Åland Post is pleased to announce that the Åland stamp featuring the Viking Market has been chosen as the most beautiful 2023 Sepac stamp. The online vote was arranged by SEPAC, the co-operative body for the small postal administrations in Europe, that issues postage stamps on a common theme every year. The 2023 theme was traditional markets, and Åland's contribution gained attention among European collectors.
Åland Post’s Sepac stamp was released 27 July 2023 and captures folk life and the unique atmosphere at the Viking Market, one of the most popular Åland summer markets.
Åland photographer and stamp debutante Alice Åkerblom decided to focus on the softer and gentler aspect – women and children – rather than on the more traditional battle scenes, a design that attracted the collectors, giving the Åland stamp around 39 % of all votes cast. The stamp issued by Greenland won second place, while Malta's contribution captured third place.
The Viking Market takes place in Kvarnbo village in Saltvik on Åland during three days in July every year. Visitors are treated to everything from handicraft stalls selling textiles, ironwork and leather goods, and Viking-style food and drink, to demonstrations of dancing, music, and combat.
With this year's win, Åland wins the title as the most beautiful Sepac stamp of the year for the third time.
The vote ran from September 2023 to January 2024 on the Sepac website Stamp Competition – 2023/24 – Traditional Markets | SEPAC Stamps with a total of 9 stamps from 9 different small European countries and regions up for vote.
SEPAC is an organisation for the small European postal administrations which have been issuing stamps on a joint theme since 2007. Today, the organisation consists of 12 members, most of which issue their own Sepac stamps every year. The current members are the Åland Islands, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, and the Vatican City. For more information about the SEPAC cooperation and its members, please visit www.sepacstamps.eu.
Order stamps in the webshop at https://alandstamps.com/en, by post to Åland Post Stamps, P.O. box 1100, AX-22111 Mariehamn, Åland, Finland, e-mail stamps@alandpost.com or telephone: +358 18 636 639.