FRENCH MOROCCO

Return To Catalogue - France - Tanger (french post office)

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: evert@klaseboer.com.

There were two French post offices in Morocco prior to 1914; in Fez and Tanger. Before the issue of its own stamps, normal stamps of France were used. The large number cancel 5106 was used in Tanger. There exist some local postal services in Morocco, they are listed in Volume 2.

1891 Stamps of France surcharged in "CENTIMOS" or "PESETAS"

  "5 CENTIMOS" on 5 c green (2 shades of green)
  "10 CENTIMOS" on 10 c black
  "20 CENTIMOS" on 20 c red on green
  "25 CENTIMOS" on 25 c black
  "50 CENTIMOS" on 50 c red
  "1 PESETA" on 1 Fr green
  "2 PESETAS" on 2 Fr brown on blue

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

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

A misprint "10 CENTIMOS" on 25 c exists (even postally used specimens?):

10 c on 25 c misprint

A postcard in the same design:

"5 CENTIMOS" (red) on 5 c green; a similar postcard "10 CENTIMOS" (red) on 10 c black also exists. A 25 c on 25 c black should also exist.

Forged surcharge:

(This surcharge "10 CENTIMOS" is a forged one!)

Very dubious overprint....

1893 Postage due stamps of France overprinted "TIMBRE POSTE" in red

  5 c black
  10 c black

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

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

The forger Fournier made forgeries of these overprints. In his 1914 pricelist, he offers both stamps for 4 Swiss Francs. He used the following forged cancel: "TANGER 5 FEV 93 MAROC":

Forged Fournier cancel.

1902 Stamps as french types, with inscription "MAROC" and surcharged in "CENTIMOS"

So called "Blanc" type 
  '1 CENTIMO' (red) on 1 c grey
  '2 CENTIMOS' on 2 c brown
  '3 CENTIMOS' on 3 c orange
  '4 CENTIMOS' on 4 c brown
  '5 CENTIMOS' on 5 c green

So called "Mouchon" type  

  '10 CENTIMOS' on 10 c red
  '20 CENTIMOS' on 20 c brown
  '25 CENTIMOS' on 25 c blue
  '35 CENTIMOS' on 35 c violet
  
So called "Merson" type

  '50 CENTIMOS' on 50 c brown and grey
  '1 PESETA' on 1 F red and green
  '2 PESETAS' on 2 F violet and yellow

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

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

1903 Postage due stamps overprinted "P.P" (Port Paye), used as postage stamps

  '5 CENTIMOS' (red) on 5 c blue
  '10 CENTIMOS' (red) on 10 c brown

These stamps are extremely rare. These stamps were never cancelled. The second and third stamp shown above could be forgeries.

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

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

Forgery:

I've been told this is a forgery, I have no further information

The forger Fournier made forgeries of these overprints. In his 1914 pricelist, he offers both stamps for 4 Swiss Francs.

1911 Stamps as french types, inscription "MAROC", surcharged with value and arabic text

  '1' (red) on 1 c grey
  '2' (blue) on 2 c brown
  '3' (blue) on 3 c red
  '5' (red) on 5 c green

  '10' (blue) on 10 c red
  '15' (blue) on 15 c orange
  '20' (blue) on 20 c brown
  '25' (red) on 25 c blue
  '35' (red) on 35 c violet

  
  '40' (blue) on 40 c red and blue
  '50' (red) on 50 c brown and grey
  '1' (blue) on 1 F red and green

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

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

Red cross issue, surcharged with red cross and value

  5 c (red) on 10 c (blue) on 10 c red

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

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

1914 Red cross issue of France, overprinted "MAROC" and arabic text

  10 c red

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

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

1918 Stamps as french types, inscription "MAROC", overprinted "PROTECTORAT FRANCAIS" and value and arabic text

  '1' (red) on 1 c grey
  '2' (blue) on 2 c brown
  '3' (blue) on 3 c red
  '5' (red) on 5 c green

  '10' (blue) on 10 c red
  '15' (blue) on 15 c orange
  '20' (blue) on 20 c brown
  '25' on 25 c blue
  '25' (blue) on 25 c brown
  '30' (blue) on 30 c brown 
  '35' (red) on 35 c violet

  '40' (blue) on 40 c red and blue
  '50' (red) on 50 c brown and grey
  '1' (blue) on 1 F red and green
  '2' on 2 F lilac and yellow
  '5' on 5 F blue and yellow

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

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

Some very rare stamps (RR) exist with "PROTECTORAT FRANCAIS" overprint, but without the surcharge. The values 5 c, 10 c, 15 c, 25 c blue, 25 c brown, 40 c and 2 F exist:

Surcharged with red cross and value (1917)

(Reduced size, with white space for the red cross)

  '+5c' on 10 on 10 c red
  '+5c' on 5 c green
  '+5c' on 10 c red (with white space for the red overprint)

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

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

Specialists distinguish some rare local red cross overprints (also inverted).

1917 Various monuments in different cities

  1 c black (Rabat)
  2 c lilac (Rabat)
  3 c brown (Rabat)
  5 c green (Fez)
  10 c red (Fez)
  15 c black (Fez)
  20 c brown (Chelia)
  25 c blue (Chelia)
  30 c violet (Chelia)
  35 c orange (Marakesh)
  40 c blue (Marakesh)
  45 c green (Marakesh)
  50 c brown (Meknes)
  1 F blue (Meknes)
  2 F brown (Volubilis)
  5 F green (Volubilis)
  10 F brown (Volubilis)

From 1923 onwards more stamps in these and similar designs were issued, examples:

More stamps of Morocco (Sherifien Post and local issues) can be found on Cd 2.

Postage due stamps

1896 Postage due stamps of France, surcharged with value in "CENTIMOS" or "PESETA"

  5 c (red) on 5 c blue
  10 c (red) on 10 c brown
  30 c on 30 c red
  50 c on 50 c lilac
  1 P on 1 F brown

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

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

1911 Postage due stamps of France surcharged with value and arabic text

  5 (red) on 5 c blue
  10 (red) on 10 c brown
  50 (blue) on 50 c lilac

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

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

1909 Postage due stamps of France "RECOUVREMENTS" overprinted in "CENTIMOS"

  1 c (red) on 1 c green
  10 c on 10 c violet
  30 c on 30 c brown
  50 c on 50 c red

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

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

1909 Postage due stamps of France "RECOUVREMENTS" surcharged with value and arabic text

  1 (red) on 1 c green
  10 (red) on 10 c violet
  30 (red) on 30 c brown
  50 (blue) on 50 c red 

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

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

1915 Postage due stamps of France (Recouvrements) surcharged and overprinted with "PROTECTORAT FRANCAIS"

(Reduced size)

  1 c (red) on 1 c olive
  10 c (red) on 10 c violet
  30 c (red) on 30 c brown
  50 c (blue) on 50 c red

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

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

1915 Postage due stamps of France with overprint "PROTECTORAT FRANCAIS"

  1 on 1 c black
  5 on 5 c blue
  10 on 10 c brown
  20 on 20 c green
  30 on 30 c red
  50 on 50 c lilac

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

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

1917 Inscription "MAROC CHIFFRE TAXE A PERCEVOIR"

(Reduced size)

  1 c black
  5 c blue
  10 c brown
  20 c green
  30 c red
  50 c violet
  1 F lilac on yellow (thick '1')
  1 F brown (thin '1', 1947?)
  2 F violet (thick '2')
  2 F violet (thin '2', 1947?)
  3 F blue (1945)
  4 F red 
  5 F green
  10 F brown (1945)
  20 F red (1947?)
  30 F black (1947?)

Surcharged (1944)
  '50 c =' on 30 c
  '1 f =' on 10 c brown
  '3 f =' on 10 c brown

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

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

With value in 'Dirham' (1965)
  0.05 d green
  0.10 d brown
  0.20 d red
  0.30 d black

Parcel post stamps

1917 Parcel Post Stamps

  5 c green
  10 c red
  20 c brown
  25 c blue
  40 c brown
  50 c red
  75 c grey
  1 F blue
  2 F grey
  5 F lilac
  10 F black

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

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

Airmail Stamps

The first airmail stamps in Morocco appeared in 1922 (5 c orange, 25 c blue, 50 c blue, 75 c blue, 75 c green, 80 c brown, 1 F lilac, 1F40 red, 1F90 blue, 2 F violet and 5 F black). The 75 c blue is the rarest of them (***). Example:

(Inscription 'MAROC SERVICE POSTAL AERIEN', aeroplane over Casablanca)

Fiscal Stamps

Examples:

In the above design I have seen 10 c and 25 c (both in colour brown with the value in blue).

In the above design with "QUITTANCES" added I have seen 10 c, 20 c and 25 c (all in dark brown with blue inscriptions).

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer