3rd Anniversary of the Young Pioneers

In May 1952 the Romanian People's Republic issued a three-value commemorative set for the third anniversary of the Young Pioneers organisation (Organizația Pionierilor), founded on 30 April 1949. Domfil heads the set «3 Aniversario de la Organización de Jóvenes Exploradores / 3rd Anniversary of the Young Scouts Organization» and numbers it 952.105–952.107, dating the issue 17 May; Colnect gives 17 May for the 1.75 lei and 27 May for the two bani values.

All three designs are by Pavlin Nazarie, photogravure at Fabrica de Timbre in Bucharest, comb 14½ × 13¾, on paper watermarked RPR infinite lines. The 20 bani brown shows two Pioneers saluting beneath the organisation's emblem (Domfil 952.105 «Saludo / Salute», Michel RO 1396, Scott RO 881, print run 4,000,000). The 55 bani green shows Pioneers studying plants in the open air (952.106 «Estudio de la naturaleza / Nature Study», Michel RO 1397, Scott RO 882, 26 × 42.5 mm, print run 3,000,000). The 1.75 lei blue shows an instructor seated with a group of Pioneers (952.107 «Jóvenes exploradores / Young scouts», Michel RO 1398, Scott RO 883, print run 1,000,000).

This is the third of the Pioneer anniversary sets, and the first denominated in the new currency: the earlier stocks had been surcharged in bani after the reform of 28 January 1952. As with the rest of the Eastern-bloc Pioneer material, these enter the Scout catalogues as youth-organisation designs rather than as WOSM issues; Domfil translates the organisation itself as «jóvenes exploradores». The three values are catalogued here in rising face-value order.