Just in time for summer, when beaches are crowded and surfboards dominate the scene, Spain released a special issue. The new 3-euro stamp features Basque surfer Nadia Erostarbe performing a spectacular backside off-the-lip move (in this maneuver, the surfer rides with her back to the wave up to the lip and then sharply directs the board over the wave’s edge – comparable to a skateboarder at the top of a ramp). The issue is available both in full sheets and in a miniature sheet of five stamps. Printed in the sheet margin are the “Rules of Surfing” – small reminders such as “don’t leave litter on the beach” or “observe right-of-way rules” in the line-up.
With this issue, sporting recognition is combined with a call for responsibility and fairness.
Surfing is not a contemporary fad but an ancient tradition. Its roots lie in Polynesian cultures, above all in Hawaii, where kings and warriors rode the waves – an expression of power, spirituality, and social rank.
Im 20. Jahrhundert schwappte die Tradition über die Ozeane, wurde Teil der Jugendkultur und entwickelte sich schließlich zum internationalen Leistungssport. Spätestens seit Tokio 2020, als Surfen olympische Premiere feierte, ist die Disziplin endgültig im Weltsport angekommen. In Paris 2024 stand sie erneut auf dem Programm, und für Los Angeles 2028 ist Surfen bereits festgesetzt. Bewertet werden Schwierigkeit, Innovation, Flüssigkeit und Kontrolle – ein Wettkampf gegen die unberechenbaren Kräfte des Meeres.
One face of this development is Nadia Erostarbe. Growing up in Zarautz in the Basque Country, she learned early on to read the rhythm of the Atlantic and to develop her own style. At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, she achieved a remarkable fifth place for Spain – the country’s first Olympic “surfing diploma.” Her teammates Janire González-Etxabarri and Andy Criere placed 17th. The stamp thus tells not only the story of a young athlete, but also the rise of surfing in Spain. In this way, it follows the tradition of Duke Kahanamoku, the Hawaiian Olympic swimmer and “father of modern surfing.” In 2002, the United States honored him with his own stamp – a philatelic milestone for both sports and thematic collectors alike.
But Spain is by no means alone: surfing has long held a firm place in philately. According to a survey by the American Topical Association, more than 30 postal administrations have issued surfing stamps. In the Colnect catalog, there are around 290 stamps that include “surfing” in their name, with windsurfing also taken into account.
The beginning was made by French Polynesia in 1971 with the first postage stamp depicting a surfer. Further colorful issues followed, such as in 2007 with three brightly designed surfboards. Australia also took up the theme early on. In 1977 the legendary “Surfing Santa” Christmas stamp appeared there, showing Santa Claus with a board and sunglasses. 
For many, it was a cheerful greeting from Down Under; for others, a sacrilege – critics accused the postal service of making a mockery of a Christian symbol (though one can argue about what exactly is Christian about Santa Claus – St. Nicholas, yes, but Santa?). Despite all the criticism, the stamp became a success and, according to Australia Post Collectables, was considered one of “Australia’s most controversial stamps.”
From Jersey to Ireland, Taiwan, Israel, and Peru – surfing appears on stamps all around the globe. Together they form a colorful collection that is more than just paper: it tells of cultural heritage, Olympic dreams, and the longing for freedom, captured in just a few square centimeters. Small in format, yet great in message – this also describes the new Spanish issue: a stamp that honors an athlete, conveys a message, and firmly anchors surfing as part of philatelic world history.
Details of the Stamp of the Month:
- Theme: Surfing in Spain
- Country: Spain
- Issue date: July 28, 2025
- Size: 41 × 29 mm
- Colors: Multicolored
- Printer: Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre – Real Casa de la Moneda (RCM-FNMT)
- Format: Commemorative stamp
- Perforation: 13¾ × 13
- Printing process: Offset lithography
- Denomination: €3 (Euro)
- Print run: 85,000 copies
- Description: Issued both in full sheets of 25 stamps and in miniature sheets of five.