Europe : CEPT - 04 "1958"

The 1958 emission of Europe CEPT - stamps was issued in 8 countries.
Switzerland didn't join that year.
All designs are similar, except for Turkey who made its first contribution to the CEPT program.

On the design a white stylistic dove is on top of an "E".

Luxemburg emitted 3 stamps, as it also did in 1956 and 1957.
This year the set isn't the most valuable of the whole emission.

Luxemburg 1958 - mint

France 1958 - with a beautiful cancel on the 20F

Belgium 1958 - mint

Italy - both cancelled in 1958

The Netherlands - with a very nice cancel 'TERNEUZEN' in 1958

Germany and Saarland, with nearly the same designs.

Turkey, participating for the first time, chose a diffent design.
A branch is growing out of a trunk. Symbolizing the new Europe growing from a cut three (probably refering to the rebuiling of Europe after the second World War.

Turkeys first contribution to CEPT

Collecting : My collection 01 f

In my search, to make a complete (?) list of all countries, territories, and states, ... that have issued stamps, I came up so far with 375 different entries.


Some stamps are issued by an organisation, like the United Nations.
They aren't really belonging to a country, unless you consider the territory of the UN in New Your, Geneva or Vienna, as being an independent country.

Therefor I have listed such stamps under a new category.
After I sorted out all countries to their continents (using 1 to 5), I made a new list starting with 6...

In this 6th category, there are stamps issued by the UN (VN because my list was made in Dutch).
(0)60201 = UN New York
(0)60301 = UN Geneva
(0)60401 = UN Vienna
(0)60501 = UN Interim Administration in Kosovo

Some stamps were issued related to suborganisations of UN, and I have given them an individual number as well, for those who collect themewise stamps related to UN.
(0)60901 = International Labour Organisation (ILO)
(0)60906 = UNESCO
(0)60910 = UPU
and so on

A bit similar, but yet different is my 7th category.
These are stamps issued by existing countries, but for a special purpose, like the CEPT-stamps I posted before.
CEPT is only one type of European stamps that are emitted by several countries, before 1956, a cooperation existed between the Belgian, Dutch and Luxemburgian gouvernment, forming BE-NE-LUX.
Older belgian catalogues mention a number of stamps that are related to a specific european theme.
Like 'balcan cooperation, 'baltic cooperation', 'NATO', 'EFTA' and so on.
Therefore, I made a list of those 'themes' as they are collected in Europe.

I will post more on those specific themes later. As for now, I have plenty to post about the CEPT issues.

Europe : CEPT - 03 "1957"

In 1957, 8 countries participated in the common issue of CEPT.
At that time, the European Commuinty for Carbon and Steel was still in controle of the mutual emission.

Altought there's a common design in the 1957 stamps, not all countries followed that design.
The theme of 'peace and welfare through agriculture and industry' is respected by all participating countries.

Belgium, Luxemburg, France, West Germany and (at that time, the independent) Saarland, chose agriculture as topic.

Switzerland chose industry :

The Netherlands and Italy preferred a neutral design with a star or flags :

Again here, Luxemburg (mint) is the most expensive set. The cancelled stamps I have, contains 2 CTO cancels (3 and 4 francs).

Europe : CEPT - 02b "1956" protest stamps

Shortly after the Second World War, communist influence grew in Romania.
King Michael, king of the Romanians was under high pressure in his own country, by members of the Communist Party.
In 1947 he was forced to abdicate, when Stalin's troups were there end of december 1947.
After King Michael left, Romania became a Soviet satelite state of the former USSR

In 1956 Romania was therfor still under communist leadership.
Not everyone was happy about that, and the gouvernment in-exile issued some stamps, similar to the ones issued by the European Community for Carbon and Steel.

One can recognise the colours of the Romanian flag.

The tower that is supposed to symbolise the construction of Europe, is tumbling down on these stamps.
Also the text underneath the building is a cry for help to the western world, to help Romania (from the communist influence).

"Europa nu poate trai, fara tarile ei din est" - "Europe can not live without her eastern countries"

These 'stamps' are not official - to be considered as propaganda, or cinderellas.
But it's a nice addition to the 1956 set of CEPT stamps.

Europe : CEPT - 02a "1956"

In 1956, the so-called European Community for Carbon and Steel, also coordinated the first emission of common design european stamps.
In order to spread the idea of european integration, a common design stamp was one way to distribute the idea throughout Europe.

For this first series, the 'construction' of Europe was the main theme.
In the design, the word EUROPE is shown as a newly constructed building.
The design was made by Frenchman Daniel Gonzague.
6 countries participated and in total 13 stamps were issued.
Belgium, West Germany (BRD), France, Italy, Luxemburg and the Netherlands.
Luxemburg mint is the most expensive part of this set, and has the key values.

Europe : CEPT - 01 Intro

In 1956 the first steps were made to make Europe into a more cooperative economic area.
The European Community for Carbon and Steel was founded.
It was the grandfather of the Europan Union as it is now.
European rules were made to coordinate the exploitation and trade in carbon and steel.
However this organisation also coordinated the issue of certain stamps.
The word 'CEPT', came later, in 1959.

On June 26, 1959, the Conference of European administrations of Post and Telecomunications was founded.
From then on, they coordinated postal transactions in Europe, including the issuing of "CEPT" -stamps
CEPT was a part of UPU, the Universal Postal Union.

Since 1993 CEPT became PostEurop, but to make it easier, all post in this theme will be called "CEPT"

In the first issue of CEPT (before it actually was CEPT), 6 countries participated.
In 2011, 48 countries are part of PostEurop.

Once a year, a mutual issue is emitted.
Until 1973 (and once more in 1984 and 2000) a common design was uses by most of the countries.

Specialised catalogues for CEPT / PostEurop are issued, since (especially in Europe) many people collect, next to their own country, also the CEPT issues. The common design or common theme on all those stamps are a nice reason to collect them.

Themes so far :

1956 : Constructing Europe (tower and E)
1957 : Peace and Welfare through Agriculture and Industry
1958 : A dove flying above the letter E of Europe
1959 : A interlocking keychain made of 4 circles and 4 squares alternating
1960 : The 'O' of the word Europa is a Roman mail-coach wheel with 19 spokes
1961 : Stylised dove made up of 19 individual doves
1962 : A stylised tree with 19 leaves
1963 : A stylised cross design composed of 4 3-sided U shapes with CEPT inlaid
1964 : Flower with 22 petals
1965 : Tree sprig
1966 : Symbolic Ship
1967 : Cogwheels
1968 : Key with CEPT in handle
1969 : 'EUROPA' & 'CEPT'
1970 : Sun composed of 24 interwoven fibres
1971 : Chain of Os with CEPT in the links
1972 : no common design
1973 : Stylised post horn
1974 : Sculptures
1975 : Paintings
1976 : Handcraft
1977 : Landscapes
1978 : Monuments
1979 : Post and Telecommunications
1980 : Famous People
1981 : Folklore
1982 : Historic events
1983 : Inventions
1984 : Common design : 25th anniversary of Cept

1985 : Eurpean Music Year
1986 : Nature conservation
1987 : Modern architecture
1988 : Transport and Telecommunication
1989 : Children's games
1990 : Post offices
1991 : European aerospace
1992 : Voyages of discovery in America
1993 : Contemporary Art
1994 : Great discoveries
1995 : Peace and freedom
1996 : Famous women
1997 : Tales and Legends
1998 : Festivals and National Celebrations
1999 : Nature reserves and Parks
2000 : Common design : Tower of 6 stars

2001 : Water
2002 : Circus
2003 : Poster Art
2004 : Holidays
2005 : Gastronomy
2006 : Integration through the eyes of Young People
2007 : Scout Centenary
2008 : Writing Letters
2009 : Astronomy
2010 : Children books
2011 : International year of forests
2012 : Visit .... (country)
2013 : Post Vehicles (celebrating PostEurop's 20th anniversary)
2014 : Musical instruments
2015 : Think Green
2016 : Old Toys
2017 : ...