by catpaw | 20 Jan, 2025 | Stamps, country Stamps
At long last, a look at the 2024 Peru stamps! A Peruvian stamp recently crossed my desk and it reminded me that I hadn’t gotten back to Peru after they shook up their website design in 2022. I wandered back to the page and well, here we are – 2024 all written up. Eventually I’ll back track and finish off the 2022 and 2023 programs. But don’t hold your breath on the timing. I have good intentions and then something flashes across my eyes and I’m on a chase for details. I spend a lot of time wandering the world’s archives and libraries. To me, the ultimate world trip would be one that hits all the postal museums, libraries and archives in the world. I have fantasies about that. However ….
As expected, Peru kept their first rate info brochures for each release. 2024 slowed me down a bit because they were all filed under the wrong title. It took awhile to match everything up. My Spanish is about as good as my French, but I muddled through the titles. Although not listed below, each stamp does come with an info brochure, I simply didn’t list it. What do they look like? Here’s one from 2023, which I’m currently researching for a separate post.
Serpost puts a lot of effort into each brochure and they are the perfect companion pieces for each stamp. They are offered free, along with a yearly catalogue of releases. Available now are catalogues from 2017 to 2023. I’m waiting for the 2024 one so I can put it into the Peru archives. The 2023 catalogue is 8 pages, complete with colour photos. Its a good reference resource.
I spent hours hopping in and out of Peruvian rabbit holes, which turned out to be the single best way to spend very cold winter days here in Canada. Time well spent.
Enjoy the year.
Cheers,
Catpaw
January
30 Years of Osiptel
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset
Ospitel is Peru’s publicly owned regulatory overseeing all telecommunications in the country.
Designer: Catalan Studio
Release date: January 26, 2024
August
150 Years of Diplomatic Relations Between Peru & Italy
Se-tenant pair, FDC, cancel
offset
Designer: Marco Antonio Quispe Yalli
Marco has designed over 50 stamps for Peru, starting with his 2014 Extreme Sports pair.
Release date: August 29, 2024
September
Bicentennial of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Republic
1 stamp on souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
When Peru declared independence they issued the Protective Decree of August 4, 1821 establishing the High Chamber of Justice. On December 19, 1824, Simón Bolivar established The Supreme Court of Justice.
Designer: Marco Antonio Quispe Yalli
Release date: September 17, 2024
First Female Aviator – Carmela Combe Thomson (1898-1984)
1 stamp, FDC cancel
offset
“Fly low and slow” – advice from Combe’s mother. She didn’t take the advice.
First woman in Peru to get a flying license and second to get a driving license.
In the early days of Peruvian aviation, flying represented a great risk for any pilot. For women, the mere fact of venturing into this activity meant an almost impossible challenge. The young ladies of the time could hardly get on a plane as companions of experienced pilots. However, on May 6, 1921, Carmela Combe broke all limits and fulfilled her dream of flying alone in an airplane, becoming the first civilian female pilot in Peru.
Fingerprints | Blog | TRADE PERU (In Spanish, a good read. Be aware translators shift he/she randomly.)
“When I flew for the first time, my impression was that I had always flown” – Carmela Combe Thomson
She apprenticed with the Curtis company, National Aeronautics Company of Lima in 1920. From there she entered the Bellavista Civil Aviation School in Peru, and trained under US pilot pilot Lloyd R. Moore. After 4 hours training she soloed in a Curtiss Oriole aircraft on May 6, 1921. In 1922, she gained her pilots license, personally awarded to her by Elmer Faucett, the founder of Peruvian airline Compañía de Aviación Faucett. Thomson continued her flight training in France with renowned pilot Marcel Doret.
She retired from flying in 1932.
In 1960 the Peruvian Air Force honoured her with the Peruvian Cross for Aeronautical Merit for her pioneering aviation work. In 1982, she was awarded the Jorge Chávez Dartnell medal of merit for her contributions to civilian aviation.
If you’d like to read more on Combe, check out Carmela Combe – 2023 by Fuerza Aérea del Perú – Issuu. Unfortunately it isn’t downloadable. It is in Spanish, but if you go slow and steady, it’s a good read, even if your Spanish is poor to borderline non-existent. 16 pages, good coverage of her life. It has some top notch photos.
Designer: Marco Antonio Quispe Yalli
Release date: September 20, 2024
50 Years of Creation of the Junín National Reserve
1 stamp on souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
The 53,000 hectares Junin National Reserve was established in 1974.
The Junín National Reserve is located in the Central Andes of Peru. Its 53,000 hectares border Lake Junín, the second largest lake in the country. The lake drains toward the northeast into the Mantaro
River, which is one of the principal Andean tributaries of the Amazon Basin. This lake forms an important hydrographic system fed by 12 rivers and 20 streams. The Oriental, Central, and
Occidental Mountain Ranges converge in Junín, creating the Nudo de Pasco to the north and an extensive flatland, known as the Bombón Plateau.
Perfil de Parque – Perú
Designer: Marco Antonio Quispe Yalli
Release date: September 23, 2024
José María Hernán Eguren Rodríguez (1874-1942)
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset
Artist, writer, photographer and poet.
His literary friends remembered him as a passionate lover of art, literature and criticism, always accompanied by his tiny camera in the lapel of his suit as he left Sunday mass at the San Francisco Church in Barranco.
12.pdf
Designer: Jorge Luis Anci Alvarado
Release date: September 25, 2024
América UPAEP 2024
se-tenant pair, FDC, cancel
offset
Unión Postal de las Américas, España y Portugal is a 28 member organisation created in 1911. Among it’s roles is the promotion of cooperation among postal operators.
The origins of the Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal are to be found in the postal treaty concluded in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1838, and ratified by Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia, through which the Gran Colombiana Union was founded, invoking the “intimate union and cordial friendship of the contracting countries”.
UPAEP | UPAEP | The Organization
America UPAEP is the topic of dozens stamps from member countries. Peru featured it in a pair of stamps in 1991 Nature at time of Discovery, a se-tenant set in 1993 Discovery Journeys,
Designer: Marco Antonio Quispe Yalli
Release date: September 27, 2024
October
Personalities of the Bicentennial
4 stamps, FDC, cancel
offset
- José Domingo de la Merced de La Mar y Cortázar – First Constitutional President of the Republic of Peru.
- Domingo Nieto y Márquez – Quijote of the Law
- José Andrés Rázuri Esteves – soldier of the Liberating Expedition that helped free Peru.
- Juan Basilio Cortegana Vergara – soldier with the Liberating Expedition in Huaura. Helped form Humanitarian Society of the Founders of Independence to help veteran soldiers.
Designer: Proyecto Especial Bicentenario
The Proyecto was established to highlight Peru’s 200 years of independence. They have a website you can explore for more information on Peru’s history Inicio – Bicentenario del Perú. Yes, the site is in Spanish, but load a translator and have fun. If you have a moderate grasp on Spanish don’t miss Biblioteca Bicentenario – Bicentenario del Perú the book section. The Peruvian government has a number of downloadable books you can keep. I’m currently reading Historical narratives about the Independence of Peru, Alex Loayza (editor). And again, it is in Spanish, but don’t let that put you off. A good translator and a bit of patience will reward you. At nearly 300 pages, it is a slog for me but it’s led me to a number of English resources to improve my Peruvian history for future stamps.
I’m also looking through The Paths of Freedom by Jaime Urrutia Ceruti. It has excellent maps and details on the routes the Liberation Army took. Patience will be rewarded.
Release date: October 4, 2024
Personalities of the Bicentennial – The Participation of the Rabonas in Independence
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset
The Rabonas played an integral part in the Liberation of Peru. They were the women who traveled with columns of soldiers, at the tail end, carrying and preparing provisions, medical care, and at times fought along side the men. They were volunteer, mostly indigenous, who went with their sons, husbands, brothers and other relatives.
The incorporation of Andean women into the resistance against the Chilean military invasion was not a casual or circumstantial event, but an ancient practice, since in the course of Andean history they were always at the side of their spouse, parents and siblings who were soldiers or combatants, walking at the end of the troop as if they were just another regiment. which motivated the invaders launched against Peru by the Anglo-Chilean oligarchic class to nickname them “rabonas”.
In the times of the Tahuantinsuyo he was known by the name of “panakuna”, which would literally be “companion of the combatant”, and according to the Spanish chroniclers, including Miguel Cabello de Valboa, a representative “panakuna” would be Mama Huaco, wife of Manco Cápac, who officiated as a brave captain and leader of armies.
The Rabona were previously featured on a stamp in 2014. El Soldado y la Rabona, from the Pancho Fierro’s Paintings 4 stamp set.
Designer: Proyecto Especial Bicentenario
Release date: October 4, 2024
Orchid – Comparettia Moroniae
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset
A small orchid native to Peru. orchids.org/grexes/comparettia-moroniae
Designer: Jorge Luis Anci Alvarado
Photographer:Erica Morón de Abad
Release date: October 7, 2024
150 Years UPU – Universal Postal Union
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset
The Universal Postal Union (UPU) celebrates it’s 150th year of operation and post offices around the world are releasing stamps to honour the organisation.
Established in 1874, the Universal Postal Union (UPU), with its headquarters in the Swiss capital Berne, is the second oldest international organization worldwide.
With its 192 member countries, the UPU is the primary forum for cooperation between postal sector players. It helps to ensure a truly universal network of up-to-date products and services.
Universal Postal Union
Designer: Marco Antonio Quispe Yalli
Release date: October 9, 2024
35th Anniversary of the Incorporation of Peru as a Consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty
Se-tenant pair, FDC, cancel
offset
The Antarctic Treaty | Antarctic Treaty
Designer: Jorge Luis Anci Alvarado
Photographer: Heinz Plenge Sánchez
Plenge’s photographs have appeared in publications for World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Smithsonian Institution, the Field Museum of Chicago, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Conservation International (CI), and BirdLife International as well as BBC Wildlife, Natural History, The New York Times Magazine, Mother Jones, Conde Nast Traveler, Connoisseur, Terra, Geomundo, Airone, Omega, Fotografie Draussen, Seven Seas, and World Birdwatching. (Heinz Plenge On Line)
Among his published books: Wildlife (1993), The Golden Jalca (1998), Marvelous Peru (2001), Birds of the Clouds (2004), Guide to the Wildlife of Chaparri (2005), Jalca: The Andean Ecosystem (2006).
Release date: October 17, 2024
Óscar Avilés (1924-2014)
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset
Guitarist, singer and composer.
Óscar Avilés was not only a virtuoso musician. He was a fundamental pillar in the dissemination and preservation of our rich musical heritage. With his guitar in hand, he traced a path of excellence and passion that has inspired entire generations of artists and lovers of Peruvian music around the world,
Óscar Avilés: Ministry of Culture gave posthumous recognition from the Order of Arts and Letters to the career of the artist Cuenta Artes Digital cultural magazine
Designer: Jorge Luis Anci Alvarado
Release date: October 30, 2024
November
Bicentennial of the University of Trujillo (1824-2014)
2 stamps, FDC, cancel
offset
Trujillo was the first university established in independent Peru, founded by José Faustino Sánchez Carrión and Simón Bolívar (portraits on the FDC). Created May 10, 1824.
Designer: Jorge Luis Anci Alvarado
Release date: November 8, 2024
150 Years of Diplomatic Relations Between Peru and Dominican Republic
se-tenant pair, FDC, cancel
offset
Diplomatic relations between the two countries began April 6, 1874.
Designer: Marco Antonio Quispe Yalli
Release date: November 13, 2024
30 Years of Serpost (1994 – 2024)
6 stamps, FDC, cancel
offset
Peru’s national post office, Serpost, was established November 5, 1991 and began formal operations on November 22, 1994. It replaced Correos y Telégrafos which had been in operation since 1916.
• El Chasqui Tocando Su Pututo – the chasqui date to the Incan Empire. They were barefooted messengers who traveled the length of the empire.
Casqui messengers have appeared on couple of Peruvian stamps. One of the earliest was the 1937 El Chasqui (Inca Courier)
• José Pando De La Riva Y Ramírez De Laredo – diplomat and minister. He held many portfolios in the newly independent Peru, including the General Administrator of the Post Office.
• José Dávila Condemarín – writer, politican, and diplomat. Was the General Administration of the Post Office in 1849.
Condemarin appeared on 3 previous stamps – 1982, 1957 and 1936.
• Los Primeros Sellos Postales – the first stamps for Peru were issued December 1, 1857. Named the PACIFICO issues, they entered general circulation March 10, 1858.
The first stamps, nicknames Pacifico, featured two steam ships, the Ship Westward, SS Peru and Ship Eastward, SS Chile under the series Pacific Steam Navigation Company Issue (1857).
• El Correo Del Perú – An illustrated weekly paper first published September 16, 1871.
• Casa De Correos Y Telégrafos – the original post office.
• Centro De Clasificación Postal – on September 23, 1981, Peru established a new sorting centre to keep up with demand.
Designer: Marco Antonio Quispe Yalli
Release date: November 22, 2024
100 Years Club Universitario de Deportes (football)
4 stamps on souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
Established August 7, 1924 in Lima. They won their first Peruvian Football Championship in 1929.
- Football heroes
- Stadium Monumental U Marathon
- Most championships in Peru
- Character, passion and greatness
Designer: Club Universitario de Deportes
Release date: November 25, 2024
Giant Corn from the Sacred Valley
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset
This stamp highlights the importance of maize in Incan culture.
The Giant White Corn of Cusco or Paraqay Sara, by its original name in Quechua, is a unique starchy corn, valued for its exceptional size. Adapted for generations, to the specific conditions of this valley in terms of climate, altitude, hours of light and long vegetative period, it only reaches its legendary size in the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Cusco, spoiling rapidly when it is taken to other places, regardless of its similar conditions to those of the Cusco valley. Due to its large size, soft and floury grain texture, this corn is appreciated within the gourmet snack industry and is exported mainly to Japan and Spain, although the local market for the production of these snacks has grown a lot in recent years, being processed equally as a snack for export markets, reaching many countries in the world.
…
The Inca Empire reached its peak during the reign of Pachacútec; and agriculture including its associated technologies reached a great
development. After all, a growing empire had to be fed and the Giant White Corn of Cusco is a testament to the great advances in agriculture that were achieved by the Inca civilization. Currently, around 8,000 tons of Giant White Corn of Cusco are produced throughout the Sacred Valley. The planting process begins between the months of July and August when frost and winter give way to more favorable weather; concluding nine months later in May with the harvest of corn.
23.pdf
Maize previously appeared on a Peruvian stamp in 1957. The stamp highlighted terrace farming in Cusco, the home of the white corn.
Designer: Jorge Luis Anci Alvarado
Release date: November 25, 2024
December
Prehistoric Animals – Perucetus Colossus
1 stamp on souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset
19 million year old whale from the Eocene period. It measured 17–20 meters (56–66 ft) long and may have been larger than the blue whale,
Researchers described the species — named Perucetus colossus, or “the colossal whale from Peru” — in the journal Nature on Wednesday. Each vertebra weighs over 220 pounds (100 kilograms) and its ribs measure nearly 5 feet (1.4 meters) long.
Newly discovered whale that lived almost 40 million years ago could be “heaviest animal ever,” experts say – CBS News
It was discovered in the Ica Desert, which was once the bed of a vast sea. It is a rich source of marine fossils. Mario Urbina of the University of San Marcos Natural History Museum in Lima uncovered this massive creature over 10 years ago.
Designer: Marco Antonio Quispe Yalli
Illustrator: Alberto Gennari
“I’m very fond of natural history, prehistoric animals and science fiction.”
The art of Alberto Gennari
Release date: December 2, 2024
Bicentennial of the Battles of Junín and Ayacucho
2 stamp on souvenir sheets, 2 FDCs, 2 cancels
offset
One of the last major confrontations between Royalists and Bolivar’s army.
The Battle of Junín was a military engagement of the Peruvian War of Independence, fought in the highlands of the Junín Region on 6 August 1824. The preceding February the royalists had regained control of Lima, and having regrouped in Trujillo, Simón Bolívar in June led his rebel forces south to confront the Spanish under Field Marshal José de Canterac. The two armies met on the Plain of Junín in the , northwest of the Jauja Valley.
About: Battle of Junín
The Battle of Ayacucho was one of the last battles of the war of independence and secured Peru’s independence.
Both battles were commemorated in a se-tenant set in 1974, Battle of Junin and Ayacucho, 150th Anniversary and 2004, Battles of Junin and Ayacucho, 180th Annivesary. Designed by Marita Trinidad Blas.
Designer: Jorge Luis Anci Alvarado
Release date: December 3, 2024
BAP Unión
1 stamp on souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offsest
The BAP Unión is a 4 mast barque that serves as a training ship, and embassador for the Peruvian navy. It launched in 2014 and has been used to train cadets in navy seamanship and the history of sailing.
The Sailing School Ship B.A.P. “UNIÓN” is a high-board training sailboat with a four-masted barque-type rig, built entirely in the shipyards of the Industrial Services of the Navy – Callao Headquarters, between 2012 and 2016; that is, it is a ship made by Peruvians, for Peruvians. With a total length of 115.75 meters, a beam of 13.5 meters and a sail area of 3,400 square meters. It is the largest sailboat in South America and the second largest in the world; also, in 2023, it was considered the fastest sailboat in the world, according to Sail Training International (STI). The Sailing School Ship B.A.P. “UNIÓN” is considered part of
the national territory, at sea and abroad, and is also a “Traveling Embassy”, representing the State through the image of the National and Maritime Power in the diplomatic, cultural, commercial and naval spheres, having as its mission to contribute to Foreign Policy and position the Peruvian Navy in the international environment.
Designer: Marco Antonio Quispe Yalli
Release date: December 5, 2024
Pedro Suárez Vértiz (1960-2023) – Legend of Peruvian Rock
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset
Singer, songwriter and guitarist. Founder of Arena Hash rock band.
His impact on the Latin American music scene was reflected in hits such as “Los globos del cielo,” recognized by Billboard as a timeless masterpiece of Spanish rock. Other popular songs by Suárez-Vértiz include “Cuando pienses en volver,” “Cuéntame,” and “Un vino, una cerveza.”
Pedro Suarez-Vertiz Dead at 54
Designer: Jorge Luis Anci Alvarado
Release date: December 10, 2024
Yellow-Tailed Woolly Monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda)
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset
A monkey endemic to Peru, and is critically endangered.
The major threat to this species’ existence comes from deforestation due to an increasing human population within its range. As the whole population of this species is restricted to such a small area, they are at high risk of extinction if this habitat is destroyed, a threat made worse by their relatively slow reproduction rates. The conversion of other areas of agricultural land in Peru to large-scale palm oil and/or rice plantations has forced many small-scale farmers to move higher into the cloud forest habitat of the Peruvian yellow-tailed woolly monkey and led to deforestation and slash-and-burn agriculture. In many areas, the remaining individuals of this population have been left in isolated forest patches, which poses difficulties for reproduction and long-term population viability. Mining also poses an additional threat to this species through habitat destruction and pollution, and by opening up previously undisturbed areas for immigration and hunting.
Peruvian Yellow-Tailed Woolly Monkey, Lagothrix flavicauda
Designer: Jorge Luis Anci Alvarado
Release date: December 13, 2024
The Amazon Ferry
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset
The Amazon Ferry is a service funded by the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC).
The main objective is the modernization of river passenger transportation services to address the problem of informality and transportation safety in the Amazon.
…
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE AMAZON FERRY:
- More than 400,000 people have been transported between the towns that benefit from the service since March 2017 to the present.
- The prices of the Amazon Ferry service are more accessible, with rates ranging from S/15 to S/80, depending on the destination.
- By having greater connectivity, the local and regional economy and job creation have been strengthened.
- The Amazon Ferry has won awards for its efficiency, quality, and innovation, the most recent being the “2023 Public Management Best Practices Award” in the category of “Mobility and Sustainable Public Spaces,” which demonstrates the importance and progress it represents in mobility and accessibility within the Amazon region.
25.pdf
Designer: Jorge Luis Anci Alvarado
Release date: December 17, 2024
by catpaw | 19 Jan, 2025 | country Stamps, Stamps
Japan Post 2025 has reaffirmed it’s still one of the best at designing exquisite, tiny cancels. For any cancel hounds out there, if you are looking for a new country to explore, Japan with it’s beautiful postmarks should be your first stop.
Complete Renewal of 3 Bank of Japan notes, Posukuma, Autumn, International Correspondence Week and their Year of the Snake cancels show a sampling of the care applied to each design. Consider how small each is and then examine the detail in each. The only country that competes with Japan is Peru, which will be the focus of my next couple of posts. I’ll include a link here when I finally get them up.
Last year I wrote: “’I’m already anticipating next year’s program. More cats? More French co-designs? Who knows. But let’s enjoy 2024 first.” Here we are in 2025 and yes indeed, more French co-designs. The March Invitation to the Philatelic Hobby Series features both a French illustrator and classic examples of French design. So far no cats but I’m sure they won’t disappoint.
We do have food stamps already! Oh the food! It’s easy to make me happy. Chuck some food, a few pioneer airplane stamps and cats in my direction and I’ll be content for hours.
Enjoy Japan 2025 in all it’s beauty.
Cheers,
Catpaw
January
Greetings (Simple)
annual series
1 stamp, sheets of 50
offset
The stamp image is a postal motorbike commonly seen around Japan.
Designer: 山田 泰子 Yasuko Yamada
Release date: January 8, 2025
Nature’s Record
5th in series
10 stamps, 2 cancels
offset
- Tai (sea bream)
- Kotakanoha (small hawk-wing)
- Shii (sea bream)
- Kazami large edible crab
- Hand Kurage The tag says “Hand Kurage,” but it’s an edible Bizen jellyfish.
- Uki The tag says “Uki (floating wood),” but it’s actually a sunfish
- Shima-Hagi The tag says “Shima-Hagi”, but this is an adult of the angelfish
- Porcupine or juvenile puffer fish
- Ranchu The tag says “Ranchu Muhire”. This is a variety of goldfish, the Ranchu. Its distinctive feature is that it has no dorsal fin
- Lionfish in a Raincoat The tag says “Lionfish in a Raincoat.” It is a lionfish. Its fins look like a raincoat, hence the name.
- Yellowtail in the top margin
- The background is a pattern inspired by pine needles.
Details from Japan Post info leaflet
This set of stamps was taken from Takamatsu Matsudaira Family Museum Illustrations, part of Kagawa Prefecture’s Designated Tangible Cultural Property. The book of illustrations has 723 images of various sea creatures, including fish, shellfish and more.
Designer: 星山 理佳 Rika Hoshiyama
Release date: January 22, 2025
February
Spring Greetings
annual series
2 sheets of stamps 10 x 2 per sheet, 2 cancels
offset
This is Japan Post’s annual cheerful spring stamp.
Designer: 玉木 明 Akira Tamaki
Tamaki has been designing stamps for over 34 years, with over 100 stamps created. He is one of 8 stamp designers employed by Japan Post .
Release date: February 5, 2025
Delicious Nippon – Focus on Osaka
6th in series
2 sheets of 10 different stamps, 2 cancels
offset
Sheet one – traditional sweets and snacks:
- Instant ramen, pot
- Takoyaki
- Pork buns, mustard, popsicles
- Beef cutlet sandwiches, mixed juice
- Ice cream monaka, coffee
- Grilled squid, chilled syrup
- Senbei, candy
- Korean rice cakes
- Rice crackers, mitarashi dango
- Walnut rice cakes, tea, kelp
Second sheet – local cuisine:
- Boxed sushi
- Mixed rice and Senba soup
- Kitsune udon
- Niku-sui and egg on rice
- Okonomiyaki
- Senshu water eggplant pickles and conger eel stir-fry
- Tetchiri
- Speciality curry
- Offal and grilled meat
- Kushikatsu
Each region of Japan has its own unique food culture rooted in the land. Not only the wide variety of local cuisines, which are the accumulation of the wisdom of our ancestors, but also the variety of ingredients and cooking utensils that have been cultivated in the natural environment of the region, are also attractive aspects of Japanese food culture.
…
Osaka has long been the economic center and has played the role of a gateway to welcome immigrants from the continent. Especially during the Edo period, when it was called the “kitchen of the world,” it was a unique “merchant city” that attracted attention and was full of vitality with many ingredients from all over the country.
The kelp brought from Hokkaido at this time also became the catalyst for the development of Osaka’s dashi culture. Osaka has long been blessed with seafood, and has a rich seafood cuisine. Furthermore, taking advantage of the region’s high-quality wheat production, various flour-based dishes (okonomiyaki, takoyaki, ikayaki, kushikatsu, udon, etc.) have been invented and are now praised for their deliciousness both at home and abroad.
The idea of ”cleaning up” dishes that make full use of ingredients, as exemplified by Senba-jiru, is also an ingenious idea unique to Osaka that should not be overlooked. In addition, Osaka has played an important role in supporting Japan’s kitchen culture, as seen in the creation of many other convenient dishes such as popsicles and ice cream monaka that incorporate the flavors of other countries, the famous curry, beef cutlet sandwiches, instant ramen, and pork buns, as well as the birth of many home appliance and towel manufacturers. Furthermore, when talking about Osaka’s food culture, it is important to remember that while it has been an outlet for various cultures, it has always been considerate of local ingredients and “people.”
The history of food has developed while placing importance on efficiency, and in pursuit of smiles that make people say “That’s delicious,” and this has supported the spirit of Osaka, the city of gourmets. It can be said that our mission as people living in the Reiwa era is to be considerate of the people in front of us and to strive to reconsider the thoughts of our predecessors who invented various dishes and specialties.
Details from Japan Post info leaflet
Designer: 吉川 亜有美 Ayumi Yoshikawa
Release date: February 12, 2025
March
My Travel Stamps
10th in series
2 sheets of 10 stamps, 2 cancels
offset
Sheet one:
- Night view from Shirotai Ranch
- Mt. Yoyotei
- Sea urchin and salmon roe rice bowl
- Otaru Canal
- Odori Park
- Curry soup
- Sunflower Village in Hokuryu
- Red fox
- Sheep grazing
- Cape Soya
Sheet two:
- Hachimanzaka Hill
- Goryokaku
- Japanese long-tailed tit
- Sapporo Clock Tower
- Farm Tomita
- Asahikawa City Zoo
- Cow grazing
- Cheese and milk
- Kushiro Marshland
- Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park
… the stamps express “personal scenery found on a travel destination,” such as scenery of tourist spots captured from the author’s own perspective, lifestyle and culture, and local specialties.特殊切手「My旅切手シリーズ第10集」の発行
Designer: 楠田 祐士 Yuji Kusuda
Release date: March 5, 2025
Invitation to the Stamp Collecting – Philatelic Hobby Series
new series
3 stamps on souvenir sheet, 2 cancels
offset
The focus of this new series is to encourage people to collect stamps. The first set focuses on the French art and decorative style called Art Nouveau.
Art Nouveau was aimed at modernizing design, seeking to escape the eclectic historical styles that had previously been popular. Artists drew inspiration from both organic and geometric forms, evolving elegant designs that united flowing, natural forms resembling the stems and blossoms of plants. The emphasis on linear contours took precedence over color, which was usually represented with hues such as muted greens, browns, yellows, and blues. The movement was committed to abolishing the traditional hierarchy of the arts, which viewed the so-called liberal arts, such as painting and sculpture, as superior to craft-based decorative arts. The style went out of fashion for the most part long before the First World War, paving the way for the development of Art Deco in the 1920s, but it experienced a popular revival in the 1960s, and it is now seen as an important predecessor – if not an integral component – of modernism.
Art Nouveau Movement Overview | TheArtStory
Three designers were picked to showcase Art Nouveau – Hector Guimard, Louis Majorelle and Alphonse Mucha.
Hector Guimard (1867-1942)
Prominent French architect and designer. The stamp features Guimand’s architectural gem the entrance to the Abbesses station in Paris – the cast iron and glass covered Metropolitan entrance is one of two remaining “dragonfly” entrances still standing. It is also the focus of one of the cancels.
A detail from Guimard’s entrance was featured in a French stamp in 1994 by designers Jean-Paul Veret-Lemarinier & Pierrette Lambert
Louis Majorelle (1959-1926)
Majorelle was a decorator and furniture designer and founding member of École de Nancy.
Majorelle set up a workshop solely to produce bronze, copper or wrought iron ornaments for his furniture. From 1898, experimental metalwork became an integral part of Majorelle’s style. So it is not surprising that the decisive element in the Daum-Majorelle partnership which was sealed in 1903 was Majorelle himself. It was he who designed the wrought iron or bronze stands, and chose the form, decoration and size of the various types of lamps. Table Lamp – Louis Majorelle | Musée d’Orsay
The stamp, and second cancel, displays one his 1903 bronze water lily globe lamps. Majorelle’s work appeared on a French stamp in 1994 (part of the same set by as the Guimard). Drawing-room Table by Louis Majorelle 1902
Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939)
Mucha was a Czech artist living in Paris during the height of the Nouveau period.
During the early 1890s, Mucha enjoyed modest success as a book illustrator, but his first poster design for Sarah Bernhardt, Gismonda (1894), changed his life forever. The poster, featuring the full-standing figure of the actress, appeared on Parisian hoardings on New Year’s Day 1895, and made a great sensation in the Parisian art world; the success transformed him overnight into one of the hottest new talents, sought after by
major publishers and art galleries. Mucha became Bernhardt’s exclusive designer and artistic advisor; he designed all her iconic posters, which established her image as ‘the Divine Sarah’. In collaboration with Champenois, he created over 100 designs for posters, decorative panels, calendars and postcards between 1896 and 1904. Coined ‘le style Mucha’, his designs became a hallmark of Art Nouveau.
Mucha at NMA synopsis
Mucha’s art has appeared on many stamps. The Zodiac, the painting featured in this series, appeared on a Czech Republic stamp in 2010 as part of their 150th Birth Anniversary Alfons Mucha celebration. Zdeněk Ziegler designed this stamp.
The image in the sheet margins is another Mucha work – The Reverie.
The illustrator for this set was French cartoonist and illustrator Stéphane Levallois. He still draws and colours everything by hand and has created stamps for French post LaPoste.
Designer: 丸山 智 Satoshi Maruyama
Release date: March 19, 2025
April
Flower Colors
4th series
Carnation, Dendrobium, Olive, Hydrangea and Calla lilies
Designer: 星山 理佳 Rika Hoshiyama
Release date: April 2, 2025
Japan World Exposition 2025 (Osaka-Kansai Expo)
The cancels feature the 2025 Expo’s mascot Myakumyak.
(1) Venue perspective 1
(2) Venue perspective 2
(3) Large roof ring
(4) Japan Pavilion
(5) Myakumyak and Osaka Castle
(6) Myakumyak holding kitsune udon
(7) Kamigata Kamigata Myakumyak performing Rakugo
(8) Myakumyak and Mt. Fuji
(9) Myakumyak the sushi chef
(10) Myakumyak riding on a houseboat
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan Official Website
Designer: 楠田 祐士 Yuji Kusuda
Release date: April 11, 2025
Philatelic Hobby Week
2 stamps, 2 cancels, sheets of 10
offset
This is a long standing series dedicated to Philately Week, Kitte Shumi Shukan, with the first stamps appearing in 1947 – Mt Fuji after Hokusai painting “Thunderstorm below Mountain”.
The week focuses on promoting the cultural and artistic beauty of stamps. 2025 features two stamps:
Jo-no-mai (Introductory Dance performed in a Noh Play) – You can learn more about this style of dance here the-noh.com : Introducing the world of Noh : Noh Dance.
Painting by Uemura Shoen
Maiko in a Garden – Painting held by the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo. Painting by Tsuchida Mugi.
Both these images previously appeared on Philatelic Week stamps, Jo-no-mai in 1965 and Maiko in a Garden in 1968.
The earlier stamps were printed using intaglio, and the second set with offset. using intaglio print. Japan Post provided an excellent blowup comparing the two styles for comparison.
Designer: 玉木 明 Akira Tamaki
Release date: April 18, 2025
May
Happy Greetings
2 sheets of 10, 2 cancels
The sets show bird and plants in lacey patterns. These “happy” stamps are traditionally used for thank you and congratulations stamps.
The original design used standard “bouquet illustrations” , but the designer opted to use a “lace-like” pattern instead, letting the annual greetings stand out from the standard flower bouquet stamps. Five different designs were considered, and finally narrowed down to two styles featuring the delicate pattern, seen in the second set below. From there the stamps were refined to show the more stylised “lace” patter. Images courtesy Japan Post.
First draft design
Later Greetings design
Designer: 貝淵 純子 Junko Kaibuchi
Release date: May 7, 2025
National Land Greening (Saitama Prefecture)
5 stamps on sheets of 10, 1 cancel
offset
- Red carp, horse chestnut
- Hinoki, cedar, forest image
- Various plant and animal images
- Quercus serrata, forest image
- Sugar maple, wild cherry tree
Designer: 楠田 祐士 Yuji Kusuda
Release date: May 21, 2025
150th Anniversary of Meteorological Services
“150 Years of Continuing to Walk Toward Preventing Disasters and Protecting the Future”
10 stamps on sheet, 2 cancels
offset
The Tokyo Meteorological Observatory began its services June 1, 1875 (Meiji 8).
- Satellite image from June 1, 2016
- Weather chart from June 1, 2016
- First image from Himawari 9
- JMA office and outdoor field when it was in Motoeicho, Kojimachi Ward
- JMA Toranomon office and front entrance plaque
- First supercomputer
- Image of Wiechert seismometer and seismic waveform
- NAPS11 (supercomputer)
- Mobile observation of volcanoes
- Ryofu-Maru (marine weather observation vessel)
- Sheet margin: JMA mascot character
“Harerun”
The first cancel features the Logo from the Tokyo Meteorological Observatory
The Japan Meteorological Agency will celebrate 150 years in the 7th year of Reiwa (2025) since its predecessor, the Tokyo Meteorological Observatory, began observation operations in 1875 (Meiji 8). We are planning various events to let as many people as possible know about the history of the development of meteorological services and how we are moving forward into the future.
As part of this effort, we solicited designs and copies from Japan Meteorological Agency staff and individuals belonging to weather-related organizations, and we have selected a logo and catch phrase to commemorate the 150th anniversary of meteorological services from among the entries.
The logo and catch phrase will be widely used at various events at the Japan Meteorological Agency, as well as in media such as press releases and lecture materials, and will be used as a tool to increase the momentum for the 150th anniversary of meteorological services in the meteorological industry and society as a whole.
150th Anniversary of Meteorological Services | Japan Meteorological Agency
Designer: 丸山 智 Satoshi Maruyama
Release date: May 28, 2025
June
Summer Greetings
10 stamps on 2 sheets of 10, 2 cancels
offset
The summer companion piece to the Spring Greetings.
Sheet one:
- Barley tea
- Eggplant
- Mountain climbing
- Coconut
- Tomato
Sheet two:
- Sunflowers
- Wind chimes
- Water yo-yos
- Yachts
- Playing with toys
Designer: 玉木 明 Akira Tamaki
Release date: June 11, 2025
Greeting (Life & Flowers)
2 sheets of 10 stamps, 2 cancels
offset
Sheet one:
- Lemon
- Pomegranate
- Pine nuts
- Apple
- Tomato
- Okra
- Japanese pepper
- Crown chrysanthemum
- Peas
- Shiso
Sheet two:
- Burdock root
- Lily root
- Asparagus
- Cabbage
- Radish
- Onion
- Potato
- Lettuce
- Lotus root
- Carrot
Designer: 吉川 亜有美 Ayumi Yoshikawa
Release date: June 25, 2025
July
The 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Traditional Buildings Preservation District System
1 sheet of 10 stamps, 2 cancels
offset
In 1975, through an amendment to the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, a system of “Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings” was introduced in order to protect historic cities, towns and villages in Japan, including castle towns, post towns, and towns built around shrines and temples. This system enables municipalities to designate “Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings.” Municipalities also develop a plan based on the municipal preservation ordinance to carry out preservation projects. Among the Preservation Districts, those of national significance are classified as “Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings” by the national government upon receiving an application from a municipal government.
Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings | AGENCY FOR CULTURAL AFFAIRS
More than 26,400 traditional buildings have been protected through this initiative.
Designer: 貝淵 純子 Junko Kaibuchi
Release date: July 2, 2025
Sea Creatures
9th series
Release date: July 7, 2025
by catpaw | 17 Jan, 2025 | country Stamps, Catpaw's Picks, Stamps
Hard to believe it’s time for a new Jersey stamp program. Yet, here we are. Jersey issues one of my favourite programs primarily because the stamps are perfect island ambassadors Jersey Post sources so many local artists and photographers to highlight the Island’s culture and history, it’s hard to think of a better put together program. Once again, I’d like to thank the people at Jersey Post for their help with background information and such wonderful stamps to add to my collection. The Canadian postal strike put a cramp in my Jersey stamp collection so I didn’t manage to get the last few editions, but by and large, my album looks good.
There is no better way to start a new year, than with a retrospective of 2024. For details on the above stamps, head over to the 2024 season. The link will open a new tab.
What was the best of the year? Hard choice when you are faced with engraved stamps by master engraver Martin Mörck, history of Jersey’s key industries, food and heavy machinery, Debussy, wildlife – damn, it really was a fun year. What was the best set?
I guess it depends on how you judge “best”. One of the most intriguing, and thought provoking was the Jersey Women of Achievement set.
The artwork was provided by transplanted Canadian Kiera Melville, who now makes her home on Jersey. This set led me on an exiting history chase through archives and websites to fill in details. Nothing is more satisfying than a couple days skipping through archives. The sheer joy of researching this series ranked it top of the list.
The second winning set, Construction Vehicles of Jersey by Martin Mörck was one of three sets he created for Jersey in 2024. So why Construction Vehicles, when I had Debussy, dragons and dairy to choose from? Well, Mörck, for starters, and construction vehicles! Hydraulics and dump trucks! I lurk around construction sites taking photos of heavy machinery. It ranks up there with food and aviation. Ok, a little below aviation, but definitely top 3 loves. Why? Not a clue. I just love watching hydraulics at work. Combine that with Martin’s fine details, and you have industrial art.
As expected the new season kicks off with Jersey’s yearly Lunar New Year stamp. China Post’s Chief Art Consultant Wang Huming returned to create his 10th Lunar New Year for Jersey. There is better way to start a year.
January
Lunar New Year – Year of the Snake
1 stamp, 1 stamp on souvenir sheet, 2 FDCs, cancel, 2 maxi cards, sheets of 20, 2 presentation packs
offset
The artwork for the stamp, includes a golden snake representing good fortune and wisdom. Additionally, within the body of the snake, Wang Huming has illustrated four types of flowers have been depicted, including peach blossom, lotus, chrysanthemum and wintersweet, all of which signify spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Jersey Post Media Release: January 2, 2025
Designer: Wang Huming
Huming has created all of Jersey’s current Lunar cycle, starting with his 2016 Year of the Monkey stamps. He has designed a number of stamps for Jersey, including Links with China – Woodland Wildlife (2019 and 2018).
Release date: January 2, 2025
by catpaw | 17 Jan, 2025 | country Stamps, Catpaw's Picks, Stamps
Canada’s 2025 stamp program has arrived. In words only, but I’ll take it. Normally this page is published well before the holidays, but 2025 was very late appearing. At least it is here and this year Canada Post isn’t pulling any punches with some of the content – they have dived deep into Canada’s history, warts and all.
But first, a number of old friends return including Canada Post’s Community Foundation fundraising semi-postal stamp. Funds raised from this go to support children and youth programs across the country. Also making a return are the popular Eid, Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas stamps.
2024’s Community stamp by designer/artist Seung Jai Paek. Seung has designed 2 previous stamps for Canada Post, Diwali 2021 and Year of the Rat 2020
Spring isn’t official until the annual Spring Flower stamp makes its appearance in March. This year, the 19th in the series, will feature peonies. Last year Canada Post treated us to 2 Wildflowers by designer Andrew Perro and artist Alain Massicotte.
Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) and spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata) Released March 1, 2024
Black History Month will focus on the heartbreaking story of Marie Joseph Angélique, a slave in New France who ended her short life tortured and executed by the government. This stamp will start the program and should appear in the next week, just prior to the start of Black History Month in February. This series, along with the fall Truth and Reconciliation set are some of Canada Post’s most powerful stamps. They offer a look into our history, and not just the nice bits that make people happy. Canada’s history is complex and riddled with incredibly dark chapters of inhumanity and kudos to Canada Post for shining a light on it.
Accompanying the Truth set, will be the fourth Celebrating Indigenous Leaders stamps issued to coincide with National Indigenous Peoples Day June 21. This is a true powerhouse series that draws attention to the leaders in the First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities. You can read more about last year’s 3 here.
Indigenous Leaders III Souvenir Sheet 2024
Elisapie | ᐃᓕᓴᐱ (b. Elisapie Isaac, 1977)
Josephine Mandamin – Anishinaabe Elder
Christi Belcourt apihtâwikosisâniskwêw / mânitow sâkahikanihk (b. 1966) – Métis artist, environmentalist and community organiser
Remembrance Day this year will continue with Canada Post’s exploration of Canadian history with a set featuring Canadian war heroes who “broke down barriers to serve their country”. Again, there is a lot to chose from, but it will be worth the wait.
A second set of Canadian Graphic Novelists will appear, possibly in May, like last year’s stamps. The first edition was released in May 2024, featuring Chester Brown – Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography, Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki – This One Summer, Michel Rabagliati – Paul Paul à Québec and Seth – Clyde Fans. Subplot Design Inc designed the first series.
Canada Post will pay tribute to former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney who died last February. It might appear mid February, but that’s a guess.
Rounding out the program will be three new topics. The first shines “a light on the dark history of civilian internment in Canada”. This is a much under read part of Canada’s history. Most are now familiar with the WW2 Japanese Interment, but very little is written about the WW1 camps that included Ukrainian Canadians, the homeless, conscientious objectors, political and cultural prisoners, to name some of the targeted groups. WW2 saw Germans, Italians, Japanese, and Jewish refugees imprisoned, at first with NAZI prisoners of war. Once again, we’ll have to wait to see this set.
The second new topic will appear in May, just before Pride month, with a focus on “places and events that set the stage for the evolution of 2SLGBTQIA+ rights” in Canada. .
The last set will make a certain friend happy – fungi! Yes, our friend the fungi will be featured on a pair(?) of stamps. I’m assuming a pair because last year’s spring nature stamps highlighted Endangered Frogs, with two stamps.
The fungus will likely show up mid April. But, with Canada Post, you never know. They are cagey about the details and keep us guessing. In anticipation I’m going to lay out my guesses about release dates and see if I get them right. Oh and expect a stamp or two not on this list. Occasionally we are treated to an unplanned stamp.
January
From Far and Away
4th in series
4 oversized rate stamps, sold in coils and booklets
- Restigouche River in New Brunswick – photographer Guylaine Bégin
- Admiralty Islands, Thousand Islands – photographer Ian Coristine
- Qarlinngua sea arch in Arctic Bay, Nunavut – photogarpher Clare Kines
- Point Prim Lighthouse, PEI – photographer Sander Meurs
Designer: Stéphane Huot
Release date: January 13, 2025
Black History Month – Marie Joseph Angélique
1 stamp, FDC, cancel booklet of 6
note how the front and back of the FDC are part of the map.
Marie Joseph was a Black slave in Montreal. She was accused of arson as a way of escaping, subsequently, imprisoned, tortured for a confession, found guilty and executed.
In that final interrogation, Angélique continued to deny that she had set the fire, and so the judge called in Mathieu Leveille, the “master of the means of torture,” and he applied the boots to Angélique’s legs and began to pound and shatter them with his hammer. Angélique broke under the relentless application of the torturer’s instrument of punishment, and she screamed that it was her who had set the fire, but that she did it all by herself. The judge was satisfied – but not completely, because Angélique still refused to name Claude Thibault as her accomplice.
She did confess her guilt, not that confession would save her. With or without it, he would still be hanged.
The Hanging of Angélique: The untold Story of Canadian Slavery and the Burning of Old Montreal, by Afua Cooper. (Harper Perennial 2006), Chapter XII, pp. 282-283.
Artist Alexis Eke wrote on her Instagram page about designing the Angélique portrait:
Had the honour of illustrating a stamp for Canada Post, highlighting the story of Marie-Josèphe Angélique. Although we don’t have any photos of Angélique, her story as an enslaved Black woman in Montreal has become a symbol of Black resistance and freedom to many.
I’m so grateful to have contributed to Canada’s history in such a unique way and to see my work on letters, packages and postcards all across Canada ❤️ Thank you @canadapostagram for the incredible opportunity!
Alexis Eke (@alexis.eke) • Instagram photos and videos
No portraits of Angélique exist. Elke based her dynamic illustration on a photograph of Haitian Canadian actor and model Penande Estime, taken by Jorge Camarotti. It captures the defiance and pride of Marie Joseph Angélique.
Artist: Alexis Eke
Eke is an Afro-Caribbean artist artist, based in Toronto. Her work has been used by the AGO, Canada Goose, Penguin Random House, The Walrus and CBC, to name a few of her clients. She writes in her bio:
… she aims to increase the representation of black women in design and offer a space for deep reflection. … Her work reflects her cultural and personal experiences as a woman of Caribbean upbringing with a strong Christian faith, and asks “How are Black women represented in the art world?”
About — Alexis Eke
Designer: Nathalie Cusson of Scooter Design
Release date: January 31. 2025
March
Spring Flower – Peonies
2 stamps, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel, booklets of 10
Cytherea’ and ‘Marie-Victorin’ are two hybrids created by Canadian-born horticulturists.
The semi-double Cytherea was registered in 1953 by Arthur Percy Saunders, an expert on peony hybridization. He was the son of the first director of Canada’s Central Experimental Farm.
Marie-Victorin was first propagated in 2004 by Lindsay D’Aoust and named after Brother Marie-Victorin (1885-1944), founder of the Montréal Botanical Garden.
The series began in 2007. You can see the entire series here Canada’s Spring Flowers. – 17 years & counting. It’s been updated to 2025.
- 2007 – lilacs
- 2008 – peonies
- 2009 – rhododendrons
- 2010 – African violets
- 2011 – sunflowers
- 2012 – day lilies
- 2013 – magnolias
- 2014 – roses
- 2015 – pansies
- 2016 – hydrangeas
- 2017 – daisies
- 2018 – lotus
- 2019 – gardenias
- 2020 – dahlias
- 2021 – crab apple blossoms
- 2022 – calla lilies
- 2023 – ranunculus
- 2024 – wildflowers
- 2025 – peonies
Photographer: Jeffery Ofori
Designer: Stéphane Huot
Release date: March 3, 2025
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha – Canadian Prayer Rug
7th in series
1 stamp, booklet of 6, FDC, cancel
EID this year started March 30th and ended March 31.
This stamp is a celebration of multi-faith outreach between Canada’s Indigenous and Muslim communities. The rug was designed by Métis artist Kit Craven and Muslim weaver Noor Iqbal, using knowledge gained from conversations with Indigenous Elders and descendants of early Muslim settlers. It’s a special endeavour was created in 2016 by the Green Room in Edmonton.
The rug’s design depicts Alberta’s diverse landscapes and distinct seasons. At its centre are an archway and a lodgepole pine – a tree that supports teepees and lodges and is reminiscent of the cypress of settler homelands.
Weaved with locally sourced wool, dyes and other materials, the prayer rug reflects the rich cultural and geographical history of the region, bringing together elements that honour the community’s heritage.
More than a work of art, the rug symbolizes unity and multiculturalism within Treaty 6 Territory, which includes Edmonton. It celebrates the deep, enduring connection between Indigenous and Muslim communities, which helped to open the country’s first mosque in Edmonton in 1938.
Prayer rug celebrating ties between Indigenous and Muslim peoples adorns new Eid stamp | Canada Post
Designer: Kristine Do
Illustrations: Kit Craven
Photographer: Maya Visnyei
Do also created the 2024 EID stamps Eid Festival 2024 : Ma`mul Pastries
Release date: March 10, 2025
Right Honourable Brian Mulroney
1 stamp, booklet of 10, FDC, cancel
Conservative party Prime Minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993.
Mulroney, who served as prime minister from 1984 to 1993, believed that Canadian democracy “is advanced by the collision of great ideas and the articulation of competing visions of the country.” Having won back-to-back Conservative majorities in the 1984 and 1988 federal elections – a feat that hadn’t been achieved in Canada since the Liberals secured a second term in 1953 – he spent his tenure pursuing a vision and championing ideas that were transformative. Brian Mulroney: booklet of 10 Permanent™ stamps – Canada Post
He died February 29, 2024.
Designer: Paprika
Stamp photographer: Bill McCarthy
Booklet cover photographer: Tony Bock
Release date: March 21, 2025
April
Blue Rodeo
1 stamp, booklets of 6, FDC, cancel
Formed 1984 in Toronto, Blue Rodeo is a legend in Canadian rock history. Still going strong, 41 years later, they have accrued an armload of honours including 12 JUNO Awards, induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame and a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement.
Featured on the stamp:
Mike Boguski, Jimmy Bowskill, Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor – front row, and Colin Cripps, Bazil Donovan and Glenn Milchem in the back row.
About | BlueRodeo.com
This stamp is part of a long, storied series celebrating Canadian music talent such as Robert Charlebois (2009), The Tragically Hip (2013), Beau Dommage (2013), Stan Rogers (2021) and Sarah McLachlan (2024)
Designer: Jim Ryce
Artist: Katy Lemay
Release date: April 4, 2025
Community Foundation Semi-Postal
1 stamp, booklet of 10, prepaid postcard, FDC, cancel
This annual semi-postal raises funds for a variety of community based children’s charities, community programs and schools.
Designer: Paprika
Artist: Anne-Julie Dudemaine
Dudemaine is a Montreal based illustrator, muralist and pattern designer. You can see more of her work here Anne-Julie Dudemaine.
Eeeee! A real bucket list project: I got to illustrate a stamp for Canada Post!
Big thanks to the team at Paprika and to Rachel Huard for the art direction and trust.
The booklet of 10 stamps is part of the 2025 Canada Post Community Foundation edition. For every booklet sold, $1 goes to organizations that support children and youth across the country.
Anne-Julie Dudemaine (@annejulie_dudemaine) • Instagram photos and videos
Release date: April 30, 2025
Fungi
Canada’s Iconic Graphic Novelists
2nd edition
May
2SLGBTQIA+ rights
June
Indigenous Leaders
4rd in series
Released for National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21
September
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
You can read more about this day and see the previous stamps here. I’ll be updating the page when the new set comes out.
Diwali
Remembrance Day
November
Christmas – secular and sacred
Hanukkah
Right Honourable Brian Mulroney TBA
by catpaw | 17 Dec, 2024 | Stamps, country Stamps
Welcome to the Ivory Coast’s 2024 stamps! It’s a small program, with two releases. The post office issues 1-3 sets every year, so it’s a tiny one. This year, they starts with a set of elephants playing football. But then when your country is called the Ivory Coast, or Côte d’Ivoire, an elephant or two should be expected.
If you are interested in reading news about the Ivory Coast, one of the better sources is Al Jazeera. If you click Search | Al Jazeera the link will take you to the dozens of articles covering the past decade. I’m currently searching for a solid history of the country, if you have recommendations, drop them in the comments.
The Ivory Coast post office has embraced the new NFT stamps, releasing their first set on, Historic Serie 1, on February 1, 2022. No NFTs were released for 2024, which was a bit disappointing. They did a good job presenting the new NFTs as a retrospective of earlier releases.
At this point in time, I’m still investigating the artists and designers, so details may feel a bit sparse, but as time goes on, gaps will be filled.
In the meantime, enjoy.
Catpaw
January
2024 African Cup of Nations Football Championships
4 stamps, souvenir sheet
offset
Akwaba was the official theme for the Cup. It was written and performed by Ivorian music quartet, Magic System.
Ivory Coast team, the Elephants, won the African Cup of Nations for the 3rd time. Previous titles were won in 1992 and 2015. They pulled off a dramatic comeback from a disastrous start to the series to win against Nigeria.
Ivory Coast people ‘deserve’ dramatic 2023 AFCON title win against Nigeria | Football News | Al Jazeera
Designers: Marketiv Consulting
Release date: January 3, 2024
October
The 150th Anniversary of the UPU – Universal Postal Union
3 stamps
offset
This stamp uses a common design released for the anniversary. You’ll see it on stamps from around the world.
Release date: October 9, 2024
by catpaw | 17 Dec, 2024 | Stamps, country Stamps
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.
Neft Dasları – Atlas Obscura
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
