Freshen Up Your Collection with New Australian Stamps

Reporter Glenn Mulcaster writes on the Sydney Morning Herald website, "Aromatic postage stamps infused with eucalyptus oil will give mail deliveries a distinct Australian scent when they are released this month. The printer of the stamps said the scent could freshen up the musty files of stamp collectors for decades."

Graeme Lidgerwood, the sales manager of the print firm Ego, is quoted in the piece as saying,  ''The eucalyptus scent is encapsulated into little bubbles and we put that into a printable varnish. 'It could last forever. The scent will only wear off when you rub the surface to break the micro bubbles.''

According to the article, "Tests were done to make sure the gum and paper would not be affected by the varnish and that people using the stamp would not have reactions to the smell."

Part of the Farming Australia issue, the stamp will be issued May 17 along with three other 60¢ stamps depicting native horticultural products: bush honey, macadamia nuts, and tea-tree oil.

To read the entire article, click here.