europa stamps

Monday, August 4

Best Europa stamp of the year 2008

Europe

As most of this year's Europa stamps are issued, PostEurop is again organizing an on-line vote to select the "Best Europa" stamp of the year 2008.

Two persons picked out from those that have selected the winning stamp will be granted special prizes – a full set of the 2008 Europa stamp issues!

The winning stamp will be announced on 13 November during PostEurop’s Extraordinary Plenary Assembly that will be held in Brussels, Belgium.

A few comments about this competition:

Some countries are missing ! Andorra (French post) ; Ireland ; Bosnia and Herzegovina (Croat post) ; Azerbaijan ; Georgia ; Isle of Man ; the Netherlands ; Serbia. I really don't know why ? Kosovo and Gibraltar are also missing, but as they aren't member and even don't use the official Europa logo on their stamps, I can understand why they are not on this list.
The voting is open since early May and some countries are only on this list since a few days ! Which isn't fair at all.
PostEurop selected which stamps within a set would take part at this contest. The choice isn't the best each time.
Some countries have two stamps taking part at this contest as the issue is composed of a "pair", for example Macedonia, the Ukraine or Finland. Greece which also issued a pair of stamps have only one stamp shown !
Souvenir-sheets: Bosnia and Herzegovina & Spain have their full souvenir-sheet taking part at this contest, Hungary only one stamp out of it !
One last comment, the size and quality of the stamps isn't the same for each country ! Bulgaria has a very low quality stamp as Cyprus have a tiny image of their stamp...

As last year, this blog will also organize it's own contest later this year ! ;o)

Friday, July 25

Albania 2008

Albania

Date of Issue: 15th July 2008

two stamps (100.- & 150.- ALL) and one souvenir-sheet (250.- ALL)

! note that the stamp of the souvenir-sheet doesn't bear the official Europa logo !

both stamps are issued in mini-sheets of 10 stamps

Thursday, July 24

Europa stamps 2008 - issue rates

Europe

My Italian friend Massimiliano who is also an Europa stamps collector and has his own blog in italian, gave me the following issue rates of 2008 Europa stamps

Macedonia - souvenir-sheet : 10.000 ex

Kosovo - souvenir-sheet : 20.000 ex

Bulgaria - booklet : 12.500 ex

What to think about it ? For me it's a real scandal ! That's taking the stamp collectors for idiots ! 10'000 copies for an Europa stamp issue is of course by far less than the total number of Europa stamps collectors !

I really don't understand why PostEurop isn't able to deal with it ? They are owner of the Europa logo and Macedonia and Bulgaria are even PostEurop members.

Each year it's getting worse. More and more issues of higher facial values and/or of lower issuing numbers !

Of course as long as collectors are ready to pay such high amounts to get those stamps, those postal authorities will keep doing like that ... money makes the World go round...