Issue date: 02 Jan, 2018
Basic Series 2018. Andorra Coat of Arms
As in previous years, the first stamp issued by Spain’s Correos for the Principality of Andorra is from the Basic Series, featuring its coat of arms, one of its national symbols along with the flag and national anthem.
This Series is probably one of the most commonplace philatelic series among the world’s postal services. It is typically unlimited, ongoing and issued over long periods of time, featuring a single pattern repeated year after year, with only its face value and background colour printed changing.
With this year’s issue, Correos wanted to go a step further, renewing the design of the coat of the arms through the use of metallic colours to give the image a more modern feel and make it more visually striking.
The Principality of Andorra's coat of arms was traditionally formed by combining four houses’ emblems, referring, in rows of two, to each of the two Co-Princeswho have jointly ruled the country,and who are currently the Bishop of La Seu d’Urgell and the President of the French Republic.
The four traditional houses are those of the Bishopric of La Seu d’Urgell, as represented in the upper left quarter by the mitre and golden crozier, and the House of the Count of Foix, as represented in the upper right quarter with three bars. The other two houses appear in the coat of arms' lower half. The House of Catalonia is represented in the left quarter with four bars and the House of the Viscount of Béarne in the right quarter, with two cows passant, one above the other.
The entire coat of arms is framed by a cartouche and bears the Latin motto “Virtus Unita Fortior [united virtue is stronger]”.
Rate A - €0.75. For a “standard” letter or postcard within Spain, up to 20 g.
Rate A2 - €0.85. For a “standard” letter or postcard within Spain, between 20 g and 50 g.
Rate B - €1.65. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to Europe (including Greenland), up to 20 g.
Rate C - €1.75. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to the rest of the world (except USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand), up to 20 g.
Rate D - €2.10. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, up to 20 g.