On February 5, 1974, the US Mariner 10 probe flew past Venus.
Mariner 10 stamp issued by US post office on April 4, 1975
NASA launched Mariner November 3, 1973, at 05:45:00 UTC. It took 4 months to reach Venus on its way to Mercury. The Mariner managed to fly within 3,584 miles (5,768 kilometers) of Venus.
Over 45 stamps, from around the world have been issued to commemorate this event.
Mariner 10 was the seventh successful launch in the Mariner series and the first spacecraft to visit Mercury. It was also the first spacecraft to use the gravitational pull of one planet (Venus) to reach another (Mercury), and the first spacecraft mission to visit two planets. The spacecraft flew by Mercury three times in a retrograde heliocentric orbit and returned images and data on the planet. Mariner 10 returned the first-ever close-up images of Venus and Mercury. The primary scientific objectives of the mission were to measure Mercury’s environment, atmosphere, surface, and body characteristics and to make similar investigations of Venus. Secondary objectives were to perform experiments in the interplanetary medium and to obtain experience with a dual-planet gravity-assist mission. NASA – NSSDCA – Spacecraft – Details
In total, 4,165 photos were sent back to NASA by Mariner.
United States Feb. 4, 2013
using an original oil on canvas painting by Thomas Blackshear II
designer: Derry Noyes
Rosa Louise Parks was nationally recognized as the “mother of the modern day civil rights movement” in America. Her refusal to surrender her seat to a white male passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, December 1, 1955, triggered a wave of protest December 5, 1955 that reverberated throughout the United States. Her quiet courageous act changed America, its view of black people and redirected the course of history. BIOGRAPHY | Rosa Parks
EUROMED 2023 stamps celebrate the diversity of festivals around the Mediterranean. EUROMED is a joint stamp issuing program involving countries in the Euro-Mediterranean region. Each year a common theme is agreed upon and participating countries create stamps and covers devoted to the topic.
Traditionally EUROMED explores and promotes cultural & regional ties. As well the program explores the shared history & issues facing the Mediterranean. Each country puts their own spin on the theme, creating a fascinating peek into Euro-Mediterranean culture.
Who makes up EUROMED?
European Union Member States, located in the Mediterranean region, Italy, Spain, Greece, France, and Cyprus.
Mediterranean Basin Countries in the southern and eastern Mediterranean, such as Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey.
Non EU with Mediterranean coastline like Monaco.
Mediterranean Island Nations of Malta and Cyprus.
Not all countries issue EUROMED stamps; some are occasional participants. But there are still plenty of great stamps to hunt down.
This year’s theme is Festivals of all shapes and sizes. Everything from singing to … well, just check them out and enjoy.
Croatia
Moreška
1 stamp, FDC, sheet of 16
offset
Moreška Sword Dance
Designer: Dean Roksandić Photographer: Mario Romulić and Dražen Stojčić
Release date: July 10, 2023
Cyprus
Rose Festival of Argos
1 stamp, FDC, cancel, sheets of8
Rose Festival of Argos celebrated it’s 15th year in May of 2023
I could find no information on the festival celebrated. If you can offer a bit of info, please leave a comment.
Release date: June 2023
France
Festivals| Arles the Capital of Photography
1 stamp, cancel, sheets of 15
offset
This is France’s entry to the annual EUROMED competition. This year’s theme is Mediterranean Festivals.
The Rencontres d’Arles, an annual photography festival, was founded in 1970 by Arles photographer Lucien Clergue, writer Michel Tournier and historian Jean-Maurice Rouquette. Originally a simple meeting place between photography lovers, they have become over the years a major cultural event. Arles Photography Encounters | The ink square (lecarredencre.fr)
Designer: Design ABM Studio
Photographer: Alessandro Mosalini
Release date: July 10, 2023
Greece
Kalamata Dance Festival
2 stamps, booklet, sheets of 16, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel (in gold), numbered pack
polychrome offset
The 29th Kalamata Dance Festival took place July 14-23 in the city of Kalamata. It’s a celebration of modern dance, which includes a number of seminars focused on bringing dance closer to the audience. Who we are – Kalamata Dance Festival
Designer: Anthoula Lynga
Release date: July 10, 2023
Malta
Malta International Fireworks Festival
2 stamps on minisheets, FDC, cancel, presentation pack
offset
Two shots from the Malta International Fireworks Festival . The 2023 21st Festival took place April 2023.
Designer: Malta Post Photographers: Sebio Aquilina, Michele Agius
This festival took place Sept. 8th to 11th, the first appearance post pandemic. The Mediterranean diet is recognised as an UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is more than just a celebration of cuisine, it’s a celebration of Mediterranean history and culture.
The Mediterranean diet involves a set of skills, knowledge, rituals, symbols and traditions concerning crops, harvesting, fishing, animal husbandry, conservation, processing, cooking, and particularly the sharing and consumption of food. Eating together is the foundation of the cultural identity and continuity of communities throughout the Mediterranean basin. Mediterranean diet – intangible heritage – Culture Sector – UNESCO
Designer: MAD Activities
Release date: July 10, 2023
Slovenia
Altroke Istra Gourmet Festival
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
Winner of the Greatest Hunger Inducing Stamp of 2023?
You will not find the word altroké in the dictionary, but only in the Istrian dialect and means of course. In 2021, it was used to name an excellent gastronomic festival, Altroke Istra Gourmet Festival, which means Of course, an Istrian festival for good-livers.
The basic feature of the festival is the organization of several gastronomic meetings in different places, both in the urban and rural environment of the Slovenian part of Istria. According to the gastronomic typology, culinary markets, which take place once a week from May to August and offer a range of Istrian local and regional dishes, as well as non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages gathered for tables. Guests can find fish and shellfish, famous pasta fuže with truffles, various egg herbal fritai or frtalje, Istrian meats, including Istrian prosciutto. There are also some of the global dishes typical of street food. There is no shortage of fried fritols or mice and, of course, excellent Istrian wines, spirits and natural refreshing drinks.
The Altroke Istra Gourmet Festival grew on the experience of a two-day mass culinary event in Koper, which was dessert-oriented and was called Sweet Istria.
Dragon will soon chase off rabbit to usher in the coming 2024 Lunar New Year. Creatively speaking, this will be an awesome year. We should expect to see classic and memorable designs, especially from China, Vietnam and Korea and more than a few unorthodox interpretations of the Year of the Dragon theme. It will be a curious and fascinating look at an ancient mythological symbol.
Dragons can be found throughout the world, taking on different roles depending upon the culture writing about them. In the zodiac, dragons represent power and energy, and signifies a year of prosperity. They are deeply embedded in folk lore and mythology around the world, with many countries having age old tales of human/dragon interactions. You can read more about the dragon motif and how it has appeared on stamps, here A few curated sta … ooh look dragons! | Bitter Grounds Magazine.
Exit the Rabbit
Over 60 countries issued Lunar New Year stamps in 2023, including the first NFT stamp by the USA. Designs ranged from Argentina’s untraditional but heartwarming teacher reading to her little bunnies to Azerbaijan’s suspicious rabbits in cloaks. I have to confess, I absolutely adore the cloaked rabbits. They remind me of little spy rabbits who have seen things … very, very dark things.
Although there were a lot of captivating designs, China’s pair were the ones I grew to appreciate and love the most. Created by legendary Chinese artist Huang Yongyu 黄 永玉, the stamps tell a story about both Huang and the Rabbit.
The first stamp, titled “Wise Rabbit”, is ready with a pen and card in hand (.. paw?) to send you greetings. The blue colouring symbolises good wishes for the New Year. The second stamp is titled “Symbiosis in the Same Circle”. The rabbits are running in a circle, displaying the cycle of agility, vitality and warmth. It’s difficult to see the pattern on the 2nd stamps background, but it’s there. The pattern is described as 玉兔捣药”纹饰 or in a bad translation Jade Rabbit pounding medicine. This represents a wish for good health and happiness despite the pandemic.
Huang Yongyu was still designing stamps and creating art up until his death in June of 2023 at the age of 98. In an interview 24 years ago, Huang said “Painting is something you do all your life. I guess, I’ll be painting until I die”. Last year, he stated he hoped to be around to design the Lunar New Year stamp when he turned 100. Unfortunately, for lovers of his work, this will not happen.
His rabbit was not received favourably by everyone. There were complaints about the “demonic” gaze of the red eyed rabbit and an overall lack of warmth and cuddliness. Despite these complaints, Huang’s stamps sold out rapidly when they went on sale. There were reports of long lineups of people eager to purchase them, a fitting tribute to Huang’s talents.
Vietnam rejoins the Lunar cycle in 2024. Vietnam’s calendar departs slightly from the zodiac animals, using a cat instead a rabbit. For the fourth year in a row artist/designer Nguyễn Quang Vinh designed the Tết (New Year) set, using bright colours and strong family oriented images to usher in the new year. I’ve already begun daily checks on Vietnam’s website in hopes of spotting an early release of their Lunar New Year design.
The new year begins with the rise of a new moon on Feb. 9, 2024. In anticipation of the celebration, post offices often reveal their stamps long before Feb. with many going on sale in December and January, so people can purchase stamps for the occasion. Stamps will be released throughout the year, with the majority coming between December and the first week in February. But there are always stragglers, and ones I’ve missed, so it’s always a good idea to pop back periodically to see if there are changes.
Artwork: Jo Davies “Illustrating a set of stamps has been on my bucket list, especially one celebrating such a revered symbol. It’s an honour to represent the Year of the Dragon through art.” Jo Davies Isle of Man Post Office celebrates Chinese New Year – IoM Post Designer: EJC Design
Release date: January 22, 2024
J
Japan
4 stamps, 2 cancels 5 colour gravure
Japan continues with the Children’s Toy motif using works by Kawasaki Kyosen 川崎巨泉 (1877~1942)’s Collected Illustrations of Japanese Toys (1919).
Designer: 吉川 亜有美 Ayumi Yoshikawa Yoshikawa began designing for Japan Post in 2017 and is now one of eight employed in Japan.
Ever since I was a child, I have loved drawing and detailed work such as handicrafts. When I was an art college student, I specialized in three-dimensional modeling …Everyone has a different way of designing stamps. I draw digitally, use watercolors and photographs.
1 stamp, souvenir sheet, 2 FDCs, cancel, postcard, 2 presentation packs, sheets of 10 offset with gold metallic ink
“… the dragon is the only zodiac animal which is a mythical creature, and is usually used as a symbol of power in China. Dragons are also seen as a symbol of good fortune, and those born within the year are considered naturally lucky and gifted.
…. the designs are based on a Chinese style of painting and paper cutting.
… the image on the £1.65 stamp sheet for the Lunar New Year- Year of the Dragon features a gold dragon, with a sharp red background. Golden dragons have been associated with powerful deities and harvest in Chinese culture. Additionally, red is seen as a colour of prosperity and joy….
The miniature sheet depicts a detailed Chinese dragon flying through the clouds. Wang Fu a Chinese historian and philosopher during the Eastern Han Dynesty suggested that the Chinese dragon’s unique appearance is due to it being a combination of many different animal features. These features include heads which are in similar shape to a camel, the ears of a bull, the antlers of a stag, the body of a snake, the armoured body belly of a clam, feet similar to a tigers, talons of an eagle and a body that includes the protective scales of a carp. … Roxanne Le Voguer, Philatelic Research and Marketing Executive, Jersey Post press release December 8, 2023
Designer: Wang Huming 王虎鸣
Release date: January 4, 2024
K
South Korea
2 stamps, souvenir sheet of 3, sheets of 16, info sheet offset with Gold Foil / Holographic Foil
4 stamps, mini-panes of 4 blocks, souvenir sheet, 3 FDCs, cancel, 2 souvenir sheets, 4 postcards, booklets, souvenir packs, Souvenir Pack (jointly issued by Hong Kong and Macao), Souvenir Sheet with Souvenir Pack (Jointly issued by China, Hong Kong and Macao) Includes a FDC joint issue with Australia and China offset, with microprinting
The dragon is a totem in ancient times, and its prototype is a snake. In the great migration and integration of the Chinese nation In the long historical process, it has been continuously added, exaggerated and enriched by people of all ethnic groups, and it has finally become a totem that is compatible with many A strange form of worshiped dragon. Wang Fu, a scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty, once described the image of a dragon like this: “The head is like a camel, the horns are like a deer, and the eyes are like a deer. It is like a rabbit, its ears are like an ox, its neck is like a snake, its belly is like a mirage, its scales are like a carp, its claws are like an eagle, its palms are like a tiger…” (“Qianfu Lun”) Macau Post press release Jan. 5, 2024
5 stamps on souvenir sheet, envelope, greeting card gold stamping
Designer: Malaysia Post Release date: Feb. 2024
Malta
1 stamp on souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel, presentation pack offset
In Malta, we are privileged to enjoy the scenic and tranquil beauty of the “Chinese Garden of Serenity” situated in Santa Lucija. This garden offers a peaceful space for introspection and meditation. It reflects the local environment via the inclusion of the natural elements of rocks and water, symbolising Yin and Yang – life from birth to death. Walking through the Garden of Serenity, one discovers that it consists of several smaller gardens, separated by walls, sheltered corridors and secluded rooms where visitors have the opportunity to attempt some soul-searching while roaming freely in their thoughts. It is a truly serene landscape that provides calmness and inner tranquillity. Maltapost Philately – The Chinese Garden – Santa Lucija, Malta – The Year of the Dragon (maltaphilately.com)
Designer: Fabio Agius
Release date: February 29, 2024
Moldovia
:
1 stamp on souvenir sheet, FDC, 2 cancels
The two cancels have different cancel dates. The second one accompanies the FDC.
Designer: Vladimir Melnic Melnic’s first stamp was the 2003 From The Red Book of the Republic of Moldova: Birds. He has designed stamps for both Moldova and Kyrgyzstan.
Release date: February 2, 2024
Mongolia
2 stamps with label, FDC, cancel
Designer: G. Battur
Release date: January 8, 2024
N
Netherlands
1 stamp on souvenir sheets offset
Designer: PostNL staff
Release date: January 1, 2024
New Zealand
4 stamps, 24-carat gold foil souvenir sheet, 4 FDCs, presentation pack, 4 sheets of 20, also available stickers, pinback, medallions, barcode and logo blocks, framed stamps offset
Designer: YMC Design YMC (ymcdesign.co.nz) YMC has designed the past 3 Lunar New Year stamps, starting with the Ox in 2021.
Release date: December 6, 2023
P
Philippines
2 stamps, stamp on souvenir sheet, sheet of 8, FDC offset
Release date: January 3, 2024
Poynesia
1 stamp, sheets of 10 (FDC and cancel coming) mixed
Designer/artist: Evard Chaussoy Raiatea born artist Évrard Chaussoy supplied the impressive sculpture for the Wooden Dragon release. He combines traditional New Year elements with a distinct Polynesian style. Evrard Chaussoy, Artist – Tahiti, French Polynesia
Release date: February 9, 2024
R
Romania
1 stamp, maxi card, FDC, cancel, sheetlet of 4, sheets of 20 offset
Designer: George Ursachi
Release date: February 8, 2024
S
Serbia
1 stamp, FDC, cancel, sheets of 10 offset
Designer: Nadežda Skočajić
Release date: February 9, 2024
Singapore
2 stamps, mini pane, FDC, cancel, Collector’s Sheet comprises of $10 stamp and comes with a folder, presentation pack, 2 postcards, booklets of 10 offset with gold hot stamping
Artists: Lim An-ling (Stamps), Andy Koh (Collector’s Sheet)
Lim also designed Singapore’s yearly Lunar New Year stamps, starting with the 2020 Year of the Rat. Her designs include Singapore’s Myths and Legends Stamps (2016, 2014), Definitives (2013-2017)
An-ling is interested in the ways stories are told through artwork. She believes in experimenting, and the wonders of pen and brush.
Due to her experience working in production companies as an animator, her illustrative work often carries a sense of movement. Through the years, she has illustrated for postage stamps, books, campaigns, film posters, and artwork for home and hotel.
Artist Camille Chew continues her annual Lunar New Year design with another in her paper mask designs.
… Chew constructed the dragon mask out of hand-printed paper, then cut, scored, and folded it into shape. She embellished the mask with acrylic paint and other paper elements, like flowers and tassels, and covered the back of the mask in a layer of papier-mâché. The completed mask was photographed on a white background. USPS press release Jan. 25, 2024
“the image of the dragon family flying up with the khanh clouds symbolizing peace and luck. The image of 9 dragons gathered on the pole symbolizes the winding Mekong River emptying into 9 sea gates, bringing richness to the agricultural economy of the Southwest.” VNPost news release
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