ITALY 1997

Italy 1997 stamps, available worldwide from Io Collezionista. On 12 January 1997, the year these Italian Republic stamps were issued, the Pendolino ETR.460 train, which had left Milano Centrale station at 12:55 bound for Roma Termini, suddenly derailed near Piacenza at around 13.26. Senator Francesco Cossiga was among those travelling on board. The final toll was 8 dead and 36 injured, and the cause of the accident was attributed to the excessive speed of the train on the stretch where the derailment occurred, 55 km/h above the maximum permitted. Among the more interesting issues offered by Io Collezionista are 4 stamps of 4000 Lire from 1997 dedicated to the Viareggio prize. The main Stamps category also holds other subcategories devoted to specific historical periods, such as Italian States stamps and Italian Colonies stamps.