Ringed seal (Phoca hispida) is slightly smaller than the harbor seal. This species has a circumpolar distribution and is by far the largest seal stock in the Artic. It is a common vagrant in Iceland, especially in the north. Most often they come alone or in a flock of few, in most cases adult males.

The ringed seal reaches a length of 190 cm and can weight up to 100 kilos The male is somewhat larger than the female. The ringed seal get their name by silvery rings on its back and light rings on the side of their coat.

(read more)

published February 18th, 2011

World Wide Fund for Nature will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. On this occasion Iceland Post is issuing 4 stamps with endangered birds as motifs. A comprehensive survey of endangered birds was first issued in the year 2000 listing 32 bird species which account for 42% of all Icelandic breeding birds.

Not all these species are in immediate danger of extinction. Barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) migrates mainly from northern regions. These birds stop over in Iceland for some weeks every year. The breeding population has increased somewhat in the last few decades.

Common scoter (Melanitta nigra) is one of the rarer species of ducks breeding in Iceland. It is a migratory bird and is wholly protected in Iceland.

White-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) is a migratory bird in Iceland. The population numbers around 25.000 birds and has been decreasing during the last decade.

Gadwall (Anas strepera) was probably first seen in Iceland in the 19th century. It is estimated that the breeding population numbers 200–300 pairs, mainly around Mývatn. It is a migratory birg with its main winter quarters in I reland. It is wholly protected in Iceland.

The stamps are issued in cooperation with the World Wide Fund for Nature and the logo of the panda is included. Further information on:  www.worldwildlife.org/

Value of the stamps is 50 g domestic (ISK 75) and 50 g to Europe (ISK 165).

Designer: Örn Smári Gíslason.

Photographs: Jóhann Óli Hilmarsson (Barnacle goose, White-fronted goose and Common scoter) and Graham Eaton (Gadwall).

published February 17th, 2011

Lucky winner of EUR 6,000 drawn

Since 1996 a number of small European Postal Administrations have cooperated in a group called SEPAC. Today this group includes Aland, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Guernsey, Iceland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City. All the members of the group have small home markets and face the same challenges, making it natural to cooperate.

Twice, in 2007 and 2009, the SEPAC members have issued postage stamps according to a common theme: Sceneries.

On 6^th May 2010 SEPAC launched a voting contest among all 2007 and 2009 SEPAC stamps. Voters from all over the world were invited to cast one vote each for the most beautiful SEPAC stamp. This election ran until 30^th October 2010. Votes were to be cast online at the SEPAC website www.sepacstamps.eu (read more)

published February 6th, 2011

The Icelandic Christmas stamps 2010 have been designed with a graphic technique called copper edging.

The design is based on the Advent wreath. The main theme is the circular form in the colours of winter, the circle also symbolizing the earth, its seasons and infinity.

On one stamp the circle is covered with snow crystals, on the other with snow flakes. Interwoven with the theme on both stamps are the Icelandic birds of winter, the snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis). (read more)

published November 27th, 2010

SEPAC stands for Small European Postal Administration Cooperation

The Sepac group is an active group of philatelic professionals that get together on annual basis to discuss innovative ways to further promote philately and of course attract new collectors, especially younger ones to the hobby of stamp collecting.

At present the SEPAC group as it is known worldwide, has 14 active members that pariticpate in their conferences and exciting joint stamp issue releases, the third joint issue which is due to be issued in September 2011!

The member countries are Aland, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Guernsey, Iceland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liechenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco San Marino and recently added is Vatican.  

The history of SEPAC dates back to 1994, when philatelic agent Mr Paolo de Rosa initiated an annual conference for the small postal administrations, which he represented, in order to discuss various (read more)

published October 6th, 2010

Iceland Post has started selling and distributing bottled messages – “Message in a  Bottle“. These items which can be purchased in post offices are amusing message holders made to be sent as mail to friends and relatives in Iceland and abroad. The item consists of a plastic bottle (26 g) with a nice picture from Iceland on one side and an address label on the other. 

(read more)

published September 2nd, 2010

Amazing to say the least but according to recent news released by Iceland Post, the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano will get its own stamp in 2010. Many of the hundreds of thousands of travellers will certainly not be running to the Post Office to buy the stamps but one thing is for sure, Iceland Post does know how to attract the attention of collectors worldwide in recent years as these stamps will be surely featured in news bulletin across the World shortly. (read more)

published June 27th, 2010