Hungary Postage due stamps – year 1919/20 Porto 

Hungary Postage due stamps – year 1919/20 Porto MNH

The Hungary Postage Due stamps from 1919-1920, often referred to with the term “Porto” (meaning postage or carriage), are connected to a turbulent period in Hungarian history and include several complex and collectible issues.

Here is an overview of the key series and details regarding these stamps:

🇭🇺 Context: A Period of Change (1919-1920)

The years 1919 and 1920 saw significant political instability in Hungary following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and World War I. This resulted in multiple temporary governments and occupations, which are reflected in the stamps:

1. Hungarian National Republic (Late 1918 – March 1919): This transitional government began issuing stamps with the inscription changed from Magyar Kir. Posta (Royal Hungarian Post) to simply Magyar Posta.
2. Hungarian Soviet Republic (March – August 1919): This short-lived Communist regime issued its own stamps and overprints, which were later cancelled.
3. Restored Government (Late 1919 – 1920): Following the Soviet Republic’s collapse, stamps were overprinted to invalidate the communist issues and introduce new values.

📝 Key Postage Due Issues (1919-1920)

The specific “Porto” stamps you are asking about fall into a few distinct categories, which can have dramatically different values:

• 1919 Republic Issue (Overprinted):
  • Description: These are the previous (1915-1918) Postage Due stamps, which had the value numeral in red on a green/red design. They were overprinted in black with the inscription “MAGYAR POSTA” over the original “Magyar Kir. Posta” inscription.
  • Denominations: A set of 5-7 stamps with values like 2, 3, 20, 40, and 50 filler.
  • Catalogue Value: Many of these stamps have a minimum catalogue value (CV <$1) and are relatively common, but specific varieties may hold a premium.
• 1920 “Black Numerals” Issue:
  • Description: A new design or design variant (often the value numeral in black on a green/black background). These stamps are inscribed “MAGYAR POSTA”.
  • Denominations: A set of 5 stamps (e.g., 2, 3, 20, 40, 50 filler).
  • Catalogue Value: Similar to the overprinted republic issues, many denominations of this set are inexpensive (CV <$1).
• Rare/Specialized Overprints (Extremely Valuable):
  • This period produced extremely rare and valuable overprints related to the failed Soviet Republic and subsequent cancellations:
    • Soviet Overprint (Unissued): Postage due stamps overprinted “MAGYAR TANÁCSKÖZTARSASÁG” (Hungarian Soviet Republic) were later cancelled with the wheatsheaf and “1919” overprint before use.
    • Specific High-Value Overprints: Some sources mention a set of three values (1k, 5k, 10k Korona) that were overprinted in red, with extremely small print runs (e.g., only 40 of the 10k printed). Used examples of these rare stamps have realized prices in the thousands of dollars at auction.

🔍 What to Look For (For Collector Value)

To determine the value of your stamps, you would need a detailed catalogue (like Scott or Michel) and to examine the stamps carefully for: