Despite much of the world still being caught in the grips of the Coronavirus COVID-19, 86 postal administrations and agencies still managed to issue some 214 separate issues (I didn’t try to count the individual stamps). Of those, 92 have so far been featured on Philatelic Pursuits. Several which were not were either canceled outright or postponed due to the pandemic. In some cases, it has been difficult to determine if a particular issue was actually released or not.
This post attempts to list every stamp released during the month of May 2020. Unless I hear otherwise, I assume that the issues went ahead as originally scheduled. Being able to find an image of an actual stamp rather than an artist’s rendition is always welcome.
The stamp-issuing entities are listed alphabetically and the date of issue chronologically for each issue. Clicking on the issue name will take you to the original post on Philatelic Pursuits where images may be found of the stamp(s) and often full sheets, first day covers and other items associated with that particular release.
An issue name highlighted in red denotes an issue that doesn’t (yet) have an article on this site. Eventually, the stamp will be added and this list updated with the link. Yellow means an active link to a New Issue post. Those issuing entities printed in blue link to the 2020 stamp programme on this site while grey means that I haven’t yet created a page for that particular stamp-issuing entity.
Details in the original blog entries are almost always taken directly from materials published by the issuers’ philatelic agency, either as press releases, collector announcements or online shop product descriptions. There are occasional poor translations, either provided by the postal administration themselves or as a result of translation software. They can be amusing at times. I always welcome better-quality scans of the actual stamps and any on-cover (non-philatelic) usages of this material. If you have anything you would like to share, please send me an email at the address below.
Stay Safe and Keep Collecting Stamps.
Åland
08 May 2020
Andorra, French Administration
11 May 2020
- EUROPA — Ancient Postal Routes (NOTE: Issued on 11 May but not on sale until 5 June)
Andorra, Spanish Administration
14 May 2020
- Cal Pal in La Cortinada (postponed from 3 April 2020)
- EUROPA — Ancient Postal Routes (postponed from 23 April 2020)
29 May 2020
Armenia
26 May 2020
Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh)
11 May 2020
15 May 2020
Australia
05 May 2020
- Afghan Cameleers of the Outback (pre-paid envelope)
19 May 2020
Austria
08 May 2020
- EUROPA — Ancient Postal Routes (Thurn und Taxis)
- Railways — Red Lightning Graz Köflacher Bahn
15 May 2020
- Amnesty International Austria 50th Anniversary
23 May 2020
- Freistadt 800th Anniversary
The Azores
21 May 2020
- Self-Adhesive Reprints
25 May 2020
Belarus
05 May 2020
08 May 2020
20 May 2020
- Appearance of the Icon of the Zhirovichi Mother of God, 550th Anniversary
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH Pošta)
08 May 2020
- EUROPA — Ancient Postal Routes
- COVID-19 Awareness (postal tax stamp)
22 May 2020
- Cultural and Historical Heritage — Sultan Ahmed’s Madrasah in Zenica
Bosnia and Herzegovina (HP Mostar – Croatian Administration)
12 May 2020
- Radimlja Necropolois, Stolac
Bosnia and Herzegovina (Pošte Srpske – Serbian Administration)
12 May 2020
- Celebrities (postponed?)
xx May 2020
- Red Cross Week (postal tax stamp)
Brazil
26 May 2020
- Diplomatic Relations with Czech Republic and Slovakia — Castles and Bridges
Bulgaria
20 May 2020
- Ludwig van Beethoven 250th Birth Anniversary
21 May 2020
- Lion Statues of Sofia
Canada
07 May 2020
- The Group of Seven Centenary
20 May 2020
- Commercial Radio in Canada Centenary
Central African Republic
xx May 2020
China, People’s Republic of
11 May 2020
17 May 2020
20 May 2020
25 May 2020
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
12 May 2020
Croatia
08 May 2020
20 May 2020
- Novigrad 800th Anniversary
27 May 2020
- Saint Jerome 1600th Death Anniversary
28 May 2020
- Declaration of Statehood 30th Anniversary
Cyprus
04 May 2020
14 May 2020
- International Year of the Nurse and Midwife / Florence Nightingale Birth Bicentenary
Czech Republic
13 May 2020
- Works of Art on Postage Stamps — Jiří Kolář
- Works of Art on Postage Stamps — Petr Brandl
- Václav Neumann, Conductor
Denmark
11 May 2020
- Reunification of South Jutland and Denmark Centenary
- EUROPA — Ancient Postal Routes
Estonia
14 May 2020
26 May 2020
- Post Horn (definitive stamps)
- Flag of Estonia (€1,90 definitive stamp)
Faroe Islands
02 May 2020
- Franking Labels — LONDON 2020: Old Post Cards [issue cancelled]
Finland
06 May 2020
France
07 May 2020
15 May 2020
- French Red Cross 2020 (booklet stamps)
22 May 2020
- Hydrography in France 300th Anniversary
Germany
07 May 2020
- New Olympic Sports — Sport Climbing, Skateboard, Karate
- EUROPA — Ancient Postal Routes
- Baron von Münchhausen 300th Birth Anniversary
Gibraltar
07 May 2020
- End of World War II 75th Anniversary (Post & Go label)
08 May 2020
Great Britain
08 May 2020
29 May 2020
- Coronation Street 60th Anniversary
Greece
08 May 2020
Greenland
05 May 2020
18 May 2020
- Greenland During World War II
- SEPAC — Artwork in the National Collection
- Norden — Mammals in Scandinavia
Guernsey
02 May 2020
- Endangered Species — Kordofan Giraffe
- Ludwig van Beethoven 250th Birth Anniversary (Part 2)
- Liberation Day, 75th Anniversary
Hong Kong
21 May 2020
Hungary
04 May 2020
- Postal History (Series IV)
- Hungarian Meteorological Service 150th Anniversary
- Pope John Paul II Birth Centenary
- EUROPA — Ancient Postal Routes
- Hungarian Fire Department 150th Anniversary
11 May 2020
- Buda Castle Funicular 150th Anniversary
- Zugliget Chairlift 50th Anniversary
26 May 2020
- For Youth 2020 — First Hungarian Space Flight 40th Anniversary
Iceland
07 May 2020
- Icelandic Met Office Centenary
- EFTA Membership 50th Anniversary
- Supreme Court of Iceland Centenary
- Reykjavik Arts Festival 50th Anniversary
- Equal Voting Rights for all Icelandic Citizens Centenary
- The Young of Iceland’s Domestic Animals (Series IV)
- Tourist Stamps (Series IX)
- EUROPA — Ancient Postal Routes
Isle of Man
04 May 2020
12 May 2020
- WHO Year of Nursing and Midwifery
Italy
09 May 2020
- Saints — Madonna of Loretto
21 May 2020
- Italian Lapis Factory Centenary
24 May 2020
- Eduardo De Filippo, Actor & Playwrite
25 May 2020
- Bruno Ielo, Anti-Mafia Campaigner
29 May 2020
- Cagliari Football Centenary
Japan
08 May 2020
- Customs and Traditions (Series III) — Sumo Wrestling
14 May 2020
- Greetings — Celebration Designs
20 May 2020
- Doraemon
25 May 2020
- National Treasures (Series I)
26 May 2020
- Shimane Land Afforestation Campaign
Jersey
09 May 2020
Kazakhstan
xx May 2020
- Sapargali Begalin, Poet 125th Birth Anniversary
- Fish from the Red Book of Kazakhstan
Korea, North
10 May 2020
- Animal Husbandry
23 May 2020
- Brass Instruments
25 May 2020
- Kim Jong-Un Birthday
Korea, South
29 May 2020
- International Year of Plant Health
Latvia
08 May 2020
15 May 2020
- Water Towers
29 May 2020
- International Year of Plant Health
Lithuania
08 May 2020
- Sigismund Augustus, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland 500th Anniversary
29 May 2020
- Gastronomic Heritage — Cold Pink Lithuanian Soup
Macau
21 May 2020
- Women’s General Association of Macau 70th Anniversary
Madeira
25 May 2020
Malta
09 May 2020
Marshall Islands
22 May 2020
- Wildlife of the Marshall Islands
Moldova
xx May 2020
- Discover Moldova — Manuc Bei Manor House and Zamfirache Ralli Manor House
- Personalities Who Changed World History
- Lucian Blaga, Poet 125th Birth Anniversary [prepaid envelope]
- End of the Second World War 75th Anniversary [prepaid envelope]
Monaco
06 May 2020
Mongolia
01 May 2020
- Penny Black 180th Anniversary (overprint)
Montenegro
09 May 2020
27 May 2020
- Nature Preservation — Biogradska Gora National Park
Morocco
07 May 2020
Myanmar
20 May 2020
- Yangon University Centenary
Netherlands
11 May 2020
- EUROPA — Ancient Postal Routes
- For Every Moment
New Zealand
20 May 2020
Niue
20 May 2020
- Weaving Styles
North Macedonia
05 May 2020
- Kenzo Tange, Architect of Rebuilt Skopje
08 May 2020
- EUROPA — Ancient Postal Routes
- Macedonia in the European Union
22 May 2020
- Bajram 2020
Norway
08 May 2020
15 May 2020
- New Munich Museum
Papua New Guinea
27 May 2020
- Post-Courier Newspaper 50th Anniversary
Poland
07 May 2020
- Flowers and Fruits
13 May 2020
16 May 2020
- Patrons of Poland
- Leopold Tyrmand Birth Centenary
Portugal
05 May 2020
25 May 2020
28 May 2020
- Feasts and Pilgrimages
Romania
05 May 2020
- Diplomatic Relations with the Holy See Centenary
14 May 2020
- Romanian Orders and Medals
18 May 2020
22 May 2020
- Pheasants
Russia
06 May 2020
- Berlin Offensive 75th Anniversary
- Prague Offensive 75th Anniversary
07 May 2020
- Rzhevsky Memorial to Soviet Soldiers
- Radio in Russia 125th Anniversary
08 May 2020
- End of World War II 75th Anniversary (joint issue with Belarus)
15 May 2020
- Alexandre Benois, Artist 150th Birth Anniversary
19 May 2020
- State Museum of Russia 125th Anniversary
22 May 2020
- United Nations 75th Anniversary
26 May 2020
- Admiral Fyodor F. Ushakov 275th Birth Anniversary
- Contemporary Russian Art — Reflections of the War
- Definitive Stamps (Series VII)
27 May 2020
- Republic of Tatarstan Centenary
28 May 2020
- Sergei Esenin, Poet
Serbia
05 May 2020
06 May 2020
- Serbian Armed Forces Guard 190th Anniversary
09 May 2020
- End of World War II 75th Anniversary
13 May 2020
- Stamp Day 2020
19 May 2020
- Tourism — Gobulac Fortress
Sierra Leone
01 May 2020
Singapore
NOTE: Singapore Post cancelled/postponed all stamp issues due to be released in April/May due to the Coronavirus COVID-19. The following issue was scheduled but not released.
xx May 2020
- Singapore Skyline
Slovak Republic
13 May 2020
18 May 2020
Slovenia
29 May 2020
- EUROPA — Ancient Postal Routes
- Football Association of Slovenia Centenary
- Steelmaking in the Meža Valley, 400th Anniversary
- First Slovene Postage Stamps for Istria and the Slovenian Littoral, 75th Anniversary
- Wine Cellars and Stores
- Games of the XXXIIrd Olympiad, Tokyo 2020
- 8th European Congress of Mathematics
Spain
14 May 2020
- Provinces of Spain — Castelló/Castellón
- International Day of Autism Awareness
- National Identification Document 75th Anniversary
- Solidarity — World Wildlife Fund and Nature Protection
- National Geographic Institute 150th Anniversary
- EUROPA — Ancient Postal Routes (postponed from 23 April)
29 May 2020
- Provinces of Spain — Ciudad Real
- Minerals — Asturian Jet
- Treasury Orphans School Charity 90th Anniversary
Sri Lanka
06 May 2020
- Vesak Buja Day 2020
Switzerland
07 May 2020
- Swiss Florists’ Association Centenary
- Microscopic Art
- Animal Families
- Swiss Foundation for Landscape Conservation 50th Anniversary
- EUROPA — Ancient Postal Routes
- Society for the History of Swiss Art
- Geneva Airport Centenary
- Pro Patria 2020 — Living Cultural Heritage
Syria
01 May 2020
- World Labor Day
Taiwan (Republic of China)
20 May 2020
Thailand
NOTE: Thailand Post cancelled/postponed the stamp issues scheduled to be released in May 2020 due to the Coronavirus COVID-19. The stamps listed below were scheduled on those dates but not actually issued.
01 May 2020
- Vesak Bucha Day
04 May 2020
- Coronation Day, Series 1
- Coronation Day, Series 2 — Royal Regalia
Tokelau
20 May 2020
- Weaving Styles
Tristan da Cunha
07 May 2020
- Female Anscestors of Tristan Islanders
Tunisia
12 May 2020
Turkey
09 May 2020
11 May 2020
- Year of Patara
Ukraine
08 May 2020
29 May 2020
United Arab Emirates
10 May 2020
United Nations (Offices in Geneva)
12 May 2020
- Eradication of Smallpox 40th Anniversary
United Nations (Offices in Vienna)
12 May 2020
- Florence Nightingale Birth Bicentenary
United States of America
13 May 2020
21 May 2020
Uruguay
13 May 2020
Vietnam
16 May 2020
- Ho Chi Minth 130th Birth Anniversary
Wallis & Futuna
25 May 2020
- Festival of Nature