1932.LIE.01Child Welfare — Prince Franz I with Scouts
Liechtenstein·1932
Semi-postal child-welfare issue (Vaduz); Scout design in a set of three
Series details
Identity
- CodeSeries code YYYY.ENT.SS — year, 3-letter issuing entity, sequence (e.g. 1900.CGH.01).
1932.LIE.01- EntityPostal authority that issued the stamps (country, territory, or historical entity).
- Liechtenstein (LIE)
- Year
- 1932-12-21
- Event
- Semi-postal child-welfare issue (Vaduz); Scout design in a set of three
- TypeIssue kind. Charity issue = postage + voluntary surcharge (e.g. 6+4), not an overprint.
- Charity issue
Production
- Designer
- H. C. Kosel
- Printer
- Wiener Kunstdruck
- Process
- Photogravure (engraver: Chwala)
- PerforationsHole gauge between stamps (e.g. 12, 13½). Higher ≈ finer.
- 11½
Catalog numbers
- DomfilDomfil thematic catalog number (scouting).
- 932.3
- ScottScott catalog number (Americas).
- LI B13
- MichelMichel catalog number (Europe / DE).
- LI 118
- YvertYvert & Tellier catalog number (FR).
- LI 110
- Stanley GibbonsStanley Gibbons catalog number (UK / Commonwealth).
- LI 120
History
On 21 December 1932 Liechtenstein issued a set of three semi-postal stamps for the Child Welfare Fund (Pro Infancia / Kinderschutz). Only one design is scouting: the 30 + 10 rappen blue value (Scott B13) showing Prince Franz I of Liechtenstein with two boy scouts. The other two values of the set (B11–B12) have non-scout child-welfare subjects and are outside this catalogue series.
Scouting was still brand-new in the principality. Prince Franz I had been impressed by the movement and supported the founding of Scout groups in Liechtenstein; the first troops date from 1931. Placing the prince beside Scouts on a national charity stamp a year later advertised both royal patronage of youth work and the Scout ideal of service to children.
The stamp was designed by H. C. Kosel, engraved by Chwala and printed by Wiener Kunstdruck (Vienna) in photogravure, perforation 11½, size about 26 × 32 mm. Face value is 30 rappen postage plus 10 rappen surcharge for child welfare. SOSOW records a print run of 33,499 and validity for postage until 31 July 1933. Domfil lists the Scout design as 932.3 under the series Pro Infancia.
ATA 1964 notes that the middle value with Princess Elsa was long mistaken for Girl Scouts; later research identifies those figures as girls in native costume, not Guides. Only the high blue value (Prince Francis I as Chief Scout with Boy Scouts and flag / blanket rolls) is the Scout design of the Child Welfare set. Designer H. C. Kosel’s name appears below the frame on each stamp.