The subject of 2025’s Black Heritage stamp series is Allen Toussaint (1938–2015), an American musician, songwriter, arranger and record producer. He was an influential figure in New Orleans rhythm and blues music from the 1950s to the end of the century. Toussaint was described as “one of popular music’s great backroom figures.” Many musicians recorded his compositions. His songwriting resonated with musicians across genres, leading him to collaborate with icons like Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, and more. Today, Toussaint’s legacy lives on in the vibrant music of New Orleans, the artists he inspired, and the timeless catalogue of songs he helped bring into the world. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. He was a producer for hundreds of recordings – possibly the best known are “Right PLace, Wrong Time”, by long-time friend and New Orleans musician Dr. John, and “Lady Marmalade” by Labelle.
Issued in 2025 to celebrate a major U.S. Postal Service anniversary, the minisheet “250 Years of Delivering” is a superbly illustrated pane of 20 interconnected stamps representing the ubiquitous presence of USPS throughout the years — and the vital role the postal system has played in connecting Americans since 1775.
United States of America 2025United States of America 2025
The 250th anniversary Benjamin Franklin stamp seen here is a modern interpretation of an 1875 reproduction of the very first U.S. stamp from 1847, which also featured Franklin.
United States of America 1956
The 250th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin’s birth commemorative stamp above, issued in 1956, features painter Benjamin West’s portrait “Franklin Taking Electricity from the Sky.” This work depicts the story associated with Franklin, one of America’s Founding Fathers, as he looks toward the sky in an attempt to draw an electric current using a key.
A small selection of stamps added to PostBeeld’s stock recently can be seen below. Please note:for each country featured in the article, there will have been many more stamps added to PostBeeld’s freestampcatalogue.com website.
Sri Lanka 2005
Vesak (or Wesak, Buddha Day) is the most sacred Buddhist festival – commemorating the birth, enlightenment (Nirvana), and passing (Parinirvana) of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) all on the same day, traditionally the full moon in May. Celebrated globally, it involves temple visits, chanting, meditation, offering flowers/candles, releasing caged animals to symbolise liberation, and performing good deeds to honour the Buddha’s message of compassion and peace. The stamps above and below, from Sri Lanka, were issued to celebrate Vesak.
Sri Lanka 2017Suriname 1945
The portrait on this fine stamp set from Suriname depicts Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 until her abdication in 1948. She reigned for nearly 58 years, making her the longest-reigning monarch in Dutch history, as well as the longest-reigning female monarch outside the United Kingdom.
Suriname 1948
And here we have a fine 1948 definitive set with the portrait of Wilhelmina’s successor, Queen Juliana (1909-2004). In 1948 Suriname was a colony of the Netherlands. Queen Juliana reigned from 1948 to 1980.
Algeria 1981
Just added is a great selection of butterfly stamps, seen here some from Algeria and the Central African Republic.
Central African Republic 1976St. Vincent 1974
Also many beautiful bird stamps, such as these from St.Vincent (1974) and the Cayman Islands (1975) – all mint, never hinged.
Cayman Islands 1975Yugoslavia 1969
For horse lovers we have these beauties from Yugoslavia, issued in 1969.
Netherlands Antilles 1947
Above is a quite rare set of airmail definitives. In 1947 the island of Curacao was part of what was then known as the Netherlands Antilles – a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea.
St. Pierre and Miquelon 2013
Saint Pierre and Miquelon is a French archipelago twenty-five kilometers south of the Canadian island of Newfoundland. Above and below are stamp strips showing panoramic views of two bays on the archipelago.
The French Southern and Antarctic Territories 2025 (TAAF)
And here is a great five-stamp minisheet of French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF) stamps – produced to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the TAAF. The territory includes the Crozet Islands, the Kerguelen Islands, and the Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands in the southern Indian Ocean near 43°S, 67°E, along with Adélie Land, the sector of Antarctica claimed by France.
In 2016 Great Britain’s Royal mail produced a set of eight special stamps to mark the 300th anniversary of the birth of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Capability Brown is remembered as ‘the last of the great eighteenth century artists’ and as ‘England’s greatest gardener’. Nicknamed ‘Capability’ from his habit of describing locations as having ‘great capabilities’, he changed the face of eighteenth century England through his innovative approach to landscape gardening.
Great Britain 2016
He designed the landscapes of country estates, by moving hills and creating flowing lakes and serpentine rivers. He also excavated valleys, planted expanses of turf, clumps of trees and bands of forest. The stamps showcase eight of the best loved examples of Capability Brown’s work and a celebration of his contribution to the English landscape. Locations featured on the stamps are:
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire – Often viewed as an example of one of Brown’s finest projects, The Duke of Marlborough enticed Brown to Oxfordshire in 1763, with the promise that he should begin work at Blenheim Palace immediately.
Longleat, Wiltshire – Set in 900 acres of parkland modelled by Brown. For his efforts at Longleat in Wiltshire, Brown was paid over £6,100 between 1757 and 1762 by Lord Weymouth.
Compton Verney, Warwickshire – Brown’s 1768 arrival at Compton Verney, Warwickshire, sparked Lord Willoughby de Broke to undertake ambitious changes to the family seat – including both the house and landscape.
Highclere Castle, Hampshire – Henry Herbert, later 1st Earl of Carnarvon, summoned Brown to Highclere Castle shortly after he inherited the Berkshire estate in 1769. The castle was used as the location for the TV series, Downton Abbey.
Alnwick Castle, Northumberland – Shortly before 1770, Brown began work at the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland’s northern estate, Alnwick Castle, after having previously worked for them at Syon. Northumberland was the county of Brown’s birth.
Berrington Hall, Herefordshire – In 1778, Brown supplied a landscape plan for Thomas Harley at Berrington Hall, Herefordshire, working there in perfect partnership with his son-in-law, the architect, Henry Holland Jnr.
Stowe, Buckinghamshire – The vast Buckinghamshire estate belonging to the formidable Viscount Cobham, was where Brown cut his horticultural teeth. He modelled the Grecian Valley with the Temple of Concord and Victory.
Croome Park, Worcestershire – Brown was first consulted regarding Croome Park in Worcestershire in 1751, when George William Coventry inherited the earldom. This was his first independent commission.
Celebrated for creating landscapes on an immense scale, with a focus on vistas rather than gardens and parkland – it is often said that the images Brown created are as deeply embedded in the English character as the paintings of Turner and the poetry of Wordsworth.
The commemorative Miniature Sheet issued by Great Britain in 2025 honoured the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway – the World’s first steam-powered public railway. The four First Class stamps capture milestone events in the history of the Railway. From left to right the stamps show: The Railway’s opening ceremony in 1825; Locomotion No.1 at Darlington in 1890; The Centenary in 1925; and a replica of Locomotion No.1 riding the rails in 1975. The stamps are set against a sepia-coloured backdrop featuring the issue’s title in typography taken from a Stockton & Darlington Railway Company share certificate, and an illustration of rolling stock on the Stockton & Darlington Railway.
Great Britain 2025
Also in this issue these six special stamps showcase the origins and evolution of British locomotives across two centuries, with evocative photography and elegant illustrations that bring to life the iconic steam machines that powered the Industrial Revolution. The six First Class landscape stamps were presented as vertical se-tenant pairs. In chronological order the stamps show: Locomotion No. 1 at the opening of the first steam-powered public railway in 1825; Rocket, the locomotive that won the Rainhill Trials, helping launch the railway age, 1829; City of Truro, unofficially timed at 100mph in 1904; Mallardbecame the fastest steam locomotive ever in 1938; the locomotive Duchess of Hamilton was exhibited the New York World’s Fair, 1939; and Evening Star– the last steam locomotive built for British Railways, 1960.
Great Britain is rich in gardens and garden landscapes. Gardening is in the British blood! Every week, you can watch a programme about gardens and gardening on BBC Television or another channel.
Great Britain 1983
Nearly every country estate is, or was, surrounded by gardens and parks. In 1983, the British Post Office (Royal Mail) issued a series of four stamps featuring stately gardens. Pitmedden is a rural village in the parish of Udny, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Pitmedden Garden, part of which is seen on this 31p stamp, is a walled garden with vibrant floral designs and a Museum of Farming Life.
Lancelot “Capability” Brown
Near the town of Woodstock in Oxfordshire, lies Blenheim Palace. Built for the First Duke of Marlborough, it is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. The palace was a gift from Queen Anne to the Duke in gratitude for his victory at the Battle of Blindheim on August 13, 1704. The parkland was laid out in 1764 by Lancelot “Capability” Brown (pictured above). He commissioned the artificial lake depicted on the 28p stamp.
Great Britain 1983
Capability Brown designed over 170 parklands belonging to country houses and castles, many of which still exist and can be visited. His nickname “Capability” comes from a saying he used with his clients: “Your garden has ‘great capabilities.'” And he certainly lived up to that promise, with a collection of large trees and ample water. He is considered the greatest gardener of his time.
Great Britain 1983
Two Egyptian sphinxes, seen on the stamp here, flank a stone passageway in the garden of Biddulph Grange. The garden and country house are located near Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. A grange was originally a manor house, but later evolved into a comfortable country house. The garden was designed by James Bateman, who lived from 1811 to 1897. He moved to Biddulph in 1840, where he designed the garden with the help of his friend Edward William Cooke. He was a great lover of orchids. The rhododendrons and azaleas in the garden, which bloom profusely in late spring, are famous.
Great Britain 1983
One of the most famous gardens is also called “The most beautiful garden in England,” a 1930 creation by author Vita Sackville-West and her husband, Sir Harold Nicolson. The garden has been owned by the National Trust since 1967, and thousands of visitors enjoy its countless flowers. The garden is located near Cranbrook in Kent. Numerous walls and hedges have been erected throughout the garden, creating dozens of beautiful passageways. The most beautiful garden is undoubtedly the white garden, which features only white flowers. And, of course, a magnificent rose garden, home to many varieties, which are also depicted on the 1976 series of postage stamps below.
Germany’s Deutsche Post produced the 2025 Christmas period “Winter Landscape” stamp seen above and below a Nativity scene.
Germany 2025Spain 2025
Correos (the Spanish postal service) has launched a new series of Christmas stamps called “Christmas Cities.” This theme aims to showcase the cities across Spain that embody the Christmas spirit during the holiday season. The Roman Bridge of Cangas de Onís, one of the most recognisable symbols of Asturias and all of Spain – seen on the B Tarifa stamp – is transformed every Christmas into a unique setting for an illuminated Nativity scene. Festive lights, including stars and the message “Christmas in Cangas de Onís,” are installed on its iconic arch. Torrejón de Ardoz, a municipality of Spain belonging to the Community of Madrid is featured on the A Tarifa stamp.
Alderney 2025
Above and below a collaborative Christmas issue from Guernsey and Alderney depicts scenes from the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. The titles on the stamps from Alderney are: 64p – The Twelve Days of Christmas; 69p – A Partridge in a Pear Tree; 92p – Two Turtle Doves; £1.37 – Three French Hens; £1.47 – Four Calling Birds; £1.81 – Five Gold Rings- and £1.90 – Six Geese a-Laying.
Guernsey 2025
And from Guernsey the 64p Stamp is followed by: 69p – Seven Swans a-Swimming; 92p – Eight Maids a-Milking; £1.37 – Nine Ladies Dancing; £1.47 – Ten Lords a-Leaping; £1.81 – Eleven Pipers Piping; and £1.90 – Twelve Drummers Drumming.
Norway 2025
Norway’s 2025 Christmas offering is entitled “Nostalgia in a Snow Globe”, the two stamps showing winter scenes within snow globes. The history of the snow globe dates back to the 19th century. At the World Exhibition in Paris in 1878, snow globes were described as paperweights with a white powder that mimicked falling snow. Austrian inventor Erwin Perzy popularised the snow globe towards the end of the 19th century while trying to develop a bright surgical lamp. The effect reminded him of snowfall, inspiring him to create his first snow globe. Due to high demand, he and his brother opened a shop in Vienna, where production continues today as a family-run business exporting snow globes worldwide.
A theatre company founded in 1975 with the bold intention of creating Ireland’s first professional theatre company outside of Dublin has had its 50th anniversary commemorated with stamps issued by Ireland’s an post. There were few resources with which to build a theatre company in the West of Ireland in 1975, but through sheer dedication, and with the support of the Galway community, founders Garry Hynes, Marie Mullen and Mick Lally made this bold idea a reality. That reality has since made this touring theatre company an international success story of extraordinary dimensions.
Republic of Ireland 2025
And, as seen here by just a minuscule amount of the plaudits received over the years, Druid continues to thrive:
“One of the world’s great acting ensembles” – The Guardian.
“One of the greatest, bravest, most exciting theatre companies anywhere in the world” – The Arts Review.
“Any New York visit by the Druid Theatre Company of Galway is an event not to be missed” – The New York Times.
Proud of its national touring history, Druid has visited 32 counties over the past five decades.
In the Christmas 2025 Stamps article just published the Australia 2024 Christmas stamps shown have been inserted by mistake. Below are the stamps that should have appeared in the article.
Isle of Man 2025
A collaboration between the Isle of Man Post Office (IOMPO) and students from University College Isle of Man (UCM) has produced the 2025 Isle of Man Christmas stamps seen here – a celebration of community, creativity and heritage. Each stamp tells a unique story – from Manx traditions such as ‘The White Boys’ play and ‘First Footing’, to modern day occasions depicted through the Christmas light switch on and the annual ‘Santa’s on a Bike’ fundraising event.
Christmas 2025 is almost upon us so here we have a small selection of this year’s offerings.
Great Britain 2025
This stamp sheet from Great Britain has five self-adhesive stamps set against a beautiful backdrop featuring the three wise men carrying gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh as they follow the star to Bethlehem.
The Netherlands’ December 2025 stamps feature well-known fairy tales, scenes from which can be seen at the Efteling theme park in Holland, along with the fairy tale “Journey of Happiness.” This fairy tale was specially created for the December stamps. The nine other fairy tales are Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, Frog Prince, Tom Thumb, The Princess and the Pea, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Wolf and the Seven Little Goats, and The Six Servants. The back of the stamp sheet contains recommendations for sending December mail.
Faroe Islands
Above “The Pixies’ Christmas” stamps issued by the Faroe Islands. In the Nordic countries, pixies have been part of folklore for hundreds of years. The first written mention dates to the 14th century, and the oldest known drawing of a pixie appears in a book from 1555 by Swedish writer, cartographer, and Catholic clergyman Olaus Magnus.
Sweden 2025
This delightful 10-stamp sheet from Sweden depicts scenes of preparation for the Christmas period.
Finland 2025
This first day cover from Finland with two stamps shows a jolly Santa Claus figure with freshly-cooked gingerbread men jumping from his baking tray and also conducting a choir of gingerbread figures.
Isle of Man 2025
A collaboration between the Isle of Man Post Office (IOMPO) and students from University College Isle of Man (UCM) has produced the 2025 Isle of Man Christmas stamps seen here – a celebration of community, creativity and heritage. Each stamp tells a unique story – from Manx traditions such as ‘The White Boys’ play and ‘First Footing’, to modern day occasions depicted through the Christmas light switch on and the annual ‘Santa’s on a Bike’ fundraising event.
Jersey 2025
Jersey is home to a vibrant and diverse community, with islanders hailing from cultures all around the world and their 2025 Christmas stamps feature a variety of international and local foods. Superbly photographed images of Christmas fare on the stamps show (top left to right): Buche de Noel (France); Lé Podîn d’Noué (Jersey’s traditional steamed pudding); Barszcz Czerwony (Poland); and Sarmale (Romania). Bottom (l-r): Bacalhau da Consoada (Portugal); Glazed Gammon (South Africa); Christmas cake (Ireland); and Roast Turkey with trimmings (British).
