Pandan Wood Islet releases two pairs of stamps picturing ancient woodlands
Although I’ve been involved in the local post scene for well over two decades creating my Philosateleian Post stamps, and collected stamps picturing natural landscapes for a long time, too, it’s always a treat when those two interests converge, and that’s the case with four stamps recently issued by England’s Pandan Wood Islet local post.
The 1st- and 2nd-class stamps issued September 11, 2025, feature woodland scenes.
Pandan Wood Islet 1st-Class Ancient Woodland Scenes stampsPandan Wood Islet 2nd-Class Ancient Woodland Scenes stamps
According to Wickford Community Archive, Pandan Wood was located on Gifford’s Farm near the Hamlet of Peasdown in Essex, England. The area was submerged in the 1950s by the creation of Hanningfield Reservoir.
Philosateleia 1s The Philosateleian first day cover
The Philosateleian stamp has some light scuffing on its left side, but I’ve seen much worse from USPS sorting equipment, so I can’t much complain about this.
The cover also received an official postmark dated January 26, the same day I mailed it. Sadly, the wavy lines part of the cancellation was omitted, which means the Boston 2026 stamp I used for postage is neither cancelled nor tied to cover, but that’s how it goes sometimes.
Mick’s Local Post, Bat’s Private Post issue new stamps on final day of 2025
I thought I had finished writing about local post stamps issued in 2025, but a few late entries in that category arrived in my post office box between last Wednesday and yesterday, all four of them issued December 31.
The first stamp is from Mick’s Local Post out of Portland, Oregon. The design features an image of Mick looking out over Lake Erie from the Ohio lakeshore, and it fits rather nicely into my landscapes collection. I’ve already added a space for it to my Canada/United States pages.
Mick’s Local Post Lake Erie stamp
The other three stamps are from Beverly Hills-based Bat’s Private Post. One, an 88¢ stamp, pictures Assata Shakur (1947–2025), a political activist and revolutionary convicted of murdering a New Jersey State Trooper in 1973. Shakur escaped from prison in 1979 and fled to Cuba as a fugitive from the law.
Bat’s Private Post Assata Shakur stamp
Another 88¢ stamp pictures Dr. Jane Goodall (1934–2025), the English primatologist best known for her research on chimpanzees.
Bat’s Private Post Dr. Jane Goodall stamp
Finally, we have a non-denominated official stamp issued for use by the Bat’s Private Post Currency Board. The die cut stamp pictures Hermes.
Bat’s Private Post Currency Board stamp
According to a release included with the stamp, the Currency Board has created a series of small change “notes” in values ranging from ½¢ to $1 to facilitate mail order transaction payments. The notes can be used to pay for any Bat’s Private Post service.
Como Park Post, Bat’s Private Post end 2025 with new stamps
I’m closing in on clearing the last of my mail received in December from my mail tray, and there are a couple of local post stamps that arrived late in the year.
The first of the stamps came from Como Park Post in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It’s a 3¢ design tied to cover by a December 22, 2025, first day of issue postmark.
Como Park Post 3¢ stamp on first day cover
The second stamp is from Beverly Hills-based Bat’s Private Post. The 66¢ stamp pictures Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles, California, and commemorates the observatory’s 90th anniversary.
Bat’s Private Post Griffith Park Observatory stamp on postcard
And that’s it for this entry. Hope you’re having a great week!
Philosateleian Post records drop in mail volume in 2025
Following two consecutive years of growth in the number of mail pieces carried, Philosateleian Post in 2025 recorded its lowest total outgoing mail count since 2020, and a 20% reduction compared to the number of pieces carried in 2024.
For all of 2025, Philosateleian Post processed 477 pieces of outbound mail. That included 459 pieces of regular mail, 12 items that were addressed to unknown individuals and returned to sender, and six pieces delivered to incorrect mail receptacles by the United States Postal Service.
In spite of the drop in mail volume, Philosateleian Post did last year record its second-highest single day mail total ever. 42 pieces were mailed on a single day in November 2025.
