Norway

Still ruled by Sweden, Norway issued its first stamp in 1855, illustrating its coat of arms. Norway’s post horn design is the oldest in the world still in use today. It appeared for the first time in 1872 on a set of six stamps. Other symbols on the stamps – wings and wheels – represented speed and railways carrying the mail. (These stamps had a post horn watermark.) During the German occupation of World War II, Norway’s collaborationist government printed post horn stamps with a black “V” for victory. In London, the government-in-exile printed stamps for use by the Royal Norwegian Navy and Merchant Marine ships. Stamps are inscribed either Norge or Noreg, both Norwegian for Norway.