Stamps of Switzerland: Charity Stamps (1911)

This article is taken from an article about the establishment of charity stamps in Switzerland.
The Postage Stamp” says a novelty in the way of Charity stamps were introduced by the Swiss Federal Council when the new postal law came into force on January 1, 1911. Under this law, approved charitable institutions will be allowed to frank a stipulated quantity of postal matter each year without any charge. To regulate the use of this privilege the Swiss authorities have prepared special stamps, using the design by M. C. L’Eplattenier, recently adopted for the postage due stamps. This design has been printed on blue-grey paper in the denominations of 2, 5 and 10 centimes, 1,600,000 of each being printed as a commencement. These stamps bear in the value tablet the letters “P. P.” (port payé) at either side of the numeral thus :-
P
2
P

The stamps will be doled out to the various societies in quantities to be regulated within limits fixed annually, and are only for the use of the particular societies on their own postal matter. Collectors, however, will be supplied with obliterated copies, at the nominal face value, by the considerate Swiss Post Office Department. It is clearly not the present intention to allow them to be trafficked in the unused condition.

For information on early charity issues, see:
http://www.stamp-collecting-world.com/swissstamps_juventutea.html.