The Johann Sebastian Bach: All 170

Bach Postage Stamps in the World

The Johann Sebastian Bach stamp from the Republic of Ivory Coast, a country in Africa. When was it issued? In 2012. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful stamps dedicated to Johann Sebastian Bach..

Without further “ballyhoo”, let's go straight to the first Bach postage stamp, the Bach stamp from Canada, and the other works of art from America. These are primarily from the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Of course, you can also use the navigation bar to discover all the Bach stamps from Asia first. And those from Europe, too, of course. Many, many African countries were also particularly busy producing Bach stamps... in some cases until they dropped. If you want to reduce the amount of reading from here on ... that is your exploration of Bach stamps, then you can do so via the navigation ... whenever you browse Bach on Bach and from anywhere, on all pages. Or you can read this page in its entirety. Or you can simply click here:..

Bach stamps from America

Bach stamps from Asia

Bach stamps from Africa

Bach stamps from Europe and Germany..

A Bach Stamp Video? Is There Really Such a Thing as a Bach Stamp Video?..

Indeed, a video about Bach stamps. Yup, there is such a thing on this website. And I promise: It is really not intended or made for stamp collectors. Rather, it is for Bach fans. I would like to casually assert that you have never experienced a stamp collection like this before..

Over 170 Johann Sebastian Bach stamps...

Bach stamp next to Bach stamp. My next promise: Nowhere else on the internet will you find more Johann Sebastian Bach stamps, plus the Cinderellas on the theme of Bach..

There are currently around 170 stamps in the world featuring Johann Sebastian Bach. Or one of his works. Or even just something remotely related to him. Two stamps also feature his son, Carl Philipp Emanuel, who was very famous for his time. The very first Bach stamp appeared in Germany in 1926. The most recent Bach stamp dates from the current year. Here, on my website, they are listed in no particular order, neither alphabetically nor by date of release. They are simply divided among four continents..

We are not stamp collectors. It is not only difficult to get hold of them all one after the other. The first challenge was to find a list of all Bach stamps. After much research, we finally managed to locate a publication on the subject of Bach stamps. Paul Gomon from Leipzig is the author. However, this booklet is no longer up to date, so all Bach stamps issued since the publication was printed in 2003 are missing. Furthermore, it goes without saying that a reputable, “real” musicologist like Paul Gomon in the Bach city of Leipzig would only have genuine, real stamps ... stamp for stamp. This is different on my website, on these stamp pages. Here, “Cinderellas” and stamps that are neither stamps nor Cinderellas are also allowed. But what are Cinderellas? You can find out a little further down..

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Tadaaa: The Latest "Secret" Johann Sebastian Bach Stamp Which I Found..

A specimen that impresses with its simplicity. It comes from the Netherlands. Issued in 2009. It is the stamp that mentions only two words in a work by Johann Sebastian Bach. And I would never have found it among other stamps. The expert from Leipzig, whom I mentioned above, did just that..

More Bach Stamps Anywhere Than Here? There Is Probably No Such Place!..

Meanwhile, it is complete. My collection. And they are all on this page. Every stamp ever issued on the subject of Bach. No matter where on earth. Whether it is an island in Scotland that has been uninhabited for 52 years. Or whether a stamp, like the French one, was issued “only” in honor of Bach but does not depict Bach: We have dug them up. All of them. So you can enjoy them here. Whether it's the most famous portrait of Bach, the one by Haußmann on a German stamp. Or whether it's just the Bach seal depicted on a stamp, which in turn is part of a stamp (... that is, a stamp on a stamp), like the one from San Marino. None are missing here!..

And one thing is certain: If there is the next Bach stamp anywhere in the world, you will find it here shortly after its release. Because even from a “sporting perspective,” all our ambition is focused on this exciting peripheral area of the topic. In the colorful roundelay of the Bach project. With a hearty smile: We are the world's number one when it comes to Bach stamps... and we intend to stay that way. So, if you find a Bach stamp that is not (... yet) listed here, please write to us. Send us a photo, and we will reward you with a little “Bach treasure.” But – we promise – not with a Bach stamp. However, this offer will only be valid from fall 2025, when this website is expected to be finally completed..

Finished reading? Want to see Bach stamps? Click here to get there directly. By express mail, so to speak, to stay on the topic. However, clicking here will take you to the first Bach stamp from America. Not from the USA. But you might prefer to use the navigation in the middle..

No “Real” Bach Stamps? What Exactly Is a Cinderella?..

Our Bach website also features small, jagged “stickers” that are not stamps and annoy real stamp collectors. Some people call them Cinderellas, although experts also use this term to refer to other collectibles. Whatever. So what are these things? Printed paper. Simply printed paper. Not issued by a postal service. Not suitable for postage. In other words... not stamps. But they are, without question, for the most part, simply beautiful. Many are true works of art. They are Cinderellas..

Between truly “real” stamps and printed paper, there is a third type of picture. Not Cinderellas, because many collectors call them stamps. But some don't. At least they are legal. Now, you can argue whether a stamp is not a stamp if it is not intended for postage. But if it is only printed so that Bach fans like you and me “have” to buy it. Because otherwise the collection is not complete. But ... in my opinion ... it is not fair to condemn this behavior of poor countries that earn a little money this way..

For me, stamps are not worth collecting if they are printed and only have the name of a country printed on them. Whether the spelling is correct or similar is ultimately irrelevant. It should only look as if this piece of paper is an official stamp. This is the third category of stamps that “real collectors,” especially juries for stamp competitions, strictly reject. It’s amazing what you learn. The music motif group was particularly helpful in distinguishing between categories 1 and 2, for which I am very grateful. Dear fellow collectors have also provided me with a wealth of stamp knowledge. You can find out what came of it on this page..

It's enough ... Want to see the stamps? Click here, and you'll start with the stamps from Europe. The first European on my page, so to speak, is the Johann Sebastian Bach stamp from Cyprus. The first Bach stamp ever was one from Germany during the Weimar Republic. 1926. So in 2026, we will celebrate exactly “100 years of Bach stamps.”..

The Pain Threshold When It Comes to “Bach Stamps”..

But even with Cinderellas, or printed paper as you like to call them, there must be a “pain threshold” even for the most die-hard Bach stamp collectors. When all you get is poor print quality, unimaginative content, and then somewhere the name “Bach”. As is the case with a stamp from Indonesia. When the image of a stamp is printed on envelopes. Or when it's pure and simple printed ink from Romania. Or a pseudo-postal item from Asia... then these stamps are not allowed to “play” here with me..

However, it is acceptable to issue a stamp from a private postal service. It rarely prints stamps on the theme of Bach. But philatelically, they are considered acceptable. However, they are not particularly welcomed, especially in stamp competitions. And according to the rules of some competitions, they should be replaced as soon as possible with stamps that were previously in circulation for postal purposes..

In this jumble of options, that means for my collection: Cinderellas, yes. But only printed paper, for example, no mention of a country – but beautifully and elaborately made – that doesn't “work”! Not for me...

Now off to the first one? Click here to start your journey in Africa. It all begins with the Bach stamp from Burundi..

The World of Bach on Stamps..

My operating instructions for your Bach stamp experience. If you have already looked at a few (... do you also read how everything ends at the beginning of books?), then you may have noticed that they are all the same size. Or that some stamps really seemed too big to you. You still recognize a few of them, because you've licked some of them over the course of your life. If you're “at least a baby boomer”... ..

We had a dilemma, and I “prevailed” against my wife Renate. The only options were either to consistently include everything to scale on the pages ... or not to do so. We both wanted to be consistent. However, this is a fun website. It is always the opposite of “dry as dust.” That's why, for me, the most important thing about each stamp is its attractive design. I wanted to present each stamp perfectly. In any case, if I had presented them to scale, the largest stamp or block would have determined the ratio: The smallest Bach stamp is the size of a US Quarter. The largest stamp block, on the other hand, is as big as a page of correspondence. With a true-to-scale representation, many, many stamps would have ended up being depicted as tiny little pictures. I didn't want that..

If you are a Bach fan and also a connoisseur, then treat yourself to many more on Flickr. Because there, you can “really explore” them. There you can admire them in high resolution. There you can see the stamps larger than your screen is now. Much of it only becomes visible when viewed in extreme size. Only then can the entire “artwork stamp” be experienced. I projected all the Bach stamps onto the wall with a video projector: That's the right size. It's truly astonishing..

How are they arranged? Alphabetically? By year of issue? By value? None of the above. We are going on a journey around the world. We start in Africa and end, quite modestly, in Germany. Around the world on stamps, so to speak. More precisely, on Johann Sebastian Bach stamps..

So not in alphabetical order! But rather as a journey around the world. Good. Why is that? Because I would like to display the Bach stamps from San Marino next to the Bach stamps from Italy. And those from the Congo next to those from Guinea-Bissau. I think it's silly to display the most beautiful one from the Maldives next to the one from Mexico. This results in the following “luxury problem”: the itinerary. After all, not all countries are lined up in a row like a string of pearls. So the journey has to veer north at times and south at others. Before heading west again to the next continent. This is particularly exciting when we come to Asia together. There, the countries overlap “even in width.” And please don't lynch me if I assign different Bach stamps from European countries to what feels like the wrong corner. Even Wikipedia describes a difference in classification according to geographical sense or historical, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, or political premises..

My classification is also questionable when it comes to the assignment of Russia or the former USSR. But I'm sure you'll forgive me for that. After all, this isn't about geography ... it's about Bach stamps from around the world. Have fun exploring..

An addendum: After a dear Bach fan, whose knowledge I greatly value, told me that Russia belongs to Europe, I decided to list Russia twice. For the same reason I mentioned above. Ninety percent of Russia's land mass belongs to Asia. However, the capital is in Europe, and the majority of the population lives there. With Russia here and there, I hope everyone is happy..

Johann Sebastian Bach Stamps in a Quality You Have Never Seen Before..

You can also view every Johann Sebastian Bach stamp in high resolution on Flickr. Click here to see an example. So if you are a stamp collector, a Bach fan, or even a Bach stamp enthusiast, you can view every Bach stamp in even greater detail via this image portal Flickr. What are you waiting for? © Info..

Does It Pay Off? A Flickr Sample and More

You will also find exciting information in this chapter about Bach stamps. Would you like to take a look? Then click here, and this link will take you straight to the right place. It starts in Africa. The stamps themselves occasionally feature small notes about their special features... always brief and clear. Or you can view all the Bach stamps right away on Flickr. There you can see each Bach stamp in enormous size, resolution, and sharpness. With all the details that you would never recognize or suspect with the naked eye on such a small work of art. Click on the link here and you will be taken there again. Bach stamps... I don't just offer a list..

For Our Riddle Friends: Fun on the Bach Postage Stamps Page..

Some stamps are simply beautiful. Others, however, raise questions. Questions about the why. Questions about the where. Questions that are difficult to answer without expert knowledge. That sounds dramatic. Expert knowledge, however... that's not my thing. But it is the thing of musicologist and author Paul Gomon. Without him, the world would not even know about the various Bach stamps. He deserves our thanks..

I have listed a few challenges for you relating to various stamps. In the four sections America, Asia, Africa, and Europe, or rather the stamps associated with them, you are welcome to take a guess at various things first. Or think about it. One paragraph further on, you will find the relevant information..

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Johann Sebastian Bach on the Stamps: Our "Top 10 Favorite Bach Stamps"

Before you dive into the complete collection of all stamps related to Johann Sebastian Bach or the Bach family, I would like to show you our favorites. Each stamp “in its league” has a little story behind it or is special as a Bach stamp. Nevertheless, our list of the top 10, that is, our favorite Bach stamps, is randomly selected. Just for fun. Just for your entertainment. After all, I also enjoy presenting them. So here you can see the prettiest, the most exotic, the “most secret” and the one with the most charming mistake. But, of course, you may disagree. Here, at Bach on Bach, it's all about fun..

Once again: This Bach stamp is very special! I wouldn't have found it myself in a thousand cold winters. How could I? All sources were consulted, but there was no reference to this “outlier” anywhere. And then Ludwig Knöchel found us ( ! ) and pointed it out to us: These two words on the Dutch stamp above are from Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio. Thank you, Mr. Knöchel..

It is the most endearing of the approximately 170 stamps dedicated to Johann Sebastian Bach: The artist was so enthusiastic about our Thomaskantor that he named the entire town of Eisenach, Bach's birthplace, after him..

It couldn't be more exotic. This is because the general population in China tends to prefer completely different types of music. However, more and more Chinese people are becoming interested in the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. They are really “into” them... which is why the Johann Sebastian Bach stamp is here in the “Top 10.”..

What this particular stamp has to do with Johann Sebastian Bach is what makes it so exciting: We invite you to find out. A hint: You will find the answer among the Asian stamps..

I know... you already know this stamp featuring Johann Sebastian Bach from the top. Nevertheless, it is one of the most exquisite and beautiful stamps. That's why it deserves to be featured here once again..

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What a Johann Sebastian Bach stamp from Guinea-Bissau. In fact, no other country in the world has issued as many impressive stamps dedicated to the master as this African state..

You have to come up with that first: Johann Sebastian Bach and “... all kinds of German things.” All together on one stamp. This makes Guinea-Bissau the only country to actually appear twice in our “Top 10.”..

Take a look at this high-resolution image of the Johann Sebastian Bach stamp on Flickr. Then you'll see why it deserves to be here in the “Top 10.”..

Special! And why? Because that's exactly how you have to write Bach so that it sounds like proper German when spoken. Clever, clever, those Albanians. That's what I was told when I was researching the topic: the stamp on the subject of Johann Sebastian Bach from Albania..

Special? And why is that so? Because you have to write Bach this way, so when Albanians read it, it sounds like it is supposed to be pronounced in German. Smartish, smartish – these Albanians. They told me so, when I made telephone calls to Albania to check it out: the stamp related to the theme of Johann Sebastian Bach from Albania..

The Johann Sebastian Bach stamp from the island of Eynhallow in Scotland is a must-have in the “Top 10.” This island has been uninhabited for about 60 years, which makes us all smile. Right? Right..

One of my most recent “trophies” has made it straight into the “Best of the Best” category. And that's because it simply looks cool. And because of its unique design. Congratulations to Togo! By the way, did you count? Yes, there are twelve Johann Sebastian Bach stamps in my “Top 10”... that's just how I am..

My Bach Stamps ... To Paul Gomon and Aryeh Oron: A Heartfelt Thank You²..

If you have finally arrived here, then you have not “given up” along the way. So to speak. Great. Then it should also be mentioned here that I would not have achieved my collection results without two Bach enthusiasts, or more precisely, Bach stamp enthusiasts. To what you have just gotten to know a little bit about. First, there is the Bach musicologist Paul Gomon. Mr. Gomon lives in Leipzig and published a small book about Bach stamps in 2003. The title? “J.S. Bach on Stamps.” It was published by Schubert-Verlag. For me, it was more than the ideal basis for organizing which Bach stamps exist in the world. In addition, it listed them in order up to a certain year..

The second is Aryeh Oron in Israel. His Bach website is legendary. It is and will remain the most comprehensive English-language website in the world on the subject of Johann Sebastian Bach. When I first became passionate about Bach stamps, his list was the ideal source, especially for stamps from the recent past..

I found it particularly exciting to compare the two publications, that is, Oron's and Gomon's. In other words, which Bach stamps were listed in one but missing in the other. And vice versa. I had a cordial relationship with Mr. Gomon, who provided me with help and support in my hunt for completeness. We were even able to thank Aryeh Oron in an appropriate manner: How could it be otherwise? With Bach stamps. As high-resolution scans for his collection. His Bach stamp collection now contains around 40 items, which we were able to scan in the highest quality and make available for his collection..

While Aryeh Oron does not physically possess the Bach stamps, my situation is different. We searched for every single Bach stamp, every single Bach block. The Music Motif Group, a small but fine community of stamp collectors who not only specialize in motif stamps but are also enthusiastic about music on stamps, was a great help in this endeavor. I got to know some wonderful collectors. I received a lot of help and enjoyed some delightful correspondence. So the journey was exciting and the destination rewarding. Today we have it: the only complete collection of Bach stamps on earth..

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If You Think the Johann Sebastian Bach Stamps Are Cool... ..

If you have enjoyed reading this far and haven't strayed off to the left into the navigation bar and to the small, sticky attractions on paper, then I have something else exciting for you. The “making of,” so to speak..

A look behind the scenes. I invite you to share the fun we had over many weeks and months. That was when, little by little, all the stamps on the theme of Johann Sebastian Bach from all over the world finally arrived here. I have compiled the most exciting mail for you. The senders have, of course, been made unrecognizable in the main area. Enjoy your little “tour behind the scenes”..

Each of the Johann Sebastian Bach stamps, sent to us, had to pass customs. There was no way around.

Actually, there is no stamp from Uruguay featuring Johann Sebastian Bach. But for us, as you can see for yourself... there is: it's on the envelope above..

Once, Johann Sebastian Bach on stamps from Egypt. And customs wasn't interested... ..

... and once Johann Sebastian Bach stamps from Egypt, and customs did take an interest. Perhaps ... it's because of the density of the stamps on the envelope?..

From Argentina: If they don't issue stamps featuring Johann Sebastian Bach there, then at least they can send me theirs. Thank you, South America...

Johann Sebastian Bach stamps from the land of my dreams. Pleasure at receiving mail from the United States of America.

And another “transport pouch” for stamps from the USA. Because people there are just as enthusiastic about Johann Sebastian Bach as they are in “good old Germany.”

The two exotic items above and below are two special jewels in my collection. No, not in my collection of Johann Sebastian Bach stamps, but in my collection of envelopes from all over the world in which the Bach stamps arrived here..

This makes “getting stamps from China” fun: On the envelope, you can enjoy the exoticism, and inside, you can enjoy really cool Bach stamps..

Thank You for Supporting Our Johann Sebastian Bach Mission

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