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Royal Wedding of Prince Umberto II and Princess Marie-José - 20 centesimo

This bright red semi-postal stamp was issued in 1930 to commemorate the royal wedding of Crown Prince Umberto of Savoy (later King Umberto II of Italy) and Princess Marie-José of Belgium, which took place on January 8, 1930 ("VIII Gennaio MCMXXX"). Originally a special Italian charity issue for the Italian Red Cross ("Pro Croce Rossa"), the stock was overprinted "SOMALIA ITALIANA" for official postal use within the East African territory. The elegant central design features the overlapping profiles of the royal couple, flanked by the royal coat of arms of the Kingdom of Belgium on the left and the shield of the House of Savoy on the right. This issue paired a celebration of dynastic alliance with a postal surcharge destinados to fund colonial public health and humanitarian programs.