Spanish Sahara First Issues

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Spanish Sahara,

Rio de Oro and La Agüera

Dec 1905 - Jun 1920 - 1924

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Spanish Colonies

8, 8a, 8b


Rio de Oro	La Agüera	Spanish Sahara
Dec 1905 Sc1 SG1	Jun 1920 Sc1 SG1	1925 Sc1 SG1

Description	Scott	SG
Rio de Oro perf 14, no wmk, typo
1 centimo blue green	1	1
2c claret	2	2
3c bronze green	3	3
4c dark brown	4	4
5c orange red	5	5
10c dark grey-brown	6	6
15c red-brown	7	7
25c dark blue	8	8
50c dark green	9	9
75c dark violet	10	10
1 peseta orange-brown	11	11
2p buff	12	12
3p dull violet	13	13
4p blue green	14	14
5p dull blue	15	15
10p pale red	16	16
10p pale blown	-	16a
La Agüera Rio de Oro overprints, perf 13, no wmk, typo
1c blue green	1	1
2c olive brown	2	2
5c deep green	3	3
10c light red	4	4
15c yellow	5	5
20c lilac	6	6
25c deep blue	7	7
30c dark brown	8	8
40c pink	9	9
50c bright blue	10	10
1p red brown	11	11
4p dark violet	12	12
10p orange	13	13
Spanish Sahara perf 13, no wmk, typo
5c blue green	1	1
10c grey green	2	2
15c turquoise blue	3	3
20c dark violet	4	4
25 red	5	5
30c red brown	6	6
40c dark blue	7	7
50c orange	8	8
60c violet	9	9
1p rose	10	10
4p chocolate	11	11
10p claret	12	12

Gibbons [1] lists Rio de Oro and La Agüera under Spanish Sahara while Scott [2] lists the three entities separately.

Portuguese explorers found the bay on the north west coast of Africa in C15th and named it Rio de Oro, River of Gold, because the inhabitants traded in (imported) gold dust. In January 1885, Spain claimed the area as a protectorate, after which there were repeated boundary disputes with France, ultimately resolved by a series of agreements in early C20th. Stamps of Spain were used from 1901 until the 1905 first issue.

Nearby La Agüera was occupied by Spanish troops with the intention of establishing a military air base. It was incorporated into Rio de Oro in 1924 and the name changed to Spanish Sahara.