Football fever has caught up in Mysore with the Philately Bureau of the Head Post Office witnessing brisk sales of commemorative stamps brought out by India Post to mark FIFA World Cup-2014.
In a span of 20 days, football fans and philatelists have bought over 65,000 stamps from the bureau which started selling them from June 13.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had released the stamps in New Delhi.
This is the first time that India Post has brought out commemorative stamps for football.
S. Mahadevaiah, senior post master, Mysore HPO, told The Hindu that the sales were impressive and the bureau has adequate stock to cater to fans and philatelists.
“We have sold 65,620 stamps priced at Rs. 5 and Rs. 25 each.”
Brisk salesHe added, “On the first day, many football fans and philatelists made a beeline for the bureau to buy these stamps. The largest number of FIFA World Cup-2014 stamp buyers was the youth. The sale is expected to rise in the coming days with the World Cup nearing finals.”
The Philately Bureau, Mysore, got 10,91,570 such stamps from the security press in Nashik.
These stamps were later distributed among 12 head post offices, which come under the bureau’s jurisdiction.
The stamps are also available at Mandya, Hassan, Kodagu, Nanjangud, Kollegal and other places, he said.
CostA sheet containing four stamps can be bought for Rs. 60.
Also, a sheet of 49 stamps in the denomination of Rs. 5 can be purchased for Rs. 245.
Of the four commemorative stamps, three stamps — two in the denomination of Rs. 25 and one in the Rs. 5 denomination — have images of players in action and the fourth stamp (in the denomination of Rs. 5) has the image of Fuleco the Armadillo, the official mascot of the World Cup.
Besides the Philately Bureau at the Head Post Office in Nehru Circle here, the stamps are available at the Saraswathipuram Head Post Office.
Mr. Mahadevaiah said India Post has also released first-day covers and information sheets (on World Cup) at Rs. 5 each.
