The Emirate of Afghanistan began using its own stamps in 1871. These earliest stamps were square stamps, used at a 45º angle to make them diamond-shaped. They were not canceled in the usual sense, but had bits torn off of them for cancelation. Regular-style cancels began in 1891.

For several decades, the stamps of Afghanistan progressed in design rather slowly, even with the country’s 1919 independence from Britain. The new state, the Kingdom of Afghanistan, lasted until 1973; it was only in the 1960s that bolder and more colorful designs began to be seen on Afghani stamps — in fact, many collectors feel that the designs were improved in a direct effort to appeal to international philatelists and increase revenue for the country. Most stamps from this era use French (usually POSTES AFGHANES) as well as Persian.