Is This The Last FDC From Iceland?? --- Maybe Not, After All!! Christmas 2019

Item Specifics

Country

Iceland

Catalog Number

1507 - 1508

Stamp Type

General Issue

Condition

First Day Cover

Stamp Format

Single

Topic

Holidays & Christmas

Year of Issue

2019

Item Description

Back in August 2019, POSTPHIL - the philatelic service branch of Iceland Post that sells stamps to collectors worldwide - announced that they would be closing that department at the end of 2019, thereby making the acquisition of new issues, officially-serviced FDCs, and other philatelic products, nearly impossible for those of us outside the country.

That makes this FDC for Iceland's 2019 Christmas stamps what we thought was possibly the last collector-cacheted cover to receive Iceland's special pictorial first day of issue cancels, now that philatelic services are ending.

But Iceland's announcement was slightly premature - in the Spring of 2020 they announced they will issue new stamps until the program ends in October 2020.

So this cover is actually NOT the end of the long string of 'Puffin Cachets' FDCs that I have been sending to Iceland for servicing since 1988.  I had a terrific relationship with POSTPHIL over those many years and experienced nothing but superior and cheerful service.

I couldn't let the opportunity pass for what I thought was the last available Iceland FDC, so this cachet was designed for our local FDC Club's annual 'Yule Tuber' Christmas Party, applied to 40 official Iceland Post FDCs, and handed out to the party attendees.  It depicts two 'Tuber Folk' waving goodbye to the Iceland Post ship and its Puffin captain, as it sails off into the sunset!

The reverse of this EUROPEAN-SIZE cover, as well as a special enclosure, tell the sad story. The two Iceland Christmas stamps, depicting traditional-style Christams trees, are cancelled with what was thought would be the last Icelandic pictorial FDoI cancel, which shows a traditional basket-woven tree ornament.

It's ALMOST the end of an era - for Puffin Cachets, and for collectors the world over who have loved collecting Iceland stamps.

Seller Information

Seller

bennettoons (3954)

Registered Since

05/07/2005

Feedback

100%

Store

Bennett CACHETOONS

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Item Location

California, United States

Ships To

United States

Shipping Instructions

We can only honor purchases sent to USA addresses . . . but all shipping and handling is ABSOLUTELY FREE!

Returns Accepted

Yes

Returns Policy

We will happily send you a refund if you are not completely satisfied with your purchase -- just let us know the reason why, send it back to us, and we'll refund your full purchase price.

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