Bosnia year 1870/1915 stamps Used lot

Bosnia year 1870/1915 stamps Used lot

Bosnia issued several interesting and collectible stamp issues during the late 19th and early 20th centuries when it was under Austro-Hungarian administration from 1878-1918. Here are some of the notable Bosnian stamps from around 1870-1915:

1879-1900 Austrian Issues Overprinted:

• Early postage stamps were regular Austrian issues overprinted “BOSNA” in various styles for use in Bosnia.


• Includes overprints on the 1867 and 1890 Austrian Coat of Arms designs.


• Overprint varieties like misplaced or inverted overprints can be quite scarce.

1904-1918 Pictorial Design Series:

• New engraved pictorial stamps were issued specifically for Bosnia starting in 1904.


• Designs featured local Bosnian architectural sites like mosques and palaces.


• Printed in Vienna using exceptional engraved quality and details.


• Denominations from 1h up to 5kr in different colors.

1906/1910 Emperor Franz Joseph Issues:

• Definitive portrait stamps depicting Emperor Franz Joseph I, ruler of Austria-Hungary.


• The 1906 set showed the Emperor as an older man, 1910 as a younger version.


• Multiple perforated and imperforate printings exist.

1915 Occupation Stamp Overprints:

• During World War I, existing Bosnia stamps were overprinted by occupying Austrian and German military forces with various inscriptions like “ZENSURNOT.”


• Created provisional issues for use in occupied areas of Bosnia until stamped “REPUBLIKA BOSNA.”

The pictorial Bosnian scenery stamps and Franz Joseph portraits are beautifully engraved and highly prized by collectors today. The World War I occupation overprints also attract interest from military postal history specialists. High quality Bosnian stamps can carry significant value in the philatelic marketplace.