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DANISH WEST INDIES

Antilles Danoises - Dansk Vestindien

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In 1917 the United States bought Danish West Indies and was renamed as United States Virgin Islands..

1855 Arms of Denmark, value in "CENTS"

3 c red, perforated 4 c blue 

  3 c red (imperforate)
  3 c red (perforated)
  4 c blue (perforated)

These stamps have watermark 'Crown'.

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
3 c R R Imperforate
Exists on yellowish paper: RR
Also rouletted: RRR
3 c R R Perforated 12 1/2
4 c RR RR Perforated 12 1/2


Typical 5-ring with dot cancels.

Reprints were made for the book of G.A.Hagemann on Danish and Danish West Indies stamps (1930).

Forgeries exist, example:


Forgery with a dot in front of "CENTS" and the crown and swords quite badly done. The dots behind "KGL" and "FRM" are missing.


Other forgeries. The dots behind "KGL" and "FRM" are missing. I've been told that this forgery was made by Zechmeyer, but I cannot confirm if this information is correct. Other sources say this might be a Spiro forgery. Also note the very strange "S" in "CENTS".


Very blur forgery type. The dots behind "KGL" and "FRM" are missing.


Reprints made in 1977 with "FOTONYTRYK KPK 90 AR" (photographic reprint 90 year) probably made for the Kobenhavns Philatelist Klub.

 

1873 Value in ellipse

1 c green and red 3 c blue and red 4 c brown and blue 5 c green and grey 10 c blue and brown Genuine copy 

  1 c green and red
  3 c blue and red
  4 c brown and blue
  5 c green and grey
  7 c lilac and yellow
  10 c blue and brown
  12 c lilac and green
  14 c lilac and green
  50 c violet

Exists on thick and thin paper (14 c only on thin paper). These stamps have watermark 'Crown' and perforation 14 x 13 1/2 or 12 1/2.

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
1 c ** **  
3 c *** *  
4 c *** ** In 1903 it was authorized to use
this stamp bisected as a 2 c stamp
5 c *** ***  
7 c *** ***  
10 c *** *  
12 c *** ***  
14 c RRR RRR  
50 c R R   
Surcharged

  '1 CENT' on 7 c lilac and yellow

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
1 c on 7 c R R   

  '10 CENTS 1895' 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
Value Unused Used Remarks
10 c on 50 c *** ***   

  '2 CENTS 1902' on 3 c blue and red
  '2 Cents 1902' on 3 c blue and red
  '8 CENTS 1902' on 10 c blue and brown
  '8 Cents 1902' on 10 c blue and brown

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
'2 CENTS' on 3 c *** ***  
'2 Cents' on 3 c *** ***  
'8 CENTS' on 10 c *** ***  
'8 Cents' on 10 c *** ***   
Surcharged in new currency (bit)


  '5 BIT 1905' on 4 c brown and blue

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
5 b on 4 c *** ***  


A pair of 5 c stamps with "ST.THOMAS" cancel and 3 c with "CHRISTIANSTED" and "ST JAN" cancel (nowadays St.John)

In 1903 the 4 c could be used bisected diagonally, to be used as a 2 c stamp:

Bisected stamp, used in 1903
Here with "ST.THOMAS" and "FREDERIKSTED" cancels.

Postcards in the same design with value 2 c blue and 3 c red exist.


Postcard in the 3 c red design.

There exist forgeries of this serie, but they can be easily identified: there is no '-' between 'DANSK' and 'VESTINDISKE', they also differ in many other aspects (for example the cancel). So far I've seen the following values 1 c, 3 c, 4 c, 7 c and 14 c. The forged cancels are 6 lines (the middlest ones longer) or a New South Wales look-alike cancel. The real cancels can be seen above. Examples of these forgeries:

Genuine copy Fake!
(Genuine left, forgery right)

Forgery! (Thanks to Bill Claghorn)
(Forgeries)

More information on these forgeries can be found on the Forgeries idenfication site of Bill Claghorn:http://geocities.com/claghorn1p/. I have seen full sheets (5 x 5 stamps) of the 3 c and 14 c values of these forgeries. Most likely they were made by Spiro.


Dubious stamps with dubious tiny circle cancels


I presume the third cancel of this row of forged Fournier cancels was used in Danish West Indies (it was listed in 'The Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries' under St.Thomas and Prince).

I've seen 'reprints' which were made in 1990 by or for 'KPK'. If I'm well informed, they have 'FOTONYTRYK . KPK. 90' printed on the backside. I have no further information.

 

1900 As arms type of Denmark, inscription "DANSK VESTINDIEN"

  1 c green
  2 c red (1903)
  5 c blue
  8 c brown (1903)

These stamps have watermark 'Crown' and perforation 13.

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
1 c * *  
2 c ** *  
5 c *** ***  
8 c *** ***   
Surcharged in new currency (bit)

'5 BIT 1905' on 8 c brown 

  '5 BIT 1905' on 5 c blue
  '5 BIT 1905' on 8 c brown

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
5 b on 5 c *** ***  
5 b on 8 c *** ***  

I have seen postal stationery in this design in the value 2 c red.

 

1905 King Christian IX, new currency

25 b blue 

  5 b green
  10 b red
  20 b green and blue
  25 b blue
  40 b red and grey
  50 b yellow and grey

These stamps have watermark 'Crown' and perforation 12 1/2.

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
5 b * *  
10 b * *  
20 b *** **  
25 b *** **  
40 b *** **  
50 b *** ***  

 

1905 Sailship

  1 F green and blue
  2 F red and brown
  5 F yellow and brown

These stamps have watermark 'Crown' and perforation 12 1/2.

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
1 F *** ***  
2 F R R  
5 F R R  

 

1908 King Frederick VIII

  5 b green
  10 b red
  15 b lilac and brown
  20 b green and blue
  25 b blue (2 shades on one stamp)
  30 b brown and black
  40 b orange and grey
  50 b yellow and brown

These stamps have watermark 'Crown' and perforation 12 1/2.

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
5 b * *  
10 b * *  
15 b ** **  
20 b *** ***  
25 b ** **  
30 b R R  
40 b *** ***  
50 b *** ***  

 

1915 King Christian X facing the right


(Reduced sizes)

  5 b green
  10 b red
  15 b lilac and brown
  20 b green and blue
  25 b blue (2 shades)
  30 b brown and black
  40 b orange and grey
  50 b yellow and brown

These stamps have watermark 'Cross' and perforation 13 1/2 x 14 1/2.

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
5 b * *  
10 b * R  
15 b * R  
20 b ** R  
25 b ** ***  
30 b ** R  
40 b ** R  
50 b *** R  

Postage due stamps

1902 Crown, inscription "C9R PORTOMAERKE"

  1 c blue
  4 c blue
  5 c blue
  10 c blue

These stamps have perforation 11 1/2.

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
1 c ** **  
4 c *** *** Exists in 3 types
5 c *** ***  
10 c *** ***  

Forgeries of these stamps exist. The forgeries have a different '9'. The '9' in the genuine stamps have the bottom of the '9' more curved. Forgeries have perforation 11. I presume the above stamps are forgeries.

 

1905 Number, inscription "EFTERPORTO"

  5 b red and grey
  20 b red and grey
  30 b red and grey
  50 b red and grey

These stamps have perforation 12 1/2. The value 50 b exists also with perforation 14 1/2. Imperforate stamps also seem to exist (I have never seen them).

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
5 b ** **  
20 b ** **  
30 b ** **  
50 b *** ***  

Postal Stationery

ENVELOPES

1877 Number in ellipse

  2 c blue
  3 c red

Fiscal Stamps

Inscription 'DEDANSK VESTINDISKE OER STEMPELMAERKE'

I have seen the values 10 b red and green and 50 b green. Similar stamps exist for the Virgin Islands (US), the crown has been replaced by the US eagle, the inscription now reads 'INTERNAL REVENUE OF THE US VIRGIN ISLANDS'.

Julen labels

Stamps with inscription "DANSK VESTINDIEN JULEN" are Christmas charity labels. They exist in various designs.

Stamps - Timbres-Poste - Briefmarken

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer