Stamps of the Kingdom of Italy

by Tony Clayton

Post-War Issues

CLN issues <<-- : -->> Republic of Italy

Main Index

After the surrender of Italy in 1943 a number of issues were made prior to the declaration of a Republic in 1946.

January 1944

The first issue after the Italian surrender in September 1943 was a 50 centesimi stamp showing Romulus and Remus being suckled by a wolf. Initially it had a mesh style watermark, but was resissued on unwatermarked paper the following May. Both versions were issued ungummed. There are many varieties of this stamp, both in colour and perforation, and the background exists in four orientations on the sheet.

Left: normal colours; Centre: brown version; Right: no background Sassone 515, 515Aa, and 515Ah

Dark brown background (rather overpowering) Sassone 515Ai Image courtesy of the Italy & Colonies Study Circle.

Dark brown background and imperforate Sassone 515Ai(r)

Imperial style Issues

Between October and November 1944 three stamps (30c, 50c, and 1l) with the same designs as the Imperial issue of 1929, omitting the fasces but still on crown watermark paper, were printed in Rome. In addition a new value, 60c green, in the same style was issued. The 60c and 1 lire were reissued on unwatermarked paper, along with a 10c value. Both sets were printed in Rome.

Further printings were made in Novaro. The 15c, 35c and 1l, all with fasces, were printed on unwatermarked paper, then a range of values were printed with the fasces omitted.

Finally, a further range of values were printed in Rome on Winged Wheel Type I paper. In most cases values can be distinguished by the watermark, but the unwatermarked 10c and 1l printed at both centres can only be distinguished by subtle design differences.

Left: Rome printing; Right: Verona printing Note position of dot between CENT and ITAL, also screening differences The serif on the numeral 1 also differs Sassone 520 and 536

Left: Rome printing; Right: Verona printing Note the L of LIRE and O in POSTE; also screening differences. The styles of the POSTE ITALIANE are very different. Sassone 522 and 540

Left: Rome printing; Right: Verona printing Note the size of the 2 and the word LIRE. In fact the watermark also distinguishes the two stamps (Rome has winged wheel, Verona has none) (This example of the Rome printing has a dark paper flaw) Sassone 533 and 541

March 1945

As the pre-war 1l75 stamp was no longer a useful denomination, stocks were overprinted L 2,50 and with seven bars over the fasces and old value.

2l50 overprint on 1l75 Imperia stamp The bottom left stamp on the sheet has 6 bars instead of 7 on the left. Sassone 523 and 523e

May 1945

25c stamps of the Social Republic were overprinted 2 LIRE and bars The stamp in position 68 (bottom right) has a wider separation between the 2 and the L Sassone 525g

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