Stamp & Coin Mart - April 2016_

68 APRIL 2016

http://www.stampandcoin.co.uk

Collecting the Empire

Cape of Good Hope stamp; by then

known as the ‘Cape Triangular’.

The year 1864 witnessed the

introduction of a more conventional

stamp shape, the classic small upright

rectangle. A seated Hope retained her

central place within the design, but now

accompanied by a vine and a ram on

perforate stamps. Triangulars continued,

of course; but the smaller and easier to

handle shape reflected the huge increase

in postal traffic. More than 500 local

offices were busy throughout Cape

Colony by 1864, a year that also saw the

introduction of numeral killers to cancel

the new rectangulars. The introduction

of a 1d rose-red in 1893 presented a

standing Hope for the first time, with

Table Bay in the background. Cape

Colony joined the UPU in 1895 and

adopted Universal Penny Postage on 1

September, 1899. This was followed by

another new 1d stamp in 1900 which

saw Hope replaced by a view of Table

Mountain and Bay, with the Arms of the

Colony above.

The Cape’s final issue, introduced

between 1902 and 1904, presented a

set of nine values (½d – 5s) portraying

a bust of King Edward VII on a

very conventional stamp. They saw

widespread use until 1910 when the

colonies of Cape of Good Hope,

Transvaal, Natal and Orange River

Colony formed the Union of South

Africa. All Cape stamps, except the

triangulars, remained valid for use

throughout the Union until they were

demonetised on 31 December, 1937.

The Cape’s first postal stationery,

issued in 1878, used a seated Hope

design; but this was replaced by Queen

Victoria in 1879. Registered envelopes

and newspaper wrappers depicted Queen

Victoria when introduced in 1882, as

did lettercards when first used in 1895.

Brief mention must be made of the

many Edward VII Cape of Good Hope

issues overprinted ‘MAFEKING 3d

BESIEGED’ (or similar) during and

after the Boer War. Some were genuine,

but forgeries were undoubtedly included

in the many brought home by returning

solders as souvenirs of that famous war.

All cover illustrations courtesy of

Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions. Visit the

Grosvenor website to view future auction

lots. Final four stamp images on this page

courtesy of Sandafayre.com

Images, from top: South Africa, Cape of Good Hope, Assistant Shipping Postmaster

type A1 ‘OCT 12 1909’ (early date) cancellation in red on a registered cover sent to

Anglesey and franked with a 1d and 4d • Early triangulars obliterated with a triangle

of bars incorporating the initials CGH; seated Hope with ram and vine seen on a 1d

block of 12; and a 5s block of four • South Africa 1953 stamp centenary set

Right: ‘Mafeking 3d Besieged’ overprint on 1893 ‘Standing Hope’ 1d carmine. The Siege

of Mafeking took place between October 1899 and May 1900. Since Mafeking was the

postal headquarters for Cape of Good Hope and the Bechuanaland protectorate, the

region’s stamps were initially used in the besieged town. When supplies of the 1d and

3d stamps were exhausted, the two famous ‘Baden Powell’ stamps were produced,

showing a portrait of the leader and a local post boy, respectively

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