BULGARIA Miscellaneous

Return To Catalogue - Bulgaria

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Postage due stamps

1884 Number, imperforated or perforated

Larger inscriptions 1896 issue, smaller '5'

  5 s orange
  10 s violet (only perforated)
  25 s red
  30 s green (only perforated)
  50 s blue

Surcharged

  '30' on 50 s blue (perforated)
  '30' on 50 s blue (imperforated)

For the specialist: In 1884 the values 5 s, 25 s and 50 s were issued with a very peculiar perforation (so-called serpentine perforation):

(Serpentine perforation)

The same 3 values were issued imperforate in 1886. From 1887 to 1896 normally perforated stamps were issued of all values.

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
Serpentine perforation (1884)
5 s	RR	R
25 s	R	R
50 s	R	R
Imperforate (1886)
5 s	***	***
25 s	***	***
50 s	***	***
30 on 50 s	***	***
Wide perforation (about 11, 1887)
5 s	***	*	Two types; with small or large inscription on top and bottom
25 s	***	*
50 s	***	***
30 on 50 s	***	***
Narrow perforation (13, 1896)
5 s	***	*	'5' smaller
10 s	***	*
30 s	***	*

1902 Arms

  5 s red
  10 s green
  20 s blue
  30 s lilac
  50 s orange

These stamps have perforation 11 1/2.

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
5 s	c	c
10 s	*	c	Error: 10 s blue: RRR
20 s	*	*
30 s	*	*
50 s	R	R

1915 Number

  5 s green
  10 s violet
  20 s red
  20 s orange
  30 s orange
  50 s blue
  1 L green
  2 L red
  3 L yellow

These stamps have perforation 11 1/2. Specialists distinguish stamps issued on yellowish and white paper. The values 50 s , 1 L, 2 L and 3 L were used as postage stamps in 1923 and 1924.

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
5 s	c	c
10 s	c	c
20 s red	*	*
20 s orange	*	*
30 s	c	c
50 s	*	c
1 L	*	c
2 L	*	c
3 L	*	*

Surcharged, used as provisional postage stamps (1924)

  10 s on 20 s orange
  20 s on 5 s green
  20 s on 10 s violet
  20 s on 30 s orange

Express stamps

1924 Inscription 'FONDS SANATORIUM' (in cyrillic characters) at the bottom

These stamps were issued in 1924. The following values exist: 1 L (black on green, brown, orange, red or violet on red) and in a different design: 2 L (green or violet) and 5 L (blue or red).

1930 Beach with hotel, inscription 'FONDS SANATORIUM' (in cyrillic characters) at the top

  1 L brown and green
  1 L green and yellow (1931)
  1 L red and brown (1933)

1930 Hotel view, inscription 'FONDS SANATORIUM' (in cyrillic characters) at the top

  1 L brown and red
  1 L green and blue
  5 L brown and blue (slightly different design)

Fiscal stamps

1879 Arms (lion)

(Left: fiscal stamp with value in Cents, right: fiscal stamp with value in Stotinki)

Note the resemblance with the fiscal stamps of Russia (the fiscal stamps were first printed in Russia).

The first Bulgarian fiscal stamps in the above designs were issued in 1879, the value was in 'CAHT' (cents) or 'FPAH' (Franc); the following values were issued: 20 c blue, 25 c brown, 30 c orange, 40 c red, 50 c green, 80 c violet, 1 F yellow and black, 3 F green and black, 5 F blue and black, 10 F lilac and black, 20 F grey and black, 50 F orange and black and 100 F blue. In 1889 some values received a surcharge: 10 st on 25 c brown, 20 st on 80 c violet.

In 1883 the currency was changed to 'CTOTNHKN' (as for the postage stamps): 10 st grey, 15 st black, 20 st blue, 50 st green, 1 L orange, yellow and black. In 1889 the inscription on top was slightly reduced (Vienna printing): 10 st grey, 15 st black, 20 st blue, 30 st orange (1893), 50 st green, 1 L yellow and black.

Many more values were issued after 1894.