Every year the Mexican postal service celebrates "The Day of the Postman" on or about 11 November.
Last year (2021) that was on the 12th, and it was again celebrated with a series of stamps. No motorcycle this time, but a motorcycling postman who hands over a letter with his helmet still on.
The stamp has been issued in a counter sheet in strips of five stamps, a complete series, and as a special block and is not perforated but punched. Also issued on FDC.

Part of a counter sheet

FDC (with stamp strip from a counter sheet)

A block of a day
The Udmurtia department of the Russian Post has issued an anniversary stamp block.
On 3 November a stamp block in honor of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Udmurtia was put into circulation. The solemn ceremony of the special canceling of the stamp took place in the meeting room of the government of Udmurtia.
On the stamp is a congratulatory inscription, in the margin of the block the coat of arms of the republic, natural and architectural sights and a national ornament. The manufacture of cars and motorcycles is also shown. Thus nice for us of course. The edition of the block, with one round stamp of 100 Rubles, is 27 thousand copies.

The first day envelopes are stamped with the Moscow postmark, but show the coat of arms of the republic and the anniversary date.
The FDCs were only sold in the post office of the capital Izhevsk.

The stamp block for the 100th anniversary of the founding of Udmurtia was issued at the initiative of the UR government, with the support of the Russian Post.

The Covid pandemic has given us a nice stamp.
When the Chinese postal service resumed work in Yong Zhou on March 20, 2020, after being forced to stop service for a few months, it was celebrated with a special postmark. The stamp reads "Yong Zhou Post resume work" and includes a scooter.

The switch from racing motorcycles to scooter racing is not made very often. Yet the hero depicted in the Italian postmark shown below did it.
After being a successful driver for Moto Guzzi, Rumi and Gilera (individual Gold in the 6-day of San Remo and in 1949 in Wales on Gilera), Carlo Merlo became a driver on the ISO and Vespa scooters. On the Vespa he won the motorcycle version of the Mille Miglia and as a stayer, on the Vespa, he achieved several successes with rider Bevilaqua on the track and the road. Later he became one of the great promoters of motorsport in Italy. He lived in the Turin town of Pinerolo, so it will not be surprising that just there Vespa club is located, which organizes many events with scooters.
In the weekend of 26 and 27 September 2015 the first Carlo Merlo Memorial was held there and was awarded the postmark shown by the post. Here this postmark on a stamp franking.

From a collector who, like me, also collects electric bicycles, I received a tip that the French Covid booklet also contains a stamp with one of these bicycles, above the motorcycle stamp. It is not very clearly visible, but it is for sure a battery that is located behind the saddle pipe, and that's something you only need on an electric bicycle.

Sometimes an apparently unsightly envelope is a nice collector's item. For example this Thai window envelope that I recently saw. A service envelope from the postal service, as can be seen from the text in the frame.

On the back advertisements for various new issues, including the "National Children's Day" series, issued in 2015, with public transport. Interesting to us because of the two stamps shown.

Due to its official character, the envelope in my opinion fits in the Postal Stationery framework, and is worth collecting and even to be used in an exhibition.
Wouldn't you take this piece into your collection?

Hans de Kloet

Top   -   Back to former page   -   Home