Stamps

It's finally time for February Monthly Task! I've been thinking about the theme for this month and I decided to write something about stamps. I consider stamp very very important part of each postcard and cover, of course. Sometimes a stamp can tell you a lot about the country it comes from. 

Let's see how it all begun... Postage stamps have facilitated the delivery of mail since the 1840s. Before this time, ink and hand-stamps , usually made from wood or cork, were often used to frank the mail and confirm the payment of postage. The first adhesive postage stamp, commonly referred to as the Penny Black, was issued in the United Kingdom in 1840. 

Before the introduction of postage stamps, mail in the UK was paid for by the recipient, a system that was associated with an irresolvable problem: the costs of delivering mail were not recoverable by the postal service when recipients were unable or unwilling to pay for delivered items, and senders had no incentive to restrict the number, size, or weight of items sent, whether or not they would ultimately be paid for. The postage stamp resolved this issue in a simple and elegant manner, with the additional benefit of room for an element of beauty to be introduced. 

The study of postage stamps and their use is referred to as philately. Stamp collecting can be both a hobby and a form of historical study and reference, as government-issued postage stamps and their mailing systems have always been involved with the history of nations. As you may know, I am also a stamp collector, but not a very serious one with the valuable collection; I just collect stamps that I find beautiful ;)

I also scanned some nice stamps that I haven't posted on the blog yet:

UK, Canoe Slalom; an action packed illustration by John Royle, based on 2008 Beijing Silver Olympic medallist, David Florence, , FROM Olympics stamps set issued in  2009.

UK, Silver Jubilee Walkabout 1977, from the Diamond Jubilee stamps set issued in 2012 that demonstrate The Queen’s unwavering devotion to duty that has not faltered since the accession to the throne on 6 February 1952. This is the third and final stamp issue in 2012 to mark The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. 

Estonia, three lighthouse stamps issued (from right to left) in 2012, 2010 and 2011. This stamp from 2012 represents Käsmu Lighthouse . 

The one from 2011  depicts Vergi Lighthouse . The pictured lighthouse was built in 1936 and celebrated it’s 75th anniversary in 2011. It is built of reinforced concrete and is 10 meters tall. The focal plane is 11 meters above the sea and it is visible for  9 miles. 

The stamp from 2010 represents a lighthouse which is located on Estonia's northern coast about 20 km west of Tallinn. On the initiative of Russian Rear Admiral Mordvinov a lighthouse 20 meters high was built on the peninsula in 1760.

 USA, three stamps from a Mail a Smile stamp sheet issued in 2012 that includes five different designs spotlighting: Flik and Dot from "A Bug's Life" (1998); Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible) and Dashiell "Dash" Parr from "The Incredibles" (2004), with "Dash" also shown running in the background; Nemo and Squirt from "Finding Nemo" (2003); Woody, Bullseye, and Jessie from "Toy Story 2" (1999); and Boo, Mike Wazowski, and James P. "Sulley" Sullivan from "Monsters, Inc." (2001).

Ukraine, Europa CEPT stamp "Forests" from set of two stamps issued in 2011 and lighthouse stamp issued in 2010.

Gibraltar, Christ Redeemer, Brazil and Petra, Jordan, from a sent issued in 2008 representing  The New 7 Wonders of the World.