2018-08-13 Mon

The Italian Royal Standard stamp or the Coat of Arms of Savoy stamp is an 1889 definitive stamp of Italy issue during the reign of King Umberto.

During the times of King Umberto, the stamps of Italy went through a major transition in terms of design and printing method. Among all the stamps issued during the reign of Umberto, the only stamp which does not bear the portrait of the king is the Italian Royal Standard stamp.

The House of Savoy is a royal family that was established in 1003 in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, the family grew in power from ruling a small county in the Alps north-west of Italy to the absolute rule of the kingdom of Sicily. t led the unification of Italy in 1861 and ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until 1946 and, briefly, the Kingdom of Spain in the 19th century.

Hence, the 5 centesimi stamp depicts the Coat of Arms of the House of Savoy to commemorate the foundation of the Kingdom of Italy. The stamp is in beautiful green colour that depicts the coat of arms in the centre surrounded by an oval circle that reads “Poste Italiane” and “Centesimi Cinque”. The stamp features new designs with a denomination numeral in each of the corners.

The Coat of Arms of Savoy is composed of a central scutcheon decorated with a cross with the royal crown on the top. The escutcheon is surrounded by the pendant collar of the Order of Annunciation. The collar is composed of a series of knots, symbolizing unity, and roses. The Coat of Arms is a tribute to Amadeus the Great (b.1249), the founder of the dynasty of Savoy.

Image Courtesy: https://colnect.com