Albania Stamps
Issues of 1925-1929
The portrait definitive and commemorative Albania stamps of late 1925 through the end of 1929 were ALL ABOUT Ahmet Zogu (1895-1961), who became the first President of the Republic of Albania at the beginning of 1925 and then became the King of Albania three years later.
The eleven portrait definitive Albania stamps shown above were issued on December 24, 1925. The stamps are all perforated 13 1/2 or 13 1/2 x 13.
The common design features the portrait of President Ahmet Zogu.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows:
- 01 Q. (1925 - Sc. #186) - Orange.
- 02 Q. (1925 - Sc. #187) - Red Brown.
- 05 Q. (1925 - Sc. #188) - Green.
- 10 Q. (1925 - Sc. #189) - Rose Red.
- 15 Q. (1925 - Sc. #190) - Gray Brown.
- 25 Q. (1925 - Sc. #191) - Dark Blue.
- 50 Q. (1925 - Sc. #192) - Blue Green.
- 01 F. (1925 - Sc. #193) - Red & Ultramarine.
- 02 F. (1925 - Sc. #194) - Green & Orange.
- 03 F. (1925 - Sc. #195) - Brown & Violet.
- 05 F. (1925 - Sc. #196) - Violet & Black.
The 1 F. denomination definitive stamp, in Ultramarine & Brown, and the 2 F. denomination definitive stamp, in Green & Brown, shown above, were prepared, but they were not regularly issued. They are not listed as part of the regularly-issued set, in the Scott catalog.
The eleven overprinted portrait definitive Albania stamps of 1925 shown above were issued on February 1, 1927 to commemorate the 2nd Anniversary of the Presidency of Ahmet Zogu.
The overprint on these stamps consists of a wreath and the letters "A. / Z." in various colors.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.
- 01 Q. (1927 - Sc. #197) - Orange.
- 02 Q. (1927 - Sc. #198) - Red Brown.
- 05 Q. (1927 - Sc. #199) - Green.
- 10 Q. (1927 - Sc. #200) - Rose Red.
- 15 Q. (1927 - Sc. #201) - Gray Brown.
- 25 Q. (1927 - Sc. #202) - Dark Blue.
- 50 Q. (1927 - Sc. #203) - Blue Green.
- 01 F. (1927 - Sc. #204) - Red & Ultramarine.
- 02 F. (1927 - Sc. #205) - Green & Orange.
- 03 F. (1927 - Sc. #206) - Brown & Violet.
- 05 F. (1927 - Sc. #207) - Violet & Black.
The two overprinted Albania stamps of 1927 shown above were re-valued during 1928.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.
- 01 Q. on 10 Q. (1928 - Sc. #208) - Rose Red.
- 05 Q. on 25 Q. (1928 - Sc. #209) - Dark Blue.
The eight overprinted portrait definitive Albania stamps shown above were prepared on August 25, 1928 as a souvenir of the Parliamentary Meeting on that date. Commercially used examples of these stamps are very scarce.
The overprint on the stamps is "Kujtim / Kushtetuese / Mbledhjes / 25. 8 . 28" or "Memento / Constitutional / Meeting / 25.8.28".
The basic stamps, which are inscribed "REP. SHQIPTARE" or "REPUBLIKA SHQIPTARE" were never issued without overprints.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.
- 01 Q. (1928 - Sc. #210) - Orange Brown.
- 02 Q. (1928 - Sc. #211) - Slate.
- 05 Q. (1928 - Sc. #212) - Blue Green.
- 10 Q. (1928 - Sc. #213) - Rose Red.
- 15 Q. (1928 - Sc. #214) - Bister.
- 25 Q. (1928 - Sc. #215) - Deep Blue.
- 50 Q. (1928 - Sc. #216) - Lilac Rose.
- 01 F. (1928 - Sc. #217) - Blue & Slate.
The nine overprinted portrait definitive Albania stamps shown above were issued on September 1, 1928 to celebrate the Proclamation of Ahmet Zogu as King Zog I of Albania.
The overprint on the stamps is "Mbreteri Shqiptare / ZOG I / 1 IX 1928" or "Kingdom of Albania / ZOG I / September 1, 1928".
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.
- 01 Q. (1928 - Sc. #218) - Orange Brown.
- 02 Q. (1928 - Sc. #219) - Slate.
- 05 Q. (1928 - Sc. #220) - Blue Green.
- 10 Q. (1928 - Sc. #221) - Rose Red.
- 15 Q. (1928 - Sc. #222) - Bister.
- 25 Q. (1928 - Sc. #223) - Deep Blue.
- 50 Q. (1928 - Sc. #224) - Lilac Rose.
- 01 F. (1928 - Sc. #225) - Blue & Slate.
- 02 F. (1928 - Sc. #226) - Green & Slate.
These stamps seem to be a lot scarcer than the catalog descriptions and prices might indicate. Locating images of the stamps or sets of the stamps for sale, for that matter, on the internet was extremely difficult.
The ten overprinted portrait definitive Albania stamps shown above were also issued in 1928. The 15 Q. denomination is not shown in the image above.
The overprint on the stamps is "Mbreteri Shqiptare" or "Kingdom of Albania".
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.
- 01 Q. (1928 - Sc. #227) - Orange Brown.
- 02 Q. (1928 - Sc. #228) - Slate.
- 05 Q. (1928 - Sc. #229) - Blue Green.
- 10 Q. (1928 - Sc. #230) - Rose Red.
- 15 Q. (1928 - Sc. #231) - Bister.
- 25 Q. (1928 - Sc. #232) - Deep Blue.
- 50 Q. (1928 - Sc. #233) - Lilac Rose.
- 01 F. (1928 - Sc. #234) - Blue & Slate.
- 02 F. (1928 - Sc. #235) - Green & Slate.
- 03 F. (1928 - Sc. #236) - Dark Red & Olive Bister.
- 05 F. (1928 - Sc. #237) - Dull Violet & Gray.
The three overprinted definitive stamps of 1927 shown above were overprinted and re-valued during 1929.
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.
- 01 Q. on 50 Q. (1929 - Sc. #238) - Blue Green.
- 05 Q. on 25 Q. (1929 - Sc. #239) - Dark Blue.
- 15 Q. on 10 Q. (1929 - Sc. #240) - Rose Red.
The eight overprinted portrait definitive Albania stamps of 1925 shown above were issued on October 28, 1929 to celebrate the 34th Birthday of King Zog I.
The overprint on these stamps is "RROFT-MBRETI / 8 X 1929" or "LONG LIVE THE KING / October 8, 1929".
The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.
- 01 Q. (1929 - Sc. #241) - Orange.
- 02 Q. (1929 - Sc. #242) - Red Brown.
- 05 Q. (1929 - Sc. #243) - Green.
- 10 Q. (1929 - Sc. #244) - Rose Red.
- 25 Q. (1929 - Sc. #245) - Dark Blue.
- 50 Q. (1929 - Sc. #246) - Blue Green.
- 01 F. (1929 - Sc. #247) - Red & Ultramarine.
- 02 F. (1929 - Sc. #248) - Green & Orange.
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Return to Albania Stamps from
Issues of 1925-1929
Ahmet Muhtar Zogu
Prime Minister: 1922-1924
President: 1925-1928
King: 1928-1939
Ahmet Muhtar Zogolli [called: Zogu] (1895-1961) was born into a noble family in Burrel, then part of the Ottoman Empire.
He was one of the signers of the Albanian Declaration of Independence in 1912, being the representative for the Mati Region of Albania. Zogu became involved in the politics of the fledgling Albanian nation, becoming the Governor of Shkoder (1920-1921), the Minister of the Interior (1921-1924), the Commander-in-Chief of the Albanian military (1921-1922), and the Prime Minister of Albania (1922-1924).
On January 21, 1925, Zogu was elected by the parliament as the President of Albania. Major reforms were initially accomplished, but Albania soon evolved into a police state, with Zogu having dictatorial powers.
On September 1, 1928, Albania was declared a constitutional monarchy, and President Zogu was proclaimed King Zog I of Albania.
In 1938, King Zog I married Countess Geraldine Apponyi de Nagy-Appony (1915-2002), a Hungarian aristocrat. He and Queen Consort Geraldine had one son, Crown Prince Leka (1939-2011).
Italy invaded Albania on April 7, 1939, at the beginning of World War II. Fearing for their lives, the Albanian royal family fled into exile, first to Great Britain (1939-1946), then to Egypt (1946-1955), and finally to France (1966-1961).
The king died, in exile, on April 9, 1961 near Paris, where he was buried.
The remains of King Zog I and his family were finally returned to Albania in 2012, on the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the Albanian Declaration of Independence, and they are now buried in the Mausoleum of the Albanian Royal Family in Tirane.