Examine your stamp for an inscription. All stamps -except for those issued by one specific country - are required to include their country's name. The country name may be in English or in the country's native language, but it will be there. The trick is in knowing how non-English speaking countries identify themselves; i.e., what are those countries' names in their native language, using their native alphabet. Some may look quite strange to a native English speaker.
For example, the stamps of Albania:
| Shqipenia | Albania |
| Shqipenie | Albania |
| Shqiperia | Albania |
| Shqiperie Korce Vetqeveritale | French Forces » occupation Of Albania » Korytza |
| Shqiperija | Albania |
| Shqiperise R.P. | East Albania |
| Shqiperise RPS | East Albania |
| Shqiperise | Albania |
| Shqipni | Albania |
| Shqipnija | Albania |
| Shqiponies | Albania |
Confused yet? We'll have more on this subject later.
Please Note: Stamps that are not required to have a country name on them are from Great Britain (the United Kingdom). This is in honor of the fact that it was Great Britain, under Queen Victoria and with the leadership of Sir Rowland Hill, that first published adhesive postage stamps. British stamps will have either a "p" (pence or penny) or a £ (pounds).
2 comments:
British stamps issued before 1971 will have 'D' or 'd' for penny, and 's' for shilling. Only those issued from 15.2.71 onwards have 'p' for (decimal) penny.
Conversely Irish stamps have 'P' for Pinsin for stamps issued up to 1971 and no denomination for the decimal issues - until 2000 when they adopted the €uro and use 'c' for €urocent.
Very true, and thanks for your comment. In my example I should have said that I was talking about pre-decimal stamps only.
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