Stamps of Finland
Definitives of 1930-1946
A new series of definitive stamps of Finland began to appear during 1930. These new, modernistic definitive stamps are a bit wider than the definitive stamps of 1917-1929, and they feature a larger version of the rampant lion from the Finland Coat of Arms. The high-denominations of this period also feature beautifully engraved, wide-format, pictorial definitive stamps.
The thirty-eight major-type definitive stamps of Finland shown above were issued between 1930 and 1946. They are typographed on unwatermarked paper, and they are perforated 14. This group of stamps is referred to as the Lion Issue.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.
- 05 P. (1930 - Sc. #158) - Chocolate.
- 10 P. (1930 - Sc. #159) - Dull Violet.
- 20 P. (1930 - Sc. #160) - Yellow Green.
- 25 P. (1930 - Sc. #161) - Yellow Brown.
- 40 P. (1930 - Sc. #162) - Blue Green.
- 50 P. (1930 - Sc. #163) - Yellow.
- 50 P. (1932 - Sc. #164) - Blue Green.
- 60 P. (1930 - Sc. #165) - Dark Gray.
- 75 P. (1942 - Sc. #165A) - Deep Orange.
- 01.00 M. (1930 - Sc. #166) - Red Orange.
- 01.00 M. (1942 - Sc. #166A) - Yellow Green.
- 01.20 M. (1930 - Sc. #167) - Crimson.
- 01.25 M. (1932 - Sc. #168) - Yellow.
- 01.50 M. (1930 - Sc. #169) - Red Violet.
- 01.50 M. (1932 - Sc. #170) - Carmine.
- 01.50 M. (1940 - Sc. #170A) - Slate.
- 01.75 M. (1940 - Sc. #170B) - Orange Yellow.
- 02.00 M. (1930 - Sc. #171) - Indigo.
- 02.00 M. (1932 - Sc. #172) - Deep Violet.
- 02.00 M. (1936 - Sc. #173) - Carmine.
- 02.00 M. (1942 - Sc. #173B) - Yellow Orange.
- 02.00 M. (1945 - Sc. #173C) - Blue Green.
- 02.50 M. (1932 - Sc. #174) - Bright Blue.
- 02.50 M. (1942 - Sc. #174A) - Carmine.
- 02.75 M. (1940 - Sc. #174B) - Rose Violet.
- 03.00 M. (1930 - Sc. #175) - Olive Black.
- 03.00 M. (1945 - Sc. #175B) - Carmine.
- 03.00 M. (1945 - Sc. #175C) - Yellow.
- 03.50 M. (1936 - Sc. #176) - Bright Blue.
- 03.50 M. (1942 - Sc. #176A) - Olive.
- 04.00 M. (1945 - Sc. #176B) - Olive.
- 04.50 M. (1942 - Sc. #176C) - Sapphire.
- 05.00 M. (1945 - Sc. #176D) - Sapphire.
- 05.00 M. (1945 - Sc. #176E) - Purple.
- 05.00 M. (1946 - Sc. #176F) - Yellow.
- 06.00 M. (1945 - Sc. #176G) - Carmine.
- 08.00 M. (1946 - Sc. #176H) - Purple.
- 10.00 M. (1945 - Sc. #176I) - Sapphire.
The five wide-format pictorial definitive stamps of Finland shown above were issued between 1930 and 1943. They are engraved on unwatermarked paper, and they are perforated 14.
The three common designs are as follows.
- 05 M. - Olavinlinna Castle (Olav's Castle). The fortress was founded in 1475 by Eric Axelsson Tott (1419-1481), under the name of Sankt Olofsborg. It is located in Savonlinna, Finland, and it is the Northernmost Medieval stone fortress still in existence.
- 10 M. - Lake Saimaa. Lake Saimaa, being 1,700 square miles, is the largest lake in Finland and the fourth largest natural freshwater lake in Europe.
- 25 M. - Wood cutter.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.
- 05 M. (1930 - Sc. #177) - Blue.
- 10 M. (1930 - Original Die - Sc. #178) - Gray Lilac.
- 10 M. (1932 - Re-engraved - Sc. #205a) - Dark Violet.
- 10 M. (1943 - Re-engraved - Sc. #205) - Red Violet.
- 25 M. (1930 - Sc. #179) - Black Brown.
The three wide-format pictorial definitive stamps of Finland shown above were issued between 1939 and 1942. The 4 M. denomination is photogravure and the other denominations are engraved.
The common design features the General Post Office in Helsinki.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.
- 04 M. (1939 - Sc. #219) - Brown Black.
- 07 M. (1942 - Sc. #219A) - Black Brown.
- 09 M. (1942 - Sc. #219B) - Rose Lake.
The two pictorial definitive stamps of Finland shown above were issued on May 2, 1942. They are engraved on unwatermarked paper.
The two designs feature the Hämeensilta Bridge in Tampere and the South Harbor of Helsinki.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.
- 050 M. (1942 - Sc. #239) - Dull Brown Violet.
- 100 M. (1942 - Sc. #240) - Indigo.
The two new-denomination pictorial definitive stamps of Finland shown above were issued on September 4, 1945. They are engraved on unwatermarked paper..
The two designs feature Olavinlinna Castle in Savonlinna and the General Post Office in Helsinki.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.
- 15 M. (1945 - Sc. #247) - Lilac Rose.
- 20 M. (1945 - Sc. #248) - Sepia.
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Return to Stamps of Finland from
Definitives of 1930-1946
The two overprinted and re-valued Lion-Issue-type definitive stamps of Finland shown above (Sc. #195-196) were issued on December 1, 1931.
The 2 M. on 1 1/2 M. overprinted and re-valued Lion-Issue-type definitive stamp of Finland shown above (Sc. #212) was issued on February 26, 1937.
The two overprinted and re-valued Lion-Issue-type definitive stamps of Finland shown above (Sc. #221-222) were issued on June 16, 1940.
The 3 1/2 M. on 2 3/4 M. overprinted and re-valued Lion-Issue-type definitive stamp of Finland shown above (Sc. #243) was issued on February 1, 1943.
The 8 M. on 5 M. overprinted and re-valued Lion-Issue-type definitive stamp of Finland shown above (Sc. #250) was issued on March 16, 1946.