Three 1925 stamps showing Prince John II, who was head of state from 1858 (when he was 18) to 1929. His reign was the second longest so far in European history - only Louis XIV of France reigned longer. Under his reign, the first Liechtenstein constitution wad promulgated in 1862. The principality left the German confederation in 1866. Soon after that the army was abolished as an unnecessary expense. Liechtenstein was neutral during WW1, though closely linked to Austria, so it suffered a temporary but devastating economic embargo after the 1918 Armistice, forcing the country to enter a monetary and customs union with Switzerland. In 1921 a second constitution made the principality a fully constitutional monarchy.
I am especially curious to see (and acquire) forerunners - Austrian stamps postmarked in Liechtenstein, as Liechtenstein itself was late to stamp production.
Later, Liechtenstein more than made up for it. And, it is responsible for my long hiatus in collecting. In 1980, I was eurailpassing and then hitching around Europe. When I got to Vaduz, the capital, I went to the postal museum and was disappointed to find only the same kinds of stamps on display as the ones I would buy in packets back home at Woolworths. That is not why I stopped collecting. You see, Liechtenstein operates on Swiss time, but the trains run on Austrian schedules. The warning sign in the train station was conveniently in German, so I missed my train to Innsbruck by exactly one hour. It was Easter Monday, a national holiday, so there was nothing to do, or more importantly, to eat, except at souvenir stands that sold chocolate and postage stamps.
Last Edit: Jan 16, 2017 12:55:21 GMT -5 by greaden: fixing spelling of the country
I collect each country, dead or alive, but focus on France, French African colonies, older German area, allegorical men, carnivorous plants, Vikings, rock art, engraved pictorials.
Here is a Liechtenstein forerunner: Austria 24 postmarked in Vaduz after 1863 but while Liechtenstein was still part of the German Confederation:
I collect each country, dead or alive, but focus on France, French African colonies, older German area, allegorical men, carnivorous plants, Vikings, rock art, engraved pictorials.
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