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Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 1

BENIN, GOLFE DE BENIN

(French Colony in West Africa)

Return To Catalogue - Benin 1892 issue - France

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the catalogue;
contact me if you want to purchase it.

Unsurcharged stamp of the French Colonies used in Benin. In Le Postillon Revue Philatelique of 1902, page 130 a warning is given about a forged cancel "COTONOU 14 JUIN 92 BENIN"; this might be this forged cancel. It was said to have been produced just before 1902.

For stamps of the French colonies, overprinted "BENIN" see: Benin 1892 issue.

1893 French colonies Tablet type, inscription "GOLFE DE BENIN" coloured

  1 c black
  2 c brown on yellow
  4 c brown
  5 c green
  10 c black
  15 c blue
  20 c red on yellow
  25 c black
  30 c brown
  40 c orange
  50 c red
  75 c lilac
  1 F green

These stamps have perforation 14 x 13 1/2. For stamps in the same Tablet design, but for other French colonies, click here.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

With cancel "CORRESPce MILITAIRE GRAND POPO BENIN"

Forgeries:

Fournier forgeries

(Fournier forgery, reduced size)

The above stamps are Fournier forgeries (note the perforation in the corners!)? For more information on these forgeries click here. I've seen a 1 F forgery with the forged cancel "COTONOU 17 NOV. 92 BENIN" (see also the above 2 c Fournier forgery).

Fournier Album with forged cancels. The cancel "COTONOU 17 NOV. 92 BENIN" can be found in the third row, first can

Modern forgeries of Benin, "D" of "DE" strange and second "N" of "BENIN" with too short right leg.

1894 French colonies Tablet type, as 1893 issue but inscription "BENIN"

  1 c black
  2 c brown on yellow
  4 c brown
  5 c green
  10 c black
  15 c blue
  20 c red on green
  25 c black
  30 c brown
  40 c orange
  50 c red
  75 c lilac
  1 F green

These stamps have perforation 14 x 13 1/2. For stamps in the same Tablet design, but for other French colonies, click here.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

The above stamps with "ATHIEME 2 JANV 03 DAHOMEY" might be cancelled to order.

Forgeries:

Fournier forgeries

Fournier forgeries (note the perforation in the corners!)? For more information on these forgeries click here.

Fournier forgery with forged cancel "GRAND POPO 7 NOV 92 BENIN"

Fournier forged cancels, the Benin forged cancel can be found in the 5th row, last cancel.

Modern forgery without accent on the "E".

The territory of BENIN was incorporated in the territory of DAHOMEY in 1899. The remaining stocks of the stamps of BENIN were used in this country.

Dahomey took up the name Benin and started re-issuing stamps again in 1976.

Postage Due stamps

1894 French Colonies postage due stamps overprinted "BENIN"

  5 c black
  10 c black
  20 c black
  30 c black

The overprint exists horizontally, upwards or downwards. "BENIN" exists with and without accent on the "E".

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

The cancel on the next stamps is "PORTO NOVO 17 MARS 94 BENIN". About half of the cancelled stamps I have seen have this cancel. The size of the overprint is also different from the one aboves, could they be forgeries?

1 c, 2 c and 4 c mystery items.

The forger Fournier also made forgeries of these stamps, he offers the set of 4 stamps for 2 Swiss Francs in his 1914 pricelist. Sorry, no image available yet.

Forged overprints taken from a Fournier Album.

Bogus block of four 3 c and 5 c stamps with forged "DIEGO SUAREZ", "TAHITI", "BENIN" and "OBOCK" overprints. The basic stamps are also forged. These are Type 1 forgeries.

These are basic Type 2 forgeries, with a forged "BENIN" overprint. In my view, in all of these forgeries, the "C" of "PERCEVOIR" is too narrow. Also there appears always to be a break in the outer right frameline, just below the upper right corner. The 30 c has an accent on the "A" (genuine 30 c stamps don't have this accent).

A 5 c and a 20 c forgery probably made by the same forger. The word "CHIFFRE" is in thicker font, the "S" of "POSTES" are different and in the 20 c the "P" of "PERCEVOIR" is further away from the "0" of "20" than in the genuine stamps. I've seen a 5 F forgery in the same type. Also, the accent on the "A" is placed strangely. Click here for more information: French colonies, postage due stamps, forgeries, Type 7.

French colonies, postage due stamps, forgery type 8 example. In the 20 c of this forgery type there is a nick in the upper frameline above the second "F" of "CHIFFRE".

A very badly done 20 c forgery with a forged "BENIN" overprint.

Cancels

I've seen cancels of the towns of Cotonou, Grand-Popo and Porto-Novo.

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer