Péter Pázmány

In 1938, the postal administration issued a six-denomination commemorative set to mark the 400th anniversary of the Debrecen College. The set recalls the history of the college and the university, as well as two of its noted rectors.

Péter Pázmány (1570–1637), Archbishop of Esztergom, was a leading figure of Hungarian Baroque literature and of the Catholic renewal. Through his sermons, polemical writings and theological works, he contributed not only to the strengthening of Catholicism but also had a major influence on the development of Hungarian prose.

In 1635 he founded the University of Nagyszombat, one of the most important milestones in the history of Hungarian higher education. It initially opened with faculties of philosophy and theology and was later expanded with faculties of law and medicine. The university moved to Buda in 1777 and then to Pest in 1784, from which it developed into today’s Eötvös Loránd University and Semmelweis University. Pázmány Péter Catholic University carries on the spirit of its namesake.

Pázmány’s aim was to provide Hungarian youth with high-quality education at home so that they would not have to go abroad to study.

At the proposal of the University of Budapest, the postal administration issued a six-denomination commemorative stamp set for the 300th anniversary of the university’s foundation. The 6-, 16- and 20-fillér designs, based on a contemporary drawing by György Szelepcsényi, Archbishop of Esztergom, were created by Ferenc Helbing; the 10-, 32- and 40-fillér values, after a painting by János Temple, were designed by Sándor Légrády.

Designers

• Ferenc Helbing (6, 16, 20 fillér)
• Sándor Légrády (10, 32, 40 fillér)

Date of issue

25 September 1935. The set was sold by all state post offices and also by the postmaster-operated offices at Berettyóújfalu, Szikszó, Mátészalka, Csorna, Győrszentmárton and Zirc. Sales were limited to one set per customer, while the 10- and 20-fillér denominations could be purchased without restriction.

Withdrawn from sale

31 March 1936.

Quantity issued

imperforate (set): 900

Printing

• single-colour photogravure, printed by the State Printing House
• issued in sheets of 100 stamps
• The 6-, 16- and 20-fillér denominations are vertical rectangles with a design size of 22 × 29 mm. The 10-, 32- and 40-fillér denominations are horizontal rectangles with a design size of 30 × 25 mm.

Paper

• No. III, 42 × 60 cm, white, lightly sized, wood-free paper, thickness: 0.08 mm
• Watermark: IX, free-standing double cross
• Watermark positions for the 6-, 16- and 20-fillér denominations: IX/B 1 and 2; for the 10-, 32- and 40-fillér denominations: IX/A 1 and 2

Perforation

• 6-, 16- and 20-fillér denominations: comb perf. 12½ : 12; 10-, 32- and 40-fillér denominations: comb perf. 12 : 12½.
• Stamp size to the perforations: 26 × 33 mm for the 6-, 16- and 20-fillér denominations, and 35.5 × 30 mm for the 10-, 32- and 40-fillér denominations.

Stamps of the issue

The value of hinged mint stamps is approximately 40–50% of the unmounted-mint value. The prices shown are estimates; actual prices may differ.

Errors, printing flaws and other varieties:

Plate flaws:

• On the 6-fillér denomination, a line may appear below the word “PETRUS”.
• Beside position 60 of the 10-fillér denomination, a 1 mm wide and 7 mm long fragment of the stamp design is printed in the sheet margin,
  • position 84 has a comma on the letter “O”,
  • position 91 has a dot below the first “A”,
  • position 92 has a spur below the numeral “1”.
• On the 32-fillér denomination, the screened background above the second “A” may show retouching,
  • at position 18, an arrow follows the inscription “MAGYARORSZÁG”, its shaft extending onto position 19,
  • positions 69 and 79 show so-called hidden crosses above the left-hand numeral.

Gallery

Source: Bélyegbarát