Geert Wille and Myriam Voz pair up to create the bulk of Belgium’s 2024 stamp program. Between them, they are responsible for 13 of the 18 sets this year. Wille is a rare creature in the stamp design world. Although he has a degree in graphic design, he began his career with Belgium post as a mail delivery person, then moved into a mail room roll and soon took on the job of team leader and finally stamp designer. Last year saw an explosion of designs from Wille, that continues this year at a blistering pace.
“I’ve always been happy that I started here: I wouldn’t still be here if I didn’t love it so much!” Stamp designer Geert Wille puts his stamp on your stamps! | Career Website (bpost.be)
Myriam started working for Belgium Post in 1984. Her first stamp design came 6 years later with the 1990 Philatelic Exhibition “Belgica ’90” – Belgique-België. Since then, her name can now be found on over 1,200 stamps, including the 1998 collaboration with Thierry Martin, Birth Centenary of Rene-Ghislain Magritte – “The Return” for France’s La Poste. Last year alone, she was responsible for 32 individual stamps.
Voz and Willie, along with a number of specialised artists, present a year razor focused on Belgium’s history, art, nature and of course architecture. If there’s one thing collectors can count on, it’s the knowledge there will be at least one eye popping tribute to some of Belgium’s historic buildings. Voz and Martin Mörck follow up last year’s Covered Galleries with Town Squares of Arlon. They previously worked together on the 2016 Town Halls – Ghent set, their first collaboration for Belgium.
As usual, Belgium dabbles in some interesting design decisions, this time presenting sets using glow-in-the-dark ink and transparent sheets to compliment the topics. An NFT can be expected in late fall, with an as yet to be announced design and artist. The year kicks into high gear with a quintet of Iconic Belgium Motorbikes, so enjoy.
January
Iconic Belgium Motorbikes
topics: motorbikes | history
5 stamps, souvenir sheet
- 1912 FN 4 cylinder Four cylinder FNs, 1905-1914 (earlymotor.com)
- 1903 Piedboeuf Piedboeuf Light Motorcycle 1903 – Moto Passion – Motorcycle Collection François-Marie DUMAS (moto-collection.org)
- 1941 Socovel Socovel Electric 1941 – Moto Passion – Moto Collection François-Marie DUMAS (moto-collection.org)
- 1926 Gillet Sport “Tour de Mond” Lt. Fabry Moto Gillet monocylindrique 350cc avec side-car de Robert Fabry – Patrimoine culturel (cfwb.be)
- 1955 Sarolea Atlantic Saroléa 500 Atlantic 1955 | The Motorcycle Collection Blog (moto-collection.org)
Designer: Geert Wille
Willie has designed 30+ stamps for Belgium, including Queen Mathilde 50th Birthday (2023), Spas of Belgium (2023) and French Fry Vendors (2023)
Release date: January 22, 2024
Muziekkiosken
topics: architecture | music | history
5 stamps, souvenir sheet
gold print
Also known as bandstands
Designer: Myriam Voz
Release date: January 22, 2024
Surprising Glass Art
topics: art | glassware
5 stamps, souvenir sheet
also on transparent sheet with varnish printing
Artists:
- Anna Torfs Anna Torfs
- Vladimir Zbynovsky Vladimir Zbynovsky | AACG (contempglass.org)
- James Lethbridge James Lethbridge Glass | Archipel
- Erwin Eisch Erwin Eisch
- Louis Laloup Louis Leloup, the last Belgian Master Glass Artist | Focus on Belgium
Designer: Geert Wille
Release date: January 22, 2024
Belgium Inventors: Leo Baekeland (1863-1944)
topics: history | science | famous people
1 stamp + 10 labels, sheets of 10
varnished
Inventor of Bakelite
Leo Hendrik Baekeland | Science History Institute
This site is a deeper dive into bakelite and Baekeland’s legacy Bakelite® First Synthetic Plastic – National Historic Chemical Landmark – American Chemical Society (acs.org)
Designer: Geert Wille
Release date: January 22, 2024
April
EUROPA: Underwater Life Under Threat
topics: EUROPA | marine life
2 stamps, souvenir sheet
varnish print
- Spinny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) Spiny dogfish (dfo-mpo.gc.ca)
- European eel (Anguilla anguilla) – European Eel | WWT
Designer: Joris De Raedt
A B O U T | Joris De Raedt
De Raedt’s first stamps were the 2022 Frogs. Joris specialises in scientific illustrations. “Although working with a graphic tablet, his style pays homage to naturalists of the 19th century”
Release date: April 2, 2024
Special Courtship Behavior in Belgium Wildlife
topics: wildlife
5 stamps, souvenir sheet
oversized stamps
- Black grouse (lyrurus tetrix)
- Common goldeneye (bucephala clngula)
- Black-necked grebe (podiceps nigricollis)
- Common crane (grus grus)
- Western marsh harrier (circus aeruginosus)
Designer: Joris De Raedt
Release date: April 2, 2024
Contemporary Dance: Belgian Choreography
topics: arts | dance
5 stamps, souvenir sheet
- Anne Teresa De Keermaeker
- Alain Patel
- Cie Mossoux-Bonté
- Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
- Cie Michele Noiret
Designer: Geert Wille
Release date: April 2, 2024
Electoral Postage Stamp – Hen Harrier
topics: birds | fauna
1 stamp, booklets of 10
‘Harrier Saint-Martin’ Hen Harrier | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology
Designer: André Buzin
André Buzin, Belgian animal cartoonist (andrebuzin.be)
Buzin is a prolific stamp designer, creating over 500 stamps for Belgium, Congo (Kinshasa), Luxembourg, Mauritania, Rwanda, Senegal and Zaire. His first stamps were the 1984 Summer Olympic Games 1984 – Los Angeles for Rwanda and the Garamba Park series for Zaire.
Release date: April 2, 2024
June
The Olympic Dream
topics: sports
1 stamp, souvenir sheet of 5
gold print
Designer: Geert Wille
Release date: June 10, 2024
Emile Claus – Master of Light
topics: art | artists
10 stamps
self-adhesive booklet
Emile Claus: Illuminating the Canvas with Light and Color › Where is Hermes?
Designer: Myriam Voz
Release date: June 10, 2024
150 Years of the Universal Postal Union
topics: philately | history
1 stamp, souvenir sheets of 5
Belgium post has attempted to set a world record with “2024 words on postage stamp”
The UPU was established in 1874, originally under the name General Postal Union. Countries around the world set up the organisation to help create a standardised system of mail delivery, and hopefully, smooth out cross border issues with deliveries, rates and payments. Prior to the UPU, countries would independently negotiate treaties regarding mail delivery. It was a chaotic and slow process, hindering the development of postal service worldwide. With a universal organisation in place, international mail delivery became faster and more efficient.
Designer: Geert Wille
Release date: June 10, 2024
Brecht Evens – Flora
topics: flora | graphic novelist
1 stamp, souvenir sheet of 5
Designer: Brecht Evens
Release date: June 10, 2024
Leaves
topics: flora
- Basket willow (Salix viminalis)
- Black mulberry (Morus nigra)
- London Plane Tree (Platanu x hispanica)
- Common holly (Ilex aquiolium), also called Christmas holly
- Common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
- Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
- Black alder (Alnus glutiosa)
- Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
- Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis)
Designer: Marijke Meersman
Meersman is best known for her book illustrations. However she has designed over 70 stamps for Belgium, the first stamp design 200 year H.C.Andersen in 2005. You can see her stamp portfolio here Stamps | Marijke Meersman, illustrator
Release date: June 10, 2024
August
Luminous Nature
topics: nature
5 stamps, souvenir sheet
glow-in-the-dark
This set uses glow-in-the-dark ink. The images above show how the stamps appear in regular light and the dark.
Designer: Sven Bellanger
Natural & Scientific illustration (svenbellanger.be)
Sven’s first stamps were the 2020 Mushrooms. Since then, he has produced a 6-stamp set each year: Jellyfish of the North Sea (2021), Jean Capart and Egyptology in Belgium (2022) and Hidden Underground Life (2023)
Release date: August 26, 2024
The Universe
topics: space
10 stamps, souvenir sheet
Designer: Geert Wille
Release date: August 26, 2024
Fantastic Tom Frantzen
topics: art | sculpture
1 stamp, sheets of 10
embossing bronze effect
The stamps show 3 of Frantzen’s sculptures.
- The middle image is titled Li Belle Hippo (2009), located at Musée des Beaux-Arts, rue de l’Enclos Saint-Martin, Tournai.
- The image on the stamp is La Venus de Duisburg (2007)
- The small cat on the bottom label is Chatmikazee (2005) (catmikazee)
Designer: Myriam Voz
Release date: August 26, 2024
100 Years of Realism in Belgium
topics: art
5 stamps, souvenir sheet
- Marcel Marien
- Paul Bury
- Jane Graverol
- Roger Van der Wouwer
- Paul Delvaux
Designer: Myriam Voz
Release date: August 26, 2024
October
Town Squares of Arlon
topics: architecture | history
5 stamps, souvenir sheet
engraved
Designer: Myriam Voz
Engraver: Martin Mörck
Release date: October 21, 2024
Crypto Stamp – TBA
topics: NFT | crypto
Designer: TBA
Release date: October 21, 2024
Whisper of the Stars
topics: art | loss
1 stamp, sheets of 10
“In silence I worked on this special stamp. I’m glad I can now share it with you. A stamp with a warm remembrance of children who left too soon.”
Heike Sofia Villavicencio Rammeloo
The stamp is a warm reminder of children who passed away too soon.
Perinatal mourning (the loss of a baby in the womb or shortly after birth),
often still a taboo subject, is given a place with this stamp to make the theme (more) negotiable.
Whispering Stars / Illustration | Heike Sofia Villavicencio Rammeloo
Designer: Heike Sofia Villavicencio Rammeloo
Heike Sofia Villavicencio Rammeloo
Release date: October 21, 2024
Christmas 2024
topics: holidays | Christmas
2 stamps, 2 sheets of 10
Designer: Myriam Voz
Release date: October 21, 2024
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