myStampJourney

The already financially exhausted post-war Germany was further driven to her breaking point from reparation payment and the increasing government debt resulting in inflation. Germany's crippling economy was unable to fund her second reparation payment to the victors of World War I. In response to Germany defaulting reparation payments, the French and the Belgian forces occupied the Ruhr Valley taking over coal mines, factories, and steel works. As the German workers refuse to cooperate during this military occupation, their passive resistance was rewarded with wages paid by the government. This, however, meant that the government printed more and more money leading to hyperinflation as its value significantly fell.  There were many factors and events that contributed to hyperinflation of the Weimar Republic between 1921 and 1933 although the occupation of Ruhr did substantial damage to the already broken economy. The mass printings of banknotes by the government to buy foreign curr...

The National Fruits series was issued in 5th June 1986 taking over the prior national definitive series, National Animals (4th January 1979). It was designed by Peter Khang and featured eight denominations from 40c to $20. The four lower denominations, from 40c to $1 were printed by Security Printers Malaysia (Wmk. SPM) using lithography with perforation of 12. The four higher denominations from, $2 to $20 were printed by Harrison & Sons Limited (Wmk. Harrisons & Sons in script) using photogravure approach with perforations of 13.5. ISCs lists the National Fruit series with the aforementioned perforations, however, Scotts 2017 lists an additional perforation variety at P. 13.5x14 for the four lower denominations. Having my references limited to ISC and Scott Standard 2017, I would only sort these fruits accordingly.  40c Rambutan ( Nephelium lappaceum );  50c Pineapple ( Ananas comosus ) 80c Durian ( Durio zibethinus ) $1 Mangosteen ( Garcinia mangostana ) From 40c to ...

Back in 2016, a good friend of mine from my university gave me this saying his aunt worked at Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN), and was given this SetemKu Korporat (Pos Malaysia's personalized stamp for corporates commemorating respective anniversaries) presentation pack on their 40th anniversary two years ago. I had kept this in one piece without even attempting to open it simply because I wanted to preserve it as much as I can in the state it came to me. However, I discovered that the plastic wrapping had signs of deterioration. I had no choice but to remove the plastic wrapping and put them into new OPP sleeves.  Front; this is actually the inside of the presentation pack with the front page folded in. I searched online and found little to no information regarding this issue. However, that is logical since it is not a general issue. I would really appreciate it if anyone has information regarding the quantities and paper type.   Back The description roughly translates to:...

In this time's write up, inspired by Lin Yang Chen (a great deal of help in understanding paper types) and the efforts by KGVI Stamps , would be shades of the 10c KGVI definitives overprinted BMA.  Without a specialized SG catalogue, the identification of these shades are laboriously done via one-to-one comparison in a large batch of ISC8. ISC only lists four shades of the 10c: ISC8 (all with Die I prints) deep purple, 8a slate-purple, 8b magenta, and ISC9 purple in Die II. In reference to KGVI Stamps, which had included catalogue numbers from Murray Payne's Commonwealth KGVI postage stamp catalogue (CW), I believe that certain shades (intended or not intended as listed on ISC) might be the same as CW's. With only a simplified Scott at hand, it did mention that the 10c (Sc#262, listed as dull violet) exists in at least three shades.  Subtle differences has always been a personal favourite attributed to the challenge of distinguishing it. And collecting the shades of the 10...

Upon acquiring a mixed lot of North Borneo stamps - I should say it was the sole reason of buying the lot - I noticed a peculiar postmark, which I have never seen before especially on a North Borneo stamp.  Observed is an ISC299 Green and red-brown tied with a single ring NICO(S?) / 3.30 / 1 /  4 /  (C?) on the right cancellation, and I believe the left cancellation is JesselTON. Initially I Googled 'Nicos postmark' but to no avail. It led me to a bunch of stamp exhibition reports as the keywords matched but it was not the match I was expecting.  Later on I went on to check on British Commonwealth postmarks by Robert S. Cragg listed on his website . It was arduous but I made some progress from it.  It might just be Nicosia, Cyprus. It made sense, but I, for a novice, cannot be too sure unless there is an actual scan of the postmark itself for comparison. Simultaneously I posted a scan of this stamp on Facebook and Stampboards .  A fellow collector, Nbp Will...