In 2026, Magyar Posta is continuing its series presenting eminent philatelists on thematic personalised stamps, issuing on this occasion stamps with a label in honour of Dr István Flóderer and Dr László Surányi. For each theme, 12,250 copies of the personalised stamps designed by the graphic artist Imre Benedek were produced. The new issues may be purchased at Filaposta and www.posta.hu while stocks last.
Eminent Philatelists XII • Dr István Flóderer (1907–1991) was one of the most prominent figures in the history of Hungarian pharmaceutical research and Hungarian paraphilately. He acquired the basis of his professional knowledge at his father’s “Megváltó” (Saviour) pharmacy in Csepreg, and then went on to obtain a degree in medicine. A Rockefeller scholarship enabled him to further pursue his scientific development in the United States. Upon his return, he worked as the head of the laboratory at the Wander pharmaceutical company until, in 1953, he was awarded a Candidate of Pharmaceutical Sciences degree in recognition of his distinguished research work. Apart from his profession, Flóderer was a passionate collector of Hungarian and Austrian revenue stamps from a young age, and through his tireless efforts he saved an enormous number of official archival documentary stamps from destruction. In the fullness of time, he became a recognised leader in this field, heading the stamp collecting club at the EGYT pharmaceutical factory and the paraphilately section of the National Federation of Hungarian Philatelists, initialling rare items removed from his collection with the distinctive, tiny red letters “FI”. In addition to his successes at domestic and international exhibitions, he also produced two seminal works. After his service label catalogue, he published his magnum opus, A magyar okmánybélyegek kézikönyv [The Handbook of Hungarian Revenue Stamps], in 1991, which brought about a revival in the collecting of revenue stamps in Hungary.
Eminent Philatelists XIII • Dr László Surányi (1915–1997) was a figure who defined an era in modern Hungarian philately. Although he initially worked in the Pioneer Movement and then, from 1959, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the development of stamp collecting became the main vocation of his life. As vice-president of the National Federation of Hungarian Philatelists, he campaigned effectively to reform the federation’s structures, to establish relations with the West, and to fill the gaps in specialist literature. Surányi is credited with editing A magyar bélyegek monográfiája [A Monograph of Hungarian Stamps], overseeing the journal Philatelica, and launching A magyar bélyegek kézikönyve [The Handbook of Hungarian Stamps]. At an international level, he almost single-handedly represented Hungarian collectors, maintaining close ties with Gary Ryan and Ferenc Orbán. His exceptional energy is demonstrated by the fact that, at the age of 74, he was the driving force behind the establishment of the Hungarian Society for Philatelic Research in 1989, and he retained his enviable, youthful vigour right up until his death at the age of 82.
