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)

1993

Europe

Issue n° 38 - 1993

"Contemporary art"

Number of countries : 45
Debuting countries : Czech Republic, Lithuania, Moldova, Slovakia, Slovenia
Returning countries : Vatican
Withdrawing countries : Norway

"In 1993, the CEPT decided to concentrate on telecommunication issues only and the Europa stamps issues coordination was transmitted to PostEurop the association of European public postal operators. Since then a new logo is in use on Europa stamps."

"That year two unofficial issues appeared. The first one from: Belarus; although the new logo was introduced that year they used the old CEPT on there stamps. The other one from the Croat post of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was the first postal administration of Bosnia to issue Europa stamps but they weren't recognized by the UPU at that time, that's why their issue is also considered as unofficial."

Note : Gibraltar and Belgium (!) didn't use the official logo that year. Albania used a logo depicting a V instead of an U which made the word Evropa. New Europa logo in use from that year.

more here in the Europa stamps History - Part IV

Eurovision Song Contest 1993
Millstreet (Ireland)
Winner: Niamh Kavanagh "In Your Eyes" (Ireland)

my personal favorite that year: Ruth Jacott "Vrede" (the Netherlands)

50 years of Liechtenstein's 1st Europa issue !

Liechtenstein

50 years of Liechtenstein's 1st Europa issue !

9th September 1960 saw the appearance of Liechtenstein’s first Europa stamp (face value CHF 0.50). The name EUROPA was embedded in it in a honeycomb pattern. This was also the first stamp designed by the then 30-year-old Mauren graphic designer Louis Jäger, who has since been responsible for several masterly pieces of philatelic design (he draw also the 1975 Europa issue).


The publication “50 Years of Liechtenstein Postage Stamps 1912–1962” describes the stamp, a first work in two senses, thus: “In 1960 a great structure is evolving cell by cell, but it will be some time yet before it is complete: many cells are still unfilled or incompletely filled: Europe is not yet complete. It can however be finished if its builders continue building on the common foundation laid in antiquity and the Christian era: hence the letters of the alphabet modelled on Roman characters. Thus will it all be able to coalesce and jointly grow together.” (p. 313).
There were however two more unusual features which attracted collectors’ attention to Liechtenstein’s first Europa stamp. Firstly, it was published in an edition of only 322 000 and was consequently very quickly sold out (subsequently Liechtenstein’s Europa stamps have each appeared in editions of over 1.5 million). What also made this stamp a true collector’s item was the fact that there were both a second edition and a very small edition of imperforate test prints.

source: Philately Liechtenstein - News brochure, 2010, n°3

Great Britain 2010

Great Britain

Date of Issue: 12th October 2010

one stamp (1st class value GBP) out of a set of six (!) stamps (only this stamp is bearing the official Europa logo) and one souvenir-sheet of four stamps (only the 1st class value GBP is bearing the official Europa logo)

Liechtenstein 2010

Liechtenstein

Date of Issue: 6th September 2010

one stamp (1.40 CHF)

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)

1992

Europe

Issue n° 37 - 1992

"500 years of the discovery of the Americas"

Number of countries : 42
Debuting countries : Albania, Croatia
Returning countries : none
Withdrawing countries : none

"Croatia is the first ex-Yugoslav republic to issue Europa stamps that year. They issued in fact twice the same set, one without the CEPT logo (as they weren't a CEPT member at that moment of the year) and one set later the same year with the official Europa set with the logo."

"Portugal issued one Europa stamp that year but also six souvenir-sheets depicting former stamps adding a CEPT logo on them !"

"Albania took part for the first time that year issuing a souvenir-sheet becoming very expensive those days !"

Note : Gibraltar was the only county to use the four CEPT letters instead of the official logo. It is the last year the Europa stamps are issued by the CEPT thus the last year we will see the CEPT logo on Europa stamps.

source of the image : http://www.ibolli.it/indexes/cept/index.php

more here in the Europa stamps History - Part IV

Eurovision Song Contest 1992
Malmö (Sweden)
Winner: Linda Martin "Why Me?" (Ireland)

my personal favorite that year: Michael Ball "One Step Out of Time" (United Kingdom)

1991

Europe

Issue n° 36 - 1991

"European aerospace"

Number of countries : 40
Debuting countries : Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland & Romania
Returning countries : none
Withdrawing countries : none

The Berlin Wall has fallen, and former Communist countries are becoming members of the CEPT. For the first time since 1981, the Europa stamps collection has new countries taking part.

Note : Three countries (Gibraltar, Greece & Iceland) used the four CEPT letters instead of the official logo.

more here in the Europa stamps History - Part IV

Eurovision Song Contest 1991
Rome (Italy)
Winner: Carola "Fångad av en stormvind" (Sweden)

my personal favorite that year: Kaija Kärkinen "Hullu yö" (Finland)

1990

Europe

Issue n° 35 - 1990

"Post offices buildings"

Number of countries : 35
Debuting countries : none
Returning countries : none
Withdrawing countries : none

Hungary became a CEPT member that year but to late to be able to issue official Europa stamps. Anyway they issued this year two stamps with the "post offices" theme but without the CEPT logo on it that would have made real Europa stamps of them.

Note : Only two countries (Gibraltar, Iceland) used the four CEPT letters instead of the official logo. Most stamps issued in late April or in May.

source of the image : http://www.ibolli.it/indexes/cept/index.php

more here in the Europa stamps History - Part IV

Eurovision Song Contest 1990
Zagreb (Yugoslavia)
Winner: Toto Cutugno "Insieme: 1992" (Italy)

my personal favorite that year: Edin-Ådahl "Som en vind" (Sweden)

1989

Europe

Issue n° 34 - 1989

"Children's games"

Number of countries : 35
Debuting countries : none
Returning countries : none
Withdrawing countries : none

Note : Only two countries (Gibraltar, Iceland) used the four CEPT letters instead of the official logo. Most stamps issued in late April or in May.

source of the image : http://www.ibolli.it/indexes/cept/index.php

more here in the Europa stamps History - Part III

Eurovision Song Contest 1989
Lausanne (Switzerland)
Winner: Riva "Rock Me" (Yugoslavia)

my personal favorite that year: Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson "Það sem enginn sér" (Iceland)

1988

Europe

Issue n° 33 - 1988

"Transportation and communications"

Number of countries : 35
Debuting countries : none
Returning countries : none
Withdrawing countries : none

Note : Only two countries (Gibraltar, Iceland) used the four CEPT letters instead of the official logo. Most stamps issued in late April or in May.

source of the image : http://www.ibolli.it/indexes/cept/index.php

more here in the Europa stamps History - Part III

Eurovision Song Contest 1988
Dublin (Ireland)
Winner: Céline Dion "Ne partez pas sans moi" (Switzerland)

my personal favorite that year: Scott Fitzgerald "Go" (United Kingdom)

Cyprus (Turkish post) 2010

Cyprus (Turkish post)

Date of Issue: 28th May 2010

two stamps (2x 0.80 YTL)


This set is only sold as a 4 stamps block set (2 sets), not just the paire !

Those two stamps are also issued in a booklet of 4 stamps (two of each)


NOTE : the stamps issued by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus aren't recognized on an international level, not by the UPU nor by PostEurop.

But as most Europa stamps collectors collect those stamps anyway, I decided to publish them on my blog, from now on, even if they aren't official stamp issues.

Vatican 2010

Vatican

Date of Issue: 22nd June 2010

two stamps (0.60 & 0.65 €)


both stamps are issued in mini-sheets of 10 stamps