Latvia postage stamps year 1918 – 1935 Unused

Latvia postage stamps year 1918 – 1935 Unused MLH set

Overview: Latvia Postage Stamps, 1918–1935

1. First Issues – 1918 (“Map Stamps”)

• Context & Design: Latvia declared independence on November 18, 1918. Facing severe paper shortages, its first stamps were ingeniously printed on the back of discarded German military topographical maps, featuring a stylized national coat of arms: a rising sun with seven rays, ears of grain, and three stars.
• Print Run Details: A total of 11,956 sheets (228 stamps per sheet) were produced; approximately 4,900 were perforated, and 4,750 sheets reached the government between December 1918 and early 1919.
• Collector Insights: These map stamps remain highly collectible. Many showcase unique map fragments on their reverse, making each stamp almost one-of-a-kind.

2. Early Definitives & Overprints (1920s)

• Following the map stamps, Latvia released a series of definitive “arms” issues—featuring the national coat of arms—in various denominations and types, with multiple perforation, paper, watermark, and design varieties (especially the 5k carmine, 20k orange, etc.) .

3. Airmail Stamps (1921 Onwards)

• In 1921, Latvia introduced its first airmail stamps, triangular in shape, depicting an airplane. Initial values included 10 R (green) and 20 R (blue). From 1928, these were re-issued with new denominations (e.g., 10 s green, 15 s red, 25 s blue) and various overprints—like “LATVIJA – AFRIKA 1933”—in both perforated and imperforate formats m.

4. Charity & Commemorative Semi-Postals (1920s–1930s)

• A notable 1925 issue featured charity semi-postals with dual denominations (e.g., 6 s + 12 s for a harbor view, 30 s + 40 s showing a church). These came in perforated and imperforate varieties .
• In 1928, commemorative semi-postals celebrated 10 Years of Independence (1918–1928). Designs showcased views and landmarks with denominations like 6 s green & violet, 50 s grey & red, and 1 L brown & red-brown .

5. Special Issues & Charity Airmails (Early 1930s)

• In 1933, Latvia released airmail semi-postal stamps to raise funds for wounded aviators. These ornate stamps—some perforated, some imperforate—were sold at high surcharges and were often collected rather than used for regular postage.

Summary Table: 1918–1935 Stamp Highlights