2008 - Butterflies of Malaysia

Pos Malaysia released new stamps on topic of butterflies on 24 April 2004. Seven different stamps and one miniature sheet were released on this issue. The stamps consist of five types of 30 sen, one type each for 50 sen and RM1. The miniature sheet appears in a denomination of RM5. The species depicted on the stamps are smaller wood nymph (30 sen) , Malayan lacewing (30 sen), common rose (30 sen), blue grassy tiger (30 sen), green dragontail (30 sen), Malay red harlequin (50 sen), glorious begum (RM1) and five-bar swordtail (RM5). Stamps depicting smaller wood nymph, Malayan lacewing, Malay red harlequin and glorious begum were printed in a format of 20-stamp sheetlet. On the other hand, stamps depicting common rose, blue glassy tiger and green dragontail were only available from booklet. Smaller wood nymph and Malayan lacewing stamps were also available from the booklet. So, the booklet containing all the five 30 sen stamps.

The stamps are attractive, and I believe that it will be a hot issue for many collectors in Malaysia. I was told that the booklet was completely sold out on the first day of issue. Anyway, there is a mistake on this issue. All the stamps depict butterflies (not moths), and the word "butterflies" appearing on miniature sheet, booklet cover, first day cover and other printed materials is correct. Nevertheless, the word "rama-rama" (malay word) is incorrect. "Rama-rama" is moth! The correct translation for butterflies should be "kupu-kupu".

Smaller wood nymph (Ideopsis gaura perakana); available in sheetlet and booklet.

Malayan lacewing (Cethosia hypsea hypsina); available in sheetlet and booklet.

Common rose (Atrophaneura aristolochiae); available in booklet only.

Blue grassy tiger (Ideopsis vulgaris); available in booklet only.

Green dragontail (Lamproptera meges); available in booklet only
.

Malay red harlequin (Paralaxita damajanti damajanti); available in sheetlet.

Glorious begum (Agatasa calydonia calydonia); availbale in sheetlet.

Five-bar swordtail (Graphium antiphates)

The printing of these stamps in the format of 20-stamp sheetlet and booklet has created some varieties (different perforations and watermark) for these stamps.

Smaller wood nymph (30 sen):
i) perf 12 wmk sideway down (sheetlet)
ii) perf 13.5 wmk sideway down (sheetlet & booklet)
iii) perf 13.5 wmk sideway up (booklet)

Malay lacewing (30 sen):
i) perf 12 wmk sideway down (sheetlet)
ii) perf 12 but 13.5 at right vertical wmk sideway up (sheetlet)
iii) perf 13.5 wmk sideway down (sheetlet & booklet)
iv) perf 13.5 wmk sideway up (booklet)

Common rose (30 sen):
i) perf 13.5 wmk sideway down (booklet)
ii) perf 13.5 wmk sideway up (booklet)

Blue glassy tiger (30 sen):
i) perf 13.5 wmk sideway down (booklet)
ii) perf 13.5 wmk sideway up (booklet)

Green dragontail (30 sen):
i) perf 13.5 wmk sideway down (booklet)
ii) perf 13.5 wmk sideway up (booklet)

Malay red herlequin (50 sen):
i) perf 12 wmk sideway down (sheetlet)
ii) perf 12 but 13.5 at right vertical wmk sideway down (sheetlet)
iii) perf 13.5 wmk sideway down (sheetlet)

Glorious begum (RM1):
i) perf 12 wmk sideway down (sheetlet)
ii) perf 12 but 13.5 at righ vertical wmk sideway down (sheetlet)
iii) perf 13.5 wmk sideway down (sheetlet)

Postage Due - Plate Numbers

Pos Malaysia issued a set of postage due stamps on 15 September 1986 containing five denominations - 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c and $1. The stamps were printed without watermark. Later on, however, two denominations (10s and 20s) were reprinted in 1999 (according to SG catalogue). These reprints were SPM watermarked. I think the reprints in 1999 had plate number 1A (see the second image below) as that similar to the original print. Nevertheless, further reprints for 10c and 20c (also SPM watermarked) were produced most likely in 2004, and they can be identified by the plate number 2004/01 (see the first and third images below). The differences between the 1999 and 2004 reprints are quite clear (based on my observation on the 20c stamps). The colour of 2004 reprint is duller than that of the 1999, and the paper of the 2004 reprint is thicker than that of the 1999.

Petronas Twin Tower - Plate Numbers

The Petronas Twin Towers stamps were released on 30 August 1999. I wrote about it some time ago (http://kajang-stamps.blogspot.com/2007/10/petronas-twin-towers.html). The stamps were printed in sheetlet of 50. All the four corners of the sheetlet were printed with plate number. One interesting thing on this issue is that different plate numbers have been recorded. The 30 sen has plate number 1A only; the 50 sen has plate numbers 1A and 1B; and the RM 1 has plate numbers 1A, 1B and 1C.

Malaysia Postmarks 018

Temerloh, Pahang. Date: 17 February 2003.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia K3, Selangor. Date: 26 June 2007.

Bukit Dukung K2, Selangor. Date: 16 June 2007.

2005 Bird Definitives - 30sen 2008/1

I went to post office to buy stamps today and found the number serial for the 30sen bird definitive has reached 2008/1. I was taken aback, honestly....... I thought the bird definitive denomination for 30sen would most likely be replaced by the recently released garden flower state definitives (issued on 31 December 2007). However, the appearence of the series number 2008/1 has made the fate of the garden flower state definitives become uncertain.

Monkey Stamp - Ring Flaw

On 16 December 2003, Pos Malaysia released a set of four stamps (30s and 50s, two types each) on topic of Red Leaf and Probobsis Monkeys. The stamp issue was released as part of the programme of Stamp Week 2003. A ring flaw was recorded in one of the 30s stamps. The ring flaw is located at the left arm of the red leaf monkey. All the stamps were printed in a sheet format of 5x4 (20 stamps in a sheet). The stamp showing the ring flaw is the stamp located on row 4 column 3. This ring flaw is consistent in the stamp sheets.

The left stamp is a normal one and the right stamp shows ring flaw on the left arm of the red leaf monkey.

A close up image on the ring flaw on the left arm of the red leaf monkey.