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Stellaland

Friday, February 29, 1884

South African State 5

Stel1
  Stellaland #1 xxx

Perforated 11½, no watermark, lithographed.
Printed by Van der Sandt, de Villiers & Co., Cape Town.

Bluish to white paper.
Description     Scott SG Mi Y&T
1 penny red
     1      
3 pence orange
     2      
4 pence gray
     3      
6 pence lilac
     4      
1 shilling green
     5      
October 1, 1885. Handstamped "Twee" in blackish violet on Scott #3.
2 pence on 4 pence gray
     6      

Both the Scott and the Stanley Gibbons catalogs have the perforation as 12.

The earliest known date of use is April 4, 1884.

The 6 pence die was produced to create a horizontal strip of 9. This was transferred to the stone to create 13 rows to print 117 stamps per sheet. Types exist, and variations in individual sheet positions also exist. The other denominations were of 8 by 12 sheets (96 stamps).

The postal system was taken over and Stellaland stamps ceased to be used after Sir Charles Warren and his troops marched into Vryburg on February 7, 1885. The Cape of Good Hope 6 pence and 1 shilling stamps, overprinted "Military Telegraphs", were used only on telegram envelopes and telegrams until the "British Bechuanaland" overprints arrived in December.

Forgeries are common. The validity or status of #6 has been questioned. Imperforate varieties are believed to be proofs.

On December 2, 1885 Cape of Good Hope stamps overprinted "British Bechuanaland" were placed on sale at the Vryburg post office, ending the existence of Stellaland.

Stamps of Stellaland are treated in more detail by The Bechuanalands and Botswana Society.

Image from Wikipedia.

FI ref: 219 Page credit: JA

Page created 19 Feb 2014 Page updated 19-Jun-2017