Illustration of a historical stamp for learning, shown at screen size. Not valid for postage.
How to read it
ČESKO and SLOVENSKÁ down the two sides.
- 1ČESKO
- 2SLOVENSKÁ
- 3POŠTA
- Inscription
- POŠTA · ČESKO-SLOVENSKÁ · 25
- Meaning
- POŠTA ČESKO-SLOVENSKÁ is “Czecho-Slovak Post”: the new state of 1918.
- Issued by
- Czechoslovak Republic
- Today
- Czechia and Slovakia
- Year
- 1918. Issued December 1918.
- Made by
- Alfons Mucha (design, died 1939)
One fact
Czechoslovakia’s first stamp appeared about two months after the state was founded: Alfons Mucha’s view of Prague Castle (Hradčany).
Source and public-domain rule
Creators died more than 70 years ago. Mucha died 1939; the stamps were typographed from his drawing. Copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years, counted from 1 January of the year after death. Every named designer and engraver of the stamp died before 1 January 1956; any contributor who was never named counts as anonymous, whose term is 70 years from publication, and the stamp was published before 1956. Legal sources: Directive 2006/116/EC, Art. 1(1) life + 70 years; Art. 1(3) anonymous works 70 years from publication; Art. 7(1) comparison of terms for works from outside the EU; Art. 8 terms run from 1 January, Switzerland, Norway.
Scan: Ceskoslovensko1918hradcany25h-typeA.jpg on Wikimedia Commons (revision 1215580553), licence templates {{PD-old}}. Downloaded 2026-10-19, sha256 64524f1b9021…; cropped and cleaned for this site. Facts checked 2026-10-19 against source 1 and source 2. Research record, not legal advice; a human rights review is pending. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
