The quickest way to identify a stamp's country is to read its inscription, but many countries print their name in their own language, an old name, or even Latin. The table below covers inscriptions that confuse new collectors most often.
Common inscriptions and what they mean
| Inscription on the stamp | Country |
|---|---|
| Helvetia | Switzerland |
| Magyar, Magyar Posta, Magyarország | Hungary |
| Suomi, Finland | Finland |
| Norge, Noreg | Norway |
| Sverige | Sweden |
| Danmark | Denmark |
| Ísland | Iceland |
| Polska, Poczta Polska | Poland |
| Česko, Česká republika, Československo | Czech Republic / Czechoslovakia |
| Slovensko | Slovakia |
| Hrvatska | Croatia |
| Shqipëria, Shqipni | Albania |
| România, Posta Romana | Romania |
| България (Bulgaria), НР България | Bulgaria |
| Југославија, Jugoslavija | Yugoslavia |
| ΕΛΛΑΣ, Ελληνική Δημοκρατία | Greece |
| Österreich, K.K. Post | Austria (K.K. is Austria-Hungary era) |
| Deutsches Reich, Deutsche Bundespost, Deutschland | Germany |
| DDR | East Germany |
| République Française, RF | France |
| Italia, Poste Italiane | Italy |
| España, Correos | Spain |
| Éire | Ireland |
| Brasil, Correio | Brazil |
| CCCP, Почта СССР | Soviet Union (USSR) |
| Россия, Почта России | Russia |
| Nippon, 日本郵便 | Japan |
| 中国人民邮政, 中国邮政 | People's Republic of China |
| 中華民國郵票 | Republic of China (Taiwan) |
| 대한민국 | South Korea |
| ไทย | Thailand |
| Türkiye | Turkey |
Stamps with no country name
- United Kingdom. British stamps show the monarch's portrait instead of a name. Modern "Machin" definitives show only the Queen's or King's profile and a value.
- Early issues from many countries used only a coat of arms, a monarch's portrait, or a currency symbol. Match these by comparing the design with catalogue illustrations.
- Locals and cinderellas (labels that look like stamps but weren't valid postage) often have no country name either.
Overprints can change the country
An overprint printed on top of a stamp can mean it was used somewhere else, for example during an occupation, a change of government or a colonial administration. Catalogues list an overprinted stamp under the country that issued the overprint, not under the country of the original stamp.
Still stuck?
Look for other clues: the currency (see how to identify a postage stamp), the alphabet, and the people or places in the design. Or photograph it with AI Stamp, which reads the inscription and suggests the country for you.