Israel Christmas ATM FDC

Israel ATM FDC
Name: Christmas
Date of Issue: 26 November 2009

2009 Christmas FDCs:
Estonia, Israel, Lithuania.

2008 Christmas FDCs:
Canada: The Nativity, Canada: Winter Fun, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania.

2007 Christmas FDCs:
Estonia, Finland, Hong Kong, Japan, Lithuania, Ukraine, Vatican.

Taiwan Flower ATM FDC

Taiwan ATM FDC
Name: Flower of Tung Oil Tree (Continued)
Date of Issue: 14 October 2009

Vernicia fordii (Tung Tree; syn. Aleurites fordii Hemsl.) is a species of Vernicia in the spurge family, native to southern China, Burma, and northern Vietnam. Other vernacular names include Tung Oil Tree, Tung-oil Tree, Tungoil Tree, China Wood-Oil Tree, Kalo Nut Tree, 油桐 (lit. oil tung) being the formal name in Chinese.

It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 20 m tall, with a spreading crown. The bark is smooth and thin, and bleeds latex if cut. The leaves are alternate, simple, 4.5–25 cm long and 3.5–22 cm broad, heart-shaped or with three shallow, maple-like lobes, green above and below, red conspicuous glands at the base of the leaf, and with a 5.5–26 cm long petiole. The flowers are 2.5–3.5 cm diameter, with five pale pink to purple petals with streaks of darker red or purple in the throat; it is monoecious with individual flowers either male or female, but produced together in the inflorescences. The flowers appear before or with the leaves in loose, terminal clusters. The fruit is a hard, woody pear-shaped drupe 4–6 cm long and 3–5 cm diameter, containing four or five large, oily seeds; it is green initially, becoming dull brown when ripe in autumn. More...

Israel Bird ATM FDC

Israel ATM FDC
Name: Bonelli's Eagle
Date of Issue: 08 September 2009

The Bonelli's Eagle (Hieraaetus fasciata) is a large bird of prey. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. It breeds in southern Europe, Africa both north and south of the Sahara Desert and across southern Asia to Indonesia. It is usually a resident breeder which lays 1-3 eggs in a tree or crag nest.

The Bonelli's Eagle is a species of wooded, often hilly, country with some open areas. The African race prefers savannah, forest edges, cultivation, and scrub, provided there are some large trees; this is not a species of very open or densely forested habitats.

This is a small to medium - sized eagle at 55-65 cm in length. The upperparts are dark brown, and the underside is white with dark streaks. The wings are relatively short and rounded. The long tail is grey on top and white below and has a single broad black terminal band. The feet and eyes are yellow.

Recent DNA research resulted in this species being moved to the genus Aquila from Hieraaetus. More...

Israel ATM FDCs - Birds of Prey Series
22/04/2009 Lesser Kestrel
30/06/2009 Short-toed Eagle
08/09/2009 Bonelli's Eagle

Taiwan Pagodas ATM FDC

Taiwan ATM FDC
Name: The World Games 2009 Kaohsiung ROCUPEX
Date of Issue: 16 July 2009

In coordination with the World Games 2009 Kaohsiung ROCUPEX, Chuanghwa Post issued a commemorative postage label featuring the Dragon and Tiger pagodas, which have long been a tourist spot in Taiwan.

The Dragon and Tiger Pagodas (龍虎塔) are pagodas located on Lotus Lake in Kaohsiung.

Comment: This is a very special one, the ATM stamps' denominations have 4 different colors, it's not easy to get all of them. Thanks to me friend.

Israel Bird ATM FDC

Israel ATM FDC
Name: Birds of Prey - Short-toed Eagle
Date of Issue: 30 June 2009

The Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus) is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers.

This is an Old World species spread throughout the Mediterranean basin and into Russia and the Middle East, and into parts of Asia (Pakistan, India and some Indonesian islands). More...

Israel ATM FDCs - Birds of Prey Series
22/04/2009 Lesser Kestrel
30/06/2009 Short-toed Eagle
08/09/2009 Bonelli's Eagle

Israel Bird ATM FDC

Israel ATM FDC
Name: Birds of Prey - Lesser Kestrel
Date of Issue: 22 April 2009

The Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) is a small falcon. This species breeds from the Mediterranean across southern central Asia to China and Bangladesh. It is a summer migrant, wintering in Africa and Pakistan. It is rare north of its breeding range, and declining in its European range. The scientific name of this bird commemorates the German naturalist Johann Andreas Naumann. More…

Israel ATM FDCs - Birds of Prey Series
22/04/2009 Lesser Kestrel
30/06/2009 Short-toed Eagle
08/09/2009 Bonelli's Eagle

Taiwan Flower ATM FDCs

Taiwan ATM FDCs
Name: Flower of Tung Oil Tree (Red)
Date of Issue: 15 April 2008 (Black Ribbon), 18 April 2008 (Green Ribbon)

Vernicia fordii (Tung Tree; syn. Aleurites fordii Hemsl.) is a species of Vernicia in the spurge family, native to southern China, Burma, and northern Vietnam. Other vernacular names include Tung Oil Tree, Tung-oil Tree, Tungoil Tree, China Wood-Oil Tree, Kalo Nut Tree, 油桐 (lit. oil tung) being the formal name in Chinese.

It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 20 m tall, with a spreading crown. The bark is smooth and thin, and bleeds latex if cut. The leaves are alternate, simple, 4.5–25 cm long and 3.5–22 cm broad, heart-shaped or with three shallow, maple-like lobes, green above and below, red conspicuous glands at the base of the leaf, and with a 5.5–26 cm long petiole. The flowers are 2.5–3.5 cm diameter, with five pale pink to purple petals with streaks of darker red or purple in the throat; it is monoecious with individual flowers either male or female, but produced together in the inflorescences. The flowers appear before or with the leaves in loose, terminal clusters. The fruit is a hard, woody pear-shaped drupe 4–6 cm long and 3–5 cm diameter, containing four or five large, oily seeds; it is green initially, becoming dull brown when ripe in autumn. More...

Comment: Do you know why do I post 2 FDCs in this article?

Taiwan Mail Links ATM FDC

Taiwan FDC
Name: Launch of the Cross-strait Mail Links
Date of Issue: 15 December 2008

Comment: This is an additional issue. China mainland and Taiwan has restarted their directly mail links since 15th Dec. 2008. It was a great moment in Chinese history, I think Chunghwa Post issued this ATM stamp (pigeon design) to expect the peace between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits in the future.

Germany ATM FDC

Germany FDC
Name: Brandenburg Gate & Deutsche Post Tower
Date of Issue: 09 October 2008

0.45: Brandenburg Gate, Berlin
The Brandenburg Gate (German: Brandenburger Tor) is a former city gate and one of the main symbols of Berlin and Germany. It is located west of the city center at the intersection of Unter den Linden and Ebertstraße, immediately west of the Pariser Platz. It is the only remaining gate of a series through which one formerly entered Berlin. One block to its north lies the Reichstag. The gate is the monumental entry to Unter den Linden, the renowned boulevard of linden trees which formerly led directly to the city palace of the Prussian monarchs. It was commissioned by King Frederick William II of Prussia as a sign of peace and built by Carl Gotthard Langhans from 1788 to 1791. The Brandenburg Gate was restored from 2000 to 2002 by the Stiftung Denkmalschutz Berlin (Berlin Monument Conservation Foundation). Today, it is considered one of Europe's most famous landmarks. More...

0,55: Deutsche Post Tower, Bonn
The Deutsche Post Tower in Bonn, designed by Helmut Jahn, is sited in a public parkland adjacent to the river Rhine. The building reflects the ideal of transparency, weightlessness and immateriality. More...

Comment: I was so surprise that my Chinese friend (lives in Germany) made this FDC for me.

Taiwan Flower ATM FDC

Taiwan FDC
Name: Flower of Tung Oil Tree
Date of Issue: 07 March 2008

Vernicia fordii (Tung Tree; syn. Aleurites fordii Hemsl.) is a species of Vernicia in the spurge family, native to southern China, Burma, and northern Vietnam. Other vernacular names include Tung Oil Tree, Tung-oil Tree, Tungoil Tree, China Wood-Oil Tree, Kalo Nut Tree, 油桐 (lit. oil tung) being the formal name in Chinese.

It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 20 m tall, with a spreading crown. The bark is smooth and thin, and bleeds latex if cut. The leaves are alternate, simple, 4.5–25 cm long and 3.5–22 cm broad, heart-shaped or with three shallow, maple-like lobes, green above and below, red conspicuous glands at the base of the leaf, and with a 5.5–26 cm long petiole. The flowers are 2.5–3.5 cm diameter, with five pale pink to purple petals with streaks of darker red or purple in the throat; it is monoecious with individual flowers either male or female, but produced together in the inflorescences. The flowers appear before or with the leaves in loose, terminal clusters. The fruit is a hard, woody pear-shaped drupe 4–6 cm long and 3–5 cm diameter, containing four or five large, oily seeds; it is green initially, becoming dull brown when ripe in autumn. More...

Comment: Many Taiwan collectors are crazy on printing ATM stamps in the Post Office. Because Taiwan stamp vending machines always print the aberrant ATM stamps, it's interesting.

Vatican ATM FDC

Vatican ATM Stamp FDC
Name: The Basilica of Saint Peter
Date of Issue: 06 March 2008

The Basilica of Saint Peter (Latin: Basilica Sancti Petri), officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St. Peter's Basilica, is located within the Vatican City in Rome. It occupies a "unique position" as one the holiest sites and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom". In Catholic tradition, it is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to tradition, was the first Bishop of Antioch, and later first Bishop of Rome. While St. Peter's is the most famous of Rome's many churches, it is not the first in rank, an honour held by the Pope's cathedral church, the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

Although the New Testament does not mention Peter's presence or martyrdom in Rome, the apparent fact of his presence in Rome is supported by the witness of other 1st century Christians, such as St. Clement. Catholic tradition holds that his tomb is below the altar of the basilica. For this reason, many Popes, starting with the first ones, have been buried there. There has been a church on this site since the 4th century. Construction on the present basilica, over the old Constantinian basilica, began on April 18, 1506 and was completed in 1626.

St. Peter's is famous as a place of pilgrimage, for its liturgical functions and for its historical associations. It is associated with the papacy, with the Counter-reformation and with numerous artists, most significantly Michelangelo. As a work of architecture, it is regarded as the greatest building of its age. Contrary to popular misconception, Saint Peter's is not a cathedral, as it is not the seat of a bishop. It is properly termed a basilica. It is uncommon in that it is orientated with its chancel to the west and its facade to the east, which is the reverse of the arrangement at the majority of Christian churches.

ATM: the German abbreviation for "Automatenmarken", i.e. postage labels from electronical stamp vending machines - exist since 1969. They are - according to the Postal Law of the UPU (passed at the UPU Congress at Hamburg, 1984) - postage stamps that are printed by electronical stamp vending machines. After inserting the necessary amount of money (coins, banknotes etc.) the customer usually gets a stamp directly printed on (security) paper by the machine. In all respects (denomination of value and country, symbol of the postal authorities etc.) this stamp corresponds to the traditional postage stamp. Quoted from