1939.ROU.019th Anniversary of King Carol II
Romania·1939
Semi-postal set for the 9th anniversary of Carol II’s accession; St George and the Dragon; surtax for Straja Țării (including Boy Scouts)
Series details
Identity
- CodeSeries code YYYY.ENT.SS — year, 3-letter issuing entity, sequence (e.g. 1900.CGH.01).
1939.ROU.01- EntityPostal authority that issued the stamps (country, territory, or historical entity).
- Romania (ROU)
- Year
- 1939-06-08
- Event
- Semi-postal set for the 9th anniversary of Carol II’s accession; St George and the Dragon; surtax for Straja Țării (including Boy Scouts)
- TypeIssue kind. Charity issue = postage + voluntary surcharge (e.g. 6+4), not an overprint.
- Charity issue
Production
- Printer
- Fabrica de Timbre
- Process
- Photogravure
- PerforationsHole gauge between stamps (e.g. 12, 13½). Higher ≈ finer.
- 13½
Catalog numbers
- DomfilDomfil thematic catalog number (scouting).
- 939.36; 939.37; 939.38; 939.39; 939.40; 939.41; 939.42; 939.43; 939.44; 939.45; 939.46
- ScottScott catalog number (Americas).
- RO B99; RO B100; RO B101; RO B102; RO B103; RO B104; RO B105; RO B106; RO B107; RO B108; RO B109
- MichelMichel catalog number (Europe / DE).
- RO 598; RO 599; RO 600; RO 601; RO 602; RO 603; RO 604; RO 605; RO 606; RO 607; RO 608
- YvertYvert & Tellier catalog number (FR).
- RO 570; RO 571; RO 572; RO 573; RO 574; RO 575; RO 576; RO 577; RO 578; RO 579; RO 580
- Stanley GibbonsStanley Gibbons catalog number (UK / Commonwealth).
- RO 1411; RO 1412; RO 1413; RO 1414; RO 1415; RO 1416; RO 1417; RO 1418; RO 1419; RO 1420; RO 1421
History
On 8 June 1939 Romania issued an eleven-value semi-postal set for the ninth anniversary of King Carol II’s return to the throne (8 June 1930). Domfil catalogues the set as 939.36–939.46 under «9th Anniversary of the Reign of Charles II», design heading «The Scouts» / Escultismo. Scott lists B99–B109; Michel 598–608. Colnect titles the common design St George and the Dragon — the saint who is also the traditional patron of Scouting.
The surtax was for Straja Țării, Carol II’s state youth organisation, which by then included the former Boy Scouts after the forced merger of free Scout associations into the national youth structure (1937–38). SOSOW notes that the benefit was for Straja Țării «including the Boy Scouts», and records the same status debate that applies to other late-1930s Romanian «Scout» semi-postals: catalogue theme is Scout/St George, while the administrative beneficiary is the state youth corps.
All values share the same St George design in changing colours and face values: dual-currency pairs from 25 + 25 and 50 + 50 bani through 1+1, 2+2, 3+2, 4+2 and 6+2 lei, then single high values 8, 10, 12 and 16 lei. Production was at Fabrica de Timbre by photogravure, perforation 13½. Ordered here by rising face value.
Stamps in this series
11 piecesSt George and the Dragon — 25 + 25 bani
St George and the Dragon — 50 + 50 bani
St George and the Dragon — 1 + 1 lei
St George and the Dragon — 2 + 2 lei
St George and the Dragon — 3 + 2 lei
St George and the Dragon — 4 + 2 lei
St George and the Dragon — 6 + 2 lei
St George and the Dragon — 8 lei
St George and the Dragon — 10 lei
St George and the Dragon — 12 lei