The Faroe Islands, which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark, have been issuing postage stamps for close to 50 years, but the island chain is now embracing blockchain and adding a little crypto to its postal mix.
Crypto Stamps Are Now Available
Known as the “Stamps of Maybe,” a stamp collection being issued by the Faroe Islands is entirely digital and being released through a partnership with crypto firm Varius Systems. The stamps are unique in that not only are they considered collectible forms of art, but they also aid in the tracking of packages and other items. They’re designed by artist Heiðrik á Heygum, and they’ve been decorated with images of animals, plant life, and seasons.
Discussing his influence for the stamps and what he was trying to accomplish, Heygum said in an interview:
Each stamp features its own distinctive bouquet, carefully crafted to encompass the flowers, plants, birds, and animals that symbolize the essence of each season on our islands. The Faroese people have always shared a deep connection with nature and its abundant resources, which is why many of these flowers and animals have become national symbols in our music and art. In fact, our traditional national costume proudly showcases embroidered representations of these flowers, often on black or dark tones of fabric. Through these crypto stamps, I aimed to infuse the technological world with the rich tapestry of Faroese culture, uniting tradition and innovation in a visually captivating manner. It is my hope that these stamps will not only serve as a means of postage, but also as a testament to the profound connection we share with our environment and our commitment to preserving our unique traditions for generations to come.
Varius Systems hasn’t always been a crypto or blockchain-themed company, but it’s always been a technology innovator. Started in the 1970s by Frank Dorner, the company is now run by his son Michael, and they take pride in the fact that Varius is family owned. Michael commented:
After meeting with several leaders of postal companies around the world at the Universal Postal Union from the United Nations summit in Frankfurt earlier this week, we felt an enormous interest not only in the NFT stamps, but in blockchain technology as such. Countries from all around the globe, from Iceland to Togo, from Portugal to Singapore, are interested in how this digital revolution with decentralized blockchains can help their businesses grow and stay ahead of the curve.
They’re Like NFTs
The stamps, in many ways, are like non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which have seen their popularity decrease heavily over the past 15 months or so.
NFTs are still relatively new, having first come to the crypto scene in 2020, but interest really began sinking during the early days of last year’s crypto winter.
