Postage stamps and postal history of Vanuatu
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This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Vanuatu, formerly known as the New Hebrides, an island group in the South Pacific. Between 1906 and 1980, the islands were an Anglo-French Condominium.
One of the outcomes of this arrangement was that both countries issued their own
British issues
The first British issues, in 1908 and 1910, were produced by overprinting stamps of Fiji with "NEW HEBRIDES / CONDOMINIUM". These were followed by a joint issue with the French authorities, inscribed "NEW HEBRIDES" over a design including the coats of arms of both France and Britain and denominated in British currency. These were in use for several years, but as the stocks ran out in 1920, the less-popular values had to be surcharged "1d." and "2d.". New stamps in different colours came in the following year, but further surcharges became necessary again, in 1924.[1]
1925 saw another joint issue of nine values similar to the 1911 stamps, but this time both
The dual denomination scheme broke down when the value of the French franc declined, and for the next stamp issue, in 1938, the two administrations had simplified matters by using the same currency of "gold francs". The twelve values of the 1938 issues all depicted the same "
French issues
The first issues of the French, also in 1908 and 1910, were overprints on the stamps of their colony New Caledonia, in 1908 reading just "NOUVELLES HEBRIDES" and in 1910 adding "CONDOMINIUM". The joint issue of 1911, inscribed "NOUVELLES HEBRIDES" with denominations in centimes, was at first printed on British paper, then in 1912 on French paper watermarked "R F". As with the British, surcharged provisionals became necessary in 1920.
French issues of 1925 and 1938 were analogous to their British counterparts, but in 1941, the 1938 stamps were overprinted "France Libre" to signify that the
Postwar issues were generally consistent with British versions, differing primarily in being inscribed in French.
Vanuatu
Modern stamps have been issued under the name Vanuatu since independence in 1980.[2]
Local stamps
In 1897 a local inter-island postal service was started by the Australasian New Hebrides Company for which two
References and sources
- References
- ^ "New Hebrides". StampWorldHistory.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2017.
- ^ "Vanuatu". StampWorldHistory.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2018.
- ^ Australasian New Hebrides Company Sandafayre, 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2013. Archived here.
- ^ Australasian New Hebrides Company by Maurice Mishkel, Philatelic Database, 28 October 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2013. Archived here.
- Sources
- Stanley Gibbons Ltd: various catalogues
- Encyclopaedia of Postal Authorities
- ISBN 0-356-10862-7
See also
- Vanuatu Post The national post office of Vanuatu.
External links
- The Lost Islands of Oceania at Philatelic Database.