Cambodia 1951 First Definitive Issue, King Norodom Sihanouk

Cambodia · 1951 · 10c

This stamp is the first definitive issue of independent Cambodia, featuring a portrait of the young King Norodom Sihanouk. The design is simple and elegant, focusing on the monarch's profile, symbolizing the new era of Cambodian sovereignty. It was part of a larger set that established the nation's philatelic identity.

Issued in 1951, this stamp marks Cambodia's transition towards full independence from French Indochina, which was formally granted in 1953. King Sihanouk was a pivotal figure in this process and would dominate Cambodian politics for decades.