Albania 1913 Double-Headed Eagle and Skanderbeg Overprint

Albania · 1913 · 10 Para

This is the first postage stamp issued by Albania. The design features a black double-headed eagle, the national symbol of Albania, overprinted in black with the word 'SHQIPËNIA' and the denomination '10 PARA'. The underlying stamp was a Turkish revenue stamp, repurposed for postal use during a period of transition.

Issued in May 1913, this stamp marks Albania's newly declared independence from the Ottoman Empire in November 1912. The use of overprinted Turkish stamps reflects the provisional government's immediate need for postage before dedicated national designs could be produced.