August 2025

Contents to Volume 56, Number 3

A collection of the latest philatelic news from around the world.

More of the latest reports from the nation’s philatelic societies.

Forthcoming fairs and auctions.

News of recent auction results.

Continuing his exploration of the evolution of stamp booklets, Richard West turns the spotlight on a pivotal innovation – the introduction of self-adhesive stamps.

Royal Mail celebrates the weird and wonderful world of British fungi with ten vibrant stamps showcasing some of nature’s most colourful, quirky and misunderstood superstars.

John Deering tracks the latest M25L year-coded King Charles III definitives, revealing new counter sheets, gravure printings and some phosphor anomalies that are bound to spark collector’s interests.

Continuing his series on undeliverable mail during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, Robert Galland FRPSL examines the varied instructional and explanatory markings used by the Post Office when returning unserviceable items.

The latest supplement to the Stanley Gibbons Great Britain Specialised Catalogue.

Albert Jackson shows how Dienstpost mail can reveal the organised exploitation of Polish industry, commerce and labour under German occupation during World War II.

In this two-part article, Dr Jon Higgins FRPSL explores Australian Forces Mail from the 1945 Borneo campaign, beginning with Labuan, where postal services resumed just days after Allied landings.

In 1992, the USPS joined Spain, Portugal and Italy in issuing stamps marking Columbus’ voyage, reviving the iconic 1893 Columbian series. Clive Griffiths explores this international collaboration.

Christer Brunström FRPSL unravels the philatelic complexities of Soruth (also known as Saurashtra and Junagadh); tracing its postal history, currency changes and unique stamp issues that reflect its evolving identity.

Gwyn Williams examines Umberto Nobile’s dramatic 1926 flight to the North Pole, revealing how ambition, politics and secret philatelic cargo turned a pioneering Arctic journey into a complex tale of triumph and controversy.

Stamps to look out for from Transvaal.

Michael Burzan looks at Germany’s first ‘Pfennige’ issue, detailing its design, varieties, essays, forgeries and rare first day covers, and shows why this short-lived yet complex series remains a fascinating challenge for collectors.

Michael Peach traces the rise of one of Britain’s most influential stamp firms, Bridger & Kay; charting its colourful history from Edwardian catalogues to royal warrants, wartime resilience and a dramatic robbery.

Geir Sør-Reime continues his annual alphabetical review of modern foreign postal stationery, with issues from Estonia to Portugal.

A summary of recent and forthcoming issues.

We highlight the latest new issues from Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man.

GSM investigates the stories behind some of the latest stamp issues from around the world.

Tax your brain and take a tipple. GSM’s latest competition offers you the opportunity to win a bottle of stamp-inspired gin.

Hugh Jefferies offers more thoughts from the Catalogue Editor’s chair.

The latest 20-page update to the Stanley Gibbons Catalogue.