What Was In Your Mailbox Today??

Was it printed or made by hand? The "zuid africa" seems to me handwritten.

It has been messed with. ZUID-AFRIKA does not end in RIIKA.

And I can't see enough space for two letters before the "R".

There seems to be an "A" there, but it could my eyes playing tricks on me (it's 7 AM here).

Robert

The 'RI' appears stamped. The 'IKA' that follows appears the work of someone who did not get a high grade for creative arts. The 'ZUID' is completely suspect.

It looks like the artist observed an 'A' for the 'R' and thought the 'I' following it was the vertical stroke of the 'F.' The curvature of the 'R' does not fit an 'A.'

A small and varied purchase.

That Sofia miniature sheet brings back memories. I obtained it from a stamp shop near Nessebur when on holiday there in 1980.

A few weeks ago, I was looking at blocks of the additional values issued 1946/47 for the Spanish permanent stamps with rough perforations. There were two sets on offer on ebay. One had a clear blemish. The second offered at € 40 including postage had a small spot I was not sure whether it was a blemish, something in the paper, or just dust. - Most sets of these stamps seem to have some type of 'spot' on at least one stamp. - I contacted the seller to enquire about the spot. The seller informed me he did not have the stamps anymore. He had forgotten to end the listing.

Earlier this week, another set that looked fine was auctioned on ebay with a starting price of $ 0.91. I ended up winning it for $ 8.50 plus $ 3 postage (quite excessive from Belgium). Considering the Spanish sellers ask € 30 - € 40 with postage between € 5 and € 10, I got it at a fraction of that price.

Now, to find the original 1940 - 1945 set.

While ordering a couple covers with postmarks relating to one topical collecting area, I skimmed the dealers inventory for other things that might be of interest and ran into this one which I added to my order 'cause I was already in for the shipping and handling. You know how that is.

All the covers arrived today, but I'll show just this one which has a lot going on.
An autogiro stamp (I've been gathering those for a little while and posting regularly in the "Up in the sky! it's ... an autogiro?" thread).
A great Mexican pointing finger front and back to return to the sender in Spain.
And it is a first flight for direct Madrid to Mexico airmail (not by autogiro btw).

Lovely cover!, the Spanish Hexagonal Postmarks are very attractive when
well inked and defined like these.

1895 US First Bureau Issue, double line watermark Scott 276A (Type II)

More pills.

A Sevillian friend has sent several collectors this FDC with SVV (variable value stamp) and cancellation of the Seville Fair.

I shall be enjoying Seville's match in Turin this evening (from my armchair in London, not Juventus's ground!)

Nice stamp Uboat.