- Postage stamps and postal history of Mozambique
The
postal history ofMozambique begins with the Portuguese trading posts established from the beginning of the16th century .Stamps date from
1876 , with the samekeyplate design of the Portuguese crown as used elsewhere in the Portuguese territories. The original nine values were followed up by color changes in 1881 (10r and 40r) and 1885 (20r, 25r). These were followed by theKing Luiz issue in 1886.In the 1890s, stamps were issued for
Lourenço Marques ,Inhambane , andZambezia , for use in each area. In 1898,King Carlos I was the subject of a lengthy series, which by 1903 numbered 23 colors and denominations. The 1910 revolution resulted in a variety ofoverprint s reading "REPUBLICA" on both the existing stamps, and on previously-unissued stamps depictingManuel II of Portugal .In 1913, separate stamps were issued for
Quelimane andTete areas, all areas sharing the same Ceres design. Issues for the areas ended in 1920, in favor of stamps valid through Mozambique.Various expediencies required a variety of
surcharge d stamps throughout the 1920s. In 1933, theLusiad issue became standard, followed by theEmpire issue in 1938.Postwar issues followed the general pattern for the Portuguese colonies. A
definitive series of 1948 featured a variety of local scenery, while a 1951 series of 24 stamps depictedfish in full color. A 1953 series showed butterflies andmoth s, while the 1961 series included thecoat of arms of various Mozambique cities. The 1963 series showed historicship s, while in 1967 the theme wassoldier s.The
Lusaka Agreement of 1974 was marked in January 1975 with a design consisting of a stylized bird formed from Portugal's and Mozambique's flags. OnJune 25 , many existing stamps, going back as far as 1953, were issued with an overprint marking independence.Issues of independent Mozambique have been relatively restrained, and focus on local subjects appearing in sets of 4-6 stamps, issued several times per year. For instance, in 1985 there were 10 issues, of which three were single commemoratives, five were sets of four, and the remaining two were sets of six.
Private postal systems
In 1891 the
Mozambique Company was chartered to administer theManica andSofala areas, for which they issued their own stamps until 1942.They were followed by the
Nyassa Company in 1898, whose stamps continued until 1929.References
*
Scott catalogue
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.