Stamps from Iceland are relatively easy to obtain, as the values are not that high for the stamps. There are currently at least 20 approval books on SOR with stamps from Iceland waiting just for you!
Iceland Approval Books
" ... Is Iceland that hard to come by? ..."
Short answer, no, not really.
However, Iceland does occupy a somewhat unique place both geographically and politically.
First it is right on the Mid-Atlantic ridge where the North American Plate and the Euro-Asian Plate diverge and are moving further and further apart every year. creating an immense range of mountains whose peaks only reach the surface in a few places, except for Iceland.
The two plates grow further apart at a rate of about 2.5 centimeters a year, comparable to the speed that fingernails grow.
Thus Iceland is partly European and partly North American.
Politically it is sometimes ignored by Europeans who think of it as American when they set up their albums, and just as often ignored by US, Canadian and probably Mexican collectors as they organize their collections.
Considering the sad state of geographic knowledge in these "United" states I doubt that very many of our school children could find it on a map. Then when they do notice that outcropping of land in the mid-Atlantic they are confronted with the spelling "Island" on the stamps and sometimes on a map.
The only saving grace is that collectors of Scandinavian stamps accept Island as one of the five Nordic countries.
Then when this is all explained and understood stampers discover the often beautiful issues illustrating the breathtaking mountains and volcanos their stamps picture.
I just found it so odd that after decades of collecting (I'm 46, started at about 8, and have collected more or less regularly since) I can't find a single Iceland stamp in my collection!
I have something to focus on now in terms of my worldwide.
I should be getting some mint's very soon, like next week when I go to visit Paul. He and his new squeeze just came back from Iceland. He's so trained to go to the Post Office, he always picks up a few stamps from their travels. Such a sweetie!
I know what it's like... Iceland was a 'blank spot' for me for good number of years (actually decades) too. Then the stamps started crawling in, and now it's one of those countries where my world collection is 'better than average'.
The key thing (at least for me) was coming up with proper trade/swap connections (all from US; as uncanny as it may sound, Icelandic stamps are not 'common' in other Nordic countries).
-k-
Hey Clay. Out of curiosity, how is your Greenland collection?
Only slightly off-topic - but I have recently returned from Iceland ( as part of a transatlantic cruise ), and I can thoroughly recommend it. The natives are friendly, the scenery is magnificent, and everything is spotlessly clean and while not strictly part of Scandinavia it is so much so in "feel" as befitting a country ruled by Denmark for many years( up until 1941) - and like most Scandinavian countries is ethically socialistic and liberal. Be warned though it is somewhat on the pricy side - particularly eating out ( and alcohol ) - although coffee shops are not extravagantly expensive
The climate is milder than you think - and I am still trying to get my head round a botanic garden less than 100 miles south of the Arctic Circle growing sub-tropical plants in September !!
Postally used Icelandic stamps are not common, and the purchase of modern kiloware requires a bank loan !! However the stamps are on the whole well designed, and most if not all are relevant to the history,geography and environment.
Malcolm
Speaking of Icelandic oddities:
Q/ How many story lines can you fit to the illustration?
(This FDC was rescued from a bargain box, complete with its enclosed datasheet.)
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Icelandic stamps are hard to find in any worldwide kiloware. I collect the Scandinavian countries and should be soon entering Approval books for Iceland and Greenland.
Hi ClayMorgan;
I'm also a World-Wide collector, and I probably have less than a dozen to those nice stamps. I bought the Scott's Green/Gold Specialty album 1974 edition for Scandinavia a few decades ago. It Includes Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
Altho out of print, it may be available thru Amos Publishing, but would be rather pricey. In fact they do have Iceland. It is in two parts and is $35.00+ per part. They do not have the combo album of all six countries tho, and it would cost a King's ransom if they did. They also have a Minkus Norway album, but no Iceland tho.
Just Sortin'....
TuskenRaider
The $35.99 price is for subscribers to Linn's, or a few other magazines published by Amos Media. It is $44.99 otherwise.
I haven't worked on my world wide collection in many years but I do remember that Iceland and Greenland stamps didn't show up too often in mixtures I bought. I just pulled out my small WW collection and counted a total of 11 stamps.
Vince
I've got a collection of Iceland 1902 (ish) to 1944. The 1902 King Christian IX set is quite attractive - it shows an appropriately regal looking king, in nice fresh colours. You also see both Christian and his father Frederick VIII on a set of 1907 - the Icelanders were very fond of Frederick and so they kept his profile on their stamps along with the new king for a while.
There had been a tide of political pressure for Icelandic independence in the late 19th century, and eventually in 1918 a dual kingdom was established with Denmark. It was agreed that after 40 years there would be a referendum to decide whether the people wanted independence. So you see the face of King Christian X on their stamps.
When the 40 years were up, the referendum was massively in favour of independence and a republic. So they wrote to the Danish king to tell him this. Denmark was occupied by the Germans at that time, and there wasn't a government for the king to consult - the Danish kings didn't do politics. Anyway, after a few days he wrote back with good wishes for their future as a republic.
There are some nice views on the stamps, lots of waterfalls and mountains and in 1930 a set of large commems marking the 1000th year of the Icelandic parliament, the Allthing. That set is expensive, esp used, as it was snapped up by collectors as soon as it was issued. There's a lovely inverted triangle air stamp with an eagle issued at that time. After 1944 the stamps continue with views and some very attractive wildlife issues - one in 1959 with ducks and salmon, and in 1960 a big moody looking falcon.
I haven't found it hard to get postally used stamps, apart from the Allthing set.
I certainly think Iceland is worth looking for.
My parents collected stamps in a Scott's Internationals and during the mid 1940s I joined them around the kitchen table in the evening, soaking, sorting and mounting world wide stamps. My mounting activity was limited to a small children album, of course.
One of the stamps, actually a three stamp souvenir sheet, that I remember was the 1938 Leif Ericsson commemorative sheetlet from Iceland.
The fact that for a while we lived just off Fort Hamilton Parkway and about 55th Street in Brooklyn a few city blocks from Leif Ericsson Park may have had something to do with it, but Dad had both a mint example, a used (Postally used??? I do not know) example and a somewhat damaged example that found its way into my album.
We had, and I still have, lots of Norwegian, Danish and Icelandic stamps in my albums. Post horns, of course, but lots of King facing left, facing right and staring right at you.
Scandinavian Stamps have long been among my favorites.
Even to this day, I can seldom pass up a well priced US 1925 Norse-American example.
On a shelf in our living room my folks had the novels of Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and Snorri Sturlesson, and while I'll admit I didn't understand a lot of what I read, I tried to wade through most of them while still in grammar school.
Norse and as a consequence, Icelandic, History always interested me.
What do people think about the Faroes? No classics, a few overprints and a bisected Denmark stamp. Then they began their own issues in 1975. A nice ram showed up in 79, and there have been quite a few attractive issues since.
Wikipedia tells me the population is just under 50,000.
I have always like the quality of the stamps from Denmark, Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. The stamp issuing policies are conservative, and the topics and designs are relative to those locales for the most part.
I appreciate the responses. I do like most of the Scandinavian/Nordic stamps, and will be buying some Iceland from the APS circuit I have to forward in a couple days and from Stamporama auctions/approvals.
A recent Island stamp;
Cod Fishing or Vinter Nordlige Atlanterhav. (?Winter North Atlantic )
I can almost smell the fresh salt sea air from Texas.
So, I have a worldwide collection. I don't pursue it, but add to it as I acquire or accumulate stamps.
Today I received a circuit from APS and was looking at some stamps from Iceland. Then it hit me. All these years of collecting and I couldn't recall a single stamp from Iceland in my possession.
I don't recall any in my topical collections. Certainly no Iceland in my Haiti, Vatican, or Israel Collections. So I checked my worldwide albums. Nothing!
So here are my questions:
Is Iceland that hard to come by?
Have you ever had similar surprises?
Do you think I can sneak buying the entire Iceland offering past my wife?
re: My Icelandic Oddity
Stamps from Iceland are relatively easy to obtain, as the values are not that high for the stamps. There are currently at least 20 approval books on SOR with stamps from Iceland waiting just for you!
Iceland Approval Books
re: My Icelandic Oddity
" ... Is Iceland that hard to come by? ..."
Short answer, no, not really.
However, Iceland does occupy a somewhat unique place both geographically and politically.
First it is right on the Mid-Atlantic ridge where the North American Plate and the Euro-Asian Plate diverge and are moving further and further apart every year. creating an immense range of mountains whose peaks only reach the surface in a few places, except for Iceland.
The two plates grow further apart at a rate of about 2.5 centimeters a year, comparable to the speed that fingernails grow.
Thus Iceland is partly European and partly North American.
Politically it is sometimes ignored by Europeans who think of it as American when they set up their albums, and just as often ignored by US, Canadian and probably Mexican collectors as they organize their collections.
Considering the sad state of geographic knowledge in these "United" states I doubt that very many of our school children could find it on a map. Then when they do notice that outcropping of land in the mid-Atlantic they are confronted with the spelling "Island" on the stamps and sometimes on a map.
The only saving grace is that collectors of Scandinavian stamps accept Island as one of the five Nordic countries.
Then when this is all explained and understood stampers discover the often beautiful issues illustrating the breathtaking mountains and volcanos their stamps picture.
re: My Icelandic Oddity
I just found it so odd that after decades of collecting (I'm 46, started at about 8, and have collected more or less regularly since) I can't find a single Iceland stamp in my collection!
I have something to focus on now in terms of my worldwide.
re: My Icelandic Oddity
I should be getting some mint's very soon, like next week when I go to visit Paul. He and his new squeeze just came back from Iceland. He's so trained to go to the Post Office, he always picks up a few stamps from their travels. Such a sweetie!
re: My Icelandic Oddity
I know what it's like... Iceland was a 'blank spot' for me for good number of years (actually decades) too. Then the stamps started crawling in, and now it's one of those countries where my world collection is 'better than average'.
The key thing (at least for me) was coming up with proper trade/swap connections (all from US; as uncanny as it may sound, Icelandic stamps are not 'common' in other Nordic countries).
-k-
re: My Icelandic Oddity
Hey Clay. Out of curiosity, how is your Greenland collection?
re: My Icelandic Oddity
Only slightly off-topic - but I have recently returned from Iceland ( as part of a transatlantic cruise ), and I can thoroughly recommend it. The natives are friendly, the scenery is magnificent, and everything is spotlessly clean and while not strictly part of Scandinavia it is so much so in "feel" as befitting a country ruled by Denmark for many years( up until 1941) - and like most Scandinavian countries is ethically socialistic and liberal. Be warned though it is somewhat on the pricy side - particularly eating out ( and alcohol ) - although coffee shops are not extravagantly expensive
The climate is milder than you think - and I am still trying to get my head round a botanic garden less than 100 miles south of the Arctic Circle growing sub-tropical plants in September !!
Postally used Icelandic stamps are not common, and the purchase of modern kiloware requires a bank loan !! However the stamps are on the whole well designed, and most if not all are relevant to the history,geography and environment.
Malcolm
re: My Icelandic Oddity
Speaking of Icelandic oddities:
Q/ How many story lines can you fit to the illustration?
(This FDC was rescued from a bargain box, complete with its enclosed datasheet.)
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
re: My Icelandic Oddity
Icelandic stamps are hard to find in any worldwide kiloware. I collect the Scandinavian countries and should be soon entering Approval books for Iceland and Greenland.
re: My Icelandic Oddity
Hi ClayMorgan;
I'm also a World-Wide collector, and I probably have less than a dozen to those nice stamps. I bought the Scott's Green/Gold Specialty album 1974 edition for Scandinavia a few decades ago. It Includes Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
Altho out of print, it may be available thru Amos Publishing, but would be rather pricey. In fact they do have Iceland. It is in two parts and is $35.00+ per part. They do not have the combo album of all six countries tho, and it would cost a King's ransom if they did. They also have a Minkus Norway album, but no Iceland tho.
Just Sortin'....
TuskenRaider
re: My Icelandic Oddity
The $35.99 price is for subscribers to Linn's, or a few other magazines published by Amos Media. It is $44.99 otherwise.
re: My Icelandic Oddity
I haven't worked on my world wide collection in many years but I do remember that Iceland and Greenland stamps didn't show up too often in mixtures I bought. I just pulled out my small WW collection and counted a total of 11 stamps.
Vince
re: My Icelandic Oddity
I've got a collection of Iceland 1902 (ish) to 1944. The 1902 King Christian IX set is quite attractive - it shows an appropriately regal looking king, in nice fresh colours. You also see both Christian and his father Frederick VIII on a set of 1907 - the Icelanders were very fond of Frederick and so they kept his profile on their stamps along with the new king for a while.
There had been a tide of political pressure for Icelandic independence in the late 19th century, and eventually in 1918 a dual kingdom was established with Denmark. It was agreed that after 40 years there would be a referendum to decide whether the people wanted independence. So you see the face of King Christian X on their stamps.
When the 40 years were up, the referendum was massively in favour of independence and a republic. So they wrote to the Danish king to tell him this. Denmark was occupied by the Germans at that time, and there wasn't a government for the king to consult - the Danish kings didn't do politics. Anyway, after a few days he wrote back with good wishes for their future as a republic.
There are some nice views on the stamps, lots of waterfalls and mountains and in 1930 a set of large commems marking the 1000th year of the Icelandic parliament, the Allthing. That set is expensive, esp used, as it was snapped up by collectors as soon as it was issued. There's a lovely inverted triangle air stamp with an eagle issued at that time. After 1944 the stamps continue with views and some very attractive wildlife issues - one in 1959 with ducks and salmon, and in 1960 a big moody looking falcon.
I haven't found it hard to get postally used stamps, apart from the Allthing set.
I certainly think Iceland is worth looking for.
re: My Icelandic Oddity
My parents collected stamps in a Scott's Internationals and during the mid 1940s I joined them around the kitchen table in the evening, soaking, sorting and mounting world wide stamps. My mounting activity was limited to a small children album, of course.
One of the stamps, actually a three stamp souvenir sheet, that I remember was the 1938 Leif Ericsson commemorative sheetlet from Iceland.
The fact that for a while we lived just off Fort Hamilton Parkway and about 55th Street in Brooklyn a few city blocks from Leif Ericsson Park may have had something to do with it, but Dad had both a mint example, a used (Postally used??? I do not know) example and a somewhat damaged example that found its way into my album.
We had, and I still have, lots of Norwegian, Danish and Icelandic stamps in my albums. Post horns, of course, but lots of King facing left, facing right and staring right at you.
Scandinavian Stamps have long been among my favorites.
Even to this day, I can seldom pass up a well priced US 1925 Norse-American example.
On a shelf in our living room my folks had the novels of Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and Snorri Sturlesson, and while I'll admit I didn't understand a lot of what I read, I tried to wade through most of them while still in grammar school.
Norse and as a consequence, Icelandic, History always interested me.
re: My Icelandic Oddity
What do people think about the Faroes? No classics, a few overprints and a bisected Denmark stamp. Then they began their own issues in 1975. A nice ram showed up in 79, and there have been quite a few attractive issues since.
Wikipedia tells me the population is just under 50,000.
re: My Icelandic Oddity
I have always like the quality of the stamps from Denmark, Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. The stamp issuing policies are conservative, and the topics and designs are relative to those locales for the most part.
re: My Icelandic Oddity
I appreciate the responses. I do like most of the Scandinavian/Nordic stamps, and will be buying some Iceland from the APS circuit I have to forward in a couple days and from Stamporama auctions/approvals.
re: My Icelandic Oddity
A recent Island stamp;
Cod Fishing or Vinter Nordlige Atlanterhav. (?Winter North Atlantic )
I can almost smell the fresh salt sea air from Texas.