Bhutan,the extra-ordinary

s.s. II

 

"Thangkas" (scroll-paintings),issued Sept.30th,1969. (part I of 3)
Printed on artificial silk (rayon) the colours look much more vivid
on the stamps,than on the scan.
This is my favourite set from Bhutan.

 

(part II of 3)
The crux with this set is,that the stamps are self-adhesive.
The "gum" however is not stable.It is slightly liquid and comes out
between the stamp and her backing paper.I have put some plastic
foliage on the backs,to avoid them sticking onto the album page.

 

(part III of 3)
The s.s. to this series exists perforated and imperforated.Hopefully
I will be able to show them at a later date.

 

Today I can "proudly" present the postal fiscal stamps,mentioned
in post #1 of this thread:

Listed by Scott as APR 1-4,they are listed by Michel as (regular)
nos.1-4 of Bhutan.
They were issued Jan.1st,1955 for use as postage stamps.
When the first regular postage stamps were issued on Oct.10th,
1962 (Post #1 & 2),the use for postage ended and they were
used as fiscals only from then on.However later use on letters
till about 1964 is said to exist.
Scott,at least in my version of 2009,gives the face values as 1,2,4
and 8 ch.However this is misleading,as they usually use "ch" for
Chetrum, the bhutanese word for the Indian Paisa (e).
However the face values of the stamps is expressed in the local
currency "Shiki". One Shiki equaled 4 Annas in Indian currency,
i.e. a quarter Rupee.
So 2 Shikis were 8 Annas,4 Shikis were one Rupee and the 8 Shikis
equaled 2 Rupees.
Now comes the weird part:
Michel claims,that "at a later date" the 8 Shikis equalled 5 Rupees !
I can only guess,that the Shiki was probably based on silver or gold,
so it was revalued against the Indian (paper-) Rupee.
Prices for this set vary widely: Michel lists it at € 25.-,but I have seen
asking prices of up to $ 120.-.(All for mint,n.h.)

 

"Apollo XI",issued Mov.11th,1969. (part I of 3)

 

(Part II of 3)

 

(part III of 3,airs)
There are three s.s. with the same stamps,what I do not own.

 

Yesterday´s arrival:
the imperforated "Thangkha" souvenir sheet.
As the three stamps what make up the s.s. are clearly different from
the set-stamps,they got their own numbers by Michel.
Hopefully the perforated s.s. will arrive (from Canada) in the near
future,what will show the differences better.

 

Yesterday the perforated s.s. arrived fron Canada:

For scanning I left it in the plastic wrapping,wherein I store my
set and s.s.,in order not to get the glas of the scanner smeared
with the leaking adhesive.
Here the s.s. and the stamps from the set side by side,what
shows nicely,that Michel did well to give the stamps from the
set and from the sheet theirs own numbers:

 

Issued Dec.2nd,1969

 

Paintings,issued Jan.19th,1970. (part I of 2)

 

(part II of 2)

 

Same painting on a US-stamp,issued Dec.15th,1962

 

The souvenir sheets to the set.

 

A rather conventional issue,but of multiple thematics.
Issued Feb.27th,1970.
Exist perforated and imperforated.Imp.value about four times the price
of the perforated version.

 

Flower-paintings,issued May 6th,1970.
(part I of 4)

 

(part II of 4)

 

The air-mail stamps of the set show the same paintings as before.
I show the souvenir sheets only. (part III of 4)