I received this FDC earlier on this week from Sylvia.
It's related to the National Resistance series issued in 1982, more specifically November 8th 1982.
The first day cancellation took place in Athens.
It features 4 stamps of this series : (from left to right)
- the resistance fighters in Thrace,
- the resistance fighters of Crete,
- the 25th. March 1942 Student's demonstration,
- the execution of Greek activists by the Nazi's on May 1st, 1944/ Struggle for Northern Greece
4 more stamps were issued but are not present on this FDC.
All 8 stamps depict a stand of resistance against Nazi Germany over whole Greece : Thrace, Crete, Athens etc....
What does the Hellas catalog has to add on these stamps?
First of all these stamps are categorised under the numbers 1611 - 1618.
All stamps were issued in different quantities. The Kessariani stamp was issued on 7.200.000 copies while the Struggle for Northern Greece stamp (as labeled in the Hellas catalog) was only issued on 837.967 copies. A rather odd number, aren't they normally round numbers? Must pay more attention to that.
The stamps were also issued on 2 different minisheets of 4 stamps each, as shown here and here.
The Hellas catalog doesn't give any details about perforations. Strange for a national catalog would I think. *
A little note on the drawing and text on the left of the cover.
The date : 1821-1941 refers to the start of the Greek revolution / fight for independence in 1821 and the invasion by Nazi Germany of Greece in 1941.
Under the very detailed and find drawing where a soldier of 1821 encourages a soldier in 1941 to keep on fighting is a text which means the following :
"ΧΑΙΡΕ Ω ΧΑΙΡΕ ΛΕΥΤΕΡΙΑ"
"HAIL, O, HAIL LIBERTY"
This refers to the greek national anthem, the Hymn to Liberty, composed by Dionysios Solomos.
The final text on the left of the cover indicates its issued by the Hellenic Post Office and that it's well ... a First Day Cover.
Thanks so much Sylvia for this FDC and for the detailed translation and information on greek history!!!
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*Avez-vous une idée Nicolas pourqoui le catalogue Hellas ne donne aucune indication sur la dentelure des timbres?
Bonjour,
ReplyDeleteA partir de 1960 la perforation des timbres est standardisée. Elle est de 13.
Avant cette date vous avez des précisions dans le catalogue pour chaque emission ou timbre, car il existe une grande variation d'une émission à l'autre, parfois sur le même timbre comme le Messolonghi de 1926 qui peut se trouver avec 7 perforations.
Elles sont généralement indiquées dans un cadre et parfois dans le texte explicatif comme par exemple pour la réimpression de Vienne en 1926.
Pour les timbres après 1960 vous trouverez de la perfo 13 sauf sur les auto-adhésifs. Les brochures officielles d'ELTA donnent encore la dimension des timbres car elle n'est pas standard mais ELTA n'indique plus la perforation car il n'y a pas de variation.
merci Niolas pour les informations !
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