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On January 23, 2012, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issued four new stamps celebrating the Year of the Dragon

Unicover — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:53:01 +0000

During the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.—A.D. 220), the Chinese calendar was organized into repeating 12-year cycles, each year designated by one of twelve animals. The Chinese commonly refer to the year by its animal name: 2012 is the Year of the Dragon. Those born in a given year are said to share that animal’s character traits. Legend has it that when Lord Buddha departed from Earth, all the animals were summoned to bid him farewell. Twelve animals showed up, and the dragon was fifth in line. Thus, people born during the Year of the Dragon—1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000
and 2012—are not only intelligent, they’re also gifted, popular, enthusiastic, perfectionist and full of vitality. A Souvenir Sheet of 4 is available for $5.88 (stock number 466-9851). A First Day Cover is available at the Official Price of $7.28 (stock number 466-9916). A shipping and handling charge is added to all orders.

For information about this issue, or other stamps of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, contact the Stamps and Philatelic Center of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, One Unicover Center, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82008-0001. Information may also be obtained by calling 1-800-443-4225 or ordering on-line at www.unicover.com/hprlrms.htm.

TECHNICAL DATA
Issue: Year of the Dragon
Face Value: 4 x $1.05
Issue Date: January 23, 2012
Issue Place: Majuro
Stamp Artist: D. Zoe Seemel
First Day Cover Design: Herb Kawainui Kane
Printing Process: Cyan, black, magenta, yellow by offset lithography on unwatermarked gummed paper
Printer: Pioneer Printing, Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.A.
Stamp Format: Horizontal
Stamps Per Sheet: 4
Designs per Sheet: 4
Overall Sheet Size: 126mm x 108mm
Size of Stamps: 43mm x 34mm
Issue Number: C344
Stamp Number: (4-1) Blue Dragon
(4-2) Pink Dragon
(4-3) Yellow Dragon
(4-4) Green Dragon
Withdrawal Date: While supplies last

On January 22, 2012, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issued a new stamp featuring a View of Ocean Life

Unicover — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:42:29 +0000

Oceans formed during Earth’s infancy, when temperatures soared and the planet separated into three distinct zones of core, mantle and crust. Interior volcanic activity carried enormous amounts of water vapor and other gaseous materials to the surface, where they condensed and fell to earth as rain. These immense bodies of water are indispensable to the health of our planet. The cyclical process which causes rain begins with our oceans, while their microscopic plants produce one fourth of the world’s oxygen. Oceans help to keep the planet’s temperatures stable, and they have for eons been a major source of food, supplying from 17 to 55 percent of the world’s protein. Once viewed as limitless resources, oceans are growing increasingly fragile as ecosystems. A Mint Stamp is available for $0.63 (stock number 466-9932). A Full Mint Sheet of 9 is available for $5.67 (stock number 466-9940). A First Day Cover is available at the Official Price of $2.03 (stock number 466-9959). A shipping and handling charge is added to all orders.

TECHNICAL DATA
Issue: View of Ocean Life
Face Value: 1 x $0.45
Issue Date: January 22, 2012
Issue Place: Majuro
Stamp Designer: D. Zoe Seemel
Artist: Ken Walker
First Day Cover Design: Herb Kawainui Kane
Printing Process: Cyan, black, magenta, yellow by offset lithography on unwatermarked gummed paper
Printer: Pioneer Printing, Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.A.
Stamp Format: Vertical
Stamps Per Sheet: 9
Designs per Sheet: 1
Overall Sheet Size: 117mm x 144mm
Size of Stamps: 34mm x 43mm
Issue Number: R20
Stamp Number: (1-1) View of Ocean Life
Withdrawal Date: While supplies last

On January 10, 2012, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issued nine new stamps featuring Rhododendrons

Unicover — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:27:37 +0000

Rhododendrons are considered to be some of the most beautiful flowers in the entire world, and come in many varieties. For instance, R. fictolacteum bears creamy white blossoms splashed with scarlet. R. fortunei exhibits clusters of multi-petaled flowers from its slender stalks. R. agglutinatum bears shocks of reddish-pink flowers that stand out against its rich green leaves. R. delavayi forms dense thickets of ground cover bearing flowers of white, pink or red, while R. wardii is a yellow-flowered species. R. molle is native to the plateaus and highlands of Asia. R. giganteum is known for its size and beauty, while the broad, funnel-shaped blossoms of R. simsii range in color from rose to dark red. Rhododendrons, including R. rex, are propagated chiefly by cutting. A Full Mint Sheet of 9 is available for $5.67 (stock number 466-9657). A First Day Cover is available at the Official Price of $9.87 (stock number 466-9835). A shipping and handling charge is added to all orders.

TECHNICAL DATA
Issue: Rhododendrons
Face Value: 9 x $0.45
Issue Date: January 10, 2012
Issue Place: Majuro
Stamp Design: D. Zoe Seemel
Artist: Zeng Xiaolian
First Day Cover Design: Herb Kawainui Kane
Printing Process: Cyan, black, magenta, yellow by offset lithography on unwatermarked gummed paper
Printer: Pioneer Printing, Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.A.
Stamp Format: Horizontal
Stamps Per Sheet: 9
Designs per Sheet: 9
Overall Sheet Size: 153mm x 126mm
Size of Stamps: 43mm x 34mm
Issue Number: C343
Stamp Number: (9-1) Rhododendron #1
(9-2) Rhododendron #2
(9-3) Rhododendron #3
(9-4) Rhododendron #4
(9-5) Rhododendron #5
(9-6) Rhododendron #6
(9-7) Rhododendron #7
(9-8) Rhododendron #8
(9-9) Rhododendron #9
Withdrawal Date: While supplies last

2012 Year of the Dragon Collection

Unicover — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:26:30 +0000

Stunning new stamps from Hong Kong
celebrate the Year of the Dragon!

Perhaps because it is the only mythical creature in the Chinese Zodiac, the majestic dragon has always had a special power to capture our imagination. Indeed, many Chinese consider the Year of the Dragon to be particularly auspicious, and stamp collectors around the world have never agreed more!

In 2012, we welcome the first Year of the Dragon since the dawn of the new millennium. And to the delight of collectors everywhere, Hong Kong is issuing magnificent new stamps to celebrate the occasion … stamps as magnificent as the dragon itself!

What’s more, the 2012 Year of the Dragon issue represents the milestone that knowledgeable collectors have been waiting for: the grand finale of Hong Kong’s renowned Lunar New Year series begun in 2001. And Hong Kong Post has saved the best for last, with a stunning array of commemoratives …

Enhance your collection with a
subscription to the Stamps of Hong Kong …
for the low price of just Face Value plus 40%!

Through Hong Kong Stamp Services, you can receive new issues of the Stamps of Hong Kong — delivered directly to your door — making it easy to build a collection that fits your budget. Best of all, you can customize your subscription to include such commemoratives as Souvenir Sheets, First Day Covers, Presige Stamp Booklets and Presentation Packs.

Get the Stamps of Hong Kong for the incredibly low price of just Face Value plus 40%. Your stamps and other philatelic items will be sent as issued and you can expect approximately 10 shipments per year. Order now and your subscription begins with the very first issue of 2012!

New subscribers receive a FREE bonus — a $12 value!

Coveted by collectors, one of Hong Kong’s most popular recent stamp issues is the 2008 Masks Presentation Pack and First Day Cover Set … And for a limited time it’s yours ABSOLUTELY FREE just for subscribing! A $5 deposit (applied to your first shipment) is all it takes to open your Standing Order account.

Your satisfaction is guaranteed!

Lace Alive! — Stamps from France with actual lace

Unicover — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:48:04 +0000

Order this issue or subscribe to receive stamps automatically

An unprecedented issue in philatelic history …
France’s extraordinary new stamps
featuring actual lace!

Over the years, new technologies have brought lots of interesting innovations to the world of stamps. But it’s a rare day indeed when a stamp issue comes along which truly defies the imagination.

Today is such a day.

Frances’s La Poste has achieved the genuinely extraordinary … with its spectacular new issue of four stamps featuring actual lace.

This issue is, quite simply, one of the all-time masterpieces in the history of postage stamps. It’s a stamp collector’s dream come true.

Order the Lace Alive stamp issues
or subscribe to receive future issues automatically!

Want to get new stamps from France … as they’re issued? You can — at the same price you’d pay at the post office in Paris! Our Standard Minimum Service includes four of each new Mint Stamp, plus a variety of subscription options. A $5 deposit is all it takes to become a standing order customer!

Marshall Islands announces new stamp issue featuring beautiful Stained Glass

Unicover — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:41:50 +0000

On December 9, 2011, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issues nine new stamps featuring beautiful stained glass windows from some of the world’s famous cathedrals. The earliest known description of the painstaking technique of creating stained-glass windows dates back to a 12th-century manual probably written by the monk Theophilus.
In this technique, a drawing of the window’s design is first created to show how different color areas will be divided into discrete pieces of glass. Sheets of manufactured colored glass are then cut to fit using a red hot iron. Design details are painted onto the glass with enamel, and a kiln is used to fuse the enamel to the glass. The glass pieces are then set into grooved strips of lead which join the various pieces together. Finally, the joints between the lead strips are soldered, and the entire panel is waterproofed with a putty compound applied under the lead. A Full Mint Sheet of 9 is available for $5.55 (stock number 466-7530). A First Day Cover Set of 3 is available at the Official Price of $9.75 (stock number 466-7611). A
shipping and handling charge is added to all orders. For information about this issue, or other stamps of the Republic of the Marshall
Islands, contact the Stamps and Philatelic Center of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, One Unicover Center, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82008-0021. Information may also be obtained by calling 1-800-443-4225 or ordering on-line at www.unicover.com/hprlrms.htm.

TECHNICAL DATA
Issue: Stained Glass Cathedrals
Face Value: 9 x $0.44
Issue Date: December 9, 2011
Issue Place: Majuro
Stamp Artist: Barry Wilkinson
First Day Cover Design: Herb Kawainui Kane
Printing Process: Cyan, black, magenta, yellow by offset lithography on unwatermarked gummed paper
Printer: Pioneer Printing, Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.A.
Stamp Format: Vertical
Stamps Per Sheet: 9
Designs per Sheet: 9
Overall Sheet Size: 117mm x 144mm
Size of Stamps: 31mm x 40mm
Issue Number: C341
Stamp Number: (9-1) Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
(9-2) Nidaros Cathedral
(9-3) Canterbury Cathedral
(9-4) Notre Dame Cathedral in Tournai
(9-5) Cathedral of Monaco
(9-6) Saint John’s Church in Gouda
(9-7) Catholic Parish of St. Florin
(9-8) Cathedral of Saint Mary the Crowned
(9-9) Parish Church of Saint Saviour
Withdrawal Date: While supplies last

Marshall Islands announces first issue in five-year series

Unicover — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:04:27 +0000

On December 7, 2011, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issued ten new stamps commemorating America’s involvement in World War II. Issued on the 70th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor which plunged America into the war, this special issue is the first in a five-year series. The 2011 World War II 70th Anniversary: 1941 Issue commemorates ten key events and important aspects of the year in which the United States officially entered World War II: the Burma Road, the Allies’ vital supply route into China; America’s first
peacetime draft; Roosevelt’s “Great Arsenal” speech; the Lend-Lease Act, which provided billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. materials to Allied forces; the Atlantic Charter, calling for the destruction of Nazi tyranny; the sinking of the destroyer U.S.S. Reuben James by a German U-boat; the formation of America’s civil defense program to
prepare the U.S. population for possible attack; the mass production of Liberty ships to carry supplies across the ocean to the battlefields; the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor; and America’s subsequent declaration of war on Japan. A Full Mint Sheet of 10 is available for $6.16 (stock number 466-9576). A First Day
Cover Set of 2 is available at the Official Price of $8.96 (stock number 466-9606). A shipping and handling charge is added to all orders. For information about this issue, or other stamps of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, contact the Stamps and Philatelic Center of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, One Unicover Center, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82008-0021. Information may also
be obtained by calling 1-800-443-4225 or ordering on-line at
www.unicover.com/hprlrms.htm.

TECHNICAL DATA
Issue: World War II 70th Anniversary: 1941
Face Value: 10 x $0.44
Issue Date: December 7, 2011
Issue Place: Majuro
Stamp Artist: Chris Calle
First Day Cover Design: Herb Kawainui Kane
Printing Process: Cyan, black, magenta, yellow by offset lithography on unwatermarked gummed paper
Printer: Pioneer Printing, Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.A.
Stamp Format: Vertical
Stamps Per Sheet: 10 with corresponding tabs
Designs per Sheet: 10
Overall Sheet Size: 179mm x 190mm
Size of Stamps: 31mm x 40mm
Issue Number: C342
Stamp Number: (10-1) Road to Burma
(10-2) Peacetime Draft
(10-3) Great Arsenal
(10-4) Lend-Lease Act
(10-5) Atlantic Charter
(10-6) Destroyer Reuben Sunk
(10-7) Civil Defense
(10-8) Liberty Ships
(10-9) Japan Attacks U.S.
(10-10) Congress Declares War
Withdrawal Date: Whilesupplies last

Marshall Islands announces new stamp issue celebrating the Eight Days of Hanukkah

Unicover — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:32:32 +0000

On November 20, 2011, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issues eight new stamps celebrating Hanukkah. A central feature of the Hanukkah celebration is the Hanukkah lamp, also known as hanukkiyyah. This light-bearing implement has eight branches and a ninth holder for the shammash, or helper candle, and is similar to the seven-branched candelabrum (menorah) of the Jewish Tabernacle. The seven-branched menorah held spiritual significance for the Israelites and represented—among other things—the seven days of
creation. The central shaft was slightly higher than the others to signify the Sabbath. Hanukkah lamps have taken on diverse shapes and forms. Many are circular or mounted against a back-wall, while others are designed in the typical candelabra form. Today, the hanukkiyyah and the menorah are used as religious symbols, particularly in synagogue art, including wall paintings, stained glass windows and mosaics. A Mint Block of 8 is available for $4.93 (stock number 466-7441). A Full Mint Sheet of 16 is available for $9.86 (stock number 466-7468). A First Day Cover Set of 2 is available at the Official Price of $7.73 (stock number 466-7514). A shipping and
handling charge is added to all orders. For information about this issue, or other stamps of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, contact the Stamps and Philatelic Center of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, One Unicover Center, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82008-0021. Information may also be obtained by calling 1-800-443-4225 or ordering on-line at www.unicover.com/hprlrms.htm.

TECHNICAL DATA
Issue: Eight Days of Hanukkah
Face Value: 8 x $0.44
Issue Date: November 20, 2011
Issue Place: Majuro
Stamp Artist: Paul Williams
First Day Cover Design: Herb Kawainui Kane
Printing Process: Cyan, black, magenta, yellow by offset lithography on unwatermarked gummed paper
Printer: Pioneer Printing, Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.A.
Stamp Format: Horizontal
Stamps Per Sheet: 16
Designs per Sheet: 8
Overall Sheet Size: 184mm x 148mm
Size of Stamps: 40mm x 31mm
Issue Number: C340
Stamp Number: (8-1) First Day of Hanukkah
(8-2) Second Day of Hanukkah
(8-3) Third Day of Hanukkah
(8-4) Fourth Day of Hanukkah
(8-5) Fifth Day of Hanukkah
(8-6) Sixth Day of Hanukkah
(8-7) Seventh Day of Hanukkah
(8-8) Eighth Day of Hanukkah
Withdrawal Date: While supplies last

Marshall Islands announces the final Issue in five-part Firsts in Flight Series: five new stamps with the theme of “To the Stars”

Unicover — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:23:55 +0000

On November 4, 2011, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issued five new stamps comprising the fifth and final Issue in its Firsts in Flight Series. “The ‘Eagle’ has landed!” Millions of people on Earth thrilled to the joyful words of Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong when the famous Lunar Module landed safely on the surface of the Moon. Guided manually by Armstrong, the “Eagle” touched down on a plain near the southern edge of the Sea of Tranquility. On July 20, 1969, at 10:56 p.m. EDT, Armstrong lowered himself from the ladder attached to the “Eagle,” becoming the first man to walk on the Moon. Armstrong’s first words poignantly captured the historic moment: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” After two hours and thirty-six minutes on the Moon, Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin lifted off in the “Eagle” to begin the long journey back to Earth. A Mint Strip of 5 is available for $3.08 (stock number 466-7409). A Full Mint Sheet of 15 is available for $9.24 (stock number 466-7417). A First Day Cover is available at the Official Price of $4.48 (stock number 466-7425). A shipping and handling charge is added to all orders. For information about this issue, or other stamps of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, contact the Stamps and Philatelic Center of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, One Unicover Center, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82008-0021. Information may also be obtained by calling 1-800-443-4225 or ordering on-line at www.unicover.com/hprlrms.htm.

TECHNICAL DATA
Issue: Firsts in Flight V: To the Stars
Face Value: 5 x $0.44
Issue Date: November 4, 2011
Issue Place: Majuro
Stamp Artist: Charles Knotek
First Day Cover Design: Herb Kawainui Kane
Printing Process: Cyan, black, magenta, yellow by offset lithography on unwatermarked gummed paper
Printer: Pioneer Printing, Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.A.
Stamp Format: Horizontal
Stamps Per Sheet: 15
Designs per Sheet: 5
Overall Sheet Size: 239mm x 134mm
Size of Stamps: 43mm x 34mm
Issue Number: C339
Stamp Number: (5-1) First Man to Fly Faster Than Sound
(5-2) First Man in Space
(5-3) First Astronaut in Space
(5-4) First Man to Walk in Space
(5-5) First Man on the Moon
Withdrawal Date: While supplies last

Marshall Islands announces new stamp issue commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the Compact of Free Association

Unicover — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:01:52 +0000

On October 21, 2011, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issued three new stamps commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the Compact of Free Association. Since the 19th century, the Marshall Islands had served several masters: the British, Germans, Japanese and Americans. As a United Nations trust territory, the Marshalls had rebuilt from the devastation of World War II and, by the 1970s, felt ready to become independent. In 1979 the Marshallese people approved a constitution and the country became an internally self-governing republic with a president and a unicameral 33-member parliament. This government signed a Compact of Free Association with the United States in 1982 assigning security responsibilities to the U.S. in exchange for rights to military installations in the region. In 1986, the Marshall Islands’ status as a U.N. trust territory was dissolved and the nation became fully self-governing in free association with the United States. A Mint Souvenir Sheet is available for $4.12 (stock number 466-7379). A First Day Cover is available at the Official Price of $5.12 (stock number 466-7387). A shipping and handling charge is added to all orders. For information about this issue, or other stamps of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, contact the Stamps and Philatelic Center of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, One Unicover Center, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82008-0021. Information may also be obtained by calling 1-800-443-4225 or ordering on-line at www.unicover.com/hprlrms.htm.

TECHNICAL DATA
Issue: 25th Anniversary of the Compact of Free Association
Face Value: 3 x $0.98
Issue Date: October 21, 2011
Issue Place: Majuro
Stamp Artists: Ren Wicks and Herb Kawainui Kane
First Day Cover Design: Herb Kawainui Kane
Printing Process: Cyan, black, magenta, yellow by offset lithography on unwatermarked gummed paper
Printer: Pioneer Printing, Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.A.
Stamp Format: Vertical
Stamps Per Sheet: 3
Designs per Sheet: 3
Overall Sheet Size: 126mm x 110mm
Size of Stamps: 34mm x 43mm
Issue Number: C338
Stamp Number: (3-1) Marshall Islands National Seal
(3-2) Walap of the Marshall Islands
(3-3) Marshall Islands National Flag
Withdrawal Date: While supplies last