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Bulgaria's First Stamps

The Treaty of Berlin which concluded the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78, changed the status
of Bulgaria from province of Turkey to principality under the suzerainty of Turkey (get
someone else to explain those distinctions to you!). Since Turkish stamps had been in use in
Bulgaria from 1863 to 1879, recognition of those used in Bulgaria depended on being able to
read the cancels in Turkish.

The Turkish mail system was supplemented at this time by Austrian Post Offices in which
stamps of the Austrian Levant were used. There were also a few Russian Post Offices where
Russian stamps were in use.

In 1879, Prince Alexander of Battenberg began his rule over Bulgaria. Bulgarian stamps were
also issued in that year. The stamps were printed by the Government Printing Office in St.
Petersburg. The central feature of the design was a Bulgarian lion. Five denominations in two
colors each were issued: 5 centimes black and yellow, 10

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Rodolfo / rtvstamps
Resource: (my archives): M Williams. Blandford Press Ltd, 1950.

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