Iran, 200 Different Stamps

Iran has one of the most dramatic and varied philatelic histories in the world, and this collection of 200 different stamps tells much of that story. The stamps shown here offer a glimpse of the range — from the imperial era under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, whose portrait appeared on Iranian stamps for decades, to the Islamic Republic stamps that replaced them after the 1979 revolution. The Lion and Sun, a symbol of the Persian monarchy used on Iranian stamps for generations, gave way almost overnight to new imagery reflecting the revolutionary government's ideology. Few countries offer such a sharp before-and-after contrast in their stamp issues, all within a relatively short span of years.

Persia, as Iran was known in the West until 1935, issued its first stamps in 1868 under Naser al-Din Shah and quickly developed a rich tradition of portrait and pictorial issues. The country's stamps have reflected its turbulent modern history at every turn — constitutional revolution, foreign occupation during two world wars, the nationalization of the oil industry under Prime Minister Mosaddegh in 1951, the Shah's White Revolution modernization program of the 1960s, and finally the 1979 Islamic Revolution that transformed the country entirely. Each era left its mark on the stamps of the period.

This collection of 200 different stamps is a rewarding way to explore one of the Middle East's most fascinating philatelic traditions. It is a natural starting point for anyone interested in building a specialized Iran or Persia collection, and a strong addition to any worldwide accumulation.