Czechoslovakia stamps first appeared in 1918, following the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of World War I.
Much of the area that would eventually become Czechoslovakia belonged to the Kingdom of Bohemia, an imperial state of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1348 to 1806. After the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, following the conquests of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Kingdom of Bohemia became a part of the Austrian Empire, from 1806 to 1867, and then of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1867 to 1918.
Prague (German: Prag, Czech: PRAHA), the capital of the Bohemian Kingdom would become one of the primary cultural centers of Europe. In this respect, Bohemia would become one of the most popular travel destinations for many of the more affluent European travelers.
In the English language today, the word "Bohemian" is used to describe any person that leads an informal or unconventional lifestyle, usually attributed to adventurers, artists, musicians, actors, or writers.
The 20th Century Czechoslovakian Republic was created in 1918, from the
combination of the former Austro-Hungarian Imperial states of Bohemia,
Moravia, Silesia, Slovakia, and Ruthenia. The Republic of Czechoslovakia existed, in different forms, from October 1918, until its peaceful dissolution at the end of 1992. On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia became the Czech Republic and the Republic of Slovakia.
![]() PRAG / PRAHA (Bohemia)
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![]() ARANYOS-MAROT (Slovakia)
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Philatelically, specialization in Czechoslovakia stamps and postal history can be a challenging endeavor. The 3,100 + cataloged major variety stamps issued between 1918 and 1992 are only the beginning!
From the beginnings of prepaid postage stamps, until 1918, the 20th Century state of Czechoslovakia has been, at times, part of the Austrian Empire, the Kingdom of Hungary, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. If one wants to delve into the postmarks and postal history of Czechoslovakia, that would include hundreds of different postmarks on most of the classical postage stamps and covers of Austria and Hungary.
Considering the period from 1938 to 1945, such a specialty would also include the German controlled states of Sudetenland and Bohemia and Moravia. During these years, the Czechoslovakian government-in-exile (in England) also issued their own postage stamps, which were tolerated by the Allied governments.
Many Czechoslovakian stamps feature tete-beche combinations, gutter combinations, souvenir sheets, miniature sheets, booklets, proofs, and essays. The subject matter of Czechoslovakian stamps also
offers a multitude of different thematic collecting possibilities, as well. Any type of Czechoslovakian specialty could definitely be a lifetime philatelic venture in itself.
Reviews of many of the postage stamp issues of Czechoslovakia, as well as
occasional historical articles, will eventually appear in the page link
section at the right.
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Definitives of 1920-1925
Definitives of 1925-1926
Definitives of 1926-1931
Definitives of 1929-1939
Commemoratives of 1920-1934
Commemoratives of 1935-1937
Commemoratives of 1938-1939
Charity Overprints of 1919
Charity Stamps of 1919-1938
Airmail Stamps of 1920-1939