Did you know Canada Post releases pre-stamped Canadian post cards every year? The 3rd in the From Far and Wide series that started in 2018 offered up quintessentially Canadian vistas from across the country. 2020 saw postcards, single stamps, souvenir sheets, booklets, coils, FDC and strips featuring stunning photographs of:
Abraham Lake, AB
Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park, SK
Herschel Island-Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park, YT
French River, PE
Îles de la Madeleine, QC
Carcajou Falls, NT
Kootenay National Park, BC
Swallowtail Lighthouse, Grand Manan Island, NB
Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island, NS
From Far and Wide Canadian Post Cards 2020
Abraham Lake, AB
Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park, SK
Herschel Island-Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park,
French River, PE
Îles de la Madeleine, QC
Carcajou Falls, NT
Swallowtail Lighthouse, Grand Manan Island, NB
Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island, NS
Alas, I waited too long to grab the Kootney, BC card and it is sold out. We’ll have to make do with admiring the stamp:
Designer Stéphane Huot designed the 2018 and 2019 series as well. Huot may be familiar to Canadian collectors as the creator of the immensely popular NHL All-Star series that ran in the early 2000s.
From Far and Wide Photographers
Photographs were supplied by the following people:
Abraham Lake (AB) – Sherwin Calaluan.
Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park (SK) – Robin and Arlene Karpan.
Herschel Island-Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park (YT) – Cameron Eckert, courtesy of the Government of Yukon.
French River (PE) – Barrett & MacKay Photography.
Îles de la Madeleine (QC) – Mathieu Dupuis.
Carcajou Falls (NT) – Geri Sigl, courtesy of Northwest Territories Tourism.
Kootenay National Park (BC) – Roger Hostin, courtesy of Parks Canada.
Swallowtail Lighthouse, Grand Manan Island (NB) – James Sullivan.
Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island (NS) – Adam Hill, courtesy of Destination Cape Breton.
I checked the stamp listing for 2021 and didn’t see a 4th series mentioned so it looks like the Far and Wide series wrapped up with issue 3. Most of the cards are still available through Canada Post, with the previously mentioned Kootney Park sold out. Check them out here Postage-paid postcards | Canada Post. The 2019 series is still available via Canada Post, but looks like you’ll have to scrounge around for the full 2018 postcards.
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2021 Bulgarian stamps started the year off with an anniversary and will end with another. Lots of interesting issues to look forward to. Unfortunately, like many post offices around the world, very few details are available at the start of the year. We have to wait for releases to find out designers and illustrations. What can we expect?
ships & trams
Lunar NY
Easter & Christmas stamps
numerous anniversaries, including Dürer, La Fontaine, and John Glenn
flora and fauna of Bulgaria as well as endangered species
great Bulgarian Patriarch Bugarski
The release dates issued by Bulgarian post in their issue program for 2021 don’t match up to the actual dates. According to the stamp release program, 5 stamps were slated for January. only 2 have been released and both missed the January timing. So, anything listed below will be tentative. The stamps may or may not be released in the time frames below. That’s ok, something extra to look forward to.
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Designer: Nenko Atanasov Previous designs include 2020 75 Years since the Establishment of the United Nations and 65 Years since Bulgaria`s Membership in the UN and 2019 Old Sailing ships
Release date: Feb. 11, 2021
Lunar New Year – Year of the Ox
1 stamp, 2 souvenir sheets (gummed and ungummed), FDC, cancel
Designer: Tahsin Ahmed Previous designs include 2019 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and China
Release date: Feb. 02, 2021
Spring Issues
TBA
Easter
1 illustrated envelope
TBA
140 years of the Higher Naval School “NY Vaptsarov”
1 stamp
TBA
100th birth anniversary of Dame Gruev
1 stamp
TBA
100 years since the founding of Chitalishte “Iskra” – Kaloyanovo
1 illustrated envelope
TBA
Transport 120 years since the launch of the first tram in Sofia
2 stamps, souvenir sheet
TBA
100th birth anniversary of John Glenn and 50 years of Apollo 14
1 stamp, souvenir sheet, stationary envelope
Should be issued in June or early July
TBA
125th birth anniversary of Georgi Nadjakov and Nikola Obreshkov
2 stamps
TBA
200th birth anniversary of Georgi Stoykov Rakovski
1 stamp
TBA
Europa 2021: Endangered national wildlife
2 stamps, illustrated envelope
Summer Issues
TBA
550th birth anniversary of Albrecht Dürer
1 stamp, souvenir sheet
TBA
Cultural-historical heritage
3 stamps
TBA
100 years of the National Music Academy
1 stamp
TBA
400th birth anniversary of Jean de La Fontaine
1 stamp, souvenir sheet
TBA
90 years of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Argentina
1 stamp
Fall Issues
TBA
450th birth anniversary of Caravaggio
1 stamp, souvenir sheet
TBA
Flora
1 stamp, souvenir sheet
TBA
200th birth anniversary of Dostoevsky
1 stamp
TBA
Fauna
4 stamps, illustrated envelope
TBA
Christmas 2021
1 stamp
TBA
Culture and art
100th Birth Anniversaries of Margarita Duparinova and Tanya Masalitinova; 150th Birth Anniversary of Panayot Pipkov and 125th Birth Anniversary of Acad. Petko Staynov
2 stamps
If you enjoyed these Bulgarian stamps, why not check out more issues from around the world:
2021 Year of the Ox stamps are as diverse as they are plentiful. Each country that issues stamps for the celebration puts their own twist on the Lunar New Year symbol. This means a lot of fun exploring designs. I’ve begun listing all the issues and will continue posting as I find them. It may take weeks, but eventually, you’ll be able to look at all of 2021’s Ox stamps. Sign up for my newsletter to receive weekly notification when updates to this page are posted. Use the little box to the top right.
As usual, most of the stamps will expand larger if you tap on them. I’ll add details throughout the process, which will include designers, their previous stamps and any relevant links I find. I’ve included links to articles I’ve written on the stamps.
2021 Year of the Ox stamps
A – Åland to Australia
Åland
2 stamps, souvenir sheet
Designer: Martin Mörck Mörck designed previous Lunar New Year stamps for Åland
Release date: Nov. 23, 2020
Armenia
1 stamp, sheet of 10
Designer: David Dovlatyan Previous designs include 2020 Diana Apcar (1859-1937), Atabek Khnkoyan (Khnko Aper, 1870-1935) and 2021 Means of Transport: Bicycle
Release date: November 13th, 2020
Year of the Ox 2021
Year of the Ox 2021
Year of the Ox 2021
Australia – Christmas Island
3 stamps, souvenir sheets, cancel, FDC, sheets
Great post mark
Designer: Chrissy Lau Previous designs include Guernsey Island’s 2020 Year of the Rat.
Design: Yauheniya Biadonik | Artist: Victor Chaichuk Issues by Biadonik and Chaichuk include the 2019 Christmas series, 2020 Vegetables. Chaichuk contributed to the 2018 25th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations Between Belarus and Kyrgyzstan issue.
Release date: Feb 8, 2021
C – Canada to Curaçao
Lunar New Year cycle wraps up
Canada
12 Lunar New Year stamps. Booklets, uncut press sheets, souvenir sheet, framed pane.
Design: Paprika Designs Previously designed stamps included 2018 QEII, and 2017 Formula 1 Drivers
Designer: Yao Zhonghua 姚钟华 based on sculpture by Liu Bo Previous stamps include 1985 Lunar New Year. Yao is the honorary president of the Yunnan Oil Painting Society & librarian of the Yunnan Provincial Museum of Culture and History.
1 stamp, sheet of 20, souvenir sheet, FDC, First Day Cancel
Designer: Triin Heimann Heimann created the entire Lunar stamp cycle starting with the 2011 issue. Other stamps include 2010 Vancouver Olympics and the 2009 Räpina Paper Factory stamp.
Release date: Feb 12, 2021
F – France
France
2 stamps, 2 souvenir sheets
“The design means to be an ode to Mother Nature, to show our love and respect,” Paris-based Chinese artist Chen Jianghong told Xinhua. “I used many colors, trying to convey a sense of tranquility.”
6 stamps, souvenir sheet, presentation pack, FDC, Gold Foil Souvenir sheet, FD post mark
Designer: Chrissy Lau Prolific designer/artist Lau has created a number of stamps for Guernsey Post, including last year’s Year of the Rat stamp and 2021 Australia/Christmas Island Year of the Ox stamp.
Designer: Rodine C. Teodoro Teodoro has designed previous Lunar New Year stamp 2017 Year of Dog
Release date: Feb. 12, 2021
S – Slovenia
Singapore
2 stamps
Designer: Lim An-ling Previous designs: 2016 Traditional Board Games, 2014 & 2016 Singapore’s Myths & Legends I & II, 2013 & 2014 Vanishing Trades, 2014 Past Street Scenes
Release date: Feb. 11, 2021
Lunar New Year
FDC
Slovenia
Lunar New Year – Year of the Ox
1 stamp, 1 FDC
Designer: Maja Tomažič Some of Marat Design’s previous issues include 2020 Prominent Personalities – Hugo Wolf, 2019 Year of the Pig, 2018 Slovenia Ballet, and Superstition and Magic in Slovenia in 2018.
Release date: Jan 28, 2021
T – Thailand
Thailand
1 stamp, sheets of 10, FDC, 20 First Day (FD) post marks from different cities
‘The Ox catches the fish. Money will be plentiful’.
Seventh stamp in current series “Royal Illustrations”
Artwork by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Designer: Mr. Udon Niyomtham (Thai Post Co., Ltd.)
Release date: Jan 4, 2021
U – United Nations to Uruguay
United Nations
1 stamp, souvenir sheet
Designer: Wang Huming
Release date: Feb 1, 2021
United States
1 stamp
Designer: Camile Chew with art director Antonio Alcalá
The extensive list post office links is now complete. All links are functional, as of this article’s publication. It’s surprising how many post offices don’t have any details about upcoming stamps, and sadly a number have woefully out of date information. It’s a bit hit and miss.
Next project is to check for missing post offices. I picked up a couple along my initial search. I’ve already thought of ways to make the page more useful for philately collectors and will initiate a few changes in the spring sometime.
What’s lacking:
details on post cancels
better links to issuing programs
clearer details about functionality
I’ll have to chew all of this over a bit before I start the next stage. If you have details that might help, pass them along.
I’ll put some effort into making the spreadsheet tidier as well. It’s functional, barely. It needs a cleaner feel and less clutter. Like I said, this is going to take some thought. But it’s workable.
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With so many Year of the Ox stamps to pick from, it’s hard to choose one favourite. But Vietnam comes close for me. Their contribution to 2021’s Year of the Ox issues is so cheerful and fun, it’s impossible to resist them.
Year of the ox
Happy New Year
Artist Nguyen Quang Vinh’s 2 stamp set was issued in Dec 12, 2020, and will be remain available until June 30, 2022. If you have any information on the artist please drop me a line. I’d love to learn more.
The background shows cherry blossoms, apricot flowers, and trays of fruits offered to the family with the desire for a warm, happy, unionized, talented year to all houses.
Vietnam Post Office, with apologies for my google translation
Easter Egg in the stamp?
According to Vietnamnet.vn the yellow image represents a father buffalo, and the pink one represents mother and child. If you pair mother and father’s tails, you get a heart shape. I tested this and, yes, it does, much to my delight. Further reading taught me the father ox is carrying dong leaves which are used to wrap glutinous rice cakes. The bowls of fruit represent offerings to ancestors.
Vietnam’s Lunar New Year souvenir sheet
I’m currently working on a list of all the Year of the Ox stamps from around the world. I’m about 2/3 the way through and hope to have it up by Friday. I’ll post a link here when I’ve completed it. Sign up for my newsletter and receive notification of updates directly to your inbox. Use the handy signup box on the right sidebar. Don’t forget, you can buy me a coffee using the coffee cup to the lower left & keep me caffeinated. In the meantime, compare Vietnam’s Year of the Ox stamps to Canada’s:
Tunisia stamps 2021 topics and release dates are available. Unfortunately, Tunisian post offers few details about them.
Three stamps are currently available, plus First Day cancels and a couple of nice First Day Covers. The second stamp of the year, Abolition of Slavery in Tunisia is a strong issue. The National Authority to Combat Trafficking People chose Ridha Zaafran’s artwork to commemorate the anniversary. Accompanying Zaafran’s powerful art, is a photo of the 1846 declaration by Ahmed Bey abolishing slavery in the country. This is the first stamp produced by Zaafran for Tunisia Post.
17 issues will be released throughout the year, totaling 35 stamps. Topics will include an assortment of anniversaries, arts and people. A few historical issues look fascinating, and I look forward to seeing them. It’s sad so little info is available. As I find details, I’ll share them with you. Think about signing up for my newsletter so you receive updates direct to your mailbox. Signup box is to the right.
Tunisia stamps 2021 – Jan
60th anniversary of the creation of Tunis Afrique Presse Agency – TAP
1 stamp, FDC, FD cancel
Release date: Jan. 12, 2021
Abolition of slavery and servitude in Tunisia – January 23, 1846
Punic Ports: military and commercial ports of Carthage
1 stamp
Release date: Apr. 20, 2021
Tunisia stamps 2021 – May
TBA
Street art in Tunisia
4 stamps
Release date: May 20, 2021
Tunisia stamps 2021 – June
TBA
Marine biology and archeology in Tunisia
4 stamps
Release date: June 1, 2021
TBA
Service houses project “Idaraty at your service wherever you are”
1 stamp
Release date: June 26, 2021
Tunisia stamps 2021 – July
TBA
EuroMed Postal: Traditional Mediterranean jewelry
2 stamps
Release date: July 7, 2021
TBA
Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games Mohamed Gammoudi – Oussama Mellouli – Habiba Ghribi May not be issued
3 stamps
Release date: July 23, 2021
Tunisia stamps 2021 – August
TBA
Hammadi Agrebi, the magician of Tunisian football
1 stamp
Release date: Aug. 21, 2021
Tunisia stamps 2021 – Sept
TBA
Forts of Tunisia Fort de Tabarka – Fort de Kélibia – Fort de Hammamet – Fort de Mahdia
4 stamps
Release date: Sept. 10, 2021
TBA
Young people and exact sciences Mathematics – Physics – Robotics – Coding
4 stamps
Release date: Sept. 30, 2021
Tunisia stamps 2021 – Oct
TBA
World Post Day Digitization of the Tunisian postage stamp
1 stamp
Release date: Oct. 9, 2021
Tunisia stamps 2021 – Nov
TBA
50th anniversary of La Francophonie Djerba 2021
1 stamp
Release date: Nov. 20, 221
Tunisia stamps 2021 – Dec
TBA
Joint program Tunisia-Morocco music Stambali and Gnaoua
2 stamps
Release date: Dec. 2, 2021
TBA
Famous Tunisian figures Chedli Kelibi – Gilbert Naccache
2 stamps
Release date: Dec. 15, 2021
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