Vanuatu, an island group in the South Pacific, issued its first self-adhesive stamps July 23.
The six stamps picture butterflies found on the various islands of Vanuatu.
 Vanuatu's first self-adhesive stamps, issued July 23, picture butterflies found in that Pacific island nation. Two of the stamps are shown. One is attached to its backing paper. The other has been removed to reveal that the butterfly's wings are die cut to shape. |
The 30-vatus value depicts the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). This butterfly's habitat is widespread; it is found from North America westward across the Pacific.
The 60v stamp features the large butterfly known as blue moon (Hypolimnas bolina).
According to the new-issue announcement, Eurema hecabe, shown on the 65v denomination, is the best-known species of the group. More than 30 subspecies of this butterfly range from India, Japan, southeastern Asia and down through the Pacific.
Nymphalidae sp., a brown butterfly with white spots on its wings, is pictured on the 75v value.
The 95v stamp shows Precis villida, a medium-size butterfly that is timid and difficult to catch because of its strong, rapid flight.
Illustrated on the 205v high value of the set is Tirumala hamata, a long-lived tenacious butterfly that can fly considerable distances.
The 205v stamp is available in two formats.
Like the other denominations, it was printed in sheets of 40. It also is in a souvenir sheet by itself.
The souvenir sheet measures approximately 4.25 by 3.25 inches. The stamp is in the lower-left corner. The large border area surrounding the other sides of the stamp depict a flower, another butterfly (Rajah Brooke's birdwing) and the emblem of the Singpex 98 stamp show. This event was held July 23-26 in Singapore.
Sue Wickison, a scientific illustrator and stamp designer, created the designs for Vanuatu. She lived on another Pacific island, Kiribati, as a child, and as an adult has resided in the Pacific region, including Vanuatu.
In addition to butterflies, her designs for the stamps include flowers of the type that the species would frequent.
The addresses of Vanuatu's bureau and its agency in the United States are: Philatelic Section, Post Office, Port-Vila, Vanuatu, South Pacific; Inter-Governmental Philatelic Corp., 535 Fifth Ave., Suite 300, New York, NY 10017.
Japan issued its first self-adhesive stamps in 1989 but didn't issue self-adhesives that were cut to shape until earlier this year.
 Three of the five Japanese Greetings stamps issued March 13. The stamps are self-adhesive with a part of the design, for example, the puppy's tail and paws, cut to shape. |
These stamps, which are part of Japan's annual Greetings series, are pictured on the front cover of the 1999 edition of the Sakura Catalog of Japanese Stamps. The illustration shown nearby is from that catalog.
Four of the stamps depict small animals, while the fifth design depicts pansies. On the right side, the Pansies stamp is die cut in the shape of the leaves of the flowers.
A stamp picturing a beagle puppy is cut to the shape of his tail and paws on the right. A yellow-striped kitten and a gray and white rabbit are similarly cut to shape.
The remaining stamp is cut to shape at the top in an outline of the heads of two parrots.
Each stamp is denominated 80 yen. They were issued March 13.
Yushu, the monthly magazine of the Japan Philatelic Society Foundation, surveyed approximately 110 people for their opinions of these new irregularly shaped self-adhesives. Most of the people questioned were visitors to the philatelic museum in Mejiro, Japan.
The magazine found that approximately 90 percent of the people approved of the issue, but that the other 10 percent "could not bear the existence of the issue," the article said.
In conjunction with the issuance of the stamps, the Mizuhara Memorial Philatelic Museum presented an exhibit of approximately 200 irregular-shaped or self-adhesive stamps from 40 countries, including the Banana stamps of Tonga and diamond-shaped stamps from Sierra Leone.
Included with this column is a chart of more than 60 countries that have issued self-adhesive stamps with the first self-adhesive stamp from each. The list is in chronological order.
The chart is based in part on postings to a stamp-hobby news group on the Internet made by collector Scott F. Smith in 1995. At that time, Smith was spending the winter in Antarctica.
The chart has been updated and expanded to include the Scott number for each stamp and a brief description of the design.
This chart is our first attempt at listing the first self-adhesives from around the world. Corrections and additions are welcome. Send the information to World of New Issues Column, Linn's, Box 29, Sidney, OH 45365.
The addresses of the Japanese bureau and its agency in the United States are: Tokyo Central Post Office, Philatelic Section, CPO Box 888, Tokyo, 100-8692, Japan; Interpost, Box 378, Malverne, NY 11565.
| Country | Date of issue | Description | Scott No. |
| Aland | June 25, 1998 | Tennis tournament | ** |
| Andorra, French | June 10, 1996 | Marianne | 471 |
| Antigua | June 2, 1978 | Royal coaches | 514 |
| Argentina | March 25, 1995 | Postal administration emblem | 1883A-84 |
| Australia | May 16, 1990 | Sports/cycling | 1185 |
| Barbados | Oct. 31, 1977 | Royal visit | 286 |
| Barbuda | April 4, 1977 | Royal family | 286 |
| Belgium | Dec. 1, 1997 | Flower | 1677 |
| Bhutan | June 2, 1969 | Steel making | 103-103K |
| Brazil | May 26, 1993 | Flag | 2407 |
| Canada | June 30,1989 | Flag | 1191 |
| Cocos Island | Aug. 24 1990 | Flowers | 217 |
| Dominica | June 16, 1981 | Royal wedding | 705 |
| Finland | Feb. 5 1991 | Provincial plants | 844 |
| France | Jan. 29, 1990 | Marianne | 2202 |
| French Polynesia | Jan., 9 1991 | Pineapples | 555-56 |
| Germany | June 4, 1991 | Sights | 1655, 59, 61, 63 |
| Gibraltar | May 2, 1974 | Mailboxes | 309a |
| Great Britain | Oct. 19, 1993 | Queen Elizabeth | 1521 |
| Grenada | June 2, 1978 | Queen Elizabeth | 877 |
| Grenadines | June 14, 1977 | Queen Elizabeth | 217-20 |
| Guernsey | April 24, 1997 | Scenes | 593-95 |
| Guyana | Dec. 6 1993 | Donald Duck | 2780A |
| Iraq | Dec. 19, 1997 | Waf'a Alga'd Project | 1530 |
| Ireland | Oct. 31 1991 | Heritage Treasures | 794 |
| Israel | Oct. 2, 1996 | Hanukkah | 1289 |
| Isle of Man | Oct. 14 1991 | Christmas | 492-93 |
| Italy | Sept. 22, 1992 | Stamp Day | 1913 |
| Japan | March 24, 1989 | Shells | 1626c |
| Jersey | Feb. 12, 1997 | Tourism | 786-89 |
| Kiribati | Nov. 1, 1993 | Stampcard | 618-21 |
| North Korea | May 29, 1993 | Stampcard | * |
| Marshall Islands | May 29, 1997 | Native crafts | 629-30 |
| Mauritius | July 20, 1979 | Moon landing | 483 |
| Moldova | Dec. 22, 1994 | Stampcard | 131-32 |
| Montserrat | March 2, 1975 | Carib artifacts | 322a |
| Netherlands | Nov. 27, 1995 | December | 916-17 |
| Netherlands Antilles | Dec. 2, 1996 | Christmas | 778-79 |
| New Caledonia | April 7, 1993 | Cagou | 683 |
| New Zealand | April 17, 1991 | Bird | 935A |
| Niuafo'ou | May 11, 1983 | Airport, Map | 1-16 |
| Norfolk Island | Dec. 16, 1974 | UPU | 181-84 |
| Norway | Nov. 26, 1997 | Christmas | 1178-79 |
| Palau | July 9, 1991 | Palauan bai | C21 |
| Paraguay | June 4, 1986 | Albrecht Durer's Madonna | C645 |
| Peru | Nov. 22, 1990 | Pacific Steam Navigation Co. | 1001-02 |
| Poland | Aug. 13, 1990 | Flowers | 2978-79 |
| Portugal | June 20, 1905 | Expo 98 | ** |
| St. Pierre and Miquleon | Feb. 8, 1992 | Marianne | 545 |
| St. Vincent | Aug. 5, 1992 | Baseball players | 1693-1704 |
| Sierra Leone | Feb. 10, 1964 | Map | 257-63 |
| Singapore | Nov. 24, 1993 | Palm tree | 673B |
| Switzerland | Sept. 10, 1996 | Greetings | 974-77 |
| Taiwan | May 5, 1995 | Peony painting | 3004-05 |
| Tanzania | Feb. 27, 1995 | Carlos Santana | 1312 |
| Tonga | July 15, 1963 | Coins | 128-33, C1-6 |
| Turks and Caicos | July 24, 1978 | Queen Elizabeth | 354 |
| United Kingdom | Oct. 19, 1993 | Queen Elizabeth | 1552 |
| United States | Nov. 15, 1974 | Christmas | 1552 |
| Uruguay | Feb. 24, 1997 | Fish | 1642-43 |
| Vanuatu | July 23, 1998 | Butterflies | ** |
| Wallis & Futuna | July 8, 1991 | Renior | 411 |
