A discussion of themes found in Singapore postage stamps.

2010-08-17

Youth Olympic Games 2010


The first Youth Olympic Games opens in Singapore 14 August 2010. To mark the historic occasion, the Singapore Post released 4 stamps featuring the sporting, educational and cultural characteristics. Lyo and Merly, the games mascots, appear in all the stamps. The illustration in the 1st local stamp represents the World Culture Village and 65-cent stamp represents the Island Adventure activities for the youthful athletes when not competing. The $1.10 and $2.00 stamps feature swimming and basketball. A post office was specially set up in the Youth Olympic Village, located in the western part of Singapore. The FDC shown above is from the Youth Olympic Village as shown by the day cancellation and the first day cancellation numbered 66. The Youth Olympic Village is normally accessible only to athletes, Olympiad officials and workers for the games; visitors have to apply for special passes.

2010-08-06

2010 Local Definitives - Flowers

On 23 June 2010 , two more stamps were added to the current set of definitives, one for 1st local (26 cents) and a second one for 2nd local (32 cents), featuring flowers. The 1st local stamp features the Simpoh Air (Dillenia suffruticosa), a plant with large leaves and large yellow flowers that usually last for only a day. The 2nd local stamp features the Singapore Rhododendron (Melastoma malabathricum), a common plant with flowers that also last only a day; the plant is a host for caterpillars of butterflies like the Common Sailor (Neptis hylas) and the Grey Count (Tanaecia lapidea). The 1st local stamp was also released as self-adhesives in booklets of 10 stamps and sheets of 20 stamps.

2010 National Monuments (National Day)

For many years, the National Day issue was released on the actual year. For 2010, the release date was brought forward to 4 August. The theme is national monuments, and these monuments comprise hospitals, educational institutions and other government buildings. Monuments which are/were part of hospitals found on the stamps are the Tan Teck Guan Building, the College of Medicine Building and the Bowyer Block (now the Singapore General Hospital Museum). Two monuments related to educational institutions are the Chinese High School Clock Tower (now known as the Hwa Chong Institute Clock Tower) and the former Raffles College. The Command House was built during the 1930s and was home to 16 successive General Officer Commanding Malaya & Singapore between 1938 and 1971. The miniature sheet features portions of the featured monuments.

New Caledonia issues SYOG stamp

New Caledonia issued the stamp commemorating the Singapore Youth Olympic Games on 6 August 2010. The stamp features multiple disciplines in the track and field events: sprint, hurdle, shot put, javelin & pole vault.

Lithuania issues SYOG stamp

Lithuania issued the stamp commemorating the Singapore Youth Olympic Games on 31 July 2010 The stamp features basketball, which will be played at the SYOG with each team comprising 3 players!