International Federation Of Philately, 100 Years

To mark the Centenary anniversary of a leading organization in the international philatelic field, Romfilatelia and the Romanian Post introduce into circulation on Thursday, February 26th this year,the postage stamp issue entitled INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF PHILATELY, 100 YEARS.

The issue, consisting of one postage stamp, one perforated souvenir sheet, a First Day Cover, in Liliput size (130 × 90 mm) and a philatelic folder with special products in limited run printing, marks a world philatelic premiere: the world’s smallest stamp.

The philatelic folder contains two pieces of great philatelic interest, in limited edition, numbered:
– the imperforated block of four stamps with tête-bêche, miniature reproductions of the first Romanian stamp, “Bull’s Head” – First issue, 27 parale.
– the second block is an adaptation of the frontispiece of the 1859 unionist newspaper “Zimbrulu and Vulturulu” on which there are displayed: a strip of five miniature stamps of the anniversary issue FIP, 100 years, replicas of the “Cap de Bour” (“Bull’s Head”) - First issue, 27 parale stamp, respectively a strip of four stamps of the anniversary issue with the same characteristics. The piece is reminiscent of the most expensive philatelic piece sold at a public auction, namely the Gazette with the above-mentioned title, cancelled with eight stamps of five parale “Porto Gazetei” from 1858.

The postage stamp, with the face value of Lei 9, concept of the designer George Ursachi, reproduces in miniature the 27-parale stamp from the First issue – “Cap de Bour”(The Bull’s Head).

The souvenir sheet of the issue, having the stamp with the face value of Lei 30, designed by Tudor Banuș, painter, engraver, book illustrator and graduate in architecture, pays tribute to the 100thanniversary of the International Federation of Philately and, indirectly, to this remarkable instrument that connects people to one another (through the post: the letter!) and fully qualifies as a cultural object when aesthetic criteria are met.

The logo of the International Federation of Philately and the logo of the Romanian Philatelic Federation are inserted on the souvenir sheet of the issue.

Founded in Paris on June 18th, 1926, the International Federation of Philately (FIP) is the world’s leading organization which coordinates and promotes philately, namely the collecting and study of stamps and postal materials. Established to promote philately, foster international friendship, and organize major competitive exhibitions, FIP has evolved from an initially European structure into a worldwide network coordinating philatelic activity at the global level.

Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, FIP brings together more than 90 national member federations worldwide, acting as the leading body of global philately and the supreme authority in defining modern philatelic disciplines.

In 2026, FIP marks a century of uninterrupted activity in support of the development of philately - often referred to as the ‘King of Hobbies’ - by strengthening competition standards and promoting specialist research.

The fundamental objectives of the FIP include:
promoting philately worldwide;
organizing international exhibitions and granting its patronage thereto;
establishing judging regulations and standards (GREX, GREV);
encouraging philatelic research and specialized literature;
supporting young philatelists through the development of the Youth Class.

The governing structure of the FIP consists of the FIP Congress – the supreme decision-making body – the Executive Committee (Board), and specialized committees for each competition class. The Congress is held biennially, usually in conjunction with a major international exhibition, and determines the strategic direction of the organization.

The FIP recognizes the following competition classes: Traditional Philately, Postal History, Aerophilately, Astrophilately, Thematic Philately, Open Class, Maximaphily, Revenue Philately, Postcards, Philatelic Literature and Youth.

Through the patronage granted to FIP World Exhibitions, International Specialized Exhibitions, and Continental Exhibitions organized via regional federations, FIP raises the competitive standard and ensures a rigorous evaluation system. Judging is conducted in accordance with the FIP regulations, and distinctions include medals (Grand Gold, Gold, Large Vermeil, etc.) as well as special prizes.

At the international level, FIP plays an essential role in:
establishing rules and regulations for the evaluation of exhibits;
coordinating relations among national philatelic organizations;
combating illegal stamp issues and counterfeiting, as well as maintaining ethical standards, in cooperation with the Universal Postal Union (UPU);
encouraging cultural exchanges through exhibitions and international collaborations.

For a philatelist, participating in an exhibition under the patronage of the FIP represents international recognition of the value of their collection, an opportunity to qualify for world exhibitions, and the consolidation of their prestige within the philatelic community.

In the modern era, FIP has expanded its activities into the broader sphere of global philatelic development. In 1990, in cooperation with the Universal Postal Union (UPU), it contributed to the establishment of the World Association for the Development of Philately (WADP), thereby strengthening efforts to promote and safeguard the field.

The anniversary year 2026 will be marked by a series of world-class exhibitions, including:
the Specialized World Exhibition DUBAI 2026 (February 4–8);
the General World Exhibition BOSTON 2026 (May 23–30);
the Specialized World Exhibition MACAO 2026 (June 26 – July 1);
the World Stamp Championship (WSC) PHILATAIPEI 2026 Specialized Exhibition (November 20–25).

We mention that within the Romanian Records Museum in Bucharest, materials produced on the occasion of philatelic exhibitions under the patronage of FIP are presented (the first being organized in Algiers in 1930).

The Museum’s collection, unique in the world, includes over 13,000 pieces: bulletins, catalogs, award lists, envelopes, stamps and postmarks, medals, plaques, badges and everything produced by the national organizing committees, as well as by the participating philatelic federations.

Over the course of a century, the FIP has constantly evolved to support collectors, researchers, and exhibition organizers, adapting to new realities, including promoting philately through digital and traditional means. Today, the International Federation of Philately is globally recognized as the leading authority in the evaluation of elite collections and in defining contemporary philatelic standards.

The philatelic folder is created into a limited run printing of 571 pieces and is equipped with the special block of four imperforated stamps with tête-bêche and the special block of nine imperforated stamps of the issue. Both philatelic pieces are numbered from 001 to 571.

Romfilatelia thanks the representatives of the Romanian Philatelic Federation, the International Federation of Philately, the Romanian Records Museum and the Stamp Factory, a branch of the Romanian Post, for their documentary support and collaboration in the development of this postage stamp issue.