Azerbaijan’s 2024 stamp program is finally done. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Azerbaijan’s stamps are sadly underrated. The artwork and history make it well worth looking at in depth. Mind you, its not always easy finding details about the artists. Like most countries out of the “western loop”, it takes a dive into Azerbaijan websites and a few translators to find decent info on them as well as the stamp themes. It’s well worth the voyage.
This year, Azerbaijan treated us to another fabulous food stamp. So, I’m happy. Just chuck food in my direction and some excellent espresso and I settle right down to work.
If you are interested in collecting Azerbaijan, they make it easy for you. They supply 2 downloadable catalogues of all their stamps. The first covers the years from 1919 – 1923 and 1992 – 2019. The second picks up with the years 2020 – 2022. I’m waiting for an update for the 23 and 24 years. They are labours of love filled with excellent photos of each stamp which allows the user to blow them up and see details rarely seen in printed catalogues. They are in both English and Azerbaijani.
Behind each miniature image a whole world is hidden. An artist designing postage stamps pursues the goal of creating something that will impress the next generations and inspire them to give it a new meaning relevant to the present day.
Leyla Gulaliyeva, Director of “Azermarka” LLC
I relied heavily on these catalogues for details on earlier stamps. So many thanks to the team that created them. The translations are excellent by the way. Go here Postage Stamps of Azerbaijan – Azərbaycan poçt markaları and click on the products menu.
February
Universal Postal Union, 150 Years
2 stamps, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
Azerbaijan used the common design created for the UPU anniversary. Countries around the world have issued stamps for the event, most using this design.
Designer: Günel İsgəndərova | Gunel Isgandarova
Isgandarova has also designed stamps for Belarus.
Release date: February 1, 2024
March
Lunar New Year – Year of the Dragon
1 stamp, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
Designer: Orxan Qarayev | Orkhan Garayev
Garayev has designed some of Azerbaijan’s best modern stamps. Among his designs were the 2022 and 2020 Novruz Bayrami sets, 2022 Carpet with a Plot – Shusha (XIX c.) and his best, the sneaky bunny from the Year of the Rabbit Lunar New Year stamps from 2022. He really did look like he was up to no good.
Release date: March 7, 2024
April
Novruz Bayramı – 2024 – New Day
1 stamp, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
Novruz is a traditional holiday in Azerbaijan that celebrates the spring equinox and the coming of spring. It is a public holiday and workers receive five days off. The celebration of Novruz begins a month before the festival, with each Tuesday dedicated to one of the four elements: water, fire, wind and soil.
On the first Tuesday, people celebrate the purifying nature of water. On the second Tuesday, they honour fire, jumping over bonfires and lighting candles to renew themselves and start spring with positivity. The third Tuesday is dedicated to wind, which brings the coming of spring on the air. The fourth and final Tuesday, known as ‘Ilakhir Charshanba’ or ‘Torpag Chershenbesi’, represents earth and is considered the most important. On this day, nature is believed to revive, and there should be seven varieties of food on the table, all beginning with the letter ‘s’ in Azerbaijani.
Novruz In Azerbaijan: A Time Of Celebration And Unity | ShunCulture
The stamps for Novruz weave a rich visual tapestry of this important celebration. The earliest Novruz stamp I could find was a 1996 design titled Woman Wearing Traditional Costume.
It was also featured in Azerbaijan’s 1998 EUROPA – Feasts and Festivals set – Novruz – Acrobat and Wrestlers and Preparing Pastries designed by Ismayil Mammadov.
Designer: Nicat Qəribov | Nijat Garibov
You can see more of Garibov’s art on his Instagram page Nijat Garibov (@nijatgaribov) • Instagram photos and videos.
Release date: April 19, 2024
May
Şuşa / Shusha – Cultural Capital of the Islamic World 2024
1 stamp, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
It is impossible to summarize on two pages even the most salient achievements that numerous literati, composers, musicians, painters and other artists from Şuşa have contributed to Azerbaijan´s cultural heritage since the middle of the 18th century, when the town was founded by the Azerbaijani Panahali Khan, the first ruler of the Karabakh Khanate, in 1752. From the mid-18th century to 1822, Şuşa was the capital of the Karabakh Khanate. Üzeyir Hajibeyov (1885-1948), the creator of the first Western-style opera in the Islamic world, the poetess and patron Khurshidbanu Natevan (1832-1897), and the polymath Mir Möhsün Nevvab (1833-1918) all hail from it.
Şuşa, more than a city – Diplomat magazine
Shusha is a popular stamp theme for Azerbaijan. It has also appeared on stamps from Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Armenia. The earliest stamp I could find was the 1997 Ashagi Govhar aga Mosque.1874-1875. Architect: Safikhan. It is located in Shusha
Designer: Aydın Əsgərov | Aydin Asgarov
Release date: May 10, 2024
EUROPA 2024 – Underwater Fauna and Flora
Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) | Humpnose Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) | Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
1 stamp on souvenir sheet, 2 stamps, 2 FDCs, cancel, 1 sheet of 10 (2×5), 2 sheets of 10
offset
Although Azerbaijan issued 3 stamps for the EUROPA series, the Blue whale is their official entry.
The depiction of the endangered Blue Whale on the stamp is not accidental; the goal is to draw people’s attention to environmental pollution.
Azərpoçt MMC (@postage_stamps_of_azerbaijan) • Instagram photos and videos
Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), the largest animal on the planet, is an endangered species with about 5,000-15,000 left swimming free in the oceans.
Blue whales are the largest animals ever to live on our planet. They feed almost exclusively on krill, straining huge volumes of ocean water through their baleen plates (which hang from the roof of the mouth and work like a sieve). Some of the biggest individuals may eat up to 6 tons of krill a day.Blue Whale | NOAA Fisheries
Fun fact: The Blue whale heart pumps 5,300 litres of blood throughout its body.
Humpnose wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) spend their life roaming coral reefs looking for mollusks, starfish, and crustaceans to feed on. They are large fish, growing up to 6 ft in length and sought after by live fish trade where they are prized by collectors. They are now endangered by poachers and bad fishing practices that have destroyed the coral reefs they inhabit. The Humpnose has a number of names, including Māori wrasse, Napoleon wrasse, Napoleon fish, so mei 蘇眉 (Cantonese), mameng (Filipino), and merer in the Pohnpeian language of the Caroline Islands (r/f Humphead wrasse – Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio).
Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) is another endangered species that has seen its numbers drop by 90% over the past 100 years. Climate change, pollution, habitat loss, disease and human predation has taken a deadly toll on the giant turtle.
** If you are looking for a new country to collect, check out Azerbaijan. Their post office uses local artists to create standout designs. Underrated and worth checking out.
The blue whale was once abundant in nearly all the Earth’s oceans until the end of the 19th century. It was hunted almost to the point of extinction by whalers until the International Whaling Commission banned all blue whale hunting in 1966. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed blue whales as Endangered as of 2018. It continues to face numerous man-made threats such as ship strikes, pollution, ocean noise, and climate change.
Azerbaijan post office info page
Designer: Orxan Qarayev | Orkhan Garayev
Baku based artist Orkhan Garayev’s works have been exhibited across Europe. He also conducts master classes at universities and museums around the world. One of his more recent shows was ”Tangerines and Spices II” Interdisciplinary Residency for Writers and Illustrators for the project EU4Dialogue, Goethe-Institut inTbilisi, Georgia. He has also designed some of Azerbaijan’s best stamps, including their Year of the Rabbit (2023) and the Novruz 2020 set.
Release date: May 13, 2024
2024: Year of Solidarity for a Green World
4 stamps, 4 FDCs, cancel
offset
Designer: Günel İsgəndərova | Gunel Isgandarova
Release date: May 22, 2024
June
Sailor’s Day
2 stamps + 2 labels, FDC, cancel
offset
Sailor’s Day was established June 19, 2014 and celebrated each year on June 25th. It’s a tribute to professional crew aboard everything from trawlers to tankers. .
Marine Day in Azerbaijan [ Pages from History ]
Designer: Zöhrə Babayeva | Zokhra Babayeva
Babayeva is a recent graduate of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts. Her diploma project “Light of Life” for her Bachelor of Graphic Design.
Release date: June 25, 2024
July
UEFA-Euro 2024
1 stamp, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
Designer: Aydın Əsgərov | Aydin Asgarov
Release date: July 5, 2024
100th Anniversary of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
1 stamp, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (NAR) is an autonomous exclave of Azerbaijan. It covers 2,100 sq miles and is separated from Azerbaijan by southern Armenia. It is landlocked and borders Armenia to the north and the east, Iran to the west and the south, and Turkey to the northwest. NAR has a population of about 453,000 and Nakhchivan City is the capital.
You can read more here What Is The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic? – WorldAtlas
Designer: Aydın Əsgərov | Aydin Asgarov
Release date: July 24, 2024
Summer Olympic Games 2024
1 stamp, FDC, cancel, sheets of 9
offset
The 2024 Paris Olympics marked Azerbaijan’s 8th participation in the event. They won 2 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals.
- Gold – Hidayat Heydarov Judo Men’s −73 kg
- Gold – Zelym Kotsoiev Judo Men’s −100 kg
- Silver – Gashim Magomedov Taekwondo Men’s 58 kg
- Silver – Loren Alfonso Boxing Men’s heavyweight
- Bronze – Hasrat Jafarov Wrestling Men’s Greco-Roman 67 kg
- Bronze – Giorgi Meshvildishvili Wrestling Men’s freestyle 125 kg
- Bronze – Magomedkhan Magomedov Wrestling Men’s freestyle 97 kg
Designer: Orxan Qarayev | Orkhan Garayev
Release date: July 26, 2024
August
Vajiha Samadova 100 Years / Vəcihə Səmədova 100 il
People’s Artist
7 stamps on mini sheet, 5 FDCs, cancel
offset
Vajiha Samadova is considered one of Azerbaijan’s great artists.
The National Art Museum of Azerbaijan recently held an exhibit of her works that ran from June 20 to November 25, 2024.
The works of Vajiha Samadova, Azerbaijan’s first professional painter known for her unique style and diverse subjects, are displayed in thematically organized halls. The landscape paintings in the exhibition bring to life the mysterious nature of Azerbaijan, captured by the artist through direct observation.
Her creations, inspired by her creative trip to Bulgaria, feature compositions dedicated to the country’s landscapes, buildings, and people. The artist’s works, such as “Before the Exam” and “Waiting for the News,” among other thematic works, are characterized by their vivid emotions and feelings, with a flawless compositional structure. This style of artistic solution is also common in her graphic works from the 1950s and 1960s. “On the Shore of the Kura River,” painted in 1961, represents the apex of her artistic and aesthetic exploration and occupies a prominent place in the exhibition. The artwork is presented with an engaging visual presentation using multimedia. The exhibition also includes portrait works, highlighting one of the primary genres in which Vajiha Samadova has established herself as an artist.
Culture Gov Az
Designer: Günel İsgəndərova | Gunel Isgandarova
Release date: August 14, 2024
September
Caspian Sea Oil Rocks (1949 – 2024) – Neft Daşları
2 stamps on souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
This is a curious by-product of the Soviet era that is gradually being reclaimed by the sea.
Neft Daşları, which translates to “Oil Rocks,” is a tangle of oil wells and production sites connected by miles of bridges in the vastness of the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest lake. It’s around 60 miles off the coast of Azerbaijan’s capital city of Baku and several hours by boat ride from the mainland.
It is the world’s oldest offshore oil platform, according to the Guinness Book of records, and at its peak, bustled with more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Neft Daşları: The Soviet-era oil rig city ‘floating’ in the Caspian Sea | CNN
Neft Daslan previously appeared on a stamp from the USSR in 1971. Baku Oil Industry was designed by Yury Kosorukov.
A pre Soviet Union stamp tribute to Baku’s oil fields was released in 1922. It was designed by Benedikt Telingater, who also created Azerbaijan’s earliest stamps.
Designer: Günel İsgəndərova | Gunel Isgandarova
Release date: September 20, 2024
Caspian Sea Oil Platforms
2 stamps on souvenir sheet
offset
This theme was used in the 1997 pair Modern Oil Drilling Platform, Caspian Sea.
Designer: Günel İsgəndərova | Gunel Isgandarova
Release date: September 20, 2024
History of the Oil Industry
3 stamps on souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
In 1922 Azerbaijan released a stamp with an oil derrick. Oil Well, designed by Benedikt Telingater. It was released as part of the set that showed the Baku oil fields (see above).
Designer: Orxan Qarayev | Orkhan Garayev
Release date: September 20, 2024
Contract of the Century 30 Years
3 stamps on 3 souvenir sheets, 3 FDCs, cancel
offset
The Contract of the Century was signed September 20, 1994, two years after Azerbaijan declared independence.
This groundbreaking agreement was the first major oil deal between independent Azerbaijan and 11 foreign companies to develop the giant Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) block of fields in the Caspian Sea. The contract became a key factor in ensuring political stability, restoring the national economy, creating a favorable investment climate, developing industry, and organizing export routes. As a result, it established Azerbaijan’s reputation as a reliable supplier of energy resources to world markets.
Contract of Century turns 30: Legacy of achievement and future promise | Report.az
Designer: Orxan Qarayev | Orkhan Garayev
Release date: September 20, 2024
October
10th Anniversary of the Mexican Embassy in Azerbaijan
2 stamps, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
This is a delicious tribute to the rich food cultures of both Azerbaijan and Mexico.
Designer: Orxan Qarayev | Orkhan Garayev
Release date: October 1. 2024
November
UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29)
1 stamp, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
Designer: not listed
Release date: November 11. 2024
0 Comments