Thursday, 30 August 2012
2012 - Unity
Pos Malaysia released a set of four stamps on 30 August 2012 on topic of Unity. Each of these stamps has denominations 60s. This design of these stamps is not too bad, honestly.
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
What's Happened to the RM2 Garden Flower Definitive Stamp?
Have you noticed that the RM2 garden flower definitive has disappeared for quite some time from post office counters. If you are asking for RM2 stamp from post office counters, and you most likely would get RM2 starfruit stamp. What's happened to the RM2 flower definitive? Everybody is looking for the RM2 garden flower...
Royal Visit Stamp Issue
If you visit to Pos Malaysia website to check up the stamp issue programme 2012, you may notice that a stamp issue on "Royal Visit - Prince William and Kate Middleton" will be released on 13 September 2012.
Well, I personally think that this stamp issue is "out of place". I ask myself if the visit of the royal couple is so important for our country that a stamp issue needs to be released to commemorate this event. Honestly, Pos Malaysia could have done better to come out a stamp issue for commemorating our Olympics Games athletes.
Nevertheless, Pos Malaysia is doing right thing in the perspective of business because for sure the Royal Visit issue would be hot among stamp collectors from local and overseas. I am sure that non-stamp collectors would also most likely jump into the "orgy" of grabbing up the stamps. I hope I am proven wrong.....
I am learnt that two different stamps, each with denomination RM1.50, would be released for the stamp issue. Apart from that, a miniature sheet with a denomination RM5 would also be released. If this is true, then for the very first time Pos Malaysia releases stamp with denomination RM1.50. Actually, I like this denomination stamp because one single stamp is enough to send a 20-gm letter to Europe.
Well, I personally think that this stamp issue is "out of place". I ask myself if the visit of the royal couple is so important for our country that a stamp issue needs to be released to commemorate this event. Honestly, Pos Malaysia could have done better to come out a stamp issue for commemorating our Olympics Games athletes.
Nevertheless, Pos Malaysia is doing right thing in the perspective of business because for sure the Royal Visit issue would be hot among stamp collectors from local and overseas. I am sure that non-stamp collectors would also most likely jump into the "orgy" of grabbing up the stamps. I hope I am proven wrong.....
I am learnt that two different stamps, each with denomination RM1.50, would be released for the stamp issue. Apart from that, a miniature sheet with a denomination RM5 would also be released. If this is true, then for the very first time Pos Malaysia releases stamp with denomination RM1.50. Actually, I like this denomination stamp because one single stamp is enough to send a 20-gm letter to Europe.
Sunday, 26 August 2012
Is OPP Acid Free?
What is OPP? Well OPP is the abbreviation of Oriented Polypropylene, a type of plastic polymer. OPP film is more transparent and has high mechanical and optical features compared to other plastic materials. It has been used for flower, textile, food and stationery packing. OPP sleeves/bags are very popular among stamp collectors in Malaysia.
Some stamp collectors have been questioning if OPP is acid free, or some of them claim that OPP is acid free. I was really scratching my head to read about this argument. I think "acid free" is not applicable to any plastic film/bag. It is understandable why stamp collectors are obsess of "acid free" because acid may damage stamps. So, stamp collectors are cautious about stamp albums, stamp cardboards and stamp holding cards etc., so that these paper-made stamp stationeries are free of acid.
Paper is produced from paper pulp that comes from wood. The pulping process, involving the bleaching with acid, is important to produce white clear paper (otherwise, the paper would be brown in colour). So, ordinary white paper contains acid residues from the pulping process. However, acid residues may be eliminated during the pulping process with additional steps, and paper produced by this type of pulp is called acid free paper. Therefore, acid free paper is more expensive compared to ordinary paper.
Nevertheless, there is no bleaching involves in making OPP plastic bag/film. How on earth "acid free" could be applied on OPP? It is simply an abuse of terminology "acid free".
Some stamp collectors have been questioning if OPP is acid free, or some of them claim that OPP is acid free. I was really scratching my head to read about this argument. I think "acid free" is not applicable to any plastic film/bag. It is understandable why stamp collectors are obsess of "acid free" because acid may damage stamps. So, stamp collectors are cautious about stamp albums, stamp cardboards and stamp holding cards etc., so that these paper-made stamp stationeries are free of acid.
Paper is produced from paper pulp that comes from wood. The pulping process, involving the bleaching with acid, is important to produce white clear paper (otherwise, the paper would be brown in colour). So, ordinary white paper contains acid residues from the pulping process. However, acid residues may be eliminated during the pulping process with additional steps, and paper produced by this type of pulp is called acid free paper. Therefore, acid free paper is more expensive compared to ordinary paper.
Nevertheless, there is no bleaching involves in making OPP plastic bag/film. How on earth "acid free" could be applied on OPP? It is simply an abuse of terminology "acid free".
Stamp Airing
In temperature regions, collectors always like to practise stamp airing periodically, particularly during dry season. I think the purpose of stamp airing is to reduce the moist in the albums that might have been accumulated during long period of storing (in normal room condition). This is particular useful for geographical regions with dry and wet seasons. Airing is normally done during dry season, and definitely not in wet season.
However, the practise of stamp airing is not feasible in Malaysia because the humidity in Malaysia throughout the year ranges from 70 to 90% with average 84%. So, stamp airing become meaningless in this weather condition, unless it is done within compartment/room with low humidity. If you store your stamps in plastic container filled with silica gel, then the stamp airing will only speed up the saturation of the silica gel.
In Malaysia, you just forget about stamp airing, as it is not going to work on your stamp collection. The cheapest way of maintaining dry condition for stamp collection in Malaysia is to use silica gel. You may click here to read how silica gel is being applied in stamp storing.
However, the practise of stamp airing is not feasible in Malaysia because the humidity in Malaysia throughout the year ranges from 70 to 90% with average 84%. So, stamp airing become meaningless in this weather condition, unless it is done within compartment/room with low humidity. If you store your stamps in plastic container filled with silica gel, then the stamp airing will only speed up the saturation of the silica gel.
In Malaysia, you just forget about stamp airing, as it is not going to work on your stamp collection. The cheapest way of maintaining dry condition for stamp collection in Malaysia is to use silica gel. You may click here to read how silica gel is being applied in stamp storing.
Saturday, 25 August 2012
What is KPB?
Have you come across any circular datestamp with KPB code? What does actually this KPB mean?
Well, KPB is the abbreviation of Kaunter Pandu Bayar, meaning Drive-Through Counter.
Well, KPB is the abbreviation of Kaunter Pandu Bayar, meaning Drive-Through Counter.
Agong Stamp - Different Colour Shades
Pos Malaysia released a set of three stamps on 11 April 2012 to commemorate the installation of XIV Agong. The stamps came with denominations 60s, 80s and RM1. The background colour of the 80s stamp is in blue. Different colour shades have been recorded for the 80s stamps. The normal background colour for the 80s stamp is dark blue. However, less common light blue has been recorded. The below image shows the obvious two different colour shades of the 80s stamp. I believe that other shades (between the two shades as shown at below image) may also occur.
left: less common light blue background; right: normal dark blue background
left: less common light blue background; right: normal dark blue background
Types of Fluorescent Mark
Fluorescent mark has been used as a security measure for stamps. Many postal authorities have produced stamps with fluorescent mark. Pos Malaysia for the very first time produced stamps (revenue stamps are not counted because these stamps are produced by inland revenue department but Pos Malaysia) with fluorescent mark in 2009. Up to date, three designs of fluorescent mark have been adopted in stamps of Malaysia - i) flying bird SPM, ii) batik motif, and iii) "T" motif.
Flying bird SPM design first appeared in 2009 on 30s bird definitive, and subsequently it has been used on some commemorative stamps such as Palm Trees (2009), Tuber Plants (2009) and Conservation of Nature (2009). On the other hand, batik motif design first appeared in 2010 on Malaysian Currency, and then later on Post Boxes (2011) and Aromatic Plants (2012). The "T" motif design is the latest fluorescent mark appearing in 2012 on Malaysian New Currency.
left: stamp viewed under normal light; right: stamp viewed under ultra-violet light
fluorescent mark: flying bird SPM
top: stamp set viewed under normal light; bottom: stamp set viewed under ultra-violet light
fluorescent mark: batik motif
left: stamp block viewed under normal light; right: stamp block viewed under ultra-violet light
fluorescent mark: "T" motif
Flying bird SPM design first appeared in 2009 on 30s bird definitive, and subsequently it has been used on some commemorative stamps such as Palm Trees (2009), Tuber Plants (2009) and Conservation of Nature (2009). On the other hand, batik motif design first appeared in 2010 on Malaysian Currency, and then later on Post Boxes (2011) and Aromatic Plants (2012). The "T" motif design is the latest fluorescent mark appearing in 2012 on Malaysian New Currency.
left: stamp viewed under normal light; right: stamp viewed under ultra-violet light
fluorescent mark: flying bird SPM
top: stamp set viewed under normal light; bottom: stamp set viewed under ultra-violet light
fluorescent mark: batik motif
left: stamp block viewed under normal light; right: stamp block viewed under ultra-violet light
fluorescent mark: "T" motif
Currency Stamps - Varieties
The currency stamps issued on 16 July 2012 were printed on no-watermark paper. However, fluorescent mark was used as a security measure on these stamps. The fluorescent mark is of "T" motif. All the eight hexagon-shaped stamps are fluorescent marked. Due to the position of fluorescent mark on the stamp sheet, three fluorescent varieties have been created for each of the eight stamps - i) fluorescent mark on bottom, ii) fluorescent mark on top and bottom, iii) fluorescent mark on top - with a ratio of 2:1:2.
If you are a variety collector, you should make sure that you have all the fluorescent mark varieties in your collection.
left: stamp block viewed under normal light; right: stamp block viewed under ultra-violet light
If you are a variety collector, you should make sure that you have all the fluorescent mark varieties in your collection.
left: stamp block viewed under normal light; right: stamp block viewed under ultra-violet light
Tuesday, 21 August 2012
Malaysia Maxicard
I realized a maxicard using one of the six miniature sheets of Malaysian Currency stamp released on 16 July 2012. The stamp of the miniature sheet depicts the obverse of the RM100 banknote, and this matches well the postcard.
Replacement Banknote RM10
I disappeared for almost half a year. What did I do during this period? Yeah, one of many things that I did was indulging myself in banknotes. I was lucky enough to hunt down these RM10 replacement notes with prefix ZA.
Hello......
It has been almost half a year that I have disappeared from this blog. I am now back.... hihi
Stay tune.....
Stay tune.....
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