u/Redaktor-Naczelny

It is seldom that you need two pictures of a postage stamp but it is the case here. When Latvia gained independence in 1918 the situation was so dire that there was no paper to print their first stamps. The only paper available were unfinished military maps printed for the retreating German army. Consequently, there are six types - with the maps printed in two colors, one color, or white - printed on the margins of the maps, the most valuable - each available as perforated and unperforated. This map shows South-East of Lithuania, close to modern Lithuanian-Belorussian border.

Polish number 1 stamp was issued in 1860 by Russian authorities so these are numbers 2 to 5 but they are considered the first stamps of independent Poland. They were originally printed for local Warsaw city post but after the immediate overprinting served more broadly. You can see that old postage stamps were still used with German names such as Warschau instead of Warszawa. They were introduced very quickly, the date on the 25 fenig stamp is mere three weeks after the independence.

Carpathian Ukraine was the eastern part of Czechoslovakia which gained authonomy within the republic following the Munich agreement in the autumn of 1938. When in March 1939 Bohemia and Moravia were occupied by Germany while Slovakia became independent, CU proclaimed its independence on March 15th 1939 and immediately asked Romania for a union. The proposal was rejected and on the next day Hungarian army entered. Hungarians were replaced by the Red Army in late 1944 when the region was annexed by the USSR as a part of Ukraine which it has been ever since. The stamp was printed in Prague to commemorate the opening of the local Soym (Parliament), it entered circulation on March 15th and became invalid on the next day. The date is incorrect, the first and last session of the Soym took place on March 15th. It is one of four stamps which used the name Cesko-Slovensko, indicating the new federal organisation of the state.

This stamp was supposed to commemorate the 5th anniversary General Gouvernement, the Germany-occupied Poland. Things turned so bad that it was the very last they issued and large part of the stamps never left the Vienna printing house. It was madly expensive too with the postal rate of standard letter at 24 groszy. Still a beautiful view of the Wawel castle which fortunately survived the war intact.

The emperor could not wait and had the coin with his profile issued immediately. Wise move as he was the Emperor for two years only. The coin was known as Couronne in the French-speaking Netherlands (modern Belgium), Kronenthaler in the German speaking Habsburg lands, and Croccione in the North of Italy. This one was struck in Vienna as the Netherlands were in rebellion through most of 1790 although various Imperial mints had struck Kronenthalers of Joseph II since the early 1780s.

The coin was originally intended for the Austrian Netherlands to rival French ecu. After some twenty years it was introduced throughout the Habsburg lands. It was known as Kronenthaler in the German-speaking countries, Couronne in the French-speaking Netherlands, and Croccione in the North of Italy. The design was used till the end of the 18th century but the denomination remained for half a century more. This one is somewhat more rare as Leopold II was the emperor for about two years.

It must be the heat in Brussels but I bought this coin. Depending on where it circulated it was know as Kronenthaler, Couronne, or Croccione. It was struck at Vienna mint as the Austrian Netherlands for which territory it was officially intended were in rebellion against the Habsburgs. The Austrian Netherlands were lost in 1794 but the coins were still struck till the end of the 18th century.

It is actually Portugal and 2009 but anyway worth 50 euro cents. https://www.ebay.com/itm/297076248608

This piece is somewhat problematic as Krause claims it is a not a coin while Numista and Belgian catalogs claim it is. It was struck on 10 centimes blanks, most probably sold at modest premium (US collectors will recognize the idea) and once the novelty wore off large part of the mintage ended up in circulation. I show it here because of the charming 18 year old youth - it is our Leopold II, the man behind the conquest of Congo, known from Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. The coin celebrates his marriage, unhappy as it quite soon turned out.

This 40 reis coin was struck in the Bahia mint in Brazil for circulation in the Portuguese colony of Sao Tome and Principe islands off the West coast of Africa. By some crazy mistake the whole mintage of that year including 20 and 80 reis coins was shipped off to Mozambique instead (think Tokyo-Rio instead of Tokyo-San Francisco) and once there they were introduced in circulation. All other dates are considered Sao Tome issues.

A genuine world coin. This 40 reis coin was struck at the Bahia mint in Brazil (South America) for John VI King of Portugal (Europe) to circulate in the Portuguese colony of Sao Tome and Principe islands (off the West coast of Africa). For unknown reason the whole mintage of that year, including 20 and 80 reis coins, was shipped off to Mozambique (South-East of Africa) and once it got there, the coins were introduced in circulation. Other dates (1819, 1821, and 1822) are considered Sao Tome issues.

This coin was struck in Bahia (Brazil) for the Portuguese colony of Sao Tome and Principe islands (off west coast of Africa) just as those dated 1819. Due to some logistics blunder the whole mintage, including 20 and 80 reis coins, ended up in Mozambique (east coast of Africa). Local officials also needed coins so they just introduced them in circulation. Later dates - 1821 and 1822 - are considered Sao Tome issues. In 1822 Brazil gained independence so 1825 issues (also for Sao Tome) were struck in Lisbon.

After the Napoleonic wars Portugal was trying to bring some order to their colonial empire. These attempts included providing new coinage so copper coins were produced at the Bahia mint in Brazil for Sao Tome and Principe islands off the West coast of Africa. The mint also produced similar coins for Brazil but those had denominations in Roman numerals and were much heavier while coins for Sao Tome had Arabic numerals. By some crazy error the coins struck in 1820 were shipped to Mozambique instead of Sao Tome - basically, it is as if cargo sent from Tokyo to San Francisco ended up in Rio de Janeiro - and the local officials instead of sending them back just spent the money. Apparently, it was just enough for the local demand as no more coins were produced for Mozambique till 1840. Coins dated 1819, 1821, and 1822 are considered Sao Tome issues.

The Papal States were invaded by Napoleon in the autumn of 1796. The French occupied the western part but the Pope Pius VI kept Rome for another year. As there was no silver for coinage lighter copper coins were produced instead. One of them were 5 baiocchi pieces with the Holy Virgin - consequently called Madonnina - produced by several mints still controlled by the Pope. This one was struck in Rome. Most probably in 1797 as the date indicates although it might have been a little later as the political turmoil increased.

1797 was not a good year for Pope Pius VI. Napoleon invaded in late 1796 and occupied the Adriatic coast area but His Holiness was granted peace and kept control of Rome for a year more. He was taken prisoner in February 1798 and died in France in August 1799. The coin was struck during this turbulent period, either by the papal authorities, a cheaper version of silver grosso, or in 1799 by the Roman Republic created by Napoleon, before new republican dies could be prepared.

Strange combination - Venetian lion of Saint Mark and Britannia, Greek and Latin alphabets on a coin struck in London on a copper penny blank for the United States of the Ionian Islands, a British protectorate in the Mediterranean which existed between 1815 and 1864. 4 millions were made but after two centuries it is difficult to find a nice copy.

2 oboli of the United States of the Ionian Islands - British protectorate which existed between 1815 and 1864. A strange coin struck in London for a Greek territory with the Venetian lion of Saint Mark on copper blanks for one penny coins.

No, it is not a penny even though it struck on a copper penny blank at the Royal Mint and the engraver was William Wyon. It is 2 oboli of the Ionian Islands, a British protectorate in the Mediterranean which existed between 1815 and 1864 when the islands were given to Greece.