Definitives.org

Italy - A flying envelope is the new definitives issue for Italy

One of the stamps of the Italian new definitives issue

26/10/2009 - New Italian definitives issue of the the 7th of July sends priority stamps and Women In Art stamps into retirement.
Each stamp shows a flying envelope followed by a wake with the coulors of the Italian flag. On the top of the stamps there is the logo of Poste Italiane; on the bottom the name of the Country and in the middle the stamp value. Right now the values are four: 0,60 €, 1,40 €, 1,50 € e 2,00 €.
The main news is the engrave print method, not usually used for definitives stamps, and the security variable colour ink used for the drawing of the envelope; the ink becomes iridescent when observed from different angles. The use of micro-print technique is completely new for Italian stamps. Inside the rectangular coloured shapes near Poste Italiane there are eight texture lines made of the sequence "POSTE ITALIANE" in very small print.
All these features make it very difficult to forge these stamps.
The stamps are printed on white non-fluorescent paper and are self-adhesive. They are 11 die cut. They are issued in sheets of 50 stamps.