It start with simple no-response to my e-mail from Montenegro Post, and come till half year didn't pass. Somewhere in begging July, I received one mail where is talking about my order which will be prepared upon payment......!
O.K. I pay (significant balance) and all was in quiet next full months. After next months when I start to send very nervous mails regarding my payment and time spend till delivery occur - I was surprised with info that my shipment was delivered by EMS service which charge me next 35.00 euro for shipment from Montenegro to Israel!
That was great! Normally, I search for EMS web, and find that I have two notice of shipment, and that I have just week to pick-up shipment, cost of storage was somewhere 3.00 $ per day, cost for custom clearance was again some 25.00 $ and that all can be done by Forwarding Agency that will charge me next 45.00 $ before tax.
That was more than I can swallow - I personally have job to control incoming containers to our warehouse company, and it is all Bonded warehouse - that well I know what is permitted and what not - than come EMS with some kind of "pushing" and "pressing" to use Forwarding Agency for service - no way!
In the end - I have no choice, just to made all alone, and pay some good money for one un professional service from both - Post of Montenegro and EMS service!
Shipment in the end come to me opened, with damaged stamp by paperclip, razor was used to open envelope, stamp pressed, folded - one very bad experience.
Because all that - try to avoid EMS service if You can!
Lets start with:
1-2011, Personalities - Artist:
This issue come out on market on Jan 27, 2011 - celebrating Jovan Ivanisevic and Vojo Stanic, hardly that You know them - even I don't know about who is talking, but just to mention that one is composer and second is sculptors.
I don't see nothing to say good about design, and that is main reason because author still use "heavy color" in design, with very little care about "vision" of people that will lok on stamp!
Face value go 0.70 e per set - be prepared to pay 100% up from dealer.
2-2011 Painter/Personalities: Tripo Kokolja:
Second issue with same topic, and same unknown person for us! And again poor design missing "soul" - what to say is just minimal, issued on Feb 22, 2011 - almost impossible to recognize person on stamp! But it will cost You 0.60 e per issue - for sure!
3-2011 - Personalities next one in row: Vuk Vrcevic:
To celebrate persons I understand, but to celebrate one collector of lyrical folk poems is for me not so - but, every country have own mentality and priority. Face value is just 0.30 euro, and design "like usually"! Issued on Feb 26, 2011.
4-2011 - "Fauna":
Let say that set importance are high, and that it is right to spend money to help with nature protection in Montenegro - but why they can not made some better idea when design is in question!!!
Here we have one set of 4 stamp, in total 1.90 euro face value, not high for this topic at all.
This set is issued on March 17, 2011 with picture of newt, shell, Pelican and Cormorant - I can not give them high star quality - it is far away from it.
5-2011 "EUROPE":
You probably know that this year EUROPE topic was "Forest", and some countries made very "clever" design regarding forest and problem of de forestation - Montenegro is not different from it, and nice effort is made - but - failed!
What this picture mean? EU Reich map designed like one leaf damaged by some insect bite? Or EU letters in black frame (like for "late" president) - what exactly designer wanted to tell us?
On mini sheet it is even worsened by color - and I have an feeling that it is somewhere in very dark distance - God, this is something special!
For this set of two stamp prepare 3.60 euro on market and next 3.60 e for m-s, and if You will need all printing sheet it will cost You more than 32.00 euro. Stamp come out on April 21, 2011.
6-2011 "Tourism":
They made it every year - with nice panoramic view of Montenegro hill around country, and they made it again with "dark sky over Montenegro nature"! One set that will take lot of money from You!
This nice set have 4 stamp, but in three different format - it can be in booklet format, simple set or in printing sheet - all three option will take from You, on market, around 100.00 euro in cash!
If You don't like to spend lot of money, but still wanted three different option of same set - try to obtain set from printing sheet with salvage (that are in four different color) plus booklet (that have white salvage) - and be prepared to pay extra if You want also booklet cover (that is over sized, and don't have nothing common with tourism).
Issue come out on May 12, 2011 that is perfect time for Tourist and propaganda time for advertise it.
7-2011 "Environmental Protection":
Even that in Serbian is named Nature Protection (Zastita Prirode), intention is to inform us about problem that we have with our surrounding and nature.
Issue come out on May 21, 2011 with two stamp in set, nice design - yes, finally I can say one nice design, of our "smile globe" and EKG saying that we are still alive!
Price are also affordable, some 1.40 euro on market - think it is worth to have it!
8-2011 "Joint issue with Russia":
In the end, one more or less acceptable issue and design! On stamp we see one Karan cathedral in St. Peterburg and second stamp is with former Russian Embassy Building in Cetinje (?).
To be fair - I really like this design and architecture alone from this period, it is very-very advanced and "classic" at the same time. Issue come out on May 26, 2011 - two stamp in set, one nice edition of printing sheet - and cost also nice - 2.40 euro, on market, for just one set - and if You want full printing sheet - prepare 8.00 euro.
9-2011 "Games of Small EU Reich States":
You know, I remember many sport show around, Winter Game, Summer Olympic, Mediterrean Game, Adriatic game, ParaLympic Game end probably some Asian, African, Latine Olympic games - but, I never hear for SMALL EUROPEANS STATES sport organization or sport event! In the end, it is fine if EU Reich made some new evening, but why is Montenegro there? If my memory is doing well, Montenegro still is on BALKAN soil, and question is if EU Reich will exist enough long when Montenegro will have chance to join EU Reich.
Even that design is nice for any sport evening, this is two stamp in set, one with tennis ball and second with volleyball, are nice - topic /theme is difficult, but design is nice - worth to obtain in general sport topic in any way - and You will pay just minimum, 2.40 euro per set on Belgrade market.
10-2011 "Belveder Events":
One stamp set, FDC so poorly designed, so ugly color choice (red/bordo - blood color), hardly that You will recognized about what is here talking! Thanks to prices, minimal of 0.60 euro on market - but to be fair - it is not worth!
I like explanation on back of FDC - that it was one demonstration organized by left oriented Montenegro federalists, in Kingdom of Yugoslavia! Even then, social injustice and poorly managed state was problem! Funny that all this people, made so great sacrifice and just for one - that after 70plus years - people of Montenegro come to the same situation!!!! Issue come out on Jun 25, 2011.
11-2011 "Navigation":
Serbian "Pomorstvo" is translated to Navigation - little bit strange for me, if I think that navigation is something else. probably I'm wrong! No matter - here we go with one
very-very important evening and tragedy, with very, really very important time for people of Montenegro, Serbia and Yugoslavia!!!! And with SO BAD AMATEUR DESIGN that made me out of my mind! what is that BLACK "kish-kush" on this stamp? You are supposed to celebrate one tragedy, with ship named BRINDISI, in one heroic manner, and not with one-way hand move with paint brush! This ship (Brindisi), built in 1895 year, Livorno, Italy. Ship have very bad luck, and in the end of life, it sink together with 395 heroes soldiers who was near Albania coast. Probably (some theory) it was not accident, but sadly - people go down in one great tragedy! In this issue, again politic have "fingers" - because all story about this happening is talking about Montenegrian heroes, Montenegrian soldiers - there on ship, they was Yugoslavian if I don't made mistake - and they there NEVER separated from Serbian, Croatian and all other people that lived under Yugoslavia.
I'm very sorry, to see one nice topic (ships), one important history (war tragedy), designed in this poor way. Issue come out on July 7, 2011, single stamp, with minimal face value of 0.40 euro, probably You can find it on exchange base.
