The Vatican philatelic production
Vatican philately opens the door to a fascinating universe where history, art and spirituality intertwine and blend harmoniously. Through elegant thematic series, the stamps carefully tell stories, symbols and figures that define the identity of the Church and its millenary heritage. Every year, the Vatican's Postal and Philatelic Service proposes about twenty new issues, inspired by significant anniversaries such as Christmas, Easter, the Pope's apostolic journeys and the common theme of the Europa series, shared with the other member countries of PostEurop. There are also commemorations dedicated to historical events, prominent personalities and masterpieces of Vatican art and culture.
Making the philatelic proposal even richer and more dynamic are the joint issues, realised in collaboration with other postal administrations. These projects, based on shared themes and harmonised graphics, bear witness to a cultural dialogue and philatelic understanding that transcends geographical boundaries, uniting different worlds and cultures. The stamps are generally printed in sheets of 10 or in mini-sheets, which contain a smaller number of stamps, but always of the same type. Some specimens, usually the Christmas issue, are collected in booklets, called philatelic carnets, ideal for collectors.
Alongside stamps, there are other philatelic products of great interest, known as postal stationery. These include: aerogrammes, shaped sheets to be folded, with pre-printed postage stamps; postcards: postcards with pre-printed franking available in four ports; philatelic envelopes, pre-franked postal envelopes ready for use or collection. Sheets, i.e. loose-cut sheets that can include one or two values with different subjects and values, are also very popular Sheets, mini-sheets, postal stationery and philatelic booklets are all sought-after items by collectors all over the world.