Stamps of the Kingdom of Italy

by Tony Clayton

Postage Due Issues

Pneumatic Post Stamps <<-- : -->> BLP Stamps

Main Index

First Issue - January 1863

In normal use the first postage due stamps were affixed by the postman on delivery, and were not cancelled. As a result uncancelled stamps are not uncommon, and you can only describe such a stamp as mint if it has full original gum. From February 1869, one month before its replacement came out, cancellations were required.

10c yellow, uncancelled Sassone 1

10c orange, cancelled Sassone 1b

Two 10c orange on cover, uncancelled as usual, on cover fom Rome to Narni Sassone 1. Courtesy of Italy & Colonies Study Circle

Second Issue - March 1869

This stamp is rare on cover cancelled in 1869. The first known date of use is 27th April.

10c brown-orange Sassone 2

Third Issue - 1870

What is often called the numeral series was first issued with the low values (1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 30c, 40c, 50c, 60c) in ochre with carmine numerals, and the high values (1l, 2l, 5l, 10l) in blue with brown numerals.

The 1c and 2c ceased to be used during 1890, when the remaining low values plus a new 20c value were issued in orange and carmine. That said, the shades vary enough to make the distinction difficult. At the same time the 1 and 10 lire were issued with red numerals instead of brown. The 2 and 5 lire followed suit in 1903.

Finally, in 1924 the 60 lire was issued with brown numerals; the numerals are redder than on the early high values.

The entire series was withdrawn in 1935 following the issue of the fascist types in 1934.

Inverted numerals are not too rare as such errors were not considered a problem for tax stamps.

30c orange and carmine, inverted centre Sassone 23a

10 lire blue and brown, inverted centre Sassone 14b Image courtesy of the Italy & Colonies Study Circle.

2 lire blue and carmine Sassone 29

Forged 10 lire blue and carmine. The figures are clearly not as sharp as they should be, nor is the colour right.

2c olive and scarlet and 6 cent green and scarlet These are fiscal stamps and were not used for postal purposes.

High Value Issues - 1884 and 1903

These four stamps were used for internal Post Office accounting purposes and are therefore not found on cover.

50 lire green and 100 lire red Sassone 15 and 16

50 lire yellow and 100 lire blue Sassone 31 and 32

Overprinted Issues - 1890-1

As stocks of the 1c and 2c were no longer required, they were overprinted to give more useful denominations. These stamps are difficult to find in mint state, especially the 30c on 2c which is rare. The Italians call them 'mascherine' or 'little mask' issues.

20c on 1c and 10c on 2c Sassone 18 and 17

30c on 2c Sassone 19

Fascist Issues - 1934

20c carmine and 10 lire blue Sassone 36 and 45

Mixed franking just six weeks after first issue of the new design. Official letters often had to have the postage paid by the addressee

Provisional Postage Dues 1944

Due to a shortage of the normal Postage Due stamps, normal postage stamps were manually overprinted with a large T, principally in the Apulia Region around Bari.

Examples used on an official envelope.

Non-Fascist Issues of the Lieutenancy of Umberto II - 1945

These were issued first without and then with a watermark.

50c violet and 10 lire blue, watermark Winged Wheel I Sassone 90 and 95

Pneumatic Post Stamps <<-- : -->> BLP Stamps
Main Italian Stamp Index
Kingdom of Italy Index