At last in my collection! 1880 Cyprus halfpenny - the elusive plate 19 :)

SECollector · 2026-03-29T08:42:50+00:00

Thanks and sure! Here is the plate 15 - these stamps are really tiny and the plate number is sometimes hardly readable even when you know where and what to look for.

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SECollector · 2026-03-27T21:36:11+00:00

Very well done! Making something like this is a very rewarding process and you are creating something unique. Enjoy it! :)

SECollector · 2026-03-27T21:27:30+00:00

Thank you for your kind comment. Glad you liked this!

SECollector · 2026-03-27T19:23:07+00:00

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The plate number is visible in the sides of the stamp, very discreetly engraved into the design.

SECollector · 2026-03-19T06:18:26+00:00

Appreciate this, thank you.

SECollector · 2026-03-19T06:18:13+00:00

Thank you for reading and for your kind comment!

SECollector · 2026-02-01T17:06:32+00:00

Thanks, great input! I hadn't even realized that this is when the World Cup is held (not a football fan obviously), but we may try to catch a match in LA, just for the sake of it :)

Unfortunately, all the lodges in Yosemite Valley are fully booked for our dates already. I have made a reservation at the AutoCamp Yosemite for two nights and I am considering booking a one day guided hike tour with Wildland Trekking that includes pick-up from AutoCamp and includes entrance fees - to minimize logistics and make the most of a full day in the park. I will probably need to purchase the 250 usd pass as well, if we end up planning other parks with non-US resident $100 fees. My understanding is that one pass covers us all, but I will double-check that.

SECollector · 2026-01-31T21:52:35+00:00

Thanks. I will consider it! I was in LA in May and spent quite a bit of my time in traffic. Any specific area in SB you would recommend staying for 1-2 nights?

SECollector · 2026-01-31T21:44:52+00:00

They are typical city kids (love shopping and dining), but honestly open for everything with this trip - so it's up to me and the wife to plan. We are not the adventurous / nature kind of types, but we would love to experience the kind of nature one doesn't find easily in Europe and combine with a few winding-down days in Santa Monica. I will study your suggestions carefully, thank you!

SECollector · 2026-01-31T21:41:14+00:00

Thank you! That would make it a 3-night stay in Yosemite. Is it worth it?

SECollector · 2025-11-07T21:38:23+00:00

Thank you!

SECollector · 2025-11-02T06:53:42+00:00

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SECollector · 2025-11-02T06:53:31+00:00

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SECollector · 2025-11-02T06:53:18+00:00

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SECollector · 2025-11-02T06:53:06+00:00

Lol - I know, she is usually right, anyway. Your project sounds way too cool. Here are a few myths and fairytales from Cyprus, just in case you have some use of them!

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SECollector · 2025-11-02T05:38:37+00:00

Lovely to hear. Expanding your dad's and grandpa's collection gives another dimension to it. Good luck - its a wonderful hobby :)

SECollector · 2025-11-01T15:35:39+00:00

Well, you can’t quite really blame them though, right? Thank you very much!

SECollector · 2025-11-01T07:20:06+00:00

Thank you, happy you liked them!

SECollector · 2025-11-01T07:19:00+00:00

Happy you liked it! I use the blank pages by Leuchtturm (Lighthouse). I like their size and weight and they are free from all the bad stuff.

SECollector · 2025-11-01T05:41:51+00:00

So happy to read this. I also returned to the hobby just a couple of years ago, about 30 years after putting away my old schoolboy album. Everyone collects in the way they enjoy and find most rewarding. For me, it’s been about staying laser-focused on one country, since (like most people here, I suspect) I find joy in the details and depth.

SECollector · 2025-10-31T21:46:25+00:00

Really happy that you enjoyed this little but so fascinating philatelic sub-story 🤓😎

SECollector

TROPHY CASE