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Strange Philatelic Facts! |
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- An underwater post office once existed in the Bahamas, the first and last time it has ever been attempted! It was set up in 1939 on the sea bed, as part of a scientific facility for undersea exploration. The facility was every radical for its time and included many world firsts, including the post office. Although it was fully functional it was, not surprisingly, not well used and closed in 1942.
Not much processed mail exists today, and most of it is in specialised collections. The staff used a special oval postmark that was inscribed "SEA FLOOR/BAHAMAS". The post office was celebrated on a 1965 stamp issue from the Bahamas, although many people believed it to be a future design, rather than a fact from the past!
- Great Britain is the only stamp producing country in the world that does not have to have its name printed on the stamp. This was decided by the Universal Postal Union, because Britain was the first country to ever produce postage stamps. Queen Victoria agreed to the use of postage stamps in 1840, but with Parliament she passed a law which stated that she should be the subject of all stamp designs. This did not end until her death at the turn of the century, which is why all British stamps between 1840-1900 only bear the queens image. Many people believed it was a decision taken by the post office, but it was in fact against the law for a stamp to show any other subject!
- As well as Horses, Donkeys and Camels, unbelievably Cats were actually used to deliver post! Records show, that in 1879 in Liege, Belgium, the postal authorities employed 37 cats to carry bundles of letters to villages. The service didn’t last long as an official report stated “The cats proved to be thoroughly undisciplined!”
- Believe it or not a stamp was once created on the moon! It was in 1969 during the American Apollo 11 moon landing, the astronauts took a stamp die with them, of which they made an impression when they stepped down onto the moon. The die was then returned to earth and was used to produce a 10 cent airmail stamp issued in September 1969.
- The world’s largest stamp was issued recently in Holland, measuring a massive 55.7cm x 45.8 cm. It, and the surrounding postcard was produced by a class of primary school children from Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, as a thank you to bakers who had been providing school meals to 2000 schools. It was a publicity stunt to support the National Schools Breakfast Scheme. The scheme enlisted the help of Enschede, a printer, who has printed many British stamps. Permission was granted for the single stamp from the postal authorities, and the stamp is now awaiting entry to the Guinness Book of Records!
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