Montenegro 1874 Coat of Arms, Prince Nicholas I

Montenegro · 1874 · 2 novcic

This is the first postage stamp issued by the Principality of Montenegro. The design features a central portrait of Prince Nicholas I, who reigned from 1860 to 1918. The portrait is framed by the Montenegrin coat of arms and inscriptions indicating the country and denomination.

Issued under the authority of Prince Nicholas I, this stamp marks Montenegro's entry into the Universal Postal Union and the establishment of its independent postal service while still under the nominal suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire.