French colonies Ivory Coast stamp year 1900 50c

French colonies Ivory Coast stamp year 1900 50c

The Ivory Coast, known as Côte d’Ivoire, was a French colony from 1893 until its independence in 1960. During this colonial period, the French colonial administration issued a variety of postage stamps that are now of significant interest to philatelists.

Early Postal History:

French trading posts were established along the West African coast in the 1840s, with the first post office in San Pédro dating back to 1847. By 1862, French Colonies general issue stamps were in use at Assinie, identifiable by cancellations marked “ASI” in a lozenge of dots.

First Colonial Stamps:

In November 1892, shortly before the formal establishment of the colony, Côte d’Ivoire issued its own stamps. These were part of the “Navigation and Commerce” series, a common design for French colonies, featuring allegorical representations of navigation and commerce. The initial release included 13 denominations ranging from 1 centime to 1 franc, with the colony’s name inscribed in red or blue.

Subsequent Issues:

• 1900 Color Changes: Four values from the original series were reissued with new color schemes.
• Surcharges: Several stamps were surcharged in 1904 and again in 1912 to meet postal rate changes.
• 1906 Commemorative Stamp: Côte d’Ivoire participated in the West Africa commemorative issue.
• 1913 River Scene Series: A new series depicting a river scene was introduced, remaining in use until the mid-1930s.

By 1915, the postal network had expanded to 38 offices throughout the territory. In 1933, following the dissolution of Upper Volta, several of its provinces were incorporated into Côte d’Ivoire, leading to the overprinting of 16 stamp types with “Côte d’Ivoire.”

Transition to French West Africa Stamps:

From 1944 to 1959, stamps of French West Africa were used in Côte d’Ivoire, replacing the colony-specific issues.

Collecting French Colonial Ivory Coast Stamps:

These stamps offer insights into the colonial history and postal practices of the era. Collectors can find various issues from this period through online marketplaces and specialized dealers. For instance, early 1900s pictorial issues and thematic stamps from the 1960s-70s are available for purchase.