Stamps with embedded volcanic ash, sand from Sahara dunes, and even precious crystals
A while ago, we took a look at examples of strange and noteworthy stamps from around the world. Today we have another fascinating look at some of the more peculiar, quite unusual, slightly odd and downright weird postage stamps from around the world.
Since philately and stamp collecting are somewhat specialized fields of study, this article doesn’t examine postage stamps in terms of their financial value to collectors. Instead, here is just a selection of some of the more unusual and often very strange postage stamp designs that have appeared in various countries over the years.
These are also from Brazil, featuring local species of bats: 
(image via)
Printed on cork, this Ecuador stamp commemorates 200 years of independence: 
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Apparently the only country to issue stamps printed on tinfoil, Bolivia produced this example in 1986 celebrating the Winter Olympics, which took place in Calgary in 1988: 
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This Moroccan stamp contains real sand from dunes in the Sahara Desert: 
(image credit: VietStamp)
This one was printed on wood by Djibouti to celebrate a Japanese royal wedding: 
(image credit: Iomoon)
The $10 postage stamp is the highest face value of stamp ever issued in Canada, so it’s perhaps fitting that it features the enormous Blue Whale. The Latin scientific name of the creature is written in micro printing and krill and a human diver can be viewed under ultraviolet light: 
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Israel came up with this 15 page booklet of stamps which acts like an animated flip book: 
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In 2010, Iceland issued three stamps marking the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, containing very fine grains of volcanic ash: 
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Last time, we featured stamps from Bhutan containing a real CD-Rom. This stamp from North Korea, issued at the time of the Beijing Olympics in 2008, contain an actual DVD: 
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The Sami people are Arctic indigenous people living in northern Scandinavia and parts of Russia. This stamp from Finland is the same shape as the floor plan of the Sami Cultural Centre opened in early 2012: 
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The New Zealand hologram stamp appeared in 1994 for the 25th anniversary of the first moon landing: 
(image credit: NewZeal.com)
Also on a space theme, this aluminum stamp with fluorescent ink was issued for the Soviet Union’s Cosmonaut's Day in 1965: 
(image via)
These recent United Arab Emirates stamps have a seed from the Ghaf Tree: 
(image credit: SlimStamps)
In 2007, the Beatles, or rather some of their familiar album covers, were featured on these British stamps. 
(images credit: John Coulthart, 2)
And finally, in another tribute to the sixties, these 2011 postage stamps feature Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation British TV shows from the 1960s - Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Joe 90: 
(image credit: http://scstamps.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=4045)
These four stamps feature Thunderbirds 1, 2, 3 and 4. The sheet can apparently be viewed in a way so you can see the various crafts’ launch sequences: 
(image credit: slouchingtowardsthatcham)
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Philately has been considered as an "auxiliary science of history" because it is based on the general principles of other sciences, which in turn contribute to enrich it. It acquires knowledge of the sciences, of the arts, of languages and opens an immense road of social relations through all countries. This science broadens broad horizons of culture, discovers artistic temperaments and offers the interest of the new and the unknown, while performing a positive therapeutic wor.
