The most UNUSUAL stamps in the world

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 03 Mar 2013 21:19

SILVER FOIL - OTHER COUNTRIES

Up until now, most of the silver stamps shown above were done for collectors by countries that were known for doing this. Very few, if any, would have ever been used commercially on mail. However, in more recent times, some more conventional countries have issued silver stamps which have been used on real circulated letters.

Netherlands 2001

As can be seen, unless kept in their folders, the silver stamps deteriorate quickly

Poland 2003

Vatican City 2003

Belgium 2005

Malaysia 2010 - .999 silver

Netherlands 2011-2012 Navigators

Netherlands 2013

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 03 Mar 2013 21:21

SILVER FOIL - FRANCE

Since 2006, France has issued several silver stamps – these are issued in plastic credit card size holders – take them out of these holders and they deteriorate quickly.

France 2006

France 2008

France 2010 Soccer

France 2011 Rugby

France 2012 Handball

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tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 14 Jun 2013 18:43

Jersey has issued on 7 June 2013 a set of 6 stamps and a S/S commemorating Superman and Henry Cavill who plays Superman in the new movie “Man of Steel”. Each stamp uses a special printing technique and most highlight one of Superman’s super powers.

The 45p stamp uses augmented reality - scanning of the stamp with a smartphone triggers the application SmartSy, to show the movie trailer and images of the film and pictures of Jersey:-

The 55p stamp is transparent to show Superman’s X-ray power:-

The 60p stamp is silver foil to show Superman’s strength of steel:-

The 68p stamp uses thermochromic ink – when the stamp is warmed, it reveals a hidden earth below Superman in flight:-

The 80p stamp has granite powder from a pebble of Beauport Bay applied with thermographic technique, to highlight the strength of Superman:-

The 88p stamp glows in the dark - the special ink makes visible in the dark a hidden message from Superman’s father:-

And to round out the set, the souvenir sheet is lenticular motion showing Superman flying:-

With all the different printing techniques shown in one set, it really is a SUPER set!

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buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 12 Feb 2014 18:31

HELLO EVERYBODY, there is a new issue of unusual stamp in netherlands, they are made of silver and pink diamond. The problem is they don,t want to sell the stamps to other country...only to dutch citizens...i really want to have this stamps they are beautiful.What can i do? any idea?http://www.knm.nl/Zilveren-Postzegels-met-diamant-Europese-Monarchen/nl/page/840/

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buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 12 Feb 2014 18:39

Looks like Netherlands has beautiful silver stamps, colourful....and unusual
AND OF COURSE, they don,t sell to other countries

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tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 12 Feb 2014 21:16

I saw these too - I was wondering if these are like the items sold by Australia Post in its Impressions section.

They are also expensive - from memory, each stamp with diamond is 49 euros and they are going to be issued each month for sometime to come.

See if you can find out if they are valid for postage - not that anyone would probably want to use them on a letter at a cost of 49 euros each - but it would be good to find out if they are in fact valid for postage. If not, they may not be worth collecting.

buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 12 Feb 2014 22:37

There are 10 of this stamps, they will be issued one every month for the next 10 months starting march and the price is 35 per piece....they are so beautiful to collect...pity they don't send in other countries.

Stewie1980 · Post by **Stewie1980** » 12 Feb 2014 23:03

Hi Buterfly,
Nice to see you here!

The silver stamps with diamond will indeed be a set of 10. If someone orders them all (on subscription) they will pay €34,95 for the first one and €49,95 each for the other nine.

With 10 times €2,95 shipping/fees the total will be €514!!!

The stamps are 'personalized' stamps for registered mail. They can be used on registered mail within the Netherlands, which is currently €7,95.
Member Tonga2 posted other examples of those stamps a few posts up.

Because they are 'personalized' stamps they will not be listed in catalogues!

The other silver stamps (with Beatrix) are not real stamps but reproductions of stamps.

In my opinion they are just expensive collectables and a waste of money.

There is a small thread about the silver+diamond stamps: http://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=50195

buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 13 Feb 2014 00:12

Hello stewie! Nice stamp you sent to me thanks!

Anyway this diamond stamps may be silly but you know, when it comes about girls and diamonds, there is a strange connection

I would love to have at least the first stamp from the series.

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 13 Feb 2014 14:33

SMALL BOOK ATTACHED

Would you believe that little books can be attached to stamps?

In 2010 Netherlands issued a stamp for Book Week with a little book attached to it.

Issued in a slot on card

Removed from the card

Pages opened out from inside the small book

Small book still intact after going through the mail

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 13 Feb 2014 14:34

SMALL BOOK ATTACHED

In 2010 Vatican City also issued a stamp with a little book attached to it.

Taken from the card

Pages opened from the small book

Through the mail

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 13 Feb 2014 14:35

SMALL BOOK ATTACHED

In 2013, Thailand issued this S/S perf and imperf

The stamp taken from the perforated S/S with little book on it

Pages of the book opened

Postal usage

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 14 Feb 2014 02:58

SAND AFFIXED

Vanuatu 2011 - Sand on the beach can be felt

drseg · Post by **drseg** » 14 Feb 2014 13:09

I think that Jersey issued a stamp with a real diamond on it for the Queen Jubilee.

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 14 Feb 2014 16:41

DIAMOND ATTACHED

In February 2012, Jersey issued a S/S with a diamond attached, to commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s diamond jubilee.

Printed by Cartor Security Printing, the diamond was 1.25 mm in size.

Only 600 were issued, and by the time most people heard about this issue, it was sold out. Most people who purchased one must be keeping them as a memento, because we have noticed that only one has come up for sale on Ebay since it was issued. New issue price from memory was about 125 English pounds.

buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 14 Feb 2014 20:48

oh yes, this was veeeery limited, i am searching for one like this like crazy....it is impossible to find any!

buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 15 Feb 2014 00:47

And a very nice porcelain stamp from china 2010

buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 15 Feb 2014 00:50

more porcelain stamps from china 2010

buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 15 Feb 2014 00:53

Very unusual rolled sheet of stamps , china 2009

buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 15 Feb 2014 00:57

and some shell carved stamps, china (mother of pearl)

buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 15 Feb 2014 01:03

some jade carved stamps, always china 2009

Justin · Post by **Justin** » 15 Feb 2014 01:17

Heres another Aussie issue with flocking (the fuzzy black stuff on the top half of the mini-sheet). From a limited edition folder of 500.

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 15 Feb 2014 01:34

STAMPS WITH FLOCKING

Thanks Justin, that S/S was one of seven souvenir sheets in a special pack issued by Australia Post as part of its Impressions issues in 2012 - from memory, cost of the pack was around $129.00 - the other six sheets in the pack contained four imperf stamps (Australia Post had previously issued the stamps perforated), but these six sheets were normal gum and paper without flocking.

All the black stripes feel like velvet.

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 15 Feb 2014 01:37

BATIK FABRIC AFFIXED

On 18 June 2012, Indonesia issued a S/S containing a large stamp (at the right of the sheet)

The coloured section of the large stamp at right is made of BATIK

Postal usage

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tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 15 Feb 2014 01:39

BUFFALO HIDE AFFIXED

Also on 18 June 2012, Indonesia issued a similar looking S/S – once again the large stamp at the right is of interest

The coloured part of the stamp is BUFFALO HIDE

Postal usage

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 15 Feb 2014 01:40

EMBROIDERY AFFIXED

On 6 July 2012, Hungary issued a special stamp pack – these were numbered 00000 to 09999 limiting the issue to 10,000 packs

The special stamp with the fabric affixed is this one in the second row

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 15 Feb 2014 02:01

GRANITE AFFIXED

The special set issued by Jersey on 6 July 2013 contained a stamp with granite affixed standing for Superman’s strength

Enlarged section showing the granite

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 15 Feb 2014 02:23

SEEDS ATTACHED

On 13 July 2013 Singapore issued a S/S and a block of 4 stamps with seeds attached

The block contained what is known as four “local” stamps – a local stamp pays local rate for a letter within Singapore.
The seeds are in a bunch and are found only on the upper left and lower right stamps in the block and were placed at the bottom left corner in each of the two stamps

A S/S issued at the same also contained the seeds (at far left above the flower)

Local usage of one of the “local” stamps with seeds attached

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 15 Feb 2014 02:29

FLOCKING AFFIXED

2013 – German private post

S/S issued with flocking on the elephant’s head and trunk

Flocking part feels like velvet

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 15 Feb 2014 02:30

VOLCANO DUST AFFIXED

Ecuador issued a turtle stamp on 4 July 2013 with volcano dust affixed:-

Enlarged section showing the volcano dust

A large stamp with similar design was also issued at the same time, but it does not contain volcano dust.

It took quite a while to find one used on cover - $3.00 pays correct rate for registration to USA

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 15 Feb 2014 02:32

SEA SALT AFFIXED

On 18 September 2013, Slovenia issued a set of 3 stamps and a S/S with sea salt affixed

Usage of one of the stamps with sea salt affixed

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 15 Feb 2014 02:34

STONE AFFIXED

Liechtenstein released on 11 November 2013 a single stamp for the Winter Olympics
This stamp has very small pieces of stone from Sochi affixed

Enlarged section showing the very small pieces of stone

buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 15 Feb 2014 03:57

what about the multimedia stamps, they come with an audio pen and if you put the pen on top of the stamp you can listen to the poem written there. Amazing stuff

buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 15 Feb 2014 04:05

there are also multimedia stamps issued by china in 2010 with video, presenting the traditional kunqu opera of shouzou

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 15 Feb 2014 07:20

Yes, these multi-media stamps are genuine issues - they can be used as postage on letters, although you wouldn't want to use them on letters, because you would be left with an expensive piece of equipment without any stamps to use it on!

buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 18 Feb 2014 19:30

Paumerrek wrote:I like the round foil Tonga stamps posted. Are they generally very expensive to buy?

i just acquired the whole collection on ebay, 14 stamps, just beautiful, for 18 usd. They just look great and some of them are huge!

buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 18 Feb 2014 19:41

a beautiful silk stamp with real ceramic vase issued 2008 morocco

buterfly · Post by **buterfly** » 18 Feb 2014 19:43

other silk stamps issued in Mongolia 1982

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 19 Feb 2014 13:24

3-D ANAGLYPH

The world’s first “3-D” stamps. Before the technology was available to print 3-D stamps, the idea was still there to show some type of 3-D effect.

Anaglyph stamps are printed on paper, they look like normal stamps, but with the aid of special glasses reveal a 3-D effect.

Wikipedia states that “Anaglyph 3D is the name given to the stereoscopic 3D effect achieved by means of encoding each eye's image using filters of different (usually chromatically opposite) colors, typically red and cyan. Anaglyph 3D images contain two differently filtered colored images, one for each eye. When viewed through the "color coded" "anaglyph glasses", each of the two images reaches one eye, revealing an integrated stereoscopic image. The visual cortex of the brain fuses this into perception of a three dimensional scene or composition.”

Italy issued the world’s first anaglyph stamps in 1956:-

See how the blue colour is almost hidden below the red colour – two stereo images are printed one above the other, in offset, and to the naked eye, the image seems superimposed, doubled and blurry as shown below.

But the glasses which came with the stamps give the 3-D effect

Postal usage

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 19 Feb 2014 13:25

3-D ANAGLYPH

Other anaglyph stamps issued to date include

Grenada 2001

Netherlands 2006 - A hard covered book was issued containing an anaglyph sheet

and included in the book were the glasses

In 2006, Austria issued a sheetlet inside a very similar hard covered book

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 19 Feb 2014 13:29

3-D ANAGLYPH

In 2007, Argentina issued a S/S with 3-D glasses

In 2007, Austria issued another two sheetlets and once again, they came inside hard covered books with glasses included

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 19 Feb 2014 13:30

3-D ANAGLYPH

In 2009 South Africa issued a special pack containing a sheetlet with glasses

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 19 Feb 2014 13:31

3-D ANAGLYPH

Ecuador issued a sheetlet with glasses for the 2010 World Cup

In 2011 Australia issued a pack with glasses showing mythical creatures

In May 2013 Hungary issued two S/S with glasses to view the 3-D effect

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 19 Feb 2014 13:32

3-D ANAGLYPH

To show a 3-D effect, an elaborate issue came from San Marino in 2009
Folder issued

Inside the folder was 3-D glasses looking into a virtual small movie theatre screen which had to be set up

Until it looked like this

And then these three pairs could be fed into the “screen” and looking through the glasses gave 3-D effect and a really good feeling of depth

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 19 Feb 2014 13:33

3-D ANAGLYPH

Belgium 2012 – S/S issued with a 3-D viewer

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 19 Feb 2014 13:36

3-D PLASTIC STAMPS

These stamps, to the eye, show one image with depth and are plastic.

Outer Aspects Security Printers define 3-D as follows:-

“The creation of depth on a normally flat surface. Lenticular 3D is accomplished by generating enough image information to allow the viewer to see the 3D effect. Typically this requires 12 images of the subject matter, recorded in a strictly defined manner.”

In simple terms, a number of images are layered on top of each other to give the feeling of depth (but not movement).

Bhutan issued the world’s first 3-D plastic stamps in 1967:-

Bhutan 1967 Space - Sc 91-91K

Three imperf souvenir sheets each containing 4 of the above stamps were also issued--:-

Bhutan 1967 Space S/S - Sc 91M-O

but scarcest is a very small first printing of the souvenir sheets which were perforated

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 19 Feb 2014 13:38

3-D PLASTIC STAMPS

Between 1967 and 1976, Bhutan issued the following 3-D stamps:-

Bhutan 1968 Butterflies - Sc 95-95G

Bhutan 1968 Butterflies S/S - Sc 95H-I

Bhutan 1969 Fish - Sc 100-100E

Bhutan 1969 Fish S/S - Sc 100F

Bhutan 1969 Insects - Sc 101-101G

Bhutan 1969 Insects S/S - Sc 101H-I

Bhutan 1969 Birds - Sc 104-104G

Bhutan 1969 Birds S/S - Sc 104H-I

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 19 Feb 2014 13:38

3-D PLASTIC STAMPS

Bhutan 1969 Space - Sc 108-108K

Bhutan 1969 Space S/S - Sc 108M-O

Bhutan 1970 Paintings - Sc 109-109G

Bhutan 1970 Paintings - Sc 109H-I

Bhutan 1970 Wild Animals - Sc 116-116L

Bhutan 1970 Conquest of Space - Sc 118-118K

Bhutan 1970 Conquest of Space - Sc 118M-O

tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 19 Feb 2014 13:40

3-D PLASTIC STAMPS

Bhutan 1971 Conquest of Space - Sc 127-127C

Bhutan 1971 Conquest of Space - Sc 127D

Bhutan 1971 Antique Cars - Sc 128-128S

Bhutan 1972 space - Sc 148-148G

Bhutan 1972 Space - Sc 148H-I

Bhutan 1973 Space - Sc 151-151C

Bhutan 1973 Space - Sc 151F

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tonga2 · Post by **tonga2** » 19 Feb 2014 13:42

3-D PLASTIC STAMPS

Bhutan 1973 Space - Sc 151D-151E

Bhutan 1973 Space - Sc 151G

Bhutan 1973 Mushrooms - Sc 154-154E

Bhutan 1973 Mushrooms - Sc 154F-G

Bhutan 1976 Masks - Sc 220A-K

Bhutan 1976 Masks - Sc 220L-M