Europa stamps by country and year

Every year since 1956, many postal administrations have issued stamps on a shared design or theme.

Six countries at the start

In 1956, six countries launched the issue, including France, Belgium and Luxembourg; the Luxembourg set from that year (no. 514/516) is offered without gum. Until 1973, participants mostly used the same design, as the Netherlands did in 1958 (no. 691/692) or Luxembourg in 1959 (no. 567/568).

A set theme since 1974

From 1974, a theme was chosen each year, starting with sculpture (Liechtenstein, no. 543/544). Then came music in 1985 (Switzerland, no. 1223/1224), Christopher Columbus in 1992 (Greece, no. 1786/1787; Faroe Islands, BF5), forests in 2011 (Bosnia and Herzegovina, no. 646a/647a) and ancient postal routes in 2020 (France, no. 5397). Each listing's title gives the theme of the year.

From the Azores to Azerbaijan

The circle of participants has grown over the years. Madeira and the Azores have their own souvenir sheets, such as the 1983 BF4. Further east, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Belarus joined the programme; Azerbaijan devoted a pair to the circus in 2002 (no. 431a/432a). The catalogue offers only part of these issues: not every country is represented every year.

Complete years

Some listings group the issues of a single year into one lot. The 1978 lot, on monuments, brings together 65 values and two souvenir sheets from thirty countries; the 1991 lot, on space, 85 values and five souvenir sheets from forty countries.

Prices

Individual sets mostly cost between one and five euros, some from fifty cents. Annual lots start at around eighty euros. Only the price shown on the listing applies.