Greenland 2021 stamps are going to be a beautiful display of Greenland’s artists and rich history. After seeing so many stamps from around the world, I still get excited when I discover new designs and artists. 2021 represents a spectacular overview of Greenland’s cultural heritage.  Designers tapped deep into:

• myths & folklore,
• historical sites,
• its own design heritage 
• natural resources

Renowned stamp engraver C.z. Slania will be celebrated by Greenland and Faroe Islands this year. I’m looking out for other countries that issue stamps honouring his 100th anniversary. If I find any, I’ll be sure to update this paragraph. Greenland will also offer their take on SEPAC’s Old Maps theme. Other SEPAC members, Åland, Faroe Islands and Jersey, will be releasing their own Old Maps stamps in the spring as well. 

Two issues now on my list of “must buy” are Greenlandic Ghost Stories and old Movie Posters. If previous Ghost stories in Greenland stamps are an indication as to the quality, they’ll be spectacular. Check out Greenland’s website Myths and Legends – [Visit Greenland!] to get you excited about the series. 

In total Greenland 2021 stamps will come to 23 issues. So far, no artwork has been released, but they’ll be worth the wait. As usual, come back throughout the year to check out updates to this page. 

UPDATE Feb. 12, 2021

Greenland’s stamp magazine arrived in my inbox yesterday. And wow does it have excellent information on upcoming stamps. The magazine is chock a block full of details about each designer and the history behind the stamps. If you want to subscribe, the magazine arrives in pdf form. Go to https://www.stamps.gl/ and scroll to the bottom of the page. The newsletter subscription box is at the bottom right. Speaking of newsletters, you can now subscribe to Bitter Grounds and get all the new posts and updates sent directly to your inbox. The subscription box is to the right, top of the article. 

Images for Feb.’s releases are now posted below, and they are online for purchase at the link in the above paragraph. I’m looking forward to the next magazine!

Greenland 2021 stamps for Feb

Greenlandic Centres in Denmark
Part of series that includes Aalborg, Århus, Odense and Copenhagen

Celebrating “four Greenlandic centres in Denmark provide a huge amount of work for spreading knowledge of Greenland and for Greenlanders living in Denmark”. Stamp programme POST Greenland Filatelia 2021 (stamps.gl)

1 stamp, souvenir sheet, souvenir folder, FDCs, 2 cancels, blocks, sheet of 10

Value added stamp

Designer: Bolatta Silis-Høegh
Previous designs include 2020’s Greenlandic Culture Houses. She is a visual artist and award-winning children’s author.

Release date: Feb 22, 2021

Historic School Saving Coupons
Second in the series.

2 stamps, souvenir sheets, FDC, special cancels, souvenir folder, 2 sheets of 10

Designer: Nina Spore Kreutzmann, based on original design 1957 by Alex Secher
 Kreutzmann has illustrated 17 previous stamps for Greenland Post.  She has also written & Illustrated  “Nikoline”, a children’s book and illustrated “Takanna–Delicious Food from Greenland” in 2012.

Release date: Feb 22, 2021

Fish in Greenlandic waters
5th issue in series

Lumpsucker and the Greenland Shark

2 stamps, souvenir sheet, FDCs,  cancels, blocks, 2 sheets of 10

Designer/engraver: Martin Mörck
Previous designs include designs 100 stamps for Greenland and his illustrations and designs used in over 600 stamps for Sweden, Denmark, Greenland, Belgium, China, and Canada. He created the 2010 Sea Life pair – sea otter and harbour porpoise stamps. 
 See his biography for details: BIOGRAPHY: Martin Mörck (stampengravers.blogspot.com)

Release date: Feb 22, 2021

Old Greenlandic banknotes
Last in series that started in 2017

1 stamp, souvenir sheet, FDCs, cancel, blocks, sheet of 10

Designer: Bertil Skov Jørgensen
Previous works includes 2020 issue for the Old Greenlandic banknote series, 2008 Denmark, Breast cancer awareness, 2010 Danish Navy, and 2013’s Denmark, Søren Aabye Kierkegaard issue. 

Release date: Feb 22, 2021

June 

SEPAC 2020: Old Maps

1 stamp, block, sheet of 10 , 2 FDCs, cancel

Design based on Gustav Holm’s and G. C. Amdrup’s shipping route maps from 1884-85 and 1900 and various maps of the coast northeast of Tasiilaq.  

Designer: Nuka K. Godtfredsen

Release date: June 8, 2021

300th anniversary of Hans Egede’s arrival & reintroduction of Christianity

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

• missionary Hans Egede’s arrival in Greenland
• reintroduction of Christianity in Greenland

Artist: stamp imagery based on  Hans Lynge (1906-1988) 1955 painting

Release date: June 8, 2021

UN World Ocean Day

1 stamp, blocks of 4, 2 FDCs, cancel, sheet of 10 

This stamp came in 2nd in the Greenland Stamp of the Year 2021 competition.

Designer: Ivínguak’ Stork Høegh

Release date: June 8, 2021

Europa Endangered Wildlife

2 stamps, self-adhesive booklets, blocks of 4, 2 sheets of 10, 3 FDCs, cancel

• Greenland White-fronted Goose
• Harbour Seals

Designer: Miki Jacobsen 
Previous designs include 2020 Mammals, 2018 Sports in Greenland Inuit and Dene Games and 2019 50th anniversary of the first International Post Day

Release date: June 8, 2021

August

C.z. Slania – 100th anniversary
Joint issue in the Unity of the Realm

black & white print

1 stamp, souvenir sheet, souvenir folder, black and white print
3 post office administrations will release a stamp and souvenir sheet each. 

Designer: Martin Mörck

Release date: Aug, 12 2021

September

H.M. Queen Margrethe  
Definitive Series 

1 stamp, sheet of  10, FDC, cancel

Designer: Martin Mörck working from a photo by Steen Brogaard 

Release date: September 17, 2021

Arctic Council 25 years

1 stamp, sheet of 10, 2 FDCs, cancel, plate blocks

Designer: Lisbeth Karline Poulsen
Previous works include the 2013 Christmas Seals, 2017 Deserted Stations, 

Release date: September 17, 2021

Greenlandic Ghost Stories

2 stamps, 2 sheets of 10, 5 FDCs, cancel, plate blocks

From “Bestiarium Groenlandica“

Designers: Maja-Lisa Kehlet and Jonathan Brüsch
Kehlet’s previous designs include 2020’s Christmas issues.

If you’d like to learn more about this series and the folklore behind them, check out my article I’m here for the scares!

Release date: September 17, 2021

Greenlandic Feature Films
Second release in series

“notable Greenlandic feature films from the 1980s and one from the 1990s”

2 stamps, 2 sheets of 10, 5 FDCs, cancel, plate blocks

Image from old movie posters

November Greenland 2021 stamps 

Greenlandic seal pups 

4 franking labels  

Photographer: Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid.
Rosing-Asvid is a researcher with Pinngortitaleriffik / Greenland Nature Institute in Nuuk. He published a book Greenland´s Seals’ in 2011.

Release date: November 9, 2021

UN’s Sustainable World Goals

1 stamp, FDC, cancel, sheet of 10

The strenuous nature of the body posture symbolises that the sustainable development goals cannot be achieved at the mere press of a button. The pose refers to an Angakkoq’s posture when he is on a spiritual journey of discovery. The Angakkoq’s role, seen from this perspective, refers to how we today search for answers and achieve solutions and improvements in society – in this case the entire global community. The pose can also be associated with the Inuit sport the Two-Foot High-Kick and symbolises the necessity of strength to hit a difficult target. Physical action is necessary. Overall, my stamp symbolises that we as humans face challenges that require both spiritual and physical focus.” Martin Brandt Hansen Greenland Collector Vol. 26, No 4, November 2021

Designer: Martin Brandt Hansen
Nuuk artist Hansen is currently studying at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. This is his first stamp design. 

Release date: November 9, 2021

Street Art ‘3905’ in Greenland
(new series)

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

The artwork on these stamps came about from a 2 week workshop called, Street Art ’Tasiilami Alivarpi’.  

[The wall, located in] Nuussuaq, is the first brick wall in Greenland to unite the lines of several artists on a large scale. The wall is part of an art project curated by the graffiti artist Sacha Malinský, who goes by the artist name Cheeky. The work was commissioned by the Nuuk Local Committee as part of a major urban embellishment project in Nuuk in 2020. Greenland Collector Vol. 26, No 4, November 2021

Designer: Sacha Malinský, who is known by the name Cheeky | Mathias Stenbakken and children from Tasiilaq school.

Release date: Nov 9, 2021

Christmas 2021

2 stamps, 3 FDCs, cancel, self-adhesive booklet, 2 sheets of 10

I chose to combine it with a woman with Greenlandic tattoos, as I feel this conveys ’new-meets-oldmeets-new-again’. Tattoos are a tradition that is
making a comeback. Along with the old tradition of the Christmas star, it just felt right to put them together, also to show tattoos in the context of being ordinary and commonplace. Just as I hope that the tradition of the Christmas star never disappears, I also believe that tattoos are an old tradition that has come back to stay.” Maria Bach Kreutzmann

Kreutzmann’s Christmas Star stamp was voted Greenland Stamp of the Year 2021. Her Santa stamp came in 3rd place. 

Designer: Maria Bach Kreutzmann
Previous works include last years Myths and Beasts. Also editor of Bestiarium Groenlandica Bestiarium Groenlandica by Maria Bach Kreutzmann (goodreads.com)

Release date: Nov 9, 2021

Wrap up

And that wraps up the stamps from Greenland for the year. And what a great year it’s been! Greenlandic artists have presented some vibrant, imaginative stamps that are filled with folklore, art and culture that makes the entire year a thrill to explore. I seriously can’t wait for next year now. 

Interested in seeing more stamps from Greenland? See all the 2022 issues here. 

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