#557 Japan 12/04/08

Hideo sent me this nice letter from Japan, thank you! It was posted in Mie prefecture on April 8 and arrived on April 10, 2012.

The mini-sheet was issued on November 11, 2011, and commemorates the Chinese Year of the Dragon.

#552 Greenland 12/02/27

Frede sent me this nice cover from Greenland, thank you! It was posted in Nuuk on February 27 and arrived on March 13, 2012.

The left stamp was issued in a set of two on 17 January 2011. It commemorates the kayak mail delivery.

The middle stamp is part of the 2009 EUROPA set (issued on 19 January 2009).

The right stamp is part of a set of three, which was issued on 1 October 2007. It commemorates the discovery of Tobias Island (Tubbiap Qeqertaa) in 1993 (see this article).

See also: #319 Greenland 10/04/23

#544 Russia 11/07/15

Thank you, Tanya, for sending this nice cover from Moscow (Москва́), Russia! It was posted on July 15 and arrived on July 25, 2011.

The top left stamp is part of the set “Old Carriages”, which was issued on July 25, 2002. It depicts a closed sleigh of Moscow 1732.

The top middle stamp was issued on September 26, 2007. It is part of the joint issue set Russia/PDR Korea and depicts the flower Gladiolus gandavensis.

The stamp top right is part of the bridges set (issued on November 28, 2008) and commemorates the Zhivopisnyi Bridge (Живописный Мост) across Moskva River.

The two definitives on the left were issued on August 29, 2008, and depicts a hare and a fox. The bottom middle stamp is part of the beetles set and depicts a Lucanus cervus. It was issued on July 22, 2003.

Finally, the last stamp commemorates the 1946 bicycle ZiCh-1 (ЗиЧ-1). This bicycle stamp set was issued on December 11, 2008.

See also: Russia 08/11/28

#543 Estonia 10/11/01

Janek sent me this nice cover from Estonia, thank you! It was posted in Saue on November 1 and arrived on November 4, 2010.

The left stamp was issued in 1994 and depicts the Urvaste Church.

The right stamp is the EUROPA 2004 stamp, which was issued on May 4, 2004.

#541 Latvia 11/04/08

Juris sent me this nice FDC from Latvia, thank you! It was issued and posted on April 8.

The cover commemorates the philatelic exhibition Baltica 2001, which was held from September 14 to 16, 2001.

The stamp is part of the 2011 EUROPA stamp set.

#537 Armenia 09/??/??

Thanks to my friend collector in Armenia for sending this nice FDC! The stamps and FDC was issued on December 14, 2007, but the cover was posted in 2009.

The stamp set is an Armenian-Greek joint issue. The stamps depict sculptures of the goddesses Aphrodite (left) and Anahit (right).

#532 France 11/11/17

Thank you, Thomas, for sending this nice cover from France! It was posted at Paris-Louvre on November 17 and arrived on November 21, 2011.

The left stamps are part of the definitive set, which was issued on November 9, 2009. The right stamp is the 2011 EUROPA stamp (issued on May 9).

#529 France 11/02/26

Thank you, Eric, for sending this beautiful first day cover from France! It was issued and posted on February 26 and arrived on March 8, 2011.

The mini-sheet and the two stamps commemorate the Stamp Day 2011. They are part of a set of 12 designs.

#525 Hungary 11/06/20

Thank you, Béla, for sending this nice cover from Hungary! It was posted in Budapest on June 20 and arrived on June 30, 2011.

The top stamp was issued on May 6, 2011. It is the Hungarian issue of EUROPA series “Forests”.

The bottom stamp is part of the set “Philaclub”, which was issued on December 4, 2009.

#521 Bahrain 11/10/08

Thank you, Jean Pierre, for sending this marvellous cover from Bahrain! It was posted on October 8 and arrived on October 16, 2011.

The attached mini-sheet was issued on August 3, 2009. It commemorates the Arab Postal Day.

#519 China 12/01/05

Mr. Qiu Sheng sent me this beautiful FDC from China, thank you very much! It was posted in the Fenghuangshan subdistrict (凤凰山) 1 of Putian (莆田) on January 5 and arrived on January 16, 2012. Interesting are the three different cancellations: the first day cancel, two black hand cancels, and one blue machine cancellation.

The mini-sheet commemorates the Chinese Year of the Dragon.

#515 Lithuania 11/12/??

Algis sent me this cover from Lithuania, thanks! It was posted in December in Plungė and arrived on December 29, 2011.

The stamp mini sheet was issued on September 11, 2010. It commemorates the stock pigeon (Columba oenas) and the dragonfly Lesser Emperor (Anax parthenope).

#513 Russia 10/10/27

Alexander sent me this nice letter from Russia, thank you! It was posted in Kolomna on October 27, 2010.

The attached stamps are part of the set “50th Anniversary of Nuclear Russian Navy”, which was issued on June 18, 2009. It depicts the nuclear icebreaker “Lenin“.

See also: #459 Russia 10/10/27

#509 Canada 10/11/29

Guy sent me this beautiful cover from Canada, thank you! It was posted in the mall Galeries de la Capitale (Quebec) on November 29, 2011.

The small left stamps are part of the series “Beneficial Insects”, which was issued on October 19, 2010. They depict the Dogbane Beetle (Chrysochus auratus) and the Margined Leatherwing (Chauliognathus marginatus).

The right mini sheet was issued on April 19, 2010. It is entitled “The Four Indian Kings” and depicts paintings of Jan Verelst showing the four Indian kings Tee Yee Neen Ho Ga Row, Sa Ga Yeath Qua Pieth Tow, Ho Nee Yeath Taw No Row, and Etow Oh Koam.

#490 Slovenia 11/07/25

Thank you, Saša, for sending this beautiful cover from Velenje, Slovenia. It was posted on July 25 and arrived on July 28, 2011.

The mini-sheet on the left was issued on May 27, 2011, and commemorates the Slovenian musician Johann Gerstner (1851-1939). The top right mini-sheet commemorates the 80th anniversary of the KUD Pošta Maribor Brass Band. The stamp was issued on March 25, 2011. Finally, the bottom stamp was issued on March 25 too; it commemorates the Carthusian monastery in Bistra near Vrhnika.