1938.ROU.018th Anniversary of King Carol II — Straja Țării
Romania·1938
Semi-postal set for the 8th anniversary of Carol II’s accession; surtax for Straja Țării (state youth organisation that absorbed Scouting)
Series details
Identity
- CodeSeries code YYYY.ENT.SS — year, 3-letter issuing entity, sequence (e.g. 1900.CGH.01).
1938.ROU.01- EntityPostal authority that issued the stamps (country, territory, or historical entity).
- Romania (ROU)
- Year
- 1938-06-08
- Event
- Semi-postal set for the 8th anniversary of Carol II’s accession; surtax for Straja Țării (state youth organisation that absorbed Scouting)
- TypeIssue kind. Charity issue = postage + voluntary surcharge (e.g. 6+4), not an overprint.
- Charity issue
Production
- Process
- Photogravure
- PerforationsHole gauge between stamps (e.g. 12, 13½). Higher ≈ finer.
- 13½ (also imperforate)
Catalog numbers
- DomfilDomfil thematic catalog number (scouting).
- 938.7; 938.8; 938.9; 938.10; 938.11; 938.12; 938.13; 938.14; 938.15; 938.16; 938.17
- ScottScott catalog number (Americas).
- RO B83; RO B84; RO B85; RO B86; RO B87; RO B88; RO B89; RO B90; RO B91; RO B92; RO B93
- MichelMichel catalog number (Europe / DE).
- RO 553; RO 554; RO 555; RO 556; RO 557; RO 558; RO 559; RO 560; RO 561; RO 562; RO 563
- YvertYvert & Tellier catalog number (FR).
- RO 536; RO 537; RO 538; RO 539; RO 540; RO 541; RO 542; RO 543; RO 544; RO 545; RO 546
- Stanley GibbonsStanley Gibbons catalog number (UK / Commonwealth).
- RO 1374; RO 1375; RO 1376; RO 1377; RO 1378; RO 1379; RO 1380; RO 1381; RO 1382; RO 1383; RO 1384
History
On 8 June 1938 (SOSOW lists 5 June) Romania issued a long semi-postal set for the eighth anniversary of King Carol II’s return to the throne (8 June 1930). Domfil catalogues the eleven values as 938.7–938.17 (Scott B83–B93 / Michel 553–563), all under the design heading «The Scouts» / Escultismo.
The surtax financed Straja Țării («Watch of the Country»), Carol II’s compulsory state youth movement. From 1937 the regime had already forced free Scout associations into that structure; by 1938 Romanian Scouting no longer existed as an independent member of the world Scout movement. The stamps therefore sit at the end of the classic Romanian Scout semi-postal sequence (1931 exhibition, 1932–36 jamborees, 1935 Carol anniversary): they still show Scout-style youth and royal patronage, but the beneficiary is the state youth corps that replaced autonomous Scouting.
Face values climb from 25 + 25 and 50 + 50 bani through dual-currency lei values (1+1, 2+2, then 3+2, 4+2, 6+2) to high single values 7.50, 10, 16 and 20 lei. Printing is photogravure, perforation 13½. Besides the perforated issue, an imperforate set of the same designs exists.
Stamps in this series
11 piecesScout design — 25 + 25 bani, perforated
Scout design — 50 + 50 bani, perforated
Scout design — 1 + 1 lei, perforated
Scout design — 2 + 2 lei, perforated
Scout design — 3 + 2 lei, perforated
Scout design — 4 + 2 lei, perforated
Scout design — 6 + 2 lei, perforated
Scout design — 7.50 lei, perforated
Scout design — 10 lei, perforated
Scout design — 16 lei, perforated