There’s a lot to see with Switzerland’s 2021 stamp designs. As a Canadian collector, I have to confess, I wish Canada Post would show the innovation other post offices are using in their stamp designs. Austria and Switzerland both issued stamps on none stamp material, creating unique mementos of specific themes/events. This stamp, Commitment to Art, was printed on linen, representing a blank canvas for the art under construction theme. 

Scan the little QR code on the sheet and you’ll be taken to Swiss Post’s web page that explains why the stamps are blank.   

Two more stamps are worth special mention because they utilize augmented reality.  Both the 100th anniversary of insulin and 150 years internment of Bourbaki’s army  unlock secondary images when scanned with the Swiss Post app. With the Insulin stamp, the app reveals the insulin structure in 3D.  The Bourbaki stamp reveals the rest of Edouard Castres’ painting.  

I had a discussion with another collector a few months back who dismissed this as “gimmicky” and cheapening the hobby. I have to disagree. I love this type of innovation in design. It reaches out to a young, digitally aware audience who just may become hooked on stamps. As well, using augmented reality allows designers to pack more information into the stamps. With a quick scan, info is unlocked and ready to be examined.  

Annual themes & new ideas

Swiss Post issues a number of re-occurring themes. Collectors can look forward to scooping the popular Pro Patria and Pro Juventute  issues as well as this year’s EUROPA  competition. Jürg Glauser’s Taxis and Thurin  entry score a second place finish in 2020. This year’s EUROPA focuses on 2 endangered butterflies, with some spectacular artwork. 

Late November will see Switzerland’s first entry into the Crypto Stamp category. It’ll be interesting to see where Swiss Post goes with cryptos. They could be nothing more than a flash in the pan, but given how quickly the Austrian crypto stamps sell out, I wouldn’t take any bets on this.  

March

A mail and B mail

2 stamps, FDC, cancel

The aim was to make the small format look maximum. The letters “A” and “B” are reduced to their hallmarks, i.e. the letter interiors. These prominent internal forms created a formal relationship between the two tokens. The warm red and orange tones of the A-Post brand stand for liveliness and urgency, while the cooler blue and green tones of the B-Post brand convey peace. Portfolio | Gerhard Blättler, graphic designer

Designer: Gerhard Blättler Portfolio | Gerhard Blättler, Grafiker | Bern (gerhardblaettler.ch)

Release date: March 4, 2021

Animals in the City

4 stamps, FDC, cancel

• stout
• wood mouse
• mole
• red fox

StadtWildTiere Schweiz

Designer: Lucille Solomon

Release date: March 4, 2021

100 years Friedrich Dürrenmatt

1 stamp, FDC, cancel

A special art print, Battle of Sempach, was also sold 

100 Jahre Dürrenmatt 2021 (admin.ch)

5 January 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of Switzerland’s greatest authors. Friedrich Dürrenmatt reached an audience of millions with his darkly satirical plays and crime novels, which continue to be read and performed all over the world. He was also a towering moral authority who turned a critical lens on his homeland, and left behind a significant body of paintings which are on public display in beautiful surroundings at the Dürrenmatt Centre in Neuchâtel. Friedrich Dürrenmatt – from Emmental to Broadway | House of Switzerland

Designer: Stephan Schmitz
Schmitz is a Zürich based artist. His distinctive style can be seen on his Instagram page. If you scroll down his list of posts, you will find an interview he did about his Dürrenmatt design. He has also designed a number of magazine covers including June 2021 New Scientist and July GEO, to name a few. His work often provokes conversations about science and social media. 

Release date: March 4, 2021

100 years of Insulin

1 stamp, FDC, cancel

When stamp is scanned with the Swiss post app a 3D image if the insulin structure will appear. .

The three-dimensional model visualized on the stamp shows the tertiary structure of an insulin molecule and at the same time resembles a garland. Because: there is something to celebrate. Happy Birthday Insulin. TIMBRE INSULINE | Emphase

Designers: Fabienne Kilchör and Sébastien Fasel, Team | Emphasis (emphase.ch)
Kilchör and Fasel co-edited the book  Beyond Design Ethnography: How Designers Practice Ethnographic Research

Release date: March 4, 2021

50 years women’s suffrage

1 stamp, sheet of 8, FDC, cancel

Designer: Fabienne Angehrn, anhrngrafik Design & Illustration – Grafik, Lucerne (angehrngrafik.ch)
Angrehrn also designed the classic 2018 175th anniversary of Swiss stamps set and the NABA Lugano stamp.

Release date: March 4, 2021

150 years internment of Bourbaki’s army

1 stamp, FDC, cancel

In 1871, 87,000 soldiers and 12,000 horses of the French Bourbaki army fled across the border into Switzerland in Les Verrières. Switzerland carried out a unique, humanitarian mission, in which the recently founded Swiss Red Cross had its first large-scale operation. The internment was captured a few years later by the artist Edouard Castres on a 112 meter long and 10 meter (originally 14 meters) high circular painting. Special stamp «150 years of Bourbaki» — Accomplices for visual communication (komplizen.ch)

This stamp uses augmented reality. Part of the panorama image can be seen by scanning the stamp with the Swiss Post app.

This page has an excellent, brief explanation of the event: The arrival of Bourbaki’s army at Les Verrières – ICRC

Artist: Edouard Castres. Castres was Red Cross volunteer who marched with the doomed General Bourbaki’s Eastern Army during the Franco-Prussian War.
Castres, Edouard (hls-dhs-dss.ch) use Google translate. Page is in French, Italian and German. 
Designer: Tobias Lauber

Release date: March 4, 2021

May

75th Anniversary of International Handball Federation

1 stamp, FDC, cancel

Designer: Martin Alexander Moser, Interlaken

Release date: May 6, 2021

125th Anniversary of Touring Club Switzerland

1 stamp, FDC, cancel

Designer: Vito Noto, Lugano
Noto has designed a number of stamps for Swiss Post, including the 2018 Pope Francis visits Geneva, 2015 Swiss Cars, 2013 Pro Patria, and 2011 Alternative Energy series. 

 Release date: May 6, 2021

Summer Olympic Games – Tokyo, Japan

closeup of FDC image. You can super size it to see details

1 stamp, sheet of 8, FDC, cancel

Designer: Kasper Kobel, Burgdorf

Release date: May 6, 2021

150 years Rigi Railways

1 stamp, sheet of 10, FDC, cancel, pre-stamped postcard

This pdf from Rigi Rail includes the history and of the rail. Rigi rail runs a couple of live cams Webcams | Rigi

Designers: Philip Bernhard and Kilian Suter. Büro Nord GmbH | Agentur für visuelle Kommunikation | Büro Nord (buronord.ch)

Release date: May 6, 2021

Pro Patria − Craftsmanship and cultural heritage

2 stamps, FDC, cancel

This year’s Pro Patria set focused on conservation and restoration of medieval objects. The two images show restoration work on two artifacts from the Bern University of the Arts.

• Fresco from a church in the Alps 
• Gothic wooden sculpture

Designer: Daniel Peter

Release date: May 6, 2021

Summer

4 stamps, 4 sheets of 10, FDC, cancel

Designer: Patrick Oberholzer

Release date: May 6, 2021

Sustainability 

1 stamp, FDC, cancel, 4 postcards

Swiss Post held a design competition at Bern University of the Arts with the theme Sustainability. 22 second year students competed with Carole Kiechl winning the over-all competition with her 24 Words stamp.  There are 24 German, French and Italian words hidden in the stamp. 

Swiss Post also issued 4 post cards featuring the designs from students Adriana Fabbricatore, Anaïs Boogman, Hannah Boldt and Aaron Aebi.

Designer: Carole Kiechl

Release date: May 6, 2021

EUROPA: Endangered National Species 

Yellow-ringed butterfly (Lopinga achine) and the scarce large blue (Phengaris teleius).

2 stamps, block of 4, sheet of 16, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel 
POSTMARK PLACE: Bern

Designer: Nina Schwarz
Don’t miss Schwarz’s page on  her butterfly design.  Europe – Endangered Wildlife  includes some great close up details of the butterfly illustrations, draft views and variations. 

Release date: May 6, 2021

September

2022 World Stamp Exhibition

1 stamp on a souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel

Designer: Frank Baumann, Belp

Release date: September 2, 2021

Commitment to Art

1 stamp, sheet of 8, FDC, cancel

This stamp is part of a series that explores “art collection, art in construction and the desired partnership with art events in the periphery”. The stamp is printed on linen canvas.

Designer: Amadeus Waltenspühl 
Waltenspühl Grafik-Design+Architektur (grafik-lu.ch)

Release date: September 2, 2021

Swiss Inventions – Menzi Muck “The Walking Spider Excavator”

1 stamp on a souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel, maxi card

The Menzi Muck was designed by Ernst Menzi in 1966 and has undergone improvements over the decades. It’s an amazingly innovative bit of heavy machinery, specifically designed to work on inclines and difficult to excavate areas.  If you watch a video of the Muck at work, the nickname “walking spider” makes sense. Take a look at some of the photos on the Menzi website, showing off its nimbleness Mobile Menzi Muck walking excavators – Menzi Muck AG. 

The nickname Muck is taken from an old fairy tale Little Muck by Wilhelm Hauff

Designer: Jürg Glauser, Bern
Glauser designed the 2020 EUROPA stamp that placed second in the competition House of Thurn and Taxis. You can see it, and all entries here: Fantastic EUROPA 2020 – Old Postal Route

Release date: September 2, 2021

Animal Messengers

2 stamps, FDC, cancel, 2 souvenir sheets of 8, 2 cards

This set was issued to encourage people to write and send letters.

Designer: Nina Binkert, Eglisau

Release date: September 2, 2021

Tourism – Swiss Parks

4 stamps, FDC, cancel, 4 postcards

• Jura Vaudois Nature Park
• Septimer Pass
• Argovia Jurapark
• Binntal Nature Park

Designer: Pierre-Abraham Rochat, La Sarraz
The illustrator feeds on simplicity and | nature 24 hours (24heures.ch)

Release date: September 2, 2021

Focus on Nature – Trees

4 stamps, 1 FDC, cancel, limited edition print.

The images in each stamp is based on an actual ancient tree. 

• 900 year old larch from Valais.  
• 430 year old Oak from the south of Delsberg. Nicknamed Chêne des Bosses or Boss of Oaks
• 500 year old sycamore living on the Stanserhorn at 1,200 metres.
•  450 year old Swiss stone pine at 2,000 above sea level on the north face of mount Eiger. 

A special limited print of 200, printed on handmade paper was sold to go with this set. 

Designer: Michel Brunner who based the stamps on his photographs. Brunner is a scientific illustrator. 
This is an older article about Brunner’s passion for trees, Michel Brunner’s passion for giant trees – Vivamost!. 

Release date: September 2, 2021

November

UNICEF – education for boys & girls

2 stamps, 2 sheets of 10, FDC, cancel

Designer: Max Henschel, Bern

Release date: November 11, 2021

Dominos

4 stamps on a souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel

Designer: Thierry Gobalet, Steffisburg

Release date: November 11, 2021

Pro Juventute – Children Assume Responsibility

2 stamps, 1 FDC, cancel

Pro Juventute was formed in 1912 as a non-profit to help combat childhood tuberculosis.

Pro Juventute supports children, adolescents and young adults so that they can develop an authentic identity, healthy self-confidence and an awareness of values. We fight to ensure that young people have a say in issues that affect them and that they have fair opportunities. Elternwelt Pro Juventute

Designer: Martina Friedli, Bern
Friedli’s Instagram page is a great resource for seeing her work, and reading some of her thoughts on design. Martina Friedli (@carrierbird) • Instagram photos and videos. The Pro Juventute is her first design for Swiss Post. 

Release date: November 11, 2021

Joint Issue with Thailand

2 stamps, FDC, cancel

Thailand issued the following stamps:

Designers: Jessica Wernli and Amaru Eslava, Basel Team | kreisvier communications ag, Basel

Release date: November 11, 2021

Day of the Stamp – Horgen

2 stamps on a souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel, pre-stamped postcard

Ferries on Lake Zurich in the Horgen region

Designer: Raphael Schenker, Zurich
Schenker will sign the mini-sheets on Saturday, 27 November 2021 at Kirchgemeindehäuser, Horgen (ZH). 

Release date: November 11, 2021

50th Anniversary of Doctors without Borders

2 stamps, 2 sheets of 20, FDC, cancel

Designers:  1.00: Lea Tschirren, Bern | 2.00: Carmen Meyenhofer, Bern

Release date: November 11, 2021

Christmas 2021

4 stamps, 4 sheets, 5 FDC, cancel

Christmas Traditions

Designer: Anita Dettwiler and Dani Pelagatti

Release date: November 11, 2021

Crypto 1.0  

Off to the moon – Matterhorn and the moon

Details for each of the 13 crypto stamps listing details below each one. 

Matterhorn 4478

Image: Matterhorn
Number of issues: 65,000
Token ID: 1
4478 is the Matterhorn’s height 4,478 metres

Dent Blanche 4357

Image: Dent Blanche
Number of issues: 45,000
Token ID: 2
4357 is the Dent Blanche’s height 4,357 metres

Piz Bernina 4049

Image: Bernina
Number of issues: 30,000
Token ID: 3
4049 is the Piz Bernina’s height 4,049 metres.

Säntis 2502

Image: Säntis
Number of issues: 18,000
Token ID: 4
2502 is the Säntis’s height 2,502 metres.

Pilatus 2128

Pilatus
Number of issues: 8,000
Token ID: 5
2128 is the Pilatus’ height 2,128 metres.

Dufourspitze 4634

Dufourspitze
Number of issues: 4,500
Token ID: 6
4634 is the Dufourspitze’s height 4,634 metre.

Rigi 1788

Image: Rigi
Number of issues: 2,500
Token ID: 7
1798 is the Rigi’s  height 1,798metre.

Eiger 3970, Mönch 4107 and Jungfrau 4158

Images: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau
Number of issues: 1,000
Token ID: 8

3970, 4107 & 4158 are the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau’s heights 3,970, 4,107 and 4,58 metres each.

Special edition issues

Matterhorn 4478 with Marmot

Image: Matterhorn with Marmot
Number of issues: 350 (special edition)
Token ID: 9

Piz Bernina with Ibex

Image: Piz Bernina with Ibex
Number of issues: 250 (special edition)
Token ID: 10

Säntis with cow

Image: Säntis with cow
Number of issues: 200 (special edition)
Token ID: 11

Rigi with golden eagle

Image: Rigi with golden eagle
Number of issues: 150 (special edition)
Token ID: 12

Pilatus with dragon

Image: Pilatus with dragon
Number of issues: 50 (special edition)
Token ID: 13

Crypto Cover 

175,000 copies with 13 possible designs
65,000 will have most common design
50 will have the rare design
Cover and cancel

When stamps were purchased, the buyer didn’t know which received until they opened the pack.
You can see more cryptostamps from around the world on my Crypto catalogue page.  

Designer: Gregor Forster 

 Release date: November 25, 2021

Finished? Need another stamp fix? Try Sweden Stamps from Sweden 2021 | Bitter Grounds Magazine

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