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PostEurop is once again hosting their yearly competition to choose the best EUROPA stamp of the year!

If you’ve seen the new stamps, you’ll know that the theme for 2013 is Van of the Postman. Every country has its own means of moving mail around – from bicycles to trucks, old school or futuristic options. They are a visible and recognisable symbol of the postal services’ connection to their communities.

Here is a small selection of the stamps on this year’s competition:

Best EUROPA stamp competition 2013

PostEurop says:

Those vehicles painted with distinctive colours are seen each day on almost every road and even highways across Europe, carrying personal effects and messages to millions of customers each day. The modern day vans are quick, efficient and more ecological compared to historical vehicles. Depending on the country, its culture, terrain and climate, each postal operator has their own story to tell. So, philatelic designers had set out to work on their interpretive designs capturing the past and/or present and the results are here.

Aren’t they all lovely? We hope to receive a lot of postcards with EUROPA stamps this year… but first, let’s vote on which one of them is the best! :)

To see all the stamps and vote, go to the competition page and pick your favorite. May the best stamp win!

PS – We’re always curious to know… which one did you pick?

106 comments so far

dogma7911, Germany

Germany of course ;)

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emem333, Italy

definitely the San Marino one! Be hippie! :D

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bornokyo, Philippines

Done voting.

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Meepy, Belgium

The one with the dromedary...from which country is that?

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marica_t, United States of America

Wow, this is awesome! :D I like Azerbaijan, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Greenland, Montenegro, Serbia, Romania... and all the other entries are great... I wouldn't know which one to count as my favourite for a vote! :D

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georginia, Poland

Kazakhstan, for unique concept :)

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Woyteq, Poland

Kazakhstan!

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asusenna, Netherlands

I liked Malta!:)

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devc, Portugal

It was really difficult to choose! There are several really pretty! At the end, I choose Kazakhstan :)

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YITICH, Taiwan

I want to receive these stamps!
Is anyone want to swap for me?

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Blogger, United States of America

Kazakhstan - I love the camel!!

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siobhan, Germany

Such a shame the German one is with the new domestic 58 cents value - it's diffucult to use that for international mail because it's such an odd amount. If you don't want to overpay, you have to use four 3 c stamps and one 5 c stamp to make up the proper value, and that takes up a LOT of space. *sigh*

By the way, my favourites are the ones from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Latvia and Greenland - and I don't understand the one from Liechtenstein. :D I've already seen some of these stamps (Netherlands, Portugal) on postcards sent to me, it's always fun.

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Juliana_Z, Russia

I have already given my vote to the stamp from... Kazakhstan! Isn't the camel that tries to deliver mail to recipients as fast as possible awfully funny? :)

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mapa, Belgium

Romania, with the international enveloppes!
Love Greenland too, with the dogs...

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santi84, Slovakia

Bosnia and Herzegovina :)

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tumbleweed, Germany

Look at all the ways the mail is transported - the only thing missing is a boat! My favourite is Greenland, but I really like Estonia, too!

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Manila, Malaysia

i just rcv 'Suomi Finland' stamp today and i like it very much..

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aleksandra-maria, Poland

San Marino!

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honeybee, Austria

I vote for Austria. I love our stamps :)

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glitter158, Poland

San Marino is beautiful ^^

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ceruleanmind, Bulgaria

Does no one else love the Russian stamp? I sure do, especially after receiving several copies of it. It looks gorgeous on a card. Kazakhstan and Greenland are also wonderful.

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franhunne, Germany

Kazakhstan - thumbs up for that concept. There were some historical vehicles, but the camel was unique!

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Eismond, Germany

I voted for Kazakzhtan, too. Since it was wasn't a vehicle at all.

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ichabodhides, United Kingdom

Done voting. I see the UK is missing from the list, though...

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kbdessai, India

I voted for Sweden. :)

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teesa, Portugal

Portugal, of couse!

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FairyFoot, United Kingdom

Royal Mail hasn't issued the Europa stamp yet... August...

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xira, Netherlands

Romania, love it!

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Marcie08, Austria

I'd vote for the Austrian, it's the van as a sticker.

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Elkka, Finland

I voted our own Finnish stamp.

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Augenstern, Austria

I voted for the Austrian stamp - it may not look very unique at first glance, but the van on the sheet is detachable and the actual stamp is in the shape of the car :)

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Stasele, Netherlands

Croatia, Greece and Slovenia which deliver the mail ecologically by bike. Russia, Greenland and Kazakhstan for their "renewable energy" transportation, and Romania for its original picture!

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inPhobos, Germany

Bosnia and Herzegovina

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blu1984, Germany

Greenland :) Just voted :)

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HM, Netherlands

voted Kazakhstan, would like to see the camel introduced for maildelivery here in NL.

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dustin15, Germany

I really like Russia, Kazakhstan and Greenland because they do not show cars like all the other stamps. But voted for Russia because I already have the stamp. :)

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isagv, Germany

I like all with horses and the one with the dogs but my favorite is Azerbaijan.

@sioban: You can print 17 cent automat stamps + the europe stamp and have 75 cent. ;)

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joana97, Portugal

Greenland !

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siobhan, Germany

@isa: Yes, but these automat stamps are just so ugly ... I never use them.

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Duesseljin, Germany

I voted for Greenland. Funny idea to receive mail with a sledge. And funny, just today I received a postcard from Poland with the EUROPA stamp.

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Tan_ja, Finland

Iceland :) I also liked Cyprus, Greenland and Kazakhstan with the camel :D

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StephanieH, Russia

Russia!
I really like this stamp!!!

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hevans, United Kingdom

Italy - because it was on the postcard that marco6691 sent me last week!

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Millemara, Switzerland

I voted for the stamp from Romania. I love the small airmail envelope on the stamp, so cute.
My second favourite is the one from Malta.

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Andreahexe, Germany

Estonia :-)

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auslaender, Austria

Ukraine - is favourite!

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hmthompson, United States of America

Came down to the sled dogs or the camel. Greenland

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Robisa, Italy

I voted for Serbia! But I liked a lot the Finnish stamp too!

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juliaclaire, United States of America

Chalk up a vote for Vatican City!

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purplekiwi, United States of America

It was really hard... Greenland was awesome,San Marino was so nice and colorful, and the camel was super cute... but in the end I had to got with Romania because of the air mail envelopes. I got one in a swap and it is a treasure! I thought no one used them anymore.

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aberline, Australia

I like Finland, Russia and Iceland. But I'm confused I got a Finland Europa stamp yesterday on my card but it wasn't the one shown on the competition page ..are there more than one for each country?

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mcbuchanan, Canada

I liked Greenland, Azerbaijan, and the other "Stan" country!

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Alison_Machado, Brazil

I liked Moldova! :)

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pjh52, United States of America

Moldova,
I loved the classic look, like an engraved stamp. The image of the horse and wagon reminds me of the roots of mail in the world.

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Vagabond_Trader, United States of America

I love these 3
Romania
Kazakhstan
Vatican City!

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Robin67, Austria

After the EUROPA stamps of recent years I am not excited by the theme. I only found a few nice - equally nice - so I voted for Austria.
Still, it would be nice to have some on my mail. I appreciate all special stamps! :-)

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rosenbusch, Germany

Kazakhstan is unique...

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Tatjanaegmond, Netherlands

I like so much as een idea from San Marino, just a little bit more colours necessary !

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tinkx, United Kingdom

I voted for San Marino, I love VW campervans and thought it was a beautiful stamp! Can't wait to see the results x

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fisherman, Ireland

Ireland (Eire) of course

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micklpickl, United States of America

I really liked the graphic quality of the stamp from Bulgaria. Would it be rude to request these Europa stamps? Are they difficult to obtain?

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betslets, United States of America

Yes, the Camel is very unique but I wish I could vote for several including Sweden and Ireland. Regardless who wins, I'd like to receive some of each!

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FairyFoot, United Kingdom

Yesterday, I received a letter with the one from the Netherlands. I like it. Will vote later though, in the hope of seeing some of the other stamps on a postcard/letter in my hand first.

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gingo728, United States of America

I voted for Malta. :)

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ebreah, Malaysia

I really like the Finnish one :)

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die-Dusche, Canada

I'm tied between San Marino and Romania ~3~

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Santu4Stamps, India

Finnish, can't beat it :)

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Delilac, Ukraine

Ukraine issued two Europa stamps. On the voting page represented only one. But another one is more amaizing. I think would be fairier to show all stamps from every country. (For example there are 3 Portugalian stamps and 2 from Andorra on the voting page)

I voted for Ukraine. But I also liked Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greenland, Guernsey, Kazakhstan and Romania!

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Riutsi, Finland

Aberline: Finnish stamps are a pair and you received "the otherone" ;)

https://verkkokauppa.posti.fi/PublishedService?file=page&pageID=9&groupID=1434&action=viewPromotion&itemcode=107986

My favorite is Ireland's stamp! Or Greece, Denmark or Slovenia...

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justinka, Slovakia

I have picked Slovakia ;)

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NicRooz, Netherlands

I like Cyprus, because I'm a minnie-fan!

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Sprinkledonut, Canada

Great post! Hmm, tough decision. I voted for Greece but I also liked the ones from Bosnia & Herzegovina, as well as Slovakia's. I liked the image on Slovakia's stamp (the bicycle) but I wish it was on a more colourful background. Stamps with white backgrounds don't pack enough of a punch on an envelope or postcard. Colour, colour, colour!

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mitchellbergers, Netherlands

san marino are realy nice!

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nikos8109, Greece

Greenland,Estonia and Kazakhstan are very beautiful, Romanian also. Difficult decision...

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Elisabeth_, Austria

Iceland!

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Junier, United Kingdom

No so great Britain has got no hope with the boring stamps in use :))

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Hanakang, Korea (South)

I love vintage so I voted for Serbia!:)

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Kattys, Czech Republic

I like our, Czech stamp but I voted for Kazakhstan. :)

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LouM56, France

Bosna i Herzegowina :D

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Loli-ts, Spain

Iceland, Ireland and Vatican for me...
(Spanish vehicle is ecological, practical and so on but... the stamp isn't pretty at all :-( ).

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Wurup4ik, Russia

San Marino - i love!!!

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jr11577, Ireland

Ireland!

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NerdBird, United Kingdom

The camel!

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Geminiscp, Portugal

I like them all! :)

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iphoto, Australia

Bosnia & Herzegovina :) LoVe the colour and design! It's FUN! Funky! and on trend :)

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PilotOne, Portugal

Portugal! Colorful and very nice post vehicles.

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Svenja92, Germany

Iceland did the best in my opinion :)

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Minimix, Germany

Romania, very creative plane!

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nisnoopy3, Malaysia

I vote for Romania. I like the airmail envelope on the light aircraft. It's so unique! :D

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ritz, Philippines

Iceland really caught my attention.

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Natasha_2013, Ukraine

I voted in favor of a postage stamp from Greenland for its originality :))

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zhan, China

Iceland!

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idus, Germany

I picked Greenland! :-)

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Electric_Sheeps, Germany

lots of really lovely stamps. I voted for Vatican city, but the decision was really hard. I also really like Greenland, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Republic of Serbia, Russia, Turkey... all are great!
Ah and by the way as always I search people wanting to swap Europa stamps with me =) Of course I can offer the German one!

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mamarochat, United States of America

I voted for Greenland but it was a hard decision. I liked many of the others too.

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jabajbaj, Poland

I voted for Russian stamp^^

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Budou, Japan

I think Romania will win. But, for me, Sweden one is so cool!

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alcott1, United States of America

Those are great stamps. I hope someone puts some of them on postcards to me. Hint, hint.

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alcott1, United States of America

Oh, which one do I like best? The camel, I think.

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Rosco, France

france

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kugusch, Germany

I voted for Ireland, but also love Romania...and Kazakhstan is nice, too.

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rubin1973, Germany

I voted for Romania because of the beautiful plane, but I like Greenland and Kazakhstan, too.

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minixpetix, Slovakia

because I am patriot, I voted for Slovakia :) it is funny, but yesterday I bought these stamps at my post office with no idea and today checked them, YES, these are they, so next few postcrossers wait for this stamp in your mailbox! :)

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Geminiscp, Portugal

I am patriot but my vote went to Cyprus. We need to be fair when voting or the big countries will always win, which is not fair. The competition says "Those vehicles painted with distinctive colours are seen each day on almost every road and even highways across Europe" and it's hard to believe we see most of those vehicles these days, that some stamps show! From all the vehicles we can really see on the roads these days, I think the Cyprus stamp is the most elaborated. But it was hard to chose, there were others also really good. :)

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jjmedusa, United States of America

It was a tough choice for me between San Marino, Guernsey, the U.K. & Romania. Ultimately Romania won it for me because I felt their stamp was the most whimsical & inventive in how they used air mail letter envelopes to represent the wings of the plane that carries the mail.

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elgundy, Germany

In my opinion San Marino is the one and only!

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