Archive 006 — Finland First Stamps

Finland First Stamps

Where Finnish philately began.

In March 1856, Finland issued its first postage stamps: the distinctive oval 5 kopecks blue and 10 kopecks red designs bearing the Finnish coat of arms.

These early stamps were remarkable not only for their appearance, but also for the way they were made. They were produced by hand using printing dies and were imperforate, meaning each stamp had to be cut from the sheet with scissors. Small embossed “pearls” were also incorporated as security features to help prevent misuse. Postimuseo

Their introduction followed a proposal made in 1855 by Finland’s Postmaster General Wulffert. The Senate approved the idea, and the stamps were initially introduced for a two-year trial period. They appeared almost two years before the first postage stamps of the Russian Empire, of which Finland was then a Grand Duchy. Postimuseo

Today, Finland’s first oval stamps are among the great classics of Finnish philately, with some surviving examples regarded as major rarities. Postimuseo

With Archive 006, the beginning of Finnish postal history takes on a new form. Reimagined as a 100-piece miniature puzzle, this historic design becomes an object to assemble, contemplate and collect.

Finished with a delicate soft-touch surface for a refined, tactile feel.

100 pieces · 10 × 14 cm · Collectible mini puzzle · STAMP → OBJECT™