May 2nd, 2012 by IndianStampGhar.com
2012 London Olympics 87 Days to go-Stamps on Beijing 2008- Odd Shaped FRANCE
A beautiful Odd Shaped Miniature Sheet with Ten stamps issued by France on 2008 Beijing Olympics . Events shown Rowing , Swimming , Fencing , Cycling , Equestrian, Athletics ,Tennis.
May 2nd, 2012 by IndianStampGhar.com
2012 London Olympics 87 Days to go-Stamps on Beijing 2008-Samoa
A Miniature sheet containing Four stamps issued by Samoa to commemorate Beijing Olympics 2008. The Sports on stamps are Cycling , Boxing , Wrestling and Athletics.
May 2nd, 2012 by IndianStampGhar.com
FDC on Himalaya-Karakorum Expedition 1956 – Austria
A FDC issued on Himalaya-Karakorum Expedition 1956 by Austria on 27 Jul 1957.
2012 London Olympics 88 Days to go-Stamps on Beijing 2008- UAE
A Miniature sheet issued by UAE in 2008 containing Four stamps to commemorate the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
May 1st, 2012 by IndianStampGhar.com
2012 London Olympics 88 Days to go-Se-Tenant Stamps – Bangladesh
Bangladesh Issued stamps to commemorate 2008 Beijing Olympics. A se-tenant Block of 4 is shown . The themes on stamps are
Taka 10 – Athletics , Taka 15 – Shooting , Taka 20 – Mascots , Taka 25 – Bangladesh First Stamp on Olympics 1976 and world First Olympic Stamp Greece 1896.
Apr 30th, 2012 by IndianStampGhar.com
2012 London Olympics 89 Days to go-Stamps on Beijing 2008- VANUATU
A Miniature sheet containing Four stamps issued by VANUATU to commemorate Beijing Olympics 2008. The Sports on stamps are Archery , Athletics, Table Tennis and Weightlifting.
Apr 30th, 2012 by IndianStampGhar.com
2012 London Olympics 89 Days to go-Stamps on Beijing 2008-FDC on Equestrian Events
Hong Kong released a beautiful miniature sheet with four stamps on Equestrian Events at Beijing Olympics 2008 . Showjumping. Dressage and Three day event are included in the disciplines shown on stamps. A FDC with the miniature sheet.
Apr 29th, 2012 by IndianStampGhar.com
2012 London Olympics 90 Days to go-Stamps on Beijing 2008- Fiji
Fiji issued a set of Four stamps to mark the 2008 Beijing Olympics on 05 May 2008 . The events on stamps are Athletics ,Judo, Shooting and Swimming. A FDC with stamps is shown.
Apr 29th, 2012 by IndianStampGhar.com
2012 London Olympics 90 Days to go-Stamps on Beijing 2008- Algeria
Algeria issued stamps on Beijing 2008 Olympics. Two stamps on Fencing and Wrestling are listed.
Apr 28th, 2012 by IndianStampGhar.com
2012 London Olympics 91 Days to go – Special cancellation 2008 Beijing Olympics
A Special cancellation to mark 100 days to go for 208 Olympics issued on 07 Aug 2007.
Apr 28th, 2012 by IndianStampGhar.com
2012 London Olympics 91 Days to go – Stamps on 2008 Beijing Olympics by Kazakh
A stamp on 2008 Olympics issued by Kazakh.
Apr 27th, 2012 by IndianStampGhar.com
Is Philately About to Become a More Expensive Hobby?
Over in the United Kingdom, news recently broke that the cost of first class stamps was to be increasing by 30% and the cost of second class stamps by 39% – the biggest single price increases since 1975. The enormous rise has sparked a backlash against the United Kingdom’s postal service provider, Royal Mail. However, the firm said it would be at “severe risk” if it did not implement these price increases.
This threat is largely due to the increase in popularity not just of the email, but of the many other forms of communication now available to us. Smartphones, iPads and applications all offer the general public a means of communicating instantly, which the hand-sent letter cannot compete with. However, some people are arguing that the introduction of large increases in postage costs could further push the general public and businesses away from using postal services.
The UK itself regularly releases collectible and commemorative stamps. 2012 will be a notable year for the country, being the Jubilee Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth the second in June, and the London Olympics in July. The country is releasing collectible stamp sets for both occasions however, under the new price hikes (which come into force at the end of April), the cost of buying these sets will be considerably more. Stamp collectors are not happy. Not only will they be severely out of pocket after purchasing these sets, but they feel they are also being taken advantage of; the Royal Mail has been issuing more collectible sets than normal, no doubt in a bid to get people to spend more money. Stamp collectors, if they want to keep up with their hobby, are feeling forced into paying up. Royal Mail did, however, respond to these complaints, saying that it would limit future stamp collectible sets.
Not only is the rising cost of stamps damaging for the postal industry – and makes it considerably harder for people to buy stamp sets – it is also evidently putting more of the onus of its survival on the collector. As the above example shows, the general public is no longer so dependent on the postal or international parcel service – or the stamp. Stamps are no longer a necessity. Therefore the postal companies are seeking to increase their income from the novelty market, squeezing more and more money from loyal stamp collectors.
Philately could be under threat
The introduction of prices hikes – not just in the UK but in many other countries across the world – has long posed a threat to those of us that practice philately. Not only will the increases add significant cost to our practice, but they are in serious risk of limiting our future collectibles. The drastic price increases could signal the beginning of the end for the stamp. If this happens in developed countries in the Western world, it is only a matter of time before that ripples out to the rest of the world.
Preservation for future generations
Many of Britain’s main newspapers are starting to take note of this threat. Stamp collecting is viewed as a much loved childhood hobby and one that links countries the world over; it is a hobby that is not just confined to the country in which one lives, but also extends globally. British newspaper, The Guardian, recently printed an article acknowledging the danger of companies like Royal Mail signalling the end for philately. “Stamps are portable, easy to sort and arrange, and cheap to buy (in fact free, if you steam them off envelopes),” said journalist, Hunter Davies. “They are terribly educational and informative – and also therapeutic. I do fear that the Royal Mail, with its greed, is likely to kill off a humble, harmless childhood hobby, once and for all.” Davies also claims that the younger generation is losing respect and interest in the hobby, which is adding to the threat to future stamp collecting. “I bought albums, packets of stamps and tweezers for my own children, and now my grandchildren,” he said. “And are they interested? Are they heckers. Not when they have smartphones and iPads and computers to play with.”
In conclusion, these threats – price hikes, the internet, diluted meaning in issued collections – mean that we should be doing all we can to stockpile on those stamps that are genuinely valuable for our future generations.
Apr 27th, 2012 by IndianStampGhar.com
London Olympics 92 Days to go-Post Card Beijing to London 2012
Two Post Cards From China issued by State Postal Bureau with Cancellation from Closing Ceremony dated 24-08-2008 showing next Olympics 2012 Venue London as well.
