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Yugoslavia Provisional Stamps

for Slovenia

Issues of 1919-1920  Part A

New Yugoslavia provisional stamps for use in Slovenia appeared in 1919.  The Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which would become the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, was formed from the Balkan Peninsula states of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the aftermath of World War I. 

As federal postage stamps for the new Kingdom of Yugoslavia were not yet ready, Slovenia began printing their own postage stamps for use in their region of the new kingdom.  The first stamps of Slovenia were denominated in Hungarian Filler and Krone, and the later stamp issues were denominated in Kingdom of Yugoslavia Para and Dinars.


These provisional issues for Slovenia, leading up to the appearance of the first general issues for the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, are very complex.  I am going to try and make this review as simplified and as accurate as possible, based on the Scott catalog listings.

In searching the internet for information and images, I have found that there are many more types and varieties of these stamps that are not listed in the Scott catalogs.  For anyone wishing to specialize in this area, I would recommend the use of the Michel catalog for Yugoslavia.


The provisional stamps of this period are inscribed in one or more of the following ways.

  • Država S.H.S. (Srba, Hrvata, i Slovenaca) or Држава С.Х.С. (Хрба,  Хрвата, и Словенаца), which means "States of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes".
  • Kraljevsto S.H.S. (Srba, Hrvata, i Slovenaca) or Краљевина С.Х.С. (Хрба,  Хрвата, и Словенаца), which means "Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes".



The eight patriotic-themed definitive provisional stamps for Slovenia shown above were issued on January 3, 1919.  These stamps, featuring fine impressions, were lithographed at Ljubljana.  They are unwatermarked and perforated 11 1/2.

The common design features an allegorical representation of "breaking the chains of bondage".  Yugoslav philatelists refer to these stamps as the "Chain Breaker Issues".

The technical attributes of these lithographed Chain Breaker Issues are as follows.

  • 03 F., 05 F., 10 F., 15 F. -- The chain on the right wrist is short, extending only about half way to the frame.
  • 10 F. -- The numerals are 8 1/2 mm high.
  • 20 F., 25 F., 30 F., 40 F. -- The distant mountains show faintly, between the legs of the male figure.
  • 40 F. -- The numerals are 7 mm high.  The "0" is 3 mm wide.

The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.

  • 03 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L1) - Violet.
  • 05 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L2) - Green.
  • 10 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L3) - Carmine Rose.
  • 15 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L4) - Blue.
  • 20 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L5) - Brown.
  • 25 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L6) - Blue.
  • 30 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L7) - Lilac Rose.
  • 40 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L8) - Bister.

These provisional stamps exist imperforate, part-perforated, and in many shades.



The sixteen patriotic and portrait themed definitive provisional stamps for Slovenia shown above were issued on April 8, 1919 (03 F. - 10 K) and May 5, 1920 (15 K. - 20 K.).  These provisional stamps, featuring coarse impressions, were typographed (03 F. - 10 K.) or lithographed (15 K. - 20 K.) at Ljubljana and Vienna.

The four designs, as they appear in the set, are as follows.

  • Chain Breaker.
  • Allegorical representation of Freedom.
  • Allegorical representation of Freedom.
  • King Peter I.

The technical attributes of the typographed Chain Breaker stamps are as follows.

  • 03 F., 05 F., 15 F. -- The chain on the right wrist touches the bottom tablet.
  • 10 F. -- The numerals are 7 1/2 mm high.
  • 15 F. -- The curled end of the loin cloth appears above the letter "H" in the bottom tablet.
  • 20 F., 25 F., 30 F., 40 F. -- The outline of the distant mountains have been re-drawn and they are more distinct.
  • 40 F. -- The numerals are 8 mm high.  The "0" is 2 1/2 mm wide.

The Scott catalog attributes, for stamps that are perforated 11 1/2, are as follows.

  • 03 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L9) - Violet.
  • 05 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L10) - Green.
  • 10 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L11) - Red.
  • 15 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L12) - Blue.
  • 20 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L13) - Brown.
  • 25 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L14) - Blue.
  • 30 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L15) - Carmine Rose.
  • 30 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L16) - Deep Red.
  • 40 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L17) - Orange.
  • 50 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L18) - Green, Dark Green, Olive Green.
  • 60 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L19) - Dark Blue, Violet Blue.
  • 01 K.  (1919 - Sc. #3L20) - Vermilion, Red Orange.
  • 02 K.  (1919 - Sc. #3L21) - Blue, Dull Ultramarine.
  • 05 K.  (1919 - Sc. #3L22) - Brown Lake, Lake, Dull Red.
  • 10 K.  (1919 - Sc. #3L23) - Deep Ultramarine.
  • 15 K.  (1920 - Sc. #3L40) - Dull Green.
  • 20 K.  (1920 - Sc. #3L41) - Dull Violet.

The Scott catalog attributes, for stamps that are serrate rouletted 13 1/2 or that are serrate rouletted x straight rouletted, are as follows.

  • 05 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L24) - Light Green.
  • 10 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L25) - Carmine.
  • 15 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L26) - Slate Blue.
  • 20 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L27, 3L27a) - Dark Brown.
  • 30 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L28, 3L28a) - Carmine Rose.
  • 50 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L29) - Green.
  • 60 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L30) - Dark Blue, Violet Blue.
  • 01 K.  (1919 - Sc. #3L31) - Vermilion, Rose Red.
  • 02 K.  (1919 - Sc. #3L32) - Blue.

The Scott catalog attributes, for stamps that are rouletted x perforated 11 1/2, are as follows.

  • 05 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L24a) - Light Green.
  • 10 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L25a) - Carmine.
  • 15 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L26a) - Slate Blue.
  • 30 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L28b) - Carmine Rose.
  • 50 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L29a) - Green.
  • 60 F.  (1919 - Sc. #3L30b) - Dark Blue, Violet Blue.
  • 01 K.  (1919 - Sc. #3L31b) - Vermilion, Rose Red.

These provisional stamps exist imperforate, part-perforated, and in many shades.



The fourteen new patriotic and portrait themed definitive provisional stamps for the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes shown above were issued on June 24, 1920.  These provisional stamps are denominated in Para and Dinars, and they are printed on thin to thick wove paper.  The 05 P. - 01 D. denominations are serrate rouletted 13 1/2, and the 02 D. - 10 D. denominations are perforated 11 1/2.

The three designs, as they appear in the set, are as follows.

  • Chain Breaker.
  • Allegorical representation of Freedom.
  • King Peter I.

The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.

  • 05 P.  (1920 - Sc. #3L42) - Olive Green.
  • 10 P.  (1920 - Sc. #3L43) - Green.
  • 15 P.  (1920 - Sc. #3L44) - Brown.
  • 20 P.  (1920 - Sc. #3L45) - Carmine.
  • 25 P.  (1920 - Sc. #3L46) - Chocolate.
  • 40 P.  (1920 - Sc. #3L47) - Dark Violet.
  • 45 P.  (1920 - Sc. #3L48) - Yellow.
  • 50 P.  (1920 - Sc. #3L49) - Dark Blue.
  • 60 P.  (1920 - Sc. #3L50) - Red Brown.
  • 01 D.  (1920 - Sc. #3L51) - Dark Brown.
  • 02 D.  (1920 - Sc. #3L52) - Gray Violet.
  • 04 D.  (1920 - Sc. #3L53) - Greenish Black.
  • 06 D.  (1920 - Sc. #3L54) - Olive Brown.
  • 10 D.  (1920 - Sc. #3L55) - Brown Red.

The Scott catalog notes that counterfeits exist of the 20 Para denomination, a stamp that currently catalogs $0.40 in both mint and used condition!



The six overprinted and re-valued special-purpose stamps shown above were issued on September 2, 1920 for the Carinthian Plebiscite.

The overprints were applied to Slovenian newspaper stamps (Ljubljana Printing), and they contain the letters KGCA, being the abbreviation for the Carinthian Governmental Commission Zone A.  The stamps sold for three times their face value, with the proceeds being donated to the Plebiscite Propaganda Fund.

The Scott catalog attributes are as follows.

  • 05 P. on 04 F.  (1920 - Sc. #4LB1) - Gray.
  • 15 P. on 04 F.  (1920 - Sc. #4LB2) - Gray.
  • 25 P. on 04 F.  (1920 - Sc. #4LB3) - Gray.
  • 45 P. on 02 F.  (1920 - Sc. #4LB4) - Gray.
  • 50 P. on 02 F.  (1920 - Sc. #4LB5) - Gray.
  • 02 D. on 02 F.  (1920 - Sc. #4LB6) - Gray.

The Carinthian Plebiscite was held on October 10, 1920 in the area settled by Carinthian Slovenes.  The plebiscite would determine the final border between the Republic of German Austria and the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which would eventually become the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.  The population of the area, by a majority of 59%, voted for union with the Republic of German Austria.





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Stamps for Slovenia - Issues of 1919-1920  Part A






SBI!