Description: This philatelic item is a specialized compulsory postal tax stamp from Greece, issued to aid the victims of a devastating seismic event. Lithographed in a somber dark slate green and grey color palette, the detailed engraving illustrates the immediate terror of structural failure. The graphic focal point captures the ornate Venetian-style bell tower of the Church of Phaneromeni in Zakynthos tilting precariously at a severe angle as the masonry actively crumbles. The background features a dramatic sky filled with smoke and dust plumes rising over a distant harbor shoreline. The bold heading "ΕΛΛΑΣ" (Hellas) is positioned cleanly across the top border, while the face value is designated as "ΔΡΧ 300" (Drachmai) over the lower right corner. The lower margin contains the Greek inscription "ΕΝΣΗΜΟΝ ΣΕΙΣΜΟΠΛΗΚΤΩΝ", identifying it clearly as a designated fund stamp for those impacted by the earthquake.
Circa: 1953
Condition: Used - Hinged
Notes:
This stamp was part of a rapid, two-stamp relief set created directly in response to the Great Ionian Earthquake of August 1953, which completely leveled thousands of buildings across the islands of Kefalonia, Zakynthos, and Ithaca. The specific church depicted in the engraving, Phaneromeni, was completely destroyed by the initial shock and the intense urban fires that ravaged the island immediately following the tremors. For a considerable time after the tragedy, the use of these stamps was strictly compulsory on all domestic letters, meaning mail could not be sent within Greece unless this extra tax was paid to help finance humanitarian housing reconstruction.