COVER N. 747 - SPAIN 

Postmark: Correos CTA Valencia 08.07.2026

Posted on the 8th July;  Received on the 10th July 2026

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Gosh, this one travelled fast. Moltes Gràcies, Eva. M'ha agradat molt la postal també. (And I hope Google got it right, though it does look the part, to me....)😉.

It is 70 years past the first Europa stamp issue, a decision taken in 1956 by the postal administrations of the countries partaking in the  European Coal and Steel Community, the embryonic pan-european organization that would later be subsumed into the EEC (1957), which in time (1993) would become the now existing European Union.

The Postal Services of Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Luxemburg and the Netherlands, were thus the original six issuers of the first common Europa Issue, which highlighted the theme "Europe, Community of Interests and Objectives".

The issue shared a common layout, featuring a scaffolded tower constructed with the letters EUROPA, a symbolic way of portraying  European nations working together to build a shared future.

From 1960 on, the stamps would be issued under the auspices of the recently created European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations, and the stamps would then feature the legend  CEPT.

The practice of issuing a stamp with a common design, although printed in different colours, was carried on until 1973. 

From 1974 the common design stamp practice was abandoned in favour of a common theme, the participating postal administrations being free to design their own stamps.

With  the coordination of European postal policies having been removed from the scope of action of CEPT in 1993, a new organisation, PostEurope, was established to this end, and so, from 1993 on, all common themed issues would feature the EUROPA logo that is now in use.

As far as I can remember only in the year 2000 and 2023 (and quite justifiably so, for this particular issue, in my opinion) was the Common theme  abandoned in favour of a common design.

What was generally an exception became the norm again  this year with PostEurope organising a contest to chose a common design for the stamp celebrating the 70 years of EUROPA issues.

The winning design was the proposal presented by Posti (Finland), authored by Finnish designer Klaus Welp and accoding to the PostEurope Press Release presenting the results of the competition 

"The design of the 2026 EUROPA Stamp combines abstract and symbolic elements. The diagonally ascending dotted line represents both the perforation of a stamp and the progressive work of the PostEurop . The seven dots, connected by a straight line, symbolize seventy years of unified effort by postal operators across the continent. The blending gradients and dotted patterns in the background form a cohesive and vibrant surface, reflecting the joyful mix of colours from the European flag and symbolizing the unity of all member nations.”

On her cover, Eva used this year's Spanish EUROPA issue  - a single tariff "B" (Europe) stamp issued by Correos de Espãna on 05MAY2026.

From a plastic point of view I don't dislike the winning artwork, which I find joyful and uplifting in all its colours and diagonals. Still, I  don't think that the symbology it purportedly affirms is readilly apparent to the viewer (at least I only was aware of it after reading the relesase notes). What I find absolutely boring is seeing it replicated over and over again, although many postal administrations took the opportunity to take an extra buck from the collector's purse by including their own design companion stamps or souvenir sheets in the issue.

Thankfully, next year we take to the ususal practice again with a theme that I am really looking forward to: Street Art... can't wait for it....

Eva's letter was written on the back of a very nice postcard with a photograph  by photographer and illustrator Erica Fustero, taken in Tokyo in 2018. 

The simplicity of the scene, evoking one of the little village shops of my youth that sold all that was needed and more,  is disarming, bathed in the warmness of the dominant colours, only to be disrupted by the outlandish appearance of the scales that take the place of the shop owner that somehow one would expect to be smiling at you from behind the counter.

Photography is really the art of seeing....

COVER N. 746 - POLAND

Postmark: Gdansk 50 ZA 29.06.2026

Posted on the 29th June;  Received on the 10th July 2026

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A change of country, at last 😀. This time Poland, with a cover laden with beautiful stamps. Dziękuję bardzo, Roman.

- The  Poznań Bambers are a Polish ethnic group that was formed when groups of Catholic German settlers from the region of  Bamberg, in Upper Franconia, migrated to  repopulate villages around  Poznań that had been decimated by the Great Northern War (1700-1721), a conflict that opposed Sweden to a coalition of  several countries. namely Russia, Denmark-Norway, Saxony-Poland-Lithuania, Prussia and Hanover, and the plague that ensued. 

Marking the 300th anniversary of the arrival of the Bambers in Poland, Poczta Polska issued on 19OCT2029 a 3.30 Zloty stamp illustrated with a photograph of a group of Poznań Bambers clad in their distinctive festive garments.

~

- On 28DEC2018 Pozcta Polska issued a 4 stamp (2x1.30 + 2x3 Zloty) plus se-tenant vignettes set, themed on "Wild Animals and their Young".

The 1.30 Zloty stamps, one featuring a Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and the other an Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) were used on this cover. The vignette that was paired to the Chimpanzee stamp (also featuring a chimpanzee) is also on the cover.

The 3,90  Zloty stamp with a dancer in traditional costume was issued on 08NOV202 in commemoration of the 75 years of the celebrated Mazowsze Ensemble  - Państwowy Zespół Ludowy Pieśni i Tańca "Mazowsz -  The Polish National Song and Dance Folk Ensemble, founded in 1948.

-  The 20 grosz definitive stamp bearing the image of a Saffron plant, Crocus sp, is part of the  flowers and fruits series,  issued on 06JUL2016.

The Postmark as usual with Roman's letters, was applied at Gdansk.

COVER N. 745 - FRANCE

Postmark: Maurice de Vlaminck (1876-1958) La Poste Paris 13.06.2026

Posted on the 13th June;  Received on the 25th June 2026

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The last of Eric's Paris Philex FDCs. What an amazing bunch of covers. Je n'ai pas de paroles pour exprimer le combien j'étais content de recevoir tous ces plis. Un grand Merci, Eric. 

Fauvism is one of the artistic movements that characterised painting (and the arts in general) in the early days of the 20th century, in which  very intense, saturated, high-key and unexpected colours were used to depict simplified or even abstract subject matter.

Henri Matisse was probably the most well known of the Fauves but the style was professed by several other  artists his contemporaries.

One such painter and also one of the leading names in the movement was  Maurice de Vlaminck (1876 - 1958) who was also a musician (violinist) and a writer (with both poetry and prose to his credit).

On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his birth, la Poste issued a 4 stamp souvenir sheet highlighting Vlanick's work "Still Life", dated of 1907, which can be seen at the fabulous Musée d'Orsay, in Paris.

The Stamp being in-taglio printed, the souvenir sheet illustrates the trichromatic creation  process associated with it, by including not only the end result, but also the results of  separated colour plates, namely Blue; Ochre and Red (on the cover).

COVER N. 744 - FRANCE

Postmark: Nikos Aliagas Danse Millénaire 1er Jour  La Poste  Paris 11.06.2026

Posted on the 11th June;  Received on the 25th June 2026

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And yet another FDC from Eric, with another of the issues that came out during the Paris Philex 2026 stamp show. Encore Merci, Eric. 

From what I read, Nikos Aliagas is quite popular a TV presenter in France, having been the host of such globally known shows as Star Academy and The Voice, which in France goes by the title of la Plus Belle Voix.

Further to that, Nikos is also a well established Black and White photographer, with several published works and international exhibitions to his credit.

His photographic work started in the early 2000 and bio notes say he specialises in Humanist and Portrait Photography, having shot not only celebrities but also the everyday citizen in candid portraits that emphasise the character, the essence, of the subject.

Nikos has also photographed extensively  Greek landscapes, often focusing his lens on a subject which I also find rather photogenic: old olive trees.

On 11JUN2026 La Poste issued a 3,10 € stamp illustrated with one of Nikos' high contrast black and white olive trees photographs, entitled Danse Millénaire (Millennial Dance), portraying two centuries old trees that seem to be dancing in the wind.

The stamp includes a QR code which, when scanned with the Philinfo app, brings the olive trees to life, seen from above, while the photographer comments the photographed scene.

As a personal note I have to say that I am not particularly fond of this augmented reality in photography thing. At the risk of sounding petulant and crude, I'd say that  most of the times (if not all of the times) it adds little (if anything) to the photo, distracts the viewer and diminishes the main artistic subject (the photo, itself). I can see it being used as a vector for guidance, explanation, enlightenment, but photography is a two dimensional thing even if out of it tridimensional constructions might be obtained... but then again, that is already an extension of the medium...

The very nice First day Postmark features an owl, the bird of wisdom, a common occurrence in Greece, which Nikos has also photographed and which he chose as his own symbol.

COVER N. 743 - FRANCE

Postmark: 99e Congrès de la FFAP Hôtel de Soubise 1er Jour  La Poste  Paris 11.06.2026

Posted on the 11th June;  Received on the 25th June 2026

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Fitting that, thanks to Eric,  I post another French FDC on the blog, on Bastille Day. Un grand Merci, Eric. Joyeux quatorze juillet!

The Fédération Française des Associations Philatéliques (French Federation of the Philatelic Associations) was established on the 5th of June 1922, in Paris, then adopting the name of Fédération des Sociétés Philatéliques Françaises (Federation of the French Philatelic Societies).

As stated on its official website, "The FFAP aims at federating the associations of philatelists and collectors, ensuring their connection with their partners, and managing associative philately"

"The FFAP federates almost 600 philatelic associations organised into 20 regional groupings and a specialised philatelic associations grouping (the GAPS), for a total of approximately 25.000 members".

The 99th Congress of the Fédération Française des Associations Philatéliques took place between 10 -  14 June 2026, in paralell with the Paris Philex 2026 expo, and the celebration of the Centenary of the FIP - Fédération Internationale de Philatelie, established in 1926, in Paris.

The sessions were held at the Hôtel de Soubise, a monumental baroque palace also located in Paris, dating from the 18th century, which today houses the Musée des Archives Nationales (French National Archives Museum).

On the occasion, La Poste issued, on 11.06.2026, a 1,52 stamp with a se-tenant vignette, celebrating the Congress and the centenary of the FFAF.

The stamp is illustrated with a beautiful in-taglio multicolour rendition of the Palace, while the vignette carries the legend " 99e Congrès de la Fédération Française des Associations Philatéliques" and the logos of the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie and of the centenary celebrations.

The First day Postmark, issued at Paris, features a rendition of what I would think could be a detail of one of the stucco ornamentations of the palace's lavish  rococo rooms.

COVER N. 742 - FRANCE

Postmark: Ron Agama J'aime la France du plus profond de mon coeur La Poste Paris 11.06.2026

Posted on the 11th June;  Received on the 25th June 2026

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Still going through the large pack of FDCs Eric sent me from Paris Philex.  Ron Agam. I confess my ignorance, but that's what stamps are good for: learning, discovering, enjoying. Un grand merci, Eric.

Ron Agam is a French-Israeli artist, born in Paris in 1958, who after working as an acknowledged photographer for quite a number of years, directed his creative vision to the world of Kinetic and Op Art, following on the footsteps of his father, Yaacov Agam (1928-2026), who was a well established name in this particular domain, which he helped to pioneer.

In recognition of his work, mainly photography at the time, being especially noteworthy a series of  photos  he took at ground zero on September 11, 2001, which are now part of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum permanent collection, Ron Agam was awarded by the French President the title of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor (Knight of the Legion of Honor) in 2008.

On 11JUN2026 La Poste issued a 2,25 €stamp designed by Ron Agam which replicates one of his lenticular works, in the form of a heart shape in the colours of the French Flag, with the bilingual legend  "J'aime la France du plus profond de mon coeur - I love France from the depth of my heart". The signature of the artist tops the heart shape.

The stamp is coated in a special varnish to create the illusion of movement characteristic of lenticular works, but although, upon examining the stamp with a magnifier, I can notice some illusion of depth, the lenticular effect is not that apparent.

The First Day Postmark issued at Paris is illustrated with what I suppose is a trademark of the artist: a woolly hat.  His signature and the legend that is on the stamp (in French only) are also present.

COVER N. 741 - ANDORRA - FRENCH POST

Postmark: 50 Anys de Colonies a AINA - Principat d'Andorra Primer Dia Postes Premier Jour 11.06.2026

Posted on the 11th June;  Received on the 25th June 2026

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A change of country, not of date nor of place of expedition: une fois encore, un énorme Merci, Eric, pour  un autre joli pli Premier Jour.

As far as I can make it through the information I consulted over the Internet, AINA is an Andorran Catholic  charity established in 1976 with the aim of providing access to leisure occupations for Andorran children, as the third vertice of an education triangle comprising family education; schooling and leisure.

Its activity is centred around  the following 6 main objectives:

- Making a country; 

- Creating friendship bonds;

- Cultivating creativity;

- Promoting the most complete and accessible sports for all: mountain hiking in summer and cross-country skiing in winter.

- Sowing human and evangelical values: spirituality, peace, joy, forgiveness;

- Respecting the faith that each child brings from home.

To which, another objective - Inclusion - was added over time, due to the ever increasing number of immigrant children living in the Principality.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the AINA vacation colonies, the Postal Administration of the Principality issued on 11JUN2026 the 2,35€ stamp on the cover illustrated with the image of a little girl wearing a scarf with the national colours while holding an image of the Virgin of Meritxell, the Patroness of Andorra.

In the background, three hills also painted in the National Colours of Blue, Yellow and Red are topped by children, evoking the emphasis that AINA puts in the mountain sports.

 The First day Postmark is designed around the legend "50 years of AINA colonies", which is also included in the stamp.