XANTHE'S
STAMP MAGAZINE

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

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

The Isle of Man will issue a new set of stamps tomorrow called "From the Oceans to the Stars". I would describe it for you but fortunately I don't have to because Isle of Man Stamps and Coins has done it for me! Here is what they say: The Nicole Stott Mint Set brings together six Isle of Man Post Office stamps exploring our planet and the universe beyond. Each design reflects a different layer of exploration, from the mysterious depths of the oceans to the vast expanse of s

Here's another Chinese New Year issue, and this one is from the Isle of Man. I looked at the New Zealand issue a few days ago and I was quite impressed with it. So, what do I think of these? Design Quality - The horses really dominate the stamp, which is good. They feel very alive, as if the artist wanted to show the horses' personalities. Unlike the New Zealand set they don't look magical and as first glance there isn't anything particularly Chinese about them - if it wa

Here's another new issue, Wild Isle of Man. This issue is a set of ten stamps, which are available in this eye-catching miniature sheet. The stamps show island landscapes, wildlife and coastal heritage. They were designed by Andy North, a photographer who is also the author of Wild Guide Isle of Man . They're not just landscapes though - we see people in all of these stamps interacting with nature and the countryside and enjoying being outdoors in the Isle of Man. Some are w

Instead of reviewing different countries' Christmas stamps individually, I thought it would be better to look at them together. I'm not going to give any lengthy reviews - I'll just make a few short comments and give a mark. Here are a few of my thoughts about the different new Christmas stamps from around the world. I've tried to cover as many of them as possible, but no doubt there will be a few countries I have missed. Great Britain I will start with our own Christmas stam

It seems I have been reviewing a lot of new issues for the Isle of Man recently. I have checked and it looks like this is the fifteenth new issue this year, and there will be another one next week! Is Isle of Man Stamps & Coins trying to compete with Royal Mail? Do they need this many commemorative stamps? This set was released on 10th October and the theme is "Brewed on Mann". The Isle of Man Stamps & Coins website tells us more about these stamps: "Brewed on Mann capture

On 25th September the Isle of Man released a new issue, in which "Rick Wakeman’s iconic musical legacy, brought to life through Roger...

The Isle of Man has today issued a new set marking the 25th anniversary of the Manx Aviation and Military Museum. The museum was opened...

The Isle of Man released its most recent issue on 14th August. The Isle of Man Stamps & Coins website gives this description: "This...

Here's my first review of new issues and could there be a better time to start than Christmas? I don't think so. I've had a look at some...