Principat D'andorra - Escut D'andorra (Andorra Coat-Of-Arms) Definitives

Introduction

The principality of Andorra is situated in the Pyrenees between Spain and France. The constitution of 1993 establishes the territory as a parliamentary democracy. It also establishes its co-princes, the French President and Bishop of Urgell, as its joined heads of state.

Both the French postal service, La Poste, and the Spanish postal service, Correos, operate a postal service in the principality. Carriage of mail within the principality is free. Each postal service issues stamps for Andorra that are valid for international carriage by the issuing entity. Carriage to France or Spain by those countries' postal services is treated as inland mail by the respective postal services.

Over time, both La Poste and Correos have issued stamps showing the coat-of-arms of the principality. The present coat-of-arms was adopted in 1969 and reflects the principality's history. Article 2.2 of the constitution establishes it as the official symbol of the principality, together with its flag. The official flag of the principality also has the coat-of-arms in its centre. The civil version of the flag does not have the coat-of-arms.



As aftermath of the crusades against the Cathars, a dispute arose between the Bishop of Urgell and the Count of Foix. King Pedro III of Aragón mediated between both parties. This led to the signing of the Paréage of Andorra in Lleida, on 6 September 1278. The Paréage established joined sovereignty of Roger Bernard III, Count of foix, and Pere d'Urtx, Bishop of Urgell, over the territory of Andorra.

In 1290, Roger Bernard III inherited the title of Viscount of Béarn. In the 16th. century, King Enrique III of Navarra inherited the title. He, later, became King Henry IV of France. In 1620, his son, Louis XIII, united his titles as King of Navarra that included the co-principality of Andorra with the French Crown. After the French Revolution, in 1789, the title of Prince of Andorra, passed onto the French Republic, represented by its president.

The coat-of-arms of Andorra has four quarters. Each quarter represents arms related to the historic rulers of the principality. The arms of the Bishop of Urgell make up the first quarter. These show a mitre and crozier of or against a field of gules. The arms of the County of Foix (three pales of gules in a field of or) make up the second quarter. The arms of Catalunya (four pales of gules in a field of or) make up the third quarter. Seu d'Urgell is situated in Catalunya. The arms of the Viscounts of Béarn make up the fourth quarter. These show two Betizu cattle of gules with horns and wearing a cowbell of azure in a field of or. The colours of the coat-of-arms, azure, or, and gules also make up the colours of the flag: blue, yellow, and red.

The official coat-of-arms is set against a scroll. Alternatively, it can be crowned by the lord's emblems, either a chapeau or a crown. It can have the motto "VIRTUS UNITA FORTIOR" (united value is stronger) at the foot.

1982 Correus (Spanish posts)

On 17 February 1982, Correus issued a set of seven definitives (Edifil nrs. 148 – 154) showing the official coat-of-arms. The stamps were printed in photogravure by the Spanish Fábrica Nacional de Timbre y Moneda (F.N.M.T.). The printer's inscription appears in the bottom margin of each stamp. Two further high values in a larger format were issued on 30 September 1982 (Edifil nrs. 155 – 156). These were printed in intaglio by the F.N.M.T.. The stamps are denominated in Spanish pesetas (PTA).

Paper coatings

Already in 1983, Correos re-issued the current Spanish definitives on paper with a phosphorescent coating. On 2 December 1988, Correus re-issued the 20 pta, 50 pta, and 100 pta of the Coat-of-Arms series of Andorra on phosphorescent paper.

Below image shows the stamps on both types of paper under a long-wave uv lamp (Leuchtturm / Lighthouse). The stamps on phosphorescent-coated paper show a pale-yellow fluorescent reaction.



The phosphorescent afterglow (using the same long-wave uv lamp) is deep yellow.

1988 Correus phosphorescent-coated paper issue

In addition to the re-issued values (Edifil nrs. 209 – 211), Correus also issued a 500 pta stamp (Edifil nr. 212) on phosphorescent-coated paper.

2002 Euro currency

On 1 January 1999, eleven member countries of the European Union introduced the common European currency, EURO. Both France and Spain adopted the Euro. The old national currencies were pegged to the Euro and remained in circulation until 2002. Euro coins and banknotes came into circulation on 1 January 2002.

To allow people to adapt to the new currency, dual pricing was put in place for a limited period and both the old and new currencies were legal tender. Euro coins from all countries became valid in twelve countries, as Greece also joined the group of countries that introduced the common currency. The Euro also became legal tender in some smaller territories that used the currency of member countries. Among these territories was the Principality of Andorra.

On 2 January 2002, the first business day after the introduction of the Euro, Correus issued two definitive stamps of the Escut d'Andorra design denominated in Euro (Edifil nrs. 290 – 291). The Peseta had been pegged to the Euro at a rate of 166,386 Pesetas to the Euro. The 25 and 50 cents stamps, therefore, represented values of 42 and 83 Pesetas, respectively. Contrary to what it did in Spain, Correos did not issue dual currency stamps for the Spanish posts in Andorra.

The stamps were printed in photogravure by F.N.M.T. on phosphor-coated paper. The stamps were now inscribed "correus espanyols" rather than just "correus." In the bottom margin, the printer's inscription had changed to RCM–FNMT and was preceded by the company's logo of a crowned capital "M." The letters RCM stand for Real Casa de la Moneda (Royal Mint House).



The Stamps show a deep-yellow afterglow after irradiation with a long-wave (Leuchtturm / Lighthouse) lamp.

2004 – 2007 Correus Espanyols revised design

Between 2004 and 2007, Correos, annually, issued definitive stamps for the most common tariffs (inland mail, international mail to Europe, and international mail to the rest of the world). The stamps showed the coat-of-arms of the principality in a slightly revised design. As before, the stamps were printed in gravure by the Fábrica Nacional de Timbre y Moneda on phosphor-coated paper.

2004 (2 January): € 0.27, € 0.52, € 0.77 (Edifil nrs. 312 – 314);
2005 (28 January): € 0.28, € 0.53, € 0.78 (Edifil nrs. 324 – 326);
2006 (March 1): € 0.29, € 0.57 (Edifil nrs. 335 – 336); and
2007 (January 19): € 0.30, € 0.58 (Edifil nrs. 343 – 344).

2014 Correus Espanyols sheet

On 3 February 2014, Correos issued a sheet of 25 stamps. The sheet consisted of five rows of five stamps. Each row was made up from five stamps of a single value. These stamps had basic face values of € 0.01, € 0.02, € 0.05, € 0.50, and € 1.00. There were a few changes to the design. Most notably, the inscription "correus espanyols" and the face value moved to the bottom of the design.

2016-2017 Correus Espanyols No-Value-Indicator

On 13 January 2017, the Spanish posts in Andorra issued another definitive stamp showing the coat-of-arms of the principality (Edifil nr. 439). This new design shows the coat-of-arms against a coloured background and uses another font. The stamp no longer has a face value but a tariff indicator, once again in the top right corner. The "A" tariff pays the basic rate for carriage of a letter to Spain. This is Correos' basic inland letter rate for Spain. Correos had also introduced such definitive stamps in Spain, in 2016.

The stamp was re-issued a year later, on 13 January 2018 (Edifil nr. 451). The cyan background was changed to magenta for this issue. The Spanish posts has issued a single A-tariff definitive stamp each year since 2016. "Definitive" no longer seems a correct classification for these stamps. I have seen one site classify the latest issue as a commemorative stamp. Correos, however, classifies the stamps as "serie básica."



N.B. the stamps from the 2014 sheet are Edifil nrs. 413 – 417.

The current definitives series for Andorra issued by La Poste depicts the principality's coat of arms. My recent experience with La Poste is that it is not possible to order individual sets. Last Thursday, I was in Andorra-la-Vella. As I wanted to send a few friends postcards through both offices - I hope they will tell me which arrived first - I visited both post offices.

After being sent from one counter to another at La Poste's office and standing in front of a counter left unattended for about 15 minutes, the employee blatantly refused to sell me anything but singles from the set. If I would have hung her head-under-water from a stone bridge across the Valira River, she would still have refused to sell me blocks. So, none of those to show.

I did visit the Correos office to buy stamps for my postcards. Since sending a mail to Correos' philatelic department suffices to order any format, and I had done so earlier this year, I had no need to buy blocks. Correos (Correus Espanyols) has an annual issue of the official flag of Andorra with the arms. But the service at that office was friendly and swift.

2018 Correus Espanyols No-Value-Indicator

For the time being, the Spanish post office in Andorra issued last of the coat-of-arms stamp on 12 January 2018 (Edifil nr. 464). Although Correos has issued a single stamp for its office in Andorra covering the inland 'A' tariff every year since 2017, it continues to classify them as permanent series (serie básica) stamps.

Although the layout of the stamp image remained largely unchanged, the appearance is quite different. The shield printed in yellow is set against a gradated sea-green background. The stamp has no white border. The names of the country, issuing entity, and printers are reversed out of the background. Only the logo (a crowned capital M) and name of the printers (Real Casa de la Moneda – Fabrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) have a bright blue-green outline.

Thanks for this informative thread.