THE FORMAT INTERNATIONAL SECURITY PRINTERS LTD. ARCHIVE

Information and Reference of What was Found in the Archive

Reference listings of 1969 stamp issues for Ajman printed by the Format International Security Printers Ltd. and items found in the Archive

AJMAN
1969

Ajman stamps printed by Format International Security Printers Ltd.
Links to pages with information on items found in the archive

Please view my introduction to the Ajman stamps for historical information and details on the agencies.

INTRODUCTION TO THE AJMAN STAMPS PRINTED BY THE FORMAT INTERNATIONAL SECURITY PRINTERS

Please visit my introduction page for the Trucial States to understand more how the following sets have been determined to have been printed by the Format International Security Printers.

INTRODUCTION TO THE TRUCIAL STATES STAMPS PRINTED BY THE FORMAT INTERNATIONAL SECURITY PRINTERS

AJMAN AND OTHER TRUCIAL STATES UNCUT PRESS SHEETS FOUND IN THE FORMAT ARCHIVE


Let's get started!

1969 SPORTS CYCLING
Michel #354-60, Block 77-83 Minkus #294-301

I note the following three sports sets were printed in a shared printing of five sets. It is noted in Minkus that the Cycling, German Soccer and Auto races sets were printed by "Security Printers" and the Boxers and Baseball sets were printed by Poligrafica & Cartevalori, Ercolano. All sets are lithographic sets.
Noting that information on the StampPrinters.info website is inaccurate as the "compiler" lists that Poligrafica's first stamps printed were for Kuwait in 1969 when in fact the company printed stamps for Libya in 1965. I have issues with that site in other areas as well. Namely the history of the ties between The Format Printers and the House of Questa. but that is another story.

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the souvenir sheet.
The deluxe sheetlets are listed in Michel as blocks 78-83 and A83. Most appear to be very scarce.


SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCK 78
Cyclists
CYCLING PANES OF 6 SET

CYCLING BLOCK 78-83 DELUXE SHEETLET EXAMPLE


CYCLISTS PROMOTIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT PIECE
I found this image showing the promotional postal announcement piece for the Cycling set from the Sports Games group issued January 10.

1969 SPORTS GERMAN SOCCER
Michel #362-7, Block 84-90 Minkus #302-8

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the souvenir sheet.
The deluxe sheetlets are listed in Michel as blocks 85-90.
Noting the "Security Printers" logo is on the stamps.


SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCK 84
German Soccer Team
GERMAN SOCCER PANES OF 6 SET

GERMAN SOCCER BLOCK 85-90 DELUXE SHEETLET SET


GERMAN SOCCER PROMOTIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT PIECE
I found this image showing the promotional postal announcement piece for the German soccer set from the Sports Games group issued January 10.

1969 SPORTS AUTO RACING (Famous Motorists and Sports Cars)
Michel #369-74, 375-80 Block 91-7 Minkus #309-14, 309A-314A and 315

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6 se-tenant pairs. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the souvenir sheet.
The deluxe sheetlets are listed in Michel as blocks 92-7.

Noting that this set appears to have parts that are extremely rare and hard to get. The first part of the set is the images of famous race car drivers. They were printed se-tenant with stamps with images of the cars inscribed MANAMA. The second part of the set are those same cars inscribed AJMAN which were printed se-tenant with the set of famous race car drivers inscribed MANAMA. It appears that the set of cars inscribed Ajman and the set of race car drivers inscribed Manama are the difficult to find parts. No intact panes of those seem available and the sets are hard to find. Intact pairs of them are rarely offered. Seems odd since quantities were plentiful when they were issued making me think possibly they were hoarded at some point.
Again the "Security Printers" logo is on the stamps.

Michel 369-74, Minkus 309-14
Famous Race Car Drivers

Michel 375-80, Minkus 309A-314A
Famous Race Cars

AUTO RACING AJMAN AND MANAMA SE-TENANT PAIRS

SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCK 91
Cars on Racetrack

AUTO RACING PANES OF 6 SE-TENANT PAIRS SET

AUTO RACING BLOCK 92-7 DELUXE SHEETLET EXAMPLES


AUTO RACING PROMOTIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT PIECE
I found this image showing the promotional postal announcement piece for the Auto Racing set from the Sports Games group issued January 10.


SPORTS BOXING PROMOTIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT PIECE
I found this image showing the promotional postal announcement for the Boxing issue which was printed by Poligrafica. It belongs to the series of Sports issues.


SPORTS BASEBALL PROMOTIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT
I found this image showing the promotional postal announcement for the Baseball issue which was also printed by Poligrafica. It shows quantities printed which is the same for each set of the Sports issues.

A NOTE ON PERFORATIONS

We can see that at the time the previous Sports sets were printed the two printing companies used different perforation sizes. Namely Format used perf 13.5 whereas Poligrafica used perf 12.5. The following three sets are perf 12.5 and I am certain they were not printed by Format. There are no deluxe sheetlets for them. The birds and Animals sets are of similar design. The roses issue very plain. I am showing the images of them only for reference in regards to the promotional postal announcements which continue to show the same patterns of quantities printed.

1969 BIRDS
Michel #394-404, Minkus #328-38

The 1969 Birds Promotional Postal Announcement

1969 ROSES
Michel #405-10, Block 111, Minkus #346-52

The 1969 Roses and Animals Promotional Postal Announcement

1969 ANIMALS
Michel #412-17, Block 110, Minkus #339-45

The 1969 Roses and Animals Promotional Postal Announcement quantities printed


THE MARCH 1, 1969 FAMOUS PAINTINGS PROMOTIONAL POSTAL ANNOUNCEMENT
This postal announcement is for the Italian Paintings, Composers, and Paintings of Women sets that follow.
All were issued on March 1, 1969. All are perf 13.5.
The Kennedy Brothers, and Olympic Gold Medal Winners sets were also issued on that date. I am sure the quantities for the Olympics set are the same. For the Kennedy issue because there appears to be so many available I think there was a reprinting of the issue due to popularity at the time.

1969 ITALIAN PAINTINGS
Michel #419-23, Block 112 and A122-E112, Minkus #353-8

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the souvenir sheet.
The deluxe sheetlets are listed in Michel as blocks A112-E112. Apparently very rare as I could not find them anywhere on the internet.
Noting the "Italian Paintings" title cutout on the Postal Announcement image above placed wrongly by the seller.


SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCK 112
Painting by Monsu Desiderio
ITALIAN PAINTINGS PANES OF 6 SET

1969 COMPOSERS
Michel #425-8, Block 113-17, Minkus #359-63

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the souvenir sheet.
The deluxe sheetlets are listed in Michel as blocks 114-17.
Noting the Postal Announcement images this set.


SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCK 113
Mozart and excerpt from the Magic Flute
COMPOSERS BLOCK 114-17 DELUXE SHEETLET SET


THE MARCH 1, 1969 LADY'S PORTRAITS TITLE PIECE PROMOTIONAL POSTAL ANNOUNCEMENT
This title piece from the postal announcement is for the following two Paintings of Women sets.
All were issued on March 1, 1969. All are perf 13.5.

1969 FRENCH MASTER PAINTINGS OF PORTRAIT OF WOMEN
Michel #430-3, Block 118, Minkus #364-7 and 373A

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate. The souvenir sheet is imperforate.
No deluxe sheetlets are listed in Michel.


SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCK 118
Mme Monet on a Couch

1969 PAINTINGS OF FAMOUS NUDE IMAGES
Michel #435-8, Block 119-20, Minkus #369-73

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate. The souvenir sheets are imperforate.
No deluxe sheetlets are listed in Michel.


SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCK 119
Maja Clothed
SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCK 120
Maja Nude

1969 KENNEDY BROTHERS
Michel #445-7, Block 122-4 Minkus #381-6

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the souvenir sheets.
No deluxe sheetlets are listed in Michel.


SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCKS 122-4
I note that the values are the same as the single stamp issues which implies they are probably actually deluxe sheetlets and not classified as souvenir sheets. They are only being classified as souvenir sheets because Michel and Minkus list them this way because there is no actual souvenir sheet for this set.

KENNEDY BROTHERS PANES OF 6 SET

THE MARCH 1, 1969 KENNEDY BROTHERS TITLE PIECE PROMOTIONAL POSTAL ANNOUNCEMENT
This title piece from the postal announcement is for the Kennedy Brothers set.
All were issued on March 1, 1969. All are perf 13.5.

1969 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL WINNERS
Michel #448-53, Block 125-31 Minkus #374-80

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the souvenir sheet.
The deluxe sheetlets are listed in Michel as blocks 126-31. These are listed in Michel properly because there is an actual souvenir sheet.


SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCK 125
U.S. Basketball Team
OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL WINNERS PANES OF 6 SET

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL WINNERS BLOCK 126-31 DELUXE SHEETLET SET


THE MARCH 1, 1969 OLYMPIC WINNERS TITLE PIECE PROMOTIONAL POSTAL ANNOUNCEMENT
This title piece from the postal announcement is for the Olympic Gold Medal Winners set.
All were issued on March 1, 1969. All are perf 13.5.

1969 PAINTINGS
Michel #455-6, Block 137-8 Minkus #387-388A

The single stamps were printed in panes of 25. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the souvenir sheets.
No deluxe sheetlets are listed in Michel.

This set is lithograph but are perf 12.5. It was printed by Poligrafica and Cartevalori.
There are conflicts of dating between Michel and Minkus. Michel dates them on August 3 whereas Minkus dates them April 5. Minkus appears to be correct as the CTO cancels show earlier dating on the souvenir sheets. Still CTO cancels many times are inaccurate for these.


SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCK 137
Adoration
SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCK 138
Mystical Wedding of St. Catherine
PAINTINGS PANE OF 25

1969 APOLLO 9 (Michel 338) OVERPRINTED
APOLLO 9/March 3-13 1969/Mc. DIVITT/SCHWEICKART/SCOTT
Michel #457, Block 139 Minkus #287A

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the deluxe sheetlet.
The deluxe sheetlet many times is called a souvenir sheet but as shown on the original set...it is a deluxe sheetlet.


APOLLO 9 OVERPRINT PANE OF 6

APOLLO 9 OVERPRINT BLOCK 139 DELUXE SHEETLET

1969 APOLLO 10 (Michel 338) OVERPRINTED
APOLLO 10/May 18-26 1969/E. CERNAN/T. STAFFORD/J. YOUNG
Michel #458, Block 140 Minkus #287B

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the deluxe sheetlet.
The deluxe sheetlet many times is called a souvenir sheet but as shown on the original set...it is a deluxe sheetlet.


APOLLO 10 OVERPRINT BLOCK 140 DELUXE SHEETLET

1969 APOLLO 9 (Michel 333) YURI GAGARIN OVERPRINTED
IN MEMORIAM/MARCH 27, 1968
Michel #459, Block 141 Minkus #282A

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the deluxe sheetlet.
The deluxe sheetlet many times is called a souvenir sheet but as shown on the original set...it is a deluxe sheetlet.


YURI GAGARIN OVERPRINT BLOCK 141 DELUXE SHEETLET

1969 APOLLO 9 (Michel 334) EDWARD WHITE OVERPRINTED
IN MEMORIAM/JANUARY 27, 1967
Michel #460, Block 142 Minkus #283A

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the deluxe sheetlet.
The deluxe sheetlet many times is called a souvenir sheet but as shown on the original set...it is a deluxe sheetlet.


EDWARD WHITE OVERPRINT BLOCK 142 DELUXE SHEETLET

1969 KENNEDY BROTHERS (Michel 445) ROBERT KENNEDY OVERPRINTED
IN MEMORIAM/JUNE 6, 1968
Michel #461, Block 143 Minkus #381A and 384A

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the deluxe sheetlet.
The deluxe sheetlet many times is called a souvenir sheet but as shown on the original set...it is a deluxe sheetlet.


ROBERT KENNEDY OVERPRINT BLOCK 143 DELUXE SHEETLET

1969 SOCCER CHAMPIONS (Michel 315) GIANNI RIVERA OVERPRINTED
MILAN A.C./EUROPEAN FOOTBALL CLUB/CHAMPION 1969-1970
Michel #462, Block 144 Minkus #264A

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. No imperforates seem to exist.
The deluxe sheetlet many times is called a souvenir sheet but as shown on the original set...it is a deluxe sheetlet.
Apparently with the sale of the Sellinger stock it appears the majority of this issue was retained there. Both black and red overprints exist. At this point it appears the red overprint is more common. The same holds true for the deluxe sheetlets as well.


GIANNI RIVERA OVERPRINTED BLOCK 144 DELUXE SHEETLET

1969 OLYMPIC WINNERS OVERPRINTED
MUNICH-GERMANY/X X Olympiad/26 Aug. 10 Sept. 1972
Michel #463-5, Block 145-7 Minkus #377A-379A

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate as does the deluxe sheetlet.
The deluxe sheetlet many times is called a souvenir sheet but as shown on the original set...it is a deluxe sheetlet.


OLYMPIC WINNERS OVERPRINT BLOCK 145-7 DELUXE SHEETLET EXAMPLE

1969 APOLLO 11 MOONLANDING
Michel Block 148 Minkus #393

The souvenir sheet exists only imperforate.
Due to observation of two varieties of the souvenir sheet one being normal paper and one being thick paper I believe this particular souvenir sheet was reprinted. There are a lot of them available.
There is a conflict between Michel and Minkus of what type of printing this sheet and the following single stamp set and souvenir sheet were made with. Michel notes them as photogravure whereas Minkus notes them as lithograph. Minkus is the correct one.
Noting it is interesting that this souvenir sheet was issued on September 10 while the following set of singles was issued on October 10. I believe this may have been because of a rush to get the stamp issue out at the time. Basically the souvenir sheet should have belonged to the following single stamp issue as a set. But because of the rushed printing a different souvenir sheet was made.

SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCK 148
Plaque

1969 APOLLO 11 MOONLANDING
Michel #466-8, Block 149-51 Minkus #394-6

The single stamps were printed in panes of 6. The stamps exist perforated and imperforate. The deluxe sheetlets exist only imperforate.
The deluxe sheetlets are not souvenir sheets.


APOLLO 11 MOONLANDING BLOCK 149-51 DELUXE SHEETLET SET


APOLLO 11 MOONLANDING PROMOTIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT PIECE
I found this image showing the promotional postal announcements were published for this set. It included the following souvenir sheet.

1969 APOLLO 11 MANNED LUNAR LANDING
Michel Block 152 Minkus #397

The souvenir sheet exists perforated and imperforate.
Noting the souvenir sheet is listed separately in Michel and is listed with the above singles set in Minkus.
The conflict between Michel and Minkus as to the type of printing continues with this souvenir sheet. I note that the design of the souvenir sheet (lower quality) really does not match the singles set at all and it is possible that at this point another printer became involved, probably namely Poligrafica and Cartevalori. At this point changes were beginning to happen with a few of the future sets. The 1969 Christmas issue is perf 12 and of similar design (lower quality) as this souvenir sheet. Issued in panes of 20. Even the deluxe sheetlets for the Christmas issue differ greatly in style from the Format Printers style.

SOUVENIR SHEET BLOCK 152
N. A. Armstrong


It was at this time that conflicts broke out between certain agencies trying to break into the Trucial States contracts which were already established with Finbar Kenny. Ajman Stamps to be continued....

References taken from:
Michel Asien II
Minkus Trucial States Stamp Catalog
Evidence found in the Format Archive
Online research

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