Among the editions shown at the World Philately Exhibition, España 2004 are two stamps: one dedicated to the yacht BRAVO ESPAÑA, with a value of 52 cents, and another showing Valencia, La Ciudad del Mar (City of the Sea), with a value of 77 cents. The face value of both stamps combined is 1.29 Euros, and they are issued in a strip with an insignia that has no value as a stamp.
The yacht BRAVO ESPAÑA, now commemorated on a stamp, represented Spain in the 1999 America’s Cup. This Spanish yacht completed its duties in the Louis Vuitton Cup with a victory over the yacht captained by the legendary Dennis Conner. The BRAVO ESPAÑA was designed by Rolf Vrolijk and built by Richard Guillies and Tim Smith, though it was the Spanish yachtsman Augustin Zulueta who designed and built its masts. The Swiss yachtsman Alinghi won the 21st Americas Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, and he decided at the end of November 2003 that the venue for the 32nd America’s Cup in 2007 would be Valencia. As a result, one of the boats that will be challenging the Cup’s current holder, ALINGHI, will undoubtedly be Spanish.
Since its earliest days, the city of Valencia has been one of the nerve centers of the Mediterranean; the sea that has formed part of both its history and its culture Valencia without the sea would have no meaning. Its economic development and its tourism, its infrastructure and development projects depend to a great extent on the sea. It’s more that 100 km of coastline offer sunny beaches, calm waters and winds that are always favorable, both for tourists and for sailing. The Geneva Nautical Society has therefore chosen Valencia as the site for the next regatta. The city’s maritime culture combines with its rich architectural heritage that includes gothic renaissance, baroque, modernist and rationalist buildings. Examples include the Serranos Towers, the Cathedral, the Miguelete, the Hemisferic, the Oceanographic and the Principe Felipe Museum which combined with the many vessels scattered across the azure waters pay homage to the City of the Sea in the stamp’s design.
The insignia also alludes to this theme and to Valencia as the future venue for the America’s Cup.
The Jesûs Sánchez Studio has designed this strip.
On Spain 2004 0.52 Euro sg?
Source: copied from http://www.correos.es/04/04/0401_H_5_j.asp?idiom+UK