Space (with a stamp missing) (Netherlands 2023)

[from PostNL press materials] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Journey to The Moon

Date of issue: 21 April 2023

Format: sheet with nine stamps in different shapes
Item number: 430461
Design and illustrations: Lilian Vos, Vividblue

On 21 April 2023, PostNL issued the Journey to The Moon stamp sheet, dedicated to space. Travelling to and in space has always captured people’s imagination. This year a number of space flights have been planned once again. The Journey to The Moon stamp sheet features nine stamps with illustrations related to space. The 10th stamp featuring the moon is missing. The stamp with the moon is symbolised by the punched-out circle, and PostNL plans to issue it when man sets foot on the moon again around 2025. This tenth stamp will then complete the journey to the moon series. The denomination on the Journey to The Moon stamps is ‘1’, the denomination for items weighing up to 20g destined for the Netherlands. A sheet of nine stamps costs €9.09.

Ever since the development of the first telescopes more than 400 years ago, we have loved looking beyond what the human eye can see. Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space in 1961, while the Russian Soyuz programme was launched in 1967. In 1969, the Americans put a human on the moon for the first time with Apollo 11. The Apollo programme was followed by the space shuttle programme. The ISS International Space Station has been the site of close international cooperation since 1998.

Space is now visited more than ever before. This year, for instance, the ESA European Space Agency will be launching the Juice space probe, which will map Jupiter’s largest moons. A number of commercial organisations will also be testing their latest rockets in 2023, including the New Glenn (Blue Origin) and the Starship (SpaceX). Later this year, NASA will send space probe Psyche to the asteroid of the same name between Mars and Jupiter. The moon will also get a visit in 2023, from Japanese, Russian and Indian unmanned lunar landers, among others.

The Artemis international space programme aims to land astronauts on the moon again by 2025. The programme consists of 3 missions: an unmanned test flight (late 2022), a mission during which astronauts circle the moon without landing (scheduled for 2024) and finally a lunar landing mission (scheduled for 2025).

The stamps feature illustrations of the following nine subjects:

  • the planet Saturn
  • Orion capsule, designed to carry astronauts
  • floating astronaut in spacesuit
  • satellite with solar panels
  • view of the Earth from the moon
  • SLS launch vehicle
  • Orion capsule during ‘splash down’ with parachutes
  • moonboot, a classic part of astronaut outfit
  • walking astronaut in spacesuit.

Three of the stamps are round, the shapes of the other six follow the outlines of the illustrations. The edge of each stamp is perforated with four teeth. The stamp with the moonboot has five additional teeth, as a nod to the sole of the shoe. The illustrations are printed in warm red, cornflower blue, soft yellow, silver and copper.

A Dream Come True
The stamp sheet was created by graphic designer Lilian Vos of Amsterdam-based agency Vividblue. It is her first stamp design, an assignment that fit her like a glove. ‘My father was a collector, especially of first-day envelopes. I remember endlessly admiring the pictures on stamps when I was little. Stamps and stamp designs also definitely played a role in my decision to study graphic design. At the academy’s open day in Maastricht, I had the opportunity to view a number of enlarged stamp designs. I wanted to do that too.’

To learn more about the subject, Vos visited the permanent Space Expo space exhibition in Noordwijk, which she called ‘very impressive.’ After seeing the enthusiasm by the astronauts and staff there, she decided to focus the stamp design mainly on the human aspect of space travel. ‘Noordwijk showed that the subject is still alive, among young and old alike, especially given the ongoing Artemis space programme,’ she said. ‘Mankind is taking trips to the moon again.’

PostNL asked Vos for an innovative design, and thus, the ‘hole’ for the tenth stamp. ‘This unique idea is designed to make people curious, and it’s something we haven’t seen on a stamp sheet before,’ Vos said.

The Journey to The Moon stamps are available while stocks last at the post office counter in Bruna shops and here [direct link; in Dutch]. The ‘1’ denomination for items weighing up to 20g destined for the Netherlands. A sheet of nine stamps costs €9.09.

Technical Details:
Stamp sizes:

  • Saturn: 23.0 x 50.0 mm (h✖️w)
  • Orion capsule: 28.0 x 33.5mm (h✖️w):
  • floating astronaut: 31.8 mm diameter
  • satellite: 28.0 x 44.4mm (h✖️w)
  • Earth: 37.3 mm diameter
  • SLS launch vehicle: 45.4 x 33.4mm (h✖️w)
  • moon boot: 30.1 x 33.0mm (h✖️w)
  • Orion capsule with parachutes: 32.6 x 36.2mm (h✖️w)
  • walking astronaut: 31.8 mm diameter

Sheet size: 150 x 144mm (h✖️w)
Paper: normal with phosphor underprint
Glue: self-adhesive
Printing technique: offset
Printing colours: magenta, yellow, black, blue and silver
Edition: 110,000 sheets
Format: sheet of nine stamps in nine different designs
Design and illustrations: Lilian Vos
Printing company: Koninklijke Joh. Enschedé B.V., Haarlem
Item number: 430461

There is a set of two official FDCs for this issue:

TV Sitcom “Black Adder” (UK 2023)

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Royal Mail Celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the Superlative Comedy “Blackadder” with 12 Special Stamps

Issue date: 17 May 2023

  • Eight stamps capture moments spanning four series of the classic British sitcom that first aired in 1983. A further four stamps depict Edmund Blackadder in his various guises over each of the four series of the classic sitcom
  • The stamps feature some of the show’s best-loved characters, played by familiar names including Tony Robinson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson, Brian Blessed and the late Patsy Byrne
  • The stamps are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/blackadder, by telephone on 03457 641 641 and at 7,000 Post Office branches across the UK. A Presentation Pack including all 12 stamps in the set is priced at £19.60. The stamps go on general sale on 17 May 2023

Royal Mail has announced the launch of 12 Special Stamps being issued to mark the 40th anniversary of the classic British sitcom “Blackadder.”

From the mists of medieval England to the court of Queen Elizabeth I, from the glamour of the Georgian era to the grim trenches of the First World War, the stamps pay tribute to one of the pillars of British comedy.

Launched in 1983 by writer Richard Curtis and star Rowan Atkinson – with the vital assistance of BBC producer John Lloyd and co-author Ben Elton – the series went on to win an International Emmy Award and is regularly named among the finest sitcoms of all time – while its scheming, amoral hero has become one of our most adored TV characters.

The eight stamps in the main set capture moments spanning four series of the classic British sitcom and feature some of the show’s best-loved characters, played by familiar names including Tony Robinson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson, Brian Blessed, and the late Patsy Byrne.

In addition a further four stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, celebrate the main character, Edmund Blackadder, played by Rowan Atkinson, in his various guises over each of the four series of the classic sitcom.Blackadder co-creator, Richard Curtis, said: “We’re very amused and delighted. It’s a great relief for Blackadder to have his head on a stamp, instead of on a stake.”

John Lloyd, Producer, Blackadder, said: “The entire team behind Britain’s leading situation tragedy is deeply honoured by Royal Mail’s magnificent stamps of approval. In the words of General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett, VC KCB; ‘Let’s give them a damn good licking!’”

David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy, Royal Mail, said: “The epic saga of Blackadder spans six centuries of British history and four decades of British television and is still loved and revered by audiences old and new. We are delighted to mark the 40th anniversary of Blackadder with a set of Special Stamps.”

The Black Adder
Penned by university friends Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson – who also starred as the title character, the devious Prince Edmund – The Black Adder was set in the 15th century during the fictional reign of King Richard IV, a time of poverty, plague, religious hysteria and bloody battles over the royal succession.

Blackadder II
Moving the action forward a century and with Ben Elton on scriptwriting duties alongside Richard Curtis, Blackadder II tracks the shifting fortunes of Lord Edmund Blackadder, an ambitious courtier to the giddy young Queen Elizabeth I with a bumbling retinue of blockheaded sidekicks.

Blackadder the Third
Set in the early 19th century during the Regency of the impressively trousered royal heir, Prince George, Blackadder the Third follows the adventures of crafty butler Mr E Blackadder, who spends his days tormenting his lice-infested minion Baldrick and cooking up cunning plans to improve his social standing.

Blackadder Goes Forth
The final series, Blackadder Goes Forth, takes us to the mud-swamped trenches of the First World War, where Captain Blackadder and his doomed cadre of fellow soldiers try every trick they can think of to evade the inevitable order to go ‘over the top’. The final scene is one of the most haunting and memorable endings in TV history.

The stamps are available to pre-order now at www.royalmail.com/blackadder, by telephone on 03457 641 641 and at 7,000 Post Office branches across the UK. A Presentation Pack including all 12 stamps in the set is priced at £19.60. The stamps go on general sale on 17 May 2023.

Kelleher Auctions Commits to Boston 2026

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Kelleher Commits to Boston 2026

David Coogle, co-chairman of Daniel F. Kelleher Auctions, LLC, has confirmed the firm’s participation in Boston 2026 by reserving the first top-end Super Booth (i.e., 20’x30’ booth nearest the show’s entrance).

Based in Danbury, Connecticut, the company was founded in 1885 in Boston by its namesake, today making it America’s oldest philatelic auction house. Their quarterly public auction sales include Club, Flagship and Collection sales, conducting a public auction each month. With additional single-owner sales, they offer bidders the opportunity to own US and Worldwide items from entry level to rarities. Weekly internet auctions provide material of interest to intermediate and more casual collectors.

Their award-winning magazine, Kelleher’s Stamp Collector’s Quarterly, was first released in September 2015. More than 30 issue covers from the past eight years are displayed at www.kelleherauctions.com/magazines-2/ with a downloadable free sample of issue #1. Yearly subscription information for both the publication’s print and digital formats is also available. More than 500,000 copies in print and many more digitally have been distributed to philatelists worldwide.

To date, three-quarters of the show’s Super Booths and Half-Super Booths have been reserved. However, most size configurations remain available on the show floor. Potential dealers are asked to immediately email Bourse Chair Mark Reasoner at Mark.Reasoner@Boston2026.org for the latest information.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org

Coronation of King Charles III (Canada 2023)

Issue Date: 6 May, 2023

by Danforth Guy
Special to The Virtual Stamp Club

Canada now has a definitive stamp for the coronation of King Charles III, the monarch of 15 countries, including Canada. A recent poll showed 60% of Canadians do not wish to acknowledge him as king of this country (66% oppose his wife Camilla as “queen of Canada”). Nevertheless, the postal service appears to feel compelled to picture him on a stamp, even though no rule or law requires it.

The self-adhesive comes in a booklet of 10, denominated at the “P” (Permanent) rate, currently 92¢, which covers domestic mail up to 30g. The stamp names the monarch, a departure from most previous definitives that pictured a sovereign. The photo was taken by Alan Shawcross, apparently in London, UK, and apparently in 2007. (Click on this link to see the original photo.)

No Canadian has ever been honoured on a first-class definitive, just British monarchs. This issue continues that tradition.


Updated May 6:

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Canada Post issues first Canadian stamp featuring His Majesty King Charles III as Monarch
New definitive stamp continues more than 170 years of historic tradition

OTTAWA – Today, Canada Post unveiled Canada’s first definitive stamp featuring His Majesty King Charles III at the Canadian ceremony marking the Coronation of the new monarch, hosted by Canadian Heritage.This is the first time His Majesty King Charles III has appeared on the Canadian stamp.

The stamp continues Canada Post’s long-standing tradition of issuing definitive stamps depicting the Canadian sovereign, dating back more than 170 years. This tradition first begun in 1851 with a pre-Confederation stamp featuring Queen Victoria, the King’s great-great-great grandmother.

On September 8, 2022, His Majesty ascended the throne upon the passing of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The King has been the heir apparent since 1951, and was created Prince of Wales by Queen Elizabeth II when he was nine years old. Since His Majesty’s first official tour of Canada in 1970, he has returned numerous times with his most recent trip in 2022 as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations.

The definitive stamp was designed by Paprika, and features a portrait of His Majesty King Charles III, then The Prince of Wales, by photographer Alan Shawcross. Printed by Lowe-Martin, the issue includes a booklet of 10 Permanent™ domestic rate stamps and an Official First Day Cover [below]. The Official First Day Cover features a photograph of His Majesty in Ottawa during the 2022 Royal Tour, when he was The Prince of Wales. The photo on the Official First Day Cover was taken by Canadian photographer Justin Tang. The cancel site is Ottawa, Ontario. The stamp will be issued on Monday, May 8, 2023. A definitive stamp is a postage stamp that is part of a regular issue of stamps, designed to serve the everyday needs and issued in indefinite quantities. A commemorative stamp celebrates a special place, event, person, theme or theme, often issued on a significant date. Unlike a definitive stamp which is reprinted for general usage, a commemorative stamp is printed in a limited quantities and is available until stamps run out.

The new stamp and collectibles will be available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Postes Canada émet le premier timbre canadien à l’effigie de Sa Majesté le roi Charles III
Le nouveau timbre courant perpétue une tradition de plus de 170 ans

OTTAWA – Aujourd’hui, Postes Canada a dévoilé son tout premier timbre courant à l’effigie de Sa Majesté le roi Charles III à l’occasion de la cérémonie organisée par Patrimoine canadien en l’honneur du couronnement du nouveau monarque.

Cette émission perpétue une longue tradition de production de timbres courants présentant le souverain canadien, qui a commencé avant la confédération, en 1851, il y a plus de 170 ans, par une vignette consacrée à la reine Victoria, l’arrière-arrière-grand-mère du Roi.

Le 8 septembre 2022, Sa Majesté a accédé au trône après le décès de sa mère, la reine Elizabeth II. Héritier apparent depuis 1951, il a été fait prince de Galles par la Reine à l’âge de neuf ans. Après sa première visite officielle au Canada en 1970, Sa Majesté y est revenue à plusieurs reprises, notamment en 2022 dans le cadre des célébrations du jubilé de platine de la reine Elizabeth II.

Le timbre courant a été conçu par la maison Paprika et présente un portrait de Sa Majesté le roi Charles III, alors prince de Galles, réalisé par le photographe Alan Shawcross. Imprimée par Lowe-Martin, l’émission comprend un carnet de 10 timbres PermanentsMC au tarif du régime intérieur et un pli Premier Jour officiel. Le pli Premier Jour est orné d’une photo de Sa Majesté prise à Ottawa par le photographe canadien Justin Tang lors de la visite royale de 2022, alors qu’il était le prince de Galles. Le lieu d’oblitération est Ottawa, en Ontario. Le timbre sera émis le lundi 8 mai 2023. Un timbre courant fait partie d’une émission régulière. Produit en quantités indéfinies, il est conçu pour répondre aux besoins quotidiens. Un timbre commémoratif, souvent émis à une date significative, met en vedette un lieu, un événement, une personne ou un thème spécial. Contrairement au timbre courant, qui est réimprimé pour un usage général, un timbre commémoratif est produit en quantités limitées et offert jusqu’à épuisement des stocks.

Le timbre et les articles de collection seront en vente sur postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.

Typically Dutch: Cheese Markets (Netherlands 2023)

[from the PostNL press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Typically Dutch – Cheese Markets

Date of issue: 15 May 2023
Appearance: sheet of six stamps in six identical designs
Item number: 430662
Design: Adam Lane and Edwin van Praet, Total Design, Amsterdam

This issue is the fourth in the Typically Dutch series this year. The multi-annual series started in 2020 and, in 2023, will be dedicated to a variety of sights and attractions that are significant for and typical of the Netherlands. A sheet of ten stamps costs €6.06.

The Typically Dutch – Cheese Markets issue was designed by senior graphic designer Adam Lane and creative director Edwin van Praet from Total Design in Amsterdam. As part of this stamp series, stamps featuring museums (2 January), mills (13 February) and flower fields (20 March 2023) were published earlier this year. After the stamps about cheese markets, the last stamp sheet in this series – with as subject the Wadden mudflats – will follow later this year (14 August).

Cows, milk and cheese – a trinity that is inextricably linked to the Netherlands. The figures are impressive: our country produces 650 million kilos of cheese every year, two-thirds of which is sold abroad. This makes the Netherlands the world’s largest cheese exporter, with Gouda and Edam the most popular cheeses among foreign buyers.

The relationship between the Netherlands and cheese goes way back. Archaeological findings show that cheese was being made in our country even before the Common Era. In the Middle Ages, cheese production and trade conquered their central place in Dutch life. Cheese markets flourished and towns with weighing rights set up weigh houses to determine the weight of the cheeses.

Five cheese markets still operate in our country, all with roots in a distant past. They are in Alkmaar, Edam, Hoorn, Gouda and Woerden. In Gouda and Woerden, you will still find real trade; the other cheese markets are tourist attractions.

The fact that these markets are mainly situated in the western part of our country is due to the damp soil, which is most suitable for grazing and rearing cows and therefore for milk production and cheese making. Each cheese market has its own history and customs. Alkmaar, for instance, is best known for its cheese carriers, who carry cheeses on their characteristic barrows, and Edam was granted the permanent right to operate a cheese weighing house by Prince William I of Orange in 1573. The cheese market in Hoorn concentrates on the medieval Roode Steen square, where horse-drawn wagons take the cheeses and pick them up. In Gouda, the cheese market has been held at the Gouda Cheese Market, right in front of De Waag, for centuries, and in Woerden it has been held every Saturday morning since 1885, with traditional handjeklap (bartering by slapping hands) negotiations between the region’s cheese farmers and the market master.

Festivals like the cheese markets had been suggested in 2021 for earlier in the Typically Dutch series, but the COVID-19 pandemic had shut down nearly all such activities at that time.

The Design
The Typically Dutch – Cheese Markets stamp sheet features illustrations of large cheeses shaped like wagon wheels. Each stamp features four cheeses lying down and one cheese standing up. The cheeses fill the stamp up to the perforation edges. At the bottom of each stamp is the sorting hook, the year 2023, the country (Nederland) and the denomination (1), which covers items weighing up to 20g destined for the Netherlands.

‘We looked for iconic shapes that best matched the sights we wanted to showcase. For cheese markets, it was logical to choose the iconic wagon wheels,’ said senior graphic designer Adam Lane of Total Design. ‘We tested other shapes too, including cheese balls and pieces of cheese, either flat or triangular. But the wagon wheel best suited the rectangular shape of the stamps.’

For Lane, the cheese market subject is his favourite in the Typically Dutch series this year. ‘I love cheese, you can never eat too much cheese,’ he said.

He admits the high stacks of cheese in the sheet margins [the right side is shown here] are a little exaggerated. ‘Of course, I realise that at real cheese markets they never stack them that high,” he said. ‘But at the market, I noticed that at the beginning of the day, the stacks are still neat, but at the end of the day, they’re a lot untidier — just like on the sheet edge.’

The Typically Dutch – Cheese Markets stamps are available while stocks last at the post office counter in Bruna shops and through the webshop. The stamps can also be ordered by phone from the Collect Club customer service on telephone number +31 (0)88 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite.

Technical Details:
Stamp size: 40 x 30mm:
Sheet size: 122 x 170mm
Paper: normal with phosphor print
Gum: gummed
Printing technique: offset
Printing colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black
Print run: 75,000 sheets
Appearance: sheet of 6 stamps in 6 identical designs
Design: Adam Lane and Edwin van Praet, Total Design, Amsterdam
Printer: Cartor Security Printers, Meaucé-La Loupe, France
Item number: 430662

Windmill Preservation Society (Netherlands 2023)

[from a PostNL press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
De Hollandsche Molen’s 100th Anniversary

Date of issue: 15 May 2023
Format: sheet of 10 personalised stamps in 10 different designs,
denomination 1 for post weighing up to 20g with destinations within the Netherlands
Item number: 830044
Design: Bart de Haas, The Hague

In 2023, Vereniging De Hollandsche Molen [English: ‘The Dutch Windmill Association’] will celebrate its 100th anniversary by drawing attention to the multifaceted significance of windmills in the Netherlands. The ten stamps depict various types of windmills from across the Netherlands, focussing on both construction and technology.

The stamps were designed by Bart de Haas from the Hague. A sheet of ten stamps costs €10.10.

‘De Hollandsche Molen, vereniging tot behoud van molens in Nederland’ [English: ‘The Dutch Windmill, association for the preservation of windmills in the Netherlands’] was founded on 15 May 1923 in Amsterdam. Initially, the association focused on preserving windmills in their economic function. After the World War II, the windmill lost its role as a means of production and the focus shifted to its scenic and historical value.

Thanks to the efforts of De Hollandsche Molen, hundreds of windmills have been preserved and, in many cases, set in motion again. The association advises windmill owners, monitors the proper design of the windmill environment, raises awareness for the windmill and windmill preservation in society, promotes windmill ownership and mediates financial support for restoration and maintenance.

Some 10,000 mills were still in operation in the Netherlands in the 19th century. Of these, 1,200 remain, including polder windmills that can drain excess water from low-lying land (called “polders”) and industrial mills that can grind grain into flour, saw wood into planks and press oil from seeds. These stamps feature examples of the following types of windmill: the octagonal internal turning mill, the octagonal scaffolding mill, the paltrok mill, the watermill (lower beam and middle/upper beam), the post mill, the wip mill, the round stone ground sailor, the round stone tower mill and the round stone scaffolding mill.

The names of the ten windmills featured on the stamp sheet are:

  • De Sluismolen, 1575 (Alkmaar-Koedijk, Noord-Holland)
  • De Wetsinger, 1872 (Wetsinge, Groningen)
  • De Held Jozua, 1719 (Zaandam, Noord-Holland)
  • De Noordmolen, 1347 (Ambt Delden, Overijssel)
  • De Lelie, 1836 (Puttershoek, Zuid-Holland)
  • Tot Voordeel en Genoegen, 1798 (Alphen aan de Maas, Gelderland)
  • De Middelmolen, 1655 (Molenaarsgraaf, Zuid-Holland)
  • Coppensmolen, 1883 (Zeeland, Noord-Brabant)
  • De Hoop, 1808 (Wolphaartsdijk, Zeeland)
  • Bovenste Plasmolen, 1725 (Plasmolen, Limburg)

The De Hollandsche Molen’s 100th anniversary stamps feature cut-outs from photos of ten special windmill parts: five inner parts (inner cross wheel, edge runner stones, track wheel with pinion, sack hoist and a couple of mill stones) and five outer parts (self-turning sail, outer cross wheel, stage and tail beam, scoop wheel and water wheel). The tab next to each stamp [an example is shown on the left here] shows the mill in its entirety, with a colour gradient on the left from blue to green and on the right from blueish green to greyish green. A similar colour gradient is visible on the upper and lower sheet edges.

On the stamps, a geometric frame is placed over each detailed picture, referring to the shape of the windmill in question (octagonal, rectangular or round). Each stamp image was given a layer of colour with a relationship to the windmill’s function, for example yellow for a corn mill and blue for a water mill. The photo area outside of the frame is blurred to make the windmill part inside the frame stand out. Each stamp shows the name and function of the windmill, construction year and name of the windmill component. The tabs specify the windmill type and the province in which it is located.

Windmills are a favourite subject for Dutch stamps. Previously published stamps featuring windmills include the graphic photos on the 1963 Summer Stamps, for example (designed by Cor van Weele) and colourful illustrations on the 2013 Dutch Windmills stamp sheet (designed by Joost Veerkamp). Another stamp sheet in the Typically Dutch series was published last February, featuring an iconic illustration inspired by the Kinderdijk windmills (designed by Total Design).

‘Windmills are typically Dutch, just like clogs, tulips and dykes. You can’t get more Dutch than that,’ says graphic designer Bart de Haas from The Hague, who was responsible for designing the De Hollandsche Molen’s 100th anniversary stamps. ‘We all know what a windmill looks like – the silhouettes in the landscape are imprinted in our collective memory. But we’re much less knowledgeable about the ingenious operation behind the various types of windmill. These latest windmill stamps therefore focus on the technology, featuring photos of the typical parts of a windmill. I also wanted to show a wide variety of windmill types, with as little overlap as possible. The proportions on the stamp sheet more or less match reality. For example, there are many more windmills than water mills in the Netherlands and more corn mills than polder mills.’

Of the ten parts, five come from inside the windmill and five come from the outside. The indoor and outdoor shots are staggered diagonally across the stamp sheet from top to bottom. Some of the parts were an obvious choice, such as the mill stones at De Hoop corn mill, the water wheel at De Bovenste Plasmolen and the edge runner stones at oil mill De Noordmolen.

The photos used were taken by no less than twelve different photographers. ‘They’re all passionate windmill enthusiasts,’ says De Haas. He edited all of the pictures to make the more suitable for the stamps.

The stamps are available while stocks last at www.postnl.nl/bijzondere-postzegels [in Dutch]. The stamps can also be ordered by phone from the Collect Club customer service on telephone number +31 (0)88 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite. The denomination on the stamp is ‘Nederland 1’, for standard letters weighing up to 20g sent to an address within the Netherlands.

Technical Details:
Stamp size: 30 x 40mm (wxh):
Sheet size: 170 x 122 mm (wxh)
Paper: Normal with phosphor print
Gum: Gummed
Printing technique: Offset
Printing colours: Cyan, magenta, yellow, black
Edition: 5,000 sheets
Appearance: Sheet containing 10 personal stamps in 10 different designs
Denomination: Denomination 1 for post weighing up to 20g with destinations within the Netherlands
Design: Bart de Haas, The Hague
Photography: William Bouter, Martin E. van Doornik, Piet Glasbergen, Matthieu Hoogduin, Tony Hop, Bernd Käding, Frank Moerland, Marcel van Nies, Harmannus Noot, Dirk Prince, Martijn Scholtens, Jesse in ’t Veld, J. Vingerhoed, Pieter Zuijkerbuijk
Item number: 830044

Scott U.S. catalogue numbers (May 2023)

5763 (63¢) Art of the Skateboard – Tlingit Athabascan Salmon Design by Crystal Worl
a. Imperforate
5764 (63¢) Art of the Skateboard – Abstract Design by William James Taylor
a. Imperforate
5765 (63¢) Art of the Skateboard – Navajo Design by Di’Orr Greenwood
a. Imperforate
5766 (63¢) Art of the Skateboard – Jaguar Design by MasPaz (Frederico Frum)
a. Imperforate
b. Horiz. or vert. strip of 4, #5763-5766
c. Imperforate horiz. or vert. strip of 4, #5763a-5766a

Peace, The Highest Value Of Humanity (Netherlands 2023)

[from a PostNL press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Peace, The Highest Value Of Humanity

Date of issue: 9 May 2023

A sheet of six stamps in six identical designs marked with ‘Internationaal 1’, the denomination for items up to 20g in weight destined for delivery outside of the Netherlands.

The cooperating postal companies in Europe have been issuing stamps with a common theme for over 65 years, under the auspices of PostEurop, the organisation to which all of the European national postal operators belong. Originally the theme for the 2023 common European stamp issue by all postal services was ‘underwater world’. Because of the war in Ukraine, PostEurop made a different choice for 2022. The underwater topic was moved to 2024 and the new theme became ‘Peace – the Highest Value Of Humanity.’

The Dutch stamps are marked ‘Internationaal 1′, the denomination for items up to 20g in weight destined for delivery outside of the Netherlands. A sheet of six stamps costs €9.90.

Just as in 2016, PostEurop decided to prescribe a common design motif for the 2023 issue. This means there are two competitions attached to this year’s stamp issue. The first, for the design motif, took place in 2022. The second is the EUROPA Stamp Best Design Competition for all stamps that incorporate this design motif.

PostNL’s stamps feature Post Luxembourg’s winning design motif: colourful infinity knots linked together in a double heart shape. The knots end in stylised intertwined hands. The colour palette used symbolises all the nations of the world. According to PostEurop’s jury report, the motif is a visual metaphor for a peaceful society in which cooperation with respect for each other’s culture takes centre stage. Post Luxembourg’s winning entry was created by Linda Bos and Runa Egilsdottir of A Designers Collective.

The design of the Dutch version of the Peace, the Highest Value Of Humanity stamp sheet was created by Bart de Haas from the Hague. He incorporated Post Luxembourg’s design motif into the Dutch stamps and gave it his own twist with, among other things, the typography and the design of the sheet edge.

Using the work of other designers was not difficult in the case of this motif, de Haas explains. ‘On behalf of PostNL, I had also submitted a proposal for the design motif. Our entry and Post Luxembourg’s were actually very similar. They both had a predominantly graphic character, with the same principles of interconnection, colourfulness and universal values. There were also similarities in the form, such as the diagonal orientation with infinite knots, hands and heart shapes. Even the colour palette was almost identical.’

After various experiments, de Haas decided to let thin lines that are based on the infinite knots return at the bottom and the top of the sheet border [below right]. De Haas: ‘I divided the sheet border into vertical strips by extending the perforations with gradient colour bands. In these bands, diagonal hairlines transition into circular shapes. The light blue, orange and green of the bands are based on the shades of the colours on the stamps. They are also graduated to create more three-dimensionality. The light blue bands run down the sides to nicely blend in with the dark blue of the Priority logo. The light blue also has a colour gradient on the stamps and on the tabs, but on the stamps it is horizontal and on the tabs it is vertical. This creates a lattice, just like the infinity knot on the stamps.’

The Peace, the Highest Value of Humanity stamps are available while stocks last at the post office counter in Bruna shops and at shop.postnl.nl/webshop/postzegels [in Dutch]. The stamps can also be ordered by phone from the Collect Club customer service on telephone number +31 (0)88 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite.

Technical Details:
Stamp size: 36 x 25mm:
Sheet size: 108 x 150mm
Paper: normal with phosphor print
Gum: gummed
Printing technique: offset
Printing colours: cyan, magenta, yellow, black and orange
Edition: 60,000 sheets
Appearance: sheet of stamps in 6 equal designs

Celebrating 10 Years of Willem-Alexander’s Reign (Netherlands 2023)

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
10 years King Willem-Alexander: Jubilee Stamps in Bright Orange

The Hague, 28 April 2023 – In 2013, King Willem-Alexander was inaugurated as head of state of the Netherlands. To celebrate his 10th anniversary as king, PostNL is today issuing the stamp sheet ’10 years of King Willem-Alexander’. The stamps feature photographs that are characteristic of the king’s unifying, encouraging and representative role.

On April 30, 2023, it will be 10 years since Crown Prince Willem-Alexander succeeded his mother Queen Beatrix and became King of the Netherlands. The photos on the jubilee stamps clearly illustrate how the king has fulfilled his public role ever since.

Monochrome orange
The stamp sheet contains photos of the King’s Games in 2019, working visits to the Netherlands Institute of Ecology in Wageningen in 2022 and to Sint Maarten in 2013, the state visit to Indonesia in 2020 and the Speech from the Throne in 2022. All photos were originally in color and are transformed into fresh and vibrant orange to draw the images of the different photographers together.

Quotes and keywords
The original color photos have been edited and printed in orange. On the bright orange sheet edge is a large Dutch royal crown that is made up of quotes from speeches by King Willem-Alexander, including his much-discussed and acclaimed speech on Dam Square on May 4, 2020. The quotes continue on to the stamps and follow on from the keywords of King Willem-Alexander’s reign: binding, encouraging and representative.

King of flesh and blood
The design of 10 years of King Willem-Alexander was made by Huub de Lang and Anne Schaufeli of studio026 from Velp. For these jubilee stamps they came up with a design concept that does justice to the monarchy and the personality of the king. “King Willem-Alexander is approachable, open to people and likes to make contact easily,” says Schaufeli. “He is a king of flesh and blood. You can see that in the way he carries out his duties.”

Active and involved
The designers used the keywords unifying, encouraging and representative as criteria for the image selection of characteristic moments from the past 10 years. They chose images with the king as he always shows himself: active and involved. Schaufeli: “It is not a representative chronological overview of 10 years of kingship, but an ode to how King Willem-Alexander gave substance to this. And still does.”

Embossing
The keywords are placed in a layered letter with ‘drop shadow’ over the photos on the stamps. Embossing has been applied in the background on the sheet edge, a printing technique in which parts of the design stand out by means of relief. “All this together strengthens the concept,” says Schaufeli. “It gives the design stature and a chic look, while at the same time giving it a modern interpretation. Classic on the one hand, contemporary on the other. In fact, just like the king.”

Availability
The stamp sheet ’10 years King Willem-Alexander’ has 5 stamps in 5 different designs, with the value indication Nederland 1, intended for mail up to and including 20 grams with a destination within the Netherlands. The stamps will be available from April 28, 2023 at the Bruna stores and via the webshop. The stamps can also be ordered by telephone from the Collect Club customer service on telephone number 088 – 868 99 00. The period of validity is indefinite. The price per sheet with 5 stamps is € 5.05.

 

[in het Nederlands]
10 jaar koning Willem-Alexander: Jubileumpostzegels in feloranje

Den Haag, 28 april 2023 – In 2013 werd koning Willem-Alexander ingehuldigd als staatshoofd van Nederland. Om zijn 10-jarig jubileum als koning te vieren, geeft PostNL vandaag het postzegelvel ‘10 jaar koning Willem-Alexander’ uit. Op de postzegels staan foto’s die kenmerkend zijn voor de samenbindende, aanmoedigende en vertegenwoordigende rol van de koning.

Op 30 april 2023 is het 10 jaar geleden dat kroonprins Willem-Alexander zijn moeder koningin Beatrix opvolgde en Koning der Nederlanden werd. De foto’s op de jubileumpostzegels illustreren duidelijk hoe de koning sindsdien zijn publieke rol vervult.

Monochroom oranje
Op het postzegelvel staan foto’s van de Koningsspelen in 2019, werkbezoeken aan het Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie in Wageningen in 2022 en aan Sint-Maarten in 2013, het staatsbezoek aan Indonesië in 2020 en de Troonrede in 2022. Alle foto’s waren oorspronkelijk in kleur en zijn in fris en levendig oranje omgezet om de beelden van de verschillende fotografen naar elkaar toe te trekken.

Citaten en kernwoorden
De oorspronkelijke kleurenfoto’s zijn bewerkt en in oranje gedrukt. Op de feloranje velrand staat een grote Nederlandse koningskroon die is opgebouwd uit citaten uit toespraken door koning Willem-Alexander, onder meer uit zijn veel besproken en geprezen speech op de Dam op 4 mei 2020. De citaten lopen door naar de postzegels en sluiten aan op de kernwoorden van het koningschap van koning Willem-Alexander: samenbindend, aanmoedigend en vertegenwoordigend.

Koning van vlees en bloed
Het ontwerp van 10 jaar koning Willem-Alexander is gemaakt door Huub de Lang en Anne Schaufeli van studio026 uit Velp. Voor deze jubileumpostzegels bedachten zij een ontwerpconcept dat recht doet aan het koningschap en de persoonlijkheid van de koning. “Koning Willem-Alexander is benaderbaar, staat open voor mensen en legt graag en gemakkelijk contact”, zegt Schaufeli. “Hij is een koning van vlees en bloed. Dat zie je terug in de wijze waarop hij uitvoering geeft aan zijn taken.”

Actief en betrokken
De ontwerpers gebruikten de kernwoorden samenbindend, aanmoedigend en vertegenwoordigend als criteria voor de beeldselectie van karakteristieke momenten uit de afgelopen 10 jaar. Daarbij kozen ze voor beelden met de koning zoals hij zichzelf altijd laat zien: actief en betrokken. Schaufeli: “Het is geen representatief chronologisch overzicht van 10 jaar koningschap, maar een ode aan hoe koning Willem-Alexander daaraan invulling heeft gegeven. En nog steeds doet.”

Preegdruk
De kernwoorden zijn in een gelaagde letter met ‘dropshadow’ over de foto’s op de postzegels geplaatst. In de achtergrond op de velrand is preegdruk toegepast, een druktechniek waarbij delen van het ontwerp door middel van reliëf extra opvallen. “Dat alles samen versterkt het concept”, aldus Schaufeli. “Het geeft het ontwerp statuur en een chique uitstraling, terwijl het tegelijkertijd een moderne invulling kreeg. Enerzijds klassiek, anderzijds eigentijds. Eigenlijk net als de koning.”

Verkrijgbaarheid
Het postzegelvel ‘10 jaar koning Willem-Alexander’ telt 5 postzegels in 5 verschillende ontwerpen, met de waarde aanduiding Nederland 1, bedoeld voor post tot en met 20 gram met een bestemming binnen Nederland. De postzegels zijn vanaf 28 april 2023 verkrijgbaar bij de Bruna-winkels en via de webshop. De postzegels zijn ook telefonisch te bestellen bij de klantenservice van Collect Club op telefoonnummer 088 – 868 99 00. De geldigheidstermijn is onbepaald. De prijs per vel met 5 postzegels is € 5,05.