THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS – 2010 PART 2 by Brian Warren Note that illustrations of single stamps, pairs and postmarks (except IMPs) are full size; illustrations of IMPs, blocks and strips, covers and stationery items are reproduced at between 40% and 75% of full size. DEFINITIVES Date of Issue Description Cost Notes Perforation Printer First day cover with single SOAR definitive used at Blackrock 20 May Flower Definitives - Mountain avens 1c + } (Counter self-adhesive) - Spring gentian 1c + } Se-tenant vertical strip of four 11 x 11¼ Label Art (General Issue) - Bloody crane's-bill 1c + } - Common knapweed 1c + 22 July Flower Definitives - Mountain avens (1) 55c } (Counter self-adhesive) - Spring gentian (2) 55c } Se-tenant vertical strip of four 11 x 11¼ Label Art (Bureau Issue) - Bloody crane's-bill (3) 55c } - Common knapweed (4) 55c 8 Sept Irish Animals and Marine Life Definitives (Counter self-adhesive) - Green Tiger Beetle (1) 55c } (1st Issue) - Golden Eagle (2) 55c } Se-tenant vertical strip of four 11 x 11¼ Label Art - Tompot Blenny (3) 55c } - Red Squirrel (4) 55c } - Common Octopus (5) 55c } - Hermit Crab (6) 55c } Se-tenant vertical strip of four 11 x 11¼ Label Art - Sea Slug (7) 55c } - Bottlenose Dolphin (8) 55c Flowers Issue: An Post commenced the rollout of Street, Dublin 7 (Ref: 1036). They all have a three printing self-adhesive postage stamps at the point of or four-digit code as indicated above which is purchase in post offices during 2010. Thanks to specific to that office. Fellow collector John Dublin dealer Declan O'Kelly I can confirm that the Lennon has recorded a total of 67 offices which first post office to introduce the new service was have used the Flowers design. Some offices were Blackrock PO, Co. Dublin on 20 May 2010. The still using the Flowers issue in February 2011. stamps are similar in style to the stamps printed by the self-service PSC machines but the designs, numbering and layout differ. The four designs reproduce various flower definitive designs as used on the following sheet stamps – Spring gentian (€10), Bloody crane's-bill (1c), Crown knapweed (25c) and Mountain avens (10c). The design at left, together with "Éire" and the small number at bottom right, plus three yellow vertical phosphor No dot on I of Eıre (post office coils) bars are all preprinted. The counter unit adds the value, date and location code. Subsequently, the philatelic bureau provided a first day service on 22 July 2010. The stamps sold by the bureau are all 55c denominations and are numbered 1 to 4. The date code 10203 corresponds with 22 July and the reference code is 02501000001. 02501 is the reference code for the Dot on I of Eire (bureau issue) bureau as used on the PSC bureau issue. An Post use the term "Stamps on a Roll" or "SOAR" for All four stamps of the SOAR Flowers set that these stamps and I will therefore use the term were sold in post offices have no dot on the I of "SOAR" for future issues. Éire. All strips sold by the philatelic bureau have Éire spelt correctly (see illustrations above). This recurrent error has not been repeated on subsequent SOAR issues. Irish Animals and Marine Life: This is a new definitive issue; it will presumably only be issued in this format and perhaps in self-adhesive booklets and €55 rolls. There are 8 designs, as listed on the previous page, and the bureau set, which is numbered 1 to 8, is split into two strips of four. Two different first day covers were used, four stamps on The rolls issued to post offices have 600 stamps in each cover. The bureau date code 10203 a roll, numbered 1 to 600. The roll was sealed with corresponds with 8 September and the reference a plain white piece of paper with a barcode (see code is 02501000001. Each stamp has three small illustration above). preprinted yellow phosphor bars similar to those on the Flowers issue. Complete strips of eight could Initially, the only other offices I'm aware of that be purchased in post offices as illustrated on the initially sold the Flowers SOAR issue were all in next page. Dublin – Ballsbridge (Ref: 401 with 2 machines), Stillorgan (Ref: 3338 with 3 machines) and Similar to the Flowers issue, the rolls issued to post Ranelagh (Ref: 305 with 3 machines). These offices have 600 stamps in a roll, numbered 1 to machines were all in operation by at least mid 600. The roll was sealed with a printed white piece August. The next location noted was North King of paper with a barcode. The SOAR machine can print an additional line of text that reads "StandardPost" on each stamp - note no gap between words – see illustration at right with mix of "StandardPost" and no additional text in the same strip. The inclusion of "StandardPost" normally occurs when a customer asks for an envelope to be weighed when buying the appropriate stamp. The other lines of additional text available are "RegisteredPost" (see above), "ExpressPost" or "CourierPost". It is also possible to print stamps with the word "StandardPost" without using the weighing facility. As far as I can determine, a Registered, Express or Courier barcode label needs to be scanned (i.e. an item needs to be posted) before a stamp incorporating any of these terms can be produced. The same four additional inscriptions could be found on the Flowers and Christmas issues. The pilot SOAR programme obviously proved to be a success, and following this issue the number of offices selling the counter self-adhesives increased dramatically during the September/October 2010 period. In the November/December edition of their internal publication, "PostNews", An Post stated that Tory Island PO had gone online thus completing their computerisation programme. However, the GPO in Dublin did not change over until Monday 4 April 2011. Offices receiving the new self-adhesive rolls were normally instructed to return all regular gummed stocks. Note There were no new added values or new definitive printings of conventional sheet and regular self-adhesive issues during 2010. Complete set of eight stamps with the first four stamps incorporating "StandardPost" in the printed text. POSTAL STATIONERY Date of Issue Description Cost Note Printer May Prepaid Envelope 60c New printing 24 Sept Culture Night at the GPO - Postcard no charge See notes below An Post Print & Design Culture Night at the GPO: Dublin’s fifth Culture Night took place on 24 September. A special card was given out free to all who visited the GPO on the night. This was the third year that An Post opened the GPO for Culture Night and produced a postcard for the event. It is a large format card measuring 210mm x 148mm and the obverse shows an illustration of the GPO which differs from the designs used in prior years. The cards were handed out without any stamp. Completed and addressed cards could be handed in without charge for posting. A small 55c booklet definitive stamp was affixed to such cards which were Prepaid Envelope: A new style of prepaid cancelled with a poorly applied Dublin Mails envelope was first seen in May 2010. The An Centre roller or with a Denim Day 2010 IMP Post logo and the words "Postas Íoctha" and cancellation from DMC1 dated 27.09.10. Most "Postage Paid" are now printed on a green collectors affixed their own stamp and obtained background. The inner lining has a blue diamond the bureau CDS coupled with the Museum cachet design similar to that used on the previous type of (as illustrated above). envelope. EXHIBITION AND SOCIETY SOUVENIRS AND POSTMARKS Date of Issue Description Cost Numbers/Notes Paper Perforation Printer 11 Apr Spring Stamp & Coin Show (Stampania) - Year of the Tiger sheetlet with overprint in black €15.00 * 600 printed CCP3 13¼ x 13¼ Mahons - illustrated cover €4.00 # with special postmark DSS 11 Oct. Stampa 2010 (Members’ Souvenirs) - Fauna & Flora Dragonfly Miniature Sheet (2009) * 1,000 overprinted CCP3 13¼ x 13¼ Mahons } - Classical Composers Miniature Sheet (2009) * 1,000 overprinted CCP3 13 x 13¼ Mahons } €20.00 - Greetings Stamps Booklet (2009) * 1,000 overprinted CCP3 13 x 13½ Mahons } - Statue of Cuchulain Postcard 1,000 special printing – see note on next page An Post 11 Oct. Stampa 2010 (Public Souvenir) - Birds of Prey Miniature Sheet (2010) €5.00 * 1,600 overprinted CCP3 14¾ x 14 Mahons 20 Nov Cork Stamp & Coin Exhibition/Fair - Booklet €3.00 # 200 printed (contains a pair of Miami Showband stamps) - Unserviced illustrated cover €1.00 # 138 printed - Miami Showband sheetlet with overprint in black €5.00 * 1,000 overprinted CCP3 13¼ x 13¼ Mahons - Showbands miniature sheet with overprint in red €50.00 * 50 overprinted CCP3 13¼ x 13¼ Mahons * : The production and overprinting (if applicable) of all miniature sheets, sheetlets and booklets marked with an asterisk above were arranged by the organisers of each show. Overprinting was with the permission of An Post. # : The Stampania cover was prepared by the Dublin Stamp Society. The Cork booklet and cover printing was arranged by the Cork Philatelic Society. None of the items listed above were sold by An Post. special cancels available and the related stamp Spring Stamp & Coin issues were as follows:- Show (Stampania): 15 October: Birds of Prey (Birds of Prey issue This re-named annual of 2010). show was held at the RDS in Dublin on 16 October: Mermaid (An Post 25 Years issue of Sunday 11 April. 2009 or current PSC Stamp from GPO machine). The cancellation incorporates a mermaid on harp and The Year of the Tiger sheetlet was overprinted by marked the opening of the Postal the organisers for the show and all the sheetlets Museum earlier this year.