100 year TT Assen (Netherlands)

On June 5th 2025 Dutch PostNL issued a stamp sheet commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Dutch TT in Assen. The sheet contains 10 what PostNL calls "frame stamps," meaning that the base is the standard frame for personalized stamps. Unlike personalized stamps, however, this sheet contains 10 different stamps, and the entire sheet edge is also printed.
Each stamp features a photo of a rider who has won one or more TT racing classes, with special attention to Dutch winners. Here is the complete sheet:

The official launch of the stamp sheet took place during the press conference for the 2025 TT, at Grandcafé Hofsteenge in Rolde. The unveiling was performed by Egbert Streuer (left on the picture) and Wil Hartog (right).

Outside the entrance were the motorcycles of all 5 Dutch TT winners after 1960:
- the 50cc Jamathi of Paul Lodewijkx (1968)
- the Suzuki RG500 of Wil Hartog (1977)
- the Yamaha TZ500 of Jack Middelburg (1980)
- the LCR‑Yamaha sidecar combination of Streuer/Schnieders (1987)
- and the 125cc Honda of Hans Spaan (1998).

But let's see what exactly is depicted on the stamps.

Piet van Wijngaarden won the 500cc class at the very first TT in 1925, and again in 1926. Both times on a Norton.
In those years, there was no road racing world championship. But because van Wijngaarden hardly competed in any races other than the TT, he would never have become world champion anyhow.
The photo used is from 1934 and therefore much later, probably because no suitable photo is available from the years in which he won. In the photo, he is probably riding a Norton International, with a bevel driven overhead camshaft.

Geoff Duke is 5-fold TT-winner:
- In the 350cc class in 1952 on Norton
- In the 500cc class in 1951 on Norton and in 1953, 54 and 55 on Gilera
In total Duke became world champion 6 times, 2x 350cc (1951 and 52) and 4x 500cc (1951, 53, 54 and 55).
On the picture from 1952 he is probably riding the 350cc Norton Manx with which he won that year in Assen.

Mike Hailwood won the Assen TT a total of nine times in three different racing classes:
- In the 250cc class in 1961, 1966, and 1967, all on a Honda
- In the 350cc class in 1966 and 1967 on a Honda
- In the 500cc class in 1962, 1964, and 1965 on an MV Agusta, and in 1967 on a Honda
Hailwood became world champion nine times in total: 3x in the 250cc class (1961, 1966, and 1967), 2x in the 350cc class (1966 and 1967), and 4x in the 500cc class (1962, 1963, 1964, and 1965). He was also successful in the Manx TT and Formula One motorcycle racing.
In 1999, Hailwood was voted "greatest motorcycle athlete of all time". Not because he achieved the most victories (that honor belongs to Giacomo Agostini), but because he achieved good results on almost all the motorcycles he raced.
Besides motorcycle racing, Hailwood also competed in Formula 1 car racing, though much less successfully than on two wheels.
On the 1966 photo he is riding a Honda. The model is unclear, as the 350cc (RC173) and 500cc (RC181) versions were virtually identical in appearance.

Jim Redman has won the TT-Assen in total 9 times in 4 different racing classes, all on Honda:
- In the 125cc class in 1964
- In the 250cc class in 1962, 63 and 64
- In the 350cc class in 1962, 63, 64 and 65
- In the 500cc class in 1966
This made Redman the first rider to win in three classes at Assen on the same day!
Redman became world champion six times, twice in the 250cc class (1962 and 63) and four times in the 350cc class (1962, 63, 64, and 65).
On the 1965 photo he is riding a Honda, but also here it's unclear which type, as all Honda racing motorcycles in those years were virtually identical in appearance.

Giacomo Agostini won the Assen TT a total of 13 times:
- In the 350cc class, from 1968 to 1973 on an MV Agusta and in 1974 on a Yamaha
- In the 500cc class, from 1968 to 1972 on an MV Agusta and in 1974 on a Yamaha
Agostini became world champion no fewer than 15 times:
- In the 350cc class, from 1968 to 1973 on an MV Agusta and in 1974 on a Yamaha
- In the 500cc class, from 1966 to 1972 on an MV Agusta and in 1975 on a Yamaha
After retiring from motorcycle racing, Agostini was active in car racing for several years, but without any major success. From 1982 to 1995, he was active in motorcycle racing as a team manager. He was particularly successful in the early years with Yamaha motorcycles and main sponsor Marlboro, and riders like Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Virginio Ferrari, and Raymond Roche.
The stamp depicts Agostini in action in 1973 on an MV Agusta, probably the 500cc four-cylinder.

Ángel Nieto has won the TT Assen a total of 15 times. Always in the two lightest classes, but on a wide variety of brands:
- In the 50cc class in 1970, 71, and 72 on Derbi, 1975 on Kreidler, and 1976 and 77 on Bultaco
- In the 125cc class in 1971 and 72 on Derbi, 1976 and 77 on Bultaco, 1979, 80, and 81 on Minarelli, and finally
   in 1982, 83 and 84 on Garelli
He became world champion 13 times, over a very long period of no less than 16 years: 50cc in 1969, 70, 72, 75, 76, and 77, and 125cc in 1971, 72, 79, 81, 82, 83, and 84.
On the picture from 1971 he is riding the 50cc Derbi.

Wil Hartog was nicknamed the White Giant because he always wore white racing overalls and stood out because of his height. He won the TT once: in 1977, on a privately owned Suzuki RG500.
This was his first victory in a world championship race. After this he won four more times: in 1978 in Belgium and Finland, in 1979 in Germany, and again in 1980 in Finland. Unfortunately, he never became world champion.
The 1978 photo shows him in action on the factory RG500 of the injured Pat Hennen, which Hartog had at his disposal that year from the TT onwards.

Jack Middelburg was a privateer. Due to his many crashes, he was nicknamed Jumping Jack.
In 1980, he rode a Yamaha TZ500 production racer. Because the bike's handling wasn't good, he had a new frame for it built by Nico Bakker. His mechanic, Adrie van den Broeke, also managed to give the bike some extra power.
He took pole position in the TT qualifying rounds, but because he struggled to get the bike started during the push start due to a previous leg injury, he only left the starting grid in 20th position. Partly because his gamble of starting on slicks on the semi-wet track paid off, he managed to take the lead on the third lap and ultimately finished as the winner. Later he won one more World Championship race, in England in 1981. That was also his best year, with a 7th-place finish in the World Championship standings. In April 1984, Jack died in a serious accident during a national championship race in Tubbergen (NL). Middelburg never became world champion.
The stamp shows him in action on his Yamaha TZ500.

Sidecar racer Egbert Streuer was one of the most successful Dutch motorcycle racers. In 1987, he won the TT in Assen with passenger Bernard Schnieders. In 1991, he repeated this success with Englishman Pete Brown in the sidecar.
Streuer and Schnieders became world champions three times: in 1984, 1985, and 1986.
A photo from 1984 was used for the stamp, showing the LCR-Yamaha painted in Barclay colors. Lucky Strike was the main sponsor in 1987.

Hans Spaan was a successful 125cc racer. He won nine World Championship races in total, including the 1989 Assen TT. He never became world champion, but he did finish second twice.
After his racing career, Spaan remained active in motorcycle racing for a long time as a gifted technician. As chief mechanic on Arie Molenaar's team, he was partly responsible for Haruchika Aoki's two world championships.
The photo used for the stamp shows him riding the TT-winning Honda.

The stamp sheet is printed in an edition of 12,000. It is not available at all Dutch post offices and postal agencies, only in a few Bruna stores in Assen and in the temporary TT museum at De Bonte Wever in Assen. However, the sheet can be ordered through PostNL's Collect Club customer service (+31 - 88 - 868 99 00) or in the PostNL webshop.

In addition to the stamp sheet, the 100 Years of TT Assen coin and the book "100 Years of TT Assen" were also introduced during the press conference.
The coin is a special euro coin, featuring an image of a motorcycle racer in action on one side and the image of King Willem-Alexander on the other:

Anyone who looks closely at the motorcycle racer on the coin side will recognize Jack Middelburg on the TT-winning Yamaha TZ500, with the number on the fairing indicating the value.

The coin is available in three versions. First, as a silver-plated copper 5 euro coin. Although the coin is legal tender (in the Netherlands), it will likely be purchased primarily by collectors. It is limited to 50,000 pieces and comes in a cardboard card, and is available for the face value of € 5.00. 

The same coin is also 10,000 times available in a polished version, so-called "BU‑quality" (Brilliant Uncirculated) for the price of € 13.50.

The € 5 coin is also available in a pure silver version, supplied in a booklet with additional information, for € 56.95. Edition: 3,500 pieces. Unlike the other versions of the coin, which have a serrated edge, the silver coin bears the edge inscription "God zij met ons" (God be with us).

Finally, there's a golden € 10 coin with the same images. This one comes in a luxury case for € 875.00. Edition is limited to 750 pieces.

Paul Essens

Top   -   Back to former page   -   Home