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Yugoslavia Stamps

Charity Stamps of 1938-1939

A very large number of surtaxed Yugoslavia stamps were issued during 1938 and 1939, forty-four of them, to be exact.  Aside from the usual annual stamp issues for public charities, surtaxed pictorial stamps during this period were also issued for important exhibitions, sporting events, and other milestones in Yugoslavian history.

The Cyrillic and Western inscriptions in the designs are occasionally reversed, or they may be used alternately on different denominations within a set of stamps.

The four surtaxed pictorial Yugoslavia stamps shown above (Sc. #B62-B65) were issued on May 28, 1938 for the International Aeronautical Exhibition, held in Belgrade.  The surtax was for the exhibition.

The common design features a bridge and anti-aircraft lights.

These stamps were issued with perforation gauge 11 1/2 x 12 1/2.  Examples of the 1.50 D. + 1 D. denomination and the 2 D. + 1 D. denomination that are perforated 11 1/2 exist, and they are valued much higher than the regular stamps.

The four surtaxed pictorial Yugoslavia stamps shown above (Sc. #B66-B69) were issued on August 1, 1938.  The surtax was for a fund to build a hospital for railway employees.

The designs are as follows.

• 1.00 D. + 1.00 D. - Cliff at Demir-Kapiya.
• 1.50 D. + 1.50 D. - A modern hospital in Demir-Kapiya.
• 2.00 D. + 2.00 D. - Runner carrying a torch.
• 3.00 D. + 3.00 D. - King Alexander I of Yugoslavia.
  
  
  

The four surtaxed pictorial stamps shown above (Sc. #B70-B73) were issued on September 11, 1938 for the Ninth Balkan Games, held in Belgrade.  The surtax benefited the event.

The designs are as follows.

• 0.50 D. + 0.50 D. - Runner.
• 1.00 D. + 1.00 D. - Hurdlers.
• 1.50 D. + 1.50 D. - Pole vaulter.
• 2.00 D. + 2.00 D. - Shot-putter.
  
  
  

The five surtaxed pictorial Yugoslavia stamps shown above (Sc. #B79-B83) were issued on March 15, 1939 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Postal System in Yugoslavia.  The surtax was for the Railway Benevolent Association.

The designs are as follows.

• 0.50 D. + 0.50 D. - Postriders.
• 1.00 D. + 1.00 D. - Rural mail delivery.
• 1.50 D. + 1.50 D. - Mail train.
• 2.00 D. + 2.00 D. - Mail bus.
• 4.00 D. + 4.00 D. - Mail plane.
  
  
  

The four surtaxed pictorial charity stamps shown above (Sc. #B84-B87) were issued on May 1, 1939.  The surtax was for child welfare.

The designs are as follows:

• 1.00 D. + 1.00 D. - Child eating.
• 1.50 D. + 1.50 D. - Children at the seashore.
• 2.00 D. + 2.00 D. - Boy planing a board.
• 4.00 D. + 4.00 D. - Children in a crib.
  
  

These stamps were issued with perforation gauge 12 1/2.  Examples of the 1.50 D. + 1.50 D. denomination that are perforated 11 1/2 exist, and they are valued much higher than the regular stamps.

The two surtaxed commemorative Yugoslavia stamps shown above (Sc. #B88-B89) were issued on June 28, 1939 to celebrate the 550th Anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo.

The designs are as follows:

• 1.00 D. + 1.00 D. - Czar Lazar of Serbia (Lived: 1329-1389, Reigned: 1373-1389) created the state of Moravian Serbia (1373-1403) from the remnants of the former Serbian Empire (1346-1371).  He was killed during the Battle of Kosovo.  He is celebrated as a saint and a martyr by the Orthodox Christian Church.
  
• 1.50 D. + 1.50 D. - Milosh Obilich (1350-1389) was a knight, in the service of Czar Lazar, during the invasion of the Ottoman Empire.  He is best known for killing the Ottoman Sultan, Murad I, during the Battle of Kosovo.  He is also celebrated as a saint by the Orthodox Christian Church.
  
  

The Battle of Kosovo (June 15, 1389) was fought between Serbian and Bosnian troops, under the command of Czar Lazar, and the invading army of the Ottoman Empire, under the command of Sultan Murad I.  The result was inconclusive, as both Czar Lazar and Sultan Murad I were killed during the battle.  The Moravian-Serbian kingdom eventually accepted the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire.

The four surtaxed pictorial stamps shown above (Sc. #B90-B93) were issued on September 6, 1939 for the Yugoslavian Navy and Merchant Marine.  The surtax aided in the construction of a marine museum.

The designs are as follows:

• 0.50 D. + 0.50 D. - Naval training ship "Jadran".
• 1.00 D. + 0.50 D. - Steamship "King Alexander".
• 1.50 D. + 1.00 D. - Freighter "Triglan".
• 2.00 D. + 1.50 D. - Cruiser "Dubrovnik".
  
  

These stamps also exist with a small engraver's mark integrated into the design.  Please see the major catalogs for details.

The four surtaxed pictorial stamps shown above (Sc. #B94-B97) were issued on September 3, 1939 for the Automobile and Motorcycle Races, held in Belgrade.  The surtax benefited the racing organization and the Yugoslavian treasury.

The designs are as follows.

• 0.50 D. + 0.50 D. - Motorcycle with a sidecar.
• 1.00 D. + 1.00 D. - Racing car.
• 1.50 D. + 1.50 D. - Motorcycle.
• 2.00 D. + 2.00 D. - Motorcycle.
  
  
  

The four surtaxed pictorial Yugoslavian stamps shown above (Sc. #B98-B101) were issued on October 9, 1939 to commemorate the 5th Anniversary of the Assassination of King Alexander I.  The surtax benefited crippled soldiers of World War I.

The common design features the Monument to the Unknown Hero atop Mt. Avala near Belgrade.  This new monument replaced an earlier monument, erected in 1922, for the unknown soldier killed by an Austro-Hungarian howitzer attack in 1915.  The coffin with the remains of the unknown soldier was transferred to a crypt within the new monument.  King Alexander I laid the cornerstone for the new monument on June 28, 1934, not too long before he was assassinated in France.

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Yugoslavia Postage Stamps

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Charity Stamps of 1938-1939

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