Not many of you know that I’m into postcards and stamps collection. This week, my take on the theme is related to my hobby.

This se-tenant pair belongs to the USPS Love series, the King and Queen of Hearts, issued in 2009 and a clever tribute to the world’s most favourite “game”.  Do you know what is it? It’s the game of love, of course! :)

The artist, Jeanne Greco, said that she used the 18th century French playing cards as a reference and created her own interpretation on a computer. She retained the traditional colour of playing cards – a white or cream background – with only basic colours as accents. Lovely, design, isn’t it? If only my stamps weren’t covered by the postmarks!  But here, I’m posting a mint copy for your viewing pleasure.

The mint version (unused) looks more attractive than the used version but I like my stamps  with cancelation marks. This however had very heavy marks on them it marred the face value of the stamps :(  Anyways, if you’d look closer, you will notice that the design flows through the stamp perforations to make a continuous pattern. 

The (US) Postal Service began issuing its popular Love stamps in 1973. Over the years these stamps have featured a wide variety of designs, including heart motifs, colorful flowers, and the word “LOVE” itself. (Source)

NB: This originally appeared in my Postcards Crossing blog where I have posted all postcards and stamps I received from countries around the world.