COVER N. 473 - PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Postmark: Goroka Papua New Guinea 23.04.2024

Posted on the 23rd April; received on the 12 June 2024

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Another terriffic addition to the collection. It is not everyday that one gets a letter from such a far off place as Papua New Guinea, and I'm sure my friend Mr. Postman must have been once again flabbergasted by the strange envelopes that he so often drops into my letterbox. Muito Obrigado Eric. Fantástica carta!

Eric had already tried once to send me mail from Papua New Guinea, but that time the stamps on the  postcard (#117) weren't cancelled. This time I was very happy to see that a large cancellation was applied on all the stamps.

As I mentioned on the notes pertaining to Postcard #117, in 2001, 2004 and  2005, the Papua New Guinea Postal Services issued three sets of stamps dedicated to the flags of the country Provinces.

What we have here on this particular cover are 4 stamps from the 2004 issue, dated of 20OCT2004, which comprised 6 stamps (2 x 70 toea; 2.65: 2.70; 4.60; 10 Kina).

From left to right, top to bottom, the provincial flags depict ed on the 4 stamps are of the Provinces of Madang; East New Britain; Milne Bay and Morobe.

The stamp on the left top corner is part of a set dedicated to traditional headdresses, comprising 5 stamps, (2 x 70 toea; 2.65: 2.70; 4.60; 50 Kina) issued on 02JUN2004.

The headdress depicted on the stamp is typical of the Simbu Province.

The large Postmark indicates that the letter was posted at Goroka, the capital of the Eastern Highlands Province, with a population of around 19,000 inhabitants.