Stamp of personal approval

CYPRUS Postal Services have finally caught up with the ‘smile’ trend already popular in countries such as the USA and Australia, offering personalised stamps with the sender’s picture on them. The new service became available in Cyprus this week and has already gained the thumbs-up from local philatelic organisations.

“This is a significant innovation, the most important development after the edition of the first stamp in 1840. Just as stamps gave people the opportunity to communicate, the personalised stamp was issued to preserve and increase human communication. Personalised stamps also give people the opportunity to socialise,” said Nikos Rangos, President of the Philatelic Company.

“I am convinced that the personalised stamp will attract the attention of the public and the philatelic groups because of its uniqueness,” added Andreas Gregoriou, Director of Cyprus Postal Services.

Those who opt for the new service will have their personalised stamps next to the regular stamps on the envelope. This can be done after submitting an application form and sending a picture in electronic form. In case pictures are not available in e-format, users can get their pictures taken at the point where the stamps are issued.

For the time being the picture-taking service is only offered by the Stamp and Philately Service office located at 100 Prodromou Street in Strovolos. Postal Services are also planning to enable stamp ordering through their website.

Photographs will have to be certified in order to avoid any false pretences or would-be pranksters. In addition, Postal Services announced that they will not accept pornographic, improper or distasteful photographs.

Meanwhile, provisions have also been set for data protection.

“To ensure the protection of personal data presented to us we will only keep the photographs and information for three months, for printing purposes and then destroy them,” Gregoriou noted.

The current options for the regular stamp that will be next to the personalised stamp include the ancient ship of Kyrenia, the horse, the bicycle and a football scene. In the future, Postal Services are also planning to feature seasonal Christmas or Easter images to go with your personalised stamp.

In terms of cost, personal stamps will cost you an additional €12 for a set of ten, including the set of regular stamps. For larger orders the price is €12 for the first set and then €4 per set.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.