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Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 1

DJIBOUTI, SOMALI COAST (Cote Francaise des Somalis)

(French Colony in Africa)

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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.

1894 Views of Djibouti, with Somali warriers at the sides, inscription "PROTECTORAT DE LA COTE DES SOMALIS DJIBOUTI" imperforate (with imitated perforation in the design)

Large rectangular stamp

  1 c black and brown
  2 c brown and black
  4 c brown and blue
  5 c green and red
  5 c green and yellowish green (1902)
  10 c brown and green
  15 c violet and green
  25 c red and blue
  30 c brown and red
  40 c yellow and blue (1900)
  50 c blue and red
  75 c lilac and red
  1 F green and black
  2 F brown and red

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

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

Triangular stamp

  5 F red and blue

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

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

Large diamond shaped stamp

A whole sheet consisting of thirteen 50 F stamps, reduced size

I presume the "S" at the bottom is a controlnumber.

  25 F red and blue
  50 F blue and red

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

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

Surcharged

  '0.05' (blue) on 75 c lilac and red (1902)
  '0,10' (blue) on 1 F green and black (1902)
  '0,40' on 4 c brown and blue (1899)
  '0,40' (blue) on 2 F brown and red (1902)
  '0,75' on 5 F red and blue (1902)
  '5 centimes' on 40 c yellow and blue (1902)
  '10 centimes' on 50 c blue and red (1902)

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

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

With inscription "COTE FRANCAISE DES SOMALIS DJIBOUTI 1938",
large rectangular stamp, perforated
  5 F brown and lilac
  10 F black and blue
  20 F red and grey

The 25 F and 50 F are known to have been forged (by Fournier?). The "F" has a triangular central part instead of a square part. In the 50 F, the "0" is of the same size as the "5" in the forgeries (it should be considerably smaller).

Fournier forgery

A forged surcharged "0,40" on 4 c is described in Le Postillon Revue Philatelique of 1912, page 222. The 25 F and 50 F forgeries are described in the same journal 1902, page 8.

1902 Various designs

Mosk of Tadsura

  1 c violet and orange
  1 c lilac and black
  2 c brown and green
  2 c brown and black
  4 c blue and red
  4 c red and black
  5 c dark green and green
  5 c green and black
  10 c red and orange
  10 c red and black
  15 c brown and blue
  15 c brown and black

Camelpost

  20 c violet and green
  20 c violet and black
  25 c blue
  25 c blue and dark blue
  25 c blue and black
  30 c red and black
  40 c orange and blue
  40 c orange and black
  50 c green and red
  50 c green and black
  75 c orange and lilac
  75 c orange and black

Native people

  1 F red and lilac
  1 F orange and black
  1 F violet and brown (1909)
  2 F green and red
  2 F green and black
  2 F brown and red (1909)
  5 F orange and blue
  5 F orange and black
  5 F brown and grey (1909)

These stamps have perforation 11 1/2.

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

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

Inverted centers:

(Inverted centers, examples)

Many stamps with inverted centers exist. An official of the Agency of the Colonies in Paris was responsable for checking stamp sheets for errors. A stamp dealer asked him if he could buy some of the 'errors' the official had discovered. This dealer then sold these rarities to stamp collectors. This fascinating story can also be read in 'The truth about the stamps of the Somali Coast with inverted centers' (source: http://www.apfelbauminc.com/library/SomaliCoast.htm, translated from 'L’Echo de la Timbrologie' and published in the 'American Journal of Philately' in 1905). Later on, this official even printed complete sheets with inverted centers, to sell them to stamp dealers. The market was then flooded with thousands of these inverted center stamps!
The forger Fournier also offered these 'errors'. In 'The Fournier album of philatelic forgeries' a block of 4 c stamps with two of them with inverted centers can be found. Also a piece of a letter with two stamps; a 2 F inverted and a 2 F normal. All these 'errors' are cancelled with "DJIBOUTI COTE FRANCAISE DES SOMALIS 25 JANV" (with a blotch of ink where normally the year would be). Also imperforate stamps and other printers waste exists of this serie (probably from the same source), example:

(Imperforate 40 c stamp)

Imperforate 0 F stamp, I've also seen it in other colours.

From the back of the Fournier Album, 'proofs' of the cliches of forgeries for which there was no more stock:

1909 As 1902 issue, but larger sizes

Mosk of Tadsura

  1 c red and brown
  2 c violet and olive
  4 c olive and blue
  5 c green and olive
  10 c lilac and red
  20 c black and brown

Camelpost

  25 c blue (2 shades)
  30 c brown and red
  35 c lilac and green
  40 c red and violet
  45 c brown and grey
  50 c red and brown
  75 c red and green

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

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

1915 Various designs, man making music, girl from Somalia and railway bridge

Man making music

  1 c violet and brown
  2 c yellow and blue
  4 c brown and red
  5 c yellowish green and green
  5 c orange and red (1922)

Girl from Somalia

  10 c red and brown
  10 c green (2 shades, 1922)
  10 c red and green (1926)
  15 c lilac and red
  20 c orange and brown
  20 c green and blue (1926)
  20 c green and red (1927)
  25 c blue (2 shades)
  25 c black and grey (1922)
  30 c black and green
  30 c red and brown (1922)
  30 c violet and green (1926)
  30 c green (2 shades, 1927)
  35 c green and red
  40 c blue and lilac
  45 c brown and blue
  50 c red and black
  50 c blue (two shades of blue on one stamp, 1922)
  50 c brown and lilac (1926)
  60 c green and lilac (1926)
  65 c red and green (1926)
  75 c lilac and brown
  75 c blue (two shades of blue on one stamp, 1926)
  75 c lilac and brown (1927)
  85 c brown and green (1926)
  90 c red (two shades of red on one stamp, 1930)

Railway bridge

  1 F brown and red
  1 F 10 red and blue (1928)
  1 F 25 blue and brown (1933)
  1 F 50 blue (two shades of blue on one stamp	, 1930)
  1 F 75 olive and red (1933)
  2 F violet and black
  3 F lilac (1930)
  5 F red and black

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

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

Red cross issue (1915)

  '+ 5' (red) on 10 c red

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

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

Surcharged '1922' in a rectangle and value

  '1922 0f10' (green) on 5 c green
  '1922 0f50' (blue) on 25 c blue

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

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

Surcharged

  '0,01' on 15 c lilac and red (1922)
  '0,02' (blue) on 15 c lilac and red (1922)
  '0,04' (green) on 15 c lilac and red (1922)
  '0,05' (red) on 15 c lilac and red (1922)
  '25c' on 5 F red and black (1924)
  '60' on 75 c olive and violet (1923)
  '65' on 15 c lilac and red (1925)
  '85' on 40 c blue and lilac (1925)
  '90' on 75 c red (1927)
  '1f25' (red) on 1 F blue (2 shades,1926)
  '1f50' on 1 F blue (2 shades, 1927)
  '3F' on 5 F red and lilac (1927)
  '10F' on 5 F red and brown (1927)
  '20F' on 5 F green and red (1927)

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

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

Some of the above stamps seem to exist with 'Service Avion', this is merely a cancel.

1931 "EXPOSITION COLONIALE INTERNATIONALE PARIS 1931", various designs (designs identical to many other French colonies), inscription "COTE FR DES SOMALIS"

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here.

  40 c green and black
  50 c lilac and black
  90 c red and black
  1.50 F blue and black

1937 "EXPOSITION INTERNATIONALE PARIS 1937", various designs, designs identical to many other French Colonies

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here.

  20 c violet
  30 c green
  40 c lilac
  50 c brown and black
  90 c red
  1.50 F blue

A minisheet also exists with one imperforate 3 F violet stamp, inscription above and below the stamp "EXPOSITION INTERNATIONALE ARTS ET TECHNIQUES 1937".

1938 Pierre and Marie Curie, design identical to many other French Colonies

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here.

  1.75 F + 50 c blue

1938 Various designs

Mosque of Djibouti
  2 c lilac
  3 c green
  4 c brown
  5 c red
  10 c blue
  15 c black
  20 c red
  40 c brown
  45 c green

Men
  25 c brown
  30 c blue
  35 c green
  50 c red
  55 c violet
  60 c black
  65 c brown
  70 c violet
  90 c violet

Portrait of governer L.Lagarde (all with 'RF', except some 1.50 F)
  80 c black
  1 F black
  1 F red
  1.25 F red
  1.40 F blue
  1.50 F green (with 'RF')
  1.50 F green (without 'RF')
  1.60 F brown
  1.75 F blue
  2 F orange
  2.25 F blue
  2.50 F brown
  3 F violet

As 1894 design, with inscription 'COTE FRANCAISE DES SOMALIS DJIBOUTI 1938',
large rectangular stamp, perforated
  5 F brown and lilac
  10 F black and blue
  20 F red and grey

With overprint 'FRANCE LIBRE'
  2 c violet
  3 c green (red overprint)
  4 c brown
  5 c red
  10 c blue (red overprint)
  15 c black (red overprint)
  25 c brown (red overprint)
  30 c blue (red overprint)
  40 c brown
  '50 c.' on 65 c brown
  60 c black (red overprint)
  80 c black (red overprint)
  1.25 F red
  1.40 F blue (red overprint)
  1.50 F green
  1.60 F brown
  1.75 F blue (red overprint)
  2 F orange
  2.25 F blue (red overprint)
  2.50 F brown
  3 F violet
  5 F brown and lilac
  20 F red and grey

1939 "EXPOSITION INTERNATIONALE NEW YORK 1939", design identical to many other French Colonies, inscription "COTE FRcs DES SOMALIS"

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here.

  1.25 F red
  2.25 F blue

1939 French revolution commemoration, Bastille, design identical to many other French colonies, inscription "COTE FSE DES SOMALIS"

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here.

  45 c + 25 c green and black
  70 c + 30 c brown and black
  90 c + 35 c orange and black
  1.25 F + 1 F lilac and black
  2.25 F + 2 F blue and black

1941 Mosque, with portrait of Petain in upper right hand corner

  1 F brown
  2.50 F blue

1941 Soldiers, various designs (so-called "DEFENSE DE L'EMPIRE" set), similar designs were issued for other French Colonies, inscription "COTE FRANCAISE DES SOMALIS" or "COTE FR DES SOMALIS"

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here.

  1 F + 1 F red
  1.50 F + 3 F lilac
  2.50 F + 1 F blue

1941 Triangular stamps, inscription "1891 1941 CINQUANTENAIRE DU TRANSFERT DU CHEF LIEU D'OBOCK A DJIBOUTI"

  1 F brown
  2.50 F blue

Overprinted 'OEUVRES COLONIALES'
  50 c + 1.50 F (value and overprint in red) on 2.50 F blue
  1 F + 2.50 F brown

1943 Inscription "COTE FRANCAISE DES SOMALIS DJIBOUTI POSTES FRANCE LIBRE", with image of train

  5 c blue
  10 c red
  25 c green
  30 c black
  40 c violet
  80 c brown
  1 F blue
  1.50 F red
  2 F brown
  2.50 F blue
  4 F orange
  5 F lilac
  10 F blue
  20 F green

Surcharged
  '= 50 c' (red) on 5 c blue
  '= 60 c' (red) on 5 c blue
  '= 70 c' (red) on 5 c blue
  '= 1 Fr 20 c' (red) on 5 c blue
  '= 2 Fr 40 c' on 25 c green
  '= 3 Fr' on 25 c green
  '= 4 Fr 50 c' on 25 c green
  '= 15 Fr' (red) on 2.50 F blue  

1944 Symbol of France (Marianne) with "RF" and cross (design identical to many other French colonies), inscription "DJIBOUTI"

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here.

  5 F + 20 F green

1945 Felix Eboue, design identical to many other French Colonies

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here.

  2 F brown
  25 F green

1947 Various designs

Tente Danakil
  10 c orange and blue
  30 c orange and green
  40 c orange and red

Poste de Khor-Angar
  50 c orange and blue
  60 c yellow and brown
  80 c orange and blue

Route d'Obock a Tadjourah
  1 F brown and grey
  1.20 F green and grey
  1.50 F blue and orange

Vanneuse
  2 F red and grey
  3 F blue and orange
  3.60 F red
  4 F brown and grey

Village Somali
  5 F brown and orange
  6 F blue
  10 F red and blue

La Mosquee de Djibouti la nuit
  15 F brown and blue
  20 F blue and orange
  25 F red and blue

1950 Inscription "OEUVRES SOCIALES F.O.M. COTE FRANCAISE DES SOMALIS"

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here.

  10 F + 2 F red and brown

1952 100 years of military medal, similar in design to many other French Colonies

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here.

  3 F violet, yellow, green and black

Postage due stamps

Postage due stamp of the French Colonies used in 1917.

Unlisted overprint "DJIBOUTI" on a 50 c and a 1 F postage due stamp of the French Colonies. In the best case scenario proofs, but more likely forged overprints.

1915 Number in a circle with spears in the background

  5 c blue
  10 c red
  15 c black
  20 c violet
  30 c orange
  50 c brown
  60 c green
  1 F blue

Surcharged (1927)
  '2F' on 1 F red
  '3F' on 1 F lilac

These stamps have perforation 14 x 13 1/2.

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

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

The 5 c, 10 c, 15 c, 20 c, 30 c, 60 c and 1 F were re-issued with smaller figure of value. The 50 c was changed from red colour to brown. Two additional values 2 F red and 3 F brown were also issued. These stamps also exist with overprint "FRANCE LIBRE" (1943): 5 c (overprint in red), 10 c, 15 c, 20 c, 30 c, 50 c, 60 c and 1 F (overprint in red).

1947 New design with value in center in an octogonal, inscription "COTE FRS DES SOMALIS" on top, "CHIFFRE TAXE" below

  10 c violet
  30 c brown
  50 c green
  1 F orange
  2 F lilac
  3 F brown
  4 F blue
  5 F red
  10 F green
  20 F blue

Air Mail

1942 "POUR LA PROTECTION DE L'ENFANCE INDIGENE" and "QUINZAINE IMPERIALE", inscription "COTE FRANCAISE DES SOMALIS" or "COTE FR DES SOMALIS"

  1.20 F + 1.80 F blue and red ('Quinzaine')
  1.50 F + 3.50 F green ('protection de l'enfance')
  2 F + 6 F brown and red ('protection de l'enfance')

1944 Plane above waves, inscription "FRANCE LIBRE RF", design identical to many other French colonies, inscription "DJIBOUTI"

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here.

  1 F orange
  1.50 F red
  5 F brown
  10 F black
  25 F blue
  50 F green
  100 F lilac

1946 Angel over Arc de Triomphe with tanks, design identical to many other French Colonies, inscription "COTE FRse DES SOMALIS"

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here.

  8 F blue

1946 Battle fields, "DU TCHAD AU RHIN", various designs, identical to many other French Colonies, inscription "POSTE AERIENNE"

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here.

  5 F grey
  10 F red
  15 F brown
  20 F violet
  25 F green
  50 F blue

1949 75 anniversary of UPU, inscription "POSTE AERIENNE", design identical to many other French Colonies, inscription "COTE FRANCAISE DES SOMALIS"

For an image of a similar stamp of another colony, click here

  10 F blue, green, brown and red

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer