Stamps
Single stamps, blocks, covers and whole collections from the 1850s onwards, with catalogue numbers from Yvert, Michel, Sassone, Edifil, SBK and Stanley Gibbons.
Italy - Italy 1948 – Parcel Post 300 Lire, Sassone No. 79, watermark Wheel Type I, used – Sorani Cert. - Sassone 79
Italian Ancient States - Tuscany 1857 - Use of Grand Ducal stamps during the Provisional Government period; 2crazie; 2nd issue; 2 specimens - Sassone 13b
San Marino 1932 - Garibaldi series 8v MNH - Sassone S. 31
Italian Republic 1948/1954 - Most advanced collection of stamps from the Wheel watermark period - MNH
Italy 1869 - 82 Top Letters from Italy 1869–1971 - High-caliber collection of postal history & censorship mail
Italian Ancient States - Tuscany - 2 Crazy Saxon 5f – Rare “PISTOIA” P.11 _ Certificate
Triest - Zone A 1947/1954 - Album Trieste Zone A mint, mint + hinge remnants and used, large stock with good values
Italian Ancient States - Papal State 1855 - Five counterfeit ‘baj’ of the 2nd kind to defraud the Post Office. - Sassone 5Ab
Italian Ancient States - Sardinia 1860 - 25 Sept. 1860 franked with 20 cent. 15c, signed and certified - Sassone 15Cc
Italy Kingdom 1863 - 15 centesimi 'Sardo type' in the rare color 'blue-gray'. - Sassone 11e
Italian Ancient States - Papal State 1852 - Rare letter with postage paid by the Circondario for Rome. - Sassone 3
Italy Kingdom 1862 - 10 centesimi Matraire used in Bitonto. - Sassone 1
Corfu 1941 - Segnatasse 80 l. violet brown Sass 3 MLH* signed Oliva rare and splendid
Italian Ancient States - Papal State 1852/1864 - 6 sheets of typewriter paper, new; fully inflated tire. - Sassone 7A
Italy Kingdom 1891/96 - Umberto III^ Em. Complete Sass Series S.8, including also excellent centering Cert.ED Spl
San Marino 1931 - Veduta PA complete series 10v MNH - Sassone S.500
Vatican City - Pius XI: the commemorative series
Italy Kingdom 1868 - January 11 – Bigola 20 c. Sass L26 on a letter from Arce, Circle of the Kingdom of Naples, Part 13 x
Italian Ancient States - Lombardo Veneto 1851 - The rare 30-cent ribbed-edge coin, "reddish-brown". - Sassone 16aa
Vatican City 1999/2012 - 14 official annual philatelic volumes of Vatican City
Italian Ancient States - Naples 1858 - 2 gr. I^ tav. dark carmine for 3 doses. Sass 5 g well ground on a frame. f.Chiav. From the Imperato
Italy Kingdom - Effigy of Umberto I - Blocks of stamps of 10c (16 stamps), 20c (25 stamps), - Sassone 2024 - Regno d'Italia n°60,61,62
Italy Kingdom 1865 - Overprint, II° Type 20 c. on 15 c. Sass 24 Bdf; discreet centering; MLH*; Cert.Ray f.AD; very rare
Italy - IV issue of Sardinia, 98 specimens of the 10 centesimi. For study
Italy Kingdom - Parastatal entities, together 12 values – 11 MNH signed Sorani + 1 used / - Sassone S.2905, S.2907, 15, 37, 25 e 70
Italy Kingdom 1935 - Air Show Complete Series Sass S.81; intact MNH rare Spl
Italian Ancient States - Tuscany - Tuscany 1857/59 – 1 crazia carminio, Sassone pair no. 12, rare cancellation "Terra del Sole" C2 - Sassone 12
Italian Ancient States - Modena 1859 - Provisional Government 20 centesimi pair on fragment. RARE!!! - Sassone 15
Triest - Zone A 1952 - Capitoline Airmail - Sassone Trieste A n. 26A
Italy Kingdom 1862 - 20 centimes "Matraire" with a vertical line inside a square frame and a registration hole. - Sassone Sardegna 13D, Regno 2Ig
Italy 1927 - Italian Eritrea - Sassone cat S25-S27-S34-S40-S46
Italy Kingdom 1863 - 15 centesimi 'Sardo type' in the rare color 'blue-gray'. - Sassone 11e
Italy 1983/1987 - High-denomination miniature sheets 10,000 and 20,000 intact, new with intact gum and without any - Catalogo Sassone 2027 Fogli da 20 nuovi non linguellati del 1442A (10.000 lire) e del 1442B (20.000
Italian Ancient States - Modena 1859 - Provisional Government 15 centesimi "Dark brown". - Sassone 13a
Italy 1978/1979 - Mini sheets of high denominations 1,500, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 and 5,000 lire, new with intact gum, - Catalogo Sassone 2027 minifogli alti valori numeri 1438, 1439, 1440, 1441, 1442
Italian Aegean Islands - general issues 1934 - Medals of Valor Complete Series with Airmail, excellent centering, intact, MNH rare and Spl
Italian Ancient States - Papal State 1852 - 4 baj 'light rosy brown' RARE!!! - Sassone 5a
Italian Ancient States - Tuscany 1860 - Provisional Government 10 centesimi with interspace and frame line. VERY RARE!!! - Sassone 19g varietà
Italian Ancient States - Papal State 1852 - I^ Em. 1/2 b. vivid lilac Sass 1e wide Bdf large margins used Ex Coll. Imperato rare luxury
Levant - Constantinople 1921 - 5th Local Issue. Complete Sass S.11 series; includes MNH , rare and Spl
San Marino 1925 - Proof print of a fiscal stamp, 10c blue, Sass PS.2, intact, MNH ; Rare
Italy 1959 - Full sheet of 50 stamps. Second issue of the 25 Lire brown-red. Sorani certified. MNH - Sassone Specializzato N 445/I Euro 3.750,00++
Italian Ancient States - Parma 1852 - Correspondence with the Kingdom of Sardinia. Combination of cancellations NOT CENSORED!!! - Sassone 2
Italian Republic 1949 - Centenary of the Roman Republic in a block of 4 - MNH - Sassone 600
Italian Ancient States - Sardinia 1854 - 3rd issue. Not issued. 20c. indigo Sass 11 well margined MLH* f.Bottacchi rare and superb
Italy Kingdom 1925/26 - Jubilee D. 13 1/2 + D.11, the two complete Sass series S.36+37, centered and intact, MNH , Cert
Italy Kingdom 1929 - Rare emergency franking with express P.M. used in Sicily. - Sassone 247, P.A.14, P.M. 20
Italian Ancient States - Sicily 1859 - 50 g chocolate, pos.87 Sass 14a well-margined, rare and Spl
What is in Stamps
The range runs from classic nineteenth-century issues, such as the Papal State first issue of 1852 and early Swiss stamps, to complete modern country collections in albums. France, Spain, Belgium, Italy (both the Kingdom and the pre-unification Italian states), the Netherlands and Switzerland are the largest groups. You will find single stamps, blocks of four, complete sets, covers (envelopes that went through the post) and collections spread over several albums.
Condition terms
- MNH (mint never hinged, **): unused, with full original gum and no hinge mark.
- MH (mint hinged, *): unused, but a stamp hinge was once attached to the gum.
- Cancelled or used: postmarked. On classic issues a clear, dated postmark can add value.
- Postal used, with address: still on the cover or card it was posted on.
Catalogue numbers and certificates
Each listing gives the catalogue used for that country: Yvert et Tellier for France, Michel for Germany, Sassone for Italy, Edifil for Spain, SBK (Zumstein) for Switzerland, OBP for Belgium and Stanley Gibbons for Great Britain. The number lets you look up the exact issue and variety. About a quarter of the stamps here come with an expert certificate. For valuable classics a certificate from a recognised philatelic expert is worth having, because repairs, regumming and faked postmarks exist.
What to check
Look at the margins on imperforate stamps, the centring, the perforations, and any thin spots visible against the light. Condition drives price more than anything else.
Prices
Most items are between EUR 390 and EUR 1,100.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between MNH and MH stamps?
MNH means mint never hinged: the stamp is unused and its original gum is untouched. MH means mint hinged: unused, but a small paper hinge was once stuck to the back to mount it in an album, leaving a mark or slight disturbance. For most issues after about 1900, never-hinged copies are worth clearly more than hinged ones.
Why does a stamp description quote a catalogue number?
Catalogues such as Yvert et Tellier, Michel, Sassone, Edifil and Stanley Gibbons give every issue, shade and variety its own number. Quoting it identifies the exact stamp, so you can compare it with the catalogue entry, see which printing or perforation it is, and understand how it relates to the other stamps in the same set.
Is a certificate important for classic stamps?
For expensive classic stamps, yes. A certificate or signature from a recognised expert confirms the stamp is genuine and records faults such as thins, repairs or added gum. Forged overprints and postmarks exist for some early issues. The listings in this category state whether a certificate is included with the stamp.