Citril Finch (Carduelis citrinella)
On 3 January 2022, Liechtenstein Post re-issued the 1.00 CHF Citril Finch stamp with a “90” overprint in black ink. The Citril Finch was one of four bird stamps that Lichtenstein Post issued in 2021.
As indicated in its first philatelic newsletter of 2022, it is some 10 years since Liechtenstein Post has used the overprinting method for revaluing its definitive stamps. The postal authority also revalued the 2.20 CHF Peacock Butterfly stamp originally issued in 2011; the Butterfly is overprinted “110”.
The two new overprinted values reflect increased prices for postage of “A” mail letters (from 1.00 to 1.10) and “B” mail letters (from 0.85 to 0.90). This is apparently the first price increase in 17 years for these letter mail categories.
Liechtenstein Post have described these stamps as “Provisional”, so presumably they will be replaced later this year with more permanent definitive stamps at 0.90 and 1.10 CHF.
The Liechtenstein Post philatelic website has made available both first day covers and maximum cards featuring the two new overprinted stamps (https://shop.philatelie.li). The overprints were also available in sheets of 20, but Lichtenstein Post has now sold out of these offerings, though you can still obtain them in single sets and in blocks of four stamps.
Liechtenstein Post describes the two stamps on the philatelic website as “self-adhesive”. I think that this is incorrect: in our parlance, the stamps are gummed. The details in the bulletin also use “selfadhesive” to mean gummed. This terminology is repeated in the French version too.
The designer of the four bird stamps was Christine Böhmwalder, about which I have not been able to learn very much, other than that she has contributed other (none bird) designs to Lichtenstein stamps.
Technical details: Width: 32mm x 38mm Height. Perforations: 12.75 x 12.75. Printer: CMYK Gutenberg AG, Schaan. Designer: Christine Böhmwalder.