About this archive

What this archive covers

The archive concentrates on three broad areas of Italian philatelic history. The first is the pre-unification period (1851–1861), when the individual Italian states — principally Sardinia, Tuscany, the Two Sicilies, the Papal States, and Lombardo-Venetia — each issued their own stamps under separate postal authorities. These early issues are among the most studied and most auctioned Italian philatelic material.

The second area covers the Kingdom of Italy from its proclamation in 1861 through the end of the monarchy in 1946. This period encompasses the unified definitive series, the Art Nouveau Floreale series, the various Fascist-era commemoratives, and the wartime provisional issues of the early 1940s.

The third area — and by volume the largest — covers Italian Republic issues from 1946 to the present. Poste Italiane has produced thousands of commemorative and definitive issues in this period, covering art, history, sport, science, and European affairs.

Editorial approach

Articles in this archive are written to inform collectors and researchers with a baseline familiarity with philatelic terminology. They do not substitute for the Sassone catalogue, which is the authoritative primary reference for Italian stamps, but aim to provide context, historical background, and collecting guidance that the catalogue's concise format cannot accommodate.

Catalogue values cited in the text are indicative of the range reported in recent Sassone editions and major auction results. They are not buying or selling prices and should not be relied upon for commercial transactions without independent verification from a current catalogue or specialist dealer.