stamp printers by country

C

    = Understood to be a current stamp printer.

CAMBODIA  
Country no longer exists by this name.

(See KAMPUCHEA)



CAMEROUN  
 First postage stamp issued: 1897.
No stamps appear to have been produced locally.



CANADA  
 First postage stamp issued: 1851.
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CANAL ZONE  
First postage stamp issued: 1904.
Country no longer exists by this name. See Panama.

Isthmian Canal Commission Press, [Where?].
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1906 (Overprints and surcharges) for Canal Zone.


Panama Canal Press, [Where?].
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1915 (Overprints) for Canal Zone.



CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
Country no longer exists by this name.

(See SOUTH AFRICA)



CAPE VERDE ISLANDS  
 First postage stamp issued: 1877.
No stamps appear to have been produced locally.



CAYMAN ISLANDS  
 First postage stamp issued: 1900.
No stamps appear to have been produced locally.



CENTRAL AFRICAN EMPIRE  
 First postage stamp issued: 1959.
No stamps appear to have been produced locally.



CEYLON
Country no longer exists by this name.

(See SRI LANKA)



CHAD  
 First postage stamp issued: 1959.
No stamps appear to have been produced locally.



CHILE    
 First postage stamp issued: 1853.
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CHINA  

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CHINA [TAIWAN]  
 

Cardon Enterprise Company Limited, Jaigsuybgm, Taipei
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 2003.


China Color Printing Company Inc, Hsintien
Founded: 1961.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 2003
Main printing process(es): Litho

Products produced include monthly magazines, posters, scanning for  colour separation, postage stamps, brochures and books.


China Engraving and Printing Works, Taipei.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: [when?].

The functions of the Central Engraving and Printing Plant ("the Plant") is directly supervised by the Central Bank of China ("the Bank"), specializes in the business of printing Bank notes, and may engage in the business of printing important government documents and other securities (i.e. stamps). When necessary and with the permission of the Bank, the Plant may engage in the business of printing , manufacturing ink, producing paper and printing equipment, processing used notes, and destroying worn-out notes



CHRISTMAS ISLAND  
(See AUSTRALIA)
Stamp production and promotion for Christmas Island stamps is undertaken by Australia Post, who use their own printers.



COCOS ISLAND  
 First postage stamp issued: 1963.
No stamps appear to have been produced locally.



COLOMBIA
 First postage stamp issued: 1859.
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COMOROS  
 First postage stamp issued: 1975.
No stamps appear to have been produced locally.



CONGO BRAZZAVILLE 
 First postage stamp issued: 1959.
No stamps appear to have been produced locally.



CONGO-KINSHASA
(Formerly ZAIRE)
 First postage stamp issued: 1998.
No stamps appear to have been produced locally.



COOK ISLANDS  
 First postage stamp issued: 1892.

Government Printer, Rarotonga.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1899 (Surcharges) for Cook Islands.

The Government Printer in Rarotonga mainly printed such items as a Translation of the Cook Islands Act 1915 into Rarotonga Maori (1915), Trotter's Glossary of English and Rarotongan (c.1917), and H. Bond James's Rough Notes on Rarotongan (1923).



COSTA RICA  
 First postage stamp issued: 1863.
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CROATIA  
 First postage stamp issued: 1941.
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CUBA  
 First postage stamp issued: 1855.

Cia Impresora de Cuba S.A., [Where?].
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1929 for Cuba.

Company changed its name to Cia Nacional de Artes Gráficos de Cuba in 1936 following a change of ownership

The Cuban Government Warranty Seals on cigars were once produced by Cia Impresora de Cuba S.A., a renowned engraver and printer of fine, high quality documents, so stamp production would have presented them with little difficulty.


Cia Nacional de Artes Graficos de Cuba, [Where?].
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1927 for Cuba.

Company changed its name to Cia Impresora de Cuba in 1929 following a change of ownership.


Cuban National State Printing Works.
(See entry Empresa de Correos, Prensa y Filatelia below.)


Empresa de Correos, Prensa y Filatelia, Havana.
English language translation of name: [what?].
Abbreviation known by: COPREFIL.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: [when?].
Main printing process(es): Litho,


P. Fernandez y Cia, Havana.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1936 for Cuba.


Los Talleres de Grabado en Acero y Timbre del Estado de La Habana, Havana.
English language translation of name: The Stamp Printing and Steel Engraving Plant of the Government in Havana.


National Printing Works, Havana.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1960 for Cuba.


J. L. Rodriguez, Havana.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1914 for Cuba.

Company changed its name to Cia Nacional de Artes Graficos de Cuba in 1927 following a change of ownership.



CURACAO  
 First postage stamp issued: 2011.
No stamps appear to have been produced locally.



CYPRUS  
 First postage stamp issued: 1880.

Government Printing Office, Nicosia.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1881 (Overprints); 1882 (Surcharges) for Cyprus.


Christos Papachristoforou Ltd, Nicosia.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 2005 (Vending labels) for Cyprus.

As Cyprus's main label manufacturer, they were the natural choice to print the latest vending machine labels.



CYPRUS [TURKISH CYPRIOT POST]  
 First postage stamp issued: 1974.

Devlet Basimevi, Lefkosa (Nicosia).
English language translation of name: Turkish Cypriot Government Printing House.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1991 for Cyprus [Turkish].
Main printing process(es): Litho


Halkin Sesi, Lefkosa (Nicosia).
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1975 (Surcharges) for Cyprus [Turkish].

Halkin Sesi is the oldest national daily newspaper in Northern Cyprus.


Tezel Matbaasi VE Ofset Printing House, Lefkosa (Nicosia).
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1982 for Cyprus [Turkish].
Main printing process(es): Litho

Tezel Ofset appear to be primarily book printers / publishers, based on their inclusion in Internet bibliographies. This company became involved in the printing of postage stamps when they applied to the postal administration of the Federated State of Northern Cyprus for permission to tender for contracts.

Following production of trial printings (which later leaked on to the philatelic market, upsetting the Post Office), they were accepted as a supplier.


Ticaret Matbaacilik T.A.S, Izmir.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1977 for Turkish Cypriot Posts.  
Main printing process(es): Litho   

This firm of printers is recorded in directories as being primarily a publisher.


Turk Tarih Kurumu, [where?].
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1977 for Turkish Cypriot Posts.  
Main printing process(es): Litho   

This firm of printers is recorded in directories as being primarily a publisher.



CZECH REPUBLIC  
 First postage stamp issued: 1993.

Postovni Tiskarna Cenin Praha A.S., Prague.
English language translation of name: Posal Printing House of Securities Incorporated.
Abbreviation known by: PPH, PTC Praha a.s..
Re-Formed: 1992.
Main printing process(es): Litho, gravure, recess

PTC is a specialised company focussing on the printing of postage stamps and other securities, entailing a high level of security. As of late 20011, this company prints stamps for the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Slovakia.

In late 2011, an employee of the company kindly supplied the following information "The Postal Printing House of Securities Prague, Inc. was established on 1 May 1992 to replace the Czech Post's Technical Centre of Machines. However the tradition of the printing house began already in 1952 when a dedicated printing house was established by the Ministry of Communication to print postage stamps and other products requiring a high level of protection. Since 1994 we have been among the top security printing houses. And for Slovakia we are printing postal stamps from the beginning (Postovni tiskarna cenin Praha a.s.) - nobody else."


Statni Tiskarna Cenin, Prague.
English language translation of name: State Security Printworks.
Abbreviation known by: STC.

The history of foundation of Statni tiskarna cenin, state enterprise (State Printing Works of Securities, hereinafter STC), dates back to the foundation of independent Czechoslovak Republic. It was in the interest of the state to ensure complete production of quality Czechoslovak paper currency in its own printing house. State banknote printing house was consequently built between 1924 and 1927 and in January 1928 the company started its production. Before the end of the year, it had a staff of as many as 133. And as early as in 1937, the printing house was awarded Diploma of Honour at the Paris International Exhibition of Art and Technology for the production of its Kc 1000 bank note printed after the design of Max Svabinsky.

In the period until WW2, the printing house unremittingly improved its technical equipment and was gaining extensive experience from production of paper currency. In July 1953, the bank note printing house was detached from the Czechoslovak State Bank and as a state-owned company was transferred under the authority of Ministry of Finance to produce paper currency, documents, securities, and other state-issued printed matters. Its machinery was modernized to cope with broadened product range.

An important milestone in the history of STC was the period after 1989 within which STC was extensively modernized. The goal set was to equip and furnish STC so that the level and quality of production would match state-of-the-art ones. STC currently offers its customers complete services in the field of printing arts production starting from graphic design through composition, pre-press, printing proper up to ware delivery to customer's site.

The organisation re-formed on 1 May 1992, following a transformation of the Central Postal Administration state enterprise. PTC is, in essence, the exclusive supplier of printed documents to the Post Office of the Czech Republic. At the end of August 1996, postage stamp printers PTC opened a new production line, following the investment of 22 million crowns by Canadian-based stamp printers Canadian Bank Note.


Victoria Security Printing a.s., Prague.
Abbreviation known by: VSP.
Founded: 1991.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1994 for Czech Republic.
Main printing process(es): Litho. 
Graham & Whiteside's Business Description: Commercial printing; security printing of bank notes and commercial stationery
Employees: 105

This company was a private printing house specialising in the field of valuables and advertising. They were responsible for Czech identity cards, postage stamps, plus entry cards, coupons for buses, trams and tube, cheques, certificates and food tickets. On the advertising front they printed catalogues, books and the like.

In late 2011, an employee of PTC Praha supplied the following information about VSP, which corrects the above information (which had, none the less, been supplied to your compiler by VSP): "Victoria Security Printing a.s. is not exist more than one year (bankrupt). Their machines and some staff bought company OPTYS, but they are not doing (like Victoria never did) postage stamps. They did only commercial stationery (not cards or identity cards)."
 

CZECHOSLOVAKIA  
First postage stamp issued: 1918.
Country no longer exists by this name. See Czech Republic.

Cartographic Section, Czech Army, [Where?].
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1919 for Czechoslovakia.


Czechoslovak Graphic Union, Prague.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1926 for Czechoslovakia.


Grafia, Bratislava.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: circa 1945 for Czechoslovakia.


K. Kolman, Prague.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1919 for Czechoslovakian Army in Serbia.


Makusin and Posochin, Irkutsk.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1919 for Czechoslovakian Army in Serbia.


Tiskarna Andrej, Bratislava.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1945 for Czechoslovakia.


United Czech Printing Company, Prague.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1918 for Czechoslovakia.


Wiko, Kosice.
First stamp(s) traced by compiler: 1945 for Czechoslovakia.