A Postage Stamp Commemorating the World Bank


NUMBER 076
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 2011




                         January 2016
The World Bank Group Archives Exhibit Series contains exhibits originally
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These exhibits, authored by World Bank archivists, highlight key events,
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A Postage Stamp Commemorating the World Bank

On December 9, 1960, a United Nations
commemorative stamp honoring the
International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD) was issued. The
stamp was designed by Angel Medina, a
noted stamp designer from Uruguay. It was
printed in sheets of 50 of both 4 cents and 8
cents denominations by the Government
Printing Bureau, Tokyo, Japan in quantities
of 3,000,000 and 2,750,000 respectively.
The 4 cents denomination was
predominantly pale blue with dark green
with the 8 cents denomination was
predominantly orange with light olive green,
blue and brown. The UN seal was
represented at the top and the text for
“International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development� wrapped around the side and
top edges.

The IBRD stamp was announced to staff of             From International Bank Notes -
                                                        December 1960 - Page 20
the World Bank in the December 1960 issue
of International Bank Notes, an internal
newsletter that was circulated to all staff on a monthly basis.
The proposal for stamps issued by the United Nations was first communicated in
1947, by Argentina. On October 24, 1951, the first United Nations
commemorative stamp was issued as the result of an agreement concluded with
the United States postal authorities in 1951. The first UN stamp was dedicated
to the peoples of the world and sold for one cent. In the beginning, the UN
stamps were only denominated in United States dollars for use exclusively at
United Nations Headquarters in New York. Similar agreements were later
reached with the Swiss authorities in 1968 and with the Austrian authorities in
1979.

The United Nations is unique as it is the only organization that can do so, even
though it is neither a country nor a territory. Today the United Nations Postal
Administration (UNPA) is the only postal authority that issues stamps in three
different currencies: U.S. dollars, Swiss francs and euros. The stamps may be
used for postage when used on mail sent from the United Nations offices in New
York, Geneva or Vienna.
Usually six new commemorative issues are released each year and remain on
sale for 12 months only. After that date, any remaining stocks are destroyed.
Commemorative stamps are so named because they commemorate a certain
theme. They are never reprinted, even if they are sold out before the end of the
12-month sale period. Over the years the stamps have displayed an enormous
variety of styles and designs. In addition, the works of the world's great artists,
such as Marc Chagall (France), Friedensreich Hundertwasser (Austria), Hans
Erni (Switzerland), Vincent Van Gogh (Netherlands), Paul Klee (Germany) and
Peter Max (U.S.A.) are also depicted on United Nations stamps.