Nigeria Lagos postage stamps year 1887-1902 Used lot
📮 Lagos Postage Stamps — 1887 to 1902 (British Colonial Issues)
🇬🇧 General Historical Context
- Lagos, a British colony, began issuing its own postage stamps in 1874; these continued through the Victorian era until 1902, featuring Queen Victoria.
- In 1904, stamps portraying King Edward VII replaced the Victoria issues.
🕰️ 1887–1902 Queen Victoria Stamps (Lagos)
🔹 Design & Characteristics
- These stamps are part of a long-running Queen Victoria definitive issue used in Lagos.
- All feature the portrait of Queen Victoria and were printed by De La Rue & Co. with a Crown CA watermark.
📦 Typical Stamp Types by Denomination (1887–1902)
Based on standard references and auction listings, the major values and issues from this period include:
| Value | Description | Notes / Occurrence |
|---|---|---|
| ½d | Half-penny Victoria | Used widely; appears in many sets. |
| 1d | One penny Victoria | Common; various printings exist. |
| 2d | Two pence Victoria | Often seen in ultramarine or blue. |
| 2½d | Two-and-a-half pence | Present in deep blue variants; collectors note these. |
| 3d | Three pence Victoria | Part of definitive sets. |
| 4d | Four pence Victoria | Seen used on covers and postally. |
| 5d | Five pence Victoria | Included in larger sets. |
| (Some catalogues list up to 5s for this period too) | Higher values exist | Often rarer and more valuable. |
✔️ Many of these are catalogued under Queen Victoria Definitive issues, dated “1887–1902” in stamp auctions and philatelic references.
📬 Special Treats & Postal Usage
- Overprints: An 1887 4d was overprinted “HALF PENNY” for postal rate adjustments.
- Covers and usage examples: Mail from Lagos to Europe and America is known with 1890s/1900s cancellations, showing real postal history usage.
📘 Catalog and Collecting Notes
- These stamps are catalogued under Queen Victoria issues for Lagos (sometimes listed in specialized West Africa or British colonial catalogues).
- Many variants exist with different colors and watermark states; some are quite collectible.
- Auction records show sets up to 5/- from the 1887–1902 period and individual values like the 2½d and 5s.
🧾 Transition After 1902
- After 1902 the colonial issues were updated, and from 1904 the Edward VII design replaced the Queen Victoria stamps.

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