Åland Post’s 2024 stamp program includes a number of first-time stamp designers this year as well as 3 new series. And collectors will be happy to hear that Martin Mörck returns with the eleventh stamp in Åland’s Lunar New Year cycle. No Åland stamp program would be complete without at least one contribution from the multi-talented Mörck.

Everything starts on the 1st of February with 2 new themes, Metamorphosis and Boathouses. Both will run for 3 years.  Relative newcomer to stamp design Sofia Pusa and seasoned veteran Kjell Söderlund produced the art and photographs for these sets.  Johanna Finne, the current Marketing Design Manager for Åland Post, created the layout and overall designs. Finne’s name pops up throughout the years as the main hand behind the clean, beautiful layout that are the hallmark of Åland’s stamps. 

 Enjoy
Catpaw

February

Metamorphosis – Butterflies 
new series

4 stamps, FDC, 2 cancels, maxi card
offset

•  small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
• arge white (Pieris brassicae)
• green hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)
• silver-washed fritillary (Argynnis paphia)

Artist: Sofia Pusa
This is Pusa’s second stamp for Åland. Her first stamp was the 2023 PEACE set. 
Designer: Johanna Finne

Release date: February 1, 2024

Boathouses 
new series

2 stamps, FDC, cancel
offset

• 1950s Greggkil’s boathouse, built by fisherman and farmer Albin Andersson
• Västerängaviken boathouse built in 1960s by Ole Andersson
• FDC will feature Jippa’s boathouse in Karlby on Kökar

Photographer: Kjell Söderlund 
Söderlund’s photographs have appeared on 30 stamps for Åland Post. FRIMÄRKEN | Studio Söderlund (studiosoderlund.fi)
Designer: Johanna Finne

Release date: February 1, 2024

March

40th Anniversary of First Åland Stamp Release

2 stamps on a souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel 
offset, embossed

“I wanted to give the miniature sheet a timeless, fairy-tale feel through a slightly surreal story where the sea becomes space, the boats spaceships, and the birds letters. With the motif, I want to show that there are no limits to communication and that Åland, through the Post, extends a hand to send love and peace to the world and the universe”.
Tzenko Stoyanov

Aland’s first stamp was designed by Pentti Rahikainen

 
Pentii designed over 200 stamps for Aland, Finland, Sweden, Poland, Iceland, Turkey, Denmark, Ireland, Venezuela and Portugal

Artist: Tzenko Stoyanov
This will be Stoyanov’s first stamp. Tzenko Stoyanov
Member of the Week Tzenko Stoyanov – Admin Admin – The Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles (si-la.org)
Designer: Johanna Finne

Release date: March 1, 2024 

Maritime Education in Åland

1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset with foil

“The stamp depicts an anchor wrapped in a rope that curls into the shape of a heart – it encapsulates the pride of and love for maritime education and the sea”. Rebecca Elfast

Artist: Rebecca Elfast 
Previous stamps:  Christmas (2021)
Designer: Johanna Finne

Release date: March 1, 2024

May

SEPAC – Main Tourist Attractions

1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset

Åland archipelago

In the Archipelago Sea between the main group of islands – called Fasta Åland – and “Skiftet”, which constitutes the border with Finland, we find an estimated 6,700 islands with an area of over 2,500 m² and around 20,000 islands and islets smaller than 0.25 ha. 2024 Sepac, main tourist attraction– mint – Åland Stamps (alandstamps.com)

Artist: Anette Gustafsson
Previous stamps include Diving (2009), Snowflakes (2019) and Europa – Forests (2011)
Designer: Johanna Finne

Release date: May 8, 2024

EUROPA: Underwater Flora & Fauna

1 stamp, FDC, cancel, maxi card
offset + foiling

This stamp shows common eelgrass (Zostera marina). Common eelgrass (Zostera subg. Zostera marina) – MarLIN – The Marine Life Information Network
On the sheet (not shown) the following underwater creatures can be found lining the gutter strips:

• Idoeta balthica, Baltic isopod
• Theodoxus fluviatilis, river nerite (a snail)
• Hydrobia sp, a species of mud snail
• Crangon crangon, a caridean shrimp
• Nereis diversicolor, polychaeta (a bristle worm)
• Mya arenaria, soft-shell clam
• Cerastoderma glaucum, lagoon cockle (a clam)
• Mytilus edulis, blue mussel

Artist: Katja Syrjä 
This is Syrjä’s first stamp for Åland
Designer: Johanna Finne & Rebecka Lundén

Release date: May 8, 2024

June

Postal boat race
commemorative postcard

1 postcard, 2 cancels

This year’s race will start at Eckerö in Åland and end at Grisslehamn in Sweden on Saturday 17 June. 

All mail boats taking part in the race carry a mail bag in commemoration of the peasants in Swedish Väddö and Åland Eckerö who were obliged to convey mail as well as passengers across the Sea of Åland, an ongoing obligation lasting for almost 400 years and ending in the early 1900s.

Approximately 30 boats take part every year, and the crews of four are required to wear contemporary clothing and the boat must also be true to the period. The goal is to cross the Sea of Åland, a distance of 44 km, as quickly as possible. Depending on the wind and weather conditions, the crossing takes anywhere between 3½ and 6 hours. The boat and team acquiring the highest total score for clothing, boat, and speed wins.
Your mail is the foundation for the Postal Boat Race across the Sea of – Åland Stamps (alandstamps.com)

The link above will tell you how to order this postcard.

This postcard will have the Postal Boat Race special cancellation.

Release date: June 6, 2024

Jewellery Art from Åland

4 stamps, booklets of 8, FDC, cancel
offset, embossed and silver foiled stamps

Jewelry designed by Åland gold and metalsmiths Maria Karlström and Annika Åkerfelt will be featured. 

Goldsmith Maria Karlström’s flower pendant Blomman™ is an Åland jewellery icon, and the ring Eva, inspired by potatoes, was chosen as Finland’s most beautiful ring in 2022. Precious metalsmith Annika Åkerfelt makes jewellery for ordinary people as well as royalty, and her work is also represented at the National Museum in Stockholm. The stamps show a brooch and earrings, inspired by nature, and filtered through Annika’s design language into unique pieces of jewellery. Åland Post 2024 postage stamp issuing program – Åland Stamps (alandstamps.com)

Designer: Johanna Finne
Photographer: Tiina Tahvanainen
Previous stamps include Åland’s SEPAC-Locally Produced Beverages (2022) and Beach Treasures (2016)

Release date: June 7, 2024

Yearning
postal stationary | new series

 4 cards

Designer: Johanna Finne
Artist: Lasse Harkkala
Previous stamps: Christmas (2023) and EUROPA: Stories and Myths (2022)

Release date: June 7, 2024

July

The Tall Ships Races

1 stamp, FDC, cancel, maxi card

Artist: Allan Palmer
Allan Palmer specialises in maritime topics. His artwork has appeared on over 30 stamps, starting in 1988. Previous stamps include:
•1988: Albanus, Ingrid and Pamir
• 1989: Elder-flowered Orchid, Narrow-leaved Helleborine and Lady’s Slipper
• 1992: Åland lighthouses (booklet)
• 1993: Folk costume of Saltvik, folk costumes of Brändö, Mariehamns and Eckerö and folk costume of Finström
• 1995: Cargo vessels of the archipelago (booklet)
• 1998: Sea Brigade camp
• 2000: ”Hladver Lange”
• 2015: Leo and Lemland
• 2016: Altai and Pehr Brahe
• 2017: Mermerus and Mariehamn
• 2018: Albania and Atlas
• 2019: Vineta and Parma
• 2020: Mozart and Viking

Release date: July 24, 2024

Olympic Sports History of Åland – Frej Liewendahl (1902–1966)

1 stamp, 1 FDC, cancel
offset

One of Åland’s sports stars who began his track and field career at the 1924 Paris Olympics with a gold medal in the 3000 metre team event.  This stamp was released to coincide with the 100th anniversary of his Paris debut. 

Frej Liewendahl | Ålands Museum

Artist: Ezgi Johansson
This is Johansson’s first stamp design.
Designer: Johanna Finne

Release date: July 24, 2024

September

On the Islet

1 stamp, FDC, cancel, postcard

Åland Post gave no outline or topic to the artist. Illustrator Carolina Sundelin was given a free hand in both theme and design. This is the second “open edition” stamp. 

Given free rein to interpret a stamp motif for Åland Post, visual artist Carolina Sundelin was inspired by the floral splendour and vegetation on the archipelago islets around Åland. As starting point, she chose chives which grow wild on many Åland islands and which Carolina thinks of as “the lavender of the Nordics”. The stamp features several of the flowers that thrive in the Åland archipelago, including chives, tansy, goldmoss stonecrop, sea campion, sea aster, and purple loosestrife.
On the islet – mint – Åland Stamps (alandstamps.com)

Artist: Carolina Sundelin
Previous stamps include Wild Flowers (2020) and Åland Yacht Club (ÅSS) Pavilion (2022) 
Designer: Johanna Finne

Release date: September 9, 2024

October

Year of the Snake

1 stamp on souvenir sheet, FDC, 2 cancels, maxicard (prepaid)
offset

Martin Mörck returns for the 11th stamp in the Lunar New Year cycle. He chose the grass snake (Natrix natrix) to illustrate the Year of the Snake. The little grass snake is one of 3 snakes that are native to Åland, making its home along the granite cliffs by the sea. 

Artist: Martin Mörck
Designer: Johanna Finne
Calligraphy: Shen Jiahong

Release date: October 26, 2024

Christmas 2024 – Knitted

Homemade Christmas presents

Artist: Anna Pers Bräcke

Release date: October 26, 2024