Faroe Islands Postal Service Releases NFT Stamps

The digital duplicates of the stamps are stored on the blockchain as NFTs, while physical stamps can still be used traditionally as proof of postage payment.

The collection has been named "Stamps of Maybe," a whimsical and informal title inspired by the ever-changing weather conditions and diverse natural landscapes of the Faroe Islands. This initiative was realized through collaboration with VariusSystems, an Austrian software development company that extensively uses blockchain technologies.

This is the first release of NFT stamps in Scandinavian countries, hence, it has attracted considerable attention in the Faroe Islands. 

Each physical stamp from this collection is linked to a unique digital NFT token, built on the ERC721 standard and stored on the Polygon blockchain. This ensures the stamps' distinct identity, as they cannot be duplicated or fully replicated due to their individual NFT numbers and a range of additional attributes.

Heiðrik á Heygum, the artist entrusted with designing the inaugural issue of "Stamps of Maybe," has brought four stunning creations to life. Each stamp in the quartet represents a season and showcases elements of the local flora and fauna. However, the most captivating feature that sets these stamps apart is yet to be revealed.

To activate the NFT, purchasers can choose between buying a single stamp for 100 DKK (approximately €13.40) or acquiring the complete set of four. Activation is done through a QR code, and the owner has the flexibility to decide when to activate it — either immediately or at a later, more favorable time, such as during different weather conditions.

An intriguing and unique feature of the NFT stamp generation service is its integration with a local Faroese weather station called Veðurstova Føroya, made possible through a custom oracle. This integration allows the current weather conditions to be incorporated as additional parameters when the NFT stamps are activated, thereby influencing their appearance. Each of the four NFT stamps captures specific weather data:

Michael Dorner, the CEO of VariusSystems, after participating in the Universal Postal Union summit, observed a high degree of interest in leveraging blockchain technologies from numerous countries. He shared his thoughts:

The issue of the physical stamps is highly restricted — just 7,500 collections have been created altogether. Thus, the total count of printed stamps is 30,000 pieces. Besides payments through credit cards or PayPal, the stamps can also be bought using Bitcoin or Ethereum.