San Marino Stamps
Issues of 1899-1925
Mount Titano
Showing the Three Towers of San Marino City
Two new definitive series of San Marino stamps would be issued beginning in 1899 and in 1903. These two series of definitive postage stamps would each utilize the same basic design, and they would each be in use for over 20 years. During that span of time, of course, one could expect many printings and occasional changes in color for some of the denominations.
The eight definitive postage San Marino stamps shown above were issued between 1899 and 1922. They are typographed on paper with a crown watermark, and they are perforated 15.
Their common design features San Marino's Statue of Liberty, located in Liberty Square in front of the Government Palace in the City of San Marino.
The catalog attributes are as follows:
- 02 C. (1899 - Sc. #32) - Brown.
- 02 C. (1922 - Sc. #33) - Claret.
- 05 C. (1899 - Sc. #34) - Brown.
- 05 C. (1922 - Sc. #35) - Olive Green.
- 10 C. (1922 - Sc. #36) - Brown Orange.
- 20 C. (1922 - Sc. #37) - Deep Brown.
- 25 C. (1922 - Sc. #38) - Ultramarine.
- 45 C. (1922 - Sc. #39) - Red Brown.
The thirty-seven definitive postage San Marino stamps shown above were issued between 1903 and 1925. They are typographed on paper with a crown watermark, and they are perforated 14 or 14 1/2 x 14.
The common design of the 2 C. denomination stamps features a large denomination numeral.
The common design of the other stamps features a View of Mt. Titano, indicating the location of Three Fortresses, in the City of San Marino, on the summit of Mt. Titano.
The catalog attributes are as follows:
- 02 C. (1903 - Sc. #40) - Violet.
- 02 C. (1921 - Sc. #41) - Orange Brown.
- 05 C. (1903 - Sc. #42) - Blue Green.
- 05 C. (1921 - Sc. #43) - Olive Green.
- 05 C. (1925 - Sc. #44) - Red Brown.
- 10 C. (1903 - Sc. #45) - Claret.
- 10 C. (1921 - Sc. #46) - Brown Orange.
- 10 C. (1925 - Sc. #47) - Olive Green.
- 15 C. (1922 - Sc. #48) - Blue Green.
- 15 C. (1925 - Sc. #49) - Brown Violet.
- 20 C. (1903 - Sc. #50) - Brown Orange.
- 20 C. (1921 - Sc. #51) - Brown.
- 20 C. (1925 - Sc. #52) - Blue Green.
- 25 C. (1903 - Sc. #53) - Blue.
- 25 C. (1921 - Sc. #54) - Gray.
- 25 C. (1925 - Sc. #55) - Violet.
- 30 C. (1903 - Sc. #56) - Brown Red.
- 30 C. (1921 - Sc. #57) - Claret.
- 30 C. (1925 - Sc. #58) - Orange.
- 40 C. (1903 - Sc. #59) - Orange Red.
- 40 C. (1921 - Sc. #60) - Deep Rose.
- 40 C. (1925 - Sc. #61) - Brown.
- 45 C. (1903 - Sc. #62) - Yellow.
- 50 C. (1923 - Sc. #63) - Brown Violet.
- 50 C. (1925 - Sc. #64) - Gray Black.
- 60 C. (1925 - Sc. #65) - Brown Red.
- 65 C. (1903 - Sc. #66) - Chocolate.
- 80 C. (1921 - Sc. #67) - Blue.
- 90 C. (1923 - Sc. #68) - Brown.
- 01 L. (1903 - Sc. #69) - Olive Green.
- 01 L. (1921 - Sc. #70) - Ultramarine.
- 01 L. (1925 - Sc. #71) - Light Blue.
- 02 L. (1903 - Sc. #72) - Violet.
- 02 L. (1921 - Sc. #73) - Orange.
- 02 L. (1925 - Sc. #74) - Light Green.
- 05 L. (1903 - Sc. #75) - Slate.
- 05 L. (1925 - Sc. #76) - Ultramarine.
Good news! The set of definitive San Marino stamps shown above was the last of the "extremely large" definitive stamp issues of San Marino. Most of the later postage stamp issues of San Marino have been pictorial definitive stamps or commemorative stamps, and the multiple-stamp-sets have contained a more reasonable number of different denominations.
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Return to San Marino Stamps from
Issues of 1899-1925
MONTE
TITANO
Mt. Titano
Monte Titano (Titan Mountain) is a peak in the Apennine Mountains. It is the highest peak in the Republic of San Marino, being 2,425 feet in elevation.
The City of San Marino, the capital of the Republic of San Marino, is situated on the western slopes of the mountain. The mountain, its fortifications, and the City of San Marino are all UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Republic of San Marino Flag
Monte Titano actually has three peaks,
each crowned by Medieval towers with triple fortifications that fully
enclose the capital city. Each of the towers has a metal vane on top of it, in the shape of an ostrich plume.
They are called Guaita, Cesta, and Montale.
These three towers have become the central feature of the San Marino
Coat-of-Arms and of the San Marino national flag.
Tower 1 - Guaita
Guaita is the oldest of the three towers, having been constructed in the 11th Century. It has been rebuilt many times, and it has been in its present state since the 15th Century.
Tower 2 - Cesta
Cesta is located on the highest of Monte Titano's three summits. It was constructed in the 13th Century on the remains of an Ancient Roman fortress. It is now a museum, showcasing over 1,500 weapons dating from the Medieval Era.
Tower 3 - Montale
The Montale is situated on the smallest of Monte Titano's three summits. It was constructed in the 14th Century, and it is believed that it was once used as a prison. The entrance is about 23 feet above ground level, a common construction practice for prisons during that time.