GERMAN COLONIES
MARSHALL INSELN
My STAMPS
1890 / 1901
The German possession started on 15th October 1885 with the post office starting from 29th Mar 1889.The Marshall Islands are located at the easternmost edge of Micronesia in the Pacific Ocean and encompass about 900 atolls and smaller islands. On 15th October 1885 the islands were declared a German Protectorate with Jaluit as its capital. The first postal office in Jaluit was opened on 23rd March 1889 with the only other post office, based in Nauru, opening on 14th July 1908.
Jaluit was occuppied by Japanese troops on 29th September 1914 and Nauru by Australian troops on 6th November 1914.
Forerunners are stamps of the German Empire that were in circulation in foreign countries and the colonies without any special identification (i.e. not overprinted "China"), until issue of their own stamps. 'Proper' forerunners were officially delivered to post offices and were sold from postal counters, stamps that were not used or not officially issued are non-proper forerunners (e.g. MICHEL V39 and V43). All forerunners and interim stamps can only be recognised by the cancellation and as such there is no such thing as an unused forerunner.
MICHEL V37, V45 to V50
FORERUNNERS (V)
MICHEL 37e and f (internal service: number in oval) and MICHEL 45 to 50 (so-called "crown / eagle)".
MICHEL M45 to M50
STAMPS VALID for POSTAGE
(Replaced by New Issue)
Michel 45 to 50 with cancel date starting from late April 1897 (M48), starting from late August 1897 (M47), starting from late July 1899 (M45 and M46) and/or starting from Nov 1899 (M49 and M50).