Postage stamps and postal history of the Orange Free State
Encyclopedia
The Orange Free State
began to issue postage stamps in 1868, and continued until 1897.
The O.F.S. was formally annexed to the British Crown and renamed the Orange River Colony on the 28th of May 1900.
In 1910 this colony along with Cape of Good Hope, Natal and Transvaal formed the Union of South Africa.
by De La Rue and Company
, and came in denominations from one penny to five shillings, in various colours. Periodic shortages forced the use of overprint
s, in 1877, 1881, 1882, 1888, 1890, 1892, 1896, and 1897. The stamps of the republic are generally common today, but some of the overprints are scarce. Many kinds of overprint errors are known (inverted, double, etc), and some of them command high prices.
In 1900, the Republic fell into British occupation and the previous stamps were overprinted
"V.R.I." and the same value of the original stamps. The colony was renamed in August 1900 and used Cape of Good Hope stamps overprinted with the new name "ORANGE/RIVER/COLONY.". In 1902 a single 6d stamp was overprinted as the original occupation issues but with "E.R.I." instead of "V.R.I.". In 1903 a set was issued portraying King Edward VII, a springbok and a gnu. This set was printed again in 1905-09, and is the last set of the colony.
s were issued both as the Orange Free State and the Orange River Colony. The Orange Free State revenues were also postally used.
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
began to issue postage stamps in 1868, and continued until 1897.
The O.F.S. was formally annexed to the British Crown and renamed the Orange River Colony on the 28th of May 1900.
In 1910 this colony along with Cape of Good Hope, Natal and Transvaal formed the Union of South Africa.
Postage stamps
The sole design used was an orange tree, with the inscription "Oranje Vrij Staat" in the margin. The stamps were typographedTypography
Typography is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading , adjusting the spaces between groups of letters and adjusting the space between pairs of letters...
by De La Rue and Company
De La Rue
De La Rue plc is a British security printing, papermaking and cash handling systems company headquartered in Basingstoke, Hampshire. It also has a factory on the Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, and other facilities at Loughton, Essex and Bathford, Somerset...
, and came in denominations from one penny to five shillings, in various colours. Periodic shortages forced the use of overprint
Overprint
An overprint is an additional layer of text or graphics added to the face of a postage stamp or banknote after it has been printed. Post offices most often use overprints for internal administrative purposes such as accounting but they are also employed in public mail...
s, in 1877, 1881, 1882, 1888, 1890, 1892, 1896, and 1897. The stamps of the republic are generally common today, but some of the overprints are scarce. Many kinds of overprint errors are known (inverted, double, etc), and some of them command high prices.
In 1900, the Republic fell into British occupation and the previous stamps were overprinted
"V.R.I." and the same value of the original stamps. The colony was renamed in August 1900 and used Cape of Good Hope stamps overprinted with the new name "ORANGE/RIVER/COLONY.". In 1902 a single 6d stamp was overprinted as the original occupation issues but with "E.R.I." instead of "V.R.I.". In 1903 a set was issued portraying King Edward VII, a springbok and a gnu. This set was printed again in 1905-09, and is the last set of the colony.
Revenue stamps
A variety of revenue stampRevenue stamp
A revenue stamp, tax stamp or fiscal stamp is a adhesive label used to collect taxes or fees on documents, tobacco, alcoholic drinks, drugs and medicines, playing cards, hunting licenses, firearm registration, and many other things...
s were issued both as the Orange Free State and the Orange River Colony. The Orange Free State revenues were also postally used.
Further reading
- The history of the postage stamps of the Orange Free State and Orange River Colony from their origin to 1906 by Léon de Raay, 1907.
- More about the postmarks of the Orange Free State and the Orange River Colony, 1868-1910 by Archibald George Mount Batten, 1973.
- Orange Free State : postal and other markings, 1868-1910, an original study by A Cecil Fenn, 1956.
- The Postal Stationery of South Africa. Part 1. Cape of Good Hope, Natal, New Republic, Orange Free State, Transvaal, Zululand by W J Quik and Dr G H Jonkers, 1998.
- The Postmarks of the Orange Free State and the Orange River Colony 1868-1910 by Archibald George Mount Batten, 1972.
- Revenue Stamps of the Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Orange River Colony, Transvaal and the Union of South Africa by Dodd, 1958.
- The Stamps of the Orange Free State: Part 1, The Republican Era 1854 – 1900 by G D Buckley and W B Marriott, 1966.
External links
- Orange Free State Study Circle
- Cape & Natal Study Circle
- The Philatelic Society for Greater Southern Africa
- http://www.stampdomain.com/country/southafrica/display.htm
- Display of the Orange Free State Study Circle to the Royal Philatelic Society London