Dove of Peace embroidery

by Richard Zimmermann12 October 2025

The ‘Dove of Peace’ stamps were issued as expected on September 19, 2025 (except for Greenland and Switzerland). The final list includes Aland – Armenia – Austria – Barbados () – Cyprus – Faroe Islands – Greenland (September 12) – Liechtenstein – Luxembourg – Switzerland (September 4) – United Nations (Geneva) – United Nations (New York) – United Nations (Vienna). These embroideries have a size of about 55×42 mm. Barbados was mentioned in the advertisement of the UNPA, but without illustration, on the contrary to all others, and so far no detailed information is available. If this information is confirmed, then it would not be surprising that other countries could also join over the next months. This has to be watched closely (details provided by Jaap Sarelse, the Netherlands, and Enzo Cafaro, Italy).

The denominations on the stamps are quite high (5 to 10 €uros) and the printing runs remained low. The first data we had access to are related to the following postal administrations: Aland [13,000] – Armenia [5,000] – Austria [90,000] – Liechtenstein [18,000] – Luxembourg [30,000] – UN Geneva [12,300] – UN New York [10,800] – UN Vienna [13,900]. The stamps from the countries with lower printing runs were sold out on the first day. Stamps really used on mail will be exceptions, while quality of the cancellation, even on first day covers, will remain bad, consequence of the thickness of the embroidery. The three stamps from the UPU administrations became available as a mixed FDC. Eventually, these stamps are just products for collectors.

UPU release also a label with the same shape, showing only the word “PAIX” and without denomination (so not considered as a stamp). This label attached to postal cards, without cancellation, was distributed to UPU VIPs, and some of them became available during the 2025 PhilaKorea philatelic exhibition. The printing number is unknown and the first items seen on Delcampe are sold above €200.

Enzo provided also a link to a very nice short video ‘Stitch by Stitch‘ created by Liechtenstein Post, showing the production steps of these specific stamps.

August 2025 News

by Richard Zimmermann5 August 20256 August 2025

Enzo Cafaro (Italy) completed the information about the dove issue described in a previous post and enhanced the list of participating countries. He provided also the picture of all to be produced items. The country list includes now : Aland, Armenia, Austria, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Switzerland and United Nations (offices of Geneva, New York and Vienna, as well as UPU). By adding all the denominations we reach a total of about 75 Euros for 13 stamps that will never be used on real covers ! Our friend Jaap Sarelse (the Netherlands) will try to create some mixed FDC covers when stamps will be available. We wish him good luck as even the cancellation on such thick stamps (embroidery) may be tricky. If he succeeds, we promise to show results in these pages 😉

Luis Malanco (Mexico) provided some additional information regarding the Ecuador stamps issued on July 28, 2022, together with Mexico [T20220728] and honoring Leona Vicario and Manuela Saenz. The Ecuadorian stamps were issued at a much lower number than initially announced. The stamp was produced at only 2,000 samples, while the souvenir sheet only at 450 units. Those are the figures appearing in the official leaflet published by the “Servicios Postales del Ecuador”.

By coincidence, a forgotten issue was discovered recently by comparing data in the Michel Rundschau Catalogue. On December 29, 2022, Cambodia and Colombia issued twin stamps at the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relationship between both countries. The stamps show a view of Ankor Wat and the Grave in the Archeological National Park of Tierradentro. This issue has not been reported so far and will of course be integrated in the catalogue. The difficulty will now be to find the stamps and not only reproductions.

During the year 2021, Colombia celebrated the 200th anniversary of its independence. Numerous stamps related to this event were issued during this year, which correspoded also to the first recognition of Colombia by other countries. By end of 2022, a first joint issue with Mexico was released (December 20, 2021). Surprisingly, during the following year of 2022, Colombia created a series of different stamps celebrating diplomatic relationships with different countries (not necessarily based on 200 years, but at least on rounded numbers): Egypt (February 23, 2022), USA (May 2), South Korea (May 6), Peru (May 27), Germany (August 5), Cambodia (December 29) and Chile (December 29. This type of issues continued the following year with Barbados (December 18, 2023), Canada December 22) and Argentina (December 23). During the year 2024, only stamps celebrating relationships with Sweden were released (exact issue date is unknown). Among all these stamps, and to our knowledge, only four translated in true joint issues, including Mexico [20211220], Peru (T20220527], Cambodia [C20221229], and Argentina [T20231223]

The design of the North Korean stamps to be released jointly with Russia on August 15, 2025 has been released. We have not seen yet the Russian stamps, but this country confirmed stamp issue in this honour at the same date. Design could be similar.

Last minute information: Kenneth Sequeira just provided information about stamps released by the Philippines on August 5, 2025, jointly with India, celebrating the 75th anniversary of their relationship. Each country issued a pair of identical stamps showing flowers. Note that despite being issued in 2025, the stamps celebrate an anniversary that took place in 2024.

Independence, kingdom and doves

by Richard Zimmermann18 July 2025

New information about joint stamp issues was gathered over the past weeks:

Sudan is a country to be added to the joint issue already involving Algeria, Egypt and Tunesia, celebrating the 80^th anniversary of the Arab League (1945-2025) and that is described under [T20250522]. The exact date of issue of the Sudanese stamp is unknown, but probably the same as for the other countries, namely May 22, 2025 (information provided by Kenneth Sequeira, Singapore).

Same additional information regarding the AICEP issue from May 13, 2025: Guinea-Bissau is also a country to be added to Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Macau and Portugal that have issued identical stamps at the same date. Guinea-Bissau issued one stamp in miniature sheets of 8 stamps [3×3] with central label and a souvenir sheet with a single stamp. We are still waiting for information about stamps from Mozambique, Sao Tome Principe and Timor.

On May 23, 2025, the 1100^th anniversary of the Kingdom of Croatia and the coronation of King Tomislav was celebrated by the issue of identical stamps involving Bosnia Herzegovina (Mostar) and Croatia. This twin issue shows a bas-relief of the King Tomislav holding a scepter. BH Mostar issued the stamps in miniature sheets of 8 units ([3×3] including a central label) at only 5,000 samples, while Croatia issued 50,000 stamps in panes of 25 stamps and 5 labels [5×6].

The Dove of Peace project is progressing. Around September 20, 2025, ten to twelve European countries will issue an identical embroidered stamp with an equivalent denomination of about 10 Euros. Confirmation of participation is reported from Aland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Faroe Islands and Greenland. These countries are all part of the SEPAC (Small European Postal Administration Cooperation – https://www.sepacstamps.eu/) which every year since 2007, issues by end of the Summer, a series of stamps with a common topic. If this embroided stamp corresponds to the 2025 SEPAC issue, this will be the first time that the SEPAC countries agree on a twin issue. Other countries including Gibraltar, Iceland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Malta, Monaco or Vatican City could in this case also participate. Over the past year, there was always at least one country not participating, so there is no guarantee that all twelve countries will be involved. However, Austria and Armenia have also already announced their participation, so, in the best case it could become an extended SEPAC issue (without mention of the SEPAC word on the stamp). We also have to wait to complete the information about this new series (information provided by Jaap Sarelse, the Netherlands).

The 50 years of independence of Cape Verde was celebrated commonly with Portugal on July 5, 2025, with the issue of two identical stamps. Only limited information is available so far from Cape Verde. The 50th anniversary of the independence of Angola will be celebrated on November 11, 2025 which could also result in an Angola – Portugal joint issue on that day.