europa, cept, norden and sepac stamps information blog
France
Date of Issue: 9th May 2025
one stamp (2.10 €)
This stamp is issued in a sheet of 15 stamps
NOTE - France first announced the stamp below before replacing it with the new design. No official information has yet been released about this change. We can imagine that the reason is to have a design closer to the official theme of ‘National archaeological discoveries’. The first drawing, with a dinosaur skeleton, is more about a palaeontological discovery...
Switzerland
both stamps are issued in a sheet of 16 se-tenant stamps (8 of each)
The Swiss issue features two rare finds that symbolically bridge their age gap of around 2,700 years with a handshake: the gauntlet was discovered in early 2024 near Kyburg Castle. During a dig, staff at Zurich’s cantonal archaeology department stumbled upon the iron components of a 14th century suit of armour. The bronze hand of Prêles, discovered in 2017 in the Bernese Jura, is considerably older. At 3,500 years old, it is the oldest bronze object in the shape of a human body part in Europe. It comes from the grave of an adult man who was buried in around 1,400BC in the Jura mountains above Lake Biel.
Europe
Guernsey
both Europa stamps are issued in mini-sheets of 10 stamps
Ancient intaglio from the Bonded Store, St Peter Port - This red jasper intaglio measures just 15mm and portrays a quirky ‘gryllos’—a combination of overlapping human and animal heads, dating back to the late second or early third century AD.
Rouen Jug Sherd, St Peter Port Harbour - This fragment of a jug, made in Rouen in the 12th or early 13th century, was discovered by divers. The durability of pottery brings history to life, with pieces often found along the shore next to Castle Cornet or in the seabed.
Monaco
Date of Issue: 9th May 2025
one stamp (2.10 €)
the stamp is issued in a mini-sheet of 10 stamps
The stamp depicts the Observatoire cave, where the first traces of occupation date back to between 250,000 and 20,000 years ago, alongside discoveries made on Monegasque territory since prehistoric times: a biface, a lynx skull, an amphora, gold coins and a bracelet.
Jersey - Sepac
Date of Issue: 27th March 2025
one stamp (3.- GBP) out of a set of eight [!] stamps (only this stamp is bearing the official Sepac logo).
this stamp is issued in a mini-sheet of 10 stamps
the Sepac stamp is also issued in a souvenir-sheet with the full set of 8 stamps
Isle of Man
Part of the broader Age of the Sea Kings collection created in collaboration with Manx artist Juan Moore and historian Professor R. Andrew McDonald, which explores the maritime kingdom that thrived between 1079 and 1265, the EUROPA stamp focuses on the significant reigns of Rognvald and Olaf. These were key figures in the medieval Kingdom of Man and the Isles whose leadership defined the history of the Isle of Man and its surrounding islands.
Rognvald and Olaf Godredsson: Brothers locked in a fierce struggle for the throne, culminating in the Battle of Tynwald in 1229.
San Marino
Date of Issue: 11th February 2025
one stamp (2.45 €)
These stamp is issued in a souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps
The stamp depicts the so-called ‘San Marino Whale’ (scientific name Titanocetus sammarinensis), an extraordinary cetacean dating back to the Miocene period, whose fossil remains were found in 1897 in a stone quarry near the summit of Mount Titano. The exceptional find aroused the interest of the international scientific community. The original finds are kept at the G. Capellini Museum of Palaeontology and Geology in Bologna, while the right hemimandibula, a cast of the skull, ribs and left hemimandibula are on display at the San Marino Natural History Museum
Liechtenstein
Date of Issue: 1st April 2025
two stamps (2x 1.90 CHF)
both stamps are issued in a souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps (2 of each)
The subjects used are four of a total of ten votive figures. The solid cast bronze figures were found in 1932 in redeposited layers on the south-eastern slope of the Gutenberg castle hill in Balzers. They date from the Late Iron Age (500-100 BC) and are unique in their thematic composition. Together with compact layers of ash and animal bones, the figurines point to a nearby cremation site. Historians assume that the figures were offered there as symbolic sacrifices to a super-natural power.
The Gutenberg votive statuettes show influences from the Celtic and Rhaetian cultures and can be assigned to the three themes of war, fertility and animals. The very different quality of the depictions and the inconsistent composition of the bronze indicate different workshops and production times.
Belgium
Date of Issue: 7th April 2025
one souvenir-sheet of two stamps (2x Europe 3rd class value)
the two stamps in detail :
Finland
Date of Issue: 7th May 2025
two stamps (2x national value = 2x 2.50 €) - NOTE those stamps are self-adhesive
those stamps are issued in a mini-sheet of 10 stamp (5 of each)
Two ancient artifacts: a bronze bird pendant discovered in Mikkeli and a golden Ave Maria ring from Pyhtää.
Åland
Date of Issue: 9th May 2025
one stamp (Europa value = 3.50 €)
"Jettböle clay idol" found in 1906 - The find was the first of such humanoid clay figurines from the Stone Age in Scandinavia. The first Stone Age settlement on Åland was discovered in 1905 in Jettböle, Jomala, and is one of Finland's most significant finds of Scandinavian Pitted Ware culture. Aland museum
Kazakhstan
1. Didymosphenia geminata - Wikipedia article
2. Beluga (sturgeon) (Huso huso) - IUCN Red list - Wikipedia article Europe
And here are the themes for 2025, 2026 & 2027 :
Agnieszka Trzaskowska, chair of the PostEurop Stamps & Philately Working Group, gives following information regarding the choice of the themes for 2026 & 2027 :
As the result of the preselection and selection process on 2026 & 2027 EUROPA themes, the PostEurop Stamps & Philately Working Group have chosen “70th anniversary of EUROPA stamp” and “Street Art” respectively.
Given that 2026 marks the next anniversary of EUROPA issue, PostEurop members will issue a common stamp design motif to be chosen on a basis of a design competition that starts in May 2024.
Then, 2027 “Street Art” EUROPA theme shows a growing role of performing arts for societies that give present crucial questions broad audience and visibility.
Europe
And here are the themes for 2023 & 2025 :
Following the decision of the Extraordinary PostEurop Board of Directors meeting held on 25 April 2022, the 2023 EUROPA Stamp theme will be “PEACE – the highest value of humanity” as proposed by Ukrposhta in order “to show solidarity with Ukraine and to promote the universal value for all humanity – peace”.
The 2023 EUROPA Stamps theme “PEACE – the highest value of humanity” will be based on a common design motif to be selected via a design competition.
