Press releases

Landmark anniversaries and new definitive stamps

Four anniversaries are the focus of the first Swiss Post stamp issue of 2014: 100 years of the Swiss National Park, 100 years of the Swiss Air Force, 125 years of Swiss Army Post and 150 years of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Japan. The International Year of Crystallography is also the subject of a stamp. The cartoon character, "Fred the dinosaur", provides a dash of colour for the stamps. To round off the stamp issue, there are four new definitive stamps on the subject of mushrooms.

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1 August 2014 marks the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Swiss National Park. The first National Park in Central Europe created the basis for a unique natural oasis. The idea at the time was to allow nature to run its course and to document the changes. The idea turned into a real success story. Year in, year out, around 150,000 visitors make the pilgrimage to the Swiss National Park. The region, spanning 170 square kilometres in the easternmost corner of Switzerland, allows visitors to experience nature completely in its original and wild state. Swiss Post is honouring this remarkable and lasting sign of nature conservation with a set of stamps consisting of three special stamps, each with a face value of one franc.

Special stamp to commemorate the Swiss Army Post

In 2014 Swiss Army Post will be celebrating its 125th anniversary. It stands to reason then that "yellow" Swiss Post is dedicating a special stamp to its "green" Swiss Army Post counterpart. Every year Swiss Army Post distributes two million letters, a quarter of a million parcels and 1.3 million free newspapers to its recipients. Nowadays, Swiss Army Post does not just send letters back and forth. It also serves as a military information office. Since 2004 it has been active far beyond the national borders. Swiss Army Post also organizes postal supplies for members of the Swiss Army who are serving their country abroad.

In its first stamp issue of this year, Swiss Post is also dedicating further special stamps to the Swiss Air Force, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2014, the trade and friendship treaty with Japan, which was signed in Tokyo in 1864, and the International Year of Crystallography. The special "Fred&Fun" stamp provides a festive dash of colour. As an ambassador for Swiss Post, the cartoon figure "Fred the dinosaur" has been surprising his readers for three years now with his adventures centred around the topic of stamps and philately.

New definitive stamps

In the past five years, crops have taken centre stage on definitive stamps with a small face value – the so-called supplementary stamps. Swiss Post has now launched four mushroom-themed supplementary stamps of 10, 15, 20 and 50 centimes. The stamps were designed by the Bernese graphic artist, Barbara Hänni. The chanterelle, milk-cap, blue spine and old man of the woods are all in the spotlight.

Subjects of the 1/2014 stamp issue – valid from 6 March 2014

  • 100 years of the Swiss National Park – series of three special stamps including "tree trunk" at CHF 1.00, "mountain landscape" at CHF 1.00 and "mountain pine" at CHF 1.00
  • 125 years of Swiss Army Post – special stamp at CHF 1.00
  • 100 years of the Swiss Air Force – "F/A-18 Hornet" special stamp at CHF 1 and "F-5 Tiger" special stamp at CHF 1.40
  • International Year of Crystallography 2014 – "epidot" special stamp at CHF 0.85 and "amethyst" special stamp at CHF 1.00
  • Fred&Fun – special stamps (stamp booklet): "Fred the detective" at CHF 1.00 and "hidden object picture" at CHF 1.00
  • 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Japan – special stamps including "Mount Fuji and cherry blossoms" at CHF 1.00 and "Spring in the Swiss mountains" at CHF 1.90
  • Mushrooms – definitive stamps, including "chanterelle" at CHF 0.10, "milk-cap" at CHF 0.15, "blue spine" at CHF 0.20 and "old man of the woods" at CHF 0.50

Available from www.swisspost.ch/philashop and from Swiss post offices.You can find detailed information in the current issue of the stamp magazine, “Focus on stamps”

Downloads

100 years of the Swiss National Park – series of three special stamps including “tree trunk” at CHF 1.00, “mountain landscape” at CHF 1.00 and “mountain pine” at CHF 1.00

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125 years of Swiss Army Post – special stamp at CHF 1.00

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100 years of the Swiss Air Force – “F/A-18 Hornet” special stamp at CHF 1

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100 years of the Swiss Air Force – “F-5 Tiger” special stamp at CHF 1.40

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International Year of Crystallography 2014 – “epidot” special stamp at CHF 0.85

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International Year of Crystallography 2014 – “amethyst” special stamp at CHF 1.00

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Fred&Fun – special stamps (stamp booklet): “Fred the detective” at CHF 1.00

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Fred&Fun – “hidden object picture” at CHF 1.00

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150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Japan – special stamps including “Mount Fuji and cherry blossoms” at CHF 1.00

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150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Japan – “Spring in the Swiss mountains” at CHF 1.90

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Mushrooms – definitive stamps, including “chanterelle” at CHF 0.10

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Mushrooms – “milk-cap” at CHF 0.15

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Mushrooms – “blue spine” at CHF 0.20

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Mushrooms – “old man of the woods” at CHF 0.50

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