SOUTH AFRICA, part 1

Return To Catalogue - South Africa, part 2 - South Africa, miscellaneous - Cape of Good Hope - Griqualand - Natal - New Republic - Orange Free State - Stellaland - Transvaal (Z.Afr.Republiek) - Swazieland - Zululand

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 Union of South Afica was established in 1910. The union consists of Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Orange Free State and Transvaal. Many stamps exist with the country name in two languages; English (South Africa) and Afrikaans (Zuid Afrika, later changed to Suid Afrika), mostly printed side by side. Later stamps bear the abbreviation (R.S.A.). Stamps with inscription British South Africa Company were actually used in Rhodesia.

1910 King George V, large size, inscription "Union of South Africa" and "Unie van Zuid Afrika"

  2 1/2 p blue

For the specialist; this stamp has perforation 14 and watermark 'Multiple roses'.

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

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

1913 King George V

  1/2 p green
  1 p red
  1 1/2 p brown
  2 p lilac
  2 1/2 p blue
  3 p orange and black
  3 p blue (1922)
  4 p green and orange
  6 p lilac and black
  1 Sh orange
  1 Sh 3 p lilac
  2 Sh 6 p green and red
  5 Sh blue andred
  10 Sh green and blue
  1 Pound red and green

For the specialist: these stamps have watermark the head of a dear ('springbok'). They are perforated 14 (though some stamps from automated distributing machines have the perforation only on two sides, sometimes referred to as coil-stamps):

(Coil-stamp; I have also seen the values 1 p and 2 p)

The values 1/2 p, 1 p and 1 1/2 p have "REVENUE INKOMST" inscribed at the bottom, the other values don't have this inscription.

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

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

Stamps with surcharge "S.W.A.", "Zuid-West Afrika.", "Zuidwest Afrika." or "South West Africa." were used in South West Africa.

1925 Various designs, inscription "SUIDAFRIKA POSSEEL" or "SOUTH AFRICA POSTAGE", printed side by side

  1/2 p green and black (springbok)
  1/2 p green (1943)
  1 p red and black (sailship)
  1 p red (1943)
  4 p blue (triangle as Cape of Good Hope)
  6 p orange and green (orange tree)

Many types with small differences were issued over the years for the 1/2 p, 1 p and 6 p stamps. For example "SUIDAFRIKA" and "SUID-AFRIKA" (with "-") in some values. The 1/2 p and 1 p are probably the most common stamps of South Africa.

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

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

Most common varieties of these stamps:
1/2 p:
"SUIDAFRIKA" or "SUID-AFRIKA". Vertical or horizontal lines in background at top of stamp.
1 p :
"SUIDAFRIKA" or "SUID-AFRIKA". Curved or straight tail in "AFRICA" and "AFRIKA". A smaller sized design of the stamp was issued in 1951, resulting in broader white margins all around the stamps.
6 p: "SUIDAFRIKA" or "SUID-AFRIKA"

Two Jipex minisheets

Two stamps from such a Jipex sheet with overprint 'JIPEX 1936'

The 1/2 p and 1 p were overprinted "JIPEX"" for the Johannesburg International Philatelic Exhibition in 1936 and. They were issued in minisheets of 6 stamps with advertisements at the bottom and top. I've seen these sheets with a very large circular cancel covering almost the whole sheet: "INTERNATIONAL PHILATELIC EXHIBITION JOHANNESBURG 14 XI 36" or "INTERNASIONALE FILATELISTIESE TENTOONSTELLING JOHANNESBURG 14 XI 36".

"OFFICIAL OFFISIEEL" overprints on pairs of 1 p stamps

These stamps exist with overprint "OFICIAL" or "OFFISIEEL" (official stamps), they were issued from 1926 onwards .

I have seen the 1/2 p overprinted "DOUANE" (fiscal stamp).

"S.W.A." overprint

Stamps with overprint "S.W.A.", "South West Africa." or "Suidwes Afrika." were used in South West Africa.

The 1 p red and black and 6 p were used in Kenya, Tanganyika and Uganda in 1941:

"KENYA TANGANYIKA UGANDA" overprint

1927 Various designs, inscription "SUIDAFRIKA" or "SOUTH AFRICA"

This issue of South Africa has the inscription with "SUID AFRIKA POSSEEL" and "SOUTH AFRICA POSTAGE" on one sheet, printed side by side

1 Sh stamp with inscription "SUID-AFRIKA" (with "-")

  2 p brown and grey (government house in Pretoria)
  2 p lilac and blue (government house in Pretoria)
  2 p lilac and blue (government house, smaller sized stamp)
  3 p red and black (Groote Schuur, farmhouse)
  3 p blue (Groote Schuur, 1933)
  4 p brown (local village with native huts)
  1 Sh blue and brown (wild animals 'wildebeest')
  2 Sh 6 p brown and green (wagon traversing river)
  5 Sh green and black (ox wagon)
  10 Sh brown and blue (Table Mountain)
  10 Sh black and blue (Great Constantia, 1939)

Several types exist, for example "SUID AFRIKA" and "SUID-AFRIKA" (with hyphen).

Major varieties;
2 p: with war memorial above the '2d' and without.
3 p Five lines at top of stamp (3 p red and black), or three lines at top of stamp (3 p red and black, 3 p blue).
1 Sh: Flower under last "A" of "AFRICA" covered or not covered.
2 Sh 6 p: Thin or thick top line of center frame.

"OFFICIAL OFFISIEEL" overprint on a pair of 10 Sh brown and blue stamps

These stamps exist with overprint "OFFICIAL" or "OFFISIEEL" (official stamps), they were issued from 1928 onwards.

The 3 p blue and 1 Sh were used in Kenya, Tanganyika and Uganda in 1941.

"KENYA TANGANYIKA UGANDA" overprint

Stamps with "S.W.A." overprint, "South West Africa." or "Suidwes Afrika." were issued for South West Africa:

Pair of 5 Sh stamps with "S.W.A." overprint for South West Africa

Fiscal stamp, 1 Sh value overprinted "CUSTOMS DUTY" (reduced size)

For more stamps of South Africa, click here for part 2.

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer