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NORTH BORNEO 1883-1892

Return To Catalogue - North Borneo 1893-1920

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

Remarks on cancelled to order stamps; many of the stamps of North Borneo are cancelled to order. In this condition they are much more common than genuinly used stamps. After 1931 the practice of selling stamps cancelled to order was stopped in North Borneo.

Some forgeries of the first issue exist, they were printed by Réné Carême of Paris. If anybody has information or pictures of these forgeries, please contact me!

 

1883 Arms, inscription 'NORTH BORNEO POSTAGE'

1 c orange 2 c brown 4 c red 8 c green 10 c blue

  1/2 c red
  1 c orange
  2 c brown
  4 c red
  8 c green
  10 c blue

The 1 c orange is very rare. Imperforated remainders of the 2 c exist, they exist with forged perforation pretending to be a genuine 1 c orange. Two fiscal stamps exist: 'Three Cents. Revenue' on 4 c and 'Five Cents. Revenue' on 8 c (I have never seen these two stamps, if anybody posesses a picture, please contact me!).

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
ValueUnusedUsedRemarks
Perforated 12 (1883)
2 c ****'2' varies in size
4 c ****** 
8 c ****** 
Perforated 14 (1886)
1/2 c****** 
1 cRRRR 
2 c**** 
4 c**** 
8 c****** 
10 c****** 

Larger size

50 c violet
(Reduced view)

  50 c violet
  1 $ red

A fiscal stamp exist: 'Ten Cents. Revenue' on 50 c violet.

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
ValueUnusedUsedRemarks
Perforated 14 (1883)
50 c ******Exists cancelled to order
1 $******Exists cancelled to order

Surcharged

First type of overprint '3' With serifs, second type of overprint 'EIGHT CENTS' on 2 c brown

  '3 CENTS' on 4 c red (2 types of overprint, 1886)
  '5 CENTS' on 8 c green (1886)
  'EIGHT CENTS' on 2 c brown (1883)

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
ValueUnusedUsedRemarks
3 c on 4 c******Type 1: '3' normal, on basic stamps with
perforation 12 (R) or 14.
3 c on 4 cRRRRType 2: '3' small with serifs,on basic stamps with perforation 12 or 14.
5 c on 8 c******On basic stamps with perforation 12 (R) or 14.
8 c on 2 cRRPerforation 12.

Bogus issue
('8 Cents' on 2 c bogus issue)

I've been told that the '8 Cents' (vertical or horizontal) on 2 c brown issues are bogus issues!

Overprinted 'and Revenue'

(Sorry, no picture available yet, if anybody posesses a picture, please contact me!)

  1/2 c red
  10 c blue

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
ValueUnusedUsedRemarks
1/2 c****** 
10 cRR 


Forgery of the 5 c on 8 c green stamp, in my opinion the stamp, surcharge and cancel are forged

 

1886 Arms, inscription 'BRITISH NORTH BORNEO POSTAGE'

1/2 c lilac 1 c orange

  1/2 c red
  1 c orange
  2 c brown
  4 c red
  8 c green
  10 c blue

The perforation of these stamps is 14 unless otherwise stated. All stamps have no watermark.

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
ValueUnusedUsedRemarks
1/2 c **Usually with perforation 14, with perforation 12: RR
1 c**Usually with perforation 14, with perforation 12: R;
A misprint 1 c red instead of orange exist (R).
2 c** 
4 c ** 
8 c ** 
10 c*** 

Surcharged

  '6 cents.' on 8 c green (1890)
  '6 cents.' on 10 c blue (1890)

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
ValueUnusedUsedRemarks
6 c on 8 cRRRRRR 
6 c on 10 c**** 

Forgeries exist of these stamps.

 

1886 Larger size, inscription 'POSTAGE & REVENUE'

5 $ lilac 5 $ brown
(Reduced sizes)

2 $ green
(Reduced size, cancelled to order)

  25 c grey
  50 c violet
  1 $ red
  2 $ green
  5 $ lilac
  10 $ brown
  25 $ blue (only fiscally used)

The stamps above have perforation 14. They exist cancelled to order (elliptic bar cancel with 9 or 14 bars), stamps so cancelled are worth considerably less than genuine used stamps. The stamps were re-engraved in 1889 and give rise to slightly different types.

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
ValueUnusedUsedRemarks
25 c **Two types
50 c ****Two types
1 $****Two types
2 $******Two types
5 $****** 
10 $****** 
25 $R-Exists cancelled to order: ** 

Surcharged

  'Two Cents.' (red) on 25 c blue
  'Eight Cents.' (red) on 25 c grey
  '8 Cents.' (red) on 25 c grey

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
ValueUnusedUsedRemarks
2 c on 25 c ****** 
'Eight Cents.' on 25 c ****** 
8 c on 25 cRR 

 

1887 Arms, inscription 'BRITISH NORTH BORNEO POSTAGE & REVENUE'

1/2 c lilac 1 c orange, cancelled to order 2 c brown 6 c red 8 c green 

  1/2 c lilac
  1 c orange
  2 c brown
  3 c lilac
  4 c red
  5 c grey
  6 c red (1892)
  8 c green
  10 c blue

These stamps have perforation 14, they exist cancelled to order.

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
ValueUnusedUsedRemarks
1/2 c c*Cancelled to order: c
1 cc*Cancelled to order: c
2 cc*Cancelled to order: c
3 c**Cancelled to order: c
4 c **Cancelled to order: c
5 c**Cancelled to order: c
6 c***Cancelled to order: c
8 c **Cancelled to order: c
10 c**Cancelled to order: c 

Surcharged


  '1 cent.' (red) on 4 c red
  '1 cent.' (red) on 5 c grey
  '6 Cents.' on 8 c green
  '6 Cents.' on 10 c blue

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
ValueUnusedUsedRemarks
1 c on 4 c**** 
1 c on 5 c** 
6 c on 8 c**Misprint: inverted 'c', large 's', or 'Cetns.'
6 c on 10 c****** 

Forgeries exist, the 1/2 c should have the right upper Chinese character as:


(Genuine stamp)

A large number of forgeries seems to have been produced by René Carème of Paris (France). They were marketed by Lowden and Harmer of London, but also by the firms Westend Stamp Co. and Herbert Mack & Co Ltd. These forgeries were discovered around 1909 (source: Senf's Illustriertes Briefmarken Journal 1909 p. 280). Around 2 million forged stamps were confiscated in Paris.

The imperforated stamps of this issue were unofficially produced. I have seen them of all non-surcharged values except 5 c grey:

Imperforate stamp

Imperforated stamps
(Reduced sizes)

I think the next stamp is a forgery also (I have also seen the 8 c green of this forgery):

6 c red, forgery?

Note for example that the 'E' of 'POSTAGE' is slanting backwards in the above forgery, while it is slanting forwards in the genuine stamps.

 

1894 Inscription 'The State of North Borneo', large sized stamps

  25 c grey
  50 c violet
  1 $ red
  2 $ green
  5 $ lilac
  10 $ brown
  25 $ blue (only fiscally used)

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
ValueUnusedUsedRemarks
25 c ****Exists cancelled to order: *
50 c *****Exists cancelled to order: *
1 $****Exists cancelled to order: *
2 $******Exists cancelled to order: *
5 $******Exists cancelled to order: **
10 $RRExists cancelled to order: ***
25 $RR-Exists cancelled to order: ** 
Surcharged

'4 CENTS' on 1 $ red '4 CENTS' on 10 dollars brown '4 cents' on 10 $ brown

  '4 CENTS' on 25 c grey (1899)
  '4 cents' on 25 c grey (1904)
  '4 CENTS' on 50 c violet (1899)
  '4 cents' on 50 c violet (1904)
  '4 CENTS' on 1 $ red (1895 and 1899, 2 types)
  '4 cents' on 1 $ red (1904)
  '4 CENTS' on 2 $ green (1899)
  '4 cents' on 2 $ green (1904)
  '4 CENTS' on 5 $ lilac (1899)
  '4 cents' on 5 $ lilac (1904)
  '4 CENTS' on 10 $ brown (1899)
  '4 cents' on 10 $ brown (1904)
  '10 CENTS' on 1 $ red (1895)
  '20 CENTS' on 1 $ red (1895)
  '30 CENTS' on 1 $ red (1895)
  '40 CENTS' on 1 $ red (1895)

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
ValueUnusedUsedRemarks
'4 CENTS' on 25 c **1899
'4 cents' on 25 c****1904, cancelled to order: *
'4 CENTS' on 50 c *****1899
'4 cents' on 50 c****1904, cancelled to order: *
'4 CENTS' on 1 $**1895: distance between '4' and 'CENTS': 3 1/2 mm,
cancelled to order: c
'4 CENTS' on 1 $**1899: distance between '4' and 'CENTS': 4 1/2 mm
'4 cents' on 1 $****1904, cancelled to order: *
'4 CENTS' on 2 $**1899
'4 cents' on 2 $****1904, cancelled to order: *
'4 CENTS' on 5 $**1899
'4 cents' on 5 $****1904, cancelled to order: *
'4 CENTS' on 10 $**1899
'4 cents' on 10 $****1904, cancelled to order: *
10 c on 1 $**1895
20 c on 1 $**1895
30 c on 1 $**1895
40 c on 1 $**1895
Overprinted 'BRITISH PROTECTORATE'

2 $ green
(Reduced size)

  25 c grey (overprint red, 1901)
  50 c violet (overprint red, 1901)
  1 $ red (overprint red or black, 1905)
  2 $ green (overprint red, 1905)
  5 $ lilac (overprint red, 1905)
  10 $ brown (overprint red, 1905)

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
ValueUnusedUsedRemarks
25 c **Exists cancelled to order: c
50 c ****Exists cancelled to order: c
1 $******Red overprint.
Exists cancelled to order: **
1 $******Black overprint
Exists cancelled to order: *
2 $******Exists cancelled to order: *
5 $******Exists cancelled to order: **
10 $RRExists cancelled to order: **

 

For stamps of North Borneo issued from 1893 to 1920 click here.

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer

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