Eastern Roumelia (Bulgaria)

1884 Issue 5pi
 

Sperati made proofs and unused reproductions of the 1884 issue 5 piastres stamp. Sperati I mentions that it was likely a very early reproduction as few copies had been seen in the previous twenty years. It was printed on genuine stamp paper of Turkey with design decolored. Sperati use two clichés for this reproduction. The background cliché was also used for his Turkey 5pi.

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1884 Issue 5pi

1. the "R" of "ROUMELIE" broken at top

2. the "E" of "EMP" is crude with wide upright and poorly defined center horizontal

(example at left is illustrated in Sperati I, plate 110)
(proof of background only)

additional information from Sperati I:  Plate 110    Eastern Roumelia Text

Richard Frajola (May 11, 2020)