2018-08-27 Mon

With the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, and the dismantling of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the German Empire, and the Ottoman Empire after World War I, new nations began appearing all over the map of Europe. The ethnic Polish territories confiscated during the partition of the Kingdom of Poland in the late 18th Century were used to create the new Republic of Poland.

Provisional Polish stamps began appearing in November 1918, just a few days after the end of World War I. The local stamps of Poland were first issued in the year 1918.They were overprinted and revalued, as regular definitive Polish stamps six days after the armistice, ending World War I.

Issued on 17th November 1918, these stamps have become a great collectible as the feature the antiques of Poland. The stamps have an additional surcharge overprinted on the original stamps. The overprint reads Poczta Polska (Polish Postal Service), and the revaluation amounts are denominated in Polish FENIG.

1) The 2 Grosz stamp features the statue of Sigismund III in Warsaw who was the King of Poland and the King of Sweden. The stamp was overprinted with the surcharge of 5 Fenin.
2) The 6 Grosz stamp features Coat of Arms of Warsaw. The mermaid figure is the coat of arms of Warsaw. Called as Syrena (Syren) she is, in the Polish mythology, is a draconian snake goddess or half woman, half fish being who protects the Vistula River and the Polish capital city, Warsaw. The stamp is overprinted with the surcharge of 10 Fenig.
3) The 10 Grosz stamp features the Polish heraldic eagle overprinted with the surcharge of 25fenig.
4) The 20 Grosz stamp features Sobieski Monument in Warsaw. Jan III Sobieski was elected king of Poland in the 17th century after defeating the Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Vienna in 1683. The stamp is overprinted with 50 Fenig.

Many of the overprinted Polish stamps shown on this page exist with inverted overprints and surcharges. They can be a bit pricey, but they are all readily available in the philatelic marketplace.

Image Courtesy: https://www.stamp-collecting-world.com