Post Horn Stamps of Hungary

This page features my post horn stamps of Hungary. Post horns are small brass instruments that were used to sound the arrival (and departure) of mail service until the early twentieth century. Due to this, the instrument has become an international symbol of postal service and appears on logos, uniforms, and postage stamps from around the world. Make sure to check out my blog post about post horns to learn more.

This blog post features my collection of Hungarian post horn stamps. The country has a postal history that begins when it was still a part of the Austrian Empire in 1850. Then, in 1867, Hungary gained a measure of self-determination and the Austro-Hungarian Empire was born. Soon after, the very first postage stamps that were solely from Hungary were issued in 1871. Read more here.

Nineteenth Century Stamps

In that very first year, 1871, the country issued a Newspaper stamp that featured a post horn. The stamp is printed in brick red on a lighter white or gray background. It features a decorative frame with a cutout circle in the middle. In this circle is the Hungary crown on top of a post horn that has its mouthpiece pointing to the right.

In 1872, a slightly revised version of the stamp was released, on which the post horn was reversed, with the mouthpiece pointing to the left. The reversal of the horn is the main way to date these two early Hungarian postage stamps.

Post Horn and Envelopes

A number of definitive postage stamps issued by Hungary at the end of the 19th century feature post horns among other symbols. The above 1881 stamp is one of a series that features the crown of St. Stephen’s, the back of a letter on which is printed the denomination, and a post horn. Each of the stamps is monochromatically printed. Check out this helpful blog about the Hungarian stamps of this period.

Post Horns and St. Stephen’s Crown

In 1888, the stamps were redesigned and a new series that featured 14 of the so-called St. Stephen’s crown stamps, also with a post horn, were issued in denominations from 1k to 3 forints. I have five of this set. Four of the lower denominations are shown above.

I also have one of the larger denominations, the 1 forint. Notice that on this stamp (and the 3 forint) the denomination is in red in the middle of the stamp, not black like the lower denominations.

Twentieth Century Stamps

The post horn was a regular motif on all types of Hungarian postage stamps in the twentieth century. You can see below a couple of different designs including a 1941 postage due set of stamps.

More Postage Due Stamps

In 1951, Hungary issued what is admittedly a series of rather unexciting postage stamps. The stamps are postage due stamps that basically feature in large numerals the denomination of the stamp. Written on the sides are “MAGYAR POSTA” (Hungarian post). Above the denomination on each stamp is a small post horn. As if this wasn’t plain enough, the stamps were issued all in the same rather drab brown.

A Post Rider!

The 1955 stamp featuring a post rider playing a post horn is probably my favorite Hungarian post horn stamp. I love these stamps, check out my collection here.

And Yet More Postage Due Stamps

Another set of postage due stamps was issued in 1958. These were an improvement over the drab brown, appearing in red with a more ornate decoration. The tiny post horn remains at the bottom of the stamps.

Special Event Stamps

The next stamps are rather unusual (I was confused at first). Though the stamps are from Hungary, they pay tribute to a meeting in East Berlin in 1959. The event was the conference of Postal Ministers of Communist Countries.

Then, In 1963, Hungary hosted the same conference of postal ministers. To commemorate this meeting, establishing cooperation in the mail services across these international borders, Hungary issued a set of stamps. The stamps were unusual, featuring a so-called “stamp on stamp” design, with each small stamp from a communist country (the one above features Albania). On the outside of the stamp can be seen a post horn (representing the mail service) and towers (representing broadcasting). I have an entire set of the 1963 stamps and you can read about these issues here.

Finally, I have another postage due stamp that was issued in 1969.

1971 Stamps on Stamps

The final Hungarian post horn stamps in my collection were made in 1971 and commemorate the 44th stamp day. They each feature a historic stamp on a new issue. The larger stamp has a post horn with a flower.