GOLD COAST 1902 onwards and Miscellaneous

Côte-d'Or

Return To Catalogue - Goldcoast 1875-1901

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.

The colony of Gold Coast was established in 1874 by the British. In 1957 Gold Coast was renamed Ghana.

For stamps of Goldcoast issued before 1902, click here.

1902 King Edward

  1/2 p lilac and green
  1/2 p green (1907)
  1 p lilac and red
  1 p red (1907)
  2 p lilac and orange
  2 p grey (1909)
  2 1/2 p lilac and blue
  2 1/2 p blue (1907)
  3 p lilac and yellow
  3 p lilac on yellow (1909)
  6 p lilac and violet
  6 p lilac and redish-lilac
  1 Sh green and black
  1 Sh black on green (1909)
  2 Sh green and red
  2 Sh lilac and blue on blue (1909)
  2 Sh 6 p green and yellow (1904)
  2 Sh 6 p black and red on blue (1909)
  5 Sh green and violet
  5 Sh green and red on yellow (1909)
  10 Sh green and brown
  20 Sh lilac and black on red

For the specialist, the above stamps have watermark 'CA crown' or watermark 'Multiple CA crown'. They are all perforated 14. Fiscal stamps in the same design exist (changed colours) with overprint 'JUDICIAL'. A 10 Sh stamp with colour green and red on blue only exists with 'SPECIMEN' overprint.

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

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

1908 King Edward, new design, 'postage revenue' at the bottom

  1 p red

This stamp has watermark 'Multiple CA Crown' and perforation 14.

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

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

1913 King George V

  1 p red
  1 p brown

War issue, overprinted 'WAR TAX' (1918)

  'ONE PENNY' on 1 p red

These stamps have perforation 14.

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

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

1913 King George V, new design

  1/2 p green
  1 1/2 p red
  2 p grey
  2 1/2 p blue
  2 1/2 p orange
  3 p lilac on yellow
  3 p blue
  6 p lilac and violet
  1 Sh black on green
  2 Sh lilac and blue on blue
  2 Sh 6 p black and red on blue
  5 Sh green and red on yellow
  10 Sh green and red on green
  15 Sh lilac and green
  20 Sh lilac and black on red
  2 Pounds green and orange

These stamps have perforation 14.

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

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

Forgeries

The next two stamps have apparently been made by erasing the value of a cheap specimen and replacing it with 15 Sh and 2 Pounds. The figures of value are different from the genuine stamps. I've also seen another copy of the 2 Pounds forgery.

Forgeries of the 15 Sh and 2 Pounds values

1928 King George V and view of Christiansborg

  1/2 p green
  1 p brown
  1 1/2 p red
  2 p black
  2 1/2 p orange
  3 p blue
  6 p lilac and black
  1 Sh orange and black
  2 Sh violet and black
  5 Sh green and black

These stamps have watermark 'Multiple Script CA Crown' and perforation 13 1/2 x 14.

1935 Silver Jubilee of King George V, inscription '1910-1935'

For stamps in the same design, but for another British colony, click here

A 1 p grey and blue, 3 p blue and brown, 5 p blue and green and 1 Sh lilac and black were issued in a design identical to many other British colonies (Windsor castle).

1937 Inscription '12th MAY 1937' portrait of King and Queen

For stamps in the same design, but for another British colony, click here

The values 1 p brown, 2 p black and 3 p blue were issued (design identical to that of many other British colonies).

Forged first day covers were made by George Whitehurst (Birmingham, England)

1938 King George VI and Christianborg Castle; pence values same design; shilling values also same design

  1/2 p green
  1 p brown
  1 1/2 p red
  2 p grey
  3 p blue
  4 p lilac
  6 p lilac
  9 p orange

Different design: 
  1 Sh green and black
  1 Sh 3 p blue and brown
  2 Sh violet and blue
  5 Sh red and green
  10 Sh violet and black

1946 Victory issue, identical to sets issued in many other British colonies, inscription '8th JUNE 1946'

For stamps in a similar design, but for another British colony, click here

  2 p violet
  4 p red

1949 Royal Silver wedding, identical to sets issued in many other British colonies, inscription '1923-1948', image of King and Queen

For stamps in a similar design, but for another British colony, click here

  1 1/2 p red (smaller size)
  10 Sh grey 

1948 King George VI, definitive issue, various designs

  1/2 p green (N.T. mounted constable)
  1 p blue (Christiansborg Castle)
  1 1/2 p red (emblem of joint provincial council)
  2 p brown (talking drums)
  2 1/2 p olive and red (position of Gold Coast, map)
  3 p blue (manganese mine)
  4 p lilac (lake Bosumtwi)
  6 p orange and black (cocoa farmer)
  1 Sh orange and black (breaking cocoa pods)
  2 Sh red and olive (trooping the colour)
  5 Sh grey and lilac (surfboats)
  10 Sh olive and black (forest)

1949 UPU issue (design similar to many other British colonies)

For stamps in a similar design, but for another British colony, click here

  2 p brown
  2 p orange
  3 p blue
  1 Sh green

1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth, inscription 'CORONATION JUNE 1953', design identical to many other British colonies

For stamps in a similar design, but for other British colonies, click here

  2 p brown and black 

1953 Queen Elizabeth II, designs similar to the 1948 issue

  1/2 p olive and red (position of Gold Coast, map)
  1 p blue (Christiansborg Castle)
  1 1/2 p green (emblem of joint provincial council)
  2 p brown (talking drums)
  2 1/2 p red (N.T. mounted constabulary)
  3 p lilac (manganese mine)
  4 p blue (lake Bosumtwi)
  6 p orange and black (cocoa farmer)
  1 Sh orange and black (breaking cocoa pods)
  2 Sh red and olive (trooping the colour)
  5 Sh grey and lilac (surfboats)
  10 Sh olive and black (forest)

In 1955 these stamps were overprinted 'GHANA INDEPENDENCE 6th MARCH 1955': 1/2 p, 1 p (overprint in red), 1 1/2 p, 2 p, 2 1/2 p, 3 p, 6 p (overprint in red), 1 Sh, 2 Sh, 5 Sh, 10 Sh.

In 1957 Gold Coast was renamed Ghana.

Postage Due Stamps

The first postage due stamps were issued in 1923 (inscription 'GOLDCOAST POSTAGE DUE'): 1/2 p, 1 p, 2 p and 3 p (all in black). Later the values 6 p black and 1 Sh black were added. All values exists with a red overprint 'GHANA' and a red bar on 'GOLD COAST'.

Postage due stamps with inscription 'GHANA' exist in the values: 1 p red, 2 p green, 3 p orange, 6 p blue and 1 Sh violet. They exists with overprint 'Ghana New Currenty 19th July 1965' and new value: '1 p.' on 1 p red, '2 p.' on 2 p green, '3 p.' on 3 p orange, '6 p.' on 6 p blue (overprint and surcharge in red) and '12 p.' on 1 Sh violet.

Other postage due stamps with 'GHANA' are 1 NP red, 1 1/2 NP green, 2 1/2 NP orange, 5 NP blue and 10 NP violet.

Postal stationary

1888 Registered envelope of Great Britain, overprinted 'GOLD COAST COLONY' in black:

  2 p blue and black (3 types of overprint 'GOLD COAST COLONY')

1880 Postcards, design as postage stamps

(Sorry, no picture available yet, if anybody posesses a picture, please contact me)

  1/2 p green (1891)
  1 p red (1892)
  1 1/2 p brown

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer