Newest Canada Post Stamps Celebrate Marine Life in Joint Issue with Sweden

On May 15, 2010 Canada Post released the newest items in its 2010 stamp program - a joint issue with Sweden celebrating marine life.  The stamps, designed by Swedish stamp designer Martin Mörck, feature the Sea Otter and the Harbour Porpoise.  Mörck describes his design this way: 

“My idea was to join the two animals without showing their natural surroundings. I tried to capture the animals on the same level, somewhere both in front of and behind the water, under water, and at the surface of the water, which is their shared element.”

The stamps are available both as a booklet of eight and a souvenir sheet of two.  An interesting feature of these stamps is that the booklet pane is gummed - the first gummed pane produced by Canada Post since 2004.  Collectors can purchase the new stamps directly from post offices throughout Canada and from Canada Post's on line shop, which offers free shipping for customers in the United States.

The Swedish issue of the stamps comes as a se-tenant block of four and a collector's sheet.  These can also be purchased on line from Posten the Swedish Postal authority.

For detailed information on this exciting new joint issue, including stamp specifications and security features, check out this publication from Canada Post.