Bulgaria 1879 5 Centimes, Coat of Arms "Large Lion"

Bulgaria · 1879 · 5 Centimes

This is the first postage stamp issued by Bulgaria, featuring the national coat of arms, a rampant lion within a crowned mantle. The denomination '5 САНТИМА' is inscribed in Cyrillic at the bottom. The design, known as the 'Large Lion', is simple yet powerful, symbolizing the nation's newly gained autonomy.

Issued shortly after the Principality of Bulgaria was established by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878, this stamp marks a key moment in the nation's independence from the Ottoman Empire.