Jubilee Post Services
In the year 2016 various Postal Services had a jubilee to celebrate. For us as motorcycle freaks 2 of them were relevant: those of Spain and China Taiwan.
The Spanish Post, Correos (= post office), celebrated the fact that they were serving the public for 300 years. Already earlier there were postal services which were not open for the general public, but from that moment on everybody could use the post. This fact was celebrated with various issues and kinds of philatelic items.
On February 29th with a special sheet with 1 stamp. On the stamp and
the sheet margin, executed in bronze, the history of the first 100 years has been represented. Nothing for us.
The second sheet was issued on April 21st and this shows in silver
various kinds of transport from the second centenario. No motorized two-wheelers on it, so also not relevant for us.
But the third sheet, presented on September 14th, the 3rd day of the Exfilna Expo held in Zaragoza, brings more joy for us. The sheet executed in gold represents the last 100 years until 2016 and shows in the sheet margin a group of post delivery men on (electrical?) scooters. If you look carefully at the € 3.00 stamp,
you will discover a postman who, between the just visible mirrors of his scooter, hands over a letter. It concerns the delivery of a quick (express) message from a via ICT sent E-commerce CTA (automated process centre) correspondence. Well, well, and all of that on 1 stamp.
The 3rd stamp sheet
The image on the stamp sheet in more detail
On the afternoon of the presentation all invited persons received a so-called Preuba de Artista containing a loose stamp with the delivery man, executed in real gold-leaf. A real desirable item. But.... when you have not joined this afternoon, the item has also been sold by the philatelic service for 18 euro and "only" 30.000 have been made.
Inside of the "Preuba de Artista" with on the right the stamp in gold-leaf
Outside of the "Preuba de Artista"
Together with the presentation of the sheet the jubilee-compilation was presented, containing the 300 most beautiful, memorable and beloved stamps elected by the public.
This issue, split in 3 volumes, has an edition of 2250 pieces and each volume has the matching stamp sheet mounted in the cover. But more special is that of each of the 3 sheets an FDC has been included, canceled with the first day postmark with ink made with respectively bronze, silver and gold components.
The jubilee compilation in 3 volumes, with the stanp sheet behind the excision in the cover
The FDC with the 3rd stamp sheet
On the same day, September 14th 2016, the postcard "The Royal" was introduced. The card shows the headquarters in Madrid, by the population called El Rey (the royal), and carries as franking an imprint of "our" stamp.
As cherry on the cake there is also a collection box with the 3 sheets in seal package, together with the special 10 euro coin of the 300 years celebration.
A special invitation has been sent to the registered collectors with again the 3 stamps depicted on it.
The special invitation card
Here the general first day postmark:
Thus enough Spanish material to collect.
The other jubilee took place on the other side of the world: it is 120 years ago, March 20th 1896, that the Chinese Post was founded. China paid attention to this by issueing a series with block, but without representing our theme.
The Chungwa postal service of the "apostate" Taiwan
also celebrated the 120th anniversary, but they did it with a motorcyle theme (announced as novelty in NB 115). We probably all have the souvenir block issued on March 18th in our collection:
The jubilee block has been printed in an edition of 80.000 pieces, mainly red and green and contains 2 stamps: one of 5 Taiwan Dollar with several bicycle parts in gold ink, and one of 12 T$ with parts of the motorcycle in silver ink. On the block margin are postboxes from several periods and other postal transport vehicles.
As we are used from Taiwan Post, they issue a wide range of products that are related to the stamp issues. Off course the "philatelic" items as FDC and presentation pack, but also a set of postcards with, amongst others, a franking with the imprinted motorcycle,
ditto envelops, a post-celebration decoration package (with amongst others stickers of the vehicles) and even a bag with imprint of the motorcycle.
FDC
Postal stationery
Presentation pack
decoration package
The biggest surprise however came with the opening of the new post office on the airport Kaohsiung International. During the opening on December 2nd, the stamp set and block of the issue on the occasion of the Year of the Rooster had been presented. The folding brochure of the issue contains, next to the normal rooster-block, a rooster-block printed in gold foil, but also a block with 4 "greeting stamps" and 4 labels with on them amongst others the image of the motorcycle as on the February block.
The post office on the airport
The folding brochure on the occasion of the Year of the Rooster
The sheet with the "greeting stamps" and labels
When the year package 2016 appeared in 2017 there was again a surprise, as now both the bicycle and the motorcycle have been used to illustrate the cover of respectively the year book (green with motorcycle) and the collection book (red with bicycle).
Thus, also from the eastern side of the world enough items to collect.
Hans de Kloet
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