Sierra Leone - Bud's Big Blue

1884-1911 Sierra Leone in Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Observations

(From Jim: Bud is well, but has a lot of non philatelic obligations and responsibilities at the moment. With his permission, I will upload  country pages in his complete '69 Big Blue that so far has not been shown. He might add his observations later. Enjoy!)

Jim's Observations

Sierra Leone ("Lioness Mountains"- Portuguese/Spanish) is located on the tropical West African coast between French Guinea (now Guinea) and Liberia.

Under British protection, freed African-American slaves were transported to Sierra Leone in 1787 after the American Revolutionary War, and founded Granville Town. Ironically, but not surprising, the settlement was opposed by the indigenous Temne and Mende peoples.

Freetown was founded on March 11, 1792 with the settlement of 1,200 Black Loyalists, who came via Nova Scotia.

Beginning in 1808, following the British Empire's abolition of the slave trade in 1807, thousands of liberated people from confiscated slave ships were brought to Freetown.

The Sierra Leone Company, formed by abolitionists, then turned the territory over to the African Institution in 1807 (recognized by the British Crown).

The returning freed Blacks, adopting the southern U.S. (western) habits in culture and dress, and mostly Christian (Methodist), formed the Krio (Creole) people, with Krio as the trading language. They were the Black ruling and educational elite. Naturally, conflict eventually developed with the native peoples of the interior, who were mostly Muslim. Today, the Krio people comprise about 4% of the population.

English is still today the official language, but Krio is the trading language for all ethnic groups.

In 1896, the British expanded into the interior, and declared the additional territory a British Protectorate.

Conflict with the native peoples (Temne-Mende) escalated, leading to the Hut Tax war of 1898.

In 1924, Sierra Leone was administratively separated into a Colony (coastal area and Freetown), and a Protectorate (the interior, dominated by ethnic tribes and chiefs).

The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue has, for Sierra Leone 1859-1949, 194  major descriptive numbers. Of those, 51 are CV <$1-$1+, or 26%. As Sierra Leone is a British Colony, the stamps are relatively expensive. 

Big Blue '69, on two pages, has 59 spaces for the stamps of 1884-1938 Sierra Leone. Coverage (subtracting the eleven post 1940 stamps in the Scott 1840-1940 catalogue) is 32%. Although the coverage is not generous, considering the relatively high valuations for this British colony, it is certainly a reasonable selection for the WW collector.

The coverage is located between "Siam" and "Somalia" in the '69, and between "Somaliland Protectorate"  and "Somali Coast" in the 1940s editions.

The coverage is the same for the 1940s editions as the '69..

Remarkably, BB manages to have all spaces under CV $10. (No expensive stamps!)

For more on the stamps themselves. click on the link below.

Sierra Leone Blog Post & BB Checklist

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Shanghai - Bud's Big Blue

1877-1893 Shanghai in Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Observations

(From Jim: Bud is well, but has a lot of non philatelic obligations and responsibilities at the moment. With his permission, I will upload  country pages in his complete '69 Big Blue that so far has not been shown. He might add his observations later. Enjoy!)

Jim's Observations

The Chinese government allowed a number of ports ("Treaty Ports") to be opened for foreign trade between 1842-1860. Shanghai became the leading port, with British, French, and American settlements established in 1843, or shortly after that.

In 1854, the Shanghai Municipal Council was formed to administer the foreign settlements, essentially independent of Chinese oversight. The Shanghai Local Post was established in 1863, and the first "Local Post" stamp was issued in 1865. Other Treaty Ports also joined the Shanghai Local Post, and more mail was handled by them than the Imperial Customs Post and the Hong Kong Postal Agency combined.

The Scott 1840-1940 catalogue has 183 "major number" stamps issued during the years 1865-1893 for the Shanghai Local Post. Over 35 stamps were issued in 1893. On November 1, 1897, the Imperial Chinese Post Office took over the mails from the Shanghai Local Post.

For the WW classical era collector, the Shanghai Local Post stamps (1865-1896) and the other Treaty Port stamps ( Amoy 1895-96, Chefoo 1893-96, Chinkiang 1894-96, Chungking 1893-95, Foochow 1895-96, Hankow 1893-97, Ichang 1894-96, Kewkiang 1894-96, Nanking 1896-97, Wei Hai Wei 1898-99, Wuhu 1894-97) are really more specialist territory, and also rather expensive. But Big Blue devotes a page to the Shanghai Local Post stamps, and therefore a representative selection can and should (considering the history) be collected

The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue has (in the China section), for Shanghai 1865-1896, 183 major descriptive numbers. Of those, 14 are CV <$1-$1+, or 8%. If one raises the CV bar from $2 to $10+, 64 more stamps can be added (35%). Shanghai stamps are fairly expensive for the WW classical collector. And some are very expensive- up to CV $28,000. 

Big Blue '69, on one page, has 31 spaces for the stamps of Shanghai in the regular and postage due categories. The page is located after Seychelles in the '69, and after Serbia in the 1940s editions. The coverage is the same for all editions.

The coverage is 17%.

Only two stamps cross the $10+ threshold.

Although the coverage is objectively meager, BB manages to present a representative selection that is not very expensive. 

For more on the stamps themselves, click on the link below.

Shanghai Blog Post & BB Checklist

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Seychelles - Bud's Big Blue

 1890-1900 Seychelles in Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Observations

(From Jim: Bud is well, but has a lot of non philatelic obligations and responsibilities at the moment. With his permission, I will upload  country pages in his complete '69 Big Blue that so far has not been shown. He might add his observations later. Enjoy!)

Jim's Observations

Seychelles is an 115 island archipelago in the Indian Ocean, 900 miles (1500 km) from Southeast Africa. French and English and Seychellois Creole are the the spoken languages. 

The Seychelles were uninhabited during historic times, so all current inhabitants are descendants of those that were brought to the islands. The British gained control over the French by 1810, but allowed the French settlers to remain.

The islands were attached to the colony of Mauritius from 1810 to 1903. Seychelles became a crown colony in 1903.

Stamps for the Seychelles were introduced in 1890. Prior to that, there are examples of Mauritius stamps cancelled (B64 Obliterator) from 1861-1887.

The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue has, for Seychelles 1890-1952, 175 major number descriptions. Of those, 78 are CV <$1-$1+, or 45%.

Of interest, there are 58 "A" prefix numbers of stamps from Mauritius used (cancelled) in the Seychelles between 1861-1887. These are expensive, are specialist territory, and I will say no more about them.

Big Blue '69, on two pages (Tobago has one line), has 56 spaces  for the Seychelles. Coverage = 40%  (I subtracted the 35 stamps issued after 1945).

There are two "expensive" stamps and two "Most Expensive" stamps (CV $45-$70) required, all from the "1938" issue. This is because of color specifications by BB, although there are less expensive stamps of the same denomination issued in the 1940s in different colors.

1939 Scott 142 75c gray blue ($45)
1938 Scott 144 1r yellow green ($70)

For more on Seychelles (including Die varieties), click on the post below.

Seychelles Blog Post & BB Checklist

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Serbia - Bud's Big Blue

1869-81 Serbia in Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Observations

(From Jim: Bud is well, but has a lot of non philatelic obligations and responsibilities at the moment. With his permission, I will upload  country pages in his complete '69 Big Blue that so far has not been shown. He might add his observations later. Enjoy!)

Jim's Observations

Serbia liberated itself from the Ottoman occupation (First and Second Serbian Uprising 1804-1815), and the Principality of Serbia had de facto independence since 1817 (although Turkish troops were still in Belgrade until 1867).

Stamps were introduced in 1866.

A new Constitution in 1869 declared an independent state, and in 1878, the Treaty of Berlin gave Serbia full international recognition.

When Prince Milan (Obrenovich IV) was crowned in 1882, Serbia became a Kingdom. The Kingdom continued until 1918, when it joined with Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Dalmatia, and Slovenia to become the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Yugoslavia).

The Principality/Kingdom was ruled by two dynasties: the House of Obrenovic, and the House of Karageorgevic.

King Milan (Obrenovich IV) was on the throne from 1882-89, when he abdicated in favor of his son, King Alexander (Obrenovich V).

But King Alexander and Queen Draga were murdered by a group of military officers in 1903. (The officers later formed the Black Hand secret military society in 1911, which was partially responsible for the onset of WW I.) The brutal coup d'etat stunned Europe. This enabled the return of the Karageorgevic house, with King Peter on the throne until the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was proclaimed in 1918.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo by the Black Hand of Serbia triggered a chain of events that enmeshed all the major European powers, and WW I began.

During WW I, Serbia provided the first Allied victory in 1914, but by 1915 it was occupied by Austro-Hungarian, German, and Bulgarian troops.

Austrian Occupation stamps were issued in 1916.

In 1918, Serbia merged with Montenegro, then joined with the (unrecognized) State of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes to form a new Pan-Slavic state: the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Yugoslavia).

Serbia was the leading actor, and the new Kingdom was ruled by the Serbian monarchy.

The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue has, for Serbia 1866-1920, 224 major number descriptions. Of those, 141 are CV <$1-$1+, or 63%. Clearly, Serbia is an inexpensive country for the WW collector: but with a caveat - one may need to separate out the wheat (genuines) from the chaff (forgeries).

Big Blue '69, on three pages, has 104 spaces for regular, postage due, and occupation stamps. Coverage is 46%.

The 1940s editions have similar coverage, except the 1940s editions include the 1873 imperforate 2p "thick paper" black (by dates), which is now a minor number (26a) and CV $2+.

The 1940s editions do not have a space for the 1p yellow ( Scott 16 or 25).

As befits an inexpensive country, there are no stamps with CV 10+ that have a space.

BB ignores paper differences.  Hence, the 1894-1900 issue (granite vs ordinary), and the 1905-08 issue (wove vs laid), will only have one space.

For much more on the stamp issues and forgeries, click on the link below.

Serbia and Forgeries Blog Post & BB Checklist

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Senegambia & Niger - Bud's Big Blue

1903 Senegambia & Niger in Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Observations

(From Jim: Bud is well, but has a lot of non philatelic obligations and responsibilities at the moment. With his permission, I will upload  country pages in his complete '69 Big Blue that so far has not been shown. He might add his observations later. Enjoy!)

Jim's Observations

Senegambia & Niger was a short lived administrative French possession territory in West Africa between 1902-04, when it was consolidated with a part of (earlier era) French Sudan territory to become Upper Senegal and Niger. (See clarifying note at the end of the blogpost link below.)

Senegambia & Niger territory consisted of the upper basins of the Senegal river and the Niger river and parts east- somewhat ill-defined. The main settlement was Bammako on the Niger.

Senegambia & Niger administrative territory had one stamp issue: 1903 "Navigation and Commerce" stamps.

The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue has, for Senegambia & Niger 1903, thirteen major descriptions for the "Navigation and Commerce" issue.

Big Blue '69, has eight spaces for the 1903 issue. Coverage is 62%.

Senegambia & Niger in the '69 edition is located after St. Thomas and Prince Islands, and on the same page as Schleswig and the beginning of the St. Vincent coverage.

The 40s editions have Senegambia & Niger located after Salvador.

All editions have the same coverage.

BB has spaces for Scott 1-8, and includes two spaces @ CV $10+, and one space @ CV $20+.

For more, click on the link below.

Senegambia & Niger Blog Post & BB Checklist

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Senegal - Bud's Big Blue

1892-1912 Senegal in Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Observations

(From Jim: Bud is well, but has a lot of non philatelic obligations and responsibilities at the moment. With his permission, I will upload  country pages in his complete '69 Big Blue that so far has not been shown. He might add his observations later. Enjoy!)

Jim's Observations

Senegal, on the coast of West Africa, has been under French influence since 1677. Initial important settlements included the island of Goree ( slave trade), Saint-Louis (Capital of Senegal 1673-1902, and French West Africa 1895-1902), and Dakar (Capital since 1902).

The country derives its name from the Senegal River that is located on the east and north border.

Stamps were introduced in 1887 using surcharged French Colony issues.

One will note that Senegal stamps, beginning in 1906, are labeled "Afrique Occidentale Francaise" or "AOF".

The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940  catalogue has, for Senegal 1887-1940, 250 major number descriptions. Of those, 131 are CV <$1-$1+, or 53%. However, the early surcharged French Colony stamps (1887-1892: 34 stamps) are quite expensive indeed (CV $80+-$5000+), are clearly specialist territory, and I will say no more about them here.

Big Blue '69 has spaces for 165 stamps. Coverage is 66%.

There are only three spaces needing CV $10+ stamps.

Of the two long issues, BB provides spaces for 38 / 44 of the 1914-33 issue, and 24 /30 of the 1935-40 issue. "Appears" to be  good coverage, but eight of those missing stamp spaces only require CV <$1-$1+ stamps. 

For more on the stamps themselves, as well as "bonus" coverage of the 1914-33 issue, click on the links below.

Senegal Blog Post & BB Checklist

Senegal - the three types of the 1914-33 Issue

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