Iceland EUROPA 1998 FDC - Handcolored Cachet with Jón Siggur∂sson & Puffin!

Item Specifics

Country

Iceland

Catalog Number

860 - 861

Stamp Type

General Issue

Condition

First Day Cover

Stamp Format

Single

Topic

Europa

Year of Issue

1998

Item Description

The common EUROPA stamp design theme for 1998 was 'National Holidays' and Iceland complied by issuing a pair of stamps celebrating their 'National Day' - the day they became and independent country in the midst of WWII.

The Republic of Iceland was born on June 17, 1944 and the nation's newly-designed flag was flown at the historic national gathering place of Thingvellir National Park. June 17 was chosen for Indepence Day as it was the birthdate, 133 years earlier, of Jón Sigur∂sson, the staunchest crusader for an independent Icelandic nation.

June 17 has been, since that day, a national holiday of flag raisings, parades, and many cultural activities!

That's a statue of Jón Sigur∂sson that stands in Iceland's capital, in front of which the Puffin Cachets mascot, dressed in traditional Icelandic folk attire, stands waving an Icelandic flag banner!

The two new Europa stamps are tied to the cover by one of the two official First Day of Issue postmarks from the capital city Reykjavík. It is a handmade envelope on heavy clay-colored paper with tiny threads.

This cover is a combo - a previous Iceland single celebrating the 40th anniversary of Independence is affixed and tied with a Reykjavík bridge cancel on the first day of May 12, 1998. This was the only cover serviced with this particular franking.

The reverse bears the Puffin Cachets logo and shows this to be an Artist Proof for determining hand applied colors. The production edition was comprised of only 11 covers that were serviced in Iceland.

Seller Information

Seller

bennettoons (3950)

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 that will be 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.

Public Questions