The Finnish stamp year 2013 will begin with three new issues and one reissue on January 21. The themes of the first stamps of the year include Valentine’s Day candies, wintery sledding and the queen of plants, the orchid. The three January issues include a total of eight new stamps. The popular blue Lion of Finland stamp with a value of EUR 1.00 is to be reprinted.
This year, the traditional Valentine’s Day stamps are issued in a joyful candy theme. The Sweet St. Valentine’s Day booklet contains six first class stamps and four stickers for brightening up letters and cards.
According to Sini Henttonen, the designer of the stamps, candy is a central element of St. Valentine’s Day culture all around the world.
- The oval form and bright colors emphasize the candy-like, playful nature of the stamps, explains Ms Henttonen, who will receive her MFA from Aalto University in spring 2013.
- I have admired the fresh illustrations of Finnish stamps in recent years, and they have also encouraged me to send cards. I hope that my St. Valentine’s Day stamp series will inspire good spirits in senders and recipients alike, while also adding a sweet taste to the card, Henttonen says.
The first class Sledding stamp is the perfect choice for winter greetings of all types. It will be issued as a foldable sheet of ten stamps, which also includes ten Priority labels.
The designer, Georgi Eremenko, wanted to illustrate the joys and light of winter.
- I found inspiration from watching colorfully dressed people sledding in Helsinki’s Kaivopuisto one bright and sunny January weekend.
- I drew several stories in the stamp, which can be found by taking a closer look at the picture. People are sledding at a wild pace, each in their own way. A small dog is running alongside, Mr Eremenko describes.
A lot of requests have been submitted for a flower-themed stamp, and Orchid will be issued in January. With its value of EUR 1.10, it can be used as the payment indication of first class items weighing under 100 grams. The foldable self-adhesive sheet of ten stamps fits neatly into the wallet.
The stamp, designed by Susanna Rumpu and Ari Lakaniemi, is printed with a delicate pearl lacquer, contributing to the dignity of the stamp. The stylish stamp is suitable for congratulations and printed condolences, for example. The orchid cultivar depicted in the stamp, Coilostylis parkinsoniana, is photographed by Jouni Seppänen, an all-round flower specialist.
January 21 will also see a two-million stamp reprint of the popular blue Lion of Finland stamp with a payment value of EUR 1.00. The dynamic and modern lion stamp, designed by Mika Launis, was initially issued on January 1, 2002.
Minor changes in the microperforation between the stamps have been made in the reissue compared to the previous issue. The changes are due to the web offset printing method used in the production of the new stamps. No changes have been made to the actual stamp.
Technical data of Finnish stamps released on January 21, 2013 (pdf)
Itella Posti Oy
Email addresses: firstname.lastname@itella.com
