Vatican postage stamps

The first Vatican postage stamps appeared on August 1, 1929. In the period of “Sede Vacante”, a special series of stamps is issued as an expression of respect for the deceased pope. Such a series of stamps is also issued in the case of the abdication of the Pope, which last happened after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013. Even today, Vatican postage stamps are issued in small numbers of 300-500 thousand pieces, which makes them interesting collectible pieces.
It is also worth noticing that Vatican postage stamps are not valid in the territory of Italy and vice versa. Therefore, a shipment stamped with Vatican stamps must be posted in the territory of the Vatican State.
Worldwide interest in Vatican coins and postage stamps resulted in the opening in 2007 of a special Philatelic and Numismatic Museum, which is part of the Vatican Museums.

Fig. 1: A pair of stamps marking the opening of the Philatelic and Numismatic Museum in the Vatican State.

Photograph used in this article – private collection of the author.