ICELAND

ICELAND / ÍSLAND.

2nd anniversary of the eruption of the Heimaey volcano.
First stamp in a set of 2, issued on 23.01.1975.
Face value: 20 Icelandic krónor.
Photo: Sigurgeir Jónasson.
Design and Printing: Helio Courvoisier.
Printing: Photogravure.
Print: 1,500,000 copies.

Catalogues
- Michel No. 500.
- Scott No. 476.
- StampWorld No. 501.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 531.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 453.

The Elfeld volcano, about 200 m (660 ft) high, on the island of Heimaey, in southern Iceland, erupted on January 23, 1973 causing fissures up to 1600 meters (5,200 ft) long. The lava covered and destroyed half the town of Heimaey and part of its bay, forcing most of the island's 5000 inhabitants to be dislodged by fishing boats. The eruption lasted until July 3, increasing the surface of the island from 11.2 km² (4.3 sq mi) to 13.44 km² (5.19 sq mi). There was only one fatality.