SAMOA

Return To Catalogue - Samoa (German colony)

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.

Samoa is an island in the Pacific.

1877 Private post of W.E. Agar, inscription 'SAMOA EXPRESS'

  1 p blue
  2 p red (non issued)
  3 p red
  6 p violet
  9 p brown
  1 Sh yellow
  2 Sh brown
  5 Sh green

(Sheet of 1 p stamps, note the imperforate borders, reduced size)

(Left upper corner of this sheet)

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

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

Reprints (and remainders):

WARNING: Most of these stamps are reprints or forgeries! The genuine stamps are always imperforated at one or two sides (except for the 1 p which also exists perforated all around). Reprints were made perforated all around or with imperforated sides. If my information is correct there is a small dot just below the 'M' of 'SAMOA' and the dots above the 'M' and 'O' of this word are placed lower. Some remainders seem to have the same characteristics.

Forgeries:

According to the below listed website six different kinds of forgeries exist. There must be 16 pearls in the upper half-circle. The pearl under the center of the 'M' of 'SAMOA' and the two pearls immediatly to the right of it are closer together than the other pearls. The next forgeries have the pearls very regularly:

Also, the 'S' like ornament above the 'P' of 'POSTAGE' has its lower part sticking out too much of the label below it. It is more or less covered in the genuine stamps. These forgeries are said to have been made by the forger Nino Imperato (Genoa, Italy) somewhere in the early 1920's. They exist with various forged cancels. Also note the strange shape of the ornaments in many places, for example just below the 'XP', the curly ornament is too squeezed (an easy test!).

The following stamps are Fournier forgeries, they can be recognised by the right leg of the 'M' of 'SAMOA', it is bent instead of straight. Furthermore the line of dots above 'SAMOA' has a dip between the 'M' and 'O' of this word:

(Distinghuishing characteristics of the Fournier forgeries)

Forged cancel made by Fournier 'APIA 1-2 00.10-11V *(SAMOA)*' (used for the German stamps) and 'APIA 1 21 85 SAMOA' (reduced sizes, images taken from a Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries).

(I've seen several misperforated 2 Sh values of these forgeries)

(Other forgery, or reprint? with cancel)

According to 'The Forged Stamps of All Countries' by J.Dorn another forgery with cancel 'APIA 1-21-85 SAMOA' in a double circle seems to exist. I have never seen this forgery myself. The other forgeries of this issue are rare and are described in the website http://www.filatelia.fi/forgeries/samoa-express.html.

Some other rare forgeries (reduced size)

Very dubious item.

Literature: 'Forgery & reprint guide 5-6 Samoa Express, a guide to the identification of forgeries, forged overprints, reprints, forged or doubtful postmarks and other problem stamps', compiled and published by J.Barefoot (investments) Ltd.
Website with more information: http://www.filatelia.fi/forgeries/samoa-express.html.

1887 King Malietoa Laupepa

  2 1/2 p red
  2 1/2 p black

These stamps have watermark 'NZ star', various perforations exist.

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

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

1894 star and crown

  5 p red

Overprinted 'PROVISIONAL GOVT.' (1899)

  5 p red (in blue)

These stamps have watermark 'NZ star'

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

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

1887 Palm trees

  1/2 p brown
  1/2 p green (1899)
  1 p green
  1 p brown (1899)
  2 p yellow
  4 p blue
  6 p brown
  1 Sh red
  2/6 lilac

Surcharged

  '5 d.' (red, two types) on 4 p blue
  'FIVE PENCE' (two types) on 4 p blue
  'Surcharged 1 1/2 d.' on 2 p yellow
  'Surcharged 2 1/2 d.' (red) on 1 p green
  'Surcharged 2 1/2 d.' (red or black) on 1 Sh red
  'Surcharged 2 1/2 d.' on 2/6 lilac
  'R 3 d.' (two types) on 2 p yellow

Overprinted 'PROVISIONAL GOVT.' (1899)

  1/2 p green (in red)
  1 p brown (in blue)
  2 p orange (in red)
  4 p blue (in red)
  6 p brown (in blue)
  1 Sh red (in blue)
  2/6 violet (in red)

These stamps have watermark 'NZ star', various perforations exist. I have seen a Postcard (reply card) with the impression of a 1 p red design, similar to the above stamps.

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

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

Note: most of these stamps were sold to collectors or stamp dealers.

The 1 Sh red (no overprint) exists bisected (due to a great fire in April 1895 that destroyed almost all stamps):

(Bisected stamp, cancelled to order, reduced view)

The owner of this postal service, Davis, also created more bisected stamps, specially for collectors. The original provisional bisected stamp has perforation 12 1/2 and blue cancels (the later ones created for collectors have perforation 11 and black cancels according to the website mentioned below). More information about these bisected stamps can be found at: http://home.prcn.org/~pauld/samoa1.htm.

(Genuine cancel?)

The forger Fournier seems to have made forgeries of the '5 d.' (red) on 4 p blue and 'FIVE PENCE' on 4 p blue surcharges. These forged overprints can be found in the Fournier album of philatelic forgeries:

Forged Fournier overprints, as found in the Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries.

Samoa as a German colony

For stamps of Samoa as a German colony and the British occupation of this colony, click here.

SAMOA, NEW ZEALAND MANDATE

1914 Stamps of New Zealand overprinted 'SAMOA'

King Edward

  1/2 p green
  2 p lilac
  6 p red
  1 Sh red

Various designs

  1 p red (woman)
  2 1/2 p blue (Lake Wakatipu)

Queen Victoria

  2 Sh blue
  2 Sh 6 p brown
  3 Sh lilac
  5 Sh green
  10 Sh brown
  1 Pound red
  2 Pounds lilac

King George V (1916)

  1/2 p green
  1 1/2 p grey
  1 1/2 p orange
  2 p yellow
  2 1/2 p blue
  3 p brown
  6 p red
  1 Sh red

Victory Stamps (1919)
 

  1/2 p green
  1 p red
  1 1/2 p orange
  3 p brown
  6 p lilac
  1 Sh red

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

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

A letter card of New Zealand(?) (King Edward 1 p) also received a 'SAMOA' overprint (quantity of cards overprinted: about 11000).

1920 Flag and hut, inscription 'SAMOA POSTAGE REVENUE'

  1/2 p green
  1 p red
  1 1/2 p brown
  2 p yellow
  2 1/2 p blue
  3 p brown
  4 p violet
  5 p blue
  6 p red
  8 p brown
  9 p green
  1 Sh red

For the specialist: hese stamps have watermark 'NZ star' and are perforated 14 x 13 1/2 or 14 x 14 1/2.

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

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

1935 Overprinted 'SILVER JUBILEE OF KING GEORGE V 1910 - 1935.'

  1 p red
  2 1/2 p blue
  6 p red

1926 Stamps of New Zealand (1926 King George V admiral issue), overprinted 'SAMOA'

  2 Sh blue
  3 Sh lilac

1932 Stamp Duty stamps of New Zealand (arms type), overprinted 'SAMOA'

  2 Sh 6 p brown (blue overprint)
  5 Sh green (red overprint)
  10 Sh red (blue overprint)
  1 Pound red (blue overprint)
  2 Pounds lilac (red overprint)
  5 Pounds blue (red overprint)

1935 Stamp Duty stamps of New Zealand (arms type), overprinted 'WESTERN SAMOA'

  2 Sh 6 p brown (blue overprint)
  5 Sh green (blue overprint)
  10 Sh red (blue overprint)
  1 Pound red (blue overprint)
  5 Pounds blue (red overprint)

1935 Various designs, inscription 'WESTERN SAMOA'

  1/2 p green (girl with bowl)
  1 p red and black (view of Apia)
  2 p orange and black (river scene)
  2 1/2 p blue and black (Samoan chief and wife)
  4 p brown and grey (Samoan canoe and house)
  5 p blue and black (Apia post office, 19??)
  6 p lilac (Vailima, Stephenson's home)
  1 Sh brown and violet (Stephenson's tomb)
  2 Sh brown and green (lake Lanuto'o)
  3 Sh orange and blue (falls)

'3 d 3 d' on 3 p brown (a Samoan chief, 19??)

1939 Inscription '1914 1939', various designs

  1 p red and green (coastal scene)
  1 1/2 p brown and blue (map)
  2 1/2 p blue and brown (Samoan dancing party)
  7 p black and violet (Robert Louis Stevenson)

1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, inscription 'Coronation'

  2 p brown (Queen Elizabeth facing the left)
  6 p black (Westminster Abbey)

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer