Sunday Stamps 015: Astronomy on Luxembourg stamps

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Here are my first stamps from Luxembourg:


On the left is probably a 2002 definitive stamp, depicting a 0.20€ coin, valued at 0.20€. I could not find other pertinent details about this stamp, so please, correct me if I'm wrong. On the right is one of the two Europa special stamps issued in 2009 to commemorate the International Year of Astronomy. Incidentally, it is also the 400th anniversary of the first observations made by Galileo with the aid of a telescope, so he is honoured in this stamp.

I learned that EUROPA stamps are not just any other stamps from European countries. They are special stamps issued by European postal administrations/enterprises and bears the official EUROPA logo (here is the new Europa logo), a PostEurop registered trademark under the aegis of PostEurop in which Europe is the central theme. (Source)

The first Europa stamps were issued in 1956 by the 6 founding members/countries: France, Belgium, West-Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Holland. Nowadays, there are more than 50 countries that issue Europa stamps. Until 1973, the stamp design was the same for all countries. In 1974, the rule changed: a theme was proposed and each country was free to have its own design as long as it fits the year subject.  (Source)

7 comments:

Joy said...

I like Europa stamps so interesting to see how different countries interpret a theme, this years theme of Forests has produced some beautiful stamps.

Bob Scotney said...

Fascinating! The information about Europa stamps was all new too me. My two Luxembourg stamps are decidedly drab compared with the ones you've shown.

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

There's a Latvian stamp not unlike the one you show, also Europa. I can't remember the British one for the astronomy theme.

viridian said...

Love the Galileo stamp!!
Thanks for participating!

Marcie said...

The astronomy EUROPE stamps were really great -this year the theme is forrests.

Postcardy said...

That may be 2001 on the left. There is a picture on this site for 2001--I found this site useful when looking up my Icelandic stamps.

http://colnect.com/en/stamps/countries

Dorincard said...

Nice! But Europa is far from becoming "US of Europe". Too much antagonism.

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