Wild Animals in Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein’s diverse landscape is home to a wide variety of animals and plants. Photographer Roland Rick captured four wild animals in their natural environment with his camera: The “Fox” (face value: CHF 1.00) can be found in forests, meadows and occasionally in urban areas. It has a similar reddish colour to the native “Squirrel” (face value: CHF 1.20) with its white-coloured belly fur. The “Marmot” (face value: CHF 1.90) lives in the Alpine region in burrows it has built itself and grows up to fifty centimetres long. The largest wild animal in the series, however, is the magnificent “Stag” (face value: CHF 2.50) with its typical maned neck and impressive antlers.

Provisional Stamps

This year, Philately Liechtenstein is again using the overprinting method for four existing self-adhesive definitive stamps. This means that the original face value of the stamp will be visibly corrected and overprinted with the new face value. This is due to the price increases by Liechtensteinische Post AG. The “Marbled White” definitive stamp from the 2009 butterfly series will now be issued with a face value of CHF 1.00 (previously CHF 1.30). The “Spotted Darter” will also have a new face value of CHF 1.20 (previously CHF 2.00). The face value of two stamps from the 2023 Samina Valley fauna issue will also be corrected: The “Alpine Salamander” to CHF 1.90 (previously CHF 0.90) and the “Alpine Silver Ant” to CHF 2.50 (previously CHF 1.10).

Peace

In view of the blazing conflicts and inhumane wars around the world, Philately Liechtenstein would like to send out a call for peace to the world with its new issue. In her design, designer Michèle Steffen-Goop has expressed the idea that peace comes from small things and from interpersonal relationships. Despite its restraint and fragility, the dove of peace is the focus of the new “Peace” special stamp (face value: CHF 1.90). It forms the eye of a face depicted in profile, which is sometimes only recognisable at second glance and symbolises the prospect of peace.

Children.Future.Secure

For 75 years, the SOS Children’s Villages organisation has been committed to the welfare, education and protection of children. Its vision is to give every child a secure future. Founded in 1949 by Hermann Gmeiner from Vorarlberg, the aid organisation is meanwhile active in 138 countries, also in Liechtenstein for the past five years. The organisation’s global work focuses on the protection and family-based care of children who no longer have a safe home or have no home at all. With its special stamp “Children’s Laughter” (face value: CHF 1.00), Philately Liechtenstein is emphasising the need for a secure future for children all over the world.

Fine Arts from Liechtenstein

The continuation of the “Fine Arts from Liechtenstein” series puts the spotlight on two artists and their life’s work: “Hanni Schierscher” (face value: CHF 1.00) and “Evi Kliemand” (face value: CHF 1.20). Evi Kliemand’s (d.o.b. 1946) two-part work “Fragile Balance” was created in 2007 using the gouache technique on canvas in the format 180 x 210 cm. It highlights the fragile, endangered balance in all living things and the perception of it. The image “Iris” by Hanni Schierscher (d.o.b. 1943) was created by means of natural self-printing using plant sap on handmade paper. Her work is characterised by the fact that she does not put a conceived motif on paper, but instead initiates processes that give form to the forces inherent in nature.

The “Wildlife in Liechtenstein” definitive stamps will be issued on 3 January 2024, and all other stamps from this issue will be available from Philately Liechtenstein from 4 March 2024. www.philatelie.li