Greenland explored in greater depth

In response to the piece 'How green is Greenland', Toon commented on Thule. In doing so, he refers to a website about these stamps. However, after some general information, the website only refers further to the catalogues of Michel and Yvert. For the collector who wants to know a little more about Scandinavian stamps, however, the Facit is a godsend. The five stamps were issued on August 10, 1935. They were designed by K. Kyhn and engraved by HH Thiele. The printing was letterpress. The occasion was the 25th anniversary of the foundation by Knud Rasmussen, polar explorer and writer, of the mission and trading post Thule on Cape York on the northwestern coast of Greenland. The 10 øre stamp depicts the polar explorer Knud Easmussen, born on June 7, 1879, in Jacobshavn, Greenland, as the son of missionary Cristian Rasmussen. From Thule, he undertook seven polar expeditions, from 1912 (to Danmark Fjord) to 1932-33 (to Scoresbysund in the eastern part of Greenland). He died on December 21, 1933. The 15 øre stamp shows the flag of Denmark with the ship 'Danneborg' and the mountain 'Thulefjeld' in the background at sunset. Two walruses are depicted on the 30 øre stamp. Cape York can be seen on the 45 øre stamp, while the church of Thule features the Thule Fjeld with the Thule Fjeld in the background. All but one of the stamps bear the years 1910-1935. The year 1936 is applied twice to the 45 øre stamp. This is also explainable, as the 10, 15, 25, and 30 øre stamps were issued on August 10, 1935, and the 25 øre stamp on August 10, 1936. The print run was indeed 250.000 series, many of which were sold unused to collectors. Cancelled stamps with the dates July 7, 1937, and July 23, 1937, come from sheets that were cancelled on request and therefore were not used for postage. Large quantities of these were also sold to collectors. The stamps became invalid for postage on August 1, 1937, when the Greenland Post took over the Thule region. But what kind of stamps were in use in Greenland itself, outside the Thule region? From 1905, so-called parcel stamps were in use. These were issued by the 'Royal Greenland Trade', based in Copenhagen. The parcel stamps were printed in small editions only and are highly sought after by collectors. These stamps were also initially produced using letterpress, and later offset. They were printed in sheets of 25. The parcel stamps depict the coat of arms of Greenland: the standing bear. They were issued in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 70 øre, and in 1 and 3 kronen. They were valid up to and including 1938. The official definitive issuance of Greenlandic stamps began on December 1, 1938. At that time, they were available through the post office in Copenhagen. The images were King Christian X of Denmark in a general's uniform and a polar bear. But on Greenland itself they were already available earlier, from November 18, 1938 in Holsteinsborg Kultdigssat, on November 20 in Frederikshaab Sukkertoppen, on November 21 in Godthaab, on November 23 in Rittenbenk, on November 25 in Julianehaab, on November 27 in Ivigtut and on November 29 in Efedesminde. The post offices in the towns of Cristianshaab and Godhavn sold the stamps from December 1, 1938, and from December 13, 1938, in Marmorikk. It was not until January 1, 1940, that Thule had access to the stamps. A great opportunity for collectors to find their earliest impressions of postmarks from all those and even more places in Greenland. Much rarer than the postmarks from 'Grønlands Postkontor København K', specially set up for collectors. Even back then. Thus, a good stamp catalogue provides a lot of information and allows one to get much more out of the hobby.