Bulletin Hermes
Hermes example pages

Hermes


HERMES is the quarterly periodical of Hellenic Philatelic Society of the Netherlands. It contains 16 pages of information (in Dutch) for members of the society and a number of articles written by the members about the Greek collection area.


The subjects discussed are very varied. Of course, there is much attention to the stamps and postal markings of Greece, but also postal history, forgeries and, for example, fiscal stamps are included. In addition, there are thematic subjects like Greek history and classical antiquity. Related areas, such as the Levant and Cyprus, are also discussed.


For an impression, see the attached copy in pdf, which contains a selection of articles.


For the contents of the latest Hermes editions, see further below.


For members of our Society with a digital subscription, a digital version of Hermes is available by following the link in the "Members's" page.


Jubilee: 50 Years of Hermes



In 2019 Hermes celebrated its 50th birthday. On this occasion there was a re-issue of four of the leading articles of prominent members of our society from the first 25 years of Hermes' existence. The articles have been updated, translated in english and some (new) illustrations have been added. See our Publications-page for the articles. To learn more about the history of Hermes, click here.

Hermes 210

January 2026

Hermes Edition 210

Page

Article

01

Message from our chairman

02

Report of the member meeting of the Greece Stamp Association on November, 22, 2025

03

Joost Meyer: The ELTA is closing 204 post offices

Attention is given to the Greek Post's plans for a major reorganization.

04

Frans Bruna: Greek sailors traditionally sought their destinations far and wide
The author provides a brief summary of his lecture at the members' meeting on November 22, 2025, focusing on the distribution of Greek coins in classical antiquity.

06

Ruud Verberne: Almost 55 years ago
Ruud shows three express letters from 1966 that were sent from Athens to Berlin. The sender and addressees are always the same. The article serves as an example to show members what information can be retrieved from a letter envelope.

09

Joost Meyer: A stamp we are at peace with?
Joost tells about a new issue from Cyprus in September 2025. This is an embroidered stamp featuring a dove of peace that was issued not only in Cyprus but also in several other countries.

10

Joost Meyer: The British Postal Strike of 1971
Attention is given to several (cinderella) issues related to mail to Greece and Cyprus that were made in response to this major postal strike.

13

Ruud Verberne: A Tariff Puzzle
Ruud shows a heavier letter from 1952 from Piraeus to Amsterdam. It bears Greek stamps with a value of DR 5,900. This proved insufficient, so the letter received an additional 8 cents tax.

14

Joost Meyer: Unequal Greek-German Relations
Joost focuses on the Greek stamp issued in 1992 to commemorate the creation of the European Union's internal market (Hellas 1928). The map of Germany was already different back then.

15

Joost Meyer: Regional Post Offices – A New Study
A review of the book " ΤΑ ΔΗΜΟΤΙΚΑ ΤΑΧΥΔΡΟΜΕΙΑ" by Ioannis Daïs.

Hermes 209

October 2025

Hermes Edition 209

Page

Article

01

60th Anniversary of our Society in 2026

01

Message from our chairman

01

Report of the member meeting of the Greece Stamp Association on August, 23, 2025

02

Rien Smit: Too Good to Be True – Delcampe's Attic
The author describes a number of improper practices on this digital platform.

05

Joost Meyer: An Italian Drama on Kefalonia
The author tells about the drama of the Italian Acqui Division at the end of WWII.

09

Ruud Verberne: Mail from Smyrna, Tobacco, the Walls of Constantinople, and Theodosius I (the Great)
The author tells about the Ottoman tobacco factory in Cibali (a district in present-day Istanbul) and focuses on Theodosius I (the Great) and the walls he built around the Golden Horn.

11

Joost Meyer: A Deliberate forgery
Attention to the curious "issues" for the small Greek islands of Arkoudi, Dragonera, and Oxia in 1963.

12

Ruud Verberne: Reply Card from Abroad
Ruud shows a double Greek postcard from Athens sent to Amsterdam on August 24, 1902. The text was mistakenly written on the "reply" part.

13

Joost Meyer: Hermes versus Hellas
A review of the two classics among Greek stamp catalogues, Hellas 2025 and Hermes 2026.

14

Joost Meyer: Greece-Japan
Some light on the Greek stamp issued in 1999 (Hellas 2159) to commemorate 100 years of Greek-Japanese diplomatic relations and its Japanese counterpart.

15

Ruud Verberne: Mail from Greece, 1905
Ruud shows a part of a reply card, sent to the Netherlands in 1905 regarding the most important Greek export of the time: currants.

16

Ruud Verberne: Consulate Post to Berlin
Ruud shows an airmail letter from Athens, sent from the Syntagma Square branch to Berlin on July 26, 1939.

Hermes 208

July 2025

Hermes Edition 208

Page

Article

01

Message from our chairman

02

Report of the member meeting of the Greece Stamp Association on May, 24, 2025

02

Joost Meyer: A monumental collection of Ottoman postal items
A review of the book: “Ottoman Empire – Postal History of Greece 1840-1912” by Alan Mellaart, FRPSL.

03

Frans Bruna: The Argonauts' Journey – the sequel
The author describes the last years of Medea and Jason after their return from Colchis.

04

Eugène Endenborg: Aegean Regatta
Eugène focuses on this sailing club and the philatelic products issued over the years on the occasion of the Regatta.

06

Joop Herrewijn: Varieties and Plate Errors
Joop reports again on the findings of the “Varieties” working group.

07

Ruud Verberne: The first Greek postcard in a block of four, with a border, and a remarkable history
Ruud shows a very rare block of four postcards from the former collection of King Farouk of Egypt and talks about the exciting life of this monarch.

11

Joost Meyer: British Troops and the Airgraph
Highlighting a unique form of "airmail" during WWII. See also the beautiful website of William M. Senkus.

12

Eugène Endenborg: Easily available online, a warning!
Eugène shows a few very cheap counterfeit Greek stamps offered online.

13

Ruud Verberne: Something unusual: sending registered mail with confirmation of receipt (AR, or avis de reception).
Ruud shows a number of pink Greek AR cards from around 2000.

Contents of older issues of Hermes

For the contents of older issues of Hermes, see the indexes in the library.

Click here to see the contents of our digital news letters (Dutch only), number 1, number 2 and number 3.