📚 Historical / Philatelic Context
- In 1925, Iceland issued its first pictorial stamps, moving away from designs with kings or portraits to scenes (“views and buildings”) of Iceland.
- The issue date was around September 12 or mid-September 1925.
- The purpose was partly due to changes in international postal rates governed by the UPU (Universal Postal Union), which meant new denominations were needed. Iceland seized this chance to also modernize its stamp imagery.
🎨 Designs & Themes
There are five stamps in the set (Scott catalogue numbers 144-148) showing scenes of landscapes/architecture:
| Denomination | Image Subject |
|---|---|
| 7 aurar | Fishermen landing a boat on the black sand beach at Vík (southern coast) |
| 10 aurar | A view of Reykjavík with Mount Esja in the background |
| 20 aurar | The National Library / Museum building in Reykjavík, i.e. a public/scenic building rather than a monarch’s portrait. |
| 35 aurar | Another view of Reykjavík (often similar design as 10 aurar with differences in color or framing) |
| 50 aurar | Same scene as the 7 aurar (Vík beach) but a different design/coloration. |
🔍 Technical Details
- Perforation: 14 × 14½ comb perforation.
- Watermark: Multiple crosses watermark.
- Printing: Typography (letterpress) by H.H. Thiele & Co., Copenhagen.
- Print Runs: Vary by denomination. For example, about 503,900 for the 7 aurar, etc.
💵 Catalogue Numbers / References
- Michel: IS 114-118
- Scott: 144-148
- Yvert & Tellier: 115-119
- Stanley Gibbons: SG 151-155
