Thailand, Pathum Thani

King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit

From Thailand comes this beautiful cover with stamps featuring the King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit.

2012 Thailand stamp - THB40 Queen Sirikit

To mark Queen Sirikit's 80th birthday on August 8, 2012, Thai Post issued a sheet with nine stamps. Eight stamps of THB5.00 show a portrait drawing of the queen for every decade of her life and the ninth stamp, value THB40.00, shows a side portrait of the queen wearing a tiara. This stamp was printed with an embossed pearl ink process and with holographic gold printing on the stamp text. 

Also on the cover is one of the stamps issued on October 10, 2010 showing King Bhumibol Adulyadej. There are 10 stamps in this set with values ranging from 1.00 to 15.00 Baht.

 

This cover also has the 12.12.12 special postmark.

Russia - Moscow, Olympics 2014

Cover showing the logo of XXII Winter Olympic Games and quick response (QR) code stamp. The postmark is the same as the stamp.

One of the many stamps issued by Russia, host of the Winter Olympic Games. This stamp was issued on September 18, 2012 and had an encrypted link which, when scanned, brings you to the official site of Sochi 2014.

Malaysia - Pulau Pinang, Postal History of Kedah

Another first day cover, this time from Malaysia, showing the postal history of Kedah. And I didn't see it before but the postmark is a bit special - 20.12.2012.



2012 Malaysia stamp - RM3 souvenir sheet

Kedah pioneered the use of postal services in Malaysia 125 years ago. Malaysia has issued four stamps on the postal history of Kedah to coincide with the centenary of issuance of the first Kedah stamps. The three stamp designs in the collection are in 90sen denominations showing a padi sheaf, Malay farmer ploughing and Balai Besar. The miniature sheet contains a stamp in RM3 denomination featuring the earliest known prepaid items from Kedah. This is one of the few times that Malaysia Post has used the stamp on stamp printed design. 

Belgium - Brussels

A cover from Belgium with a stamp from the Highlights of Belgium set.

Belgium issued on February 12, 2011 a booklet containing five self-adhesive stamps that showed different landmarks around the country. All stamps are marked A, permanent value (EUR1.10), valid for all countries. The general theme was on Art and Architecture including the Atomium (see above), Mardasson Memorial and the Lion of Waterloo.

2011 Belgium stamp - Highlights of Belgium booklet

China - Hong Kong

A unique cover showing the full set of stamps issued by Hong Kong to commemorate the 30th Olympic Games in London. Yuen has ingeniously used a McDonald's (an Olympic sponsor) paper bag as an envelope. 

The stamps are pictograms of the eight sports in which athletes from Hong Kong are participating in - swimming, archery, athletics, badminton, cycling, rowing, table tennis and wind surfing.

Brazil - Taubate

Two covers from Brazil with some Brazilian fauna and professions stamps.

USA - Arizona