Hello Collectors
Welcome to the November–December edition of the Stamp Bulletin and the remaining stamp issues and collectable items for the year.
Cultural sites of worldwide significance are celebrated by a stamp issue that depicts four Australian sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. To be released in late October, World Heritage Australia features properties listed for their cultural significance, outstanding beauty and universal value.
The inaugural W.S. Cox Plate was held in 1922 at the newly established Moonee Valley Racecourse in outer Melbourne. English horse Violoncello took out first win honours. The event is an important part of the spring racing carnival each year and has brought legendary status to a number of winners, including champion mare Winx, who won the W.S. Cox Plate an unequalled four times.
This year’s Christmas stamp issue focuses on Australian themes. Paintings by Leopoldine Mimovich OAM (1920 – 2019) have been reproduced on the religious stamps and minisheet, and illustrations by Sarah Allen feature on the secular designs. Both issues combine traditional iconography with Australian fauna and flora, including kangaroo paw, bottlebrush and waratah. Christmas Island Christmas continues the theme of Santa and a few of the locals celebrating Christmas in their own unique way.
To assist general mail users wishing to send greetings overseas during the Covid-19 pandemic, the acceptance date for international Christmas card mail was brought forward to 1 October. As a result, this year’s general release international Christmas stamps have been made available earlier. The official philatelic date of release for the 2020 Christmas stamp issues remains unchanged and is recorded as such on products such as first day covers and maxicards.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas in what has been a very different and challenging year. Your support and interest in Australian stamps and collectables is greatly appreciated by the Philatelic Team and we look forward to bringing you new stamp issues in 2021!
Manager, Philatelic, Australia Post
This content was produced at the time of the Stamp Bulletin publication date and will not be updated.
