The “Trinacria” to “Republic,” the story in a postage stamp – The Republic

Of the road, together, they have done a lot. Because in the end, says Alberto Bolaffi, doyen of Italian collectors, newspapers and stamps “are part of the same family”. No wonder, then, that their paths will cross in the stamp dedicated to Republic on the 40th anniversary of the foundation, issued by the Ministry for Economic Development and marketed by the Italian Post with a circulation of 800,000 copies.

“it is with the birth of the Penny Black, in 1840, that the writing becomes popular, whereas before it was the preserve of the elite – says Bolaffi – For this, the stamp is the forerunner of any type of communication spread. ” It is certain that accompanied the spread of long-gazettes. “When Garibaldi came to the south, reduced postage rates for newspapers. It created the” Trinacria “, which is now the state again, along with the” 3 lire di Toscana “, the rarest stamp of Italy”. While in France, even Bolaffi says, “to prevent people to use them several times, the stamps were applied on paper of still” virgin papers “before printing”. And then they kept on their “skin”, the characters to the ink of the first page.

Here, then, that the stamp dedicated to our newspaper for the “Excellencies of the productive and economic system “bears within itself a dual reference historian. Designed by the art director of Republic , Angelo Rinaldi, depicts a detail of the first page of the first issue of January 14, 1976. While the products featured in its issuance comment illustrative bulletin is signed by Eugenio Scalfari . “The true sign was put that first page – explains Rinaldi – because the object itself, the newspaper was already brilliant for as Scalfari had thought: the fact tabloid format was, a true graphic revolution.” An essential choice “much appreciated by collectors – notes Peter La Bruna, Director of Poste Italian Philately – as evidenced by the fact that about 150 thousand specimens have already been purchased.” Philip agrees Bolaffi, at the head of the famous family group: “The secret of success of the Republic is in its immediacy.” A quality he shares, for example, with one designed by Tullio hazards on the occasion of 125 years Meyer Paediatric Hospital of Florence.

If it is true that “philately for years is interested in the world of journalism – and the first example in Italy is the stamp dedicated to the BBC in 1996 for the centenary – there is no doubt that this is a very important recognition, “emphasizes Bolaffi. “The stamp is a statue, although the paper, which becomes an ambassador for excellence in the world.” Even in the Internet age. And, as well as newspapers, even the stamps are evolving in the name of the digital. Last year, he tells La Bruna, “was issued the first stamp of Italian media, dedicated to Juventus for winning the league.” In the cartoon, a QR code with a smartphone allows to connect to the Internet and view an original movie on the Juventus team. A technological innovation that has allowed the stamp to speak a new language, without renouncing tradition.