Poland Stamps

Poland Stamps

Stamps from the country of Poland are available in a variety of sizes, formats, and issue years. Vintage Polish postage has changed drastically over the years as many were issued under different governments during annexation periods. You can collect used and mint stamps as part of a set or individually and with or without gum or backing.

The Polish stamp is produced in a variety of formats and are available to collect, especially for those with any sort of interest in the history of Poland or its postage stamp. Different classes may have varying production standards and individual characteristics. Collectors are able to purchase lots featuring a wide variety of these items or sets that include a particular type of postage. Some of the most common Polish postage can include such items as:

• Collections of early overprints from the 1940s era of the country. These are either standalone stamps included in album pages designed to hold them as a collection.
• Individual, numbered postal pieces that denote a particular era, including those with and without standard gum on the rear of the item.
• Chronological postage for a specific year, including all major postage issued by Poczta Polska for that time period.
• Postage commemorating notable events in the country's history, such as World Cup Championship issue stamps.
• So-called "common" postage is the category that Poczta Polska produces in great volumes. These items are produced in the millions and are for everyday correspondence.

Each piece of postage will be accompanied by one of the common postmarks of the Congress Kingdom for that time. As the region changed hands, different kingdoms introduced their own postal markings to the postage throughout the area. Knowing some of the most common markings on the postage will help you determine from which era it was produced and the history surrounding it.

• Some of the earliest known markings are single-line Polish inscriptions, circa the 1820s.
• Two-line inscriptions for both Poles and Russians indicate that the postage was in production between 1860 and 1870.
• Inscriptions in Russian Cyrillic exist for most postal items produced after 1871 and until at least 1917.
• Concentric circles combined with the number of the postal offices adorn the more recent batches of postage.

Printed postage from Poczta Polska may have various shapes and colors. They also may or may not have a self-adhesive substrate on the back. However, there are a few common size markers for printing the postage.

• Some common measurements include: 43 millimeters by 31.25 millimeters, 39.5 millimeters by 31.25 millimeters, and 51 millimeters by 31.25 millimeters.
• Miniature sheets are 90 millimeters by 70 millimeters.