Philately of Bulgaria: Varieties of Postage Stamps

1879. Coat of Arms.

UNLISTED VARIETIES
5 centimes
1 White dots at left near the inscription БЪЛГАРСКА , deformation of the dot after the word САНТИМ, a small dot near number 5 at lower right angle.
2 Part of the background is missing.
3 Numerals in the top right and bottom right corners are broken at the bottom, a spot on the flag of the bottom left flag of the numeral 5.
25 centimes
1 art of letter A missing, deformed, in inscription БЪЛГАРСКА , defect in part of letter Ш in ПОЩА . Hole in letter T, dash up to letter Д in inscription ДВАДЕСЕТ.

1882. Coat of Arms.

UNLISTED VARIETIES
10 st.
1 A white dot after Д in ДЕСЕТ and a dash under Н in СТОТИН.

1895. Coat of Arms surcharged with new value.

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 st. on 2 st.
1 Inverted overprint.

2 February 1896. Baptism of Prince Boris.

TYPES
15 стотинки
Type I:

  • the horizontal stroke of numeral 5 in denomination value straight.

Type II:

  • the stroke is curvy.
Type I Type II

20 April 1901. Definitive issue. Prince Ferdinand I.

TYPES
1 левъ
Type I:

  • top numerals 1 with serifs on top.

Type II (1905):

  • top numerals without serifs.
Type I Type II
UNLISTED VARIETIES
2 стотинки
1 Numerals 2 in left and right corners with a wider base.
10 стотинки
1 White scar over prince’s face.
2 Dented number in top right corner.

1903/09. Provisional issue.

TYPES
10 стотинки on 15 стотинки
Type I (1 October 1903):

  • black overprint.

Type II (17 June 1909):

  • dark blue overprint.
Type I Type II

1909. Provisional issue.

TYPES
25 стотинки on 30 стотинки
Type I:

  • red overprint.

Type II:

  • carmine overprint.
Type I Type II

1911/15. Definitive issue. Ferdinand I in robes of ancient tsars of Bulgaria.

TYPES
1 левъ
Type I (1911):

  • image width 19 mm,
  • perforation line 12,
  • monogram in the bottom left corner of the design thiner.

Type II (1915):

  • image width 20 mm,
  • perforation line 11½,
  • monogram in the bottom left corner of the design thick.
Type I Type II

1919/20. The first anniversary of the enthronement of Tsar Boris III.

CONSTANT VARIETIES
3 стотинки
I Indentation in the frame above letter Р in ЦАРСТВО.
Field №: ? Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: another example.
Value €: –
COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 Perforation error.
2 Offset.

20 – 22 June 1920. For ex-prisoners of war.

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 Gone through paper print.
2 Inverted overprint.
3 Shifted overprint.

10 November 1924. Provisional issue.

UNLISTED VARIETIES
1 левъ on 5 стотинки
1 ЛБВЪ instead of ЛЕВЪ
2 Numeral 1 pointed on top.
COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
3 лева on 50 стотинки
1 Gone through paper print.
2 Inverted overprint.
3 Partially imperforate.

1925/26. Definitive issue. Tsar Boris III.

TYPES
1 левъ
Type I (1925):

  • with sash.

Type II (1926):

  • without sash,
  • thin or thick paper.
Type I Type II

1931/37. Definitive issue. Tsar Boris III.

TYPES
4 лева
Type I (1933):

  • frame regular.

Type II (1936):

  • additional white horizontal lines at the top and the bottom.
Type I Type II
6 лева
Type I (1933):

  • frame regular.

Type II (1936):

  • additional white horizontal lines at the top and the bottom.
Type I Type II

3 October 1937. 19th anniversary of the accession of Tsar Boris III to the throne.

TYPES
2 левъ
Type I:

  • inscription ЦЕНА 20 ЛЕБА heavy.

Type I:

  • inscription ЦЕНА 20 ЛЕБА in thinner typography.
Type I Type II

1940/44. Definitive issue: Tsar Boris III.

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 lev
1 Missing perforations.

1945/46. Definitive issue.

TYPES
2 лв
Type I:

  • large crown.

Type II:

  • small crown.
Type I Type II
4 лв
Type I:

  • large crown.

Type II:

  • small crown.
Type I Type II
UNLISTED VARIETIES
2 лв
1 The lion’s right leg is connected to the shield frame.
2 The inner frame above the right denomination is interrupted.

29 June 1956. Definitive issue. Fruits.

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1 Paper folds. Bulgaria postage stamp cherries perforation error

References

Bibliography

  1. Michel Südeuropa 2005/2006, Band 2 (2005), Schwaneberger Verlag GmbH, ISBN 3-87858-682-5.