Presentation of stamps and crypto-stamps of the 33rd Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity
After an eight-year hiatus, the Polish Post and the Polish Security Printing Works are once again playing for the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. They are returning to the campaign with the 33rd Grand Finale stamp, which, alongside the familiar red heart, features the slogan "We play for pediatric oncology and hematology."
The official presentation of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity stamps took place at the Polish Security Printing Works on November 14, 2024. They will be issued by Poczta Polska on December 6 of this year and will enter circulation on that day.
" After a years' break, we're playing for the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity again. I'm thrilled, especially since Poczta Polska has a long tradition of helping others. We do this constantly, as it's an integral part of our postal tradition. I hope that the numbered collection we've prepared will fetch a high bid and thus contribute to helping those in need, " says Sebastian Mikosz, president of Poczta Polska.
" I grew up with the tradition of writing letters, so I'm very happy that after a few years' break, I could symbolically begin production of another orchestra stamp on the printing press. This is a stamp that conveys peace, security, warmth, and a fantastic landscape. It's also a small work of art, in terms of craftsmanship. It's a great pleasure to look at such top-quality products, " says Jurek Owsiak, President of the WOŚP Foundation Board.
The WOŚP stamps designed by Jerzy Owsiak and Katarzyna Sasin were produced by the Polish Security Printing Works, which is the sole producer of circulation, commemorative and special stamps for the Polish Post.
" The stamps displayed today are exceptional because, thanks to them, the Polish Security Printing Works is once again playing for the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, " says Zygmunt Kostkiewicz, President of PWPW. " We are delighted to see stamps with distinctive hearts symbolizing solidarity and the desire to help those in need on our printing presses. This time, in addition to traditional stamps, we also produced crypto stamps. We also presented a special stamp with NFC technology. These cutting-edge technological solutions showcase some of the Printing Works' many capabilities, " adds Zygmunt Kostkiewicz.
NFC (Near Field Communication) is a technology that enables wireless, contactless communication between devices. It allows you to pay for purchases cashlessly using your phone. NFC also enables the transfer of small data and files. In the case of the special edition of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity stamp, the NFC module located in the "stamp" (a rigid rectangle) causes the stamp to glow when touched to your phone, and a special message appears on the phone's screen – for example, "You are the owner of the special Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity stamp number 1." Poczta Polska will further enhance this edition by including NFT tokens with each piece.
The crypto stamp of the 33rd Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity will be a valuable collector's item. 2,500 perforated and 2,500 imperforate stamps will be available for sale. When purchasing a crypto stamp, the customer will receive a postage stamp with an attached label containing the private key phrase. By completing the form available at nft.poczta-polska.pl/wallet or scanning the QR code, they will download the crypto stamp token. Philatelic collectors will be able to store the traditional version of the crypto stamp in a traditional stamp album, and the digital version in the crypto stamp album available at nft.poczta-polska.pl .
The issue will be accompanied by NFT crypto-envelopes in a limited edition of 500 pieces featuring a perforated version of the crypto-stamp, and 500 pieces featuring an imperforate version. The coins will be hand-stamped with the crypto-stamp.
33rd Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity
The next Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity will take place on January 26, 2025, and its goal is to support the treatment of children with cancer and other serious hematological diseases. The funds raised will be used to equip 18 pediatric wards, 17 hospices, 5 oncological neurosurgery centers, 6 oncological surgery centers, and 4 pathology departments. Headquarters around the world and numerous institutions, including the Polish Post and the Polish Security Printing Works, will once again join the campaign.
The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation is the most trusted organization in Poland. Founded in 1993, it has hosted the Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity every January since then. With the funds raised, the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity Foundation purchases and donates state-of-the-art medical equipment to hospitals across Poland. Since its inception, the Foundation has raised nearly PLN 2.3 billion to support Polish medicine and purchased over 73,000 pieces of equipment.
About the stamp:
Designers: Jerzy Owsiak, Katarzyna Sasin
Number of stamps: 1
Value: PLN 4.90
Circulation: 144,000 pcs.
Printing technique: offset
Stamp format: 45 x 45 mm, perforated heart in the square
Sales sheet: 6 stamps
Paper: fluorescent
Date of introduction into circulation: December 6, 2024