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Namibia Postage Stamps

1991 Mines & Minerals Definitive

Proof of Unissued 18c Value

~ 5 January 2007 ~

In the meantime there has been a major development in terms of SWA / Namibia Philately :

When Namibia became independent in 1990, there was of cause
no Namibia Definitive stamps, only the SWA ones that was still in
use from Independence 'till the 1st Namibia Defin. was issued on 2 Jan. 1991.

The inland postage rate up to October 1990 was 18c.  This is reflected on
the face value of the first 3 sets of Namibia Commemoratives.  By September
1990 the Namibia Postal Authorities has already received the proof sheets for a
Definitive to replace the SWA Defin. still in use.  These proofs was approved
and authorization given to the Govt. printer in Pretoria to commence with
the printing.

What has not been known up to now, and I have always wondered why they
never used the 7c ex the SWA Defin. (the nice red crystals), is that this stamp
would have actually been the new 18c stamp !!!!!
3 proof sheets was however printed and delivered for approval together with
the rest of the values. All these subsequently approved, but the 18c was never
printed again as it was not needed anymore due to the postal rates going up
to 20c and a 20c stamp of cause already existed.

Proof sheets was in the format of 8 panes of 25 stamps each = 200 stamps.
This means that only 600 of these stamps was ever printed.

go to Namibia Proofs Gutter pairs

The rest of the stamps from this Definitive :

Gypsum, Fluorite, Mimetite, Azurite, Dioptase

Diamonds, Boltwoodite, Wulfenite, Gold, Willemite, Oranjemund

Mines : Tsumeb, Rosh Pinah, Uis, Rossing

Please Note : the 5c & 10c also exists on Phosphorescent Paper (Jan. 1992)

Go to : Namibia Stamps 1990-1994    [ Mineral Stamps ]

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