Behind the Stamp

These 5 stamps depict the five largest cities in Australia: Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide (Set 1), Sydney, and Perth (Set 2). There are postcard pictures on every stamp, with Sydney Harbor facing the south on the Sydney stamp, the north bank of the Yarra River in Melbourne, the north side of the Brisbane River in Brisbane, the Karrawirra Parri/River Torrens facing the Adelaide Oval on the north side in Adelaide, and Elizabeth Quay Island on the northern side of the Swan River in Perth. Issued 9/20/19 (set 1) and 9/23/29 (set 2).

Ireland Post recently released a new single stamp to commemorate the 100th Liffey Swim (Irish: An Snámh a Life), an open sea swimming competition from Rory O'More bridge to just outside of the Customs House. On the stamp is a painting by Jack B. Yeats in 1923. The Liffey Swim started in 1920.

Four priority mail stamps were or are going to be released in the years of 2019/2020:  Joshua Tree - Released January 27, 2019. Depicts a Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia) against a stack of boulders. Costs $7.35/stamp. Bethesda Fountain - Released January 27, 2019. Depicts the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park (NYC). Bethesda Fountain is one of the most famous structures and monuments in Central Park. Costs $25.50/stamp. Big Bend - expected release on January 18, 2020. Shows the Rio Grande runnning in a canyon. Costs $7.75/stamp. Grand Island Ice Caves - expected release on January 18, 2020. Shows the ice caves on Grand Island, near Munising, MI. Costs $26.35/stamp.

The Transcontinental Railroad was one of the greatest engineering feats in US history, with two sections meeting up at Promontory Point in Utah. That was in 1869. Operated by Union Pacific, it's still in good shape and freight trains run on it. The railroad was built by a variety of people, mostly immigrants, from anywhere you can think of. It's been 150 years since the 'Golden Spike' got hammered in, and USPS has released a new sheetlet to commemorate. The sheetlet shows two trains, the Jupiter and No. 119. They carried passengers to Promontory Point, the location of the Golden Spike. First released March 11, 2019.

In Canada, hockey is a great part of culture (and cliches, understandably). Teams compete in two leagues, the NHL (National Hockey League), and the Canadian Hockey League (the amateur league). The CHL consists of three regional divisions, the Western, Ontario, and Quebec leagues. Some US teams are also included in these leagues. This trophy has been there for 100 years, and is named for the veterans of war. First released in May 18, 2018

In 1969, the Woodstock Music Festival was held in the small town of Bethel, New York. It was a three day party, with around 500,000 people in attendance! There were over thirty performers in Bethel, both famous and obscure. Woodstock is often said to be the most famous rock festival in history. It was a 'dramatic expression of youth counterculture'. And now, fifty years later, the USPS has created a sheetlet to commemorate the festival. It was first released on August 8, 2019 and was designed by Antonio Acala, art director.

This stamp was released to commemorate the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing. Number: 2018-5. First released March 5, 2018. These stamps depict four different flowers, (starting from top left, clockwise) the Malus Prunifolia, Malus Macromalus, Malus Hoanensis, and the Malus Sieboldii. According to China Post, Malus Micromalus, or the midget crabapple, was Premier Zhou Enlai's favorite fruit tree. Number: 2018-6. First released March 25, 2018.

These stamps celebrate the fine and intricate Chinese art of paper cutting, rich with history and part of the culture. Number: 2018-3. First released January 24, 2018. The annual Chinese Lantern festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar, also marking the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. People typically celebrate with lanterns as decoration. Number: 2018-4. First released March 2, 2018