The 2026 Åland stamps are here … or at least starting to wander in. Isn’t this a beautiful page already? Åland, the little island in the north, is vibrant, full of life and so appealing. Another criminally under-rated stamp program in my opinion. When I was pulling all the images and details together, I just drifted with the program and had a wonderful time. I need to visit Aland. No seriously, a cool little trip hitting both the Faroe Islands and Aland would be fun. Maybe we can crowdfund a SEPAC post office trip. Oh well, we can dream. 

You’ll see the name Johanna Finne pop up on all the stamps. She is the current Design Manager for Åland Post and has a big hand in the creation of the stamp layout, design and the first class info writeups I depend on. Since 2022, she has been the mainstay of Aland’s stamps. 

Special thanks to Åland’s staff for the excellent writeups and support for the artists and photographers who make the stamps come alive. This page relies heavily on their research, so credit to them. 

February

Trees

4 stamps, 4 FDCs, cancel, maxi card
offset

This set features 4 of Aland’s most common trees in watercolour.

• Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) – Ontario Trees and Shrubs
• European spruce (Picea abies) Norway Spruce: Plant Care and Growing Guide
• White birch (Betula pubescens) Betula pubescens var. pubescens | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science
• Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) Quercus robur (English Oak)

Artist: Marie Laaksonen
This is Marie’ first stamp design.

“The assignment was both exciting and challenging. I went on many walks in the woods, wanting to create a story in which the motifs formed a whole. I decided that our four seasons could be a central part of the project with each tree symbolizing a season.  I was also inspired by the Tree of Knowledge symbolism, how a seed is sown, grows, takes shape, and branches. I therefore chose to work in watercolour, which gave me the feeling and tone I was striving for to convey the changing of the seasons, the depth of the symbolism and the story as a whole.”
New franking labels highlight trees on Åland – Åland Stamps

Designer: Marie Laaksonen & Johanna Finne

Release date: February 4, 2026

Boathouse Culture
3rd in series

2 stamps, FDC, cancel
offset

“where boat storage meets togetherness and creativity”

This two stamp set completes Aland’s eye-opening series on boathouse culture. Boathouses are more than a home for boats, they are part of the island’s maritime culture and history. 

Lemström Canal boathouse – built in 2001 
… the boathouse measures approximately 100 m². A boat hangs in the boathouse year-round, always ready for fishing trips. In the summer, it is joined by an Anytec sheet metal boat. From early spring to late autumn, the boathouse is a gathering place for friends and family of the owner Magnus Lundberg.  To make even better use of the space, a hoistable deck was built, which, when lowered, transforms the boathouse into a festive venue for pizza evenings and crayfish parties. Boathouse, Lemström, Jomala – mint – Åland Stamps

Kalmarnäs, Jomala – built in early 2000s  
… designed and built by the owner Göran Sundblom over six years in the early 2000s. Measuring 62 m², the boathouse accommodates two wooden boats, a sauna area with a kitchenette and a roofed terrace.
Boathouse, Kalmarnäs, Jomala – mint – Åland Stamps

Photographer: Kjell Söderlund
Söderlund began his career in 1983, becoming a full time photographer 12 years later. 

Designer: Johanna Finne

Release date: February 4, 2026

March

SEPAC: Iconic Landmarks – Pommern Museum Ship

1 stamp, FDC, cancel, maxi card
offset

The tall ship Pommern is the last 4 masted steel barque preserved in it’s original condition and was an operating vessel until 1939. It was turned into a museum in 1953 and docked at Mariehamn. The family of the last owner, Gustaf Erikson donated it to the city.  

Welcome – Pommern

Photographer: Moein Eshghi
This is Moein’s first stamp.

“The day I took the picture was a calm and cold winter day in Åland. What caught my attention was the beautiful contrast between the white snow, the dark lines of the ship and the light blue sky. It was the feeling of stillness and tranquility in the scene that I wanted to try to capture with the camera,” says Moein.
Sepac 2026, iconic landmarks – mint – Åland Stamps

Designer: Johanna Finne

Pommern has appeared on a 2003 Åland stamp.  
Centenary of the Ship “Pommern” designed by Linda Karlsson, artist Arthur Victor Gregory.

Release date: March 18, 2026

Summer Shimmer – Open Edition 

1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset with glitter varnish

This is part of Aland’s “Open edition” stamp design. An artist is given carte blanche to create a stamp with no restrictions, giving collectors a cool surprise when it  finally arrives. This year Lin Simons gave us a peak at summer with her emerald damselfly (Lestes sponsa). She was inspired by peaceful times at her summer cottage.  

“In the summer, the yellow-brown grass grows on the slope in front of our cottage, and dragonflies are swarming about in the air. I wanted to combine these two impres­sions: the shimmering dragonflies and the swaying grass in evening light,” Lin explains. 
Summer shimmer – mint – Åland Stamps

Artist: Lin Simons
This is Lin’s first stamp. 
“I was super happy. It felt both honorable and exciting. The design process started in my head right away and pretty quickly I had the motif ready for me,”
ÅLAND POST FRIMÄRKEN
Nr 4. 2025

Designer: Johanna Finne

Release date: March 18, 2026

Financial Services – Fintech 

1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset

 This stamp features Åland fintech company Enfuce, a cloud based payment company founded in 2016.

Artist: Elin Eriksson
It was inspiring and challenging to translate something so abstract into an image that feels understandable, aesthetic and interesting – and that works in the small stamp format. I tried different compositions to find an expression that reflected Enfuce’s identity, but where I could also weave my own surrealist style into the design. The result was a motif based on a stylised map of Åland showing the Åland roots. The layers of red granite, the sea, payment cards and the cloud symbolize the way out into the world,” says Elin.
Stamp highlights fintech pioneer from Åland – Åland Stamps

Aland post has a video featuring Elin Visit stamp artist Elin Eriksson – Åland Stamps It isn’t in English, but the visuals alone make it a good watch. 

Designers: Elin Eriksson & Johanna Finne

Release date: March 18, 2026

May

EUROPA: 70th Anniversary

1 stamp, FDC, cancel (see below)
offset

This design will be issued by all nations participating in the EUROPA competition. Titled 70th Anniversary of the EUROPA Stamp: United in … it was the winning design submitted by Finnish artist Klaus Welp.

The stamp combines abstract and symbolic elements. The diagonal line represents a stamp’s
perforation and the shared work of Europe’s postal services over seven decades. The colour composition reflects the flags of the European countries and symbolises the sense of unity among the member states.Europa 2026, 70 years of Europa stamps I – mint – Åland Stamps

Artist: Klaus Welp – common design stamp
Welp is a familiar face among Finnish stamp collectors, designing over 100 stamps since his first in 2008. 
Designer: Johanna Finne

A second design will be  released to accompany the common issue. 

1 stamp, FDC with both stamps, cancel
offset

“The starting point was to portray diversity as a unifying force. I chose to illustrate different shapes and colours coming together to form a harmonious unit, much like the way life on Earth emerged through the fusion of different elements, creating the miracle of life.”  Tzenko Stoyanov

Artist: Tzenko Stoyanov
Tzenko is a Swedish-Bulgarian illustrator currently based in Sweden.
Designer: Johanna Finne

Release date: May 8, 2026

Öväder – Island Weather 

4 stamps in booklet form
offset

The theme for this set is island weather. thick mist, pouring rain, a sunset at sea, and meadow plants swaying in the wind.

Born in 1983, Aino-Maija Metsola graduated with a degree in graphic design at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. Shortly afterwards, she began to do freelance work, caught the eye of Marimekko during a design contest and eventually became an in-house designer for the textile giant. The versatile designer uses a variety of mediums to achieve her unique looks that are both strong and delicate, but has a special spot in her heart for watercolors; in fact, she uses the same watercolor case she has since she was 14 years old.
https://finnishdesign.com/aino-maija-metsola/

Artist: Aino-Maija Metsola
This is Metsola’s first stamp. 
Metsola works in a large number of mediums, including water colour, ink and textiles. 
Designer: Aino-Maija Metsola & Johanna Finne

Release date: May 8, 2026

June

Postal Boat Race
postcard

1 stamped postcard, 2 cancels

This is the 52nd year for the annual race.

Since 1974, the Postal Boat Race has been an annual summer event arranged to commemorate the obligation of the farmers in Swedish Väddö and Åland Eckerö to carry mail and passengers across the Sea of Åland in all weathers. The mail conveyance continued for almost 400 years until the beginning of the 20^th century.
New commemorative card for the Postal Boat Race

It begins at 10 am with boats leaving Grisslehamn in Sweden for Storby, Eckerö on Åland. Each competitor carries a bag of mail to honour the original purpose of the voyage. No motors are allowed, only rowing and sailing is permitted on this 44 km journey. It can take anywhere from 31/2 to 6 hours to complete, depending on the winds. 

The postcard will be released to coincide with the completion of the Postal Boat Race. 

Release date: June 13, 2026

The Åland Museum of Photography

1 stamp on souvenir sheet, 1 FDC, cancel, maxicard
offset

This is the museum’s 25th anniversary

Åland Post will be hosting an event at the Åland Photography Museum, Bastövägen 5, Pålsböle on June 9th. Both Head of Design Johanna Finne and Martin Mörck will be in attendance. This will be a bang up event, so if you are able, go and let me know all the details. 

Events include: 

• 11am –11.45 Welcome address and introduction by Johanna Finne , Head of Design at Åland Post Stamps.
• Lecture with stamp artist Martin Mörck: The Artistic Line from 15,000 BC – Seen Through My Eyes.
• 12 noon Adress by Stig Dreijer: Åland Photography Museum – a world class museum
• 12.15–2pm Signing! Meet Martin Mörck and have your first day products signed.
• 2pm VR technology demonstration with Pär Björkman and photographer Lars Lindqvist from Swedish Newspaper Dagens Nyheter.

Designer: Martin Mörck

Release date: June 9, 2026

Art Classics

Artists:  Ellen Favorin (1853–1919), Elin Danielsson (1861–1919), Hanna Rönnberg (1862–1946) and Tove Jansson (1914–2001).

Release date: June 9, 2026

September

International Day of Peace

Part of the My Aland series

Release date: September 21, 2026

Microalgae 

Microphotographer: Tore Lindholm

Release date: September 21, 2026

October

of Winter Dreams

Designer: Juta Policja

Release date: October 23, 2026