XANTHE'S
STAMP MAGAZINE

Here is an interesting new stamp from Croatia. It has been designed to raise awareness of the risks of climate change. "Opasnost od poplava" means "Danger of flooding". Design Quality – I think the design is really strong. It’s simple but still tells a story, like you can clearly see the house sinking into water and stuff floating around. The colours are kind of calm but also a bit scary, which fits the theme. It looks very modern. The road sign showing a hazard is well plac

On 21st April 1926, a baby was born. Her parents were the Duke and Duchess of York. No-one at the time expected that the Duke of York would become king, and definitely wouldn't have imagined that the baby would become the longest-reigning queen in world history. Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022 and there were several stamps issued to celebrate her life and reign. Not surprisingly, there will also be stamps to mark what would have been her 100th birthday on Tuesday. A

Some of you might remember my review of the Saba birds issue in January. The Netherlands are creating four issues this year to celebrate Saba wildlife. The first one was the birds set, and this one focuses on butterflies. Later in the year there will be Saba wildlife stamps about underwater life and flowers. I was a big fan of the birds stamps and as I collect butterfly stamps you would think I would like these too. And I do. But there is something a bit different about thes

A few weeks ago, I wrote this letter to Royal Mail . I am pleased to say that Royal Mail have replied, so I am sharing the response here. Firstly, I'd like to thank Royal Mail for taking the time to respond. Secondly, I think there is some useful information within this letter especially about the history of commemorative stamps, timescales, the role of the Stamp Advisory Committee and the fact that you can send suggestions to the Stamp Programme manager. I knew some of this

It's World Puffin Day today, so what could be better than to take a look at some of the best stamps showing pictures of puffins? Puffins are fantastic birds but they are also endangered so International Puffin Day helps to remind us that we need to protect and appreciate them. I don't know a lot about puffins but I have been lucky enough to see some and they really are remarkable birds. So, what about the stamps? There are more than you might think, and these are just some

The Isle of Man's latest issue was released today and celebrates Trevor Hemmings, a racehorse owner and Isle of Man resident. The WOPA website has a lot to say about Trevor Hemmings, who died in 2021. "Trevor was a highly successful businessman who went on to become one of the most recognised figures in horse racing, with his racing colours becoming synonymous with some of the most renowned horses and jockeys in British and Irish horse racing. "This collection features rema

Well, this is an interesting issue. If you're like me the first question you will ask is "What is Milk-a-Punch Sunday?" I had no idea but fortunately the Guernsey Stamps website tells you everything you need to know. It says: "Alderney’s Milk-a-Punch celebration, observed on the first Sunday in May, reflects a long-standing tradition of marking the seasonal turning point between winter and summer. Though now associated with gatherings in the island’s pubs, the custom recall

Guernsey's latest issue is EUROPA, with the theme "united in the love of stamps". There are six stamps in this issue, all of them very different from each other. Guernsey Stamps' website tells us more about the EUROPA stamp programme, which is 70 years old this year. "EUROPA is a long standing tradition that Guernsey Post has taken part in for 50 years. Issued annually, Guernsey’s EUROPA stamps interpret shared themes through subjects connected to the Bailiwick’s heritage,

Sark's third issue was released today and the theme is "An Artist's View" of the island. The artist is Louise Hill and she has painted the following landscapes: 75p - La Grande Greve 97p - Porte du Moulin £1.45 - La Coupee £1.54 - Buddhist Carving £1.90 - Cows and La Peigneurie £1.95 - Les Autelets and Brecqhou £2.96 - Creux Harbour £4.86 - Point Robert Lighthouse The Guernsey Stamps website doesn't say much about these places. However, it does have an interesting "behind t