THE ANCIENT ITALIAN STATES

by D&D Italia

 

THE GRAND DUCHY OF TUSCANY, part one.

 

HISTORY : In Tuscany the Medicean dynasty extinguished in the 1737. The European powers gave the Grand Duchy to Francis Stephen of Lorena, husband of Maria Teresa of Austria. The Lorena were outcast by the French in the 1799, but they returned in the 1815.

In 1851, Tuscany's Grand Duchy included Florence, Siena, Arezzo, Grosseto, Pisa, Livorno and Elba island; Grand Duke was Leopoldo II of Lorena.

In April 27 1859, during the second war of independence waved in Florence the Italian tricolor; the Grand Duke left Florence and a Provisional Governement was established.

Baron Bettino Ricasoli made vote the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy in March, 1860.

STAMPS : Currency was Tuscany Lira made of 12 Crazie, made of 20 Soldi, made of 60 Quattrini. From 1st of november 1859, currency was italian Lira made of 100 centesimi
Tuscany stamps are a safe buy because they all have watermarks. On full sheet you found 2 different watermarks."Crown and straight lines" and "Waves Lines"





Below some scans from our collection. On first line you have "Waves lines" watermark; on second line of 3 stamps you can see "Crown and straight lines" watermark.

A little tip : in Tuscany stamps, distance between stamps was only around 2/3 of millimetre on the flat side and 3/4 of millimetre on the vertical side, so is not easy to find stamps with good margins.

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