Republic of Central Lithuania year 1920/21 Stamps Coat of Arms MNH set
The stamps belong to the short-lived and historically
That is a fascinating and historically significant series! The stamps of the Republic of Central Lithuania (Litwa Środkowa in Polish) were issued during the brief existence of this contested state between 1920 and 1922, with its capital in Vilnius (Wilno).
The “Coat of Arms” issue was one of the first definitive stamp sets for the republic.
🇵🇱🇱🇹 Central Lithuania Coat of Arms Issue
| Detail | Description |
| Issuer | Republic of Central Lithuania (Litwa Środkowa) |
| Issue Date | October 20, 1920 (First issue), re-issued in 1921 |
| Design | Features the Coat of Arms of Central Lithuania, known as “Ziemia Wilenska” (Vilnius Land) or the Polish-Lithuanian Coat of Arms. It is a shield divided in two: on the left is the Polish White Eagle, and on the right is the Lithuanian Vytis (mounted knight). |
| Currency | Fenigi (F) and Markka (M or Mk) (similar to the Polish currency at the time) |
| Key Variations | These stamps exist in both perforated (usually Perforation 11 1 -2 and imperforate versions. Color and paper varieties are also common. |
✉️ The 1920/1921 Definitive Values
The initial issue consisted of three main values, which were re-released in different colors in 1921:4
| Denomination | 1920 Color (Michel No. 1–3) | 1921 Color (Michel No. 20–22) |
| 25 Fenigi | Cinnabar (Red) | Black-Green |
| 1 Markka | Blue | Dark Brown |
| 2 Markka | Violet | Orange |
- Michel Catalog Numbers: The initial 1920 set is listed as Michel MiNr. 1-3 (or 1A/B to 3A/B for perforated/imperforate). The 1921 re-colored set is listed as MiNr. 20-22.
🛡️ Historical Context
These stamps are a strong political statement. The coat of arms, combining the Polish Eagle and the Lithuanian Vytis, was meant to symbolize the historical union of the two countries and the claim of the local, Polish-led administration over the Vilnius region, which Lithuania claimed as its capital.
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