This letter’s stamp is the first Red Cross stamp issued in Finland and as such it’s the first commemorative stamp as well as all the earlier stamps were of a variety of lion-themed definitive stamps. The stamp was issued 15.5.1922 in a quantity of 655.650 exactly. The stamp was plagued by defective plates and printing and many such defects are today quite sought after curiosities of this issue.

This letter is from Helsinki to Hyvinkää stamped at 23.8.1923 and has reached it’s destination in just a couple of hours! Granted the two cities are not far apart but still the markings reveal a travel time of only three hours between the sending post office and receiving post office.

The domestic letter rate between 1.2.1921 – 14.1.1926 (lowest weight rate) was 1 mark. The Red Cross stamp fulfills that so this letter has a correct rate.