This sub-page of the franking section of the site gathers objects which are franked with stamps coming from the Definitive Series, with value in Italian Lire issued from 1945 to 2001.
A definitive series is recognized by these two main features:
– a very high number of printed stamps (the total is unknown for most of definitive series, not planned at the moment of issue),
– the absence of an initially planned expiry date for the stamps: before 1967 commemorative stamps were valid for the year of issue and for the following, while definitive stamps did not have this limitation.
In the list below, only the Definitive Series fulfilling the two above criteria are mentioned. There are also other series that were printed in higher quantities than the average commemorative stamps, hence a wider use, nevertheless they are not Definitive Series. In particular, the number of printed copies was decided at the moment of issue and there were no subsequent re-prints: sometimes catalogues refer to these stamps as “semi-ordinary stamps”; in this website they are listed among the commemorative stamps.
– Democratic (also known as “Democracy”, Democratica),
– Italy at Work (Italia al Lavoro),
– Coin of Syracuse (Siracusana, aka Italia Turrita),
– Saint George (San Giorgio),
– Michelangelo’s paintings (Michelangiolesca),
– High values (Alti Valori),
– Italian Castles (Castelli d’Italia),
– Women in Art (Donne nell’Arte),
– Priority Mail (Posta Prioritaria);