On 8 May 2024, Åland Post releases this year’s stamp in the Sepac stamp series, the theme of which is decided upon by the small European postal administrations. “As motif for this year’s theme of top attractions, it was an easy choice to illustrate our archipelago with its thousands of islands, islets, and skerries – a unique whole from an international perspective. With Anette Gustafsson’s stamp artwork, we wish to inspire more people around the world to discover the Åland archipelago,” says Johanna Finne, Marketing Design Manager at Åland Post Stamps.

Swedish artist Anette Gustafsson has painted a summer panorama in watercolour, capturing the character of the Åland archipelago with its bare rocks, leafy skerries, bridges, sailboats, and sparse settlements. As host of the guest harbour, Anette has spent a lot of time on the archipelago island of Rödhamn located just off Mariehamn, which has been the inspiration for many of her paintings.

“The sea and the archipelago are my main sources of inspiration, so, it was fun to be considered for this assignment. I’ve always gravitated to places by the sea. The sky and the sea have a strong effect on me. Rödhamn is precious to me, and the Rödhamn rocks are, of course, included in the stamp issue. The stones on the stamp sheet are located at one of my favourite spots, where I like to sit and sketch with a view of the sea and the radio lighthouse,” Anette tells us.

With its mosaic of many islands, shallow bays, and bay systems, the Åland archipelago forms a unique island world in the Baltic Sea. The Åland archipelago consists of some 6,700 islands with an area of over 2,500 m² and around 20,000 islets smaller than 0.25 ha. The sea and the archipelago with its opportunities for tranquillity, outdoor life, and nature experiences attract thousands of tourists to Åland every year.

• Name Sepac 2024 – main tourist attractions
• Date of issue 8 May 2024
• Artist Anette Gustafsson
• Design Johanna Finne
• Edition 40 000
• Denomination Europa (€3.20)
• Price FDC €4.20
• Stamp size 50 x 25.2 mm
• Sheet size 2 × 12 stamps
• Paper 110 g/m2
• Perforation 13 per 2 cm
• Process 4-colour offset
• Printer Cartor Security Printers

Order the stamp and first day cover at alandstamps.com, by post to Åland Post Stamps, P.O. box 1100, AX-22111 Mariehamn, Åland, Finland, e-mail stamps@alandpost.com or telephone: +358 18636639.