ITALY Other issues from 1862 to 1899

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1862 Newspaper stamp, Number '2' embossed in center Inscription 'GIORNALI STAMPE FRANCO BOLLO'

  2 c yellow

This stamp was printed in sheets of 100. The same stamps in grey (values 1 c and 2 c) were issued in Sardinia.

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
2 c	***	***	Issued 1 Mai1863 Exists with value inverted: R

1863 Value

  1 c green
  2 c brown

For the specialist, these stamps have watermark crown and perforation 14. They were issued in sheets of 100.

Watermark 'Crown' on the backside of two 2 c stamps

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
1 c	c	c	Issued 1 December 1863
2 c	c	vc	Issued 1 March 1865

Essay of the 1863 issue

Another essay from 1864 with a sitting woman and inscription 'AMMINISTRAZIONE DELLE POSTE ITALIANE'. I've seen this essay in the colors red, black, brown and light green.

1889 Cross

  1 c brown (1896)
  2 c brown (1896)
  5 c green (1889)
  5 c green (other type, 1890)
  5 c green (other type, 1897)

For the specialist, these stamps have watermark crown and perforation 14.

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
1 c	c	c
2 c	c	vc
5 c	***	c	1889
5 c	***	c	1890
5 c	c	vc	1897

I've seen postal stationery in the 5 c (1889) and 5 c (1897) design.

So-called Sparre Essays in a similar design, issued in 1862, inscription 'ITALIA' on top, 'FRANCO' left, 'BOLLO' right and 'POSTE' at the bottom, cross with crown in the center:

I have seen the following values: 1 c green, 5 c red on grey, 10 c blue on red, 30 c violet, (?) yellow , 80 c brown, 3 L brown and 3 L black. I suspect that forgeries of these essays exist, in view of the large amount of these stamps I have seen.....

1879 King Humbert

1889 issue

1893 issue

  5 c green
  10 c red
  10 c red (1893, different frame)
  20 c orange
  20 c orange (1893, different frame)
  25 c blue
  25 c blue (1893, different frame)
  30 c brown
  40 c brown (1889)
  45 c green (1889)
  45 c green (1893, different frame)
  50 c violet
  60 c violet (1889)
  1 L brown and yellow (1889)
  2 L orange
  5 L green and red (1889)
  5 L red and blue (1891)

These stamps have watermark 'Crown' and perforation 14.

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 c	*	c
10 c	***	c
10 c	c	vc	1893 issue
20 c	***	vc
20 c	c	vc	1893 issue
25 c	***	c
25 c	c	vc	1893 issue
30 c	***	RR
40 c	*	c
45 c	RR	c
45 c	*	c	1893 issue
50 c	*	c
60 c	**	*
1 L	**	*
2 L	***	RR
5 L green and red	***	RR
5 L red and blue	***	***

Surcharged

  '2 Cm' on 5 c green
  'Cmi 20c' on 30 c brown (1890)
  'Cmi 20c' on 50 c violet (1891)

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
2 c on 5 c	**	**
20 c on 30 c	***	c
20 c on 50 c	***	*

For the specialist: after forgeries of the 5 L green and red became known, consisting of the outer part of a 5 c green and the center part of a 10 c red (see next image), these stamps were withdrawn from circulation in July 1891. The 30 c brown, 2 L orange and 5 L green and red are very rare in used condition; forged cancels exist!

5 c stamp of 1889 with center replaced by a center of the 10 c red, pretending to be the 5 L green and red stamp.

Fournier forged overprints, image taken from a 'Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries' (reduced size)

These stamps overprinted with 'ESTERO' were used in the Italian post offices in the Levant click here, (slightly different design). The 25 c stamp with surcharge '1 PIASTRA 1' was issued for Crete.

Postal stationery in the same design:

Postcards exist with King Humbert surrounded by pearls (no inscription and no value). Furthermore a 7 1/2 c red and a 10 c red (see images above). Other postal stationary exists (money transfer cards) with the image of King Humbert.

A 5 c stamp with a forged inverted 'Cmi 2' surcharge.

Non issued stamps

1896 Portrait of King and Queen with eagle on top and arms in the lower left part

In 1893 another non-issued stamp with the King and Queen facing the left was prepared in the value 20 c (sorry, no picture available yet, if anybody has an image please contact me!).