Samos

Samos, or ΣΑΜΟΥ, is an island in the Aegean Sea.

Before the First Balkan War, Samos was a semi-independent country within the Ottoman Empire.  File:Samos 10L map.jpg|1912 10L map on small piece File:Samos Hermes.jpg|1912 5L value File:Samos church fort.jpg|1913 2L church and fort (red control initials) File:Samos 1915 Hermes.jpg|1915 10L script overprint 
 * Before that war, international mail went via the Turkish post and Austrian and French post offices abroad.
 * As a kingdom, it had two unissued series and a 1903 issue inscribed ΗΓΕΜΟΝΙΑ ΤΗΣΣΑΜΟΥ.
 * In November 1912, it declared itself part of Greece.
 * Its 1912 issue showed a map of the island and was inscribed ΠΡΟΣΡΙΝΟΝ ΤΑΧΥΔΡΟΜΕΙΟΝ and ΣΑΜΟΥ. There are forgeries.
 * Also in 1912, an issue with a Hermes head followed, similarly inscribed, then overprinted ΕΛΛΑΣ in block letters.
 * In 1913, a design showing a church and fort was issued with small manuscript initials added as a control. They also exist without the mark. Forgeries exist of both types.
 * In 1914, the Hermes heads were again overprinted ΕΛΛΑΣ in smaller serifed letters.
 * In 1915, the 1912 overprints were further overprinted in red or black Greek script in a half-round shape. Some of the 1 drachma values were surcharged to become 1 lepton stamps. These have an embossed control mark.
 * Also in 1915, the church and fort issue of 1913 was overprinted diagonally with the same script inscription. These also have an embossed control mark.
 * Thereafter, Grek stamps were used on the island.

[[Category:S]] [[Category:Greece]