SingPost to release National Day stamps inspired by historic 1966 design
Sixty-one sets of exclusive imperforated stamp sheets, priced at S$610, will also be available for pre-order.
A comparison of the two stamp sets from 1966 (above) and 2026. (Images: SingPost)
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SINGAPORE: At a glance, the two sets of stamps look similar – four characters from different walks of life against a backdrop of buildings.
Take a closer look and the advancements Singapore has made in the past 61 years shine in the background of the 2026 commemorative stamp set for National Day.
The collection, which will be released on Aug 7, pays tribute to the nation’s very first independence anniversary stamps, Singapore Post said in a media release on Monday (Jul 13).
The commemorative issue reimagines the 1966 set of stamps that carried the theme Surviving in a Challenging Future in a Multi-Racial Society.
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Depicting workers from diverse communities, the stamps featured housing blocks and industrial infrastructure in the background.
The 1966 stamps also hold a singular place in Singapore’s philatelic record, said SingPost.
“Issued to mark the first anniversary of independence, they remain the only Singapore stamps ever to bear the full formal name Republic of Singapore. Every issue since, beginning with the Masks and Dances definitive series in 1968, has carried simply Singapore.”
“The original 1966 stamp series was a purposeful declaration of our new statehood, capturing the sense of optimism, vision and progress for the nation,” said former Chairman of the Stamp Advisory Committee, Lim Chong Jin, who oversaw the selection of this year’s National Day stamp.
In a move to reflect the shift from nation-building to global connectivity and sustainability, the 2026 version offers three landscapes – the changed Singapore central business district skyline, blocks of flats alongside an MRT train and high-rise buildings decked in greenery alongside the Gardens by the Bay Supertree and drones.
“When the suggestion of remaking the iconic 1966 series was first mooted, the committee saw a historic milestone to celebrate exactly how far we have travelled as a nation,” said Mr Lim.
Graphic designer Lim Wen Bin found the most challenging part of the assignment was deciding what to leave out.
“With Singapore having achieved so much over the past 60 years, it was vital to distill that immense progress into a simple, clear narrative that can be understood at a single glance on a canvas this small,” he said.
The collection features three denominations, 1st Local, S$1.55, and S$2, as well as a premium Miniature Sheet featuring silver rainbow foil hot stamping.
Sixty-one sets of exclusive imperforated stamp sheets, priced at S$610 per set, will also be available for pre-order online from Jul 15.
Each set contains three full imperforated sheets, with 100 stamps on each sheet covering all three new denominations.
“Unlike standard stamps, which feature the familiar rows of small punched holes along their edges to allow clean separation, imperforated stamps are printed on an unbroken sheet with no perforations,” said SingPost, adding that these are intended for collecting rather than postage.
Standard perforated stamp sheets will be sold at S$62, S$155 and S$200 for 100 stamps, depending on the respective stamp values.
Other regular philatelic products in this issue include First Day Covers, Pre-cancelled First Day Covers and a Presentation Pack.
The stamps and related philatelic products will be available from Aug 7 at the Philatelic Counter at the General Post Office, the Philatelic Store @ Tampines, and via SingPost’s online store, while stocks last.
Source: CNA/bg(zl)
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