3 lire Basilica of St. Clement single
Object Details
- Description
- Vatican City issued a set of twelve stamps on March 7, 1949, featuring images of Roman basilicas. The set includes the interior or exterior of eleven basilicas, most dating to the 4th century; one stamp depicts Pope Pius XII. This set is considered one of Vatican City's most beautiful and architecturally significant issues.
- The 3-lire (deep violet) stamp shows the interior of the Basilica of St. Clement, dedicated to the fourth pope (ca. 92-99).
- The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 8-lire stamps are vertical in design; the other issues are horizontal. The 100-lire stamp is perforated 14 x 14. All other stamps are issued in two different perforation measurements, 14 x 13.5 and 13.5 x 14. The vertical stamps measure 3 x 4 cm. The horizontal stamps measure 4 x 3 cm. All issues are watermarked with the Crossed Keys of St. Peter. All designs are inscribed with Poste Vaticane, the name of the basilica, and the postal value.
- Corrado Mezzana designed the set, with engraving by M. Canfarini. The 100-lire value was printed by recess printing; the other stamps were printed by photogravure. A total of 300,000 sets were printed. The stamps were withdrawn August 31, 1957.
- References:
- Vatikanstaat," in Michel Europa Katalog, band 3, Südeuropa, Unterschleißheim, Germany: Schwanberger Verlag GMBH, 2008.
- "Vatican City," in Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue, part 8, Italy and Switzerland, 7th edition, Ringwood, Hampshire, England: Stanley Gibbons, Ltd., 2010.
- "Vatican City," in Scott Standard Stamp Catalogue, volume 6, Sidney, Ohio: Scott Publishing Company, 2006.
- Filippo Coarelli, Rome and Environs: An Archaeological Guide, translated by James J. Clauss and Daniel P. Harmon, Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 2007.
- David Hugh Farmer, Oxford Dictionary of Saints, 5th edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.
- Data Source
- National Postal Museum
- Date
- March 7, 1949
- Object number
- 2008.2009.118
- Type
- Postage Stamps
- Medium
- paper; ink(multicolored)
- Place
- VATICAN CITY (independent city state)
- See more items in
- National Postal Museum Collection
- Title
- Scott Catalogue Vatican City 123
- Topic
- International Stamps & Mail
- Record ID
- npm_2008.2009.118
