The legend of Krakow and the Wawel Dragon on a stamp
Poczta Polska, a two-time winner of the competition for the most beautiful stamp in Europe, has just entered its latest edition. All participating post offices are tasked with designing a stamp based on a pre-defined theme. This year's EUROPA issue focuses on "Stories and Myths."
EUROPA is a series of stamps issued by European postal administrations since 1956. Poczta Polska has chosen to depict the legend of King Krak and the Wawel Dragon on this stamp. The issue will debut on the market on April 21, 2022.
Maciej Jędrysik, the designer of the Polish Post stamp, presented a medieval-style graphic of the Wawel Dragon and the shoemaker Skuba carrying a sulfur-stuffed ram. In the background is the famous hill with the buildings of Wawel Castle and the dragon's den below. The included First Day of Delivery envelope features images of Skuba with a deadly imitation lamb against the backdrop of a defeated dragon, while above it is an image of Prince Krak with a woman.
The specially prepared commemorative date stamp bears the inscription: The Legend of Kraków and the Wawel Dragon.
Poczta Polska (Polish Post) is last year's winner of the EUROPA 2021 competition for the most beautiful postage stamp. In 2021, it won this trophy with a philatelic item depicting the Eurasian lynx in an issue themed "Animals in danger of extinction," designed by Bożydar Grozdew.
This isn't the only success for Poczta Polska in the EUROPA philatelic competition. In 2020, the Polish national operator won the jury category with a stamp themed "Old Postal Routes." In 2018, Poczta Polska's publication depicting a bridge in Tczew took second place in an online vote.
The EUROPA issue is a publishing series launched in 1991 in cooperation with PostEurop. All PostEurop member countries periodically issue postage stamps with a common theme. They typically showcase the shared roots, culture, history, and goals of the European nations. These stamps always feature the official EUROPA logo – the trademark of the PostEurop association of public postal administrations.
About the stamp:
- author of the project: Maciej Jędrysik
- number of stamps: 1
- value: PLN 4.50
- circulation: 171,000 pcs.
- printing technique: offset
- stamp size: 40.5 x 40.5 mm
- paper: fluorescent
- sales sheet: 9 stamps, format: 150 x 158 mm
- date of introduction into circulation: April 21, 2022