2005 stamp issues of Finland

Postage stamp issues in 2005

A total of 23 stamp issues, comprising 46 different postage stamps, will be issued by Finland post in 2005. Two of these are so-called personalised stamps.
Various centennials are the subject office issues. Finnish architecture, delicacies from Lapland and the very popular game of golf are among the other subjects of the issues. Nature and sports are also featured on stamp issues. September 2004 marked the 60th anniversary of the end of the Continuation War, while March 2005 marks the 65th anniversary of the end of the Winter War. The peace is celebrated with a stamp dedicated to the veterans of our wars.
With the exception of three 2nd Class coil stamps, and the Christmas stamp denominated at the special Christmas card rate all stamps to be issued in 2005 are priced at 65 cents each.

January: centennials and friendship

The stamp year 2005 commences on 14 January with the issue of the stamp booklet 'With Friendship'. The four stamps in the booklet all feature toys. On the same day, 14 January, Finland Post will issue four other issues as well, all celebrating centennials. The quadricentennial of the city of Oulu will be honoured with two stamps, the centennial of the city of Lahti also with two stamps. Next year marks the tercentennial of the first almanac in Finnish, and the Rotary Centennial. Both jubilees will be celebrated with a stamp.

March: Hvitträsk sets, a stamp for veterans and an Easter stamp

A stamp to be issued on 2 march, illustrated with a photograph of a wounded soldier and a Lotta field nurse dressing his wounds taken during the Finnish Winter War, is dedicated to the veterans of Finland's wars. On the same day Finland Post will also issue a stamp for Easter greetings, featuring a small Easter witch, and two sets of coil stamps on Hvitträsk, a group of buildings in the National Romantic style located at Kirkkonummi near Helsinki. The architectural masterpiece, designed by famous architects Herman Gesellius, Eliel Saarinen and Armas Lindgren as studio facilities and dwellings for their own use, is featured on six stamps. The stamps are non-denominated 1st and 2nd Class coil stamps, sold in coils of 100 stamps. The three 1st Class stamps alternate on the one coil, the three 2nd Class stamps on the other one.

May: sports and gastronomy

Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the arrival of first bus in Finland: this event is celebrated with a postage stamp. The bus stamp will be issued on 11 May 2005.
The same day also sees the issue of a stamp dedicated to the World Championships in Athletics 2005 and of one featuring apple blossoms. On that day Finland Post will also issue a booklet on horses and ponies, and a miniature sheet on the immensely popular game of golf. The booklet and the miniature sheet both comprise four stamps. The final issue on 11 May is a Europe issue with two stamps on the subject of gastronomy. The stamps feature delicacies from Lapland e.g. sautéed reindeer and breast of willow ptarmigan.

September: icebreakers, Petäjävesi Old Church and the delicious Cloudberry

The stamp series featuring berries with economic importance will be continued on 7 September with a stamp featuring the Cloudberry. The same day will also see a new issue in the series presenting Finnish items on the UNESCO List of World Heritage: a miniature sheet comprising four stamps on the Petäjävesi Old Church. The third issue of the day presents icebreakers. The stamp booklet of four presents the icebreakers Urho, Otso, Fennica and Botnica. The vessels each represent one generation of Finnish icebreakers.

October: an issue on the Jubilee Year of the Finnish postage stamp, and Christmas stamps

A miniature sheet dedicated to the history of the Finnish postage stamp will be issued on 28 October: it celebrates the l50th anniversary of the issue of the first Finnish postage stamp.
The annual Christmas stamps will also be issued on 28 October. Mr. Mauri Kunnas designs these stamps.

Five new postage stamp designers

The designer of the stamp booklet "With Friendship", Tita Rossi, the designer of the stamps celebrating the quadricentennial of Oulu, Mr Raimo Ahonen, and the designer of the stamp honouring our veterans, MrTimo Berry, are all new stamp artists. The miniature sheet on golf was designed and photographed by Mr Oskari Hellman and Mr Pasi Räsämäki. This is their first stamp design as well. The other designers of 2005 stamps are: Tapani Aartomaa, leena Airikkala, Erik Bruun, Asser Jaaro, Pirkko Juvonen-Sandborg, Kaisu Klemetti, Virpi Pekkala, Pekka Piippo, Katriina Viljamaa-Rissanen, Ari lakaniemi and Susanna Rumpu.

Personalised postage stamps

Also in 2005 Finland Post will issue two new stamp frames available to customers ordering personalised stamps. On the same day Finland Post will also issue two stamps featuring these new frames. The pictorial subjects of these stamps have not yet been decided.

More information

Postage Stamps 2004
Stamps of Finland
Bronze Age
Gulf of Finland 2004 Stamps
Customised stamp
Beloved work of art