Page 51 - Delcampe Collections classiques EN-006

Stamps

Expert Bernard Laurent also explains that the
Governor of French Somaliland was a great
lover of philately. No doubt inspired by the
British Cape of Good Hope issues, he pro-
posed postage stamps in original formats
(triangle or diamond). Thus for both Obock
and French Somaliland, these issues were
highly prized by collectors, especially given
that their purchase prices (25F and 50F at
the time) were very high.
It is worth noting just how much collectors
are attached to stamps relating to the colo-
nial period and to the French protectorates.
This is also seen in other countries such as
the UK or Belgium. These categories are very
popular on the Delcampe website and subs-
tantial numbers of such stamps are sold.
Each day, several hundred of these stamps,
with prices ranging from very modest to
jaw-dropping, change hands.
This stamp from French Somaliland with a
diamond shape put me in mind of other spe-
cial-format stamps. Recently, in a previous
Delcampe Magazine, we published an article
on Tonga, whose banana-shaped stamps
are particularly original. These stamps are
much more recent as they were issued in
1966 and do not attain spectacular values.
Perhaps these oddly-shaped stamps could
make for an amusing collection subject...
All the more so given that Tonga has issued
stamps in the shape of pineapples and coco-
nuts in addition to bananas!
Aside from diamonds and from the afore-
mentioned fruits, we have the latest round
issues from Luxembourg, French couturier
hearts or British octagonal stamps... There
is great potential to create a fun themed col-
lection on this subject.

Mail from Great Britain to Paris bearing an octagonal stamp (1850).
Mail from Tonga to Austria with pineapple and coconut stamps (1981).

Delcampe Magazine 51