Postmark Picks: 3-digit years?

Here's an odd year format that shows up in a few places and time periods: 3-digit years.

In Hungary at the turn of the century (circa 1900), they went to 3-digits years when 1900 kicked in, so here are a few of those:



I was a bit surprised to see that it continued into the 1930s.  You would think that after 30 years they would be comfortable with the 1900s and go back to two digits.

But it turns up again ... in Italy, in the 1960s.  I have no explanation for these:



It was going to be the 1900s for at least two more generations.  So why bring back the digit nobody needed?  Or just use the extra fraction of a millimeter and write the full year ...

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