Which Country Is This Stamp From? Identifying Stamps by Inscription, Script and Clues
Most people who sort a mixed box of stamps hit the same wall within minutes: "Helvetia", "Magyar Posta", "Suomi", a line of Cyrillic, or a stamp with a portrait and no country name at all. Identifying the country is the first step in identifying any stamp, and it's mostly a matter of knowing where to look and having a decent list of inscriptions. This guide gives you a working method and a reference table of common inscriptions you'll meet in everyday mixtures.
Quick answer
- Most stamps name their country in its own language, not in English. "Helvetia" is Switzerland, "Magyar" is Hungary, "Suomi" is Finland, "Nippon" is Japan, "Sverige" is Sweden.
- Stamps of Great Britain traditionally carry no country name; the monarch's portrait or silhouette identifies them.
- Look at the currency as well as the name. A denomination in "öre", "pf", "fils" or "kr" narrows things fast.
- For non-Latin scripts, identify the script first (Cyrillic, Greek, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hebrew and so on), then use a stamp identifier reference.
- Once you know the country, use a catalog for the exact issue. Our identification and dating guide covers that step.
A five-step method
- Read every word on the stamp, including tiny print at the bottom margin (often the printer or designer's name, which you should ignore for the country).
- Find the denomination and currency. Currency names and abbreviations are some of the most useful clues.
- Identify the script if it isn't Latin.
- Look at imagery: portraits of rulers, coats of arms, maps, national symbols.
- Check a reference list or stamp identifier, then confirm in a catalog.
A handheld magnifier is essential for the small print. Browse handheld magnifiers on Amazon.
Common inscriptions in Latin script
These are inscriptions you'll meet constantly in worldwide mixtures. This is not exhaustive, and some inscriptions were used by more than one entity over time, so always confirm in a catalog.
| Inscription | Country or entity |
|---|---|
| Helvetia | Switzerland |
| Magyar, Magyar Posta, Magyarország | Hungary |
| Suomi / Finland | Finland |
| Sverige | Sweden |
| Norge, Noreg | Norway |
| Danmark | Denmark |
| Ísland | Iceland |
| Nippon | Japan (on many modern Japanese stamps, alongside Japanese script) |
| Deutsches Reich, Deutsche Bundespost, Deutschland | Germany (different periods) |
| DDR | East Germany (German Democratic Republic) |
| Österreich | Austria |
| Polska | Poland |
| Československo, Česko, Česká republika | Czechoslovakia / Czech Republic |
| Slovensko | Slovakia |
| Hrvatska | Croatia |
| Slovenija | Slovenia |
| Jugoslavija | Yugoslavia |
| România, Posta Română | Romania |
| Shqipëria | Albania |
| Eesti | Estonia |
| Latvija | Latvia |
| Lietuva | Lithuania |
| Éire | Ireland |
| España, Correos | Spain ("Correos" alone appears on stamps of several Spanish-speaking countries) |
| République Française, RF | France |
| Poste Italiane, Italia | Italy |
| Nederland | Netherlands |
| Belgique / België | Belgium |
| Hellas | Greece (also in Greek script) |
| Türkiye | Turkey |
| Brasil, Correio | Brazil |
| Bayern | Bavaria (German state, classic period) |
| Württemberg | Württemberg (German state) |
| Vaticane / Città del Vaticano | Vatican City |
| San Marino | San Marino |
Stamps with no country name
Great Britain issued the first adhesive postage stamp and, by long tradition, its stamps carry no country name. They are identified by the monarch's portrait or, on modern commemoratives, a small silhouette of the monarch's head. If you see a stamp with only a portrait and a denomination in pence or shillings, Great Britain is a strong first guess. Our Penny Black guide goes further.
Some other stamps in particular periods omitted a clear country name or used only symbols or abbreviations. If you're stuck, look at the currency, the coat of arms and the printing style, and check an identifier reference.
Non-Latin scripts
Identifying the script is the first win, because it narrows the possible countries sharply.
| Script | How to recognize it | Where you'll often see it |
|---|---|---|
| Cyrillic | Mix of Latin-like and unfamiliar letters (Б, Д, Ж, Л, П, Ф, Ц, Ш, Я) | Russia and the former USSR (CCCP = USSR), Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine, others |
| Greek | Letters like Α, Δ, Λ, Π, Σ, Ω; inscriptions such as "ΕΛΛΑΣ" | Greece, Cyprus |
| Arabic | Flowing, connected right-to-left script with dots above and below | Many countries in North Africa and the Middle East; often paired with French or English |
| Hebrew | Square, right-to-left characters | Israel (usually with Arabic and English too) |
| Chinese | Complex characters in a square grid | China, Taiwan, Hong Kong (often bilingual), historically others |
| Japanese | Chinese characters mixed with simpler kana symbols | Japan (modern issues usually add "Nippon") |
| Korean (Hangul) | Characters built from circles, lines and boxes | South Korea, North Korea |
| Thai | Rounded letters with loops and tall marks above | Thailand |
| Devanagari and other Indic scripts | Letters hanging from a horizontal top line (Devanagari) | India, Nepal, and Indian princely states |
| Amharic (Ge'ez) | Syllabic characters with small attached marks | Ethiopia |
| Georgian, Armenian | Distinctive rounded alphabets | Georgia, Armenia |
Many modern stamps from countries using non-Latin scripts also include the country name in Latin letters or French, which helps. Classic issues often don't.
Using the currency as a clue
Currency units and their abbreviations narrow the field quickly. A few examples: öre or øre points to Scandinavia; pf (pfennig) to Germany before the euro; h or heller to Austria-Hungary and successors; kop (kopek) to Russia and neighbors; fils to several Middle Eastern countries; sen to Japan or Malaysia; c or cts to many countries using cents or centimes. Currency changes also help date a stamp. Our identification and dating guide covers this.
Overprints, occupations and changing names
Some of the hardest stamps to place carry an overprint: a stamp of one country printed over with a new name, value or authority. Overprints were used for occupations, changes of government, new currencies and local provisional use. The underlying stamp tells you where it started; the overprint tells you where and how it was used. Overprints are also a favorite of forgers, so be careful with anything that looks significant; see fake overprints and surcharges.
Countries also change names and borders. A stamp inscribed for a colony, protectorate or state that no longer exists is catalogued under that historical entity or grouped with its successor, depending on the catalog.
Common mix-ups
A few inscriptions trip up almost everyone at first:
"Correos" and "Correio"
These mean "mail" in Spanish and Portuguese. They appear on stamps from many countries, so keep reading for the actual country name.
"Postage" or "Posta"
A word for mail, not a country. Many countries use it alongside their name.
Printer imprints
Tiny text at the bottom margin often names the printer or designer, sometimes a firm in another country. It isn't the issuing country.
Cyrillic look-alikes
Letters such as C, P, H and B exist in Cyrillic with different sounds. "CCCP" is USSR; "РОССИЯ" is Russia.
Colonial keyplates
Some colonial powers used one common design for many colonies, with only the colony name changing. Read the name tablet carefully.
Revenue stamps
Fiscal stamps often look like postage but are inscribed for tax, duty or documents. They're catalogued separately in many cases.
When two countries look possible, the currency, the coat of arms and the period of the design usually settle it. A clear scan posted to a collector forum or shown at a local club meeting will solve almost anything that remains.
Tools and references
- A stamp identifier booklet or reference that lists inscriptions alphabetically. Several have been published over the years and secondhand copies are common.
- A general worldwide catalog, which lists countries and their inscriptions.
- A magnifier for small print.
- A stock book to sort into once you've identified the country.
Search for identifier references: stamp identifier books on Amazon. Practice material is easy to find: worldwide stamp mixtures on eBay or used European stamp lots. For a sense of how worldwide accumulations are actually treated by buyers, look at sold worldwide albums. Our worldwide album triage guide is a good next step.
FAQ
Why doesn't my British stamp say "Great Britain"?
As the first country to issue adhesive postage stamps, Britain has by tradition omitted its name and used the monarch's image instead. This remains true on British stamps today.
What does CCCP mean on a stamp?
It's the Cyrillic abbreviation for the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The letters look like Latin C and P but are Cyrillic S and R.
A stamp says "Correos". Is it from Spain?
Not necessarily. "Correos" means "mail" in Spanish and appears on stamps of many Spanish-speaking countries. Look for the country name elsewhere on the stamp.
What if I can't find the inscription anywhere?
It could be a local issue, an overprint, a revenue stamp or a cinderella label rather than a postage stamp. Check a stamp identifier reference, then ask a local club or an online collector forum with a clear scan.
The bottom line
For most mixtures, a short list of native inscriptions, the currency, and a quick script check will place the vast majority of stamps in seconds. The rest need a reference book and some patience. Identify the country first, then the issue, then think about condition and value, in that order.