The Åland postage stamp issue Tall Ships Races 2021 designed by artist Juha Pykäläinen has been voted most beautiful European stamp of 2021. The award, presented by the prestigious German philatelic journal Deutsche Briefmarken-Revue, was announced in a prize ceremony at the international stamp fair in Essen.
Every year, Deutsche Briefmarken-Revue, one of the oldest industry magazines for philately and stamps in Germany, organizes a vote among the the stamp collectors for the most beautiful stamp of Europe. The latest vote concluded on 31 March 2023 and revealed that the collectors had voted the Åland Post’s stamp issue Tall Ships Races 2021 to first place. Luxembourg came in second place, while Germany secured third place. This was Åland’s first win in the competition.
Released on 23 July 2021, the Tall Ships Races miniature sheet pays tribute to Åland’s sailing traditions illustrating a bustling harbour with the museum ship Pommern as one of the ships. Juha Pykäläinen is one of Åland Post’s foremost stamp artists, and his stamp designs have been chosen as the most beautiful Åland stamp issue of the year on several occasions.
Watch the stamp film, in which Juha Pykäläinen talks about his work with the issue The Tall Ships Races.
Place orders for the miniature sheet in the web shop.
Photo above: Jan Billion, Deutsche Briefmarken-Revue, Emile Espen, Post Luxembourg, Gunilla Häggblom, Åland Post, Bettina Walter and Bernd Meyer, Deutsche Post.