Italian Eritrea postage stamps year 1893/1920 MLH lot
That is a fascinating period for philately, as it covers the initial issues of Italian Eritrea. The stamps from 1893 to 1920 primarily consist of overprinted stamps of the Kingdom of Italy.
Here is a breakdown of the key issues during that timeframe:
1. The First Definitive Issue (1893)
- Description: These were stamps of Italy featuring King Umberto I that were overprinted with “Colonia Eritrea.”
- Significance: This marks the first official stamp issue for the Italian colony of Eritrea.
- Rarities: The lower values in mint condition (5c, 10c, 20c, and 25c) are known to be among the scarcest stamps of Eritrea.
2. Subsequent Issues (1895-1920)
- Second Definitive Issue (1895-1899): Continued the practice of overprinting the King Umberto I stamps of Italy.
- Third Definitive Issue (1903): Issued upon the accession of King Victor Emmanuel III, featuring the new sovereign’s stamps overprinted with “Colonia Eritrea.” A rare variety exists with an inverted overprint on the 1c value.
- Fourth Definitive Issue (1905): Included a surcharge to reflect a rate change, such as the 15c on 20c orange (the 20c stamp overprinted with a new value of 15c).
- Fifth Definitive Issue (1908-1909): Introduced stamps with new designs, still overprinted. Varieties in this issue exist based on the position of the overprint (e.g., “low” vs. “high” setting).
- First Stamp Issues Specifically Inscribed for Eritrea (1910): The first stamps printed with the name COLONIA ERITREA as part of the original design, rather than as an overprint, were issued around 1910.
