2018-06-26 Tue

The Papal States, officially the State of the Church, were a series of territories in the Italian Peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the Pope, from the 8th century until 1870 CE.

The Roman States issued its first postage stamps on 1st June 1852 with 6-7 different values ranging from ½ to 7 bajocchi. Each value has a different border and bore the inscription "FRANCO BOLLO POSTALE'' and the value in bajocchi (100 bajocchi to the 1 scudo). Three higher values were added later in the same year: the 8 bajocchi black on white paper; the 50 bajocchi blue on white paper; and the 1 scudo carmine rose on white paper.

This particular stamp design includes an image of a mail coach and driver pulled by four horses and reproduces a Roman States stamp design with the papal insignia and the value of 50-bajocchi.

By 1861, much of the Papal States' territory had been conquered by the Kingdom of Italy.

Image Curtsey: https://i.pinimg.com