02 July 2019
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This year the Stamps & Philately Working Group of PostEurop launched an innovative: "The Europa Stamps Bird Project 2019".
This project proposed to the interested postal administrations the addition of an Augmented reality (AR) option to their 2019 Europa stamps issue, meaning that each bird stamps of every joining country would be able to be be scanned with a smartphone, leading to additional online content and the chance to purchase the stamp online.
The idea is not new, we already had Europa featuring an AR option. In 2014, the common theme was "Musical instruments - national musical instruments". Finland used AR and offered users the chance to hear the instrument depicted on their stamps when scanned with a smartphone.
This year more than 20 postal administrations joined the Birdproject 2019 including Gibraltar, Guernsey, Ireland, the Isle of Man and Jersey.
It's simple to use, just download the “CEE-App” using Google Play Store for Android devices or App Store for Apple devices. Open your stamp album and scan the 2019 Europa stamps to listen to the birds sing!
And, as I wrote in this column in April, this year’s Russian issue is also adding AR technology to their stamp. Using their own app, you can see the Siberian crane fly and hear his singing.
Is it the future of philately or just a gadget for geeks? I leave you to judge!
