MAYOTTE

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Mayotte is a French Colony in Africa; an island in the Comore archipela.

Stamps of the French colonies used in Mayotte:

(reduced size)

It seems that the postmaster of D'Azoudzi cancelled whole sheets of stamps in order to sell them to stamp collectors. Here are the examples known:

I have seen several 40 c stamps with exactly the same cancel ("D'AZOUDZI MAYOTTE 1 MAI 81"); they are cancelled to order (oblitération de complaisance) see also http://www.comores-online.com/collections/philatelie/colonies.htm. Even whole blocks with the same cancel exist. According to this website, this cancel wasn't introduced until 1889. Another date that exists is "24 AVRIL 95" (on 5 c postage due stamps) and "25 AVRIL 95" (on 10 c postage due stamps). Also the date "7 AVRIL 89" was used on the 30 c, 40 c and 75 c of the French Colonies general issue 1881 issue. I've also seen many 1 F stamps with the cancel "2 JUIN 81", which I suspect to be cancelled to order as well. This is confirmed on the site http://www.colfra.org/spip.php?article231. The cancel "1 JUIN 90" also exists on 30 c stamps (I haven't seen it yet). These cancels are worth considerably less than genuine Mayotte cancels.

A block of 15 1F French colonies stamps, with "2 JUIN 81" cancels.

1893 French colonies Tablet type, inscription 'MAYOTTE' coloured

  1 c black
  2 c brown on yellowish
  4 c brown
  5 c green
  10 c black
  10 c red
  15 c blue
  15 c grey
  20 c red on yellow
  25 c black
  25 c blue
  30 c brown
  35 c black
  40 c orange
  45 c black
  50 c red
  50 c brown on blue
  75 c lilac
  1 F green
  5 F lilac

These stamps are perforated 14 x 13 1/2. For stamps in the same Tablet design, but for other French colonies, click here.

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

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

Note: The shown cancelled stamp is probably cancelled to order, since I've seen the whole set cancelled with the same cancel 'D'ZAOUDZI MAYOTTE 24 AOUT 05'. I have seen the stamps of Great Comores and Anjouan with the same cancel.

Fournier forgeries, examples:

Note the lack of the fingers of the forgeres (next to the 'E' of 'REPUBLIQUE', the bottom left fruit is attached to the horn and the perforation in the corners is not as in the genuine stamps. Also the perforation is not perfect (especially in the corners). For more information on these Fournier forgeries, click here.

Part of a sheet with 75 c forgeries of Mayotte

Fournier forgery with forged "DZAOUDZI 2 AOUT 08 MAYOTTE" cancel (see also next image)

Another part of a sheet with Fournier forged cancels. The Mayotte cancel is at the bottom row, cancel #4.

Other modern forgery:

Another modern forgery, also with the perforation not matching in the corners as in the Fournier forgeries, also 'MAYOTTE' is written with different lettertypes, see for example the 'M', which has a very high central part

Cancels:

The first postoffices in Mayotte were those of Dzaouzi, Mamoutzou, Chingoni and Mirereni. See also http://www.comores-online.com/collections/philatelie/sultanats.htm.

From 1903 on the stamps of Madagascar were used.

In 1912 the remainders were surcharged with a '05' or '10':

1912 Stamps of 1892 surcharged

  '05' on 2 c brown
  '05' (red) on 4 c brown
  '05' (red) on 15 c blue
  '05' on 20 c red on green
  '05' (red) on 25 c black
  '05' (red) on 30 c brown
  '10' on 40 c red
  '10' (red) on 45 c black
  '10' on 50 c red
  '10' on 75 c violet
  '10' on 1 F green

All values exist with the space between '0' and '5' or '1' and '0' larger, example:

Left normal stamp, right variety with more space between '0' and '5'.

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

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

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