In 1904 Denmark issued the first Christmas charity seals, a development that was quickly followed elsewhere, with a view to raising money to assist with children fighting tuberculosis. These seals were sold at all post offices in the Faroe Islands. Being a success, these continued to be issued annually, until WW2 stopped their supply in 1939. |
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Danish Christmas Seals, 1904-1939 |
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1925 Danish Christmas seal THORSHAVN dated 19.12.25 Franked with a brown 20 øre Christian X stamp (SG143) Datestamp No. 01.05 Type IIIb Timestamp 5-7 ε 20 øre paid the 250g Inland Letter rate that was in use from 01.07.1920 (but was replaced as the 50g rate on 01.03.1921) until 31.12.1926. |
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| 1931 Danish Christmas seal THORSHAVN dated 23.12.1931 Franked with a scarlet 15 øre Caravel stamp (SG246) Datestamp No. 01.06 Type Bro IIIc 15 øre was the Inland 50g letter rate applicable from 01.01.1927 until 09.07.1940. |
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1935 Danish Christmas seal THORSHAVN (Initially) dated 18.12 35 Datestamp No. 01.Saer.01 Type Bro VIIc then a MIDVAAG Datestamp No. 08.02 Type Uds has been applied at the time of re-direction. Franked with a 15 øre Hans Andersen stamp (SG 295). 15 øre was the Inland 50g letter rate applicable from 01.01.1927 until 09.07.1940. |
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1939 Danish Christmas seal KOLLEFJORD (faint) Datestamp No. 13.02 Type Uds has been initially applied + THORSHAVN transit mark dated 22.12.1939 Datestamp No. 01.07 Type IIIc + KLAKSVIG (faint) receipt cancel Datestamp No. 03.05 Type Bro IIc Franked with a bright-violet 10 øre Wavy-line Numeral stamp (SG271c) 10 øre was the Inland Postcard rate from 01.01.1927 until 09.07.1940 Black and white postcard of Aalborg, with the last Danish seal issued until the end of WWII. |
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Fri Fadirleys Charity Seals  For the Fatherless Miniature Sheet, Issued 2019 |
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During WWII as many as 210 Faroe Islanders lost their lives, mainly at sea but also a few on land. At this time there was no public social security net in the Faroes for the widows and dependent children of these lost men. In September 1941 Faroe Islanders living in Denmark and unable to return home to the Faroe Islands issued a Charity Seal with the aim of raising funds to aid those Faroese children left fatherless by the war (Fyri Fadirleys) this initial label, and a subsequent re-issue in October 1943 featured 'Merkid' (the Faroese Flag). These seals were only sold within Denmark and are thus not normally found on Faroese mail. |
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THORSHAVN 25.12.1945 Franked with two 10 øre mauve King Christian X 75th Birthday stamps (SG343). Datestamp No. 01.08 Type Bro IIc Inland letter sent at the 20 øre rate to Klaksvig with FYRI FAÐIRLEYS (Merkid) charity seal (not catalogued in GF10). |
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In March 1945 a second seal featuring 'Mother and Child' was issued in Denmark, however later in the year the remaining copies of these seals found their way to the Faroe Islands where they were sold locally. |
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| GF10 No. 2 Issued 1945 Blue and Red Perf 11½ Fri Fadirleys Charity Seal, possibly used in Thorshavn? |
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GF10 No. 2 Issued in 1945, Blue and Red. Perf 11½ VAAG 12.05.1948 Franked with two 20 øre scarlet Cristian X definitives (SG329). Datestamp No. 12.03 Type Bro IIc Letter sent to England at the 40 øre Surface Rate to Foreign Countries (20g) with FYRI FAÐIRLEYS (Mother and Child) charity seal. |
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Danish Christmas Seals, 1945-1975 |
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| 1953 Danish Christmas seal SOLMUNDEFJORD dated 2.12.1953 Franked with a brown 20 øre Frederik IX stamp (SG360). Datestamp No. 14.04 Type Bro IId 20 øre was the Inland Postcard rate applicable from 01.07.1952 until 14.04.1963 |
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| 1954 Danish Christmas seal SALTANGERAA dated 15.12.1954 Franked with a brown 20 øre Frederik IX stamp (SG360). Datestamp No. 27.03 Type Bro IId 20 øre was the Inland Postcard rate applicable from 01.07.1952 until 14.04 1963 |
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1961 Danish Christmas seal TRANGISVAAG dated xx.12.1961 Franked with a brown 20 øre Frederik IX stamp (SG 360). Datestamp No 02.Sær.02 Type Bro VIId Postcard sent to Denmark at the 20 øre Inland postcard rate applicable from 01.07.1952 until 14.04.1963. |
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| 1971
Danish Christmas seal TÓRSHAVN dated 21.12.1971 Franked with a brown 50 øre Frederik IX stamp (SG439b). Datestamp No. 01.Ems.04 Type Ems 50 øre was the Inland Postcard rate from 03.07.1967 until 30.06.1972 |
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1974 Danish Christmas seal + Albini Pilsner label TÓRSHAVN not dated Franked with a 70 øre stamp from the 1973 Church Frescoes issue depicting The Harvest Miracle (SG565). A very Philatelic card on which a straight line 'FOROYA GJALDSTOVA/3800 TÓRSHAVN’ cancellation has been applied, which is not catalogued. The card is addressed to Odense and a 'M.S. Winston Churchill Esbjerg Harwich' DFDS company cachet has also been applied. |
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1975 Danish Christmas seal + GF10 No. 9b Barnahjalpin Charity Seal 1975, Type 1 Roulette 7 Red background with green border. KLAKSVIK dated 17.12.75 Franked with a 90 øre Pitney-Bowes machine cancel - PB982 Ty*Phoo Te on a J.F KJØLBRO company envelope. 90 øre was the Inland Letter rate (20g) applicable from 15.06.1974 until the Faroese Postal Administration rates came into force on 01.04.1976. |
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During the British Occupation of the Faroe Islands during WWII it was recognised that there was a need to raise funds for more local charity work. As a result, the Faroese Barnahjalpargrunnurin (Children’s Aid Foundation) issued their first charity seals in the Faroes during WW2 and continued to issue seals which were sold through the Faroes post offices until 1975 (along with Danish Christmas seals which were reintroduced in 1945). |
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Barnahjalpin Charity Seals, 1944 - 1975 "Foroyar Barnaheim" is a children's home, which is an independent institution with an executive committee as its highest authority. Seal numbers are taken from a 1988 DAKA GF10 catalogue. |
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GF10 No. 1 Blue and Red Issued 1944 THORSHAVN dated 27.3.44 Franked with a scarlet 20 øre King Christian X, SG 329. Datestamp No. 01.08 Type Bro IIc Sent at the Inland letter rate of 20 øre which applied from 10.07.1940 until 31.05.1950 On business envelope from the firm of Ludvig Poulsen. |
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| GF10 No. 3 Issued 1947 Multi-coloured Perf 10¾ THORSHAVN dated 17.12.1957 Franked with a scarlet 15 øre Frederick IX stamp (SG329). Datestamp No. 01.11 Type Bro IId The local Postcard rate was abolished from 30.04.1955. The Inland rate of 20 øre applied from 01.07.1952 until 14.04.1963 so this card appears to be underfranked. |
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GF10 No. 4 Issued 1952 Multi-coloured Perf 12x12¼ MIDVAAG dated 26.2.54 Franked with a brown-red 30 øre Frederick IX stamp (SG363b). Datestamp No. 08.03 Type Bro IId Sent at the Inland letter rate of 30 øre which applied from 01.07.1952 until 14.04.1963 |
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GF10 No. 5a Issued 1953 Type 1 Perf 12¼ Blue background with red border. + GF10 No. 4 (see above) + 1953 Danish Christmas seal THORSHAVN dated 15.12.1953 Franked with a pair of green 10 øre Wavy-line Numeral stamps (SG271d). Datestamp No. 01.12 Type Bro IId 20 øre was the Local Letter rate (50g) applicable from 01.07.1952 until 30.04.1955. |
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GF10 No. 5b Issued 1953 Type 1 Perf 14¾ Blue background with red border. THORSHAVN dated 07.04.1956 Franked with a pale reddish violet 25 øre Frederick IX stamp (SG362b). Datestamp No. 01.11 Type Bro IId 25 øre was the Local Letter rate (50g) applicable from 01.05.1955 until 30.03.1957 when the Local rate was abolished. |
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GF10 No. 6c Issued 1975 Type 1 Perf 11 Red background with Blue border. TÓRSHAVN dated 07.09.1977 Franked with a 120 oyru stamp from the 1975 definitive series. Datestamp No. 01.19 Type Bro IId together with a 'PAQUEBOT' cachet (GF10 - TO90). 'TO FAROES' (GF10 - DG100) and 'SMYRIL' (GF10 - DG95) ship marks have also been applied. It is unclear why a 120 øre franking has been applied to this postcard to England as the Postcard rate to countries outside Scandinavia was 90 oyru from 01.04.1976 until 31.10.1977. Posted onboard M/F SMYRIL and the PAQUEBOT cancel applied when the card was datestamped in Tórshavn. |
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GF10 No. 7 |
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GF10 No. 8c barna/hjálpar/grunnurin 1975 Multicoloured Perf 11 VÁGUR dated 23.11.1977 Franked with a 180 øre stamp from the 1977 Faroese Birds I issue (FO23) Datestamp No. 12.07 Type IId 180 øre was the (surface) Letter rate (20g) for Outside Scandinavia applicable from 01.11.1977 until 30.09.1979. |
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| GF10 No. 9b 1975 Type 1 Roulette 7 Red background with green border. + GF10 No. 8c (see above) + Advent 1975 seal on reverse of the cover VÁGUR dated 26.11.1975 Franked with 2 x 10 øre (FO2) and 70 øre (FO5) from the 1975 Definitives Issue Datestamp No. 12.08 Type Bro IIIg 90 øre was the Inland Letter rate (20g) applicable from 15.06.1974 until the Faroese Postal Administration rates came into force on 01.04.1976. |
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Following Postal Independance in 1976 the Danish Christmas seals and the Faroese Children’s aid seals were replaced by the modern Faroese Christmas charity seals, with funds raised still benefitting the Children's Aid Foundation. |
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Faroese Christmas Seals, 1976 to date |
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| 1976 Faroese Christmas seal |
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| 1977 Faroese Christmas seal |  |
| 1978 Faroese Christmas seal |  |
| 1980 Faroese Christmas seal |  |
| 1981 Faroese Christmas
seal with additional 1981 Danish Lutherian Mission seal |
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| 1982 Faroese Christmas seal |  |
| 1983 Faroese Christmas seal |  |
1985 Faroese Christmas seal |
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| 1987 Faroese Christmas seal |  |
| 1989 Faroese Christmas seal |  |
Other Faroese Charity Labels |
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FØROYAR BARNAHEIM |
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Mint Examples Bottom Top: GF10 No. 2 1960 Bold print number Bottom Bottom: GF10 No. 3 1966 Thin print number |
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| GF10 No. 3 Issued 1966 TÓRSHAVN dated 20 DEC 1971 Franked with a brown 50 øre Frederik IX stamp (SG439b). Datestamp No. 01.Ems.05 Type Ems Sent at the (Inland) Postcard rate of 50 øre which applied from 03.07.1967 until 30.06.1972. |
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JAVNI (Association for the retarded) |
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JAVNI (1973) Association for the retarded + Barnahjálpin 1975 DAKA 6c Type 1, Perf 11 Red background with blue border. + FØROYAR 1977 Christmas Seal VÁGUR 16.11.1977 Franked with the 180 øre stamp from the 1977 Faroese Birds I issue (FO23) Datestamp No. 12.07 Type Bro IId 180 øre was the (surface) Letter rate (20g) for Outside Scandinavia applicable from 01.11.1977 until 30.09.1979. |
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FØROYAR BARNABATI (Childrens' Welfare) |
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1982 Childrens' Welfare Seal Posted VÁGUR 10.10.1991 Franked with a set of the 1991 Paintings by Sámal Joensen-Mikines issue (FO217-220) Datestamp No. 12.08 Type IIIg A philatelic cover that does not conform to any of the postal rates current at that time. |
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1982 Childrens' Welfare Seal Posted VÁGUR 22.03.1994 Franked with a 400 øre stamp from the 1993 Nordic issue (FO240) Datestamp No. 12.08 Type IIIg 400 øre was the basic 20g 'A" letter rate to Europe during the period 01.01.1993 to 31.12.1995. |
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