Finland 2011

Finland

Date of Issue: 6th May 2011

two stamps (2x 2nd class value) - note both stamps are self-adhesive


both stamps are issued in a mini-sheet of 10 stamps (five of each)

Albania - Georgia 2010 ?

Europe

Well next month we will reach the last quarter of 2010.

Armenia, Great-Britain and Norway have announced their 2010 Europa stamps issue during this period.

Only from two countries we don't have any information yet !

Albania

At this moment of the year, Albania issued only two stamps yet.

Last year they issued almost all their stamps in the last two months of the year. Their 2010 Europa stamps was issued on the 11th December ! Maybe it will be the same this year ? Wait and see...

Georgia

Georgia's issued last month their 2009 Europa stamps on the theme "Astronomy" but still no news concerning the 2010 issue...

Norden stamps (1956-)

Europe

Norden stamps (1956-)

The Norden stamps is a common issue between the Nordic countries. It is as old as the Europa stamps !

The idea of a Norden issue with a common motif was bred by Foreningen Norden [the Norden Association] in a letter to the five Nordic Postal Administrations already in 1951. At the conference of the Nordic Postal Association in March the same year the consensus was to accede to the idea, but of practical reasons it could only be accomplished later.

The first issue of 1956 had a common motive representing five flying swans. The Swan motif emanated from a poem from 1946 by Hans Hartvig Seedorff Pedersen titled "Svanerne fra Norden" [The Swans from the Nordic Countries], which is a tribute to the free community in the five countries each symbolized by a swan - Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

A competition with an artist from each five country : Viggo Bang (Denmark), Signe Hammarsten-Janson (Finland), Johannes Haukland (Norway) and Mark Sylvan (Sweden). Iceland participated with an illustration to the poem by artist Jón Stefánsson.

It was decided to choose the Danish contribution and that the stamps (two from each country) should be ready for during second half of 1956. As well proofs as stamps were engraved by Swedish chief engraver Sven Ewert.


On the 1st October 1956, the postal administrations of the five Nordic countries announced at the same time that "in order to accentuate the Nordic cohe-sion and the importance of the Nordic cooperation in various fields" they were going to "issue some special stamps with common motif on the Nordic Countries' Day, 30th October 1956". Each country issued the stamps with two values in red and blue colours respectively.

We had to wait 13 years to see the next Norden issue (although 3 Nordic countries Denmark, Norway and Sweden, issued in 1960 a common stamp to celebrate the common airline company SAS – this issue is often considered by Norden collectors as being part of this collection). In 1969 the common design was five Viking ships from a rock carving.

In 1973 - The Nordic House in Reykjavik and in 1977 five water-lilies in pure water symbolising the environmental collaboration. Since that year, the Norden stamps bear a common logo – a post horn made of five horns.


In 1980 it was decided to issue the Norden stamps every three years and (as the Europa stamps since 1974) to follow a common theme instead having a common design.

• 1980 - Handy crafts
• 1983 - Tourism
• 1986 - Twin cities
• 1989 - Folk costumes
• 1991 - Tourism - I - since that year Åland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland also take part making a total of 8 countries issuing Norden stamps.

The Faroe Islands issued in 1989 two stamps following the common them « folk costumes » but those stamps don’t bear the Norden logo.

• 1993 - Tourism - II
• 1995 - Tourism - III
• 1998 - Boats
• 2002 - Modern art - since that year, the Norden stamps are being issued every two years.

Since 2004, the Norden stamps are issued in souvenir-sheets following a common them who runs during 3 issues:

2004-2006-2008 - Nordic mythology I - II - III.


This year the new 3 years common theme is « Life by the sea » who will run from 2010 until 2014.

source: http://www.ptt-museum.dk/en/online_magazine/previous_articles/post/?id=71/
official website: http://www.topoftheworld.nu

America-UPAEP

Europe

Did you know that the Europa stamps had a little brother on the American continent ?

Since 1989, the member countries of the Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal (UPAEP) issue the so called America-UPAEP stamps.


As the Europa stamps, each country issue a single or a set of stamps following a common theme. Each stamp bears, the word "America" and/or just the "UPAEP" logo.



Two European countries are member of the UPAEP: Portugal and Spain. Portugal took part only a few years at the America-UPAEP issues - 7 times between 1993 and 2003 as Spain is taking part non-stop since 1989.

This year's common theme is : "National symbols".

If somebody want's to swap America stamps with me for Europa stamps, don't hesitate to contact me ! :o)

• Link to the images of ALL America-UPAEP stamps issued (website of P. Boulon)
• Wikipedia page (in French) about the America-UPAEP stamps
• Website of the UPAEP

European postal administration who don't issue Europa stamps

Europe

European postal administration who don't issue Europa stamps (for the moment) :

1. Alderney

Alderney is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey and its stamps are valid throughout the Bailiwick. Stamps issuing since 1983.

official website: http://www.guernseystamps.com
State website: http://www.alderney.gov.gg/stamps/

2. Mount Athos - [Hagion Oros]

In 2008 the Hellenic Postal Service started issuing postage stamps for postal use only at the two post offices of Mount Athos (Karyai and Dafni). The first set of 5 stamps was issued on May 16, 2008. The Hellenic Post issues the modern era Mount Athos stamps despite opposition from the Philatelic Federation and the Hellenic Philatelic Society.

source: Wikipedia

official website: http://www.agionorostamps.gr

3. Sovereign Military Order of Malta - [SMOM]

The stamps are issued for both postal and charitable reasons. Despite over 50 bi-lateral postal agreements the stamps are usually classed as cinderella stamps as they do not have postal validity throughout the world. Most postal agreements are with countries in which the order does charitable work.

source: Wikipedia

official website: http://www.orderofmalta.org

4. United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) - European offices in Geneva and Vienna

The idea for the UN to issue stamps originated in 1947 with José Arce the ambassador from Argentina and president of the United Nations General Assembly, who was himself a philatelist. (The League of Nations had used overprinted Swiss stamps.) The UNPA came into existence by agreement with the U.S. in 1951, soon after the UN moved into its headquarters in Manhattan. Prior to that, the UN used the facilities of the United States Post Office Department.

Ordinarily, mail must be taken to the UN offices and franked with the appropriate UN stamps. From time to time, though, by agreement with the United States Postal Service, the UNPA maintains a temporary office elsewhere, usually at stamp shows or special events.

source: Wikipedia

official website: http://unstamps.un.org
official website - Geneva: http://unstamps.un.org
official website - Vienna: http://unstamps.un.org

Armenia 2010

Armenia

Date of Issue: 8th October 2010

one stamp (350.- AMD)


This stamp is issued in a mini-sheet of 9 stamps

1994

Europe

Issue n° 39 - 1994

"Great discoveries"

Number of countries : 49
Debuting countries : Åland, Greenland, Estonia, Latvia
Returning countries : none
Withdrawing countries : the Netherlands

Note : Albania and Gibraltar didn't use the official logo that year.

the Faroe Is., Iceland and Ireland issued a twin issue that year.

more here in the Europa stamps History - Part IV

Eurovision Song Contest 1994
Dublin (Ireland)
Winner: Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan "Rock 'n' Roll Kids" (Ireland)

my personal favorite that year: Dan Bittman "Dincolo de nori" (Romania)