New Issues 2004

This page collects only issues released during the year 2004.  For issues to come (announced) see the latest information. Details and pictures are available on the members'pages.

As it is not such obvious to find this information, this list is probably not yet complete. In certain countries, joint issues are often announced on the day of the issue and sometimes it takes months before this information and the corresponding stamps reach us. Data on missing issues or supplementary information, particularly for countries, which are producing joint issues exceptionally, will be highly appreciated.

This page was updated the last time on January 31 , 2005.

2004 (6 January)
Australia - Christmas Island
Lunar new year. Year of the monkey. Territorial twin issue [TT].
Identical stamps, two stamps and a miniature sheet containing both stamps for Christmas Island; two prepaid covers and a postcard for Australia. Symbolic monkey. A sheetlet containing 12 different zodiac animals and incorporating the miniature sheet was also produced. Multi-colored.

2004 (12 February)
Niuafo'ou - Tonga
Year of the monkey. Territorial twin issue [TT].
Identical miniature sheet with different background color. Four different representations of monkeys. Multi-colored.

2004 (16 February)
Madagascar (4 December 2003) - Mauritius (16 or 27 February 2004) - Seychelles (16 February 2003)
20th anniversary of the Indian Ocean Commission. Concerted issue [C1].
Similar stamps. Symbol of the Commission, flags of all five countries. Multi-colored.
The two other countries members of the IOC, namely Comores and La Reunion (actually France) have not issued stamps so far.

2004 (25 February)
Hong-Kong, China - New Zealand
Rugby Sevens. Twin issue [T1].
Four identical stamps; pictures are displayed in oval forms, the background being red for Hong Kong and black for New Zealand: Souvenir sheets include the same 4 stamps. Players from both countries in action during the 2002 Hong Kong Sevens and the 2002 New Zealand Rugby Sevens, Hong Kong Stadium and Wellington Stadium. Multi-colored.
4 stamps per country - 1 souvenir sheet with 4 stamps - mFDC - New Zealand issued on June 30 a special souvenir sheet containing one of these stamps

2004 (1 March)
China - Singapore
10th anniversary of Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP). Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps. Building and symbol of the park, sculpture titled "Harmony". Multi-colored.
1 stamp per country - 1 mini sheet with 8 or 10 stamps - mFDC

2004 (18 March)
Poland (2 June) - Vatican (18 March)
Poland and Europe. Pastoral visits of the Holy Father to Poland (1979-2002). Concerted issue [C1].
Identical pair of mini sheets containing each 4 stamps. Portrait of the Holy Father John Paul II. Each stamps is located between two labels showing the coat of arms of the Vatican and Poland above a text remembering to the 8 visits of John Paul II to his home country. Multi-colored.
8 stamps each - FDCs

2004 (26 March)
Canada - Greenland - Norway
Exploration. 150th birthday of Otto Sverdrup (1854-1930). Twin issue [T4]
One stamp and a souvenir sheet for each country. A, polar ship "Fram"; B, rowboat; C, portrait. The souvenir sheets is identical for all three countries but only one stamp can be used for postage in each country, this stamp corresponding to the stamp sold in sheets. Canada. Multi-colored.
1 or 2 stamps per country - 1 souvenir sheet - FDCs - special folder containing all souvenir sheets, mint

2004 (26 March)
Aland - Denmark - Faeroe - Finland - Greenland - Iceland - Norway - Sweden
Joint issue from the Scandinavian countries: Mythology. Norden parallel issue [P1].
Different souvenir sheets. Multi-colored.
1 souvenir sheet per country - FDCs - special folder containing all 8 souvenir sheets, mint

2004 (6 April)
France - Great Britain
Entente cordiale, centenary (signed on 8 April 1904). Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps. British and french art: "Lace 1 (trial proof 1968)" by Sir Terry Frost ( -2003) from the Tate's collection; "Coccinelle" (ladybird) by Sonia Delaunay (1885-1979) from the Pompidou Centre collection in Paris. Multi-colored.
2 stamps per country - FDCs - mFDC

2004 (7 April)
France - Italy - United Nations (Geneva)
Road safety. Twin issue [T1].
Identical design. One stamp is common Geneva and France: belt with heart, man made out of road maps; Italy took the image of the belt, but draw it in front of a map of Italy. The second Italian stamp shows a high number of road signs in front of a dash board. Stamps issued at the occasion of the World day of road safety. Multi-colored.
The first day cancellation for all countries does also show a similar design.
1 or 2 stamps per country - FDCs - mFDC - special folder containing mint stamps, FDCs and mFDC

2004 (21 April)
Italy - Thailand
Common day of the foundation of both Bangkok and Rome. Twin issue [T1].
Two identical stamps, however sold only as souvenir sheet in Italy. A, Golden Mount Tempel, Wal Saket, Bangkok, constructed during the reign of Rama I (1782-1809); B, Coliseum, constructed around 75 BC, Rome. The Italian souvenir sheet is illustrated with both building; text "21 APRILE / FONDAZIONE / ROMA-BANGKOK". Multi-colored.
2 stamps for Thailand - 1 souvenir sheet per country - FDCs

2004 (28 April)
Austria (28 April) - Hungary (21 May)
Middle Europe Catholic Day in Mariazell (initially was expected to involve also Bosnia Herzegovina, Czeck Republic, Croatia, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia). Concerted issue [C3].
Both countries have issued a souvenir sheet with the same structure: the 6 stamps are ordered in form of a cross; two stamps (B,E) located at the same place in the cross represent the same art work. A, Pope John Paul II (1920- ); B, statue of Maria "Magna Mater Austriae", Mariazell (around 1157); C, emblem of the Catholic Day; D, statue of the Mother of God, Mariazell (around 1520); E, painting of Maria (around 1350-1360); F, cross made by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach (1656-1723); G, Mariazell basilica; H, statue of Maria, Mariazell; I, statue of Maria, Celldömök; J, Statue of Maria, Obuda Chapel (Altofen). The Austrian souvenir sheet is illustrated with the coat of arms of the 8 involved countries and the background shows the church of Mariazell; The Hungarian souvenir sheet shows the Pope John Paul II, the symbol of the Catholic Day, the list of the 8 involved countries and the background represents the front of the Mariazell church. Multi-colored.

2004 (1 May)
Cyprus - Czech Republic - Estonia - Hungary - Latvia - Lithuania - Malta - Slovakia - Slovenia
Europe. 10 new countries joining the European Community. Twin issue [T2]
Identical stamps. Flags of the 10 new countries with map and flag of Europe in the background. The flags are ordered in three rows of 3 flags. The tenth flag in the left bottom corner is the flag of the issuing country. (Poland, the tenth country did not join this series and produced a stamp of its own). Multi-colored.
1 or 2 stamps per country - mini sheets of 10 stamps - special folder containing one sample of all identical stamps
Different stamps issued at the same date by other countries (1 May 2004)
France - Ireland - Poland

2004 (6 May)
International Olympic Committee - Switzerland
Olympic Summer Games 2004, Athens. Local issue [TT].
Similar stamps. Marathon runner. Multi-colored.

2004 (14 May)
Denmark - Faeroe - Greenland
Wedding of Crown Prince Frederik and Mary. Territorial twin issue [TT].
Souvenir sheets. Portraits of the couple seen from right and from left. Multi-colored.
2 stamps and/or a souvenir sheet containing these two stamps - FDCs - folder containing the 3 souvenir sheets, mint

2004 (15 May)
Belgium - France
Cartoon heroes Blake and Mortimer. 100th birthday of the cartoonist Edgar Pierre Jacobs (1904-1987), creator of this series. Twin issue [T1].
Two identical stamps. A, Portraits of the cartoon heroes, Professor Philip Mortimer and Colonel Francis Blake; B, heroes in front of a wall; C, portrait of E.P. Jacobs. Multi-colored.
France, two stamps - Belgium, 1 stamp and one souvenir sheet - FDCs - mFDC

2004 (20 May)
Israel - Italy
Centennial of the Great Synagogue of Rome. Twin issue [T1].
Two identical stamps. A, façade of the Great Synagogue of Rome completed in 1904; B, Great Synagogue, an ornemental interior panel and, in the foregound, the traditional Jewish seven-branch candelabrum, the menorah. The last row of each panel is linkjed to a label (tab) that reads "Centenario | Tempio Maggiore | Roma" (Centenial of the Great Synagogue, Rome). Multi-colored.

2004 (31 May)
China () - Malaysia (31 May)
30th anniversary of diplomatic relationship. To be determined.
Malaysia issued a series of 4 stamps and one miniature sheet among which one stamp is a reproduction of a stamp previously issued by China on 5 August 2003. The label of the Chinese stamp was adapted to the circumstances and shows the flags of both countries. Date of issue of the Chinese stamp with the new label is not known exactly. China: A, Chinese sailing ship; Malaysia: B, Malaysian sailing ship; C, shaking hands with colors of both countries; D, sailing ship and flags of both countries; E, miniature sheet, Chinese and Malaysian buildings. Multi-colored.
Stamps - FDCs - mFDC

2004 (3 June)
Germany - Russia
Youth meeting in the 21th century. Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps. Stylized children with flag colors playing with kites. Multi-colored.
1 stamp per country - mini sheets of 8 or 10 stamps - FDCs - mFDC

2004 (7 June)
Azerbaijan - Pakistan - Turkey - Turkish Cyprus
Our Cultural Assets: the great Silk Road. Parallel issue from the Eurasia Postal Union [P1].
Different stamps showing the common logo of the Eurasia Postal Union. Azerbaijan: camels, minarets and mosques; Pakistan: Karakoram highway, Indus river near Chilas, Haramosh peak near Gilgit; Turkey: buildings, door, camels; Turkish Cyprus: camel, building. Multi-colored.
1 or two stamps per country - FDCs

2004 (26 June)
Canada - France
Pierre Dugua de Mons. Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps. Portrait. Deep blue and yellow.
1 stamp per country - FDCs - mFDC

2004 (6 July)
Austria - Hungary - Israel
100th anniversary of the death of Theodor Herzl (1860-1904), founder of the Sionism, spiritual father of the State of Israel, born in Pest (Hungary) living in Vienna (Austria). Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps. Portrait of Theodor Herzl and text in Hebrew, Hungarian and German; titel of the book "The Jewish State". The bottom line stamps are linked to a label (tab) that shows handwritten words in German with translation in Hebrew and Hungarian. Multi-colored.
1 stamp per country with tab - mini-sheets of 9 stamps - FDCs - mFDC

2004 (13 August)
China - Greece
Athens Olympic games 2004 - Beijing Olympic games 2008. Twin issue [T1].
Two identical stamps. A, Hall for Good Harvest at the Temple of Heaven (Beijing); B, Parthenon (Athens). Multi-colored
2 stamps per country - souvenir sheet (Greece) - stamp with label (Greece) - FDCs - mFDC

2004 (16 August)
India - Iran
Poets Shamsoddin Mohammad Hafiz Shirazy (Lessan-ol Ghaib) (Iran) and Saint Kabir (India). Twin issue [T1].
Two identical stamps. Portraits of both poets. Multi-colored.
2 stamps - FDCs

2004 (22 August)
China - Hong Kong - Macao
Centenary of the birth of the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997). Territorial twin issue [TT].
Two souvenir sheets per country, one of each containing 4 stamps that show an identical portrait. Portraits of Deng Xiaoping. Multi-colored.
Two souvenir sheets per country - FDCs - mixed presentation pack

2004 (24 August)
Bahamas - Barbados 16 August) - Cayman (23 August) - Jamaica - Solomon Islands (13 August)
Olympic games. Different sports, 4 stamps per country. Parallel omnibus series. Multi-colored.

2004 (3 September)
Poland - Slovakia
Raftsmen on the Dunajec River. Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps. Local raftsmen in Goral folk costumes sailing down the river, the national historic landmark Cervený Kláštor (Red Monastery) that symbolizes the Slovak side and the Tri koruny (Three Crowns) peak located on the Polish side. Multi-colored.
1 stamps - FDCs

2004 (9 September)
Marshall Islands - United States of America
25th anniversary of the death of actor John Wayne (1907-1979). Parallel issue [PA].
Different stamps. Portrait of the actor. Marshall stamps were printed in mini-sheets of 12 stamps with the same portrait shown on the right side at a larger scale. The US stamps were printed in mini-sheets of 20 stamps, also with a larger portrait and a text on the right side. Multi-colored.
The USA stamp was printed in the frame of the series “Legends of Hollywood”. John Wayne was born on May 26, 1907 and died on June 11, 1979. The date of issue is therefore not related with any of these dates. The release of the Marshall stamps “coincides” (official term used by the Postal administration of this country) with the issuance of the USA John Wayne stamp. Apparently Marshall has used this opportunity to create an item that is similar to the US stamp and issued it at the same date. The designers for both countries are different. It cannot be considered as a true joint issue as the US Postal administration did not give its agreement, nor was allowed to veto it.

2004 (18 September)
Fiji - Vanuatu
25th anniversary of the Musket Cove to Port Villa Yacht Race. Parallel isssue [P1].
Different stamps and souvenir sheets. Four stamps and one souvenir sheet for each country showing different pictures of sailing ships and the yacht race. All stamp bear the mention "Joint issue with …" followed by the name of the partner country. Multi-colored.
4 stamps and one souvenir sheet per country - FDCs

2004 (18 September)
Belgium (18 September) - Romania (20 September)
Sculptor Idel Iancheleveci (1909-1994). Twin issue [T1].
Two identical stamps. A, Statue "L'Appel (The call)", 4 meter high statue showing a man streching out his arm to the sky; B, "Perennis perdurat poeta (the perpetuity of the poet)" (1970), man lying on two horses. Multi-colored.
2 stamps per country - FDCs - mFDC

2004 (21 September)
Niuafo'ou - Tonga
Fruit trees. Territorial twin issue [TT].
Four stamps among which two are identical. Trees. Multi-colored.
4 stamps per country - FDCs

2004 (22 September)
China - Romania
55th anniversary of diplomatic relationship between China and Romania. Ceramic objets. Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps. A, Chinese music instrument; B, Romanian ceramic vase. Multi-colored.
2 stamps per country - FDCs

2004 (1 October)
Ireland - Sweden
Irish Literary Nobel Laureates. Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps. Portraits of the 4 Irish Nobel Literary Laureates beside an illustration symbolizing their work: William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), Georges Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) and Seamus Heaney (born 1939) who were recognized for their talent by being awarded the Nobel Prize for literature respectively in 1923, 1925, 1969 and 1995. Multi-colored.
4 stamps per country - FDCs - mFDC

2004 (8 October)
China - Spain
Urban architecture: Güell Park, Barcelona and Jinmao Tower, Shangai. Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps. A: Stylized tower of the left entrance pavilion in the Parc Güell in Barcelona (constructed between 1900 and 1914 by the architect Antoni Gaudi); B: Shanghai's Jin Mao Tower building, China's tallest skyscraper, 4th highest in the world (420 meters, built 1989). Multi-colored.
2 stamps per country - mini-sheets - FDCs

2004 (11 October)
Angola - Botswana (9 October) - Malawi - Namibia - South Africa - Swaziland - Zambia - Zimbabwe
Southern African Postal Operators Association (SAPOA) joint issue; Twin issue [T1].
Identical miniature sheets. The miniature sheets contain 8 hexagonal stamps representing each one specific bird of each participating country. Three representations of the African Fish Eagle (Halieaatus vocifer - Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe bird), the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus - Angola), the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis - Botswana), the Purple-crested Lourie or Turaco (Tauraco porphyreolophus - Swaziland), the Blue Crane or Stanley Crane (Anthropoides paradisea - South Africa) and the Bar-tailed Trogon (Apaloderma vittatum - Malawi), the only bird that not found in South Africa.
One miniature sheet per country containing 8 stamps - FDCs with a single stamp

2004 (25 October)
Andorra (French) - Andorra (Spanish)
Postal code. Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps, different colors. Postal codes. Red, black and yellow.
1 stamp per country - FDCs

2004 (4 November)
Belgium (22 November) - Germany (4 November)
Christmas 2004: Paintings. Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps. Painting from Peter Paul Rubens born in Siegen in Germany (1577-1640); A, "The worship of the Magi" (1617), exhibited in the St. John church of Malines, Belgium; B, "The Flight to Egypt" (1614) displayed in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister - Staatliche Museen Kassel (Old Masters Painting Galery from the State Museum in Kassel, Germany. Multi-colored.
2 stamps - FDCs - mFDC

2004 (16 November)
Iran (28 November) - Venezuela (16 November)
Relationship between both countries. Mountains. Concerted issue [C1].
Identical stamps. Mountain peaks of Damavand (Iran) and from Bolivar (Venezuela). Iranian stamps are issued se-tenant. In sheets with central label showing the flags of both countries. Multi-colored.
2 e-tenant stamps per country - FDCs

2004 (23 November)
International Olympic Committee - Switzerland - United Nations (Geneva)
2005 International Year of Sport and Sport Education. Unique issue [U1].
One single stamp for all three postal administration, bearing their names "Nations Unies | Comité International Olympique | Helvetia" and valid for postage from all of them. Children and sport. Multi-colored.
1 stamp - FDCs - mFDCs

2004 (26 November)
Ascension - Bahamas (7 December) - Kiribati (25 October) - Solomon Islands (11 October) - South Georgia (10 November) - Saint Helena (4 November) - Tristan da Cunha ( 9 November)
Merchant ships. Parallel omnibus series. 4 to 6 stamps per country. Multi-colored.

2004 (29 November)
Kazakhstan (29 November) - Tajikistan ()
National music instruments. Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps. Adyrna and Gizhak. Multi-colored.
2 se-tenant stamps per country - FDCs

2004 (30 November)
Iran - Ukraine
Relationship between both countries. Airplanes. Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps. Central label showing flags from both countries. Airplanes: Antonov-140; Iran-140. Multi-colored.
2 se-tenant stamps per country - FDCs

2004 (30 December)
Kazakhstan (30 December) - Mongolia (December)
Women costumes. Twin issue [T1].
Identical stamps. Multi-colored.
2 se-tenant stamps per country - FDCs