2012年10月27日星期六

得來不易的美國郵票

除了香港郵票,收藏最多的是美國郵票。喜歡它,是因為款式多、設計也非常精美。

自從在英國皇家郵政開立戶口成功訂購郵票(但最近不知出了甚麼問題,已經不能在網上訂購)後,便心癢癢地轉到美國郵政,以為成功開戶,訂購應該沒問題,便花了不少心機搜尋及選擇,怎料就在 check-out 付款時遇上滑鐵盧,但又沒有 error message,試了很多次結果仍是一樣。心有不甘,聯絡客戶服務部查詢,回覆是網上不接受 international orders,必須透過電話/郵遞辦理,鑒於經歷過致電 Yahoo 的不快經驗,故此選擇寫信到相關部門訂購。

豈料信件有如石沈大海,呆等了三個星期仍是音訊全無(* 備註 1),志在必得的我唯有硬著頭皮拜託居美的同學幫忙代訂,收到後再寄來香港。

同學是大忙人,期間又曾出國兩星期,但郵票最終於不足一個月內到手,真是千萬個感激。


Four Flags (Forever®) ~ US$4.50

The U.S. flag flies high with stars and stripes. Each stamp represents an important theme in America's development as a nation: Freedom, Liberty, Equality, and Justice.

The U.S. Postal Service® continues its tradition of honoring the Stars and Stripes with the issuance of the Four Flags (Forever®) stamps.

The current U.S. flag consists of 13 stripes and 50 stars. Congress passed legislation in 1818 stating that the number of stars on the flag should match the number of states in the Union. It also specified that new stars would be added to the flag on the July 4 after a state's admission. The current flag's 50th star was added on 4 Jul 1960, after Hawaii became a state on 21 Aug 1959.

The flag illustration by the late Arnold Holeywell is based on a photograph taken by art director Howard Paine. Paine also served as the typographer for the stamp.

The Four Flags stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps in self-adhesive books of 20 and self-adhesive rolls of 100. Forever® stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate.

Issue Date : 22 Feb 2012


Aloha Shirts ~ US$1.60

Nothing says "Hawaii" or conjures casual good times like the colorful Hawaiian Aloha shirt, which takes its name from the Hawaiian word often used as a blessing or greeting. The U.S. Postal Service® celebrates the spirit of "Aloha" with five Aloha Shirts stamps, each depicting a different shirt.

Aloha shirts are made from boldly patterned fabric showing decorative images of Hawaiian life. Two of the five classic shirts depicted in the stamp art showcase surfers and their boards; one shows fossil fish, shells, and sea stars; another shows a tropical flower known as the bird of paradise; and one shows Kilauea, a volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Some commentators have traced the "casual Friday" custom observed in America's mainland offices to Hawaii, where Aloha shirts were first worn to work on Friday. The shirts, which have a straight lower hem and are worn hanging loosely over the trousers rather than tucked in, are now widely considered acceptable business attire in the 50th state, where the climate can make a suit and tie uncomfortable.

Issue Date: 19 Jan 2012

Issue City: Honolulu, HI 96820


Send a Hello (Forever®) ~ US$2.25

These colorful postage stamps feature popular Disney characters from: Cars, Ratatouille, Toy Story, Toy Story, Up, and WALL-E. Celebrating important Disney Pixar characters Since 1986, the films of Pixar Animation Studios have stretched the boundaries of our imagination with stories about unlikely heroes who explore the bonds of friendship and family. Now some of those heroes are the subjects of colorful new Send a Hello (Forever®) stamps that encourage people to connect with loved ones through the mail.

These new stamps capture the delight of finding a letter, greeting card, or package waiting in your mailbox. It puts a shine on the rest of the day-even before you've opened it. Despite all the ways we communicate with friends and family today, there's still nothing as personal as knowing someone took time to choose a card … write a letter … wrap a package … and even choose a special stamp simply to Send a Hello.

Art directors Terrence W. McCaffrey and William J. Gicker worked with Disney•Pixar to design the stamp art featuring popular characters:

- Lightning McQueen and Mater from Cars (2006)
- Remy the rat and Linguini from Ratatouille (2007)
- Buzz Lightyear and two of the green, three-eyed aliens from Toy Story (1995)
- Carl Fredricksen and Dug from Up (2009)
- The robot WALL•E from WALL•E (2008).

The Send a Hello stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps.

Issue Date: 19 Aug 2011

Issue City: Anaheim, CA 92803

Mail a Smile (Forever®) ~ US$2.25

The new Mail a Smile (Forever®) stamps feature Disney•Pixar's unique characters who remind us of our fears and foibles, challenges and victories, and make us laugh while doing so. In 2012, their familiar faces will lift our spirits once again on stamps that remind us it's always a good time to "Mail a Smile".

These Mail a Smile stamps feature beloved characters from five Disney•Pixar movies:

- A Bug's Life (1998)
- Toy Story 2 (1999)
- Monsters, Inc. (2001)
- Finding Nemo (2003)
- The Incredibles (2004).

This stamp sheet is a follow-up to the Send a Hello (Forever®) stamps, a 2011 issuance featuring Disney•Pixar characters that grew out of the Art of Disney series issued from 2004 through 2008. From monsters, fish, and ants to toys and superheroes, Disney•Pixar characters have brought heart and humor to our lives for over 25 years.

Since 1995, Pixar Animation Studios has won 29 Academy Awards. Responsible for almost every major breakthrough in computer animation, the company continues to reset the bar in technology with every film.

The Mail a Smile stamps are being issued as self-adhesive Forever® stamps.

Issue Date: 1 Jun 2012


Year of the Dragon (Forever®)

The U.S. Postal Service® celebrates the Chinese zodiac with its 2012 Year of the Dragon (Forever®) stamp, 5th in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series. Dragons aren't always scary monsters. The colorful creature featured on this stamp represents the Year of the Dragon, which began on 23 Jan 2012, and ends on 9 Feb 2013.

Across many cultures, in the United States as elsewhere, the Lunar New Year is celebrated in various ways, often with parades and parties. By tradition, dragons are not feared, but are considered magical or divine — welcome symbols at this time of renewed hope for the future. Performing before delighted crowds, skilled teams of dancers manipulate colorful dragon figures such as the one depicted in the stamp art. Lucky foods are eaten — kumquats, for example (issued in 2011) — and given as gifts. Festive lanterns, colored red for luck (issued in 2008), are common decorations at Lunar New Year celebrations, where they are frequently hung in rows.

Combining original artwork by Kam Mak with 2 elements from the previous series of Lunar New Year stamps — Clarence Lee's intricate paper-cut design of a dragon and the Chinese character for Dragon, drawn in grass-style calligraphy by Lau Bun — art director Ethel Kessler has created a culturally rich stamp design that celebrates the diversity of the American experience.

The Celebrating Lunar New Year stamp for the Year of the Dragon is being issued as a Forever® stamp.

Issue Date: 23 Jan 2012

Issue City: San Francisco, CA 94188


Bonsai (Forever®) ~ US$9

With these five Bonsai (Forever®) stamps, the U.S. Postal Service® celebrates the beauty of bonsai. The word bonsai (Japanese for plant in a pot) refers to the art of cultivating plants — usually trees — in trays, pots, or other containers. Favorite bonsai plants include evergreens, maples, and azaleas, but many other trees and shrubs are also suitable.

One of the common styles of bonsai is shown on each of these 5 stamps. The first stamp depicts a Sierra juniper in semi-cascade style, in which the tip projects over the pot rim but does not extend below the base. Second is a trident maple in informal upright style, in which the trunk bends slightly to the left or right. Third is a black pine in formal upright style, with the trunk straight and tapering evenly, with symmetrical branches, from base to apex. Fourth is an azalea plant in multiple-trunk style, with several trunks emerging from one root system. The fifth and final stamp shows a banyan in cascade style, in which the trunk evokes a stream flowing down a mountainside, with the tip extending below the pot's base. The plants depicted are roughly 15 to 20 inches tall.

Although no one knows when the first bonsai was created, it is generally accepted that Buddhist monks brought the practice from China to Japan about a thousand years ago. The bonsai collection at the National Arboretum began in 1976 when the Nippon Bonsai Association in Tokyo, Japan, presented the people of the United States with 53 plants as part of the U.S. bicentennial commemoration.

A bonsai master begins with seeds, cuttings, a naturally stunted tree, or a very young tree. Over time, he or she prunes the roots and branches, uses wire to shape and train the branches, and sometimes scrapes or peels bark to achieve desired effects. The plant is watered and repotted when necessary, and can live a hundred years or more.

Art director and stamp designer Ethel Kessler worked with artist John D. Dawson on the Bonsai stamps. They are being issued as Forever® stamps.

Issue Date: 23 Jan 2012

Issue City: Sacramento, CA 95813


Birds of Prey ~ 85¢

The northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), osprey (Pandion haliaetus), and northern harrier (Circus cyaneus) are featured on these unique Birds of Prey stamps. The U.S. Postal Service®: salutes these kings of the sky with colorful portraits set against a plain, white background.

Birds of prey, also known as raptors, thrive in diverse habitats and live on every continent except Antarctica. The roughly 500 species of raptors include birds that hunt by day, such as falcons, eagles, and harriers, and birds that hunt by night — the owls. They share several common characteristics; birds of prey are carnivorous and use their powerful talons to capture prey. Their exceptionally keen eyesight allows them to see small objects in detail, even from a great distance. As predators high on the food chain, raptors play an important role in maintaining the balance of nature.

Illustrator Robert Giusti worked with art director Howard E. Paine on this issuance. Giusti painted the original designs in acrylic on canvas board. The Birds of Prey stamps are being issued in self-adhesive sheets of 20 at an 85-cent denomination, which is the price for single-piece retail First-Class Mail weighing more than two ounces and up to and including three ounces.

Issue Date: January 20, 2012

Issue City: Washington, DC 20066


Go Green (Forever®) ~ US$7.2

These Go Green (Forever®) stamps illustrate simple things we each can do every day to save the environment. With only a few small changes to the way we live.

Big environment. Big issues. Little you. If you feel as if there's not much one person can do to make a positive impact on the environment — just take a look at the Go Green (Forever) stamps. They illustrate simple things we each can do every day. With only a few small changes to the way we live.

Out of milk? Walk or bike to the store. Repair that drippy faucet — the noise was driving you crazy, anyway. Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs. Put on a sweater instead of turning up the thermostat. Sun dry your sheets — they'll smell wonderful!

Is it enough to make a difference? Absolutely. Recycling just one aluminum can reduces waste — and saves enough energy to run a computer for three hours. Multiply that by 10 — or 200 — cans. Simple insulation like caulking or weatherstripping pays for itself with reduced utility bills within one year. Properly inflating your car tires improves gas mileage by as much as three percent. You're not just saving the environment, you're saving — period. Suddenly small steps seem pretty big.

Best of all, once you've started thinking — and acting — green, you'll feel proud that you've been part of a big change. "Home" just got greener. Thanks to you.

Go Green, a sheet of 16 stamps, is the Postal Service's social awareness issue for 2011. Award-winning animator, filmmaker, and illustrator Eli Noyes worked with Art Director Derry Noyes on his first stamp project, using a colorful, playful style to convey the message that every American can take simple actions to conserve energy and improve the environment. These Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate.

Issue Date: April 14, 2011

Issue City: Washington, DC 20066


Dogs at Work ~ 65¢

Dogs have become more than just best friends — they've also become our coworkers. From guide dogs to therapy dogs to search and rescue dogs, these stamps from the U.S. Postal Service® honor the enduring partnership between dogs and people. This set of four Dogs at Work stamps depicts four hard-working canines: a guide dog assisting a woman who is blind, a tracking dog on the trail of a scent, a therapy dog visiting an elderly woman in her home, and a search and rescue dog standing in a field, ready to tackle the next assignment.

For thousands of years, dogs and humans have shared a special bond. While the earliest dogs helped human hunters bring home prey, today's pooches excel at a variety of jobs. Currently, some 10,000 guide dogs in the U.S. and Canada serve as an extra set of eyes for people who are blind. Therapy dogs, chosen for their friendly dispositions, bring comfort and joy to the elderly and the ill. Dogs that work with police and military personnel are trained to detect drugs, guns, and explosives. Search and rescue dogs speed up search efforts, increasing the odds of survival for disaster victims.

Artist John M. Thompson created original paintings for the stamps, which were designed by art director Howard E. Paine. The Dogs At Work stamps are being issued at a 65-cent denomination, which is the price for single-piece retail First-Class Mail weighing more than one ounce and up to and including two ounces.

Issue Date: January 20, 2012

Issue City: Merrifield, VA 22081 (Field Event)


備註 1:其實在拜託同學後不久便收到美國郵政的回信(!?),內容仍然是官腔十足,叫人不快。

備註 2:這事發生在暑假期間,為何現在才貼文?都是拜 Blogger 轉新版所賜,把文章從舊版轉新版,真叫人心力交瘁。

備註 3:相信暫時是跟美國郵政緣盡了。



2 則留言:

  1. 不快經歷就忘掉它罷... 反正都得到了... 開開心心地擁有.. 好好珍惜~

    回覆刪除
    回覆
    1. 仲以為以後可以唔駛靠香港郵政,幾失望呀我。(>人<;)

      刪除

注意:只有此網誌的成員可以留言。