The 2021 Swedish stamps offered a few surprises tucked into their designs. I had some fun looking over them and found myself chuckling at one. Göteborg celebrated it’s 400th anniversary with an ambitious project that saw 10 local artists illustrate various landmarks and buildings from around the city. The aim was to create a modern map of Göteborg with sites familiar to current residents. Here’s the one that brought on the giggles:
Do you see the hamsters? I looked at this stamp for a few seconds before it registered what I was looking at. Then I spotted the hamster on a bike and lost it. I scurried off to check out the artist and discovered all the illustrations Mikel Nilsson created for the project have little animals enjoying various aspects of city life. This particular rodent sighting takes place at Röda Sten, a promenade that includes stores, restaurants and a concert hall. Although just one of his animal vignettes made it onto a stamp, you really should go check out the others. They include cats roaming Haga, birds taking over a creperie and well, just go see the snails. You won’t be disappointed. And I so want to visit Göteborg now.
Sweden was the adopted home of the great stamp and banknote engraver Czesław Słania. This year was the 100th anniversary of his birth, and a number of countries created stamps to honour him. Słania was a powerhouse in stamp design, with 1070 stamps from 28 countries to his credit. He also engraved banknotes for countries from around the world, including Canada, Argentina and Lithuania, to name a few. Polish designer Marzanna Dąbrowska designed both Poland and Sweden’s September stamps.
The final stamp I want to draw your attention to is the January Valuable Nature stamp that starts the year off.
Henning Trollbäck included a touching tribute to Greta Thunberg’s fight for change. It’s a nicely understated stamp. I missed her the first scan of the 2021 issues. When I took a close up look, I knew instantly who the girl on the cliff is.
January
Valuable Nature | Europa 2021 – Endangered Wildlife
5 stamps in booklet format, 1 coil stamp (Europa Toad issue), FDC, cancel, collector’s sheet
The European Green Toad (also called the Green Spotted) was Sweden’s entry into the annual Europa contest.
In recent years, the European green toad has gone from vulnerable to critically endangered status and there are now only a few remaining in the Skåne och Blekinge regions. Eutrophication and drainage are two of several reasons for its decline. In order to save the species in Sweden, European green toads are bred to be transplanted, but it is also necessary to restore and preserve the habitat in which the toads live. Pg 1. PostNord Stamp News January 2021.
Winner of the 2015 Laurin Scholarship for the cover design Pressmeddelande här.
Release date: January 14, 2021
Göteborg 400th anniversary – Jubilee Map
4 stamps in booklet format, FDC, cancel, collector’s sheet
Images were created during the creation of the Jubilee Map Project. For Göteborg’s 400th anniversary, a new map of the city was created. Citizens were invited choose places they considered noteworthy in their neighbourhoods. 100 places places and landmarks were sent in. 10 Göteborg artists were invited to create a map using the suggestions. The 4 stamps in this set were taken from this project. You can see the places and artists here 100 places, 10 illustrators – one city – Gothenburg 2021 (goteborg2021.com).
Artists: Tamara Kryvolap, Ann-Kathrin Görisch, Rocio Soto, Mia Herman, Antonina Shypotilo, Sifen Wibell, Mikel Nilsson.
Designer: Norbert Tamas
Release date: January 14, 2021
April
100 years of voting rights for women
4 stamps in booklet format, FDC, cancel, collector’s sheet
Photo on collector’s sheet shows Elin Wägner standing before the binders holding the 350,000 petition signatures demanding voting rights for women. Elin Wägner – Norvik Press
Designer: Beata Boucht
Typography: Eva Wilsson
Release date: April 29, 2021
Porcelain
5 stamps in booklet format, 1 coil stamp, souvenir sheet, collector’s sheet, FDC, cancel
Images in booklet:
- Stig Lindberg (Pall och Berså)
- Marianne Westman (Picnic and Mon Amie)
- Margareta Hennix (Juliana and Galejan)
- Hertha Bengtson (Cadet and Blue Fire)
- Wilhelm Kåge (Trellis and Pomona)
Cups on coil stamp:
- Uppsala Ekeby/Gefle by Eugen Trost (Zebra)
- Lillemor Mannerheim (Sunflower)
- Helmer Ringström (Amanita)
The Rörstrand Museum has a nice section on the history of porcelain making in Sweden.History (rorstrand-museum.se)
Designer: Carina Link
Photographer: Carina Link and National Museum
Release date: April 29, 2021
Queen Silvia 2021
Photographer: Anna-Lena Ahlström
Designer: Daniel Bjugård
Release date: April 29, 2021
August
Late summer flowers
5 stamps in booklet format, 1 coil stamp, FDC, cancel, collector’s sheet
Designer: Eva Wilsson
As well a designing book covers, Wilsson has also designed 15 previous stamps for Swedish post.
Release date: August 26, 2021
Fire fighting
3 stamps on a souvenir sheet, collector’s sheet, FDC, cancel
Photographer: Pontus Lundahl
Artist: Lars Sjööblom
Designer: Daniel Bjugård
Release date: August 26, 2021
October
Centenary of Czesław Słania’s birth
2 stamps on souvenir sheets, 2 FDCs, cancel, collector’s sheet
Designer: Marzanna Dąbrowska
Dąbrowska is a designer for the Polish post office. This design was also used by Plczzta Polska for their Czesław Słania tribute.
Photographers: Per Sihlberg (postage stamp), Henrik Karlsson, Polish Post Office (PP)
Engraver: Lars Sjööblom
Release date: October 22, 2021
November
The Garden Gnomes’ Christmas – Christmas mail 2021
10 stamps in booklet format, coil stamp, FDC, cancel, souvenir sheet
Designer: Maria Trolle www.mariatrolle.se
Trolle is a busy artist. She has illustrated numerous books, magazines, children’s books and adult colouring books including her seventh in 2021. She has created over 600 images for her various colouring books.
Release date: November 11, 2021
Get outdoors and enjoy!
Friluftslivets år 2021 – the Year of Outdoor Recreation 2021
5 stamps in a booklet of 10, FDC, cancel, collector’s sheet
Photographer: Pierina Wester
Wester was signing the stamps on November 12-14, 2021 at the Swedish Post Museum
Designer: Henrik Karlsson
Release date: November 11, 2021
Check out all the stamps Norway issued in 2021 Norwegian 2021 stamp issues & designers
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Great website you have here but I was wanting to know if you
knew of any user discussion forums that cover the same topics discussed in this article?
I’d really like to be a part of community where I can get comments from other experienced
individuals that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations,
please let me know. Thanks!
Thanks!
The 2021 year was really fascinating, artist-wise. Off the top of my head, I don’t know of any, but I’ll do a bit of searching for you and see what I can find.
Happy to know you enjoy the content! I love writing and it’s exciting to think people appreciate it.
Oh wait, just had a thought – have you checked out http://scandps.org.uk/ It’s an English language philately group devoted to Scandinavian stamps.