News Archive 2006-2007.