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Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 1

OBOCK, 1893 onwards

(French Colony in Africa)

Return To Catalogue - Obock 1892 issue - Obock postage due stamps - French Somali Coast and Djibouti

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Obock 1892 issue

1893 French colonies Tablet type, inscription "OBOCK" coloured

  1 c black
  2 c brown on yellowish
  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

I've seen a postcard 'CARTE POSTALE' in the value 10 c black ('OBOCK' in blue) with the same design. I've also seen a 'CARTE-LETTRE' in the value 15 c blue ('OBOCK' in red).

These stamps were used overprinted in Djibouti:

  'DJ' on 5 c green
  'DJ' and bar on 'OBOCK' on 5 c green
  'DJIBOUTI' (blue) and '25' on 2 c brown on yellow
  'DJIBOUTI' (red) and '50' (blue) on 1 c black

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

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

Forgeries:

Fournier made forgeries of these stamps. Note that the perforation in the corners is not perfect as in the genuine stamps:

The first stamp has a forged "ANJOUAN 19 JUIN 94 COL.FRANC." cancel (the date was changed from "94" to "04"? The second stamp has the below shown "OBOCK 27 MARS 92 COLONIE FRANCSE" cancel

Sheet with forged Fournier cancels, including two Obock cancels.

For more information on these forgeries click here.

(Forged overprints and forged cancel taken from a Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries)

Another Fournier product? 75 c with inverted country name

A block of four forged 'DJ' overprints, the basic 5 c stamps are forged as well (the horizontal and vertical perforation does not match in the corners)

1893 Triangular stamps with a camel, imperforated

  2 F black
  5 F red (different size) 

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

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

Overprinted 'DJIBOUTI' for use in Djibouti

  'DJIBOUTI 1', 1 F on 5 F red
  'DJIBOUTI' on 5 F red

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

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

I've been told that the next stamp is a forgery (I'm not sure if the above stamps is genuine by the way):

(Forgery)

According to the Serrane Guide, the genuine stamps have measurement 45 x 37 mm.

1894 Large stamps, people from Obock, imperforated

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

These stamps have a network like underprint (papier quadrillé).

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

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

Surcharged
  '0.05' on 75 c lilac and brown (1902)

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

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

Overprinted 'DJIBOUTI' and surcharged

  '5 centimes DJIBOUTI' on 30 c brown and green (1902)
  '10 CENTIMES DJIBOUTI' (red) on 25 c black and blue (1902)

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

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

Bisected stamps were used in Djibouti due to a shortage of stamps. Each half of the 10 and 20 c were used as 5 or 10 c stamps. The right hand half of the bisected 25 c was used as a 5 c stamp and in 1903 the other half could be used as a 2 c stamp. It seems that the 30 c and 50 c also exist bisected. Examples:

(A bisected 10 c and 20 c stamp)

1894 Triangular stamps with camels

  2 F lilac and orange
  5 F blue and red
  10 F red and lilac
  25 F brown and blue
  50 F red and green

The sizes of these stamps are larger with increasing value.

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

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

Surcharged

Reduced size

  '10 CENTIMES DJIBOUTI' on 2 F violet and orange (1902)
  '10 CENTIMES DJIBOUTI' on 10 F red and lilac (1902)
  '5 CENTIMES' on 25 F brown and blue (1902)
  '10 CENTIMES' on 50 F red and green (1902)

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

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

Fournier forgery (taken from a 'Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries')

In Le Postillon Revue Philatelique of 1912, page 9, forgeries of the 25 F and 50 F values are described.

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer