The miniature mirrors of Bhutan, besides telling history and stories to the outside world, are also an integral source of revenue generation for Bhutan Post. In fact, during the 1960s it earned about US $ 500,000, then the biggest contribution to the national exchequer. Today, Bhutanese stamps earn a steady Nu. 7 million a year, according to Deki Wangmo of philately bureau of Bhutan Post.

Although damaged stamps lose much of its value, a stamp with an error in its design or printing often gains in value, depending on how rare the error is. In 1998 Bhutan Post had to recall its World Cup commemorative stamp when it wrongly depicting Uruguay as the 1958 champions. The Bhutanese agent in New York, Inter Governmental Philatic Cooperation (IGPC), which represents about 70 countries then had made a printing mistake. It was meant to list Uruguay as the 1950 champions. The error was detected by a school teacher. The most expensive stamp in the world is the Three Skilling Yellow Banco Issued by Sweden in 1855, the stamp is yellow-orange instead of green. It was first discovered in 1885 by a 14-year-old boy as he was going through his grandmother’s correspondence. In 1990 it sold for US $1,375,140. The wrongly depicted stamp showing Uruguay instead of Brazil as winners of 1958 World Cup

But ironically, except for a handful, Bhutanese have never shown any interest in the stamps, whether they are the rare mini phonogram talking-stamps, the three dimensional, or those made of silk and metal.

“We lack this passion for stamps, may be because we are not aware of it,” says Deki Wangmo. “I used to collect postage stamps when I was in Class III and IV but the hobby died away like so many others as I picked up new ones,” Tshering, a Thimphu resident, told Kuensel. “Today’s children don’t even talk about it,” he added.

Karma , another Thimphu resident, had pursued collecting stamps diligently till she was in high school. But the passion slowly faded after she finished high school. “I still have the collection but I will have to look for it among the mess,” she said.

It is evident most would not even have heard of collectors’ stamps. The difference between the collectors’ items and the normal lot is that the former are more attractive and expensive with price ranging from 1 Chhetrum to Nu. 400. “And they are never produced again,” said Deki Wangmo.

Bhutan first captured the international philately limelight in the early 1970s when Bhutan Post releasedunique stamps made of silk and metal, 3-Dimensional, rose scented and the ‘incredible’ talking stamps - a three set of mini phonogram records that played Bhutan’s national anthem and folk songs.

According to Deki Wangmo, the first Bhutanese stamps were released in 1962 with the introduction of the first post office in Phuentsholing. It released a set of stamps depicting an archer, a postal runner, a map of Bhutan, an illustration of the Paro Dzong, a yak, and a portrait of the First King Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck.

As years went by even Bhutan Post did not have the talking stamp in its record, and a few years ago, it was fetching as much as Nu. 7,000 in the philately market.

“Since then, the postage stamps of Bhutan have become very popular in the international philately market for their thematic value and technical excellence,” Deki Wangmo told Kuensel.

Bhutan Post then went in for more innovative releases. Besides intricate designs of portraits, flora and fauna, endangered animals and birds, Dzongs and the cultural heritage, Bhutanese stamps featured worldwide historical events and figures from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics to the memorial set of Sir Winston Churchill.

Today, Bhutan Post has 457 regular customers of which only six are Bhutanese. Visiting tourists also drop in, at least once, to buy stamps from the philatelic counter in Thimphu, according to Deki Wangmo.

The stamps are usually grouped into two themes, national and international, commemorative and definitive.

Releasing about eight series annually, so far, a total of 256 series of stamps, both on international and local themes, have been issued.

Deki Wangmo told Kuensel that the stamps are designed by Bhutan Post and printed in Malaysia, Singapore, and India “since Bhutanese printing houses do not have adequate technical capability.”

However, starting this year Bhutan Post has shut down its designing office owing to which competition would be called among Bhutanese artists for upcoming designs.