Faroe Islands - Sepac 2025

Faroe Islands - Sepac

Date of Issue: 26th May 2025

one stamp (35.- DKK)

Faroe Islands 2025

Faroe Islands

Date of Issue: 26th May 2025

two stamps (25.- & 35. DKK)

those stamps are also issued in a booklet of 6 stamps (3 of each) - NOTE the stamps from the booklet are self-adhesive

Settlement in the Faroe Islands

During the Viking Age (AD 800–1050) in Scandinavia, the Vikings set sail towards 18 remote islands in the Atlantic Ocean: the Faroe Islands.

Archaeological investigations in the Faroe Islands indicate that the first Norse settlement began in the 8th century, and by the 9th century, permanent settlements had been established across the islands. Analyses of barley grains suggest that human activity on the Faroes predates this period. By dating burnt barley grains found beneath a Viking-age house in the village of Sandur, we can confirm activity in the 4th and 6th centuries as well as in the 6th and 8th centuries. However, the dating cannot determine the extent of this activity, or the origins of the people involved.

Findings from archaeological excavations show that Viking-age settlers in the Faroe Islands built large farms with longhouses, outbuildings, and stone enclosures along fjords and straits. The farms were located near the sea, making it easy to pull boats ashore for fishing and travel between islands and to other lands. In addition to being close to the sea, access to freshwater was also crucial for both household use and livestock. This is evident in Viking settlements such as Niðri á Toft in Kvívík and Toftanes in Leirvík, where both farms are positioned near the shore and a stream.

A variety of artefacts have been uncovered, shedding light on daily life in these settlements. For instance, soapstone vessels, spindle whorls, animal bones near fireplaces, sharpening stones for knives, and decorative beads have been found, indicating activities such as wool working and food preparation. Other intriguing discoveries include children’s toys. At Niðri á Toft in Kvívík, wooden toy horses and boats have been found, reflecting the real-life activities of their parents, who rode horses and sailed boats. Alongside children's toys, game pieces and board games have also been unearthed.

At the Viking-age farm at Toftanes in Leirvík, a chessboard with two carved game boards has been discovered. One side features a board for the Viking game hneftafl (a strategy game similar to chess), while the other side displays a board for the game Nine Men’s Morris. These finds suggest that people in the Viking Age also engaged in leisure activities. Other excavations and finds provide insight into religious practices of the period.

In Tjørnuvík, Yviri í Trøð, Viking graves have been discovered, with burials oriented in different directions. Some of the deceased were buried with objects, including a young woman who was laid to rest with a dress pin—a long needle used to fasten clothing. These pins provide the earliest evidence of settlement in the Faroe Islands during the Viking Age.

At Toftanes in Leirvík, a well-preserved wooden crucifix has been found. Meanwhile, excavations at Yviri í Trøð have revealed evidence of Norse paganism (pre-Christian beliefs), while the crucifix at Toftanes symbolizes Christianity. This suggests that both Norse paganism and Christianity were practiced simultaneously during the Viking Age. Through archaeological excavations and discoveries, we gain insights into what was significant for both children and adults in Viking society. These artefacts, along with the objects depicted on the stamps, can be seen in the exhibition halls of the National Museum of the Faroe Islands in Tórshavn.

Sepac 2024

Europe - Sepac

Sepac 2024
"Main tourist attraction"

 

24.04.2024 Jersey - 1 stamp (2.95 GBP) - out of a set of 5 stamps

08.05.2024 Åland - 1 stamp (Europa value)
24.05.2024 Greenland - 1 stamp (25.- DKK)
27.05.2024 Faroe Is. - 1 stamp (33.- DKK)

03.06.2024 Liechtenstein - 1 stamp (1.90 CHF)
20.06.2024 Monaco - 1 stamps (1.96 €)
25.06.2024 Gibraltar  - 1 stamp (1.- GBP) - out of a set of 6 stamps

25.07.2024 Guernsey - 1 stamp (2.71 GBP) - out of a set of 4 stamps this issue has been withdrawn

10.09.2024 Luxembourg - 1 stamp (E50g value)
16.09.2024 Malta - 1 stamp (1.91 €) - out of a set of 4 stamps

no issue of the Isle of Man
no issue of the Vatican

Faroe Islands - Sepac 2024

Faroe Islands - Sepac

Date of Issue: 27th May 2024

one stamp (33.- DKK)

Faroe Islands 2024

Faroe Islands

Date of Issue: 27th May 2024

two stamps (23.- & 33. DKK)

those stamps are also issued in a booklet of 6 stamps (3 of each) - NOTE the stamps from the booklet are self-adhesive

Facelina bostoniensis - Wikipedia article

Sepac folder 2023

Europe - Sepac

"Traditional markets 14", this special folder contains the 9 Sepac stamps issued in 2023.

This folder will be on sale by any of the Sepac countries philatelic offices !

Sepac 2023

Europe - Sepac

Sepac 2023
"Traditional markets"

 

21.03.2023 Jersey - 1 stamp (0.98 GPB) - out of a set of 6 stamps

30.05.2023 Greenland - 1 stamp (23.- DKK)

05.06.2023 Liechtenstein - 1 stamp (1.80 CHF)

03.07.2023 Monaco - 1 stamp (1.80 €)
19.07.2023 Guernsey - 1 stamp (2.42 GBP) - out of a set of 4 stamps
27.07.2023 Åland - 1 stamp (lokalpost value)

08.08.2023 Malta - 1 stamp (1.50 €) - out of a set of 2 stamps
11.08.2023 Faroe Is. - 1 stamp (31.- DKK) 

12.09.2023 Luxembourg - 1 stamp (1.40 €)

no issue Gibraltar
no issue Isle of Man
no issue Vatican

Faroe Islands - Sepac 2023

Faroe Islands - Sepac

Date of Issue: 11th August 2023

one stamp (31.- DKK)

Faroe Islands 2023

Faroe Islands

Date of Issue: 9th May 2023

one stamp (31.- DKK)

this stamp is also issued in a booklet of 6 stamps - NOTE the stamps from the booklet are self-adhesive

 

Sepac 2022

Europe - Sepac

Sepac 2022
"Local beverages"

16.05.2022 Faroe Is. - 1 stamp (29.- DKK)
24.05.2022 Jersey - 1 stamp (0.91 GB) out of set of 6 stamps
31.05.2022 Greenland - 1 stamp (20.- DKK)

07.06.2022 Liechtenstein - 1 stamp (1.80 CHF)
14.06.2022 Monaco - 1 stamp (1.65 €)
22.06.2022 Guernsey - 1 stamp (1.10 GBP) out of a set of 4 stamps

06.09.2022 Åland - 1 stamp (1.90 €)
13.09.2022 Luxembourg - 1 stamp (E50g value)
13.09.2022 Malta  - 1 stamp (0.37 €) out of a set of 4 stamps

no issue Gibraltar
no issue Isle of Man
no issue Vatican

Sepac folder 2022

Europe - Sepac

"Local beverages 13", this special folder contains the 9 Sepac stamps issued in 2022.

This folder will be on sale by any of the Sepac countries philatelic offices !

Faroe Islands - Sepac 2022

Faroe Islands - Sepac

Date of Issue: 16th May 2022

one stamp (29.- DKK)

 

Faroe Islands 2022

Faroe Islands

Date of Issue: 16th May 2022

two stamps (19.- & 29.- DKK)

 

both stamps are also issued in a booklet of 6 stamps (3x 19.- DKK & 3x 29. DKK) - NOTE the stamps from the booklet are self-adhesive

Floating islands

In many island cultures we find legends of so-called floating islands - islands that have mysteriously drifted in from the sea, disappeared again, or run aground and conjoined with other islands, often as a result of witchcraft or similar phantasmic happenings.

The Faroe Islands are no exception in this regard. Most of our smallest islands have some form of floating island legends. In his work from 1673 ”FAROÆ ET FÆROA RESERATA” the priest Lucas Debes describes this phenomenon and attributes it to icebergs drifting past the islands, or a Satanic veiling of the superstitious population. A century later, in 1781-82, Jens Christian Svabo, a man of the Enlightenment, rejected Debes’ theories and attributes the phenomenon to rocklike clouds drifting on the horizon or even ”pollamjørki”, the Faroese term for heavy drifting sea-mist.

And there is little doubt that Svabo’s assumption was correct. Anyone who has seen dense sea fogs drift over and alongside these tiny islands, cannot help feeling that the island itself had begun floating over the sea and through the fog. But reality is usually less interesting than a good story, so let us stick to the legendary world’s colourful explanation of nature’s visual illusions - and look at a few examples of islands that have come floating with their mountains and valleys – and even with pigs and giants following in their wake.

Svínoy – Island of pigs

Just as many other islands Svínoy is said to have originally been a floating island. It often appeared in the north, but it was rarely seen because it was usually shrouded in fog. Now we need to tell you the story of how it came to be one of the permanent inhabited islands in the Faroes.

In the village of Viðareiði on Viðoy, a farmer kept a sow but had no boar, a mature male swine. Despite this, the sow became pregnant and had piglets every year. People were astounded and one could explain how this could have happened. It was well known that the sow occasionally disappeared from the village, but it was never gone for a long time.

One day the sow was seen running eastwards through the village - over the isthmus - and down towards a small bay called Eiðsvík. One of the women in the village got a hold of it and hastily tied a bundle of keys to its tail. The sow then ran into the sea and swam away from land.

A moment later an island was seen drifting from the south. The villagers quickly manned a boat and rowed to the island. This time it did not disappear from sight and they were able to go ashore. Since the sow had iron keys attached to its tail, it fastened to the seabed and the surrounding fog disappeared like dewdrops in the sun. And there the island has stayed ever since.

Ever since the island has been called Svínoy (Pig Island) because of its multitude of pigs - and it was there that the sow from Viðareiði found its mate.

(From Faroese Anthology by V. U. Hammershaimb, Copenhagen 1891)

Mykines island

Another legend deals with ”risi”, a kind of prehistoric giant or colossus who wanted to live in the Faroe Islands. But the islands he really liked were much too small for him. He therefore decided to join some of the smaller islands together in order to create some wiggle room for himself. First, he found the small island of Koltur and placed it where it is today. Then he headed down to Skúvoy and was about to move it up to Koltur. But people on Skúvoy did not like the idea and asked the giant if he really wanted to live on an island that used to belong to ”Kálvur lítli” (Little Calf). Kálvur lítli was a medieval priest, notorious for his evil and wicked ways. The giant did not quite know - he thought that the island had once belonged to a baby calf - and it would probably be beneath his dignity to live in such a place.

The giant then waded northwards and in the north of the Faroe Islands he finally found a reasonably large island that seemed to fit his fancy. He started pushing it southwards, in the direction of Koltur – and everything went reasonably well. But when he came to the shallow fish banks just west of Vágar, the island ran aground and got stuck. For a whole week he struggled to get the island free from the sandy banks, but it would not move an inch. Eventually, the giant became furious and shouted: ”My life! My death! If I only could dislodge this island, I would sink it into the sea!”

When he finally realized that he would not be able to have the island for himself, he certainly did not want anyone else to settle there. This is how the island of Mykines found its location in the Faroese archipelago – so now we know what happened.

Occasionally, people from Sørvágur can see another island floating in the north. It has high mountains, deep valleys and white foaming waterfalls. When people from Mykines hear this story, it raises their concern. Who knows, perhaps the giant is still roaming around and might want to sink Mykines into the ocean to make room for his own new island?

(Loosely retold: Faroese Anthology by V. U. Hammershaimb, Copenhagen 1891)

Anker Eli Petersen

Sepac 2021

Europe - Sepac

Sepac 2021
"Historical maps"

17.02.2021 Jersey - 1 stamp (0.70 GBP) out of a set of 6 stamps
25.03.2021 Åland - 1 stamp (4.- €)
26.04.2021 Faroe Is. - 1 souvenir-sheet (27.- DKK)
28.05.2021 Malta - 1 stamp (0.50 €) out of a set of 4 stamps
07.06.2021 Liechtenstein - 1 stamp (1.50 CHF)
08.06.2021 Greenland - 1 stamp (19.- DKK)
19.07.2021 Monaco - 1 stamp (1.50 €)
01.09.2021 Guernsey - 1 stamp (1.- GBP) out of a set of 6 stamps
08.09.2021 Gibraltar - 1 stamp (1.- GBP) out of a set of 5 stamps
14.09.2021 Luxembourg - 1 stamp (1.05 €)

no issue Isle of Man
no issue Vatican

Sepac folder 2021

Europe - Sepac

"Old maps 12", this special folder contains the 10 Sepac stamps issued in 2021.

This folder will be on sale by any of the Sepac countries philatelic offices !

Faroe Islands 2021

Faroe Islands

Date of Issue: 26th April 2021

two stamps (17.- & 27.- DKK)

both stamps are also issued in a booklet of 6 stamps (4x 17.- DKK & 2x 27. DKK) - NOTE the stamps from the booklet are self-adhesive

Faroe Islands - Sepac 2021

Faroe Islands - Sepac

Date of Issue: 26th April 2021

one souvenir-sheet (27.- DKK)

 NOTE : the Sepac logo isn't on the stamp.

Norden stamps 2020

Europe - Norden

Norden 2020
 "Mammals"

02.01.2020 Denmark - 5 stamps (5x 10.- DKK)
24.02.2020 Faroe Is. - 1 stamp (20.- DKK)
17.04.2020 Norway - 1 stamp (Europa 20g. value = 26.- NOK)
18.05.2020 Greenland - 2 stamps (16.- & 18.- DKK)

03.06.2020 Finland - 2 stamps (2x domestic value = 2x 1.60 €)
05.06.2020 Åland - 1 stamp (1.- €)

29.10.2020 Iceland - 1 stamp (50g til Evrópu value = 250.- ISK)

12.11.2020 Sweden - 1 stamp (Sverige brev value = 11.- SEK) out of a set of 5 stamps NEW

Sepac stamps 2020

Europe - Sepac

Sepac 2020
"Art from the State collection"

12.02.2020 Jersey - 1 stamp (0.80 GBP) out of a set of eight stamps
05.03.2020 Åland - 1 stamp (1.40 €)
16.03.2020 Isle of Man - 1 stamp ("Large" value) out of a set of 10 stamps
27.04.2020 Faroe Is. - 1 stamp (20.- DKK)
18.05.2020 Greenland - 1 stamp (18.- DKK)

02.06.2020 Liechtenstein - 1 stamp (1.50 CHF)
08.06.2020 Malta - 1 stamp (0.50 €) out of a set of 2 stamps

25.06.2020 Monaco - 1 stamp (1.90 €)
21.07.2020 Guernsey - 1 stamp (0.85 GBP) out of a set of 6 stamps
14.09.2020 Luxembourg - 1 stamp (0.80 €) NEW
29.10.2020 Iceland - 1 stamp (50g til Evrópu value = 250.- ISK)

no issue of Gibraltar this year
no issue of Vatican this year

Faroe Islands - Sepac 2020

Faroe Islands - Sepac

Date of Issue: 27th April 2020

one stamp (20.- DKK)