The exhibition will show the first stamps issued in the world, on loan from Queen Elizabeth II’s collection, for the first time in Finland together with some philatelic treasures from the Postal Museum’s own collection. The exhibition is part of the international philatelic exhibition Finlandia 2017, which will be held in Tampere Hall 24th–28th May 2017.

The exhibition will feature rare essays and proofs of the first stamps and postal stationery from 1839 to 1840. There will also be some ‘superstars of philately’ such as the blue unused Two Pence Post Office Mauritius stamp from 1847 and the Bermuda Postmaster Provisionals from 1848 to 1854. The most notable among the later acquisitions is the Kirkcudbright Penny Black first day cover. It bears ten Penny Blacks, the largest known group of Penny Blacks on a first day cover.

Rarities exhibited from the Postal Museum’s own collections will include Finland’s first stamps, the 5 and 10 kopek stamps issued in 1856 as well as pieces of postal stationery, which preceded these stamps and were issued from 1845. Some of the exhibits are unique and others so rare there are only a very few examples in the world.