Mahra State year 1966 John F. Kennedy stamps set MNH
That set is a very common example of the topical stamp issues that proliferated in the Middle East during the mid-to-late 1960s, capitalizing on the international fame and tragedy of the late President John F. Kennedy.
The stamps were issued by the Mahra State of Qishn and Socotra, which was part of the Federation of South Arabia (and is now part of modern Yemen).
Here are the key details about the issue:
🇺🇸 Mahra State (South Arabia) 1966: John F. Kennedy Set
| Feature | Detail |
| Issuing Authority | Mahra State, South Arabia |
| Year of Issue | 1966 (Some sources list 1967, but 1966 is the common catalog year) |
| Theme | John F. Kennedy (JFK) Commemoration |
| Set Size | Typically issued as a set of 9 stamps (though 7 and 8-stamp variations are sometimes listed). |
| Designs | Each stamp features a different portrait or scene from Kennedy’s life, such as his time in the military, as a Senator, or as President. |
| Varieties | This set was commonly produced in both Perforated (Perf) and Imperforated (Imperf) versions. |
📜 Historical Context and Status
- Topical Issue: The issue belongs to a large category of stamps known as “sand dune issues” or “dune stamps.” These were often printed by agents in Europe, not primarily for domestic postal use in the issuing country, but rather for sale to topical collectors worldwide (collectors of stamps related to a specific theme, like JFK).
- Postal Use: While legally valid for postage at the time, genuinely Postally Used (cancelled on a cover that actually traveled through the mail) copies are much less common than Cancelled-to-Order (CTO) copies, where a cancellation mark was applied by the postal authority purely for philatelic sales.
