Basel Dove

About Basel Dove

The only stamp issued by the Canton of Basel. Featured a white dove embossed on blue and red paper, creating a tricolor effect. Designed by Melchior Berri. Only about 40,000 were printed. The Basel Dove is one of the most beautiful early stamps and the first tricolor stamp ever produced. Unused examples are worth tens of thousands of dollars. The stamp was superseded when Switzerland unified its postal system in 1850.