Gerd Kanter, Olympic gold medallist

Denomination: 5.50
Date: 25.09.2008
Print: ofset
Designer: Lembit Lõhmus
Perforation: 13½ : 13½
Sheets: 2 x 5
Quantity issued: 300 000
Printing house: AS Vaba Maa

After the issue of the first Estonian postage stamp dedicated to an Olympic winner (Erki Nool in decathlon in Sydney, 2000) we had to wait eight long years before the next stamp devoted to an Estonian winner of Olympic summer games could be brought out. In the intervening years the skiers Andrus Veerpalu and Kristina ©migun brought honour and fame to Estonia and earned the issue of one stamp in 2002 and three in 2006. From the discus final taking place in front of the full house of the Beijing Olympic stadium on August 19, 2008 Estonian sports fans expected a medal from the previous year's world champion, Gerd Kanter and Gerd didn't disappoint them, sending his discus one meter farther in the fourth round than his main rivals Piotr Malachowski from Poland and Virgilijus Alekna from Lithuania. Before the Games the Lithuanian was regarded as one of Kanter's most serious rivals. By his feat he took his place in the line of such legendary discus-throwers as Al Oerter, Jürgen Schult, Lars Riedel and Virgilijus Alekna.

Estonian Mills. Põlma Windmill

Denomination: 5.50
Date: 28.08.2008
Print: ofset
Designer: Indrek Ilves
Perforation: 14 : 13¾
Sheets: 2 x 5
Quantity issued: 176 000
Printing house: AS Vaba Maa

The stamp dedicated to the Põlma Windmill is the second from the Estonian historical mills series (the first, featuring the Hellenurme watermill, was issued in 2007). The Põlma Windmill in Rapla County was built in 1905 and because it initially belonged to the Järvakandi manor it is also known as the Järvakandi Windmill. It is a six-story Dutch windmill with an annex housing the miller's living quarters and a smithy. The last information about the milling of pearl barley there goes back to 1968. Later the mill fell into disrepair and stood empty for years. In 1991 the mill was restored and turned into a restaurant. At present the Põlma Windmill is a listed architectural monument. Although it stands empty it is possible to visit it by earlier appointment.

Bridges

WWF issue - Bats

50th Anniversary of Korea - Thailand Diplomatic Relations

Issue Name: 50th Anniversary of Korea - Thailand Diplomatic Relations Commemorative Stamps
Issue Date: 01 OCT 2008
Perforation: n/a
Denomination: 3 Baht (2 Designs)
Details: The relationship between Thailand and Korea enjoyed growth in the fields of security and military coorperation before the establishment of an official relationship on October 1st, 1958

Design1: The Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall in the Grand Palace is where royal banquets held in honour of royal guests. Visitors are permitted to visit and take pictures of the splendid architectural structure daily from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.

Design2: The Juhamnu Mansion in Changdeokgung Palace once served as a library for the Kings. In this two-storey building, the ground floor is used to keep books and the first floor consists of reading rooms. The ambience of the Palace has been well creste and it has been appropiately decorated. The compound is devided into an administrative section, living quarters and parks. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations and, in 1997 was listed by UNESCO as part of the World's Cultural Heritage.

Quantity of stamps: 900,000 Stamps
Sheet Composition: 20 stamps per sheet (Mixed)
Printing Process: Lithography Multi-colour
Designers:
Design1 - Thaneth Ponchaiwong (Thailand Post Company Limited)
Design2 - Jiwon Mo (South Korea Post)
FDC Price: 15 Baht
Quantity of FDC : 1X,000 covers
Size: 48 x 30 mm. (Horizontal-measured from perforation to perforation)
Printer: Thai British Security Printing Public Company Limited, Thailand

29th Olympic Summer Games, Beijing

Denomination: 9.00
Date: 08.08.2008
Print: ofset
Designer: Lembit Lõhmus
Perforation: 13¾:14
Sheets: 5 x 2
Quantity issued: 250 000
Printing house: AS Vaba Maa

Every four years the flame of Olympic Summer Games is lit in Olympia, Greece, inviting the fastest and strongest men and women of the planet to test their strengths, this year for the 29th time since the revitalisation of the antique tradition and for the third time in Asia, in Beijing. Estonia took part in the Olympic Games for the first time in 1920 in Antwerp and brought back a gold medal – Alfred Neuland won it in lightweight weightlifting. By that time an Estonian athlete had already won an Olympic medal – silver in wrestling by Martin Klein in 1912. In the period before World War II it was the Estonian strongmen who reaped laurels at Olympic Games. Kristjan Palusalu’s two gold medals from the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin where he reigned supreme both in Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling crowned their successful performance. In 1955-1988 Estonian sportsmen competed in Soviet colours. Svetlana Chirkova and Erika Salumäe won gold medals twice – the former in foil fencing in Mexico and Munich and the latter in the sprint track event in Soul and Barcelona. Starting with the first modern Olympic Games postage stamps dedicated to this international sports festival have been issued over more than a hundred years. Estonia joined the rest of the world after the restoration of its independence. In 1992, after a forced interval of more than half a century, Estonia once again sent its team to compete under the blue, black and white national flag to Barcelona and printed its first Olympic stamps. The stamp issued on the opening day of the Beijing Olympic Games on 8 August 2008 features the Discobolus of Myron and the logo of the games. The names of the twenty Estonian athletes who have won gold medals at Olympic Summer Games appear in gold in the pane margins.

Beijing 2008 Olympic Equestrian Events

Design: Eddy YU
Illustration: Roxy LAU
Printer: Joh. Enschedé B.V., the Netherlands
Process: Lithography
Stamp Size: 45 mm x 28 mm
Stamp Layout: Pane of 25 stamps
Souvenir Sheet Size: 135 mm x 85 mm
Perforation: 13.25 x 14.25 (one elliptical perforation on each vertical)
Paper: Paper with security fibres
Date of Issue: 9 August 2008

To celebrate the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games (Games of the XXIX Olympiad) being held in August 2008 and Hong Kong’s very special honour of co-hosting the equestrian events, a set of commemorative stamps is issued by Hongkong Post to mark this glorious milestone in the sports achievement of our city.

Developed over a long history, Equestrian is an elegant yet competitive sport that emphasises unique understanding and perfect partnership between the rider and the horse. It was officially included in the Olympic Games in 1900. Equestrian is one of the very few sports in which men and women compete on equal terms in the same event. Three equestrian disciplines, namely Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, in addition to a victory scene are displayed on this set of stamps.

$1.40 – Jumping: Soaring Leaps
Jumping requires the horse to jump and clear a series of obstacles, aiming for minimum penalties incurred and completion within a set time. To enable optimal balance and minimum resistance at take-off, the rider often adopts a forward posture parallel to the back of the horse, resulting in a confident jump over the fence.

$2.40 – Dressage: Graceful Steps
Often described as horses performing ballet, Dressage requires the horse to execute both set movements and freestyle to music in perfect harmony with its rider. Marks are awarded by a panel of judges based on the precision and elegance of the movements.

$3 – Eventing: Ultimate Challenge
Eventing integrates Jumping, Dressage and Cross-Country into one competition, with the winners decided on minimum total penalties. The cross-country phase requires the horse to complete a set course within a set time, clearing a series of obstacles on the way.

$5 – Victory: Heartfelt Cheers
Victory in the Olympics is always a moment worthy of a shower of colourful streamers and a wave of warm applause as it is the result of dedicated effort, tireless training and excellent performance in the competition.

The Opening Memorial of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad

Serial number: 2008-18
Values in set: 1
Denomination: 1.20 yuan
Date of issue: August 8, 2008
Designer of stamp: Zhang Yimou, Chen Mingjie
Editor in Charge: Chen Yisi
Size of stamp: 44 * 33 mm
Perforation: 13 * 13.5
Sheet composition: 12 for Sheet I ; 8 for Sheet II(self-adhesive stamps)
Size of sheet: 210 * 140 mm for Sheet I ; 200 * 120 mm for Sheet II
Printing process: photogravure
Printer: Beijing Stamp Printing House

(1-1)J　　The Opening Memorial of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad　　1.20 yuan

Оlympic Games in Beijing

Title: Оlympic Games in Beijing
Price (Ls): 0.63
Published: 8.8.2008
Designer: Utāns
Printed: Carton Security Printing
Edition: 500000

The Willendorf Venus 3D

Release Date: 2008|08|08
Number of Copies: 350.000
Design: Outer Aspect Ltd
Printed by: Outer Aspect Ltd
Type: Block issue

The Willendorf Venus is Austria´s most famous and valuable find from the later Palaeolithic age. A very special stamp has been created for this outstanding object. A three-dimensional effect makes the Venus appear particularly vividly. There is no doubt that this innovative lenticular image stamp is a further milestone in contemporary stamp design.
The Venus sculpture was created for 25,000 years. It was found in Willendorf in the Wachau on 7 August 1908. The figure is 11 cm high, made of fine limestone and has survived almost undamaged. It shows a corpulent naked woman. Wide hips, protruding stomach and heavy breasts are the characteristics of her appearance. Her arms are only suggested, her wrists decorated with serrated bracelets. The upper and lower legs are natural in form, the feet are missing. Her weak shoulders bear a large head bending slightly forward, without a face, almost entirely decorated with a complicated hairstyle made up of rows of ringlets reaching deep into the back of her neck. Residues of colour indicate that the sculpture was originally painted with thick red chalk. (Incidentally, the original can be found in the Vienna Natural History Museum).

The village of Willendorf lies on the left bank of the Danube. During the later Palaeolithic age, the slopes of the Danube valley were the hunting ground of the ice age hunters. In summer 1908, the Imperial Natural History Museum, under the direction of Josef Szombathy, was carrying out systematic excavations. Particular attention was paid to the Willendorf II site, which lay in the area of the route of the Danube Bank Railway. Of the seven known sites, Willendorf II is certainly the most important and one of the most significant for Palaeolithic research in central Europe. The limestone figure was found in the ninth occupation later, and was next to a large hearth with charcoal residues. 19 years later, the 19 cm large Venus II, carved from a mammoth’s tusk, was found only a few metres from the first site.

Of all 130 Venus statuettes found in Europe and Asia, the Willendorf Venus is the most attractive and the oldest -- and above all a figure that has survived complete. The find caused a world sensation in expert circles. The figure has remarkably many similarities with Eastern European statuettes, all sharing an emphasis on the sexual characteristics. What is remarkable is that all of these archaeological finds are subject to the same geometrical principle: they can be circumscribed by a rhombus with remarkable accuracy.

The Venus statuettes are regarded as symbols of fertility. The corpulence may also be an expression of the desire for sufficient food and good fortune in hunting. Another remarkable feature is that all the statuettes found to date originated from permanent settlements.

100th anniversary of the death of Josef Maria Olbrich

Release Date: 2008|08|05
Number of Copies: 1.200.000
Printing Style: Offset
Design: Hannes Margreiter
Printed by: Österreichische Staatsdruckerei
Type: Special issue stamp

Josef Maria Olbrich, born on 22 December 1867 in Troppau, demonstrated an interest in the building trade at a very early age. After a few years working as an architectural draughtsman, he began to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in 1890, and was a pupil of the Ringstrasse architect Carl Freiherr von Hasenauer. In 1893, Olbrich joined Otto Wagner’s architect's office, where his excellent draughtsmanship brought him many years of success. The young architect created a special exhibition room for the newly founded artists’ association, the Viennese Secession. The building later became known as the Secession building, and entered history as one of the main works of the Vienna Jugendstil.

In 1899, Olbrich took up the invitation of the Grand Duke of Hessen, Ernst Ludwig, who offered him the opportunity to implement his architectural and artistic ideas in Darmstadt. Olbrich soon became the leader of the colony of artists on the Mathildenhöhe. He created the main building, the Ernst-Ludwig house, whose sober architecture constituted a synthesis between the arcane and the modern. He designed a number of other residential and exhibition buildings that served as exemplary models for modern buildings and homes. In 1906, Olbrich received his last and largest commission: the construction of the Leonard Tietz AG department store (later Kaufhof AG) in Düsseldorf. After a short serious illness, Olbrich died on 8 August 1908 at the age of only 40.

In his striving towards the total work of art, Olbrich dealt not only with architecture but also with the decorative ornamentation of interiors and the design of handicraft objects. Thus he created a large number of designs for crockery, furniture, musical instruments and other objects, such as the letterbox illustrated on the stamp.

The model for this extraordinary letterbox was designed by Olbrich for the home of the manufacturer Max Friedmann in Hinterbrühl near Vienna. It is made of sycamore wood, stained brown and with traces of an original blue staining inside. The brass fittings and the white glass stones used on the leaf tendrils reinforce the visual effect of this house letterbox. Incidentally, this valuable exhibit has been part of the Municipal Art Collection of Darmstadt since the 1970s.

The XXIX Olympic Games - Beijing, China 2008

author: Janusz Wysocki
number of stamps: 4
denomination: 2 x 10 gr (PLN 0.10), 2 x PLN 1.45
print run: 750.000 pcs each
two printing formats:
- 500,000 pcs in selling sheets containing 20 stamps each
- 250,000 pcs in selling sheets containing 4 stamps each, with a dry press imprint in the upper margin area
printing technique: offset
stamp size: 43 x 31.25 mm
paper: fluorescent
issue date: 8th August 2008

From 8 to 24 August this year the eyes of the world are turned to the city of Beijing. In 2001, the International Olympic Committee decided to appoint the Chinese capital as the site of the summer olympic games. The location has been the reason for much controversy. China is a fascinating country with an inspiring history and a rich culture, and also a global economic power. But it is also a state where the system of government and the observance of human and civil rights have long been contested by the international opinion.

Despite the controversies caused by the decision of the IOC, the olympic games is undoubtedly a true feast for sport lovers. The slogan of the Beijing olympics is "One world - one dream". The Polish olympic team comprises 263 athletes, and is the largest in the last 28 years! The Polish Post is one of the sponsors of the Polish Olympic Team at the Beijing Olympic Games 2008.

Louisiana

Marginal nr.: L293
Katalog nr.: 1421

Date of issue: 4 June 2008
Photos: Jens Lindhe
Design: Scott Williams and Henrik Kubel
Engraver: Martin Mörck
Method of printing: Intaglio/offset
Format: 28.84 x 39.52 mm
Number of stamps per sheet: 40

Roy Lichtenstein: Figures in Landscape, 1977 (detail) © Roy Lichtenstein/billedkunst.dk.
Doug Aitken: I Am in You, 2000 (section from video installation) © Louisiana

The original museum building, which was completed in 1958, was the old villa on the Louisiana site, which features on the DKK 5.50 stamp.

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games [Dragon]

Issue date: 24 June 2008
FDI withdrawal date: 22 July 2008
Denominations: one x 50c
Designer: Linda Warner
Printer: (gummed) Energi Print
Printer: (self-adhesive) Pemara
Paper (gummed): Tullis Russell
Paper (self-adhesive): B90
Printing process: Lithography
Stamp size: 26mm x 37.5mm
Perforations: 14.6 x 13.86
Sheet layout: Sheetlet of 10
National postmark: Loch Sport, VIC 3851

This issue was designed by Hobart-based Lynda Warner who is one of Australia's foremost graphic designers. Lynda has designed other stamps for Australia Post including Outback Services (2001), Australian Antarctic Research (2002) and Aviation in the AAT (2005)

White Horse Temple and Mahabodhi Temple

Serial number: 2008-7
Values in set: 2
Denomination: 2.40 yuan
Date of issue: June 6, 2008
Designer of stamp: Yin Huili
Editor in Charge: Tong Liying
Size of stamp: 30 * 40 mm
Perforation: 13.5 * 13
Sheet composition: 16
Size of sheet: 150 * 240 mm
Printing process: photogravure
Printer: Beijing Stamp Printing House

(2-1)T　　　　White Horse Temple　 　1.20yuan
(2-2)T　　　　Mahabodhi Temple　　　1.20yuan

On June 6, 2008, China National Philatelic Corporation issued a first-day cover, entitled "White Horse Temple and Mahabodhi Temple", containing a set of two special stamps, with a total value of 2.40 yuan. The stamps are entitled "White Horse Temple" and "Mahabodhi Temple", respectively.

The White Horse Temple, 12 km east of Luoyang, Henan Province, is China's oldest Buddhist Temple. The temple was built during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty(25-220) by Cai Yin and Qin Jing after they returned with scriptures from India. Revered as "birthplace and ancestral hall of Chinese Buddhism", the White Horse Temple plays a dominant role in Chinese history of Buddhism. The Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodhgaya, 130 km southeast of Patna, Bihar State of India, is the earliest extant brick temple in India. This temple, where Sakyamuni attained enlightenment, was one of his four sacred places. The White Horse Temple and the Mahabodhi Temple are both renowned Buddhist sacred places. This set of special stamps was issued jointly by China and India.

Birds of Taiwan Postage Stamps (III)

First day of issue: 2008-06-05
Sheet composition: 100（10 × 10）
Paper used: Phosphorescent stamp paper
Designer:
Printer: China Color Printing Co., Ltd.
Stamp size: 24 × 32（mm）
Color: Colorful
Process: Deep etch offset
Perforation: 13½ × 12½
Back:
Suspersion Date:

After having issued the first two sets in the “Birds of Taiwan” definitive stamp series on November 3, 2007 and January 30, 2008, this Post is following up with a third set of four stamps, featuring Streptopelia orientalis, Passer montanus, Pica pica and Zosterops japonicus. The designs of the stamps follow:
1. Streptopelia orientalis (NT$7.00): This common resident bird, about 30 centimeters in length, is an endemic subspecies of Taiwan. It has orange irises and black pupils. It is lavender from its crown, to its forehead, cheeks, throat and belly, with a black and white striped patch on the side of its neck. The edges of the feathers on its back are brownish orange. The flight feathers are black. The undersides of its wings, and the uppertail and undertail coverts are gray. The tail is black with white edging.
2. Passer montanus (NT$15.00): This common resident bird is about 14 centimeters in length. It has black eyes and inconspicuous ivory eye rings. Its black beak is short and wide. There is a black spot on its throat and both of its cheeks. It is chestnut from head to nape. Its back is reddish brown with black streaks. There are two white wing bars visible when the wings are closed. The edges of the wings are black. It has buff underparts. Its tail feathers are wheat colored with black trim.
3. Pica pica (NT$20.00): This uncommon resident bird is about 45 centimeters in length. It is black from the head to the breast. Its belly is white, its back is the deepest hue of blue, and its undertail coverts are black. Its wings are blue-green with white scapulars. In flight, the white stripes that form a V on its back and the white on the outer edges of its wings become obvious.
4. Zosterops japonicus (NT$34.00): This common resident bird ranges between 10 to 11 centimeters. It has black lores and obvious white eye rings, a distinctive feature used for identification. Its back is yellow-green, and its forehead, cheeks, throat and undertail coverts are yellow. It is dull white from the lower breast to the belly. Its tail feathers are green.

Peasant War at Mahtra, 150th anniversary

Denomination: 5.50
Date: 31.05.2008
Print: ofset
Designer: Indrek Ilves
Perforation: 14 : 13¾
Sheets: 5 x 4
Quantity issued: 140 000
Printing house: AS Vaba Maa

A system of corveé survived in the Russian province of Estland (North Estonia) well into the second half of the 19th century. Triggered by a new Peasant Law, which failed to bring any alleviation to the statute labour done to the manor or do away with the hated additional labour, a wave of peasant unrest rolled over the province in 1858. Peasants on 18 manors refused to do additional labour, but contrary to other manors, the peasants at Mahtra did not permit the Russian punitive expedition to beat them and force them to work but summoned help from the neighbourhood. On 2 June (14 June Old Style) there was clash between 700-800 peasants brandishing sticks and forks and 50 soldiers and two officers armed with guns, the peasants putting the soldiers to flight. The War at Mahtra became a symbol of the Estonians’ desire for freedom already at the time; the national movement period of the 1860s and the novel, War at Mahtra, by Eduard Vilde published in 1902 further increased its meaning.

Europa

designer: Joanna Górska
quantity of stamps: 1
face value: PLN 3
issue: 500,000 pcs
printing technique: offset
size of stamp: 43 x 31.25 mm
paper: fluorescent
selling sheet: 16 stamps
date of circulation: 5th May 2008

The tradition of joint issues of the EUROPA stamps is over 50 years old now. In 1956 six postal operators of the original member countries of the European Union (Belgium, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany and Italy) have prepared a joint issue of the stamp with the word EUROPA in a form of a tower built of its letters. The joint issues have been continued recurrently up to 1973 always with common design with the leading themes such as: Europe, unity and peace, only gradually supplemented with some symbols of telecommunications. Since 1974 only Europe as the leading subject remained, and the stamps are designed by each country individually. The range of possible themes has become therefore much broader, including culture, famous personages, or inventions, but also some more general problems, such as nature conservation or the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America in 1992. The EUROPA stamps should on one side contribute on popularity of the community ideas while on the other side they should help in mutual understanding of the various traditions. Moreover, they underline cooperation of the European public postal operators, particularly in the domain of philately.

CEPT - European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations, an official sponsor of the EUROPA joint issues in the years 1959-92.
PostEurop - Association of the European Postal Public Operators. Exists since 1993 and it takes care about the EUROPA joint issues.

Nordic Mythology III

Day of issue : 27-03-2008
Number in Sheet : 10
Size : 105 x 70 mm
Value : 120 ISK
Printing process : Offset + 1 pantone litur
Printer : Joh. Enschedé
Designer : Hany Hadaya

The old Nordic gods and other supernatural powers inhabited a mythical realm of their own. However, there were certain places in the Nordic landscape where humans could feel their presence more strongly than in other places, for example cult sites, burial grounds, unusual natural formations or mountain areas. Religious rites could take place beside a sacred tree or a burial place, on perilous mountain journeys or at sea, and create meeting points between the human and supernatural worlds. These were special places; they could be experienced as sacred, salutary or dangerous. This is typical of various places in Snæfellsnes where the sorcerer Bárður Snæfellsás is said to have settled in late 9th century A.D.

UEFA EURO 2008™ - Children´s Drawing - Lederhose

Release Date: 2008|04|19
Number of Copies: 500.000
Printing Style: Offset
Design: Vanessa Schennach
Printed by: Österreichische Staatsdruckerei
Type: Special issue series

There can be no doubt that lederhosen are the traditional clothing for men in the Alpine regions of Austria – and have been worn in their present form since the 17th century. What is more obvious than playing football (after all, still mainly a man’s game) in lederhosen? Whether made of chamois or stag leather is irrelevant, what matters is that the quality is in event something special, just like the football that will be on display in the UEFA EURO 2008™ games. The lederhosen are of course accompanied by the traditional broad-brimmed hat with a tuft of chamois hair – a genuine Tyrolean hat. And it is Tyrol, to be precise the new Tivoli stadium in Innsbruck, that will be hosting three of the preliminary round games with the teams from Russia, Spain and Sweden.

The original idea for this stamp was created by 12-year-old Vanessa Schennach from Burgstall in the district of Mutters. She attends the third class of the Pastorstrasse secondary school in Innsbruck. Her participation in the 2007 school children’s drawing competition was certainly worth the effort!

UEFA EURO 2008™ - Children´s Drawing - Großglockner

Release Date: 2008|04|18
Number of Copies: 500.000
Printing Style: Offset
Design: Stefan Gritsch
Printed by: Österreichische Staatsdruckerei
Type: Special issue series

Austria, the country of the mountains, is working up its enthusiasm for football. The snow-covered peaks of the Alps and the green turf of the football pitches are becoming the country’s trademark – and inspired this work by Stefan Gritsch from western Styria. It merges the flags of Austria and Switzerland, the two host countries of UEFA EURO 2008™, using a wavy line to separate the skies from the earth, or dream from reality, thus also showing that it is in fact two skiing nations that are hosting UEFA EURO 2008™.

Even if there are no UEFA EURO 2008™ games in Styria, the 16-year-old nevertheless came up with this clearly successful painting, the Styrian province winner in the 2007 schoolchildren’s drawing competition. This talented young man attends the Bundesoberstufenrealgymnasium in Deutschlandsberg.