A story of artistry, innovation, and a white dove that flew into history.

A Stamp Like No Other

Issued on July 1, 1845, by the Swiss canton of Basel, the Basel Dove is celebrated as the world’s first tricolor postage stamp. Designed by renowned architect Melchior Berri, the stamp features a striking white embossed dove carrying a letter, set against a vivid palette of black, crimson, and blue.

Though tiny in size, its impact on philately was massive. It was not just a way to pay for postage—it was a visual declaration of elegance, identity, and progress.

Beauty Meets Innovation

The dove wasn’t chosen by accident. Inspired by Basel’s mailboxes, the image symbolizes peace, communication, and the trusted bond between sender and recipient. But its innovation ran deeper than design:

The embossed printing technique gave the dove a raised, tactile form: making forgery more difficult and artistry more pronounced.
It was a technological leap: the first time three colors were combined on a single adhesive stamp.

With just 41,480 copies printed, and valid until September 30, 1854, the Basel Dove quickly became one of the most sought-after and iconic stamps in history.

Swiss Postal Identity

In the mid-1800s, Switzerland wasn’t unified under a single postal system. Each canton managed its own mail, and the Basel Dove was the only stamp ever issued by the Basel canton.

By the time Switzerland moved toward federal postal unification in 1849–50, the Dove was already a symbol of pre-federal Swiss independence, a final, beautiful relic from a time when regions wrote their own rules and mailed their own messages.

Rarity & Value Today

Collectors around the world consider the Basel Dove a crown jewel. Its rarity, craftsmanship, and historical context give it enduring appeal:

Used examples on cover are exceptionally scarce. Only a few wide-margin covers have surfaced, with some auctioned between CHF 20,000 and 30,000.
A pristine 1846 folded letter with a Basel Dove and red postmark, auctioned by Schwarzenbach in Zurich, fetched CHF 20,000.
At the high end, certain specimens—especially in mint condition—can reach far greater prices.

Why the Basel Dove Still Captivates

Artistic First: The first tricolor stamp ever issued fusing color and embossing with purpose.
Symbolic Design: A dove with a letter, a peaceful emblem of trust and communication.
Postal Transition: A tangible link to Switzerland’s pre-federal postal independence.
Collector’s Gem: Rare, elegant, and deeply rooted in postal and artistic history.

Basel Dove Today & Its Legacy

In 2020, to mark its 175th anniversary, Swiss Post released a modern reinterpretation of the Basel Dove, paying homage to a design that changed the world of mail forever.

Collectors can still view original Basel Doves at auctions, museums, and in the hands of devoted philatelists. Though over 175 years old, it remains a timeless piece of postal art.

Why We’re Sharing This at Lettre

At Lettre, we believe that stamps are more than postage: they are tiny time machines, carrying the art, politics, and poetry of the past from hand to hand. The Basel Dove represents everything we stand for: meaningful communication, beautiful design, and the enduring power of the written word.

We don’t just collect letters, we preserve the feeling behind them.

And every time you send or receive a Lettre, you become part of that story.

Final Thoughts

The Basel Dove is proof that even the smallest things: a 2.5cm stamp can leave a lasting mark. It was ahead of its time in both function and form, and it continues to inspire letter writers, designers, and collectors to this day.

Let its wings remind us:

Elegance lives in detail. Meaning lives in the message.

The Basel Dove: Pioneering Postal Elegance