Over the years, we've been following the Estonia vs Germany clash over who'll issue more stamps with lighthouses.

The Estonians had a head start, as they've started releasing their set already in 1995, usually publishing one stamp per year. The Germans, in turn, launched their series in 2004 adding, however, two pieces per annum.

As such, the two got even last year with 30 stamps each. Will Germany take the lead in 2019?

Well, surprise, surprise, but no! Its post office will publish only one stamp this year. What's more, the Germans have changed the layout, using now the nautical chart as the background. Such alteration within one series rarely happens; however, maybe it's a desirable course of action, you know, a breath of fresh air in this relentless race.

While the Estonians and Germans will go nip and tuck, in two years the Latvians (currently 16 stamps) will overtake the Poles (the 2013-completed set of 17).

Photos: Bundesfinanzministerium, Eesti Post, and Latvijas Pastas