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Preview of Stamps Catalogue: VOLUME 1

RHODESIA 1896-1920

(British South Africa Company)

Return To Catalogue - Rhodesia 1890-1895 - Northern Rhodesia - Southern Rhodesia - Rhodesia and Nyasaland

Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the catalogue;
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For issues of Rhodesia 1890-1895 click here.

1896 Stamps of Cape of Good Hope surcharged: "BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY"

  1/2 p black
  1 p red (other type)
  2 p brown
  3 p red
  4 p blue
  6 p lilac
  1 Sh yellow

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

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

I know that forged overprints exist, I'm not sure if all the above overprints are genuine.

Forged overprints made by the forger Fournier as they can be found in 'The Fournier Album of Philatelic forgeries'

This is the third Fournier overprint forgery (too broad).

1898 Arms value in 2 corners

  1/2 p green
  1 p red
  2 p brown
  2 1/2 p blue
  3 p red (1908)
  4 p green
  6 p lilac

Slightly different type

  1 Sh yellow
  2 Sh 6 p blue (1907)
  3 Sh lilac (1908)
  5 Sh brown
  7 Sh 6 p black
  10 Sh green (1908)

Larger size

Images reproduced with permission from: http://www.sandafayre.com

(20 Pounds stamp, fiscally used)

  1 Pound black
  2 Pounds brown (1908)
  5 Pounds blue
  10 Pounds brown
  20 Pounds olive-yellow (1903)

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

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

The value 100 Pounds red is a fiscal stamp. Furthermore the values 2 Pounds, 5 Pounds, 10 Pounds and 20 Pounds exist with overprint "REVENUE" to be used as fiscal stamps (in green on the 20 Pounds):

10 Pounds with "REVENUE" overprint

20 Pounds stamp, overprinted "REVENUE" in green

1905 Victoria Falls, inscription "1905" on top (twice)

(reduced sizes)

  1 p red
  2 1/2 p blue
  5 p red
  1 Sh green
  2 Sh 6 p black
  5 Sh violet

These stamps have perforation 14.

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

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

1909 Stamps of 1898 surcharged "RHODESIA."

  1/2 p green
  1 p red
  2 p brown
  2 1/2 p blue
  3 p red
  4 p green
  6 p lilac
  1 Sh brown
  2 Sh 6 p blue
  3 Sh violet
  5 Sh yellow
  10 Sh green
  1 Pound black (exists surcharged in violet)
  2 Pounds brown

Further surcharged with value

  '5 d' on 6 p lilac
  '7 1/2 d' on 2 Sh 6 p blue
  '10 d' on 3 Sh violet
  'TWO SHILLINGS.' on 5 Sh yellow

A 5 Pounds blue stamp is a fiscal stamp.

5 Pounds blue (fiscal stamp)

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

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

I've seen a 1 Pound stamp of this set with a forged cancel (Madame Joseph forgery).

1910 King George and Queen Mary

  1/2 p green
  1 p red
  2 p black
  2 1/2 p blue
  3 p yellow and lilac
  4 p orange and black
  5 p olive and brown
  6 p lilac and brown
  8 p lilac and black
  10 p lilac and orange
  1 Sh blue and black
  2 Sh blue and black
  2 Sh 6 p red and black
  3 Sh lilac and green
  5 Sh green and red
  7 Sh 6 p blue and red
  10 Sh orange and black
  1 Pound black and red

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

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

(Stamp with fiscal cancel)

Forged cancels exist on stamps with removed fiscal cancels, example:

(A so-called 'George' forgery: 'PENHALONGA 29 JAN 13' forged cancel, reduced size)

I've been told that this is a Madame Joseph forged 'REGISTERED JA 10 11 BULAWAYO' cancel on a 8 p stamp, reduced size

I've seen an uncancelled 3 Sh stamp of this set with very bad perforation, which I've been told was printed clandestinely.

1913 King George V

  1/2 p green
  1 p red
  1 1/2 p brown
  2 p brown and black
  2 1/2 p blue
  2 p black 
  3 p yellow and black
  4 p orange and black
  5 p green and black
  6 p lilac and black
  8 p green and violet
  10 p red and blue
  1 Sh blue and black
  2 Sh brown and black
  2 Sh 6 p brown and blue
  3 Sh blue and brown
  5 Sh green and blue
  7 Sh 6 p black and lilac
  10 Sh green and red
  1 Pound violet and black

Surcharged

  '= Half Penny =' on 1 p red (exists with inverted surcharge)

Specialists distinguish three types, not all stamps exist in all types.

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

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

In 1923 Rhodesia was bought by Great Britain from the British South Africa Company. The colony was split up in Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia.

Cancels

Text inspired by the following document: http://www.pipexstampshow.org/TitlePages/PIPEX%20Exhibit%2044.pdf:

In 1888, the first cancel was used in Rhodesia, a 'GUBULAWAYO' cancel in a single circle with date and year. Shortly after, two killer cancels were introduced; 'barred oval numerals' and 'barred diamonds'. Then single circle postmarks with 'MASHONALAND' and 'MATABELAND' were issued. Double circle postmarks were introduced from 1890 onwards. Higher values are often fiscally used.

"E" in bars cancel from Bulawayo.

"827" numeral cancel (barred oval numeral). And "951" numeral cancel of Gwelo

"GUBULAWAYO MATABELELAND"

(20 Pounds stamp, fiscally used)

Fiscal Stamps

1896 Large stamps with arms, "REVENUE" written at the top below the crown

The values 30 Pounds brown and green, 50 Pounds grey and orange, 50 Pounds blue and orange, 100 Pounds orange and violet and 200 Pounds green and red exist.

"FIFTY POUNDS" fiscal overprint on 2 Pounds red postage stamp.

10 Pounds postage stamp with "REVENUE" overprint and 20 Pounds stamp, overprinted "REVENUE" in green

Rhodesia Railway stamps

Rhodesia Railways Limited Prepaid Newspaper Parcel: 1 p red, issued in 1927

"R.R.PARCELS STAMP" in the background "RHODESIA RAILWAYS" written multiple times. I have seen the values 1 p red, 2 p blue, 3 p violet, 5 p blue, 1 Sh blue, 2 Sh green, 2 Sh 6 p red. In 'cents' currencty: 1 c red, 2 c blue, 3 c green, 10 c blue, 20 c green. I've seen them with abbreviations for townnames overprint: "BCT" (Bancroft), "BKA" (Bwana Mkubwa), "BNA", "CB" (Chisamba), "CBJ" (Chimbishi), "CN" (Chingola), "DT" (Dett), "EP" (Pemba), "GAS", "KP" (Kapiri M'Poshi), "KL" (Kalomo), "LU" (Luanshya), "MUF" (Mufulira), "PLT", "RI" (Rusape), "SHH", "SI" (Shabani), "SO" (Sinoia) and "ZD" (Zimba) overprints. Also with "HRD" blacked out and overprinted with "NKA" (Nkana) in blue.

On documents

"SINGLE NEWSPAPER RAILAGE" 1 c orange

Mashonaland and Matabeleland

Mashonaland, inland postcard (1898?):

Reduced size, note that one stamp has been removed from this cover. I've also seen the values 1 1/2 p yellow and 1 p red in the same design.

I've also seen postcards of Cape of Good Hope, (Queen Victoria in ellipse, 1 p brown and 1 1/2 p blue) with additional overprint "MASHONALAND VIA".

Railway stamps, Beira and Mashonaland

Beira & Mashonaland Railways 1903 issue 1 p red

Beira & Mashonaland Railways 1906 issue 1 p red

"MATABELELAND REUTERS TELEGRAPH SERVICE" 5 Sh black, image obtained from http://www.ericjackson.com/

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer