Tom of Finland stamps
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
2014
This is a first day cover set of postage stamps issued by the Finnish postal service, Itella Posti Oy, in 2014. The release incorporates a stamp sheet affixed to a specially designed envelope, alongside accompanying items including postcards and additional sheets. Designed using card stock and printed paper with adhesive on the reverse, the stamps feature the graphic illustrations of mid-twentieth-century artist Tom of Finland (Touko Laaksonen).
The printed imagery presents homoerotic depictions of hyper-masculine male figures in black and white, complemented by blue denomination indicators, the publisher's logo, and the artist's signature name. Circular first-day cancellation marks are stamped across the sheet and envelope, depicting a stylized mustache and mouth motif along with the cancellation date and location details.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
The stamps were issued on 8 September 2014 by Itella Posti Oy following an April announcement celebrating the renowned Finnish artist. Pre-ordered across 178 countries, the release attracted domestic controversy, including an opposing petition and boycotts by retail chain Halpa-Halli. Following Russia's 2013 'anti-gay propaganda' laws, Finnish public broadcaster Yle tested potential censorship by mailing letters bearing the stamps to Moscow and St Petersburg on 9 September 2014; while delivered without incident, Russian politician Vitaly Milonov subsequently called for a ban on mail bearing the issue.
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Tom of Finland stamps
- Museum object number
- CD.54:1-7-2014
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.