U FOs are no longer so lavishly represented in philately. Since my previous survey in the Fortean Times special UFO issue of 2007 (FT225:48-53), there have been only three (and a half) series unequivocally centred on the phenomenon.
Madagascar dedicated a block sheet to the 65th anniversary of UFOs on 8 March 2011 (rather early, as it would not be until the following year). Of the four stamps filled with saucer images and several greenish Grays, only one (top left) refers to a precise case: that of the pilot of the X-15 experimental plane. The date mentioned actually corresponds to the conference in which the pilot himself said that he had filmed two flying discs on 30 April 1962 as they overtook his rocket ship while he established a new altitude record of 50 miles (80km). The design of the stamps was once again by Bernard and Alexandre Lollini, as a tribute to Jimmy Guieu (1926-2000), “the great French novelist” (and credulous ufologist, I would add). The following year, they managed to sell almost the same design to Mali, as we can see in their First Day Cover (FDC) released on 12 April 2012. This time, they didn’t even bother to illustrate a real sighting, but did correct the embarrassing missing ‘h’ in Kenneth Arnold’s name.
A single stamp, designed by N Sokolov and issued by Kazakhstan on 25 July 2012, seems to illustrate a UFO. At least, this is how some distributors sell it. The FDC, released at the time, included a nice postmark that hinted at some terrestrial space probe. In fact, the legend on the stamp (and the postmark) means “Opening Outer Space”. The other text, outside the postmark, means: “Kazakhstan. Almaty Main Post office anniversary day”. No mention of UFOs here.
A half UFO stamp released by - on 18 November 2018, commemorates the 110th anniversary of the Tunguska event with a four-stamp series and a sheetlet. It only merits half a point because none of
