Ships on Banknotes #11 - China 5 Fen 1953

Year: 1953
Denomination: 5 Fen

This is a 5 Fen banknote of China showing a steam cargo ship on the reverse side of the note.

This banknote was gifted by my friend, Mr. Prashant Ashar, who is also collecting stamps on ships and maritime.

Click here to see more banknotes with ships, in my collection.

Ship on Portugal 5 Escudo coin, 1977

Year of Issue: 1977
KM #: 591
Wt: 7.0 g
Diameter: 24.5 mm
Metal: Cupro-nickel

hanks to blogger friend, Ms. Malini from Singapore for sending me this coin.

The 5 Escudo coin with a ship sailing to the right was introduced in 1963 and was minted till 1985, until the new coinage was introduced.

Click here to see other coins with ships in my collection.

Source: Wikipedia, Krause World Coins catalog.

Ship on Portugal 2-1/2 Escudo coin, 1982

Year of Issue: 1982
KM #: 590
Wt: 3.50 g
Diameter: 20 mm
Metal: Cupro-nickel

Thanks to blogger friend, Ms. Malini from Singapore for sending me this coin.

The 2-1/2 Escudo coin with a ship sailing to the right was introduced in 1963 and was minted till 1985, until the new coinage was introduced.

Click here to see other coins with ships in my collection.

Source: Wikipedia, Krause World Coins catalog.

Sri Lanka Navy - 60th Anniversary (1950 - 2010)

Date of Issue: December 09, 2010

Sri Lanka Navy’s 60th Anniversary commemoration Stamp and First Day Cover was ceremonially issued by HE the President Mahinda Rajapaksa during the colour awarding ceremony held at Colombo Light House premises on December 09, 2010, in the presence of the Secretary to Ministry of Post & Telecommunication Mr. Asoka Jayasekara and Post Master General Mr. MKD Dissanayake.

December 09 is also celebrated as Navy Day in Sri Lanka.

The current Sri Lankan Navy was established on December 09, 1950 when the Navy Act was passed for the formation of the Royal Ceylon Navy. The roots of the modern Sri Lankan Navy dates back to 1937 when the Ceylon Naval Volunteer Force was established, which was renamed and absorbed into the Royal Navy as the Ceylon Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during World War II. The current name Sri Lanka Navy was constituted in 1972 when Sri Lanka becoming a Republic and the introduction of new constitution.

The pennant number of the watercraft depicted on stamp is not visible but I think it is one of the Fast Attack Craft of the Sri Lanka Navy.

Many thanks to my blogger friend, Mr. Ravindra Ratnapala for sending me this stamp and the same on envelope too.

Source: Wikipedia, navy.lk

Flying Cloud - Clipper

Date of Issue: 1968
Michel Catalog #: 563

This 12 Bogshas/Bogaches airmail stamp was one of the 10 stamps issued on painting series by The Mutawakelite Kingdom of Yemen (see details at end).

Flying Cloud:  The Flying Cloud was a clipper ship that set the world's sailing record for the fastest passage between New York and San Francisco, 89 days 8 hours. She held this record for over 100 years, from 1854-1989.

Flying Cloud was the most famous of the clippers built by Donald McKay. She was known for her extremely close race with the Hornet in 1853, for having a woman navigator, Eleanor Creesy, wife of Josiah Perkins Creesy who skippered the Flying Cloud on two record-setting voyages from New York to San Francisco, and for sailing in the Australia and timber trades.

Click here to know more in detail about Flying Cloud and its voyages.

William J. Aylward:  was born in Milwaukee, studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Student's League in New York City. Along with Clifford Ashley, another famous illustrator of marine subjects, he studied with Howard Pyle. Aylward also taught at the Newark (NJ) School while illustrating for magazines such as Scribner's, Harper's, and Collier's. At the age of 43, he volunteered to go to France with the American Expeditionary Force and record their actions in World War I. However, his paintings speak for themselves. He was one of the most skillful handlers of watercolor who can be mentioned in the same breath with Winslow Homer.

Mutawakelite Kingdom of Yemen:  also known as the Kingdom of Yemen or (retrospectively) as North Yemen, was a country from 1918 to 1962 in the northern part of what is now Yemen.

Source: Wikipedia, freestampcatalogue.com, giam.typepad.com

Christmas

Date of Issue: October 1985
Scott #: 312a

Wishing all my friends and their families, blog readers, blog followers, and visitors to my blog from around the world, Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year 2011.

The beautiful stamp above was issued by Nauru for Christmas on October 1985 with a canoe among the beautiful scenery and with the Star of Bethlehem / Christmas Star.

Card #3 from Croatia - Royal Clipper

Thanks to my friend, Josip Mikolcic, Croatia, through MyPhilately for this wonderful postcard featuring Royal Clipper, which sails in the Mediterranean as a luxury cruise ship.

She is a gigantic five-masted ship with 142 sails and with state-of-the-art navigation systems and all the comfort of today. She offers guests the ultimate sea-going experience balancing the grandeur, adventure and tradition of sailing with the superb service, amenities and accommodations of the finest modern yacht. Royal Clipper carries just 227 guests in luxurious style

Source: royal-clipper.cruises-croatia.com

Navy Day, Islamic Republic of Iran

Iran Post issued four stamps and Maxi Cards on November 18, 2001, on Navy Day. Navy Day in Iran is celebrated on November 11 since 1988 to commemorate the major Iranian naval victory over Iraq during the Iran Iraq war.

The stamps were issued in vertical pairs. Scott No. for stamps - 2830 a, b and 2381 a, b.

Tabarzin (P232) - Kaman Class Missile Craft

 

Alvand (71) - launched in July 25, 1968 as the SAAM (DE 12) the first unit of the Saam Class of which 4 were built. In 1985, after the Islamic Revolution, renamed as ALVAND (71), named after a mountain in Iran.

BH7 Hovercraft - The hovercraft / air-cushion landing craft depict on this stamp is one of six built by the British Hovercraft Corporation, Cowes, U.K., for Iranian Navy, all were commissioned between 1970-1975.

Kilo Class Submarine - It is not sure which submarine is depict on this stamp, but Iran had only three submarines during this stamp issue period, it must be one of the Kilo Class submarines, all built by the United Admiralty Shipyard, St Petersburg, Russia for the Russian Navy. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 the three submarines were bought by Iran.

Many thanks to my swap friend, Mr. Hamid Reza Ebrahimi for sending me these valuable Maxi Cards for my collection.

Source: Wikipedia, shipstamps.co.uk

30 Years of Indian Naval Aviation (1953 - 83)

Date of Issue: December 04, 1983

I added this cover to my collection recently.

This special cover was issued on Navy Day (December 4th), 1983 and also to commemorate 30 years of Naval Aviation in India. The Naval aviation formally took birth with the commissioning of INS Garuda, a Naval Air Station at Kochi/Cochin on May 11, 1953.

The cachet shows INS Vikrant (R11) (formerly HMS Hercules), the first aircraft carrier in Indian Navy, commissioned on March 04, 1961, and was decommissioned on January 31, 1997, after nearly 36 years of service to the country. The name Vikrant was taken from Sanskrit vikrānta meaning "stepped beyond", i.e. "courageous", "victorious". The crest of the carrier (as seen on right side) showed a combination of bows and arrows portraying the fighter planes taking off the carrier to strike the enemy. The motto "Jayema Sam Yudhi Sprdhah" was taken from Rig Veda which means ‘I completely defeat those who dare to fight with me’.

Source: Wikipedia, indiannavy.nic.in, militaryphotos.net

Battle of Hastings 900th anniversary (1066 - 1966)

Date of Issue: June 04, 1966
Scott: 1160

Stamp design showing William - the conqueror, castle, and Norman ships.

The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of mostly Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock. Their identity emerged initially in the first half of the tenth century, and gradually evolved over succeeding centuries. The name "Normans" derives from Nortmanni (Northmen), after the Vikings who founded Normandy.

The Battle of Hastings took place on 14 October 1066. It was the decisive Norman victory in the Norman Conquest of England, fought between the Norman army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army of King Harold II. The battle took place at Senlac Hill, approximately 6 miles northwest of Hastings, close to the present-day town of Battle, East Sussex.

The Norman army was not powerful enough, so nobles as far as Southern Italy were called to convene at Caen, in Normandy. There, William promised land and titles to his followers and claimed that the voyage was secured by the Pope. William assembled a fleet said to number 696 ships—if accurate this would imply an army of over 20,000 men.

The Battle of Hastings had a tremendous influence on the English language. The Normans were French-speaking, and as a result of their rule, they introduced many French words that started in the nobility and eventually became part of the English language itself.

Click here to read in detail about the battle and its aftermath.

Source: Wikipedia

Paper Boat

Date of Issue: November 14, 2010

This beautiful and colorful FDC with stamps were issued by India Post on Children's Day, celebrated every  year on November 14, to honor the memory of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on his birth anniversary, and who never failed to express his love for children.

I am happy to present this FDC here as it brings nostalgic moments. I too have made a paper boat myself as a child, while at my grandma's home during the annual school holidays, making paper boats with cousins, enjoying the rain and leaving the boat in the small stream from rain water, nearby the house.

This also makes me remember the poem "Paper Boat" by India's noted poet, Rabindranath Tagore, (1861 - 1941) which I read sometime somewhere. I like to share the poem today with my readers.

The translated English version, from the original Bengali language:

"Day by day I float my paper boats one by one down the running stream.
In big black letters I write my name on them and the name of the village where I live.
I hope that someone in some strange land will find them and know who I am.
I load my little boats with shiuli flowers from our garden, and hope that these blooms of the dawn will be carried safely to land in the night.
I launch my paper boats and look up into the sky and see the little clouds setting their white bulging sails.
I know not what playmate of mine in the sky sends them down the air to race with my boats!
When night comes I bury my face in my arms and dream that my paper boats float on and on under the midnight stars.
The fairies of sleep are sailing in them, and the lading is their baskets full of dreams.

INS Netaji Subhas - Golden Jubilee (2004)

Date of Issue: December 04, 2004

I am happy and proud to display this cover here today, December 04, celebrated as Navy Day in India. This was the day when the Indian Navy played a significant role in the bombing of Karachi harbor in the 1971 war. The name given to the attack was Operation Trident which was launched on December 4. Owing to its success, the day of the attack has been celebrated as Navy Day ever since.

I take this opportunity to salute the heroes of war and pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the war.

INS Netaji Subhas - "INS Netaji Subhas is situated on the bank of river Hoogly, Kolkata, close to Fort William in Hastings area. The point of reference are Hastings Chapel, Ordnance Club and Marine House.

The Indian Navy and the Royal Indian Marine had their offices in Kolkata from the days of the East Indian Company. Certainly, the Hydrographic branch were employed there, and commissioned the voyages of discovery in the Bay of Bengal.

INS Hoogly was renamed INS Netaji Subhas on the 05th July 1974.

INS Netaji Subhas is the depot ship at Kolkata and she provides logistics and administrative support to all units, visiting ships and ships under construction. In addition to this the establishment also provides support to Andaman Nicobar Island." - Source: Indian Navy Information Resource & Facilitation Center

The stamp on the cover is INS Tarangini with cancellation of Indian Navy Ensign and the cachet displays the Crest of INS Netaji Subhas.