Sima Guang ‘Breaking the Vat’ on Chinese stamps

Here’s a great example of why it’s nice to get international snail-mail now and again! My writer friend Adam Williams sent me some documents from China a couple of years ago in a large envelope covered with commemorative stamps. The large block of twenty stamps on the right depicts an anecdote about the early life […]

Extinct Birds on 1974 Cuban Stamps

This 1974 set of Cuban Postage Stamps featured five notable examples of extinct bird species – namely the Dodo (1c), Macaw (3c), Passenger Pigeon (8c), Moa (10c) and Great Auk (13c). The Dodo – This meter-high flightless bird was found on Mauritius. It is one of the world’s most infamous examples of how man’s impact […]

Japanese Mandarin Duck

This 5 yen Japanese Mandarin duck (or in Japanese oshidori) postage stamp was in use from 1952 – 1968. By no means rare – it sells by the bag-full on eBay – I’ve always found this little postage stamp extremely attractive. Photo: philspics