The Isle of Man Post Office is marking 50 years of participation in the EUROPA stamp programme in 2026, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the wider European philatelic initiative.

The island first issued EUROPA stamps on July 28, 1976 as part of that year’s common ‘handicrafts’ theme.

Since then, the island’s postal administration has released EUROPA stamps annually, producing more than 100 individual designs over five decades.

To commemorate the milestone, the Isle of Man Post Office is including the original ‘Laxey Jug’ design from its 1976 issue in a special anniversary collection. The stamp depicts a commemorative jug presented to Richard Rowe, Captain of the Laxey Mines, during the opening of the Laxey Wheel in 1854.

The EUROPA programme itself was first launched in 1956 by the six founding members of the European postal community as a symbol of unity and cooperation in post-war Europe. The initiative later came under the umbrella of PostEurop and has become one of the world’s longest-running joint philatelic projects.

Originally issued with a shared design across participating countries, EUROPA stamps later evolved into annual thematic releases, allowing postal administrations to interpret common subjects through nationally distinctive artwork.

Over the decades, themes have focused on architecture, cultural heritage, scientific achievement, natural landscapes and shared European values.

Xavier Clabots, chair of the Stamps and Philately Working Group, commented: ‘As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of EUROPA stamps we reflect on seven decades of collaboration, dialogue, and shared cultural heritage across Europe.

‘Since the very first issue in 1956, EUROPA stamps have stood as a unique symbol of unity. This year’s commemorative issue by Isle of Man Post Office is particularly meaningful, marking both the 70th anniversary of EUROPA stamps and the 50th anniversary of the island’s first EUROPA issue from 1976.

‘On behalf of the PostEurop Stamps and Philately Working Group, it is an honour to join the Isle of Man in celebrating this milestone.’

Collectors worldwide regard EUROPA stamps for both their artistic quality and their historic significance as symbols of European collaboration.

The common design for the 2026 anniversary issue was created by visual artist Klaus Welp in collaboration with Tommi Kantola. The artwork features a diagonally ascending dotted line composed of seven dots, representing 70 years of collective effort within the programme.

The Isle of Man anniversary collection also highlights several past EUROPA stamp designs, including the 1990 ‘Isle of Man Postman’ issue, the 1999 ‘Ballaglass Glen Cottage’ stamp and the 2017 ‘Castletown’ design featuring the harbour beneath Castle Rushen.

Maxine Cannon, general manager of Isle of Man Post Office’s stamps and coins division, commented: ‘We are proud to reflect on the creativity, heritage and storytelling that has defined our contributions over five decades.

‘This special milestone provides the opportunity to showcase some of the standout designs from our own rich philatelic history.’

The ‘70 Years of EUROPA’ collection will be released on May 20 and will include a stamp set, first-day cover, presentation pack, EUROPA sheetlet and EUROPA first-day cover. The collection will be available online at https://iomstamps.com/