#549 - Lighthouses of Croatia

 

Thank you to my friend Nikola Panduric from Croatia for sending me this great cover.  The stamps feature Pokonji dol, Sv Petar and SV Nikola lighthouses. The 3 stamps were issued on 31.05.2012 by Croatian Post.

 

# 548 - Lighthouses of Estonia

 

Many thanks to eBay seller eststamps from Estonia for using these stamps on the cover. The two stamps feature Vormsi Lighthouse which celebrates 155 years since thee first illumination. The stamp was issued n 19th February 2026 

# 547 - Lighthouses of U S A

 

While visiting the Boston Stamp Show in May, I was able to get a few booklets of these stamps at FV.

I posted a cover for my self with the 'Boston 2026 World Expo - Youth and Family Day' cancelation on 30th May 2026. The envelope arrived here in Sri Lanka today.

The stamps are from the Bicentennial of America's Lighthouses stamp issue issued in 26.04.1990.

From L - R:  Admiralty Head Lighthouse, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, American Shoal Lighthouse and Sandy Hook Lighthouse. 

# 546 - Lighthouses of Georgia

 

When I was at the Boston World Stamp Show, I purchased these stamps from Georgia Post who was at Boston. I made my own envelope with the stamps I purchased and requested the Post Office Representative manning the stall to post the cover to me when he got back home. i am indeed grateful to him for this help. He posted this cover from the capital of Georgia Tblisi.

The stamps were issued on 1st March 2022. The lighthouses featured on this cover are L- R: Poti Lighthouse, Sukhumi Lighthouse & Batumi Lighthouse.

# 545 - Port Clinton Lighthouse 125th Anniversary Special Cancelation

 

I usually do not show any special cancelations or post marks of lighthouses in my blog. However this post is a must.

I was visiting the World Stamp Show in Boston from 23rd - 30th May, 2026. In the exhibition area was a table manned by Dave Gill, the Post Master General of Rattlesnake Island Local Post (RILP). This is the only private postal service authorized by the US Postal Service.  RILP carries mail from  Rattlesnake Island situated in Lake Erie to the US mainland to be delivered to US and International destinations by USPS. Once the mail arrives in Ohio, the USPS takes over the delivery. To cover the transportation cost between the island and the mainland by air, a local Rattlesnake Island stamp of 75c must be affixed along with a US postage forever or global stamp.

On this occasion I requested Dave to post some covers from the island and handed over the covers to him with the stamps duly affixed. When I received my covers here in Sri Lanka, I was pleasantly surprised to see PORT CLINTON LIGHTHOUSE 125TH ANNIVERSARY cancelation over the US Global stamp. Additionally you can also see the RILP diamond cancelation over the Rattlesnake Island stamp.

More about the RILP can be found at https://www.rilp.org/

Thank you very much Dave Gill for this help. 

# 544 - Lighthouses of Germany

 

This cover comes to me courtesy of Volkmar Mehlitz from Germany. He chose to affix 3 stamps featuring (L - R) Tinsdal Lighthouse (date of issue: 01.07.21), Alte Weser Lighthouse (date of issue: 04.07.2024) & Hornum Lighthouse (date of issue:12.07.2007)

# 543 - Lighthouses of Portugal

 

Many thanks to Pedro from Portugal for sending me this cover which features a MS and a stamp of Santa Marta Lighthouse is Cascais in Portugal. Pedro posted this cover on the first day of issue with a first day cancelation. The stamp and the MS were issued to commemorate the 25th UPAEP Congress held in Cascais, Portugal. 

The MS and the stamp issue took place on 13.04.2026

# 542 - Lighthouses of Gibraltar

 

Thanks to my friend Eric from Portugal for this cover.

The miniature sheet was issued on 22.05.1998n under the theme MARINE ENVIRONMENT. The famour Gibraltar Point Lighthouse one of the most iconic lighthouses of the world is feature on this issue.

# 541 - Lighthouses of France

 

Many thanks to Andre from France for this cover.

Please refer to my post # 534 for details about the stamp

# 540 - Lighthouses of Germany

 

Thanks to Peter from Germany for this cover. The lighthouse featured on the stamp is Bremerhaven  Unterfeuer Lighthouse. This stamp is one of two stamps issued on 8th June 2017. The other stamp issued along with this stamp is featured in my post # 539 below.

# 539 - Lighthouses of Germany

 

It is indeed a nice way to start the new year with a post on 1st January.

This cover comes to me with the courtesy of Silvia from Germany. The two stamps are from the German issue of 2017. The stamps feature (left) Kiel Holtenau Lighthouse and (right) Bremerhaven Unterfeuer Longhouse. The stamps were issued on 8th June 2017.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026

I wish all my friends and readers of this blog a very happy new year. Thank you for sending me covers from all around the world. Happy Collecting. May the Lighthouses guide the way for all of us in the years to come.

# 538 - Lighthouses of France

 

Many thanks to Daniel from France for this cover which I received today to end my posts form 2025.

The stamp on this cover features the historical lighthouse in the village of Collioure and is known as the Collioure Lighthouse.

# 537 - Lighthouses of France

 

This is a postal stationery envelope featuring a impression of D'ar-Men Lighthouse. La Poste issued a series of stamps on  12.11. 2007 titled "Lighthouses". This is a impression of one of the stamps featured in that issue.

Thanks to my friend Daniel from France for this cover.

# 536 - Lighthouses of Germany

 

This cover features two stamps from 2022 and 2024 respectively. They are Friedrichsort Lighthouse and Alte Weser Lighthouse. 

My thanks to Volkmar from Germany for sending me this cover.

# 535 - Lighthouses of Portugal

 

This stamp features Penedo da Saudade Lighthouse located on the Atlantic coast in Portugal.  The stamp was issued on 31st July 2024.

Thanks to my friend Reto from Switzerland for sending me this cover.

The stamp was printed using a new technique known as thermorgraphic printing, which involves the application of a special ink to certain areas – in this case mixed with powder made from crushed pine harvested for this very purpose from Leiria  Pine Forest by CTT employees.  This is the first time in the world that the themographic technique has used pine mixed with the printing ink. It is evident on the left of the stamp which shows the Pine Forest

This issue is dedicated to “Pinhal do Rei” (Kings Pine Forest). It is devoted to the theme of protecting and preserving nature. Special care was taken in the choice of raw material (paper) used for this issue.

# 534 - Lighthouses of France

 

In have written in detail about this stamp issue in my post # 532. Much thanks to  Jean Pierre Derlon form this cover.

I can add that this stamp is from the bottom left corner of the stamp sheetlet.

# 533 - Lighthouses of Morocco

 

The stamp at the bottom left of this cover feature Point Nador Lighthouse in Morocco. This stamp was issued on 20th June 2024.

Thanks to Pierre Millien from France who sent this cover from Morocco.

# 532 - Lighthouses of France

 

The French city of  Nice hosted the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) from 9th - 13th June, 2025. To commemorate this event this stamp was released by La Poste on 10th June 2025. The stamp illustrates Nice in its marine environment as seen from the Promenade des Anglais, with its blue chairs and lighthouse on the left.

Thanks to Andre for this cover.

P.S - 

1. The lighthouse on the stamp is a stylized lighthouse and as such it should be considered  "imaginative".

2. However on the full sheet of 10 stamps on the left border there is a image of the Nice City Lighthouse.

My thanks to Jaap from Netherlands & Daniel from France for this information. For a image of the full sheet please visit 

https://francestampphilatelystore.laposte.fr/shop/product/stamp-nice-ocean-international-letter-1125014

# 531 - Lighthouses of Estonia

 

Both stamps on this cover feature Naissaar Lighthouse in Estonia. This stamp was issued on 8th September 2025. This release is part of a long running stamp series titled "Lighthouses of Estonia" that began in 1995.

Much thanks to   Juri Tomson from Estonia for sending me this cover.