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OBOCK, Postage Due Stamps

(French Colony in Africa)

Return To Catalogue - Obock 1892 issue - Obock 1893 onwards - French Somali Coast and Djibouti

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Postage due stamps of the French Colonies, here with "OBOCK 20 MARS 95 COLONIE FRANCAIS" cancels, these might be cancelled to order (in sheets).

 

1892 Postage due stamps of France overprinted manually in two types I: "OBOCK" in a curved label, II: "OBOCK" in a straight label

1 F brown, straight label 5 F brown, straigth label Image obtained from a Siegel auction


With "OBOCK 23 FEVR 93 COLONIE FRANCSE" cancel, most likely cancelled to order. I've seen many more stamps with the same date.

With Feldman certificate 30 c black, curved label, might be a forgery Image obtained from a Siegel auction Image obtained from a Siegel auction Image obtained from a Spink auction

Genuine, image obtained from a Siegel auction "Reprint", Image obtained from a Siegel auction
Left the original stamp and on the right the 'reprint'.

  1 c black (type II)
  2 c black (type II)
  3 c black (type II)
  4 c black (type II)
  5 c black (type I and II)
  10 c black (type I and II)
  15 c black (type II)
  20 c black (type II)
  30 c black (type I and II)
  40 c black (type II)
  60 c black (type I and II)
  1 F brown (type II)
  2 F brown (type II)
  5 F brown (type II)

These overprints were made with a rubber device (handstamped I presume). Reprints were made at the demand of a Paris dealer. Inverted overprints were also reprinted. The rubber devices had shrunk over time and therefore, for example, the first "O" is only 3 mm high instead of 4 mm in the reprint.

Value of the stamps

 
vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
 
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
Type I; 'OBOCK' curved
5 c RRR - Only 25 stamps issued. A reprint with smaller overprint exists.
10 c RR RR  
30 c RR RR  
60 c RR RR  
Type II; 'OBOCK' straight
1 c R R  
2 c R R  
3 c R R  
4 c R R  
5 c *** ***  
10 c R R  
15 c R R  
20 c R R  
30 c R R  
40 c R R  
60 c RR RR  
1 F RR RR  
2 F RR RR  
5 F RRR RRR  

There exist many cancelled to order postage due stamps of the French Colonies (i.e. without "OBOCK" overprint) for Obock.


Dubious object: Inverted overprint with "OBOCK 22 MAI 92 COLONIE FRANCSE" cancel, which I also have seen on many postage stamps.

Forged overprints exist (also on forged basic stamps). For example, the forger Fournier is known to have produced these forgeries.


Highly dubious strip of four 10 c stamps with "OBOCK" in all positions.


Fournier forgery of the 1 c value with forged "OBOCK" overprint. The 1 c Fournier forgery can be distinguished by the frameline above the upper left "RF" which is irregular. See also: France Postage Due Stamps, 1881 Fournier forgeries


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.


Very dubious items, I think the stamps, overprint and cancels are all forged. Note the cancel "..ESTEMUN.." on all these forgeries ("GEESTEMÜNDE 4 :3"?). Also a Tahiti stamp and a St.Pierre and Miquelon with the same cancel. In the 20 c there is a nick in the upper frameline above the second "F" of "CHIFFRE". The 2 F stamps have the upper left internal portion missing. For more of this kind of forgeries, click: French colonies, postage due stamps, forgery type 8 "Geestemunde"


A forged curved "OBOCK" overprint on genuine postage due stamps that were already used in Martinique.


Highly suspicious overprint, even the basic 10 c stamp might be a forgery.


Both stamp and overprint are forged.


Forged stamps, forged overprints and forged cancels....


Forged curved "OBOCK" overprint.


Page from a Fournier Album with two forged cancels "OBOCK 26 SEPT 9? COLONIE FRANCse" and "OBOCK 27 MARS 92 COLONIE FRANCse", which might have been used on forgeries of this issue.


Forged overprint with letters with serifs.

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer