International Postage Meter Stamp Catalog/Bulgaria
Bulgaria
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”
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
- 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
- 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.
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
GROUP B: Frank without country inscription in frank, country name in the town mark
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"
- Frank is upright octagon with "HPБ" at top and “ЛEBА” at bottom in negative lettering.
- Ten horizontal bars at each side.
- Value figures stacked, date figures vertical.
- Five wavy lines between TM and frank.
- 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
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
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
- 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.