Epirus 1914 Unissued Set

Can anyone confirm why this particular set was printed but never issued? I realize that the date given by the note in Scott (1914) would indicate that it's year of production coincided with the start of WWI and the crisis in the Balkan area, but it is not necessarily the factor that prevented the use of this set.

It is a beautifully done set. The lower values are all the same design but the higher values have a central vignette with ancient Greek (?) coins and each one is different.

I have no data on how this set was printed and would also appreciate any mention of the process that other catalogues may have.

You can find (conflicting) information on these by searching for the Moschopolis issue. Some sources say they were sold in the town of Moschopolis for a few days, some sources say they were never used. I don't know the real answer.

Yvert lists them, Epirus ##13-27, and notes "sold and used in Moschopolis." Yvert says they should be perf 14.5.

[edit: here is a prior thread started by Rod with some information and more scans:
https://goscf.com/t/14134 ]

Excellent link! Now I can also, to use Rod's term, prepare a sheet with some gossip. I had no idea that they were a local issue and will have to do some checking on perfs if there was a reissue involved.

Thank you.

If they are all your stamps backroads,
you are a very lucky devil,
I am jealous.
They are beautiful stamps indeed.

Here is the information provided by the Hellas catalogue regarding the historical events around this local issue:

"Autonomous Epirus (February-November 1914). Greek populations' uprising following the withdrawal of the Greek armies from North Epirus (my note: Southern Albania) and declaration of independence of that region. Signing of the Protocol of Corfu in May 1914....according to the Protocol, North Epirus remained Albanian territory, but the region of Chimarra was granted a number of privileges, while the prefectures of Korytsa and Argyrokastron ended up with significant autonomy."

This is the time during which the 2 general validity definitive series (the "Infantrymen" and the "Flags") were issued and placed officially on sale by the Provisional Government of Argyrokastron. Moreover, the authorities of the revolted regions proceeded to the printing of several local official issues - but also unofficial ones under circumstances that have not been determined". The Moschopolis issue in question is labelled as an unofficial issue.

"The printing of the stamps was executed by means of a relief printing process and the paper employed was either laid in the case of the lepta values or wove in the case of the drachma values".

Thank you for that.

And a map of Epirus and its subdivisions during those turbulent times:



1. The Greek part of Epirus.
2. Autonomous Epirus 1914, as per the provisions of the Protocol of Corfu.
3. The Albanian part of Epirus.

In the green rectangle the town of Moschopolis.

It's just after 7 A.M., I have my morning coffee beside me, and there is a nice surprise waiting on SCF. What could be better?

That's wonderful information, Vasia. Thank you very much for all the detail. Despite the odd history for this set, it is one that I very much admire. And yes, Rod, it is mine. Again, one of those happy surprises found in an accumulation a few years back.

Yes great information, very helpful,
what would the scale be of that map?
How far Moschopolis to the coast, horiz?

Thank you for the information and map Vasia. When I get home I will have to pull out my small gathering of Epirus stamps.

I am glad that the info was useful.

Rod, I don't know the scale of that map. However, the distance between Voskopoje (present-day Moschopolis) and the port of Vlore (Avlonas in Greek, almost horizontally across Moschopolis by the sea, in area 3 of the map) is 95 kilometers (around 112 actual road distance).

Thanks Vasia, I had judged 150
I have a big Globe on my stamp desk,
but this part of Albania is a pin prick on that.
I travel 120Km to work and back each day. :)

No Voskopoje in my Registration Labels collection. :(