WOW! I’m so happy to see the letter and stamps I sent you mentioned in the mailbag episode. This is a real treat, thanks so much Graham! Or should I say arigatō! :). Also: I loved the special effects you used, that was a great touch!
🤯😱🤩🥳 we are very happy that you like our postal card and poster. Thanks for sharing with the friends of your channel. My daughter really likes your letter. Jose and Sofia.
Thank you Graham for mentioning me! I am Max the one who sent you the Chinese Zodiac Stamps for 2022. It was a real treat making it for you! I hope you enjoy it! I also am really excited about the American 2022 Tiger stamp! I will be sending you more letters. As always, Thankyou you for absolutely making my day!
Oh brilliant! Thanks for contributing to the channel, Max 😊. I think I dropped off the reply in the mail almost 3 weeks ago, so it should arrive soon 😬🤞. Thanks so much for your support and viewership, happy Exploring!!
What a great episode and what a great community of creative philatelists you have attracted. Thanks for all the time you spent on this (and your other) episodes. I was happy to see you listed in Linn's first listing of Most Influential Philatelists. You certainly deserved the honor. Your channel is of such high quality you should have 100's of thousands of subscribers and tens of thousands of views. Even if one were not into stamps, one could learn a lot and be well entertained by your videos.
Thank you Mark, that really means a lot 😊. Glad you are enjoying the videos and the channel, seeing comments like yours totally makes it worth it. Thanks for your support!!
As always, an excellent episode packed with information. And now to spend hours going down all the rabbit hole tangents!! 😉 Thank you for your continual inspiration.
Graham, thanks for the CAPEX 22 "shout out". This is the first CAPEX since 1996, and it will be the world's first International One Frame Stamp Championship Exhibition. Should be a fantastic show right in Toronto's downtown area.
I am always learning through #philately but surely this time the best happened..! I am also happy that my mail art made its way and that you enjoyed it..! Many thanks Graham 😁 a fulfilled Fred.!
@@ExploringStamps I will keep on this way if I have some time and ideas to do it.. anyway as you've said...stamps have an official way value..or..? Money making CTO..🤔 I tried it and a very sympa. postmaster helped realising this mail art & questions show about..! Whatshowever I am really great you received all my christmas....🍾🕉💯% alike this great time it tooks me to realise that..😉 Onto the next.💣
I have no words to describe how happy I am for all kindness and attention Graham always have with his subscribers. My wife and I was so exciting watching the video for the first time, and now we are sharing among family and friends. Thank you for being the person you are Graham. Thank you so much!
Thank you Gustavo!! That means such a lot to me and the channel, thank you for supporting and sharing the hobby, I love the way you combined your two passions together for the cover & postcard, just brilliant!
Glad you enjoyed the aerogramme Graham, thanks for the postcard. You've also got me into Postcrossing now 😀. Shame I missed you at London 2022 but loved your coverage. Best wishes to yourself and your patient lady 😉👍
Hi 👋 First of all, thanks for the time you spend on making your videos. I wanted to say that Titeuf (the kid with the yellow hair on the French stamp) is not originally a cartoon but a comic book! It was incredibly popular with the kids of the 90s, and is still an ongoing series. But the author is Swiss, and there are also Swiss Titeuf stamps for that reason. 2022 marks the 30 years of Titeuf so who knows, maybe there will be new stamps with him! And thank you for the segment on Czesław Słania. I have to admit that I never heard of him before, but his story and art is fascinating. I will definitely be watching the videos you mention.
Oh Brilliant! Thank you for the added info on Titeuf, I really had never seen the character or heard of the comic/cartoon before. I will have to keep a look out and see if there is a 30th anniversary for it. Yes, definitely look into Czeslaw, you will be impressed! Thanks so much for watching and for your support. 😊🙏
@@barrydrees9969 I don’t think it’s a trademark per say, but it does fit the character. He’s a mischief, always getting into (childish) trouble. I do remember a couple of strips that are about nose buggers though!
I have to say thank you. I always learn so much from watching your videos and in such a fun way. I have been collecting stamps for over 50 years and my husband joined me in collecting before we were even married. My family used to have stamp weekends when we would all get together and work on our individual collections. Upon my parents passing I received 1/3 of their collection, and my brother has just passed his collection to me as well as his 1/3 collection of our parents. What a collection I now have. Keep up the great work, love watching your videos.
Wow thank you Connie. 'Stamp Weekends' with collectors in the family must have been amazing. It sounds like you have a pretty large collection at the moment, and so you must never run out of things to learn and enjoy from it. Thank you so much for your support and viewership, it really means a lot! 😊
Thanks for including me in this episode and finding even more interesting info! Always fun to watch the different kinds of mail sent in by your viewers!
Thank you for sending it Wayne!!😊 I also enjoyed your interview with Lisa, so the postcard provided the perfect connector for that interview. Thanks for your support thanks🙏
That is soooooo much mail 😯😀!!! Another fab episode Graham. I really like these viewers mail videos... Then again, I actually like all your videos! I'm sending something your way, but I'm not sure it will fit in a p.o. box 😬🤣
Hello Graham! Loved the episode so much and got to know about Czesław Słania, and of course, about the Competition PostCard. Yep, you are pronouncing it well, the MEDHDOOT POST CARD!!!. Actually, I watched the video 2 days ago, but could not watch the whole video beacuse I had an exam the next day. So I watched the whole video yesterday, and now I'm thanking you! And yes, I'm going to use the competetion postcard soon 😉
Thank you Ujan!! The Meghdoot and competition postcards were super interesting, I see a lot of viewers are commenting as well discussing them. Hope you are well. 😊
I’ve been watching your videos and love the content. I used to collect stamps as a kid but then as I grew older I got busy and forgot how enjoyable this hobby is. You’ve helped me find my lost love, thank you.
@@ExploringStamps I always enjoy looking at the shelf behind you when you are speaking. I know you've mentioned some sources in your presentations, but I would be interested in hearing more about the reference books you've accumulated so far. I purchased the books on the philately of WWI and WWII Europe after learning about them from you, and I've really enjoyed them.
Thank you so much for showing the stamps I sent you from Lebanon. This is the new channel that you inspired me to start, The Oriental Philatelist. Thank you for all the episodes you've done so far. This is without competition my favorite channel. Mazen
In a world of hyper partisan politics, wars and propaganda, and financial disasters, it is awesome to just relax and share some time with you exploring this wonderful hobby. You provide a welcome diversion that is likely much more important than you realize. Thank you for your dedication and your presentation. (And thank you Laura as well!)
There are a couple of UK issues featuring Pillar/Post Boxes :- Oct 2002 - 150th Anniversary of the first Pillar Box that features 5 different styles of boxes. Aug 2009 - A Mini Sheet of 4 featuring 4 different Wall mounted Letter Boxes.
I still don't know what kind of historic stamp I want to collect but when I saw the Posu Kuma designs I HAD to collect them all. What a cute thing to put on a stamp
Hi Graham, loved the part of your episode about Czeslaw Slania. The part about Mr. Slania's daughter was very touching. Later in the episode you mentioned extreme philately; can you briefly tell me what extreme philately is about? Once again, thanks for your wonderful contributions to Philately. All the best.
Thank you Gary, glad you enjoyed it. Xtremephilately is basically taking stamps out of your album, and photographing them alongside the subject/place or person. In the London2022 video for example, I took the Harry potter stamp to Platform 9 3/4. Its a fun way to interact with the hobby, post the images on social media where others can view and enjoy.
Graham, very good show as usual. After 50 years of collecting stamps, I am still loving the fact that philatelists are inventing new stamps that they make and sending them to you. Are you going to make a show on Yugoslavian stamps? I find them very beautiful, especially the very first ones. Thanks, David Barban
Thank you again Graham, I enjoyed this episode a lot and I got a glimpse of the 'kinderzegels' I sent:-) It was really interesting to learn about the Indian competition postcards and presenting zodiac stamps for the birth years of the family members is a really cool idea, liked that a lot, kind of makes me want to do that too....hmm, who knows.
India Post is all about accessibility, India has the largest postal network in the world, each and every small village in India has a Postoffice. About Meghdoot: Meghdoot or Meghadūta is a lyric poem written by Kālidāsa, considered to be one of the greatest Sanskrit poets. It describes how a yakṣa, who had been banished by his master to a remote region for a year, asked a cloud to take a message of love to his wife.
Another great mail day episode. Always learn a lot from different mail. I’ve never heard of competition postcard before, really cool concept. And thanks for the shout out 😎
Thank you Richard! I really enjoyed learning about the competition postcard and its origin, you can imagine how long of a rabbit hole that was for me. Thanks for watching 😊
Thanks for another entertaining mail day episode! I lived in Edison and Metuchen for 9 years in the early 2000's and I'm now quite ashamed I never visited the Edison memorial... although I did visit his home and museum in West Orange. Anyway, quite interesting to see that after almost 20 years the mail sorting machine at the Kilmer processing center keeps nipping that circle on the bottom of the envelopes (38:31 on the video). I moved out of Edison 11 years ago and my mail now is processed in Philly so no more nips on my mail 🙂
Ok that makes me feel less embarrassed. I thought I was the only local that didn't visit it... I'm actually quite surprised that I didnt even see the top of the tower out of the train window on my way into the city (I need to pay more attention to my surroundings). Yup that would likely be the Kilmer processing center causing those dings in the envelopes, 😅. A lot of my mail comes to me like that.
Great episode! Thanks for spending time on the Indian postal cards. I was not aware of them. Now I have another thing to hunt for in the dollar boxes. I would love to find a postally used Competition card. Also thanks for the brief shot of the Indonesian cover I sent you, it was exciting to see it included in this wonderful episode.
Hi Graham, When I was working in Tanzania in 2013, IGPC stamps were available at all the post offices that I visited and, YES, they were accepted for valid prepayment of postage (I used a lot on postcards to friends). My suspicion, is that in the case of your envelope from Zanzibar, the postmaster was just being kind and wanted the envelope to arrive in good condition, especially due to the 'artistic' nature of the cover.
Enjoyed the video as always Graham. Did you notice that the cartoon kid on the Fete du Timbre French stamp is picking his nose! A little resistance to authority perhaps?
@@ExploringStamps Yeah a bit like Dennis the Menace or Calvin & Hobbes. Kind of makes you wonder how that design got approved. I know that in Germany (where I live) they used to publish for each new stamp about 10 alternative designs that were submitted (and I often thought that some were better than the one they chose), but a cartoon figure picking his nose? Did the judges not notice? Is there some sort of significance to this? Perhaps there is something on the FFAP site? Hey French readers - anyone know?
the mail sent by Ujan is very enlightening, and I myself was not ware of the origin of the competition postcard until this enlightening vlog. I am from the State of Goa in India, and to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Goa's Liberation from the Portuguese Regime, n December 19 last, our Hon. PM. Shri. Narender Modi had released a special Meghdoot postcard. A Meghdoot postcard used to be 15 paise which is now 25 paise. 25 paise is equivalent to quarter of a rupee. Now the lowest denomination coin in circulation is Rs. 1, so you have to buy four of them. I recently bought a packet of 1000 Goa Liberation Day 60th anniversary Meghdoot postcards for Rs. 250. It comes very handy for special cancellations and permanent pictorial cancellations that Goa Postal Division come out with at regular intervals. I tend to get every postmark as a stockpile to send out in swaps or to other collectors as a gift, it costs nothing anyway. The regular postcard is Rs. 50 paise which is half a rupee. Renuka Shahane the co-host of Surabhi, a show I saw in my younger days is a famous regional actress who I had the privilege to meet few years ago. A nostalgic moment seeing glimpses of the TV show on your insightful vlog.
Oh wow, thank you for sharing this info on the Meghdoot postcard! Interesting that you would have to buy 4 with just Rs.1. And 1000 postcards?!? Thats amazing, and I imagine that it is going to take a while to run out of them. Glad you found the video interesting and insightful, I enjoyed learning about Surabhi and the competition postcard, it was super interesting 😊
@@ExploringStamps very well, by the way, I have met and interviewed Jonty Rhodes a few years ago. He had come for an event called Goa Fest. Sadly since the pandemic, it hasn't been held. You perhaps would know Jonty is so smitten about our country that he named his daughter, India.
Thank you for your videos and all the work that surely goes behind each of them! I'll probably mail you a little something to thank you: your videos are lively, creative, funny, and informative :-) On my part: as many other Quebecers (and Canadians I guess) of my generation, I started collecting stamps when I was a kid after I saw the movie "Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller" ("Les aventuriers du timbre perdu" in French). It's a movie from the "Tales for All" collection, a wonderful movie where the passion of philately is contagious :-) I saw it again recently, and it's still an enjoyable ride... on stamps, literally ;-) You can find it for free on RUclips, I won't post the link though because I'm guessing it's not totally legit ;-) So, a few months ago I got my collection back from my parents' house, I found a local philately online shop (Arpin), I started building my collection again. Your videos help me learn lots of stuff so I'll keep watching :-)
Dear Graham, Thanks again for your efforts spreading the word of stamps. That poster of the pillar post boxes is really neat! We have gold post boxes too, for the Queens golden jubilee. I think there is one nearby in Gloucester. Anyway, just wanted to ask your viewers if any live in Ukraine. I would like to add some of their latest stamps to my collection. Particularly the one of the defence of Rock Island with the Moskva in the background. If any one living in Ukraine wants to buy a
a set I’d very much be interested in, but how does one do that? Maybe they could get in touch with you? That would be neat to show our support. Viva Ukraina
As usual Great video. Always happy to see your videos. Your presentation is too good. Could you please let us know what software you use? Or better a quick walk through on how you make the videos. Thanks
Thank you 😊 🙏 . I use Final Cut Pro software for my editing. At some point I need to make a video about how I make my stamp vids. Soon!! Thanks for watching
@@ExploringStamps I am eagerly waiting for that video...please make it soon 🙂 your video is crisp to the point and the cool effects makes it more interesting.
Interestingly, when I was in Lebanon, I had some problems using commemorative stamps on mail as the postal clerks said that they were only for collectors, not for use on mail! One clerk even tried to peel off the stamps that I had put on the mail.
@@ExploringStamps But seriously........I really like the FX results . ... ...is there a particular app / software which makes the process of animating like that somewhat intuitive?
Oh yes. Its an app called "MyHeritage". I used the free trial to sign up and try their live photo feature. You upload a photo and the AI makes it move. Kinda creepy to be honest. Thanks for reminding me to cancel my free trial before it clicks over to a full year subscription. ($90+)
@@ExploringStamps Thank you...... image and video altering technology today is absolutely amazing compared to what I'd been seeing just 5 years ago. The deep fake videos are getting so good that it's sometimes very difficult to discern if they're actual videos of people or deep faked videos. I wonder if any creative philatelists are using deep fake technology to enhance stamps with portraits of long dead famous people to make them come to life, so-to-speak? Imagine how interesting that would be to have a long dead famous person on a stamp say things that we might fantasize them saying if only they were alive today! Wouldn't that be cool!
Recall --- I wrote you in a card or email you must check the Nutley post office, ample supply of stamps and a fantastic Annie Oakley wall mural. Its on Franklin Ave in Nutley and the downtown is quite pleasant with a small park nearby. As I wrote would gladly show you around.
Again, thanks, thanks, thanks... and as now i got your mail adress, chazaaaaam, a letter is on its way to NJ ^^ regards, charles (as a teasing : i posted a special 3D-stamp from New Caledonia... enjoy 😉)
I'm listening to this stan rogers thing. a Canadian folk singer who wrote about a boat called the bluenote? Oh gosh. We have the pete seeger stamp release coming up in the US later this year. I really hope to attend that first day ceremony. to my knolege the date and location have not been announced... but I suspect it will be somewhere along the hudson and I suspect that there will be music and a sloop involved. I've added a few things to my collection in anticipation of this pete seeger stamp. It's kinda looking like a need to learn something about stan rogers.
fyi, I learned about the Singing Brakeman earlier this year. that was a whole folk singing adventure that had previously gone right over my head. he was the yodler. speaking of trains and songs... the Pittsburgh Jazz Festival featured a HUGE COAL TRAIN driving right through a set last year. too much. too much. it was incredible So if you like trains and music... the Pittsburgh Jazz festival at the highmark stadium seems to have quite a thing going on no. this was a long long coal train right through the set. I know they had it timed out. they must have
thomas edison! you've got to be kidding me. Westinghouse - I'm in the temple of Westinghouse and we just saw a play about the competition between Edison and Westinghouse. so - if you are doing extreme philately related to electricity. yea, I guess that is going on. The other electricity stamp I'm looking for , thanks to one of your episodes, is the Greek electrical workers
Hello Graham, I am curious do you have a favorite county or stamp design including rhinos. I am primarily a US stamp collector, but buy full albums from time to time just to aquire curtain pieces. This leaves me with loads of extra stuff I would love to send you. You seem to enjoy all countries. Thanks
Your detail in the Competition Postcard story is amazing, I have an Aerogramme of India, which is only designed to be sent to Inside the Indian Subcontinent, So look forward in your mail box for a letter from India, Love from India, Dheeraj Reddy Musku
Glad you enjoyed the episode and a quick look at competition postcards. It was really interesting for me to learn about it, and I think a lot of the viewers agree. Thanks for watching 😊
Hi there my name is Kaai. I just wanted to know where do you get those big boxes of stamps that you use in your videos? I would love to purchase them as well as I am also a stamp collector from South Africa. Thank you.
Well im confused as to why they can even print them, except for a collection sample . But years ago, in U.S.A. I answered an add. To print any image I wanted, and use as a stamp. All I had to do was send them my image, pay a fee. And they were accepted by postal service. I only used 1 of the stamps, of a large sheet. Seems to me if the stamps were paid for to postal, it would be ok to use. Interesting. Ill have to be careful when i purchase for a collection. I want real stamps in mine. Not duplicates. Take care, I love watching your informative videos. But I dont subscribe to anyone. I have too many I watch, and my phone gets bogged down. Again, be safe, take care.
Hi Mick, if you are referring to the PosuKuma stamps (Postal Bear), here is an example of one I found on Etsy. www.etsy.com/listing/1080651493/un-used-greeting-1-yen-posukuma-stamp they seem to be hard to get.
@@ExploringStamps Thank you thats the one I was looking for. I was hoping Japan Post Office offered a service for international buyers to order their sheets , but they dont seem too. Good luck with the channel , you are showing all the best sides of philately, including many Id not realised myself.
does the country whose name appears on the stamp get any revenue back from the sale to collectors? if not, then i can see they are not legit. the year of tiger stamps look like a chinese artists interpretation of a tiger, like from 100 years ago. def has some stylistic elements unique to chinese art, so not a western style art piece.
That’s a very good point. Yes, the country gets revenue from the sale. It is a reason for countries to become clients as it generates revenue for them.
Your enthusiasm for philately is infectious!
😊 Thank you Bruce
BTW Where do we locate your snail mail address?
WOW! I’m so happy to see the letter and stamps I sent you mentioned in the mailbag episode. This is a real treat, thanks so much Graham! Or should I say arigatō! :). Also: I loved the special effects you used, that was a great touch!
Yay Patrick! Thanks for sending the wonderful letter and the postal bear stamps, I'm a fan! 😊🙏
great episode ... your stamp collection is growing by leaps and bounds thanks to all your followers ... when will you end up buried in stamps ?
Its getting there quickly, I'm running out of space 😅. Thanks for watching Caroline!
🤯😱🤩🥳 we are very happy that you like our postal card and poster. Thanks for sharing with the friends of your channel. My daughter really likes your letter.
Jose and Sofia.
I LOVE it, thank you for sending me the postcards and poster. Hope you are both well 😊 .
Wow very good épisode. The Edson memorial visite was instructive. Merci et bonjour.
Glad you enjoyed it 😊🙏 thanks so much for watching! 💡
I wonder what the album is like where you mount you flipflop collection.😏
I should probably reach out to Lighthouse publications and see if they can create a custom Flip Flop album 😂
Thank you Graham for mentioning me! I am Max the one who sent you the Chinese Zodiac Stamps for 2022. It was a real treat making it for you! I hope you enjoy it! I also am really excited about the American 2022 Tiger stamp! I will be sending you more letters. As always, Thankyou you for absolutely making my day!
Oh brilliant! Thanks for contributing to the channel, Max 😊. I think I dropped off the reply in the mail almost 3 weeks ago, so it should arrive soon 😬🤞. Thanks so much for your support and viewership, happy Exploring!!
Thank you for another wonderfully enjoyable episode
Thank you Louis! 😊
What a great episode and what a great community of creative philatelists you have attracted. Thanks for all the time you spent on this (and your other) episodes. I was happy to see you listed in Linn's first listing of Most Influential Philatelists. You certainly deserved the honor.
Your channel is of such high quality you should have 100's of thousands of subscribers and tens of thousands of views. Even if one were not into stamps, one could learn a lot and be well entertained by your videos.
Thank you Mark, that really means a lot 😊. Glad you are enjoying the videos and the channel, seeing comments like yours totally makes it worth it. Thanks for your support!!
As always, time flies while watching these mail episodes, it felt like 15 min tops. Thank you for this episode.
Glad you enjoyed it Pete! Thanks for watching.
Congratulations on the article with Gustavo Lincoln! Very happy to quote our FILABRAS!! Great!! 👏👏👏
Loving greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷!! Success!!
My pleasure, congrats on FILABRAS success, well done 😊
As always, an excellent episode packed with information. And now to spend hours going down all the rabbit hole tangents!! 😉 Thank you for your continual inspiration.
Yay thank you Angie! Glad you enjoyed it, Ill see you in the rabbit hole with all the rest of us 😊
Graham, thanks for the CAPEX 22 "shout out". This is the first CAPEX since 1996, and it will be the world's first International One Frame Stamp Championship Exhibition. Should be a fantastic show right in Toronto's downtown area.
Thanks Les, looking forward to it! 😊
Thanks! Nice episode as always!
Many thanks 🙏 😊
I am always learning through #philately but surely this time the best happened..! I am also happy that my mail art made its way and that you enjoyed it..! Many thanks Graham 😁 a fulfilled Fred.!
THANKS Fred 😊🙏. Your interesting cover gave us something really important and fun to discuss. Thanks for all your support !
@@ExploringStamps I will keep on this way if I have some time and ideas to do it.. anyway as you've said...stamps have an official way value..or..? Money making CTO..🤔
I tried it and a very sympa. postmaster helped realising this mail art & questions show about..! Whatshowever I am really great you received all my christmas....🍾🕉💯% alike this great time it tooks me to realise that..😉
Onto the next.💣
I have no words to describe how happy I am for all kindness and attention Graham always have with his subscribers. My wife and I was so exciting watching the video for the first time, and now we are sharing among family and friends. Thank you for being the person you are Graham. Thank you so much!
Thank you Gustavo!! That means such a lot to me and the channel, thank you for supporting and sharing the hobby, I love the way you combined your two passions together for the cover & postcard, just brilliant!
I'm really glad you received my sabertooth tiger postcard
Yes it’s awesome, and I just received another lenticular card from you yesterday, love it 😊!
Glad you enjoyed the aerogramme Graham, thanks for the postcard. You've also got me into Postcrossing now 😀. Shame I missed you at London 2022 but loved your coverage. Best wishes to yourself and your patient lady 😉👍
Glad the postcard arrived, Matt! Thanks for your support and viewership 😊
Hi 👋 First of all, thanks for the time you spend on making your videos.
I wanted to say that Titeuf (the kid with the yellow hair on the French stamp) is not originally a cartoon but a comic book! It was incredibly popular with the kids of the 90s, and is still an ongoing series. But the author is Swiss, and there are also Swiss Titeuf stamps for that reason. 2022 marks the 30 years of Titeuf so who knows, maybe there will be new stamps with him!
And thank you for the segment on Czesław Słania. I have to admit that I never heard of him before, but his story and art is fascinating. I will definitely be watching the videos you mention.
Oh Brilliant! Thank you for the added info on Titeuf, I really had never seen the character or heard of the comic/cartoon before.
I will have to keep a look out and see if there is a 30th anniversary for it.
Yes, definitely look into Czeslaw, you will be impressed!
Thanks so much for watching and for your support. 😊🙏
Do you know why Titeuf was picking his nose on the stamp? Is that his trademark action?
@@barrydrees9969 I don’t think it’s a trademark per say, but it does fit the character. He’s a mischief, always getting into (childish) trouble. I do remember a couple of strips that are about nose buggers though!
@@orivaa Thanks Olivier. Just a small comment, it is spelled boogers not buggers. Nose bugger is something else entirely.
@@barrydrees9969 Haha, thanks
Thank you for such a fun video, I love seeing all the different stamps and envelopes :)
😊🙏. Glad you enjoyed it, Karen, thank you for your support as always.
I have to say thank you. I always learn so much from watching your videos and in such a fun way. I have been collecting stamps for over 50 years and my husband joined me in collecting before we were even married. My family used to have stamp weekends when we would all get together and work on our individual collections. Upon my parents passing I received 1/3 of their collection, and my brother has just passed his collection to me as well as his 1/3 collection of our parents. What a collection I now have. Keep up the great work, love watching your videos.
Wow thank you Connie. 'Stamp Weekends' with collectors in the family must have been amazing. It sounds like you have a pretty large collection at the moment, and so you must never run out of things to learn and enjoy from it. Thank you so much for your support and viewership, it really means a lot! 😊
It makes me so happy to hear about many people starting to enjoy philately.
Me too!! Its wonderful to see so many people getting excited about the hobby. 😊
Thanks for including me in this episode and finding even more interesting info! Always fun to watch
the different kinds of mail sent in by your viewers!
Thank you Jim! You gave us a reason to learn about something new… and how to pronounce it 😊
Fascinating, thankyou!
You are very welcome, Michael. Thank you for watching 😊
Haha Merry late Christmas, I'm glad the FDC I send could be a part of a quick Christmas section 😄🎄
And I (still) smell a faint piney freshness 🌲😊, thanks Akos
@@ExploringStamps Ohh that's amazing! I still can't smell any of the pine scent 😅😂
Thank you Graham for the honorable mention and feature the postcard I sent you!
Thank you for sending it Wayne!!😊 I also enjoyed your interview with Lisa, so the postcard provided the perfect connector for that interview. Thanks for your support thanks🙏
That is soooooo much mail 😯😀!!! Another fab episode Graham. I really like these viewers mail videos... Then again, I actually like all your videos! I'm sending something your way, but I'm not sure it will fit in a p.o. box 😬🤣
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for all your support, John 😊
Whoa, this video is long, I’m going to enjoy this one.
Thanks Graham!!!
🍿 Enjoy!!
Hello Graham! Loved the episode so much and got to know about Czesław Słania, and of course, about the Competition PostCard. Yep, you are pronouncing it well, the MEDHDOOT POST CARD!!!. Actually, I watched the video 2 days ago, but could not watch the whole video beacuse I had an exam the next day. So I watched the whole video yesterday, and now I'm thanking you!
And yes, I'm going to use the competetion postcard soon 😉
Thank you Ujan!! The Meghdoot and competition postcards were super interesting, I see a lot of viewers are commenting as well discussing them. Hope you are well. 😊
I’ve been watching your videos and love the content. I used to collect stamps as a kid but then as I grew older I got busy and forgot how enjoyable this hobby is. You’ve helped me find my lost love, thank you.
Great episode, thanks
Thanks Roger 😊
Fascinating as always. Thanks Graham!
Thank you Nyle, glad you enjoyed it 😊
@@ExploringStamps I always enjoy looking at the shelf behind you when you are speaking. I know you've mentioned some sources in your presentations, but I would be interested in hearing more about the reference books you've accumulated so far. I purchased the books on the philately of WWI and WWII Europe after learning about them from you, and I've really enjoyed them.
Perhaps a visit to the American Philatelic Research Library?
Thank you so much for showing the stamps I sent you from Lebanon.
This is the new channel that you inspired me to start, The Oriental Philatelist.
Thank you for all the episodes you've done so far. This is without competition my favorite channel.
Mazen
Wonderful! I am your 50th subscriber 🙌. I just added the link to your channel in the video description. Thanks so much for your support 😊
@@ExploringStamps I am honored and humbled :D Thank you so much.
In a world of hyper partisan politics, wars and propaganda, and financial disasters, it is awesome to just relax and share some time with you exploring this wonderful hobby. You provide a welcome diversion that is likely much more important than you realize. Thank you for your dedication and your presentation. (And thank you Laura as well!)
😊 Thank you, Jack! That really means a lot, so glad to see that you are enjoying the videos and the channel. Thanks for your support!!
Great Episode with lots of different topics to learn about and explore.
Thank you Iain, glad you enjoyed it 😊
Wow the tiger stamps are so beautiful!
Absolutely 🐅 😊
The evolution of the pillar post box ..what a great theme for a stamp issue ;-) Though I would think it has already been done?
I would think so as well, but nothing is coming to mind 🤔
There are a couple of UK issues featuring Pillar/Post Boxes :-
Oct 2002 - 150th Anniversary of the first Pillar Box that features 5 different styles of boxes.
Aug 2009 - A Mini Sheet of 4 featuring 4 different Wall mounted Letter Boxes.
I still don't know what kind of historic stamp I want to collect but when I saw the Posu Kuma designs I HAD to collect them all. What a cute thing to put on a stamp
It IS such a cute thing to put on a stamp, I love them 🐻 !
Nice mail day😄
Thank you 😊
Hi Graham, loved the part of your episode about Czeslaw Slania. The part about Mr. Slania's daughter was very touching. Later in the episode you mentioned extreme philately; can you briefly tell me what extreme philately is about? Once again, thanks for your wonderful contributions to Philately. All the best.
Thank you Gary, glad you enjoyed it.
Xtremephilately is basically taking stamps out of your album, and photographing them alongside the subject/place or person. In the London2022 video for example, I took the Harry potter stamp to Platform 9 3/4. Its a fun way to interact with the hobby, post the images on social media where others can view and enjoy.
Excellent . Very good
Thank you 😊
@@ExploringStamps Sir 15 December 2021 list check in Twitter .
What is that?
@@ExploringStamps Sallyride Stamp
One of my favorite US stamps. I just got a few more sheets to use on outgoing mail 🚀
Interesting episode !! Was so glad to hear about the tv show on surabhi , bought back all the memories associated with it !! Thanks Graham!!
😊 you are very welcome! Thanks so much for watching.
Great episode! Absolutely loved seeing all those wonderful items that you received.
Someday you'll receive an envelope from me too.
Thank you 🙏, glad you enjoyed watching 😊
Wow, the engraver (Slania), sounds fascinating! I will check out the links. Thanks for another wonderful mail episode.
YES! Enjoy learning about him, and keep an eye out for his stamps, real works of art!!
Love this episode.
Yay thank you 😊
Graham, very good show as usual. After 50 years of collecting stamps, I am still loving the fact that philatelists are inventing new stamps that they make and sending them to you. Are you going to make a show on Yugoslavian stamps? I find them very beautiful, especially the very first ones. Thanks, David Barban
Thank you again Graham, I enjoyed this episode a lot and I got a glimpse of the 'kinderzegels' I sent:-)
It was really interesting to learn about the Indian competition postcards and presenting zodiac stamps for the birth years of the family members is a really cool idea, liked that a lot, kind of makes me want to do that too....hmm, who knows.
Thank you Kees! I love the kinderzegels, and totally want to spend more time looking at them. Glad you enjoyed the video 😊
Great video! DId the lightbulb on the top of the tower illuminate?
Thank you! Yes it does, of course it is more obvious in the evening and early morning. 💡
I have a suggestion for your next episode of season 4
You can make a pool on RUclips with which stamp you should go next
That is totally an option 😊👍
Hello Graham, Hello Laura.....Awsomeness! Thank You!
Hello 👋 and thank you 😊 🙏. Glad you enjoyed it!!
I love the idea of subsidized postage (re: India post card).
Me too! I was quite impressed by the idea. Thanks for watching, Peter.
India Post is all about accessibility, India has the largest postal network in the world, each and every small village in India has a Postoffice.
About Meghdoot:
Meghdoot or Meghadūta is a lyric poem written by Kālidāsa, considered to be one of the greatest Sanskrit poets. It describes how a yakṣa, who had been banished by his master to a remote region for a year, asked a cloud to take a message of love to his wife.
I looked at an excellent review of stamps and postcards with pleasure
Thank you 🙏. Glad you enjoyed it!
Another great mail day episode. Always learn a lot from different mail. I’ve never heard of competition postcard before, really cool concept.
And thanks for the shout out 😎
Thank you Richard! I really enjoyed learning about the competition postcard and its origin, you can imagine how long of a rabbit hole that was for me.
Thanks for watching 😊
Thanks for another entertaining mail day episode! I lived in Edison and Metuchen for 9 years in the early 2000's and I'm now quite ashamed I never visited the Edison memorial... although I did visit his home and museum in West Orange. Anyway, quite interesting to see that after almost 20 years the mail sorting machine at the Kilmer processing center keeps nipping that circle on the bottom of the envelopes (38:31 on the video). I moved out of Edison 11 years ago and my mail now is processed in Philly so no more nips on my mail 🙂
Ok that makes me feel less embarrassed. I thought I was the only local that didn't visit it... I'm actually quite surprised that I didnt even see the top of the tower out of the train window on my way into the city (I need to pay more attention to my surroundings). Yup that would likely be the Kilmer processing center causing those dings in the envelopes, 😅. A lot of my mail comes to me like that.
All ways learning about new ways of collecting stamps and other things great stamps from all a round the well 👍🏏 Aussie Aussie Aussie 🤣🤣🤣🤣 🇦🇺😎
😊 Glad you enjoyed it Mark! Thanks so much for watching.
Love the show, and especially loved the Year of the Tiger stamps and of course the cricket ones.
Great episode! Thanks for spending time on the Indian postal cards. I was not aware of them. Now I have another thing to hunt for in the dollar boxes. I would love to find a postally used Competition card. Also thanks for the brief shot of the Indonesian cover I sent you, it was exciting to see it included in this wonderful episode.
Thank you Kevin! The Indonesian cover is just beautiful, how could I not show it 😊🙏. Thanks for your support!
Happy to see my Louisiana crawfish postcard pop-up! Thanks for another great episode
👍🦞 thanks for sending it! 😊
always nice to watch your vids 🙂
Glad you like them! Thanks for watching Willem. 😊
Wow super i am happy
Awesome 😊 thanks for watching!
Hi Graham, When I was working in Tanzania in 2013, IGPC stamps were available at all the post offices that I visited and, YES, they were accepted for valid prepayment of postage (I used a lot on postcards to friends). My suspicion, is that in the case of your envelope from Zanzibar, the postmaster was just being kind and wanted the envelope to arrive in good condition, especially due to the 'artistic' nature of the cover.
As for other countries, I am not sure, though I have received mail from Burundi with Stamperija stamps on the cover.
Amazing information..👍👍👍
Glad you liked it 😊
Enjoyed the video as always Graham. Did you notice that the cartoon kid on the Fete du Timbre French stamp is picking his nose! A little resistance to authority perhaps?
Totally a little rebel. If you are going to pose for a postage stamp, take your finger out of your nose!! 😂
@@ExploringStamps Yeah a bit like Dennis the Menace or Calvin & Hobbes. Kind of makes you wonder how that design got approved. I know that in Germany (where I live) they used to publish for each new stamp about 10 alternative designs that were submitted (and I often thought that some were better than the one they chose), but a cartoon figure picking his nose? Did the judges not notice? Is there some sort of significance to this? Perhaps there is something on the FFAP site? Hey French readers - anyone know?
Great episode, love the Indian postcard concept where the advertiser paid a fraction of the cost of the postage.
the mail sent by Ujan is very enlightening, and I myself was not ware of the origin of the competition postcard until this enlightening vlog. I am from the State of Goa in India, and to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Goa's Liberation from the Portuguese Regime, n December 19 last, our Hon. PM. Shri. Narender Modi had released a special Meghdoot postcard. A Meghdoot postcard used to be 15 paise which is now 25 paise. 25 paise is equivalent to quarter of a rupee. Now the lowest denomination coin in circulation is Rs. 1, so you have to buy four of them. I recently bought a packet of 1000 Goa Liberation Day 60th anniversary Meghdoot postcards for Rs. 250. It comes very handy for special cancellations and permanent pictorial cancellations that Goa Postal Division come out with at regular intervals. I tend to get every postmark as a stockpile to send out in swaps or to other collectors as a gift, it costs nothing anyway. The regular postcard is Rs. 50 paise which is half a rupee. Renuka Shahane the co-host of Surabhi, a show I saw in my younger days is a famous regional actress who I had the privilege to meet few years ago. A nostalgic moment seeing glimpses of the TV show on your insightful vlog.
Oh wow, thank you for sharing this info on the Meghdoot postcard! Interesting that you would have to buy 4 with just Rs.1. And 1000 postcards?!? Thats amazing, and I imagine that it is going to take a while to run out of them.
Glad you found the video interesting and insightful, I enjoyed learning about Surabhi and the competition postcard, it was super interesting 😊
@@ExploringStamps very well, by the way, I have met and interviewed Jonty Rhodes a few years ago. He had come for an event called Goa Fest. Sadly since the pandemic, it hasn't been held. You perhaps would know Jonty is so smitten about our country that he named his daughter, India.
Thank you for your videos and all the work that surely goes behind each of them! I'll probably mail you a little something to thank you: your videos are lively, creative, funny, and informative :-)
On my part: as many other Quebecers (and Canadians I guess) of my generation, I started collecting stamps when I was a kid after I saw the movie "Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller" ("Les aventuriers du timbre perdu" in French). It's a movie from the "Tales for All" collection, a wonderful movie where the passion of philately is contagious :-) I saw it again recently, and it's still an enjoyable ride... on stamps, literally ;-) You can find it for free on RUclips, I won't post the link though because I'm guessing it's not totally legit ;-)
So, a few months ago I got my collection back from my parents' house, I found a local philately online shop (Arpin), I started building my collection again. Your videos help me learn lots of stuff so I'll keep watching :-)
Awesome :-)
😊 thank you!
Dear Graham,
Thanks again for your efforts spreading the word of stamps.
That poster of the pillar post boxes is really neat!
We have gold post boxes too, for the Queens golden jubilee. I think there is one nearby in Gloucester.
Anyway, just wanted to ask your viewers if any live in Ukraine.
I would like to add some of their latest stamps to my collection.
Particularly the one of the defence of Rock Island with the Moskva in the background.
If any one living in Ukraine wants to buy a
a set I’d very much be interested in, but how does one do that?
Maybe they could get in touch with you?
That would be neat to show our support.
Viva Ukraina
As usual Great video. Always happy to see your videos. Your presentation is too good. Could you please let us know what software you use? Or better a quick walk through on how you make the videos. Thanks
Thank you 😊 🙏 . I use Final Cut Pro software for my editing. At some point I need to make a video about how I make my stamp vids. Soon!! Thanks for watching
@@ExploringStamps I am eagerly waiting for that video...please make it soon 🙂 your video is crisp to the point and the cool effects makes it more interesting.
U R my favorite on stamps 🇧🇸
Interestingly, when I was in Lebanon, I had some problems using commemorative stamps on mail as the postal clerks said that they were only for collectors, not for use on mail! One clerk even tried to peel off the stamps that I had put on the mail.
8:37
😆 🤣 😂 *How did you do that, Beck?*
😉😏
@@ExploringStamps
But seriously........I really like
the FX results . ... ...is there a particular app / software which makes the process of animating like that somewhat intuitive?
Oh yes. Its an app called "MyHeritage". I used the free trial to sign up and try their live photo feature. You upload a photo and the AI makes it move. Kinda creepy to be honest.
Thanks for reminding me to cancel my free trial before it clicks over to a full year subscription. ($90+)
@@ExploringStamps Thank you...... image and video altering technology today is absolutely amazing compared to what I'd been seeing just 5 years ago. The deep fake videos are getting so good that it's sometimes very difficult to discern if they're actual videos of people or deep faked videos.
I wonder if any creative philatelists are using deep fake technology to enhance stamps with portraits of long dead famous people to make them come to life, so-to-speak? Imagine how interesting that would be to have a long dead famous person on a stamp say things that we might fantasize them saying if only they were alive today!
Wouldn't that be cool!
Recall --- I wrote you in a card or email you must check the Nutley post office, ample supply of stamps and a fantastic Annie Oakley wall mural. Its on Franklin Ave in Nutley and the downtown is quite pleasant with a small park nearby. As I wrote would gladly show you around.
I’m working on a cover to send your way soon!
Looking forward to receiving it 😊
Man! It was an amazing mail day episode!!
Again, thanks, thanks, thanks... and as now i got your mail adress, chazaaaaam, a letter is on its way to NJ ^^ regards, charles (as a teasing : i posted a special 3D-stamp from New Caledonia... enjoy 😉)
Yay thank you Charles, Ill keep a look out for the special stamp. Many thanks for your support!
I’ll be at CAPEX and will totally love to meet you!
Absolutely! See you there 🇨🇦
@@ExploringStamps Will you be there all days?
cool! what do you think about lenticular stamps?
I like your videos
Stay connected 👍
Thank you 🙏
I'm listening to this stan rogers thing. a Canadian folk singer who wrote about a boat called the bluenote? Oh gosh. We have the pete seeger stamp release coming up in the US later this year. I really hope to attend that first day ceremony. to my knolege the date and location have not been announced... but I suspect it will be somewhere along the hudson and I suspect that there will be music and a sloop involved. I've added a few things to my collection in anticipation of this pete seeger stamp. It's kinda looking like a need to learn something about stan rogers.
fyi, I learned about the Singing Brakeman earlier this year. that was a whole folk singing adventure that had previously gone right over my head. he was the yodler. speaking of trains and songs... the Pittsburgh Jazz Festival featured a HUGE COAL TRAIN driving right through a set last year. too much. too much. it was incredible So if you like trains and music... the Pittsburgh Jazz festival at the highmark stadium seems to have quite a thing going on no. this was a long long coal train right through the set. I know they had it timed out. they must have
thomas edison! you've got to be kidding me. Westinghouse - I'm in the temple of Westinghouse and we just saw a play about the competition between Edison and Westinghouse. so - if you are doing extreme philately related to electricity. yea, I guess that is going on. The other electricity stamp I'm looking for , thanks to one of your episodes, is the Greek electrical workers
Hello Graham,
I am curious do you have a favorite county or stamp design including rhinos. I am primarily a US stamp collector, but buy full albums from time to time just to aquire curtain pieces. This leaves me with loads of extra stuff I would love to send you. You seem to enjoy all countries.
Thanks
Your detail in the Competition Postcard story is amazing, I have an Aerogramme of India, which is only designed to be sent to Inside the Indian Subcontinent, So look forward in your mail box for a letter from India,
Love from India,
Dheeraj Reddy Musku
Glad you enjoyed the episode and a quick look at competition postcards. It was really interesting for me to learn about it, and I think a lot of the viewers agree.
Thanks for watching 😊
Literally second to view this video 😂
🙌 Thanks Yan
Hi there my name is Kaai. I just wanted to know where do you get those big boxes of stamps that you use in your videos? I would love to purchase them as well as I am also a stamp collector from South Africa. Thank you.
UJAN is my current classmate 😃
Ujan is awesome!
😂🤟🙏
By now, storage space must becoming an issue.
For Real! You got any space I can use?
@@ExploringStamps I live in a 2 bdroom apt I share in NYC, we don't get much space here. But consider my idea of checking a few post office murals.
تحياة كبير علي فكرك طيب وشكر علي محفضت علي ثاريخ وشكرا
Well im confused as to why they can even print them, except for a collection sample . But years ago, in U.S.A. I answered an add. To print any image I wanted, and use as a stamp. All I had to do was send them my image, pay a fee. And they were accepted by postal service. I only used 1 of the stamps, of a large sheet. Seems to me if the stamps were paid for to postal, it would be ok to use. Interesting. Ill have to be careful when i purchase for a collection. I want real stamps in mine. Not duplicates. Take care, I love watching your informative videos. But I dont subscribe to anyone. I have too many I watch, and my phone gets bogged down. Again, be safe, take care.
I see you liked the cricket I sent you 😀
🦗 🏏 👍 😊
Anyone have a link to how you would order one of the Japanese stamps Graham talked about. ?
Hi Mick, if you are referring to the PosuKuma stamps (Postal Bear), here is an example of one I found on Etsy. www.etsy.com/listing/1080651493/un-used-greeting-1-yen-posukuma-stamp they seem to be hard to get.
@@ExploringStamps Thank you thats the one I was looking for.
I was hoping Japan Post Office offered a service for international buyers to order their sheets , but they dont seem too.
Good luck with the channel , you are showing all the best sides of philately, including many Id not realised myself.
I want to sell some of my grandfather's rare stamp collection. who can i sell it to.
thanks
do u do stamp giveaway?
does the country whose name appears on the stamp get any revenue back from the sale to collectors? if not, then i can see they are not legit. the year of tiger stamps look like a chinese artists interpretation of a tiger, like from 100 years ago. def has some stylistic elements unique to chinese art, so not a western style art piece.
That’s a very good point. Yes, the country gets revenue from the sale. It is a reason for countries to become clients as it generates revenue for them.