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Monaco

FIRST STAMPS Sardinia 1851-60, France 1860-85.
FIRST STAMPS ISSUED 1 July 1885.

CURRENCY
1885, as France.

Independent principality on the south coast of France which has been ruled by the Grimaldi family since the 10th century. It was recognized by France in the 16th century and in 1793, during the French revolutionary wars, it was annexed by France. It was then co-ordinated into the French postal service and given a departmental number.

In 1815, after the Congress of Vienna, it was placed under the protection of Sardinia, but it became completely independent on 2 February 1861. When France gained Savoy and the Alpes Maritimes in 1858, Monaco became an enclave in French territory.

A Sardininan-style postmark was allocated to Monaco and was used on French stamps when they were first introduced. French postmarks including numeral 4222 in a lozenge of dots were introduced in September 1860. Monaco has continued to issue its own stamps since 1885 though French stamps remained valid in Monaco until 31 March 1886.