First Vatican City
Air Mail Stamps Issued

First Vatican Air Mail Stamps Scott C1-C8 (1938) On June 22, 1938, Vatican City issued its first air mail stamps. The eight-stamp set consists of four images: the statue of Saint Peter (Scott C1 and C5), the dove of Peace over the Vatican (Scott C2 and C6), Elijah's ascent into Heaven (Scott C3 and C7), and Our Lady of Loreto and the angels moving the Holy House (Scott C4 and C8). Vatican City did not issue another set of air mail stamps until 1947. Over the 54 years that airmail stamps were issued, the Vatican released a total of 95 airmail stamps, distinguished from regular issue stamps by the label Posta Aerea Vaticana or Posta Aerea Citta Del Vaticano (found on the air mail issue of 1949, Scott C18-C19). A number of themes are included in the issues over the years, including images of the archangels Raphael and Gabriel, scenes from Rome and the Vatican (such as the Dome of Saint Peter's Basilica and the Obelisks of Rome), images of modern transport and communications (jet over Saint Peter's and radio towers) and the evangelists (Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). The vast majority of the later airmail issues commemorate the travels of Pope John Paul II. In fact, from 1980 (Scott C66) through 1992 (Scott C95), 28 of the final 30 airmail stamps depict images of the Pope's worldwide travels. The last airmail stamps issued by Vatican City were Scott C92 to C95, released on November 24, 1992: Last Vatican Air Mail Stamps Scott C92-C95 (1992) An excellent reference regarding airmail service and postal history of Vatican City air mail was presented in a series of three articles appearing in Vatican Notes from 2018 to 2020 entitled The Development of Vatican City Airmail by VPS member Antonio Maria Rabasca. The articles are referenced below and can be accessed by clicking on the link for each part of the series. REFERENCES: Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalog, 2019 Antonio Maria Rabasca, The Development of Vatican City Airmail: Vatican Notes, Volume 66, Issue 378, pp. 20-30, 2018, Part I Vatican Notes, Volume 67, Issue 381, pp. 20-39, 2019, Part II Vatican Notes, Volume 68, Issue 385, pp. 10-31, 2020, Part III