Girl Scout Jamboree — Gödöllő

On 20 July 1939 Hungary issued a four-value commemorative set for a Girl Scout Jamboree at Gödöllő — the same park near Budapest that had hosted the 4th World Scout Jamboree in 1933. SOSOW records these as the first postage stamps issued specifically to honour Girl Scouts. Domfil lists the set under the Spanish title «Fiesta de las organizaciones del escultismo femenino» (Festival of Girl Scout organisations) with numbers 939.20–939.23.

The four designs, by Sándor Légrády (who had worked on the 1933 World Jamboree stamps), are: a Girl Scout sign and olive branch (2 fillér, orange-brown); the Scout lily with the coat of arms of Hungary (6 f, green); girls in Scout dress and national headdress (10 f, dark brown); and a peace dove with Scout emblems (20 f, lilac). Printing is photogravure, comb 12½ × 12, watermark St. Stephen’s Cross on pyramid. Each value is reported at about 816,000; the stamps were valid for postage until 31 December 1939.

Besides the perforated issue, imperforate stamps of the same designs exist.

ATA 1964 states flatly that these were the first stamps from any country issued to honour a Girl Scout event. Designs (S. Légrády / Le’Grady): Scout sign (2 f); lily, crown, shield and Girl Scout badge (6 f); Scout and national dress (10 f); dove of peace and Girl Scout badges (20 f). Also imperforate.