RomagnaFirst Postage Stamp

One summer, one set

Romagna's first and only stamps were issued during the turbulent summer of 1859, after the region broke from Papal rule and joined the United Provinces of Central Italy. Printed in Bologna by typography on thin, unwatermarked paper, the set ranged from ½ baj to 20 baj. The design was rather simple, featuring only a framed value and the inscription FRANCO BOLLO POSTALE. They remained in use for barely six months before Romagna adopted Sardinian stamps in early 1860. Genuinely used examples (with the exception of the 4 baj) are scarcer and generally more valuable than mint copies. Official reprints were never made, but private reprints abound. Most forgeries originate from these, produced from original printing plates that were gradually sold off over time. The sharpness of the frame lines and the tiny circles in the upper-right corner are among the best clues for distinguishing genuine stamps from later printings and forgeries. This issue represents a fleeting chapter in Italy's postal history, made all the more fascinating by its remarkably short lifespan and the many forgeries it inspired.