A special stamp to celebrate the centenary of the Maserati Trident

The presentation ceremony and philatelic cancellation of nine ordinary stamps took place in Rome. These stamps belong to the thematic series “The Excellence of the Production and Economic System” and are dedicated to as many historic Italian brands. Among them is the Maserati Brand, which this year celebrates the first one hundred years of its iconic logo, the Trident, as well as its first victory in a sporting competition: the legendary Targa Florio. In addition, this year Maserati marks 112 years since its founding, a milestone that makes it the longest-standing brand in Italy’s Motor Valley.

Hosted in the Sala degli Arazzi at Palazzo Piacentini, headquarters of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, the event took place in the presence of the Chief of Staff, Federico Eichberg, the Undersecretary of State with responsibility for Philately, Fausta Bergamotto; delegations representing the participating brands; and the COO of Maserati and CEO of Alfa Romeo, Santo Ficili.

Santo Ficili, COO of Maserati and CEO of Alfa Romeo, stated: “This special stamp celebrates not only the centenary of the Trident, but also the beginning of an extraordinary, entirely Italian story, in which innovation born on the track has been transformed into excellence on roads around the world. Even today, Maserati creations continue to set a global benchmark, thanks to a distinctive design, cutting-edge technology, and authentic exclusivity. On this historic milestone, I would like to thank the women and men of Maserati, our dealer network, our customers, and all stakeholders who contribute every day to the Brand’s growth in over 70 international markets. Together, we look to the future with renewed confidence and with the same Italian pride that has distinguished us for more than a century”.

The Trident is celebrated in a refined philatelic miniature

The stamp dedicated to the Trident is a refined work of art in miniature, whose graphic design was created by the Maserati Centro Stile and optimized by the Centro Filatelico dell’Officina Carte Valori e Produzioni Tradizionali dell’Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato.

In detail, the vignette features the current Trident in the foreground, whose contemporary design embodies Maserati’s elegance and style, enhancing the logo positioned at the bottom.

In the background, a refined pattern of the first Tridents from 1926 is interwoven on a blue base, recalling the history and evolution of the symbol over 100 years since its debut. Enriching the composition is a tricolor band that proudly evokes the Brand's Italian origin. The word “CENTENARIO” completes the stamp. Printed by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, the new postage stamp is marketed by Poste Italiane. It’s intended for everyday use and philatelic circulation, contributing to the international promotion of the country’s industrial and technological excellence. In addition, for stamp collectors and Maserati enthusiasts, an exclusive philatelic folder is also available, distributed by Poste Italiane, including the single stamp and a block of four, the First Day Cover with its cancellation mark, and a high-quality brochure retracing the history of the Trident.

The origins of the emblem: art, history, and Italian identity

It was 1926 when the Maserati Tipo 26, the first car in history to bear the identifying symbol on its hood, took part in the Targa Florio, winning its class with Alfieri Maserati at the wheel.

To compete in the famous “cursa,” Maserati needed to place a logo on its car. It was created by Mario Maserati, one of the brothers and a great art enthusiast, who drew inspiration from the Fountain of Neptune, a monumental work located in the square of the same name in Bologna, the birthplace of the “Società Anonima Officine Alfieri Maserati,” founded in 1914 by Alfieri Maserati together with his brothers Ettore and Ernesto. Created by architect Tommaso Laureti and the Flemish sculptor Jean de Boulogne, better known as Giambologna, the Fountain of Neptune represents, through the celebratory allegory, “the god Neptune dominating the waters, just like the Pope dominates the world”. Pope Pius IV was, in fact, considered one of the greatest pontiffs of the Renaissance, as he brought the difficult Council of Trent to its conclusion, laying the foundations for the reform of the Church.

A century of racing and worldwide victories 

Thus, in 1926, the Trident held by the god of the sea, an emblem of strength and power, became the symbol of Maserati racing cars after a long series of international sporting successes, including two consecutive editions of the Indianapolis 500 (1939 and 1940), four consecutive victories at the Targa Florio (1937, 1938, 1939, and 1940), nine F1 victories, and the F1 World Championship in 1957 with Juan Manuel Fangio. In more recent years, Maserati returned to triumph with the MC12, a car that from 2005 to 2010 won six international FIA GT championships, the highest expression of competitions for production-derived granturismo cars. Since 2023, the Maserati GT2 has brought the House of the Trident back to competing and winning in closed-wheel championships. Today it’s eligible to participate in more than 20 championships worldwide.

Technical details of the stamp dedicated to the centenary of the Maserati Trident
The stamp is printed by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato S.p.A., in rotogravure, on white, neutral coated, self-adhesive paper with optical whitener;

weight: 90 g/sqm;
support: white, single-coated Kraft paper, 80 g/sqm;
adhesive: water-based acrylic type, applied in a quantity of 20 g/sqm (dry);
paper and print format: 30 x 40 mm;
perforation format: 37 x 46 mm;
perforation: gauge 11, created by die-cutting;
colors: four;
print run: two hundred fifty thousand and twenty units

Sheet characteristics: forty-five stamps plus a monochromatic reproduction of the MIMIT logo in the margin.