Press releases
Special stamps: Dinosaurs, optical illusions and a story in one sentence
Swiss Post is issuing three brightly-coloured special stamps to let people know that dinosaurs did actually exist in Switzerland. These three elegantly designed special stamps have exciting visual effects that trigger optical illusions. With its new stamp booklet featuring «Jimmy Flitz», Switzerland's picture-book mouse, Swiss Post is sure to capture the interest of a wide younger audience. Author Franz Hohler has written a story in mini-format on the CHF 1 stamp he has designed. And Swiss Post is also honouring the two founders of the Swiss Red Cross and eminent Swiss philosopher Jeanne Hersch. These stamps and all others in the current issue will be valid from 3 September 2010.
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Numerous discoveries of skeletal remains, primarily in the Frick valley in Canton Aargau, tell the true story: millions of years ago there were dinosaurs in Switzerland, too. On land, in the water, and in the skies. Swiss Post is reincarnating three of these dinosaurs as colourful stamp motifs. The new CHF 0.85 stamp features a theropod, the CHF 1 stamp an ichthyosaur, and the CHF 1.40 stamp a pterosaur with the jaws of a predator. These creatures from the Triassic Period are not the only visually impressive new stamp issues from Swiss Post. The artist Youri Messen-Jaschin from Lausanne has created three stamps that confound the observer with their clever optical illusions. For example the ball on the CHF 0.85 stamp appears to hover in 3D above the paper, while similar images that appear to be in motion grace the CHF 1 and CHF 1.40 stamps.
Jimmy Flitz goes on a new adventure by post
Every year Swiss Post issues a special stamp featuring a motif that children can easily identify with. This year Roland Zoss' picture-book mouse «Jimmy Flitz» is depicted on the CHF 0.85 stamp. As many children and their parents will know, «Jimmy Flitz» is a mouse who has exciting adventures travelling through space and time, learning about Swiss geography and history along the way.
A complete story on a stamp
«Once upon a time there was a dwarf who was 1.89 metres tall.» These are the words on the stamp designed by Franz Hohler. In just a tiny space, he sows the seeds of a story. Writing in his own fair hand, he succeeds in sending the reader on a stamp-sized contemplative journey.
In addition to the above stamp subjects, Swiss Post is honouring a variety of key Swiss personalities. A special stamp to the value of CHF 1.90 is being issued to mark the 100th anniversary of the deaths of Swiss Red Cross founders Gustave Moynier and Henry Dunant. Also celebrated are the 100th anniversaries of the births of the two distinguished Swiss composers Rolf Liebermann and Heinrich Sutermeister, with stamps worth CHF 1 and CHF 1.40.
The philosopher Jeanne Hersch would also have celebrated her 100th birthday this year, and her side profile graces a CHF 1 special stamp. The fearless Geneva-born intellectual dedicated her life to promoting self-determination and human rights, presenting crystal clear arguments and reaching a wide audience.
Stamp motifs in issue 3/2010:
- «Dinosaurs in Switzerland» – CHF 0.85, CHF 1 and CHF 1.40 special stamps
- «Optical art» – CHF 0.85, CHF 1 and CHF 1.40 special stamps
- «Franz Hohler» – CHF 1 special stamp
- «Jimmy Flitz» – CHF 0.85 special stamp, available as a booklet of 10 stamps
- «Swiss composers» – CHF 1 and CHF 1.40 special stamps
- «Jeanne Hersch» – CHF 1 special stamp
- «EFTA 50 years» – CHF 1.40 special stamp
- «100th anniversary of the death of Henry Dunant and Gustave Moynier»
– CHF 1.90 special stamp
Stamps featured in the 3/2010 issue will be valid as of 3 September 2010 and will be available at www.swisspost.ch/philashop, as well as at Swiss philatelic salespoints and post offices.