India - Water Birds 1994

No better feeling than having a gap filled in your stamp collection. This time, and yes it has been a long time, its the 1994 water birds issue. I am one happy collector today.
This set of stamps was issued by India Post on 23rd Nov 1994. However was withdrawn shortly after issue as the stamps were printed with water soluble ink.

Earlier. Had the used Rs 6, Rs 8 and Rs 11 stamps and the Rs 6 stamp had a minor fault of a missing perforation. No Re 1 stamp here.

Now. Mint Se-tenant block of 4.

Here's my earlier post on the gaps in my Indian collection. I now will have to look for only one stamp, the 1948 - Mahatma Gandhi - Rs 10 to complete my post independence India collection.

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First Three Miniature Sheets - Post Independent India

I have now added these three absolute gems to my collection of Indian stamps. The first three miniature sheets of India which were long missing in my collection. About a year back, I had made reference to the gaps in my India collection. Then, it was two stamps and three miniature sheets to make it 100% complete

All miniature sheets are now part of my collection. So its down to just the two stamps. 1. 1948 - Mahatma Gandhi - Rs 10 and 2. 1994 - Water birds - Re 1.

First miniature sheet was issued on Nov 14, 1973 - 'Indipex 73' India International Philatelic Exhibition. It contains 4 imperf. stamps similar to the individual perforate issues released on the same date. The imperf. stamps from the sheet were not valid individually.

Second miniature sheet - Apr 15, 1974 - Masks

And the third miniature sheet - Oct 10, 1974 - UPU Centenary

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Post Independent India - Many gaps filled and now just two short of completion

Its been almost two years now, since I posted figures, stats on my Indian stamps collection. Well, the number of stamps in my want list was 37 then. That number is now only 2. All those missing stamps have been stocked, should I say, but I am particularly happy about the 1994 water birds stamps. I am still short of one stamp from the set though. The two stamps that still stay missing from my collection are, 1. 1948 - Mahatma Gandhi - Rs 10 and 2. 1994 - Water birds - Re 1. That makes my collection more than 99% complete.
Also missing are the following miniature sheets. The first three issues.
Nov 14, 1973: 'Indipex 73' India International Philatelic Exhibition
Apr 15, 1975: Masks
Oct 10, 1974: UPU Centenary

I have started filling gaps with small labels on information of the missing stamps. Of course, I am doing this only with near complete country collections. So the space filler in the picture below is a label of brief details about the missing Re 1 stamp.

Here is a closer look at the stamps. A high resolution scan so dont miss out on clicking the image for a blow up view. These are all used stamps. It is not so difficult to get these stamps mint off ebay, but used stamps are more difficult to find. I waited all this while and was able to get these stamps from a collector friend. 

What I was able to get - Rs 8, Black necked crane and Rs 11, Pink headed duck. Always had the Rs 6 one. Think I inherited it from my mum. The wait is not yet over and I hope its not a long one before I find both the stamps from my want list.

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India 1995-2000

The rare one here is this stamp above commemmorating the 125th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Raj Kumar Shukla. Rare because of the availability. Also the current catalog value is Rs 500 for the mint and Rs 400 for the used. I like this one I got here because of the tab along with. Not yet figured what the date on it signifies though.

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India 1991-94

This setenant stamp below is the RARE ONE here, in my opinion.
Sep '91. Exponents of Modern Hindi Literature
Mahadevi Varma & Varsha
Jayshankar Prasad & Kamyani

This stamp is also a RARE indian stamp. The 1994 release on the 80th birth anniversary of the Queen of Ghazals, BEGUM AKHTAR. The reason the stamp is rare is simply because of its non availability. This so happened because the stamp was withdrawn shortly after its issue being printed from water-soluble ink.
The SG (Stanley Gibbons) catalogue worth (as on date) of the used stamp is 5 pounds (~Rs 450)

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India 1957-61

I will just mention here the complete sets from these years, that I have and that can be seen in the stock page below. I have wherever possible tried to put the rarer, more valuable stamps in mounts.

1957

Indian Mutiny Centenary

National Children's day, Set of 3

Centenary of Indian universities, Set of 3

1958

The one I dont have here is the 90np stamp of the "Silver Jubilee of Indian Air Force", Set of 2.

1961
50th Anniversary of First Official Airmail Flight, Allahabad to Naini. Of the older stamps, I think these stamps are one of my favourites.

Last Row last three stamps are from the year 1962.

Image below is that of the Banyan Sapling, 90np from the "Indian mutiny centenary", set of 2, and in my opinion is quite a rare indian stamp in itself

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NOTE: Please click on the images for a larger view / closer look.