 Australia
The 1928 kookaburra, a classic Australian stamp. The kookaburra's laughing call is
a lovely one to hear in the dawn chorus, if you've ever lived there.
Kookaburras have been a favourite on Australian stamps with many different designs
right through to the present day.
(Des. R. A. Harrison) |
 Canada
The Bluenose seems to be the stamp that gets the widest use on Canuk
web sites. |
Czechoslovakia
Dan Piazza suggests the first Czechoslovakian issue of 1918-1920,
the Hradcany series designed by Alfons Maria Mucha. |
 Falkland
Islands
The South Georgia 4d was proposed by a fan. Here is a link to the
Island's Philatelic
Bureau
|
 Falkland
Islands
An
alternative proposed by a visitor
|
 Faroe Islands
A correspondent: "This 25 Kr ram was issued
in 1979 and, in my opinion, is as good an example of modern steel engraving as you will find. Its eyes also follow you
around the room!"
|
Gambia
A correspondent:
The
first stamps of Gambia
are noted for their simple elegance. The “Cameo”
stamps, issued in 1869, show Queen Victoria in profile. Her image is
in white and embossed. I don’t think there is another stamp from
this early period that matches it. It was this stamp that
first made me fall in love with philately as a child and still holds
me in thrall. Not bad for something 140 years old!
|
|
 Germany
A nomination from a correspondent - the 1919 40
Pfg airmail.
|
 Great
Britain
Who can go past the Machin - certainly the UK post office can't - still going after
three decades and hundreds of varieties.
|
 Hong Kong
Hong Kong Post ran an internet poll that picked this as their stamp of the
millennium - from a miniature sheet. Pretty cute panda. Click on the stamp to link to a
site about the design and see the whole sheet. |
 Italy
A fan or Italian stamps describes Scott 87 as the "most beautiful and elegant
stamp". |
 Kenya
- Nik Pringle
writes - I would suggest SG 30 of Kenya (Elephant) because of
its simplicity - yet it & all others in the series (with the
possible exception of the 20 shs Lion) could all equally qualify for
this honour - without a doubt - my vote for the most beautiful set.
(added 2003) |
Luxembourg
A correspondent in Thailand: "As
Luxembourg's most beautiful stamp, I'd like to nominate the 62.5c
Marie-Adelaide definitive issued in 1912, beautifully engraved by
Fernand Schirnbock, the pre-eminent engraver of the early part of th
20th century. I've attached a scan of the entire issue."
The 62.5 is bottom
left.
|
 Monaco
A correspondent nomination: "My preference goes to the portrait
of Lucien Grimaldi, painted by Ambrogio di Predis and engraved by
Gandon. The stamp was issued by Monaco in 1967, as part of the first
Art set (Scott No. 675)"
For a great site see Arts
on Stamps |
 New Hebrides
A fan of New Hebrides stamps describes this as the "most
striking stamp of the New Hebrides - the 1897 2d Australasian New Hebrides Company Ltd
local issue." For more info go to the great New Hebrides
Site.
Where the heck are the New Hebrides? Well they are in the South Pacific
and today they are called Vanuatu, but they formerly were a joint British/French colony -
a condominium, commonly known as the pandemonium. |
 New Zealand
A simple but elegant stamp - 1964 pictorial.
|
|
 Papua
New Guinea
Correspondent
nominated - Count Raggi's bird of paradise (Paradisaea
raggiana) See
here
|
Rhodesia
A
correspondent thought this company stamp is the greatest for this
defunct country name.
|
 Sweden
Facit # 733, September 1971, Its
nominator comments: "Of course, almost any stamp designed by
Czeslaw Slania could
have been included, and as this one is of a mail coach it is even
more appropriate than others."
|
 Switzerland
The Dove of Basel is a very valuable stamp and one admired by collectors
for more than its rarity. It must be one of the earliest multi-coloured stamps.
Timbres
Suisses - Stamps of Switzerland covers
this and many other Swiss issues.
|
 USA
I think this one is pretty popular. A king of stamps?
But is it beautiful rather than sexy? US Post held a poll to choose the design.
It is the best-selling commemorative stamp of all time, with over 517 million sold.
See
Josephine Woodward's page on Elvis stamps. |
