[press release, translated using Google Translate]

The Hague, December 10, 2018 – This Sunday was the day: the first episode of a new TV season “Heel Holland Bakt” at broadcaster MAX. During the broadcast of RTL Late Night on 7 December, jury member Janny van der Heijden was surprised with special stamps on the occasion of the start of the 6th season.

Passionate amateur bakers
In the popular TV series “Heel Holland Bakt”, André van Duin, Jannyvan der Heijden and Robèrt Beckhoven go in search of the Netherlands’ mosttalented home baker. In 8 broadcasts, 10 passionate amateur bakers compete forhonor. Ultimately, there is only one winner, namely the one who, according tothe professional jury, best controls all baking disciplines.

From meringue to cheesecake
To celebrate the start of the 6th season PostNL has issued a “Heel HollandBakt” mail set. The post set consists of 5 maxi cards and a stamp sheetwith 5 different stamps. On the cards and on the stamps are colorful picturesof popular cakes and pastries: a meringue with currants and blueberries, acherry chocolate cake, an apple pie in rose form, a foam cake with raspberries,blackberries and blueberries and a cheesecake with figs. The stamp sheetletcontains a large photo of the entire jury of “Heel Holland Bakt.”

‘Fantastic’
Janny van der Heijden received the stamp sheet Friday in RTL Late Night.”Wow, I had not seen them yet. What have they become beautiful, fantastic!”

Availability
The postset “Heel Holland Bakt” consists of 5 maxi cards and a stampsheet with 5 different personal stamps with the value indication Nederland 1,intended for mail up to and including 20 grams with a destination within theNetherlands. The mail set costs 8.95 and can be ordered via www.postnl.nl/HeelhollandBakt since 7 December. The mail set can also be ordered by telephone at CollectClub’s customer service on telephone number 088 – 868 99 00. The period ofvalidity is undetermined.

“Vintage with a dash of kitsch and glitter.” The following was translated using Google Translate and will be replaced by the official PostNL English translation when we get it.

The December stamps of PostNL were designed this year by Sanny van Loon. The illustrator from Amsterdam is known for the cheerful and colorful work that she makes for Flow Magazine. Her illustrations are also popular on Instagram.

Each stamp sheet contains 20 December stamps in ten different designs. Sanny’s specific style in the 10 illustrations is clearly recognizable with color areas and some line details. In her work so-called half-colors, which she constantly composes herself, play an important role. For the December stamps she combined golden yellow, warm red and Christmas green with ice blue.

More text to come.

[press release]
Sowing, growing and harvesting on a postage stamp The Hague, 19 October 2018 – The Dutch Post Office (PostNL) released 6 new stamps today, featuring vegetable gardens in The Netherlands. A variety of vegetables are pictured on the Mijn groentetuin (My vegetable garden) postage stamp sheet in various cultivation stages: sowing, growing and harvesting.

Typography
The vegetables are photographed from various vantage points. The typography on the photo has been placed into a square block on each stamp. Different font sizes have been used within the block, causing the word LAND to increase in size, thereby pushing out the other text.

Mini-calendar
Vegetable gardens can be found everywhere in The Netherlands: as a part of an ornamental garden, as a separate vegetable garden, in allotment gardens and as a nursery or horticultural business. The Mijn groentetuin (My vegetable garden) stamp features 6 vegetables: oak leaf lettuce (leafy greens), eggplant (fruiting vegetables), fennel (bulbous vegetables), radish (root vegetables), sweet potato (root vegetables) and turnip greens (leafy greens). There is a mini-calendar incorporated into the edges of each postage stamp, with a description of which months are best for sowing or harvesting the respective vegetable, both in the greenhouse and in open soil.

Proud of the garden
The Mijn groentetuin (My vegetable garden) stamps were developed by De Vormforensen in Arnhem, comprised of Anne-Marie Geurink and Annelou van Griensven. In their design the vegetable garden is represented so that the various vegetable cultivation stages are clearly visible. Pride in one’s garden must also be emphasised. “That’s why it’s my vegetable garden and not the vegetable garden”, says Van Griensven. She tells how nothing is staged or neatly raked-over during the photography session. “We want to see the beauty of things the way they are. At most we placed a leaf somewhere else so as to better showcase the potato, for example.

Matched colours
The vegetables were selected based on what the developers thought would be pretty to show. The colours also had to go together. Geurink: “We opted for a mix of oak leaf lettuce as the base vegetable, the hipper sweet potato, the unknown turnip greens, the increasingly popular fennel, the almost surreal eggplant and the good old radish.”

Availability
The Mijn groentetuin (My vegetable garden) stamp series has 6 different stamps with the value Nederland 1 (The Netherlands 1), intended for post weighing up to 20 grams to a destination within the Netherlands. The postage stamps will be available starting on 19 October at Bruna post offices and at www.postnl.nl/bijzondere-postzegels. You can also order the stamps over the phone from the Collect Club customer service department at 088 – 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite.

[press release]
Mushrooms play leading role on autumn sheetlet of ‘Experience Nature’ stamp series

The Hague, 18 September 2018 – This year, PostNL is issuing the ‘Experience Nature’ stamp series. There is a ten-stamp sheetlet for each season. Today marks the publication of the fourth and final stamp series of the year. This autumn edition of the stamp series is dedicated to mushrooms.

Design
The autumn stamps feature ten types of mushrooms that we may encounter in our country. The photographs used are ‘portraits’ of these mushrooms in their natural environment. Most images run almost imperceptibly through onto the adjacent stamp. This creates natural contact between the mushrooms, as if they appear next to each other in the same wood, which would not be the case in reality.

The beauty of nature
Through the Experience Nature stamp sheetlet, PostNL pays homage to the diversity of nature in our country. Stephan van den Eijnden, PostNL’s Commercial Director for Mail: “Mushrooms are the visible parts of fungi. The fungi are often as invisible as mushrooms are visible and abundant in shape and colour. The colours and shapes come to life on this stamp sheetlet.”

Thousands of photos
For the ‘Experience Nature’ series, graphic designer Frank Janse from Gouda selected around one thousand photographs for each of the four stamp sheetlets. He narrowed these down to a shortlist consisting of around a hundred images, from which he chose the ten photographs that made it onto each stamp sheetlet. He was guided by both the beauty of the photograph and the special characteristics of the depicted plants, animals and mushrooms. The photographs are the work of amateur photographers who send their best images to the PIXFACTORY websites.

Availability
The ‘Experience Nature – Mushrooms’ stamp sheetlet consists of ten different stamps marked with ‘Nederland 1’, the denomination for items up to 20g in weight destined for mail in the Netherlands. The stamps are available from 17 September at all post offices and online at postnl.nl/bijzondere-postzegels. 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.

[press release]
Stamps featuring iconic buildings in the New Construction style

The Hague, 17 September 2018 – PostNL’s newest set of architecture stamps celebrates the ‘New Construction’ construction style, also known as functionalism. This architectural style was characterised by its functionality, lack of unnecessary decoration and use of modern techniques, as well as the incorporation of modern building materials such as concrete, steel and glass.

Pure proportions, symmetry and repetition
New Construction was most popular between 1916 and 1935. Architects sought to achieve beauty through pure proportions, symmetry and repetition. New Construction is recognisable by its flat roofs, white plastered façades, light, air and space.

Five distinctive buildings
The ten stamps on the New Construction Architecture stamp sheetlet feature black and white pictures of five buildings that are characteristic of this style: the Coöperatie De Volharding office building in The Hague (1928), the Zonnestraal (“Sunbeam”) sanatorium in Hilversum (1928), the Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam (1931), the houses on Erasmuslaan in Utrecht designed by Gerrit Rietveld (1931) and the Schunck Glaspaleis (“Glass Palace”) department store in Heerlen (1933).

White plasterwork
The stamps feature both a general view and a detail from the architectural drawing or floor plan of each building. Rotterdam-based graphic designer Ariënne Boelens decided to use black and white images to highlight the key role of white plaster in the New Construction style. “I also paid homage to the twenties in the typography by using a font that was very popular at that time,” Boelens explains. “A bit bombastic, with many combinations of bold, fine and double lines.”

Architecture series
The New Construction Architecture stamp sheet is the second sheet in the architecture series issued by PostNL. The first stamps, issued in 2017, were dedicated to the period of reconstruction after World War II. “We want to take this opportunity to showcase the fantastic buildings that were constructed in the last century,” says Stephan van den Eijnden, marketing director for Mail at PostNL. “There’s a good reason why Dutch architects have such a high profile in other countries. Their most important works from the twentieth century can still be admired today across the country – and on our stamps.”

Availability
The New Construction Architecture sheetlet consists of 10 stamps with five designs, all marked with Nederland 1, the denomination for mail weighing up to 20g destined for delivery to an address in the Netherlands. The stamps are available as of 17 September 2018 from the post office counter in Bruna stores and online at postnl.nl/bijzondere-postzegels. 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.

[press release]
The Dutch guilder as a cultural symbol

The Hague, 20 July 2018 The guilder was succeeded by the euro on 1 January 2002, following 700 years of loyal service. On 23 July, PostNL is issuing 10 stamps featuring 10 special guilder coins and guilder notes.

Largest collection in the Netherlands
The coins and notes originate from the National Numismatic Collection (NNC), which is managed by De Nederlandsche Bank. It is the largest collection of coins, paper money, medals and related objects in the Netherlands. The guilder naturally plays an important role in this collection. The history of the Dutch guilder spans over 700 years. The first guilders were used in the Low Countries from the year 1300, at a time when they were still coined in Florence.

The first as well as the last
The stamps feature a golden lily guilder from 1355, one of the first guilders coined in the Netherlands. Other stamps in the issue include the paper emergency coin of Leiden from 1574, the proof coinage of a silver state guilder from 1680, a 1,000-guilder note also called the red back, from 1860, a paper two and a half guilder coin from 1949, the Lieftinck 10-guilder note from 1945 and the last issued 10-guilder note, the kingfisher from 1997.

Numismatic references
The Remarkable money – the Dutch guilder issue was designed by graphic designer Michaël Snitker from Amsterdam. His design includes many references to the history of the Dutch guilder, including the die position of guilder coins and the complex geometrical patterns on guilder notes. Snicker: “We wanted to display the money by telling a story, using exclusive coins and notes from various periods. The National Numismatic Collection includes incredibly beautiful material, a reflection of our country’s rich numismatic history. The Netherlands has a strong tradition of designing coins and banknotes. The role of money as a cultural symbol has been particularly striking in the twentieth century. This also applies to stamps, of course. That is what makes their combination in this issue so special”.

Availability
The Remarkable money – the Dutch guilder sheetlet contains 10 different stamps marked with ‘Nederland 1’, the denomination for items up to 20g in weight destined for delivery in the Netherlands. The stamps are available as of 23 July from the post office counter in Bruna stores and online. 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.

[There’s a lot of detail in this design, so here’s a larger illustration:]

[press release]
De Fabeltjeskrant features on stamps and returns to television

PostNL has issued five new stamps featuring Meneer de Uil (Mister Owl) from De Fabeltjeskrant (The Daily Fable). The stamp sheetlet represents the first in a series of stamps comprising a total of 25 characters from the old children’s programme that was so popular.

New golden frame personal stamp
PostNL is issuing the stamps on the occasion of the introduction of the new golden frame for personal stamps, designed by type designer Martin Majoor from Arnhem. Meneer de Uil was chosen because De Fabeltjeskrant was first broadcast 50 years ago.

Comeback in the cinema and on TV
De Fabeltjeskrant will make a comeback later this year with a brand new animated film in the cinema. The first television episodes will be ready in 2019. The new series will take the form of a digital animation that will resemble the appearance of the former puppet series as closely as possible. The film will provide parents and grandparents with a feast of recognition, also in terms of the voices and characters.

Powerful and muted
The De Fabeltjeskrant 50th anniversary – Meneer de Uil issue will depict the felt puppet from the original series. The background of the sheetlet features the front page of a double-folded edition of De Fabeltjeskrant. The design of the new stamps was produced by graphic designer Sandra Smulders from Gouda. She designed a separate stamp for each of the 25 characters, with their own newspaper and distinctive colours. “Always colours that not only match the character, but that are also consistent with the period in which De Fabeltjeskrant was created”, explains Smulders. “Powerful, but also sober and muted, which conjures up a sense of nostalgia.”

A nod to current events
Stephan van den Eijnden, commercial director Mail at PostNL, has always been a big fan of De Fabeltjeskrant. “With these unique stamps we are also paying tribute to the special character of De Fabeltjeskrant”, Van den Eijnden remarks. “Whole generations of children grew up with it. And in fact whole generations of adults as well, who enjoyed the nod to current events and to the changing society in the Netherlands.”

Availability
The De Fabeltjeskrant 50th anniversary – Meneer de Uil sheetlet contains five personal stamps marked with ‘Nederland 1’, the denomination for items up to 20g in weight destined for delivery in the Netherlands. The stamps are available as of 23 July 2018 from the post office counter in Bruna stores and online. 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.

On Saturday 29 September the Fabeltjesland, a journey through 50 years of De Fabeltjeskrant exhibition opens at LP2 on the Wilhelminapier in Rotterdam.

[press release]
Insects play leading part in summer version of ‘Experience Nature’ stamp series

The Hague, 4 June 2018 – PostNL will be issuing the new ‘Experience Nature’ stamp series this year. There will be a ten-stamp sheetlet for each season. The third stamp series will appear today. This summer edition of the stamp series is devoted to insects. The autumn version of this stamp series, with mushrooms, will follow in October.

The summer stamps feature 10 insects we may encounter in our country. The photographs used are ‘portraits’ of these insects in their natural environment. Most images run almost imperceptibly through onto the adjacent stamp. This makes it seem like the insects live side by side in the same habitat.

The beauty of nature
With the ‘Experience Nature’ stamp series, PostNL pays tribute to the diversity of nature in our country. “The stamps in this series show Dutch nature on its best behaviour,” says Stephan van den Eijnden, PostNL’s Commercial Director for Mail. “After the reptiles & amphibians and the wildflowers, 10 insects are showing themselves in their best light. A promising run-up to the fourth sheetlet, which will be appearing this autumn.”

Thousands of photos
For the ‘Experience Nature’ series, graphic designer Frank Janse from Gouda selected around one thousand photographs for each of the four stamp sheetlets. He narrowed these down to a shortlist consisting of around a hundred images, from which he chose the ten photographs that made it onto each stamp sheetlet. He was guided by both the beauty of the photograph and the special characteristics of the depicted plants and animals. The photographs are the work of amateur photographers who send their best images to the PIXFACTORY websites.

Availability
The ‘Experience Nature – Insects’ stamp sheetlet consists of ten different stamps marked with ‘Nederland 1’, the denomination for items up to 20g in weight destined for mail in the Netherlands. The stamps are available from 4 June at all post offices and online at postnl.nl/bijzondere-postzegels and can also be ordered by calling the Collect Club customer service on 088 – 868 99 00, The stamps are valid until further notice.

[press release]
Beautiful Netherlands 2018: walking through cities with city gates

The Hague, 4 June 2018 – In 2018, as part of the stamps series ‘Beautiful Netherlands’, PostNL will be highlighting the monumental city gates that our country boasts. Today, two stamp sheetlets with the Nobelpoort of Zierikzee and the Binnenpoort of Culemborg, as well as an assembled stamp sheetlet, appear. The assembled stamp sheetlet also features the city gates on the stamps about Vianen, Bergen op Zoom, and Hattem, which appeared previously. The ‘Beautiful Netherlands 2018’ series was designed by visual artist Jan Rothuizen.

The artist drew the outlines of the city gates on the stamps with a black pen against a white background. The background of each stamp sheetlet shows a perspective drawing in red or blue of a map of the surrounding area.Strong involvement
By means of his written and drawn records, Rothuizen has made a report in words and images of his walk through each city, the buildings he saw, and the people he met. “In each city, I noticed the strong involvement of the inhabitants with their residence, how much they know about its history, and how eager they are to tell wonderful stories about it,” the artist said.

Rooted in society
Since 2005, the ‘Beautiful Netherlands’ series has been paying tribute to local history, cultural treasures, and scenic beauty. Stephan van den Eijnden, commercial director Mail of PostNL: “This way, we want to show that our business is rooted in Dutch society. City gates are proof of a past in which cities were walled to protect them. Fortunately, these days are over, but beautiful city gates have been preserved throughout the Netherlands. And now, five special ones can be found on stamps!”

Availability
Each stamp sheetlet from the ‘Beautiful Netherlands 2018’ series consists of five stamps marked with ‘Nederland 1’, the denomination for items up to 20g in weight destined for delivery in the Netherlands. The assembled stamp sheetlet will be available at post offices in Bruna shops as well as via postnl.nl/collectclub from 4 June. As from today, the stamp sheetlets about Zierikzee and Culemborg can be bought in their own regions and online. The stamps can also be ordered from the Collect Club customer service by calling 088 – 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite.

[press release]
Art in Groningen: 10 stamps celebrating 100 years of De Ploeg

2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the De Ploeg artists’ society foundation in Groningen. PostNL commemorates the avant-garde in the north of our country with stamps using artwork from De Ploeg members. These new stamps were designed by Studio Joost Grootens in Amsterdam.

The stamp sheetlet 100 years De Ploeg shows 20 paintings and other works of art by artists such as Jan Altink, Johan Dijkstra, George Martens, Alida Pott and Jan Wiegers. Works of art by these artists and other members of De Ploeg are also being displayed in a major retrospective exhibition in the Groninger Museum entitled Avant-garde in Groningen, De Ploeg 1918-1928. The exhibition runs from 26 May until 4 November 2018.

Younger artists
The artists’ association De Ploeg was founded in 1918 as a response to the artistic climate in the city of Groningen. The younger artists wanted more opportunities to exhibit their own work. Although De Ploeg continued to exist as an active association up to the present day, its artistic heyday was the 1920s. Therefore artwork from this time period is chosen for the stamp sheetlet 100 years De Ploeg.

Multifaceted and interconnected
In close consultation with the Groninger Museum representative artwork was selected to be depicted on the stamps. “You can see clearly how multifaceted and creative that period’s artists were,” says Stephan van den Eijnden, Commercial Director Mail PostNL. “They had a very strong interconnection. That’s for example deductible from the large number of portraits they made of each other.”

Availability
The stamp sheetlet 100 years de Ploeg features 10 different stamps marked with Nederland 1, the denomination for mail weighing up to 20g that is to be delivered to an address in The Netherlands. The stamps are available from 22 May onwards at the postoffice counter in Bruna stores and online at www.postnl.nl/bijzondere-postzegels. Stamps can also be ordered by calling the Collect Club customer service line on 088 – 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite.