International Postage Meter Stamp Catalog/Bulgaria

Bulgaria edit

With the exception of a public-access vending meter on trial in 1938, meters did not come into use until after World War 2. The stamps are grouped according to appearance and function:

A - designs for general use during Soviet era, inscribed “BULGARIA”, “BULGARIE” or “БЬЛГАРИЯ”
B - provisional issue, without country name in the frank
C - stamps inscribed "HPБ"
PO - stamps generated only from Post Office machines
PV - public self-service vending machine stamps



GROUP A: Stamps for general use, inscribed “BULGARIA” or “БЬЛГАРИЯ” edit


 
 

A1. Francotyp “C” (MV), 1942 or earlier.  [$100]

Horizontal frank with simulated perforation outer border.
“БЬΛГАРИЯ⋅BULGARIE” at top.
Lions rampant at sides.
M# with “No” prefix in bottom panel.
TM: SC
V/F:   0.00 (Gothic)
a. "No" alone without meter number


 

A2. Francotyp “Cc” (MV), 1959 or earlier.  [$5]

Upright frank with simulated perforation outer border and straight line inner border.
Coat of arms at top and “NR BULGARIA” at bottom.
A. Wide spacing between TM and frank
B. Narrow spacing between TM and frank
TM: SC
V/F:  00oo
a. Printed in black


 

A3. Krag (MV).  [$15]

Upright frank with single-line border, scalloped at top and sides except in corners.
“BULGARIA/ POST” at top, and “LEVA” at bottom.
TM: SC
V/F:  0000


 

A4. Postalia “D2” (MV).  [$5]

Frank with single simulated-perforation border.
Coat of arms at top, “НР БЬЛГАРИЯ” at bottom.
TM: DC with inner circle concave at top and bottom.
V/F:  000 ЛВ

NOTE: After political changes in 1989 the small hammer and sickle appearing above the town name at the bottom of the town mark disappears.


 

A4.1. Postalia “D2” (MV).

Similar to Type A4 but with large post horn at top.
“БЬЛГАРИЯ” at bottom with no other text in the stamp.
So far seen printed only in black.
TM: DC
V/F:  000


 

A5. Postalia “D2” (MV).

Frank with double straight-line border.
“България” at top is only inscription in the frank.
TM: DC
V/F:  000


 

A6. Pitney Bowes-GB “5000” (MV).

Horizontal frank with straight-line border and inner box around value figures.
“POSTA” large at top with “NR BULGARIA” vertical at left and “НР БЬЛГАРИЯ” vertical at right.
A. Meter number breaks bottom frame lines
B. Solid bar breaks bottom frame lines
C. Bottom frame lines unbroken
TM: DC
V/F:   0.00


 

A7. “Perm” (MV).

Upright frank with eight dashes at each side.
“БЪЛГАРИЯ” at top and “ЛЕВА” at bottom.
Four wavy lines between TM and frank.
Value figures stacked, date figures vertical.
TM: BIC
V/F:  0000


 

A8. Postalia “D2” (MV).

Frank with single simulated-perforation line border.
“България” at top is the only inscription in the frank.
TM: DC
V/F:  0000


 

A9. Pitney Bowes-GB “A/B900” (MV).

“БЪПГАРCKA / ПOЩA” at top with posthorn logo to the left.
“ЛЕВА” at bottom.
Simulated-perforation line border at bottom and right.
TM: SC
V/F:   00.00




GROUP B: Frank without country inscription in frank, country name in the town mark edit


 


B1. Krag (MV).  [$20]

Upright frank completely unengraved.
Inscribed “БЪЛГАРИЯ” at bottom of SC TM.
V/F:  0000




 


B2. “Perm” (MV).

Frank consists of five stacked bars at sides with stacked value figures between.
Fixed zero at bottom.
Four wavy lines between TM and frank.
TM: BIC
V/F:  000+0








GROUP C: Frank inscribed "HPБ" edit


 
C1. “Perm” (MV).  [$10]
Frank is upright octagon with "HPБ" at top and “ЛEBА” at bottom in negative lettering.
Printed in red or black.
Ten horizontal bars at each side.
Value figures stacked, date figures vertical.
Five wavy lines between TM and frank.
TM: BIC
V/F:  000




 
C2. “Perm” (MV).  [$10]
Similar to Type B2, but with "HPБ" at top and large “леба” at bottom.
TM: BIC
V/F:  000
a. With “TAXE PERCUE” in the town mark. Although this means ‘Postage Due’, all examples seen were used to frank ordinary mail.
b. With “ РБ“ alone at top, first character missing







GROUP PO: Frank designs used only in Post Offices edit


 

PO1. Appears to be Frama "M/E" (FV), 2009.

Upright rectangle with boxed “БЪПГАРCKII / ПOЩИ” at top and meter number at bottom.
Post horn logo at bottom center.
M# at bottom flanking post horn. (The meter number prefix is obscured in the example reported.)
TM: DC
V/F:  000.00 (narrow and thick)



 


PO2. Appears to be Frama "EPS3000" (FV), 2009.

As Type PO1 but value figures are smaller and a bit more widely spaced
M# with "F22" prefix at bottom flanking post horn.
TM: DC
V/F:  00.00







GROUP PV: Stamps from public access vending machines edit


 

PV1. Unknown (FV), 1939.  [$150]

Upright rectangle with “БЬЛГАРИЯ” at top and “2 ЛEBА 2” at bottom.
Lion rampant in center.
Bi-color frank with black in the center (vertically) and red on each side.
Impression counter low between TM and frank.
TM: SC
One value only:  2




 

PV2. “Perm” (FV), 1989.  [$35]

From a machine used for franking Registered mail.
Small upright frank with straight single-line border.
Value at top above “CT” in the middle, and "ПЛАТЕНО" at bottom.
Large boxed “R” and vertical number between frank and TM.
Printed in black.
TM: SC with box around date
One value only:  5







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