FINNISH HISTORY REVEALED IN STAMPS

The Finnish Heritage Museum was presented a review of Finnish Stamps of 1856 to 1929. Ron Peura explained the practice of "rouletting" or the use of a mechanical tool to make the separations between stamps, printed on a sheet. Ron related that he had acquired the great hobby of collecting Finnish stamps from a former neighbor whose children had refused to continue their dad's hobby. The neighbor gifted Ron with his collection, rather than have it "relegated to the roadside trash!"
Finland had been under Russian rule since 1809. She had entered this period as a semi-independent Grand Duchy with a free constitution. Finland was allowed by Czar Alexander 1 of Russia, the Grand Duke, allowed the existing religion the basic laws and the privileges of the social order. Issuing stamps by countries had already started in the 1850's when stamps began to be issued in Finland, the first in 1856. Thus with anything of value and interest, collecting stamps soon followed.
Finland's first issue of stamps was the plate blocks of 1880. It was then that they began to mount the stamps. Russification policies in Finland began during the rule of Czar Alexander III. By 1899 Finland had lost her autonomy and was fully incorporated into the Russian Empire under Nicholas II. A dot on a circle meant that the stamp was printed in Finland, and not a Finnish stamp printed in Russia.
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INTRODUCING
THE LATEST
FHM
PROJECT:
THE "SPIRIT OF FINLAND"
Click on the "Spirit of Finland" image on the left for more details on the aluminum, 14 foot tall, six foot wide, which will highlight our museum. |