[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
PostNL releases cake-scented stamps

Summary:
Issue: Write a cake
Issue date: 8 June 2026
Format: Sheet of 6 stamps in 6 different designs, with denomination 1 for mail up to and including 20 grams with a destination within the Netherlands
Item number: 460661
Design and illustrations: Jose Luis Garcia Lechner

PostNL has released the stamp sheet “Write a Cake.” Featuring illustrations of colorful cakes and a surprising scent. This way, mail gets not only color but also scent. The special scented stamps make sending a card extra festive.

A card to pause and reflect on
With “Write a Cake,” PostNL shines a spotlight on small moments of thoughtfulness. Cakes are part of celebrations. Whether surprising someone, thanking them, or simply letting them know you are thinking of them. The title is a lighthearted play on words and invites you to send a card again. The name was coined by the designer himself.

Six cakes, one set table
The stamp sheet consists of 6 self-adhesive stamps that together form a single illustration. The illustrations are by Jose Luis Garcia Lechner from Amsterdam. He drew inspiration from cakes from various countries. Each stamp features a different colourful cake: a lemon meringue pie, a cassata cake, a fig and chocolate cake, a blackberry and berry tart, a mocha cake and an apple rose pastry. All cakes are incorporated into a larger illustration of a table that spans the entire stamp sheet. In this illustration, the upper cakes are placed on stands, while the lower ones rest on small plates. The stamps at the top show whole cakes; those at the bottom show smaller pastries and a slice of cake.

In 2022, the children’s book <emSmaakspoken [“Taste Ghosts”] was published, featuring texts by Daan Faber and illustrations by Jose Luis Garcia Lechner. The book received a Bronze Brush Award and includes a large illustration of a lemon meringue pie.

“Someone at PostNL had seen that illustration. When they wanted to issue stamps about cakes, they thought of me,” Garcia explains. “I love cooking for family and friends, with plenty of conviviality and tables full of food. That social aspect is a wonderful counterbalance to the solitary work of being an illustrator. ”

He also came up with the title as a wordplay [“Schrijf eens een taartje” in Dutch] to encourage people to use the stamps for sending cards. “At first I wanted to draw typically Dutch cakes. But unlike many French, Italian and Spanish cakes, ours are mostly brown in colour. Very tasty, but not very colourful. That’s why I chose a different approach, with cakes from all corners of the world in all kinds of colours.”

Sweet scent by rubbing the stamp
What makes this issue extra special is the scent. The stamps are scented stamps. Gently rub the stamp and a sweet cake scent is released. There is no need to scratch. The fragrances are encapsulated in the ink and are released automatically by light friction. PostNL has previously issued scented stamps, such as those with rose and speculaas scents. With cake, PostNL adds a new, cheerful variant to this collection.

This is not the first time PostNL has issued scented stamps. Previous examples include Summer Stamps with a rose scent (2002), Douwe Egberts stamps with a coffee scent to mark the coffee producer’s 250th anniversary (2003), and Saint Nicholas stamps with a gingerbread scent (2013).

Some History
As early as 9,500 to 6,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians made grain-based pastries from oats, wheat or rye, filled with honey and baked on glowing charcoal. Later, during the time of the pharaohs, bakers at the Egyptian court produced breads filled with fruit, nuts and honey. Their baking process is depicted in the tomb of Pharaoh Ramses II (circa 1300–1213 BC). According to some sources, the Israelites produced the first real pastries around the same time, including fig cakes. Alexander the Great (356–323 BC) is said to have introduced their baking skills to Greece. Cakes appear in Greek plays. When the Romans conquered Greece, they too learned how to bake cakes.

With the Crusades and the voyages of discovery in the Middle Ages, cane sugar was introduced to Europe, making cakes increasingly sweet. The development of the closed oven and baking powder in the 19th century made it possible to bake lighter cakes.

Availability
The “Schrijf eens een taartje” stamp sheet will be available from June 8, 2026, while stocks last. You can purchase it at post offices in Bruna stores and via the PostNL website. The stamps can also be ordered by phone via Collect Club at 088 – 868 99 00.

The sheet contains 6 stamps with a value of 1 for mail up to and including 20 grams within the Netherlands. The price per sheet is € 8.40.

Technical data
Stamp size: approx. 44 × 46 mm to approx. 58 × 53 mm
Sheet size: 144 × 150 mm
Paper: standard with phosphor tagging
Gumming: self-adhesive
Printing technique: offset and screen printing
Printing colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black
Print run: 110,000 sheets
Format: sheet of 6 stamps in 6 different designs
Denomination: 1 for mail up to and including 20 grams with a destination within the Netherlands
Design: Jose Luis Garcia Lechner
Printer: Royal Joh. Enschedé B.V., Haarlem
Item number: 460661

About PostNL
We are PostNL. For over 225 years, we have been part of society and are there for everyone. With 31,500 colleagues, an extensive network of 5,700 PostNL points, 10,000 letterboxes, 1,400 parcel lockers, and millions of users of the PostNL app, we are always close by. Together with partners, we are active in 190 countries. Our mission is clear: to deliver, in connection, what moves us all forward. With our strategy, we grow our business, create sustainable value, lead through innovation, and make impact that matters. On an average weekday, we deliver 1.2 million parcels and 6 million letters. We improve our networks with smart solutions, innovate with AI and tech for our customers, and foster future-proof employment relationships for employees and partners. At the same time, we are making our delivery more sustainable: we cover many kilometers on foot and by bicycle and increasingly use cleaner fuels and electric vehicles. PostNL N.V. is a listed company with revenue of €3.3 billion in 2025.

Note: PostNL does not sell directly to collectors in North America. Its website refers to a company called Nordfirm, which says it sells Dutch new issues at face value. The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.

Collectors may also wish to contact the U.S. firm Bombay Stamps, which can also obtain first day covers upon request, with lower shipping fees. The email is sales@bombaystamps.com Again, The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.