Philatelic History of the Faroe Islands

The philatelic history of the Faroe Islands is related to the Danish metropolis . Since the emission of the first postage stamp Danish until postal autonomy of 1975, the Faroe ones used the Danish emissions, except twice.

The postal Administration of the islands is the Postverk Føroya, having one independence with regard to Post Danmark. It is full member of PostEurop and the Sepac, and takes part in the joint emissions of these entities, like the emission Europa of the first.

Provisional stamps

In January 1919, the postage rate increases by 5 øre with 7 øre. However, the boat which brought the new stamps of 7 øre, is delayed. The post office of the chief town Tórshavn obtains by telegraph the authorization to overload stamps of 5 øre green to the effigy of the king Christian X to decrease their value with 2 øre. This allowed between the January 12th and the January 24th 1919 to frank the letters with two stamps of 5 øre, including one overloaded “2 øre” in black. This stamp reappears on a local emission in 1979 for the series Europa on “the History of the post office”.

During the Second world war, because of the occupation of the Denmark by the German troops , the British army occupies the archipelago. The persons in charge of the stations with Tórshavn decide to increase the postage rates and to overload their stocks of consequently stamps:

1 øre green-black of the type corrugated Line overloaded “20”;
5 øre Bordeaux wine of the same type overloaded “20”;
15 red øre of the standard Caravel overloaded “20”;
5 øre Bordeaux wine overloaded “50”;
6 øre orange-yellow of corrugated the Line type overloaded “60”.

35.000 stamps were overloaded twice in 1940, then in 1941 by the printing works of H.N. Jacobsen, with Tórshavn. These two emissions are différenciables by light variations of spaces between the figures.

Postal autonomy since 1975

The Faroe Islands obtained a local autonomy after the Second world war. The right to emit local stamps intervenes only in 1975, with the January 10th a current series of seven different stamps. Their topics are those which will illustrate the following emissions: charts of the archipelago, landscapes maritime, mountainous landscapes, local dwellings. These topics were supplemented quickly by the ships, the insular culture, fauna and the flora. Starting from second half of the Years 1990, several series illustrated the tales and legends local and Scandinavian, as well as the history of Faroese Christianity (churches, biblical scenes).

The official autonomy of the postal service is celebrated on April 1st 1976 with the first stamp presenting the Faroese flag created in 1940: Scandinavian Cross red surrounded by Blue on a White bottom . On the other hand, the reigning family of Denmark seldom appears: the queen Margrethe II on a block of 1997, and celebration of the princely marriage of May 2004.

Currently, the postal administration of Faroe, the Postverk Føroya, emit approximately twenty stamps each year, all on topics directly related to the country.

List few topics emitted by the post office of the Faroe Islands

Tales, legends and Scandinavian Mythology

medieval ballade “Harra Paetur and Elinborg”, 1982;
fairy tales, 1984;
Ballade “Skrimsla”, 1986;
the Ballade of Brusajókil, 1994;
Europa, series Tales and legends, 1997;
the song of Brunehilde, 1998;
Völuspá ( Vøluspá into Faroese), prediction of conspicuous, 2003.

History

pinions of pews of Kirkjubøur, wood carved, 1980, 1984, 2001;
written historical, series of five stamps, 1981;
Europa, series “Historical events”, migrations of the Viking S in the North Sea, 1982;
forwarding to sir John Stanley in 1789 with Faroe, 1985;
100 years of the meeting of Christmas to Tórshavn, the December 26th 1888, 1988;
Europa, the Discovery of the America, 1992; The stamp had a great success because it presented one of the caravels of Christophe Colomb, but also the Bateau Viking of Leif Erikson (Leivur Eiriksson into Faroese);
Europa, Europe and its discoveries, 1994;
Holy Olav II, 1995;
600 years of the Union of Kalmar, 1997;
1000 years of Christianity in the Faroe Islands, 2000.

Biblical scenes

stamps of Christmas, Adam and Eve, the Annunciation, 1999;
Christmas, escape of Marie and Joseph, birth of Jesus, 2000.

See too

Internal bonds

Invertebrate Faroe Islands
on stamps of the Faroe Islands, example of emissions of stamps.
Astrid Andreasen, one of the dessinatrices of stamps of the Faroe one.

External bonds

The post office of the Faroe Islands maintains several philatelic and cultural sites:

stamps.fo
faroestamps.fo
faroeartstamps.fo
tjatsi.fo

Random links: