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Scandinavia: Tourist Issues: Covers

These stamps were issued in cooperation with the Swedish and other Scandinavian post offices and are valid FROM other countries TO Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Åland. They are listed by the Facit catalog. There were five different stamp issues included in six different issues of booklets.

It all started in 1994 in the Canary Islands, off the coast of Spain. Many Scandinavians vacation in the Canary Islands during the dark Scandinavian winters. Unfortunately, sending an airmail letter from the Canary Islands back to friends in the Scandinavian countries used to take several weeks as it crawled through the Spanish mails. To solve this problem, Sweden Post, through a cooperative arrangement, issued special stamps, initially sold only in the Canary Islands. These stamps had international franking value for post cards (one stamp) and letters (two stamps) to Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Åland. The following year, the availability of stamps and service was expanded to other tourist destinations such as Cyprus and Crete. Eventually the stamps came to be used from a number of areas, including Florida! The letters and post cards are posted with the hotels and travel agents and are carried aboard charter airliners to Stockholm where they are placed in the regular mails for delivery within Sweden or to the other countries.

This mail service ceased in the fall of 1998. The stamps have already become quite hard to find; prices are already rising. However, most collectors are not yet aware of them; as they become more well known, we can expect prices to climb.

To my knowledge, this is a completely new type of stamp: Issued by one country for postage use on letters from a different country, back to the home country (or to a neighboring country). These special-purpose stamps are not local issues because they have international validity and they were authorized by a national postal service. They are stamps. The items below are listed by Facit numbers.

The Tourist Stamps were applied to post cards (one stamp) and letters/envelopes (two stamps) by the sender or perhaps a travel agency or hotel employee at the tourism location (i.e. Canary Islands, etc.). The mail was then privately transported to the nearest airport served by related Scandinavian airlines or charter airlines serving the tourists. The airlines carried the mail to Stockholm where it was sorted for delivery in Sweden or carriage on to one of the other Scandinavian countries.

The card and envelopes were not normally postmarked in accordance with Swedish post office practice regarding mail that is imprinted or bears stamps bearing the statement "porto betalt" or "port payé". Postmarked covers and cards are the exception and are, of course, avidly sought after.

Some of the images on this page may be of represenative items. Hovering over an image will normally show text stating if it is "representative" or the actual "exact" item. In the case of representative images, the quality and appearance of items ordered will be at least as nice as that shown.

Covers

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Item #

Quality & Description

IMAGES: Hover mouse pointer over image to determine if ACTUAL image of item OR a REPRESENTATIVE sample image of item.
Click for more information

US$

219494

Facit #TU 3 Couple Dancing 1994 Tourist Stamp (without "e" after "Post") timely use on typical Canary Islands tourist picture post card canceled upon arrival in Sweden.

20.00

219496

Facit #TU 5 Airplane 1995 Tourist Stamp ("Poste" not "Poste de") timely use on typical Canary Islands tourist picture post card canceled upon arrival in Sweden.

15.00

219497

Facit #TU 6 Beach Scene with Beach Umbrellas 1995 Tourist Stamp ("Poste" not "Poste de") timely use on typical Canary Islands tourist picture post card canceled upon arrival in Sweden.

15.00

219498

Facit #TU 7 Couple Dancing 1995 Tourist Stamp ("Poste" not "Poste de") timely use on typical Canary Islands tourist picture post card canceled upon arrival in Sweden.

15.00

219499

Facit #TU 8 Couple with Sailboat and Harbor in background 1995 Tourist Stamp ("Poste" not "Poste de") timely use on typical Canary Islands tourist picture post card canceled upon arrival in Sweden.

15.00

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