uncommonpre-1900

Turkey Contraband Post 1 Piastre

Name: Turkey Contraband Post 1 Piastre
Brand: Turkey
Availability: InStock

Turkey · 1890 · 1 Piastre

A rectangular stamp featuring the denomination '1 PIASTRE' in Latin script and 'Kaçak' (contraband) in Ottoman Turkish script, enclosed within an ornate border.

Issued by the Ottoman authorities in 1890, this stamp was part of a special service to tax letters carried by travelers outside the official postal monopoly, aiming to recover lost postal revenue and deter illicit mail transport.

Printing Method

Typography

Themes

postal-service revenue contraband ottoman-empire

Image: Turkish Postal autorities · License: Public domain

Estimated Values by Condition

Superb(S)

Perfectly centered, fresh, no faults

$300

Extremely Fine(XF)

Well centered, fresh colors

$180

Very Fine(VF)

Nicely centered, minor flaws

$100

Fine(F)

Average centering, acceptable

$50

Good(G)

Off-center or visible wear

$20

Prices are approximate market estimates for educational purposes. Actual values depend on specific factors including cancel type, margins, and provenance.