Latvijas Pasts releases the first three stamps of 2019 in the series Coats of Arms of Latvian Towns and Municipalities. The new stamps depict the coats of arms of Aizpute, Rucava and Tukums Municipalities. The first day cancellation of the stamps is scheduled to take place in Riga post office No. 10 at 41/43 Elizabetes Street, Riga from 8 AM to 8 PM on the 18th of January 2019. The stamps in the series Coats of Arms are printed on a self-adhesive base.
The release of the new stamps is accompanied by the issue of the first day cover with a print run of 1,000 copies. Just like the stamps, the cover features the coats of arms of the three municipalities and the location of the municipalities on the map of Latvia. The new philatelic releases have been designed by the artist Ģirts Grīva.
The coat of arms of Tukums Municipality is depicted on the stamp with a face value of € 0.50, which is suitable for sending a regular Class B letter within Latvia. Its print run is one million copies. The coat of arms of Tukums Municipality features a zigzag serrated pattern which is reminiscent of the hilly and wooded area of Tukums, while the rose stands for the tradition of rose growing in the vicinity of Tukums, for which it has been famous since the 19thcentury.
The stamp with a face value of € 0.54, showing the coat of arms of Aizpute Municipality, has a print run of 500,000 copies. It corresponds to the cost of sending a regular Class B letter within Latvia. The coat of arms of Aizpute Municipality incorporates a red brick wall which symbolises the ancient history of the town. In turn, the golden crown edge depicted on the coat of arms stands for the areas of the five parishes of Aizpute, Cīrava, Kalvene, Kazdanga and Laža merged as a result of the municipality reform of 2009 and their inhabitants.
The coat of arms of Rucava Municipality is featured on the stamp with a face value of € 0.57, which can be used for sending a regular Class A letter within Latvia. Its print run is 300,000 copies. The coat of arms depicts a kniepķens, which is a traditional decorative jewellery item for the women’s festal garment of Rucava Municipality. It is a brooch made of a single piece of amber and symbolising the rich traditional cultural heritage of the municipality. In turn, the crossed upward-directed hornbeam leaves remind us of the natural wealth and development of the area.
