Special Vatican stamps sold out

Hundreds of thousands of special stamps issued to mark the period between Pope John Paul II’s death and the election of his successor have sold out, the Vatican post office said today.

The last stamps were sold on Saturday afternoon, the Vatican post office said, just five days after they went on sale and two days before the beginning of the conclave to elect a new Pope.

Stamp collectors and pilgrims had turned out in droves at Vatican post offices around St Peter’s Basilica to snap up the stamps, which remain valid until the new head of the Roman Catholic Church is elected.

The stamps include a traditional image used by the Vatican in official documents in periods between Popes – two crossed keys, but no Papal headgear. The image on Vatican stamps issued while a Pope is alive has the keys and the headgear.

The Vatican said it had printed 700,000 of the stamps in three values: at 60c, 62c and 80c.

They carry the words “Citta del Vaticano” – Vatican City – and “Sede Vacante MMV” – Vacant See 2005 – in blue, red and green, respectively.

The Vatican post office today said it was still selling its standard issue stamps.

John Paul died on April 2 at the age of 84. The conclave to elect his successor begins today.