St. THOMAS and PRINCE (S.THOME E PRINCIPE) 1870-1897

S. Tomé e Príncipe - St. Thomas und Prinzeninsel

Return To Catalogue - 1898 onwards and miscellaneous - Portugal

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contact me if you want to purchase them: evert@klaseboer.com.

1870 Crown

  5 r black
  10 r orange
  10 r green (1881)
  20 r brown
  20 r red (1881)
  25 r red
  25 r lilac (1881)
  40 r blue
  40 r yellow (1881)
  50 r green
  50 r blue (1881)
  100 r lilac
  200 r orange
  300 r 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 r	***	***	Two types: '5' different
10 r orange	R	R	Two types: '10' different
10 r green	***	***	Two types: '10' different
20 r brown	***	***
20 r red	***	***
25 r red	*	**
25 r lilac	**	**
40 r blue	***	***	Two types: '40' different
40 r lilac	R	R
50 r green	R	***	Two types: '50' different, See 50 r blue
50 r blue	*	**	Two types: '50' different:
100 r	***	***
200 r	***	***
300 r	***	***

Surcharged with fancy letters (1902)

(If anybody posesse a picture of these stamps, please contact me!)

  '115 REIS' on 50 r green
  '400 REIS' on 10 r orange

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

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

Surcharged with fancy letters and 'REPUBLICA' (1913)

(If anybody posesse a picture of these stamps, please contact me!)

  '115 REIS' on 50 r green
  '400 REIS' on 10 r orange

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

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

Stamps in similar designs were issued for most Portuguese colonies (country name different for each country), click here for more information on this issue.

Reprints:

(Reprints made in 1885)

Forgeries:

Fournier forgeries:

(Fournier forgery)

How to identify a Fournier forgery? The central circle with the name 'ST.THOME E PRINCIPE' is a little bigger than in the genuine stamps. At the top it touches the line above it quite much. In the genuine stamps it touches it very lightly or not at all. The upper right ornament (besides the 'N' of 'PRINCIPE') is not symmetric as the other ornaments. For pictures of this click here. These forgeries were offered by Fournier for 2 Swiss Francs for the 1870 issue (9 values) and for 1 Swiss Franc for the 1881/85 issue (5 values). Some of these forgeries exist with a 'FAUX' overprint, they were taken from 'The Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries'.
A website with more information can be found at: http://www.tabacaria.org/Selos/Coroa2/STomeFournier.htm.

Cancels as listed in 'The Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries' under St.Thomas and Prince, however, I believe only the central cancel 'SAO THOME 20 7 1875' was actually used on forgeries of this country.

Other forgeries don't have an accent above the 'E' of 'THOME' or with an accent on the 'E' following 'THOME'. Examples:

(Note the strange cancels on these Spiro forgeries!)

I've seen the following Spiro forgeries: 10 r orange, 20 r brown, 25 r red, 50 r green and 100r lilac. For more information concerning these forgeries, click here or see the following website: http://www.tabacaria.org/Selos/Coroa2/STomeSpiro3.htm.

There exist another Spiro forgery, with the corner ornaments as swastika's. At the following website an example of such a 5 r forgery can be found: http://www.tabacaria.org/Selos/Coroa2/STomeSpiro5reis.htm. Other example:

Spiro forgery with swastika's. The '5' is placed very far to the right. I've also seen it cancelled with paralllel lines.

The next forgery has the word 'CORREIO' different from the genuine stamps. The base of the crown seems smaller and more rounded. Also note the appearance of guide lines outside the design of the stamp.

The '5' is totally different from the two genuine types, the 'S' of 'REIS' is placed too far to the right. I've also seen this particular forgery in 5 r red and 5 r green.

Yet another forgery, 'E' after 'THOME' is placed almost directly below first 'R' of 'CORREIO'

1887 King Luiz, head embossed

  5 r black
  10 r green
  20 r red
  25 r violet
  40 r brown
  50 r blue
  100 r brown
  200 r lilac
  300 r orange

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

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

Surcharged

  '2 1/2 RS' (green) on 5 r black
  '2 1/2 rs' (green) on 5 r black
  '2 1/2 RS' on 10 r green
  '2 1/2 rs' (green or black) on 10 r green
  '2 1/2 RS' on 20 r red
  '2 1/2 rs' (green or black) on 20 r red
  '2 1/2 RS' (green) on 25 r lilac
  '2 1/2 rs' (green) on 25 r lilac
  '5 reis' on 10 r green
  '5 cinco reis' on 20 r red
  'Rs 50' on 40 r brown

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

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

I've been told that the above stamp has a forged overprint.

Surcharged with fancy letters (1902)

(Reduced sizes)

  '65 REIS' on 20 r red
  '65 REIS' on 25 r violet
  '65 REIS' on 100 r brown
  '115 REIS' on 10 r green
  '115 REIS' on 300 r orange
  '130 REIS' (red) on 5 r black
  '130 REIS' on 200 r lilac
  '400 REIS' on 40 r brown
  '400 REIS' on 50 r blue

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

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

Surcharged with fancy letters and 'REPUBLICA' broad or narrow (1913)

(Narrow local 'REPUBLICA' overprint)

(Broad 'REPUBLICA' overprint, reduced size)

  '115 REIS' on 10 r green
  '115 REIS' on 300 r orange
  '130 REIS' on 5 r black
  '130 REIS' on 200 r lilac
  '400 REIS' on 50 r blue

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

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

Reprints exist of some of the non-surcharged stamps.

1892 Newspaper stamp

  2 1/2 r brown

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

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

Surcharged in blue 'PROVISORIO' slanting (1899)

  2 1/2 r brown

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

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

Surcharged with fancy letters (1902)

  '400 REIS' on 2 1/2 r brown

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

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

Overprinted 'REPUBLICA' and surcharged with fancy letters (1913)
  '400 REIS' on 2 1/2 r brown

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

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

Overprinted 'Republica' and surcharged twice (1925)

  'Republica 40 c.' on '400 REIS' on 2 1/2 r brown

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

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

1895 King Charles I, in an ellipse

  5 r yellow
  10 r lilac
  15 r brown
  20 r lilac
  25 r green
  50 r blue
  75 r red
  80 r green
  100 r brown on yellow
  150 r red on red
  200 r blue on blue
  300 r blue on red

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

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

Surcharged with fancy letters (1902)

(reduced size)

  '65 REIS' on 5 r yellow
  '65 REIS' on 10 r lilac
  '65 REIS' on 15 r brown
  '65 REIS' on 20 r lilac
  '115 REIS' on 25 r green
  '115 REIS' on 150 r red on red
  '115 REIS' on 200 r blue on blue
  '130 REIS' on 75 r red
  '130 REIS' on 100 r brown on yellow
  '130 REIS' on 300 r blue on red
  '400 REIS' on 50 r blue
  '400 REIS' on 80 r green

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

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

Overprinted 'REPUBLICA' (3 types) and surcharged with fancy letters (1913 and 1920)

(Reduced size, 'REPUBLICA' thin and slanting)

  '115 REIS' on 25 r green
  '115 REIS' on 150 r red on red
  '115 REIS' on 200 r blue on blue
  '130 REIS' on 75 r red
  '130 REIS' on 100 r brown on yellow
  '130 REIS' on 300 r blue on red
  '400 REIS' on 50 r blue
  '400 REIS' on 80 r green

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

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

Overprinted 'REPUBLICA' and surcharged twice (1923)

 
  'DEZ CENTAVOS' (blue or red) on '115 REIS' on 25 r green 
  'DEZ CENTAVOS' (blue) on '115 REIS' on 150 r red on red
  'DEZ CENTAVOS' (blue) on '115 REIS' on 200 r blue on blue
  'DEZ CENTAVOS' (red) on '130 REIS' on 75 r red
  'DEZ CENTAVOS' (blue) on '130 REIS' on 100 r brown on yellow
  'DEZ CENTAVOS' (blue) on '130 REIS' on 300 r blue on red

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

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

Overprinted 'Republica' and surcharged twice (1925)

(Sorry, no picture available yet)

  'Republica 40 c' on '400 REIS' on 80 r green

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

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

St Thomas and Prince 1898 onwards and miscellaneous

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer