Latvia
-
Courland, Semigallia, Latgale
-
Royal Swedish Post
-
Imperial Russian Post
-
German Occupation / Ob. Ost
-
Independent Republic of Latvia
-
Soviet Occupation
-
German Occupation / Ostland / Courland
-
Camp Mail / Latvians in Exile
-
Independent Republic of Latvia (restored)
Restoration of independence 1990/91
In the second half of the 1980s, the General Secretary of the Communist Party, Mikhail Gorbachev, began to introduce political and economic reforms in the Soviet Union called glasnost and perestroika.
In the summer of 1987, the first large demonstrations took place in Riga at the Freedom Monument – a symbol of independence –.
In the summer of 1988, a national independence movement formed, uniting in the Latvian Popular Front. The Latvian SSR, like the other Baltic republics, was given greater autonomy within the Soviet Union.
In 1989, the USSR Supreme Soviet adopted a resolution on the occupation of the Baltic States, stating that the occupation was "not in accordance with the law" and not with the "will of the Soviet people".
In the democratic elections of March 1990, the candidates of the Latvian Popular Front won a two-thirds majority in the Supreme Soviet of Latvia.
On May 4, 1990, the Supreme Soviet of Latvia adopted the Declaration on the Restoration of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia.
The Supreme Soviet in Moscow initially continued to regard Latvia as a Soviet republic. In January 1991, Soviet political and military forces unsuccessfully attempted to overthrow the authorities of the Republic of Latvia by occupying the central publishing house in Riga and forming a Committee of National Salvation to usurp the functions of government.
After the failed Soviet coup attempt, the Republic of Latvia declared the end of the transition period on August 21, 1991, and restored its full independence as well as the 1922 constitution.
Latvia resumed diplomatic relations with other states.
This was followed on September 6, 1991, by the recognition of the independence of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania by the State Council of the USSR.
In 1993, the Saeima, Latvia's parliament, was elected anew. Russia ended its military presence by completing its troop withdrawal in 1994 and shutting down the Skrunda-1 radar station in 1998.
The first female head of state, Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga was President of Latvia from 1999 to 2007. She worked to get Latvia to join both NATO and the European Union in 2004.
The collecting area "Latvia since 1990"
A still rather restrained issuing policy and a low circulation compared to European territorial states make collecting Latvian stamps interesting.
In the well-stocked online shop of the Latvian Post (veikals.pasts.lv/en) many issues and annual sets can still be purchased at the postal price, even from the early years of the regained independence from 1991 onwards.
For thematic collectors, the various flower and animal motifs are particularly interesting, and sports stamps also appear regularly.
Postal history
Soviet Rouble Period
The currency of the newly independent state was initially the Soviet rouble, which also included the denominations on the postal stationery and stamps issued by the Republic of Latvia. The stamps of the Soviet Union were valid for postage until June 30, 1992, the Soviet currency until July 19, 1992.
Postal stationery items were popular in the Soviet Union and issued in great numbers and many designs. The first new postal issues by Latvia were postal stationeries issued in 1990. They were printed without value indication since all mail to destinations outside Latvia were sent via the Soviet postal service. Mail to Estonia and Lithuania was exchanged directly according to bilateral agreements and the postal stationeries then had the postage value of 5 Soviet kopecks.
Another change at the end of 1990 were Soviet postmarks with bilingual text in Russian / Latvian being changed to postmarks in the Latvian language without the Soviet symbols of the hammer and sickle.
The first increase in postage rates by the Latvian postal service was made on January 1, 1991 when an ordinary domestic letter of the 1st weight class was raised from 5 to 15 kopecks.
On May 4, 1991, a 50 kopecks postal stationery was issued that was only valid for letters to Denmark, since the Latvian postal service had made a bilateral agreement on exchange of mail with Scandinavian Airline Systems and the Danish postal service.
The first postage stamps were issued on October 19, 1991. They were popular amongst the populace, but their denominations could not keep up with inflation when on December 1, 1991 the postage rate of an ordinary domestic letter of the 1st weight class was raised from 15 to 50 kopecks.
On December 23, 1991, Soviet definitive stamps (Mi-No. 6177–6178) where issued with coloured overprints and the nominals 100, 300, 500 and 1,000 kopecks. Due to inflation the initial issue was sold out very fast and a second print run was made.
Besides overprinting Soviet stamps, Latvian postal service also began issuing provisional postal stationeries that were Soviet postal stationeries, added with an octagonal rubber stamp indicating the nominals.
Latvijas Pasts was established on January 2, 1992. It was initially as a state-owned non-profit organisation, but on November 1, 2004, it was transformed into the state-owned joint-stock company VAS Latvijas Pasts.
Latvijas Pasts initially issued more stamps in Soviet rouble nominals, but with significantly higher denominations than before due to rapid inflation.
Latvian rouble period (May 7, 1992 to March 4, 1993)
Since the supply of the Soviet rouble was dwindling, the Latvian rouble was introduced at par on May 7, 1992 and circulated in parallel with the Soviet rouble on a transitional basis until the introduction of the Lats. After the same date postage stamp denominations were in Latvian roubles.
Postage stamps and stationeries issued by the Soviet Union had their last day of validity in Latvia on June 30, 1992. Until then it was possible to use a mix of both Soviet and Latvian issued postage stamps.
On June 17, 1992, Latvia rejoined the Universal Postal Union (UPU).
← Mi-No. 340–343, Nature conservation – Birds of the Baltic Sea, parallel issue with Estonia, Lithuania and Sweden in stamp booklet Mi. MH 1, date of issue October 3, 1992.
Lats period (March 5, 1993 to December 31, 2013)
The Lats currency, that also existed from 1922 to 1940 in Latvia, was reintroduced on March 5, 1993 at the exchange rate of 200 Latvian roubles = 1 Lats, which consists of 100 Santīmu. After the same date, postage stamp denominations of new issues were in Lats.
Postage stamps and stationeries with denominations in Latvian roubles had their last day of validity on June 30, 1994. Until then it was possible to use a mix of both Latvian roubles and Lats at the rate of 2 Latvian roubles = 1 santīms.
Three Latvian postage stamp issues that were originally issued with denominations in Soviet roubels and lost their validity 1994, were sent into circulation again in 1998 with denominations in santīms.
Joint issues with the other Baltic states are also popular, such as the Via Baltica (Mi no. 396–398 or souvenir sheet 6) or souvenir sheet 11 with the old ships on the Baltic Sea.
Medallists London 2012 (Mi-No. 851 and 852),
Date of issue November 23, 2012.Māris Štrombergs (*1987) won the first gold medal awarded in the sport of BMX racing for men at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He managed to defend his title at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He was the first Latvian Olympian to win gold twice.
Mārtiņš Pļaviņš (*1985) and Jānis Šmędiņš (*1987) won the bronze medal in beach volleyball at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Double nominals Lats – Euro
After the global economic slump in 2008 / 2009, the Latvian economy recovered quickly so that the EURO (€) could be introduced on January 1, 2014.
As with all candidate countries, the exchange rate of the national currency was pegged to the euro (1 euro = approx. 0.70 Latvian lats) some time before and stamps with both currency denominations were issued in "double nominal". These were issued for the first time on January 30, 2013 (Mi no. 858).
Mi-No. 858 BMX Cycling,
Date of issue January 30, 2013, the first stamp with additional € indication
Euro period (since 1.1.2014)
The postage stamps Flowers (Mi no. 882–887 or block 34) were the first Latvian stamps in pure euro nominal value, date of issue January 2, 2014 .
2017: Ajona Ostapenko wins French Open in tennis (Mi- No. 1031 / Block 42), day of issue November 10, 2017
Zodiac, se-tenant Michel No. 950–961, day of issue August 8, 2015
100 years of Latvia
Between 2009 and 2018, Latvia Post paid tribute to the Centenary of the Republic of Lithuania with a total of ten annual sets of 3 stamps each.
The tenth and last of these sets appeared in the anniversary year 2018.
100 Years Republic of Latvia – Pioneers of Latvian seafaring
(Mi-No. 819–821), day of issue November 11, 2011On March 9, 2018, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Latvian state (November 18, 1918), the first irregularly shaped stamp was issued by the Latvian Post.
This stamp combines the crimson national flag with its white horizontal stripe and the map of the country – it has the outline shape of Latvia.
100 Years of Latvia, self-adhesive, Mi no. 1042, day of issue March 9, 2018
Postmarks
← Postmark with country name
↓ Postmark with country abbreviation and postcode
Vending machine stamps
On May 3, 1994, Latvian Post issued vending machine stamps of the Klüssendorf marque with the "national ornaments" motif, each with 2 transport holes on the upper and lower edge. They were only available at the five post offices where official First Day Covers were issued. Since the vending machine stamps could have face values of up to 99.99 Lats, which was quite a large sum, the vending machine stamps had to be affixed to the shipment at the post office. Vending machine stamps that were taken out of the post office were regarded as collector's items and could not be used as postage. These vending stamps were valid until 2004.
Personalised stamps
The Latvian Post is very reluctant to produce personalised stamps.
Personalised stamps were issued for the first time (Mi. no. 676 to 677) on June 9, 2006. Latvian customers can also order stamps with a personalised figure, but the frame drawings remain the same in each case.
-
Private Mail in Latvia
