An Important Collection of South West Africa
Because this collection has many scarce and rare items, we believe
future collectors will appreciate seeing the better items before they
are dispersed. This web page shows many of the highlights from the collection.
A full-colour 12-page booklet can be ordered from us for the nominal
sum of $10. (A black & white version will be sent free of charge,
and a PDF version can be downloaded here.)
The entire collection on 169 pages covers the period 1923-1953.
Click on any photo for an enlargement.
About South West Africa
 The
area was claimed by Germany in 1883. During World War I South African
Union forces occupied the area in 1914-1915 until the final German surrender
July 9, 1915. After 7 years of unofficial occupation the League of Nations
officially mandated South Africa as the Administrator in 1922. After World
War II South Africa annexed the area and resisted world and local pressure
to grant independence, which was finally granted in 1988. In 1990 the
new republic changed its name to Namibia.
• Area 815,000 square kilometers.
• Population currently about 2,000,000; during 1923-1953 less than
a million.
Walvis Bay
The settlement and surrounding area was administered by the Cape (of
Good Hope) Colony from 1878 until it was incorporated into the Union of
South Africa in 1910. It remained South African territory until handed
over to Namibia in 1994.
Postage Stamps
Unoverprinted German stamps were used from about 1888. “Deutsch
Sudwest-Africa” overprints were applied from 1897 and from 1900 the
German Colonies “yacht” types were used. From 1915 South African
stamps were used until January 2, 1923 when the first overprinted South
West Africa stamps were placed on sale.
South African Stamps Used in South West Africa
A set of used blocks missing one value. Very Rare. SG #3/17,
Sc. #2/16. Missing the One shilling Three pence (first issued
Sept. 1920). The One shilling has minor perf faults.
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Used in 1919 are the One shilling,
Two shilling Six Pence and 2.5d. |
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Used in 1920 are the 4d, 6d, 5/-,
One pound. |
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Used in 1921 is the 0.5d with German railway
(BAHNPOST) altered obliterator |
Used in 1922 is the Ten shilling |
Used February 8, 1923 is the 3d black and
orange-red. |
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Used in January 1923 are the 1d,
1.5d, 2d and 3d blue (first issued in October 1922). |
The SG price for a set of South Africa is £350;
using the Robson Lowe multiplier for singles used in SWA the CV
jumps to nearly £750. As used blocks the basic CV is close
to £3000 but used blocks with full cancels are much more
desirable than 4 sets of singles with partial cancels.
Estimated Retail Value $5000. |
South West Africa, 1923 the First Overprint
Overprint by typography, lines 14mm apart, hyphen in Zuid-West.
Numbers overprinted range from 100 sheets of the 10/- and £1
to 2500 sheets of the half-penny. SG #1-12, Sc #1-12.
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A complete set of used blocks is very rare. The 2d value has
minor perf faults, the 3d value has light horizontal crease. The
Ten shilling block has two WESi errors. The previous Exhibitor of
the collection noted this as a unique block.
The catalogue value (as used pairs times two) is £9500,
Scott $11,398.
Estimated Retail Value $12,000. |
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Setting One
In addition to the used blocks the collection has eight pages
of pairs and or blocks with many varieties both mint and used.
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The listed varieties include SG 1a (£90) and
2a (£170) and Scott 2c ($175). With no premium for any other
variety the CV for the 8 pages is SG £10,098, Sc. $10,797.
Estimated Retail Value $12,000. |
Setting One is printed by lithography with “shiny” ink.
SG #1c/9a.
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A set of used blocks missing the 2d value. The 1/-
value has a faint dot over the “i” in Africa at LR. The
1/2d postmarked OTJIWARONGO. SG £1470 Scott unlisted.
Estimated Retail Value $2000. |
Setting Two
Setting Two is the same overprint as Setting One except lines are
9.5 to 10mm apart. A used and a mint set SG #13-15, Sc #13-15.
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Used set of 3 SG £4500, Scott $6000.
Estimated Retail Value $6000. |
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Mint set of 3 the £1 is hinged in selvedge,
the stamps are NH. SG £3000+, Scott $3770.
Estimated Retail Value $4000. |
Setting Three
Setting Three has no hyphen in Zuidwest. There are two varieties
of this overprint, those done by typography and those done by lithography,
which are thinner with smaller stops.
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We offer a set of used blocks (all typography except the half-penny).
SG #16-27, SC #16-27. SG £2000, Scott $2492.
Estimated Retail Value $2200. |
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Setting Three a set of mint pairs. The One pound has NH stamps
with inter-panneau gutter. There are an additional 7 pairs including
2/6, 5/- and 10/- which include a printing variety and a misplaced
overprint. SG £943, Scott $1168.
Estimated Retail Value $1000. |
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Setting Three used blocks and pairs includes lithographed
used blocks 1d through 1/3. The lithographed catalogued as normal
pairs (these SG £368, Scott $428+). Total CV for the 5 pages
SG £1363, Scott $1527.
Estimated Retail Value $1200 |
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Setting Four |
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South West 16mm, Zuidwest 14mm SG #28, Sc #28. A used block and
a mint pair. SG £400, Scott $442.
Estimated Retail Value $400. |
Setting Six
Setting Six has a space of 9.5mm between lines of overprint. South
West is either 16.5 or 16mm long depending on which pane in the
sheet it comes from.
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The three rows above are the 16.5mm
overprinted and include both shades of the £1. |
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The bottom 6 pairs are 16mm and includes
3d deep bright blue and 6d Walvis Bay postmark. |
SG #29-40, Sc. #29-40. SG £2157, Scott
$2418.
Estimated Retail Value $2200. |
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Setting Six Used blocks (16mm) of the 1/2, 1, 2d, 1/-, 1/3, 2/6,
and 5/-. The 1/3 and 2/6 with Walvis Bay postmarks. Setting 6 used
blocks (16 1/2mm) of the 2d and a block of 8 of the 1/3 with Walvis
Bay postmark. Basic SG £962, Scott $1031.
Estimated Retail Value $1000. |
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Setting Six One pound pair with Walvis Bay postmark.
SG £400, Scott $475.
Estimated Retail Value $750. |
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Set of thirteen mint pairs, with 16mm overprint and the scarce
3d deep bright blue (SG #32a). This 3d has some separated perfs,
the 4d has separated perfs and a light crease.
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| Also, four pairs with 16.5mm South West including positional pair
of the £1 showing “reversed setting”. The 10/- has
light toning spots on the gum. The last two pairs are the lithographed
overprints, the £1 being the scarcer shade. |
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For these two groupings SG £1397, Scott $1428.
Estimated Retail Value $1250
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Setting Six, an interesting group of positional
mint multiples including 6 interpanneau blocks with South West
being 16.5mm on top pair and 16mm on bottom pair. (1/2d-4d and
1/3). Eleven plate pairs or blocks, 2d block with oily overprint,
etc. SG £355, Scott $438.
Estimated Retail Value $500
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1926-1927 Pictorials
SG #41-55B, Sc. #81-93. Two pages of triangulars including doubled
perf; 1926 low value pictorials two pages with varieties and transposed
overprint in mint and used blocks; 1927 higher values, three pages
with mint pairs, used blocks (2 are shown at right), and mint 2d
block, 3d pair and 10/- block (shown at right) all with imprint
and with the 16.5mm wider spacing variety. SG £1691,
Scott $1867+.
Estimated Retail Value $1500. |
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1927-1931
SWA overprint
SG #56-69, Sc. #94-107. SWA overprint on 6 pages includes basic
set of mint pairs (1927 high values are plate pairs, £1 shown
below), used pairs of 2d (one with small stop), 3d, 4d imprint block,
and 6d, 1930 rotogravure mint, used blocks and used block of 20
of the 1d, etc. SG £1124, Scott $1308.
Estimated Retail Value $1000. |
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1927 Missing Periods
SG #58a/67a, Sc. #96c/105c. Mint pairs or blocks showing the missing
period after A of SWA with 1/2d, 2d, 3d, 4d, 6d in blocks of four,
the scarce 1/-, 2/6, 5/- and 10/- in pairs. SG £2834,
Scott $2837.
Estimated Retail Value $2500 |
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1931-1937 Pictorials
SG #74-85, 96, SC. #108-120. On 13 pages includes 2 sets of imprint
pairs (less one pair of the 1.5d value), mint blocks (or 2 pairs)
to the 5/- and mint pairs of the 10/- and £1 many with imprint,
a set of used blocks, and also used pairs of the 4 high values but
top 2 values are vertical pairs. S.G. £902, Scott $1560.
Estimated Retail Value $900 |
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1935-1953 Commemoratives
SG #88/153, Sc. #121/170, 284-288. On 44 pages: KGV (1), KGVI (22),
QEII Coronation (21). More details on request. One whimsical item
is illustrated at right. There are a few varieties including 4d
Coronation re-entry used block. SG mint (much hinged) £265
used £171, Scott mint $394, used $201. Total £436,
$595.
Estimated Retail Value $250 |
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1941-1944 War Issues
SG #114-130, Sc. #135-152. First issue on 12 pages with some varieties
SG * £504, used £280; Scott * $454, used $162. Bantams
on 2 pages SG * £80, used £140, Scott * $66, used $58.
More details on request. Total £1004, $740.
Estimated Retail Value $500 |
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1935-1939 Charity Stamps
SG #92/113, Sc. #B1-B11/ 1935-36 A mint and used set, plus 2d and
3d values with new setting both mint and used, and 1d used pair
with comet flaw (at left). Second set mint and used, third set used
blocks. SG £466+, Scott $446+.
Estimated Retail Value $400
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1930-1931 Airmails
SG #70-73, 86-87, Sc. #C1-C6. On 6 pages 1930 first printing (Scott
C1, C2) mint block of 4d, set on piece and One shilling on piece
(SG for first printing is £78 and £148). Second printing
(Scott C3, C4) mint blocks and a set on piece, and 4d on cover.
Third printing (Scott C1, C2) 2 mint blocks of 4d and 4d used; One
shilling 2 mint pairs, used pair and mint single – many with
plate flaws. 1931 Pictorials (Sc. C5-C6) 2 sets of mint imprint
blocks and 2 used pairs. SG £1091, Scott
$977+.
Estimated Retail Value $1000 |
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Postage Dues
SG #D1/D51, Sc. #J1/J90. On 10 pages includes first issues on Transvaal,
etc and the 1928 SWA overprint on 6d with missing stop after “A”
in a used block of 4 (SG D46a). Contact
us for a complete listing by Scott and Gibbons numbers. Includes
many varieties. SG £1206.
Estimated Retail Value $1000
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Officials
SG #O1/O27, Sc. #O1/O27. On 17 pages. Includes 1927 set in mint
pairs (O1-O4), 1929 set (O5-O8) mint and used, etc. 1929 without
periods (O9-O12) 4 pages with varieties especially on the 2d, 1931-1952
pictorials with 1938 1 1/2d and 6d (both in blocks of 8 with transposed
overprint (O25a, O27a; O25c, O27c). SG £1842, Scott
$1824.
Estimated Retail Value $1500
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Revenues
Cigarette Tax mint blocks of Barefoot #1, 2, 3, 6 and 7. Tribal
or “Hut Tax” 2 pairs of the 5/- with overprint in black
UKUAMBI and UKUANYAMA. The collector noted “These stamps
were presented to the Hon A.J. Werth the then Administrator of the
Territory, on his visit to the two Native Reserves. The stamps are
from the late Mr. Werth’s collection which was purchased by
Mr. L. Simenhoff…”
Estimated Retail Value $1000 |
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Notes on Catalogue Value: The Stanley Gibbons value on this collection
is more than £54,000 with no premiums for used blocks, no premium
for Never Hinged stamps, no premium for unlisted varieties, and not counting
the revenues. Our price for this lot is less than 42% of the Gibbons catalogue
value at current exchange rates.
We will offer this collection intact until the end of February 2008,
then sell parts based on the divisions suggested above. Any unsold parts
will be consigned to auction.
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