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02.12.2014
In accordance with the Law on the Procedure for Introduction of the Euro, December 2014 is the last month when stamps released from 1991 to 2012 and denominated in lats are valid to use. The stamps with a double denomination – in lats and the euro – issued in 2013 may continue to be used, as they are valid indefinitely. At the beginning of 2015, Latvijas Pasts will launch a free exchange of unused stamps denominated in lats for the stamps with a face value in the euro. During the period from 1991 to 2012, Latvijas Pasts issued approximately 600 stamps with a denomination in lats, while in 2013, 23 stamps with a double face value were released.
In accordance with the Law on the Procedure for Introduction of the Euro, the stamps with a denomination in lats released by Latvijas Pasts will be withdrawn from the circulation on January 1, 2015. All mailings paid with stamps denominated in lats until December 31, 2014 will be delivered to the customers. It should be noted that the period of circulation and use of the stamps where the denomination is expressed in both lats and the euro is not limited. Since January 2, 2014, along with the accession of the Republic of Latvia to the Eurozone, only stamps with a face value in the euro have been issued in the country.
In order to ensure that the value of the stamps with a denomination in lats purchased by the population is preserved, Latvijas Pasts will launch a free exchange of stamps denominated in lats for the stamps with a face value in the euro at the beginning of 2015. The records of Latvijas Pasts indicate that the number of unused stamps with a denomination in lats held by the population is not extensive.
Latvijas Pasts released stamps with a face value in lats from 1993 to 2013, when lats were reintroduced as the national currency of the restored Republic of Latvia. In addition, stamps with a denomination in lats also include the stamps issued in 1991 and 1992 whose initial value in the rubles of the USSR and later – in the rubles of the Republic of Latvia was converted into lats and which were renewed in circulation along with the reintroduction of lats in 1993. Over the period of 22 years, Latvijas Pasts issued more than 600 stamps with a print run of millions of copies and with different denominations in lats. Many of these have not only been used to pay for the shipment, but also have become rarities in the collections of stamp collectors around the world. The stamp value in the community of collectors is determined by its face value, print run, theme and availability in the market.
In 2013, Latvijas Pasts released stamps with a double face value in timely preparation for the introduction of the euro. A total of 23 stamps with a different face value expressed in both lats and the euro were issued.
It should be recalled that the denomination of stamps released by Latvijas Pasts before January 2013 is always lats (LVL) even if the currency has not been indicated, whereas stamps denominated in the euro can be recognized by the € symbol. The amount in numbers appearing on the stamps with a double face value stands for the value in lats, while the value in the euro is shown using a relevant amount in numbers and the € symbol. The sample stamps can be viewed here.
During the period from January 2014, when Latvijas Pasts started to issue stamps denominated in the euro, to October 2014, a total of 42 new stamps with a denomination in the euro were released, and three more stamps will see the light by the end of the year.
All stamps released by Latvijas Pasts from 1991 to 2014 are available for viewing here.
About SJSC Latvijas Pasts
Latvijas Pasts ensures the widest availability of postal services throughout Latvia by maintaining more than 600 post offices. The primary function of the company is provision of the universal postal service; Latvijas Pasts also provides commercial transport, express mail, payment, press subscription, retail and philatelic services. Latvijas Pasts is a wholly State-owned company with more than 4,200 employees. The quality measurements of Latvijas Pasts domestic mail deliveries are regularly conducted by TNS Latvia, one of the leading market, social and media research agencies in Latvia. In turn, the quality measurements of the cross-border deliveries are provided within the framework of the International Post Corporation through the intermediary of the research companies TNS, Ipsos and Quotas.
Additional information:
Gundega Vārpa,
Head of the External Communications Department
Phone: +371 67608505
E-mail: gundega.varpa@pasts.lv
twitter.com/latvijas_pasts; facebook.com/latvijas.pasts