GERMAN COLONIES
TOGO
STAMPS
1897
Togo became a German Protectorate from 5th Jul 1884 with the German post Office starting from 1st Mar 1888.
Togo was located on the western coast of Africa and occupied a thin 50Km wide strip of the "Slave Coast". The area expands into the hinterland for about 560Km and is 175Km wide from north to south at its widest part. As the area was so small it was difficult to defend militarily and so was forced to surrender to British and French troops on 26th Aug 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 "Togo"), 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. 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 6
REGULAR ISSUE GERMAN EMPIRE
Aug 1897 to Jan 1899. Regular issue German Empire stamp (Michel 50) so-called "crown/eagle" with black sloping Typography overprint.
Mi 6
50Pf
bright reddish brown
(Jan 1898)
50Pf
bright reddish brown
(Jan 1898)
VARIATIONS
REQUIRES ADDITIONAL RESEARCH
PLATE FLAWS
REQUIRES ADDITIONAL RESEARCH
OVERPRINT FLAWS
Mi 1 AF I
second 'o' of 'Togo' broken on the bottom
second 'o' of 'Togo' broken on the bottom
Mi 1 AF II
left bar of 'T' in 'Togo' angled downwards
left bar of 'T' in 'Togo' angled downwards
Mi 1 AF III
'g' in 'Togo' thin on top
'g' in 'Togo' thin on top
STAMPS FROM MY COLLECTION
Mi 6
Mint, Unused
Mint, Unused
Mi 6
Cancelled, Used
"LOME TOGOGEBIET"
"14/11 00"
Cancelled, Used
"LOME TOGOGEBIET"
"14/11 00"