The first Commemorative Issue of Libya was released on 1st January 1955 to commemorate the Arab Postal Union.

Libya is a country located in North Africa. The area which is now Libya was originally a vilayet of the Ottoman Empire which was ceded to Italy in 1912 and became an Italian colony. Italian colonial issues continued until 1943 when Italian Libya was overrun by the British Army during the Second World War.

On 24 December 1951 Cyrenaica, Tripolitania and Fezzan were unified as the Kingdom of Libya. Hence, the first stamps of the kingdom of Libya were issued on 24 December 1951 and were overprinted stamps of Cyrenaica.

The first commemorative issue was released on the first day of the year of 1955 to commemorate the establishment of the Arab Postal Union. On this occasion, a set of three stamps were issued with the denominations of 5 Libyan milliemes, 10 Libyan milliemes, and 30 Libyan milliemes.

The stamps depict a globe showing the continent of Africa with an intricate Arabian Design in the background. The stamp is inscribed with the name of the country on the top right corner and “Union Postale Arabe” at the bottom. The Denomination value in Roman and Arabic at the bottom left and bottom corner.

Image Courtesy: https://colnect.com

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