Best Europa stamps 2002-2020

Europe

2002 : Malta

2003 : Monaco (stamp 1/2)

2004 : Greenland

2005 : Iceland (stamp 1/2)

2006 : Ukraine (stamp 2/2)

2007 : Armenia

2008 : Hungary (stamp 1/2)

2009 : Hungary (stamp 2/2)

2010 : Hungary (stamp 2/2)

2011 : Turkey (stamp 1/2)

2012 : Hungary (stamp 1/2)

2013 : Turkey (stamp 2/2)

2014 : Serbia (stamp 2/2)

2015 : Turkey (stamp 2/2)

2016 : common design - no contest

2017 : Turkey (stamp 2/2)

2018 : Turkey (stamp 2/2)
 
2019 : Armenia

2020 : Turkey

The Europa stamps history - V

Europe

The Europa stamps history

part V - The new millennium (2000-)

2000 (55 countries ; 68 stamps), a new millennium, the right moment for PostEurop to celebrate this event with a common theme again! The design of the French artist, Jean-Paul Cousin has been selected. It represents a tower of six stars build up by children on a green field with the letter E of Europe on it. This Europa stamp edition will be a huge success! It's the last time until, that the Europa stamps used a common design. Most of the countries used that common design, some didn't like Yugoslavia or Bulgaria. Some countries used it but also issued a second stamp with another design like Croatia, Monaco or Hungary.

2001 (56 countries ; 92 stamps), the common theme was Water - A Natural Treasure.


In 2002 (58 countries ; 93 stamps), PostEurop decided to start a "Best Europa stamp" competition, that year the theme was the Circus and Malta won the contest. It's interesting to note that Malta is using on this stamps a wrong Europa logo, the letter R isn't correct. They never changed their logo since then and even other countries started to use that wrong logo... In 2002, the Netherlands and Norway took part again at the Europa stamps issue after a break of many years, since 1993 for the Netherlands and 1992 concerning Norway.

2002 was also the year of the introduction of a common European currency: the euro. Twelve countries from the European Union use the euro since the 1st January 2002 and some microstates as Andorra, Monaco, the Vatican and San Marino. For the first time Europa stamps have a facial value in euro, although some countries had already a dual facial value (euro and national currency) in the last years before the euro introduction (as the 2001 French stamp here above.

Poster Art was the theme for the year 2003 (57 countries ; 96 stamps) and Monaco won the contest that year. Until 2007, the best Europa stamp was selected only by the members of PostEurop during their yearly plenary assembly and maybe they liked the nice blonde girl depicted on the poster of Monaco :o). That year Yugoslavia become Serbia-Montenegro.

The common theme of 2004 (57 countries ; 96 stamps) was holidays. The theme that year wasn't understood by each country the same way. PostEurop chosed that theme with the meaning of "vacation" but countries as Georgia understood the theme as religious holidays with a stamp celebrating Christmas and another one for Easter. Greenland won the Best Europa stamp competition that year with a very nice stamp.


In 2005, the them was gastronomy (60 countries ; 103 stamps) an interesting theme for all food lovers. The Croat and Serb post of Bosnia and Herzegovina took part for the first time as official UPU members. Former ex-USSR republic : Kazakhstan took also part for the first time although only a few part of their territory is in Europe! Montenegro took part also that year for the first time being the last ex-Yugoslav republic to do so. Iceland won the Best Europa stamp competition with a original round shaped stamp representing a plate.

2006 (60 countries ; 105 stamps), Kosovo took part for the first time, even if they weren't independent at that time. The UN administration post office UNMIK issued the stamps that year. 2006 was the year of a quite large common theme: Integration through the eyes of Young People. Integration in a large meaning. It could be integration of people of another culture, country or of disabled people, like the Czech republic chosed for. The Ukraine won the contest that year with an allegoric stamp. In 2006 it was also the 50th anniversary of the Europa stamps. Many country around the globe decided to celebrate this event by issuing stamps but strange enough very few European countries did and none of the 6 first countries having issued the first Europa stamps in 1956.



In 2007 (62 countries ; 111 stamps) PostEurop decided to celebrate the 100 years of Scouting and chosed it as common theme. Russia decided, not to take part that year. Since the same year, my webpage moved to this blog :o) We are also doing a Best Europa stamp poll on it and Norway won that year, Armenia won PostEurop's contest. It was the first year that people around the world could vote through the internet to select the best Europa stamp.

2008 (63 countries ; 107 stamps) had writing letters as topic. A nice way to promote postal communication in the age of the internet and e-mails writing. No post, means no stamps and it's quite obvious that our hobby will suffer of it in the next decades... Hungary won PostEurop's Best Europa stamp contest and Åland won this blog's one.

That year the region of Nagorno Karabakh issued Europa stamps for the first time. This region located in the Caucasus is disputed between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Since 1992, the Armenian majority living in Nagorno Karabakh declared them self independent.


The 2009 (63 countries ; 112 stamps) common theme was the international year of astronomy. Hungary for a second year in a row won the PostEurop's Best Europa stamp contest and Liechtenstein won the contest organised on this blog :o)

2010: Children Books 
2011: Forests - International year of forests
2012: Visit... (for instance "Visit Finland" or "Visit Spain" etc.)
2013: The postman van (celebrating PostEurop's 20th anniversary - 1993-2013)
2014: National music instruments
2015: Old toys
2016: Ecology in Europe - "Think Green"

Part I - The early years (1956-1959)~
Part II - The birth of the CEPT (1960-1973)~
Part III - The common themes (1974-1989)~
Part IV - The new Europe (1990-1999)

50 years Europa CEPT

Europe

Europa 1956-2006
"50 years Europa CEPT"

In 2005 & 2006 several postal administrations issued stamps to commemorate the 50 years of the 1st Europa stamps issue.

Those stamps bared the CEPT logo and a special 50 years logo produced and used only for those commemorative issues.

Many countries, not only in Europe but also all around the World issued stamps for this event.

Here under you'll find the list of the European countries who took part at this issue.

01.10.2005 Albania - 2 stamps + 1 souvenir-sheet (200.-, 250.-, 500.- ALL)
28.03.2006 Armenia - 4 stamps + 1 souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps (4x 70.-, 4x 70.- AMD)
03.03.2006 Austria - 1 stamp (1.25 €)
25.10.2005 Azerbaijan - 4 stamps + 4 souvenir-sheets (those stamps exists also unperforated) (4x 3'000.- AZM)

30.11.2005 Bosnia and Herzegovina - 4 stamps + 1 souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps (those stamps exists also unperforated) (4x 3.- BAM)
15.01.2006 Bosnia and Herzegovina (Croat post) 4 stamps + 1 souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps (4x 2.-, 4x 2.- BAM)
30.08.2005 Bosnia and Herzegovina (Serb post) - 4 stamps + 1 souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps (4x 1.95, 4x 1.95 BAM)
28.05.2005 Bulgaria - 2 stamps (45.- & 80.- BGL)

08.09.2005 Croatia - 1 souvenir-sheet of 2 stamps (same stamps issued in sheets)) (7.20 & 8.- HRK)
23.02.2006 Cyprus - 1 souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps (4x 0.30 CYP)
06.01.2006 Cyprus (Turkish post) - 1 souvenir-sheet of 2 stamps (2x 1.40 YTL) (those stamps exists also unperforated)

04.01.2006 Estonia - 1 stamp + 1 souvenir-sheet (6.- + 6.50 EEK)

30.09.2005 Gibraltar - 1 stamp (5.- GBP) [!!!]
30.01.2006 Georgia - 4 stamps + 4 souvenir sheets of 1 stamp (those stamps exists also unperforated) (10.-, 20.-, 30.- 40.- + 4x 80.- GEL)
10.01.2006 Greece - 1 souvenir-sheet of 2 stamps
16.01.2006 Greenland - 1 stamp (26.50 DKK)

02.02.2006 Iceland - 1 souvenir-sheet of 2 stamps (2x 150.- ISK)
02.05.2006 Isle of Man - 1 souvenir-sheet of 2 stamps (0.42 & 0.83 GBP)

07.01.2006 Latvia - 4 stamps issued in sheets and 1 souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps (0.10, 2x 0.15, 0.20 + 0.10, 2x 0.15, 0.20 LVL)

14.11.2005 Macedonia - 1 souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps (also mini-sheets of 8 stamps) (60.-, 170.-, 250.-, 350.- MKD)
03.01.2006 Malta - 1 souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps (0.05, 0.13, 0.23, 0.24 MTL)
20.07.2005 Moldova - 2 stamps + 1 souvenir-sheet of 2 stamps (1.50 & 15.- & 1.50 & 15.- MDL)
03.01.2006 Montenegro - 4 stamps + 1 souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps + 1 unperf block (0.50, 1.-, 2x 2.- + 0.50, 1.-, 2x 2.- + 5.50 €)

22.08.2005 Romania - 4 stamps + 1 souvenir-sheet (same stamps issued in sheets) (those stamps exists also unperforated) (4x 4.70 RON)

31.03.2005 Serbia and Montenegro - 2 souvenir-sheets of 4 stamps each (4x 16.50 & 4x 41.50 YUD)
20.05.2005 Slovenia - 1 souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps (4x 60.- SIT)

15.12.2005 Turkey - 4 stamps + 1 souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps + 1 souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps unperforated (0.60, 0.70, 0.80, 1.- + 0.10, 0.25, 0.60, 0.70 + 0.10, 0.25, 0.60, 0.70 TRL)

05.01.2006 Ukraine - 2 stamps + 1 souvenir-sheet of 2 stamps (1.30, 2.50 + 1.30, 2.50 UAH)

Europa stamp t-shirt !

Åland

Ever dreamt of wearing a Europa stamp t-shirt ?

Posten Åland made your dream come true. You can buy on their webshop the following t-shirt in sizes M - L - XL for the price of 8.90 €



The design on the t-shirt is taken from the Europa stamp issue of 2006 "Integration as seen by young people"

Albania 2006

Albania

Date of Issue: 23rd October 2007

two stamps (2x 200.- ALL) and one souvenir-sheet (350.- ALL)

! note that none of the stamps bear the official Europa logo !

SEPAC

Europe

After the Cept and Europa stamps, the Norden stamps and the UPAEP stamps, here is a new European thematic stamp collection !!

The SEPAC group of Post Offices (Small European Postal Administrations Cooperation) will issue their first joint stamp issue in the new SEPAC collection on 1st October of this year.

The purpose of the SEPAC stamps is to highlight to the world-wide philatelic industry and to stamp collectors alike, the joint cooperation of the SEPAC member Post Offices/Postal Administrations in connection with the promotion of philately and to make the public aware of the history, nature, scenery and culture of the SEPAC member Post Offices/Postal Administrations’ European countries.

The member Post Offices in the SEPAC Group are Åland Post, Faroes Post, Gibraltar Philatelic Bureau, Post Greenland, Guernsey Post Ltd, Iceland Post, Isle of Man Post, Jersey Post Ltd, Liechtenstein Post Corp., Maltapost plc, Monaco Post and San Marino Post.

The theme chosen by the SEPAC membership for the first Joint Stamp Issue is ‘scenery’. Each member Post Office may interpret this theme in their own preferred manner and eleven of the twelve Post Offices will release their stamps on the same date - 1st October 2007. (San Marino Post is not taking part in 2007).

The SEPAC group has its own official SEPAC logo, the use of which is only available to registered SEPAC members and in accordance with formal guidelines. The SEPAC logo will be reproduced for the first time on one stamp only within each Post Office’s set of ‘scenery’ stamps in 2007. The SEPAC stamp within each set will be that bearing the first weight step postage rate to European destinations.

Joint Issue Folder

A Special SEPAC Joint Stamp Issue folder will also be issued on 1st October 2007. Entitled ‘Beautiful Corners of Europe’, this folder will contain one SEPAC logo stamp from each of the eleven participating Post Offices. The stamps will be housed in protective carriers secured within the folder which will be decorated with attractive illustrations and informative text from each of the eleven countries.

The ‘Beautiful Corners of Europe’ Folder will be available for sale from all eleven Philatelic Bureaux of the participating SEPAC Post Offices.

Further SEPAC Joint Stamp Issues are scheduled to be issued in 2009 and 2011 when San Marino Post and any additional new SEPAC member Post Offices may participate.

SEPAC Membership Criteria

On 16th November 2006, the SEPAC group made a presentation at the PostEurop Philatelic Forum (my post of the 14th November 2006), Brussels to give information to other European Post Offices about the SEPAC group and its Philatelic activities - which include two Conferences each year.

During the presentation, the criteria for membership of SEPAC were explained to the PostEurop Philatelic Forum delegates. Other interested Post Offices that fulfill the membership criteria were invited to register to join the SEPAC group.

The criteria for SEPAC membership are as follows:

• The Post Office/Postal Administration must be located within Europe
• The Post Office/Postal Administration must be independent
• The Post Office/Postal Administration must have a small home market with more than 50% of its Philatelic customers living outside its own country.

During the recent SEPAC meeting held in Brussels, Maltapost representative George Galea was elected vice-chairman of the group presently formed between thirteen countries, as Luxembourg joined the group at the end of the meeting.

An official launch of the SEPAC Joint stamp issue and the ‘Beautiful Corners of Europe’ Folder will take place on 3^rd May 2007 during the Essen stamp exhibition.

Norway 2006

Norway

Date of Issue: 17th November 2006

two stamps (8.50 & 13.- NOK)




Design: Ashley Booth
Issue: NOK 8.50: 600,000 - NOK 13.00: 600,000
No. per sheet: Sheets containing 50 stamps each
Printing: Offset by Royal Joh. Enschedé, Netherlands

Belgium 2006

Belgium

Date of Issue: 17th November 2006

two stamps (2x 0.50 €) issued in one mini-sheet of 10 stamps (5 stamps of each).



Those two stamps will be issued during the World philatelic exhibition Belgica 2006, held in Brussels from the 16-20 November 2006.

Best Europa stamp 2006

Ukraine

Best Europa Stamp 2006



The Europa stamp best design competition is a yearly event that takes place during the Plenary Assembly of PostEurop. The first competition took place in 2002. All official Europa stamp issues can enter the competition. Only PostEurop Members can cast their vote.

Great Britain 2006

Great Britain

Date of Issue: 3rd October 2006

Only two stamps (1st & 0.50 GBP) out of this set of five stamps are bearing the official Europa logo.

Isle of Man 2006

Isle of Man

Date of Issue: 11th October 2006

Only two stamps (0.31 & 0.44 GBP) out of this set of six stamps are bearing the official Europa logo.



The two Europa stamps are issued in mini-sheets of 10 stamps. The 0.31 GBP value is also issued in a booklet of 10 self stick stamps!