San Marino postage stamps year 1969 Europa Cept

San Marino postage stamps year 1969 Europa Cept MNH

In 1969, San Marino released a set of two postage stamps as part of the annual Europa CEPT joint issue. This specific year celebrated the 10th anniversary of CEPT (the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations).

Design and Symbolism

The 1969 common design was created by Italian artists Luigi Gasbara and Giorgio Belli. It features an architectural colonnade (often described as a temple) with the words “EUROPA” and “CEPT” inset on the sides. The San Marino versions are distinguished by their specific denominations and colors:

• 20 Lire: Typically features the colonnade design in a specific color palette (often orange/brown/yellow tones).
• 90 Lire: The higher denomination of the set, featuring the same architectural motif but in different colors (often blue/green/black tones).

Technical Details & Value

• Condition: These are frequently found in Mint Never Hinged (MNH) condition, which is the preferred state for most collectors.
• Catalog Numbers: They are identified as Michel 925–926 or Yvert 732–733.
• Market Value: The set is quite affordable for collectors, generally retailing between $1.00 and $3.00 USD depending on the seller and the condition of the gum.

Collectors’ Context

While the Europa CEPT stamps are the most famous from this year, San Marino also issued other notable sets in 1969, including the “Frescoes in Siena” series and the annual Christmas stamps. If you are looking to complete a “Year Set” for 1969, these would be the other primary targets.