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Liechtenstein

CURRENCY
1912, 100 heller = 1 krone.
1921, 100 rappen = 1 franc Swiss.

Before 1850
Principality in Western Europe between Austria and Switzerland. As early as the 15th century it was on the mail route between Milan and Lindau and two postal stations were established, one at Balzers and the other at Schaan. The Austro-Hungarian government organized a state post in Tyrol and Vorarlburg in 1770, and an Austrian collecting office was opened at Baizers in 1819. However, this was closed after two years, owing to the competition with the carriers on the Milan route, who claimed a monopoly. Following a loss in importance of that service, the Austrian service was reopened at Balzers on 1 January 1827 and a second office was opened at Vaduz in 1845.

1850-71

FIRST STAMPS Austria 1850-1912.

Austrian stamps were issued on 1 June 1850 and were immediately valid for postage in the principality. Availability increased the number of letters being written and further POs were opened at Nendeln in 1864 and Schaan in 1872.

1871-1914

FIRST STAMPS ISSUED 1 February 1912.

Further offices apart from the four which existed were opened at Triersena in 1890 and at Eschen in March 1912. At this time the office in Nendein was closed.

First stamps were in designs and values stipulated by the Austrian government and showed a similar size and sheet layout to the existing Austrian adhesives. The values and colours used for the first three stamps were those stipulated by the UPU (5 heller, green; 10 heller, red; 25 heller, blue).

1914-18
Links with Austria were an embarrassment to the principality, especially in World War I, and the need to follow the increases in the Austrian postage rates led to problems in 1915. Although technically involved with Austria in the war, Liechtenstein took no open part and as it was not a fighting area managed to remain aloof.

1918 to date
With the collapse of the Habsburg Empire in 1918, the principality took over its own postal affairs. Austrian stamps became officially invalid from 1 March 1920. From July 1920 the principality began to issue its own adhesives and this has continued ever since. In the same year Liechtenstein became an independent postal administration within the postal territory of Switzerland. Under this agreement the principality continues to issue its own stamps but Swiss postal regulations apply. Liechtenstein was neutral during World War II.