Rock Dust on Miniature Sheet: Portugal

Portugal is one of the largest manufacturers of decorative stones. To commemorate this heritage Portugal Post (ctt) issued a Miniature sheet and stamp on 2nd November 2010.  Sculptor Jorge Pe-Curto made the statue of a traditional messenger on horseback holding a letter in his left hand and a trumpet in his right is portrayed on the sheet. Those days postal workers blew the trumpet to know their arrival.  Even now, our postal workers ring the cycle bell to let others know of their presence.  He actually made the decorative stone with 7 rocks.  But the rock design in the miniature sheet is embedded with Lias and Pink Marble Powder.  Thanks to Sam Lopes from Canada for sending this Unique Miniature sheet for our swap.

Sochi Winter Olympics: Liechtenstein

Sochi, Russia is situated along the black sea is mainly covered with rocks such as Mesozoic and Cenozoic.  It was named Sochi in the year 1896 and got its city status in 1917.  During World War II, it served as a rehabilitation  center and at present it is the major resort town of Russia drawing millions of visitors annually, mostly during May to September. It is also the unofficial summer capital of Russia.





In 2007, Sochi won the bid to host the XXII Winter Olympic Games and Para Olympic Games and in 2014 it successfully conducted those two major events. This was the first time Russia had hosted Winter and Para Olympic Games after the dissolution of the Union of  Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) in 1991. Sochi, Russia hosted the XXII Winter Olympic Games from 7th to 23rd February 2014. To commemorate this event Liechtenstein Post has issued a stamp on 11th November 2013.



The face value is 2.60 and the the name Liechtenstein are printed using the Silver Hot foil printing method. Stone originating from Sochi was powdered and mixed with paint and affixed  to the stamp using thermography process. Thermo means heat.  Using heat to create the letters or images on the desired surface is called thermography. Here the powdered rock is mixed with the paint and applied on the stamp paper and heat is used to affix that firmly on the stamp.  If you glide your fingers on dark blue colour place you can feel the powdered stone.