Experimenting with Greenland’s 2024 stamp program

by catpaw | May 14, 2024

What's here?

Greenland’s 2024 stamp program has a few changes in store for you. I’ve been dabbling with a few ideas over the last year, hoping to make the articles a little more fun and informative. Each article represents a huge amount of information to digest, and I’ve been testing two ideas. The first has been the series categories. I’ve begun to expand this feature to other countries (when I remember) because topical collectors seem to enjoy it. Some of the categories are my own decision and some are directly from the stamp issuing programs.

The second idea is a bit more work but turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable task. Many of the topics also appear on older stamps and series. One of the joys of stamp collecting is making the connections to past releases and seeing how stamp design styles and interpretations of the subject have changed over time. To help people make these connections, I’ve included previous stamps when appropriate. The first stamp for 2024 is a perfect example of this. The School Savings Coupons series is finishing up this year after a 5-year run. I’ve included all stamps in the writeup so you can enjoy the set without flipping between years.

Another example is the May release of the 5th Thule Expedition Centenary. While no other stamps have been released on the expedition itself, there are stamps celebrating its leader and I’ve included one below. It’s a much older stamp, from 1935 and it’s fascinating to compare the modern stamp, by one of the stamp world’s great designers Martin Mörck, to the more traditional design.

Now, if the series is too long running, I’ll bypass this or include a couple of samples, but if the set is limited to a few years they’ll be included. It’s interesting to see all the stamps laid out together; it brings a great deal of continuity to the series. It’s not always easy for my readers to find the previous issues, unless you’re like me and spend far too much time lurking in all sorts of archives.

Don’t forget to come back on a regular basis. I don’t always drop all the artist and topic information in at the start of the year. I often string out details, because it’s more fun for me. I get excited about returning and adding details I’ve been sitting on for months. Enjoy the year, drop a comment and I’ll see you soon with more fun.

Cheers
Catpaw

February

School Savings Coupons
5th in series
series: art | history

2 stamps, 3 FDCs. cancel, 2 sheets of 10
offset

Hans Egede statue
Radio stations

This is the final set in the School Savings Coupons series that began in 2020. In total there are 10 stamps. Each set uses the original 1957 artwork by Alex Secher (1913 – 1989). Secher was a Danish artist, cartoonist and graphic artist who originally trained as an engraver and silversmith. He also illustrated a number of books including Reunion with Greenland (1958).

The coupons were created to encourage school children to save money. Children would collect all the stamps in a booklet and, when they had enough, they could use them to either open a new savings account or deposit the stamps and receive the value direct into their existing account. Each stamp/coupon would highlight an aspect of Greenland’s culture, history, and landscapes.

The children’s program was based on an earlier one called established by the Dansk Sparemærkekasse in 1881, with a children’s version opened in 1886. The school program was setup in 1957.

Previous stamps in this series starting with 2020:

Designer: Nina Spore Kreutzmann
Kreutzmann designed all 10 stamps in this series.

Release date: February 29, 2024

Tattoo Art in Greenland
3rd in series
series: art | culture

2 stamps, souvenir sheet, 4 FDCs, cancel, 2 sheets of 10
offset

This series started in 2022 with artwork by Paninnguaq Lind Jensen (set one 2022, and Maya Sialuk Jacobsen (set two 2023)

Designers: Ujammiugaq Møller and Mimi Josefsen
These are first stamps for childhood friends Møller and Josefsen.

Release date: February 29, 2024

May

EUROPA 2024: Underwater Flora and Fauna
series: oceans | EUROPA

2 stamps, 3 FDCs, cancel, booklets of 12, 2 sheets of 10
offset

These stamps explore the connected life of algae and shrimp with ocean life.

Red algae (Rhodophyta) – large 2 lobe, leafy algae is found around the entire coast of Greenland. Red algae is part of the oceans oldest algae group called eukaryotic, which includes 7,000 species. Rhodophyta – red seaweeds | SeaNet (stanford.edu)
Deep sea shrimp (Pandalus borealis) – deep sea shrimp live along the muddy bottom of the ocean floor, anywhere from 50 to 600 feet deep. It feeds on algae, bits of dead organic material, small sea creatures like worms and are in turn food for larger creatures like cod, halibut, salmon and seals. In Greenland sea shrimp are called “Red Gold” because of it’s importance. Cool fact about the deep sea shrimp? It’s a first-hand hermaphrodite. They start life out as male and can change to female when needed. Shrimps – Greenland Institute of Natural Resources

Designer: Miki Jacobsen
This is Jacobsen 34th and 35th stamp for Greenland. The 1991 Mother and child with Santa Claus was Miki’s first stamp.

Release date: May 24, 2024

Everyday Heroes
2nd in series
series: people | history

2 stamps, 3 FDCs, cancel, 2 sheets of 10
offset

Nanna Knudsen

For a number of years, Nanna has fought for mutual understanding as a teacher. She has taught Danes in Greenlandic when Danes had to work in Greenland, and Greenlanders in Danish, so that they better could manage in Denmark. And at the same time explained about the social structure in both places. In recent years, Nanna has lived in Denmark, where she after his retirement has continued to work with interpretation between Danish and Greenlandic in court cases and similar. It is a task that requires great care and care, as well as insight, because much more needs to be interpreted than the language itself, since the two cultures are so different. The insight her work gives her has become one basic inspiration to draw attention to a discrimination that hits hardest on the weakest by her countrymen – a discrimination that she appeals every time she meets it.

n 2022, she received the Legal Policy Association’s honorary award KAFKAT for. She is also co-editor of the magazine SOS racism where she has been effective in finding writers. In her own opinion, Nanna is second to none way a victim. With his intelligence, his modesty and her warm empathy, she can shed light on the things that should be changed in the Danish-Greenlandic relationship
Greenland Collector A Nr. 2 March 2024, p 4.

“When it comes to racism, Greenlanders are still at the bottom of the sad hierarchy,” says Nanna Knudsen.
Firebrand fights discrimination against Greenlanders (sameksistens.com)

Rebekka Olvsvig

Age is just a number for 79-year-old Rebekka. She is among second volunteer coach in badminton for the underprivileged families. She has also helped create opportunities for ski training for the same group of children. That’s why she got three years ago Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq’s special award for his work as a zealot. She has also previously received the Save the Children Grønland Volunteer Award. It was in 2018 for his tireless effort, which over a number of years has made a big difference for vulnerable children and families. Rebekka Olsvig always has a hug or a smile ready the children. It is valuable and meaningful moments, hun creator in a child’s life.
Greenland Collector A Nr. 2 March 2024, p 4.

Designer: Lisbeth Karline
Karline’s first stamp design was the 2014 Greenland Christmas series. Karline is a graduate of the art school in Nuuk, which has trained a number of outstanding artists. She later moved to Denmark to study at the Copenhagen Film & Theater School.

“I work in many different materials and with diverse ideas – because if I work only with one thing at a time, it takes a lot of time to finish and I start to fiddle with it and it becomes too frilly – by working on many different things at once the process seems more effortless to me and at some point I finish up a project or two, while the other things are still in process”
Interview with Lisbeth Karline | Nukiga (nukigacommunity.com)

Release date: May 24, 2024

Sepac 2024: Main Tourist Attraction
series: seapac | landscapes

1 stamp, FDC, cancel, sheet of 10
offset

Ilulissat is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Ilulissat Icefjord.

The Greenland ice cap is the only remnant in the Northern Hemisphere of the continental ice sheets from the Quaternary Ice Age. The oldest ice is estimated to be 250,000 years old, and provides detailed information on past climatic changes and atmospheric conditions from 250,000 to around 11,550 years ago, when climate became more stable. Studies made over the last 250 years demonstrate that during the last ice age, the climate fluctuated between extremely cold and warmer periods, while today the ice cap is being maintained by an annual accumulation of snow that matches the loss through calving and melting at the margins. This phenomenon has helped to develop our understanding of climate change and icecap glaciology.
Ilulissat Icefjord – UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Ilulissat ice fjord previously appeared on the 2005 Ilulissat Icefjord (World Heritage 2004) stamp.

Photographer/Designer: Mads Pihl
Sidetracked magazine has an excellent article about Pilhl and how he plans his work Rough Real Remote – Adventures in Greenland (sidetracked.com). The article captures the sense of how remote and difficult it can be navigating around Greenland. Capturing the stunning photos is not for the faint of heart.

Release date: May 24, 2024

5th Thule Expedition Centenary
series: history| culture

engraved

The Fifth Thule Expedition from Greenland to Siberia was led by Knud Rasmussen, and explored vast areas of the Arctic, setting a standard by which much later work was to be judged. Between September 7, 1921 and December 2, 1924, various members of the expedition traveled nearly 20,000 miles by dog team, collecting geographic and ethnographic information as well as some 20,000 artifacts. This was compiled into the ten-volume series Report of the Fifth Thule Expedition, which is still considered a classic reference for Arctic studies today.
Project (thuleproject.org) (temporarily unavailable. Will check again later)

The expedition traveled along the arctic starting in Greenland, then travelling across the top of Canada to Alaska’s north coast too cross Bering Strait and onto Siberia.

Knud Rasmussen has been featured on 7 stamps and a banknote (all from Greenland). The first stamp was issued shortly after his death in 1933.

This stamp, Knud Rasmussen (1879-1933), founder of the settlement was part of the 3-stamp set 25th Anniversary of the founding of the Thule settlement.

Designer/engraver: Martin Mörck
Mörck has over 600 stamp designs to his credit. His first for Greenland appeared in 1995 and since then has designed about 100 stamps for the country.

Release date: May 24, 2024

King Frederik X – Accession to the Throne
Joint issue with Faroe Islands and Denmark

1 stamp on souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel, souvenir folder with souvenir sheets from Greenland, Faroe Islands and Denmark)

The Queen announced her abdication on New Year’s Eve 2023 making way for her son. Frederik ascended the throne January 14, 2024.

Designer: Ella Clausen
Clausen has now designed about 40 stamps for Denmark, Greenland and Faroe Islands. This is her first set for Greenland.
Photographer: Steen Evald
Evald’s photographs of the Royal family have appeared on the 2004 Royal Wedding – Crown Prince Frederik and Mary release and 2007 The Crown Prince and Family

Release date: May 26, 2024