Are you ready to take a trip through the 2024 stamps from Andorra? Well, ready or not, here they are. Andorra has started each year with either their flag and coat of arms for the past 8 years. Not sure how the Andorra post office pulls it off, but each year offers a fresh look for the now annual stamp. 

One thing that still irritates me about the Andorra (Sp) program is the lack of details about who designs their stamps. It would add such a dimension to any write up if we could find out who the minds are behind the stamps and covers. With some countries, I can pull the info off the stamps themselves, but nada. Even a dive into Spain’s Philatelic Service Bulletin provided no help. Its a treasure trove for Spanish stamps, including the much designed designer names, but Andorra seems to be left off. So yet again, the talent behind the stamps will remain anonymous… for now. 

Onwards to the 2024 stamps from Andorra (Sp)!

Cheers
Catpaw

January

Flag and Coat of Arms

1 stamp, stamp, FDC
offset & foil

Starting in 2016, Andorra has issued a new take on their coat of arms and flag. 

Release date: January 5, 2024 

The Three Tombs / Tres Tombs – Popular Folktales

1 stamp, stamp, FDC
offset

The three tombs tells the story of Sant Antoni Abbot, protector of animals. It’s part of a festival that is celebrated with a parade with horses and pets.
Federació Catalana dels Tres Tombs – Els Tres Tombs consists of taking three laps with horses, carts and other draught animals through the interior of the town

Release date: January 17, 2024 

February

Audi FIS Alpíne Ski World Cup

1 stamp, stamp, FDC
offset

This year’s competition took place from February 10 to 11 in Soldeu, Andorra. 

Release date: February 16, 2024 

March

Susagna Arasanz Serra

1 stamp, stamp, FDC
offset

Politician, first woman to hold the office of Minister of Finance (1994 and 2000). 

Former Finance Minister Susagna Arasanz dies (diariandorra.ad) (In Catalan, but translates with Google translate)

Release date: March 22, 2024 

Estanislau Sangrà i Font

1 stamp, stamp, FDC
offset

Politician, Catalan Ombudsman

Release date: March 25, 2024 

April

Contemporary Art: Affatus – Eve Ariza

The French born artist describes herself as “working between Andorra and infinite”

This visual art project featured hundreds of works by Ariza that explores “consumption, the ‘blah’, the rhizome and magical thinking”. Its a complicated piece that’s difficult to explain, but this article does a good job of expanding on the artist’s intent:

The result of the selection of works has been that 25 years of trajectory have been “climbed”, of “voices”, in the words of the artist, who stresses that he works for “us”. In the part dedicated to consumption, the artist shows a critical voice in the consumer society. The ‘blah’ addresses the impossibility of communicating. From this lack of communication, we move on to the return to earth, with rhizome and murmur to reach the final part in which magical thinking and the relationship between art and science is very present.

In these latest works, the trump is the main protagonist and, for example, you can see a table full of potatoes (about 250) that have been laser engraved with the word ‘Affatus’. On the route there are also the skins of the potatoes covered in gold and that symbolize molting, the moment of change that each of us can experience. ‘Affatus’, Eve Ariza’s exhibition at the Caldes space (ara.ad)

The full article is in Catalan, but use a translator and read the entire post. 

Release date: April 18, 2024 

May

EUROPA 2024: Underwater Flora and Fauna

1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset & die

Pyrenean Newt (Calotriton Asper)

Also called Pyrenean brook salamander or Pyrenean tritó. The little aquatic Pyrenean newt lives on the slopes of the Pyrenean and pre-Pyrenean mountain ranges. It inhabits fresh water rivers and ponds, hunting for insects. The newt’s status is near threatened due to loss of habitat.

Designer: Spanish post office

Release date: May 9, 2024

PARIS PHILEX 2024

Special cancel

Release date: May 30, 2024

June 

25 Years of the Euro in Andorra

1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset & foil

Andorra: coins mintages and market value since 2014 – Numismag has a great page on both the adoption of the Euro by Andorra and photos of each early coin. 

Release date: June 3, 2024 

July

Camí de la Senyoreta de Sant Julià de Lòria

1 stamp on a souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset

The Camí de la Senyoreta is a mountain path located between the village of Auvinyà and La Riberola -next to the CG-1-, which can be done all year round if the conditions of the terrain allow it. But now, this route becomes the first to host the Sant Julià Màgica project, an initiative that aims to raise awareness of the intangible heritage of the parish and become a totally sustainable tourist attraction. News | Commune of Sant Julià de Lòria (comusantjulia.ad)

Guide to the Paths of Andorra (visitandorra.com)

Release date: July 15, 2024

September

Pyrenean Viper

 
1 stamp on souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offset

Pyrenean viper (Vipera aspis) Asp Viper Facts, Description, Diet, and Pictures (thesnakeguide.com)

Release date: September 12, 2024

Casal i Vall Printing House – Mythical Andorra

1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset

From the Andorra National Archives:

We can say that the real history of our printing press began in 1956, the year of the birth of the Casal i Vall publishing house, which was founded by the brothers Narcís, Jacint, Jaume and Joan, from the Molner de Soldeu publishing house.

The first stage of these publishing workshops was characterized by printing materials from other Catalan publishers that could not do so due to censorship, under the name Tallers Gràfics Casal i Vall.

In addition, most of the books they published were of a religious nature in order not to provoke a confrontation with the Bishopric. Even so, we find numerous famous names such as Camilo José Cela, Ernest Hemingway, Stendhal, Boccaccio, Graham Greene, etc.

In 1960 the monks of Montserrat commissioned him to write the Catalan edition of the New Testament. Five years later it was already publishing editions in Spanish and Catalan simultaneously.

Casal i Vall’s most important publishing success was the Bible of Montserrat, of which six complete editions were made between 1970 and 1992, and five of the New Testament between 1961 and 1988.

In 1961 it changed its location and was definitively located in the building located on Pompeu Fabra Street, which has disappeared since 2013. It had about seventy workers who were governed by internal regulations, and also enjoyed private insurance because social security did not yet exist.
Casal i Vall Collection (cultura.ad)

Release date: September 20, 2024   

October

150th Anniversary of the UPU

1 stamp
offset

Release date: October 9, 2024 

Diverse Andorra – Moroccan Community

1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset

Release date: October 26, 2024 

November

Immersive Audiovisual Space of the Museu Casa d’Areny-Plandolit. Don Guillem’s Somni

1 stamp on souvenir sheet, cancel
offset

Inicio

Release date: November 4, 2024 

Christmas – Nadal (Wafers)

1 stamp, cancel
offset

We can always depend on the Spanish post office to supply us with at least one delicious stamp. This year, Andorra celebrates with a Christmas favourite – thin, rolled wafers made of flour, sugar and almonds.

Origin and Varieties:
Waffle production has become a specialized craft, with several regions offering their own unique versions. Several Mediterranean countries such as Catalonia, Italy and France have embraced wafers as a fundamental part of their festivities.

Catalan wafers: In Catalonia, wafers are a key element present on the table of any home during Christmas. They are often made with ingredients such as flour, sugar, and almonds, resulting in a crunchy texture and a rich, sweet flavor. Some versions include additional ingredients like cinnamon or lemon to give them a unique touch.
Wafers, a Christmas tradition that comes from afar – El Gourmet Català

Release date: November 5, 2024