The last 4 countries...

Europe

The 2012 Europa stamps year is reaching his end and we are already focusing on the 2013 season with the theme "The postman van".

But 4 countries still haven't issued their 2012 Europa stamps yet !

Albania

I've received a mail from the Albanian Post saying that their Europa stamps will be issued in August or September. As August is almost finished let's hope it will be issued next month. The Europa issue should be 2 stamps (30.- & 250.- ALL).

my guess : 75% chances to have an issue before the end of 2012

Armenia

Each year Armenia is one of the last countries to issue their Europa stamps. In 2010, their stamp was issued in October and in 2011 in December ! On Haypost's website a souvenir-sheet with 1 stamp is scheduled for the 2nd quarter of the year [!!].

my guess : 85% chances to have an issue before the end of 2012

Georgia


Georgia became a PostEurop member this year ! They even took part to the Best Europa stamp on line contest ! Two souvenir-sheets were expected as 2012 Europa stamps but still aren't issued. Georgia didn't issue any stamps in 2011 but had already 5 issues this year. Let's hope their Europa stamps will show off before the end of the year.

my guess : 20% chances to have an issue before the end of 2012

Montenegro


Montenegro first announced a 2012 Europa issue on the 20th of April this year, but then cancelled that issue. That issue has been rescheduled on the 10th of October

my guess : 95% chances to have an issue before the end of 2012

Sepac news

Europe - Sepac

Some news from the Sepac stamp collection.

During their last annual conference held in Gibraltar earlier this year, the Sepac association took two important decisions regarding their common stamps issues.

1. Annual issues starting from 2013 (until now it was every two year)
2. New theme will be chosen for each issue (until now the same theme was kept during 3 issues)

Sepac stamps will still be 1 stamp per country and per year bearing the official Sepac logo.

A common folder will still be on sale for each issue.

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

Best Europa stamp 2012 - Public prize

Hungary

Hungary is the winner of this year's Best Europa stamp contest organised by PostEurop. Last year winner, Turkey finished second and Croatia third.

1. HUNGARY   1602 votes
2. TURKEY        832 votes
3. CROATIA      444 votes

this 235.- HUF stamp is part of a souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps designed by Ágnes Rozmann.

It's the fourth time Hungary wins this on line voting during the last five years ! Here the statement on the Hungarian post website.

The Best Europa stamp design competition is a yearly event. The first competition took place in 2002. All official Europa stamp issues can enter the competition.

The result of this competition was announced during this year's Philatelic Forum in Paris, France on the 13th June.

The stamp has been selected via the internet ! All people could vote through PostEurop's website ! A total of 8063 votes were registered, compared to last year it's an increase of 45% in the number of public votes.

A jury of 7 members (stamp designers, philatelic design directors) awarded earlier this year, the Best Europa stamp - Jury prize to Russia !

The prizes for both the Jury and public voting competitions will be handed out during the Belgian Philatelic Grand Prix to be held in the Brussels City Hall on the 22nd September 2012. 

Here you can find the full list of winning stamps since the first contest in 2002 when Malta won.

Postcrossing blog wrote an article about the on line voting.

Best Europa stamp 2012 - Jury prize

Russia

The 2012 Best Europa stamp - Jury prize was awarded yesterday in Paris ! This was the second edition of this neutral and artistic prize.

Seven philately experts were invited to join the jury and judge the Europa stamps based on their expert opinion. 55 entries were displayed before the jury and after much deliberation, the jurors casted their closed ballots followed by a round of voting and discussion. Having reached a consensus, Mr. David E. Failor, Chief of the United Nations Postal Administration, proudly announced Russian Post as the winner of the 2012 Europa stamp Jury Prize.

The Jury this year composed of:

• David E. Failor, the United Nations Postal Administration, United States (Jury President)
• Vita Franckova, Philatelist expert, Czech Republic
• Jürgen Haepers, Philatelist expert, europa-stamps.blogspot.com, Switzerland
• Stefan Klein, Designer, Germany
• Olaf Neumann, Designer, Germany
• Martin Mörck, Designer, Intaglio Printing, Sweden
• Botond Szebeny, PostEurop's Secretary General, Hungary 

 

The 7 Jury members and representatives from the Russian Federation

This year winning stamp is the Europa stamp of Russia and designed by A. Drobyshev

"Ultimately the jury selected the entry from the Russian Federation because of its inviting theme, high quality production and superior iconic image. The stamp did a wonderful job of celebrating the "Visit..." theme."

The prizes for both the Jury and public voting competitions will be handed out during the Belgian Philatelic Grand Prix to be held in the Brussels City Hall on the 22nd September 2012.

Gibraltar 2012

Gibraltar

Date of Issue: 15th June 2012

two stamps (0.42 & 0.44 GBP) out of a set of six stamps (only those two stamps are bearing the official Europa logo)

those stamps are issued in mini-sheets of 8 stamps

NOTE : for the first time since 1979 and the first Gibraltar Europa issue, Gibraltar is using the official Europa logo !

Ukraine 2012

Ukraine

Date of Issue: 13th June 2012

two stamps (4.- & 5.60 UAH)

Both stamps are issued in a mini-sheet of 10 stamps (5 of each) and 2 vignettes

both stamps are issued in a booklet of 2 stamps