The history of modern Romania began on January 24, 1859, when the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia united under a common flag. The region’s philatelic history, however, dates back a year before that, when Moldavia printed its first stamps.
These issues, known as the Bull series, are highly sought after by collectors, in part because of their rarity but also due in no small measure to their primitive, hand-stamped charm. To this day, Moldavian Bulls rank among the most notable rare Romanian stamps on the market, with well-preserved examples often fetching high prices when they become available at auction.
Romanian Stamps Post-Unification
A new country demanded new stamps, and in 1862, Romania printed its first definitive issues, whose design combined the coat of arms of both countries. In 1864, a new stamp featuring Prince Alexandru loan Cuza was printed, though it’s unlikely these were ever used as the prince was deposed shortly thereafter. His replacement, Prince Carol I, was the subject of the next major definitive series, which depicted the new monarch facing left in profile, in a style reminiscent of contemporary issues from France.
In 1881, the Kingdom of Romania was founded, and the country began to enjoy an extended period of peace and prosperity. Ten years later, in 1891, Romania released its first commemorative stamp, celebrating the 25th anniversary of Carol I’s inauguration.
Forgeries of all early Romanian collectors’ stamps are commonplace. As a result, it is essential to be diligent about confirming the authenticity of any purchase when starting or growing your collection.
WWI and Beyond
Carol I died in 1914 and, despite heavy casualties and a period of brief occupation by Austrian, German and Bulgarian forces, Romania emerged from World War I stronger than ever, having annexed new territory from neighboring Austro-Hungarian states. A notable 1919 overprinting celebrates the Recovery of Transylvania — one of many nationalistic stamps printed during an era that has come to be known as Greater Romania.
A period of communism followed World War II, which persisted until 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall. The country has since enjoyed relatively stable economic growth, becoming a member of the European Union in 2007.
Buying Romania Collectors’ Stamps
The country’s unique history makes Romania an interesting area of specialization for anyone with roots in the region or an interest in European philately in general. While some of the earliest Romanian collectors’ stamps fetch high values at auction, there are many overlooked areas of the country’s philatelic history in which one can begin a rewarding collection.
At Apfelbaum, Inc., we frequently have Romanian collectors’ stamps for sale from all eras of the country’s history. We offer sales through our online stamp store and our Buy It Now sales. To see what we have in stock now, or for help tracking down that hard-to-find issue you need to take your collection to the next level, give us a call today.