Bulgaria 1885 50 Stotinki on 1 Franc Surcharge

Bulgaria · 1885 · 50 Stotinki on 1 Franc

This stamp is a provisional issue featuring a black surcharge of '50 STOTINKI' and a horizontal bar over the original '1 FRANC' denomination. The underlying stamp, part of the 'Large Lion' series, depicts the Bulgarian coat of arms, a crowned lion rampant, within an ornate frame.

Issued due to a shortage of 50 stotinki stamps, this surcharge was applied to existing 1 franc stamps from the 1882 series to meet postal demand. Such provisional issues were common in the late 19th century as postal systems rapidly expanded.