Finland stamp issues for 2013

Finland's stamp issue programme for 2013 begins with three new releases on 21 January 2013:

St Valentine's Day

Sweets are an essential part of St. Valentine’s Day all over the world. Designer Sini Henttonen’s St Valentine's Day stamps feature playful landscapes composed of sweets. The Sweet St. Valentine’s Day booklet contains six 1st class stamps and four stickers for brightening up letters and cards.

Sledging

Issued as a foldable sheet of ten stamps. Stamp designer, Georgi Eremenko, wanted to illustrate the joys and light of winter: 'I found inspiration from watching colorfully dressed people sledging in Kaivopuisto Park in Helsinki on a sunny January weekend'.

Orchid

Designed by Susanna Rumpu and Ari Lakaniemi, this 1.10 Euro stamp is equivalent to first-class postage for a letter weighing less than 100g and features a colourful floral design.

• March will see the release of a Centenary of the Union of Finnish Actors booklet (4 March), followed on 8 March by an Easter Rooster stamp sheet designed by Katja Saario. Three popular Finnish garden berries have been chosen as the theme for a roll of 100 stamps to be issued in 2013. The photo-realistic 1st class stamps, designed by illustrator Ossi Hiekkala using acrylic technique, portray the blackberry, the gooseberry, and the red currant. The layout of Garden Berries is designed by Heikki Sallinen.

• Modern times and history shake hands on the Mail Delivery Vehicles stamp sheet to be issued in May. Modern times are represented by a 2012 Ford Transit Cpmmect delivery van, standing next to a row of mailboxes in a sparsely populated area. The other stamp portrays a Volvo LV-70 truck from 1933, found today at the Mobilia automobile and road museum. The 1st class stamps designed by Susanna Rumpu and Ari Lakaniemi will form Finland's contribution to the EUROPA series.

• The Moomins will make an appearance in May, when Itella Posti Oy issues a Moomin Favorites booklet of six stamps. The colorful 1st class stamps designed by graphic artist Satu Lusa will feature Moominpappa, Moomintroll, Moominmamma, Little My, Snorkmaiden, and Snufkin. Satu Lusa wants to emphasize the lively eloquence of Tove Jansson’s drawings and the Moomins’ joy of life.

For further details, visit the Finnish Post Office website.

For all the latest stamp and coin issues, see each issue of Stamp & Coin Mart.