Denmark - ATM issues 2011

2011. Danish birds (Ducks)

On April 1st 2011, Post Danmark introduced a major change in the structure of postal tariffs, by setting different prices for the type of franking used on postal items. Letters processed through franking machines or those with pre-paid postal marks had a slight price increase, while postal items with stamps (and, of course, ATMs) were increased significantly. For example, to send a domestic letter by priority mail went up from 5.50 DKK (0.74 EUR) to 8.00 DKK (1.07 EUR), whilst a priority letter to a European country rose from 8.50 DKK (1,14 EUR) to 11.00 DKK (1,48 EUR).
See postage rates below.

This significant increase in postal rates is also reflected in the values for sets proposed by the Danish philatelic service for ATM issues in 2011. The basic series, in 2011, consists of 3 different designs, and the values introduced by the philatelic service are: 6.00 - 8.00 & 11.00 DKK, corresponding to the current rates of economic, priority domestic mail and priority mail to Europe, respectively.

The new basic annual series is made up from 3 photographic images of different species of ducks native to Denmark, in what appears to be the start of a new annual series devoted to showing the Danish birds.
This is certainly a clear indicator to thematic collectors, since the birds theme is one of the most widely collected around the world. In fact, the Israeli philatelic service and, more recently, the UK philatelic service, have already released some ATM series devoted to this subject.

The new series was available from the aCon postal kiosks (upper image, self-service postal kiosk installed in Horsens) starting on September 10th 2011. The images show the tufted duck (Aythya fuligula), the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and the shelduck (Tadorna tadorna). The photographs are by Jesper Plambech (Biofoto), N. Sloth (Biopix) and Hanne & Jens Eriksen (Biofoto).
The rolls of labels are manufactured by the company Ganket A/S using self-adhesive thermal paper, and have identical characteristics to previous issues.


Detail of the pictorial first day postmark, and official first day cover illustrated with one of the ducks that make up the series.

2011. HOFI 2011 - Horsens

With the Frimærkeforum suspended, for financial reasons, the other big annual philatelic event in Denmark is the national philatelic exhibition.

The National Frimærkeudstilling 2011 - HOFI 2011 was held on September 10th and 11th 2011 in Horsens, a quiet town in the east of Jutland. The excellent organization of this event was due to the local stamp group, the Horsens Filatelistklub, on the occasion of the centenary of its foundation, with the collaboration of Post Danmark and the Danmarks Filatelist Forbund, the federation of philatelic associations of Denmark.

HOFI 2011 occupied 2 large halls of the Forum Horsens, a cultural and sports complex. In one of the halls, the organization set up about 25 stands, consisting of just tables and panels, for philatelic traders, plus Post Danmark, and a representation of some Nordic postal administrations - Åland, Greenland, Faroe Islands and Iceland. This area was connected to another large hall dedicated to the display panels of the national philatelic exhibition.

Next to the entrance, on the small stand of Post Danmark, visitors could obtain first day of issue postmarks, purchase the latest philatelic issues, as well as the new commemorative ATM release, especially produced for the occasion.

The special issue is devoted to the work 'Double blind', a bronze sculpture made in 2007 by local artist Michael Kvium.
The picture is by Daniel Bank, and the rolls of thermal self-adhesive labels were manufactured by Ganket A/S.

As is usual for this type of issue, the new ATM, printed with an aCon stamp printer, could be obtained only through pre-orders to the philatelic service, or directly from its stand during the 2 days of the exhibition. The minimum face value was 6.00 DKK, corresponding to the basic postal rate for economic domestic mail, although most of the visitors bought the even-more-expensive 4-ATMs set with the new basic postage values of 6.00-8.00-11.00 & 13.00 DKK, and the illustrated postcard franked with the ATM issue.

The enigmatic sculpture 'Double blind' is located in the Søndergade, the main Horsens pedestrian and commercial street.
	Right, maximum cards produced with the ATM issue. Below, at left, postcard produced by *Post Danmark*.