SOUTH AFRICA COLONIES AND REPUBLICS STAMPS

Africa’s first stamp was issued at the Cape of Good Hope in triangular form. Baden-Powell staring out from his 3d Mafeking-Siege stamp is perhaps imagining his Boy Scout movement inspired by the brave young man already on the 1d value. Occupations and reoccupation overprints speak of the hardy Boers fighting a mighty empire; Griqualand, home of the great diamond fields; Natal with her embossed 1857 issues which to be considered postage stamps must be postmarked; New Republic gave us some of the most basic yet intriguing stamps; Orange Free State with her many fascinating surcharges; Transvaal issued her first stamps before being occupied by the British; Pietersburg a bastion of Boer resistance with every issued stamp carefully signed by a Controller; Zululand, home of the Zulus who dealt the British Empire a mighty blow yet a few years later their stamps depicted Queen Victoria.

All of 19th Century philately and postal history is here. Buoyed by the Confederation of Canada the British Empires dream to create a mighty Southern African country has created a rich and diverse landscape for philatelists.

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