Gulf of Finland

Gulf of Finland stamp series

The Gulf of Finland stamp series, the first part of which was issued last autumn, wilt continue with a booklet of five stamps on the submarine nature and marine research, to be issued on 15 April 2002. All stamps are non-denominated first class stamps, and the booklet is thus priced at 3 Euro.

Gulf of Finland stamp booklet

The Gulf of Finland stamp booklet, the First Day Cover and the First Day postmark are designed by marine biologist, research diver and marine history enthusiast Juha Flinkman. He also designed the first stamp booklet of the series, which presents the themes of the series: marine research, lighthouses and wrecks.

Sea world

The lower part of the only vertical stamp of the booklet and the other stamps depict the undersea world. Mussels and kelp represent the population of the shallows, white perch and flounder are examples of organisms adapted to the brackish water of the Baltic Sea. The stamps on right side depict the open sea: phytoplankton thrives in the surface water, white animal plankton can go deeper where there is less light; deep down in dark you can barely discern the shapes of Baltic herring and cod.
Respectively, the upper parts of the stamps depict the view above the sea surface: zonal archipelago, boats and Arctic terns wheeling above the sea. The stamps also shows the Tvärminne Zoological Station, situated in Hankoniemi, the southern most tip of continental Finland, which wilt celebrate its 100th birthday next autumn.

Baltic Sea

The pictorial subjects describe the Baltic Sea as a unique, difficult and very sensitive environment, to which only a few species of plants and animals have adapted. The purpose of the booklet is also to attract attention to the research of the Baltic Sea and to the importance of protecting it.
Date of postage stamp issue: April/May 2002