TURKEY, issues 1913-1920

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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.

For other stamps of Turkey issued in 1913, click here.

1913 Andrinople mosque

  10 pa green
  20 pa red (two types, toughra different)
  40 pa blue

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
10 pa	*	*
20 pa	c	c	Second type with changed toughra was issued in 1920
40 pa	*	*

Overprinted with 5-pointed star and moon (1916)

Image obtained thanks to Christer Bergstrom

  10 pa green (red overprint)
  20 pa red
  40 pa blue (red overprint)

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
10 pa	*	c
20 pa	**	**
40 pa	**	*

Overprinted with beetle like text (1917)

(Sorry, no picture available yet)

  10 pa green (red overprint)
  40 pa blue (red overprint)

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
10 pa	**	**
40 pa	***	***

Surcharged (postage due stamps)

(Surcharged '20' on 40 pa, postage due stamp)

  2 pa on 10 pa green
  5 pa (blue) on 20 pa red
  10 pa (red) on 40 pa blue
  20 pa on 40 pa blue

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
2 pa on 10 pa	*	*
5 pa on 20 pa	*	*
10 pa on 40 pa	*	*
20 pa on 40 pa	*	*

Surcharged and overprinted with 5-pointed star with moon (1916)

(Reduced sizes)

  10 on 2 pa on 10 pa green
  20 on 5 pa (blue) on 20 pa red
  40 on 10 pa (red) on 40 pa blue
  40 on 20 pa on 40 pa blue

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
10 on 2 pa on 10 pa	***	***
20 on 5 pa on 20 pa	***	***
40 on 10 pa on 40 pa	***	***
40 on 20 pa on 40 pa	***	***

Doubly surcharged and overprinted with beetle like text (1917)

(Sorry, no picture available yet)

  10 pa on 2 pa on 10 pa green
  20 pa on 5 pa (blue) on 20 pa red
  30 pa on 10 pa (red) on 40 pa blue
  30 pa on 20 pa on 40 pa blue

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
10 on 2 pa on 10 pa	*	*
20 on 5 pa on 20 pa	*	*
30 on 10 pa on 40 pa	*	*
30 on 20 pa on 40 pa	*	*

1914 Various designs, inscription 'POSTES OTTOMANES' (except 200 Pi)

  2 pa lilac (obelisk)
  4 pa brown (mosque)
  5 pa brown (tower)
  5 pa orange (1920, toughra changed)
  6 pa blue (castle)
  10 pa green (two types, toughra different)
  20 pa red 
  1 Pi blue (mosque, two types, toughra different)
  1 1/2 Pi red and black
  1 3/4 Pi grey and brown
  2 Pi green and black
  2 1/2 Pi orange and green (Bosporus)
  3 Pi blue (1920)
  5 Pi violet
  5 Pi grey (different design)
  10 Pi brown
  10 Pi violet (1920)
  25 Pi green
  25 Pi brown (1920)
  50 Pi red
  50 Pi brown (1920)
  100 Pi blue
  200 Pi green and black

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
2 pa	c	c
4 pa	c	c
5 pa brown	c	c
5 pa orange	vc	c
6 pa	c	c
10 pa	c	c	Both types
20 pa	c	c
1 Pi	*	c	Both types
1 1/2 Pi	*	c
1 3/4 Pi	c	c
2 Pi	**	c
2 1/2 Pi	*	c
3 Pi	c	c
5 Pi violet	***	*
5 Pi grey	**	c
10 Pi brown	***	*
10 Pi violet	*	c
25 Pi green	R	***
25 Pi brown	**	**
50 Pi red	***	***
50 Pi brown	***	***
100 Pi	RR	R
200 Pi	RRR	RRR

Overprinted with star (for use on mail abroad, 1914)

(Sorry, no picture available yet, if anyobody possesses a picture, please contace me!)

  10 pa green (red overprint)
  20 pa red (blue overprint)
  1 Pi blue (red overprint)
  1 3/4 Pi grey and brown (blue overprint)
  2 Pi green and black (red overprint)

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
10 pa	c	c
20 pa	c	c
1 Pi	*	c
1 3/4 Pi	**	*
2 Pi	**	*

Surcharged

Image obtained thanks to Christer Bergstrom

(Reduced sizes)

  5 pa (red) on 4 pa brown (1920, newspaper stamp)
  60 pa on 10 pa green (1921)
  1 Pi (and arabic text and date) on 1 1/2 Pi red and black (1914)
  7 1/2 Pi on 3 Pi blue (red or black surcharge)
  10 Pi on 100 Pi blue (1915)
  25 Pi on 200 Pi green and black (1915)

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 pa on 4 pa	c	c
60 pa on 10 pa	*	c
1 Pi on 1 1/2 Pi	c	*	Error: without date: ***
7 1/2 Pi on 3 Pi	*	*	Black or red surcharge
10 Pi on 100 Pi	R	***
25 Pi on 200 Pi	***	***

Overprinted with arabic text in two lines (lowest line is actually a date)

Image obtained thanks to Christer Bergstrom

  5 pa brown
  10 pa green (red overprint)
  20 pa red
  1 pi blue (red overprint)
  2 Pi green and black (red overprint)
  5 Pi violet (red overprint)
  10 Pi brown (red overprint)

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 pa	*	*
10 pa	*	*
20 pa	***	*
1 Pi	***	**
2 Pi	***	**
5 Pi	R	***
10 Pi	RR	R

Overprinted with arabic text commemorating the armistice (1919)

  2 1/2 Pi orange and green
  50 Pi red

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
2 1/2 Pi	RR	RR
50 Pi	RR	RR

Overprinted with star and crescent (1916) in blue

  60 pa on 1 Pi (and arabic text and date) on 1 1/2 Pi red and black (1914

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
60 pa on 1 Pi on 1 1/2 Pi	**	**

Overprinted with beetle like text (1917)

  60 pa on 1 Pi (and arabic text and date) on 1 1/2 Pi red and black (1914

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
60 pa on 1 Pi on 1 1/2 Pi	***	***

The forger Fournier made forgeries of the 25 Pi green and 100 Pi blue stamps. I don't know the distinguishing characteristics. The above imperforate stamps are from 'The Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries' and have a diagonal 'FAC-SIMILE' many times printed on the backside. In the Fournier Album these unfinished forgeries can be found in blocks of 4 or 6 with very large spaces in between them. If anyone knows the distinguishing characteristics, please contact me.

1916 General post office in Constantinopel

(Reduced size)

  5 pa green
  10 pa red
  20 pa blue
  1 Pi violet and black
  5 Pi yellow and black

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 pa	c	c
10 pa	c	c
20 pa	c	c
1 Pi	c	c
5 Pi	*	c

1916 Overprinted with star and crescent (date between star and crescent)

  10 pa red
  20 pa blue
  1 Pi violet and black
  5 Pi brown and black

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
10 pa	c	c
20 pa	c	c
1 Pi	c	c
5 Pi	*	c

1916 Oveprinted with star and crescent (date inside crescent)

  5 Pi brown and black

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 Pi	*	c

Due to a lack of 5 pa stamps, in Beni Saab (Gaza, Palestine) some provisional (non official?) stamps were issued in 1917 by overprinting a 10 pa stamp with '5' (also in arabic). Besides the postmark this stamp also has a blue crayon which was required upon arrival. Most of these provisionals were used on money orders, which were required to be held at the arriving post office and later destroyed, therefore only the few that were used on postcards still exist today. In a few days all the surcharged stamps were used up. It seems that two other stamps of Turkey were also surcharged in this way (I have never seen them):

Gaza provisional, certified genuine

1916 Monuments and war scenes

(Stamp with Bukarest cancel, 20 pa red, reduced size)

  2 pa violet
  2 pa blue (sligtly different inscription, never placed in use)
  5 pa orange (mosque)
  10 pa green (lighthouse)
  10 pa lilac (soldiers?)
  20 pa red (monument of liberty)
  50 pa blue (Dardanelles)
  1 Pi violet (map with face of Sultan)
  2 Pi orange and blue
  5 Pi blue and black (pyramid)
  10 Pi violet
  10 Pi green
  10 Pi brown
  25 Pi red 
  50 Pi red
  50 Pi blue
  50 Pi green on yellow

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
2 pa violet	c	c
2 pa blue	RR	RR	Non issued
5 pa	c	c
10 pa green	c	c
10 pa lilac	c	c
20 pa	c	c
50 pa	c	c
1 Pi	c	c
2 Pi	*	c
5 Pi	*	*
10 Pi violet	**	c
10 Pi green	**	*
10 Pi brown	**	*
25 Pi	**	*
50 Pi red	***	**
50 Pi blue	***	**
50 Pi green on yellow	***	***

Overprinted with beetle like text (1917)

  25 Pi red
  50 Pi red (blue overprint)
  50 Pi blue (red overprint)
  50 Pi green on yellow (red overprint)

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
25 Pi	***	**
50 Pi	R	R	All three values

Surcharged

'5 Piastres 5' at the left hand side

  5 pa on 1 Pi red (war scene, not issued without surcharge)
  '10' on 20 pa red (same design as 10 pa lilac)
  4 1/2 Pi on 1 Pi red (1921, on non-issued 1 Pi stamp)
  5 Pi on 2 pa blue (war scene, surcharge in arabic only, not issued without surcharge)
  5 Pi on 2 pa blue (as previous stamp, with '5 Piastres 5' at left)

Double surcharged

  2 pa on 5 pa on 1 Pi red

With armistice overprint (1919)

  50 pa blue (red overprint)
  1 Pi blue (red overprint)
  2 Pi orange and blue 
  5 Pi blue and black (red overprint)
  10 Pi green (red overprint)
  25 Pi blue (red overprint)
  50 Pi green (red overprint)

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
50 pa	c	*
1 Pi	**	**
2 Pi	c	c
5 Pi	*	*
10 Pi	**	**
25 Pi	**	**
50 Pi	***	***

Surcharged (1921)

  '30 PARAS' on 10 pa lilac

Several overprints also exist (issued in 1920), example:

I still need pictures of the overprints of this period. If you possess any pictures, please contact me!

1919 Stamps with armistice overprint

  20 pa red
  1 Pi blue (soldier, red overprint )
  25 Pi blue (red overprint)

These stamps were not issued without overprint.

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
20 pa	c	c
1 Pi	RR	RR
25 Pi	RR	RR

Later issues:

(Stamp issued in 1921)

(Permanent serie of 1923, 1 1/2 Pi green)

Non issued stamp?

TURKEY, issues 1913-1920

1913 Andrinople mosque

1914 Various designs, inscription 'POSTES OTTOMANES' (except 200 Pi)

1916 General post office in Constantinopel

1916 Monuments and war scenes

1919 Stamps with armistice overprint

Later issues:

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer