Show strange laws control postage stamp designs predicaments often faced many unusual and humorous regulations ions govern the use and issue of postage stamps throughout the world in the united states any person while alive cannot be depicted on american stamps states a writer in the philadelphia inquirer several years ago a member of the british house of lords suggested that the portrait of king george on british stamps be substituted with views of english scenery the dignified listeners were shocked to remove the kings portrait was considered an insult the suggesting member sat down in disgrace britaina Brit ains custom has been to reproduce only the likeness of the ruler on every postage stamp in rumania king carol in the midst of important governmental discussions ordered the postmaster general of his country to make certain that whenever a cancellation is is applied to a stamp bearing the kings picture it must be applied lightly so as not to deface the por trait the negro reau republic bl ic of haiti issued a set of stamps in 1887 with a portrait honoring president salomon time afterward an MO n A short uprising forced salomon to flee to cuba in peril of his life the new party in power was a at t a loss for different postage stamps on hand were those the only type bearing the deposed rulers portrait little mone money y in the As the there le was haitian treasury to purchase new stamps the old ones were ordered used but one restriction governed the use of the stamps they must be placed upside down ol 01 every letter package or mailing piece if the stamp was placed upright the receiver had to pay double postage as the government believed that stamps in such a position honored a man who no longer ruled and therefore such stamps had no value unless they were placed upside down this condition applied until haiti was able to obtain new stamps afghanistan issued the most grotesque stamps of all time in the years 1870 to 1891 each issue was printed in black the deepness of the color made it impossible for the postal employees to determine the condition of the stamp as the canceling ink was barely visible the stamps were cancelled thereafter by tearing a piece from them when mailed |