Schleswig - Bud's Big Blue

1920 Schleswig 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

As a result of the Treaty of Versailles, Schleswig , comprising the southern Jutland Peninsula lands of the former Duchy of Schleswig, was offered a plebiscite after WW I.

The reason for the plebiscite was the majority Danish population in northern Schleswig, and the Danes had long advocated for that portion to be formally annexed to Denmark. After WW I, their arguments fell on the sympathetic ears of the French, and hence the plebiscite was organized and monitored by a commission with members from France, Great Britain, Norway and Sweden.

To publicize the referendum, fourteen stamps were issued January 25, 1920, denominated in Pfennig/Mark.

There was actually two plebiscite votes: one in Zone I, the other in Zone II. No doubt the "zones" were set up to make the results clear, if one wants to be cynical about the process.

The northern portion (Zone I) voted on February 10, 1920 to accept Danish rule (75%). The central part (Zone II) of the southern portion voted on March 14, 1920 for Germany (80%). 

On May 20, 1920, there was another fourteen stamp issue intended for use in Zone I, and now denominated in Ore/Krone.

Zone I (Southern Jutland) was transferred to Denmark on June 15, 1920.

The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue has, for Schleswig 1920, 42 major descriptive numbers. Of those, 24 are CV <$1-$1+, or 57%. Clearly, a nice sampling can be acquired by the WW collector for not much expense.

Big Blue '69, on three lines of one page (shared with Senegambia & Niger, and the beginning of St. Vincent), has 21 spaces. Coverage is 50%.

All of the coverage is for the first two issues (The official issue, which is not covered by BB, is quite expensive). BB is missing three stamps from the second issue with CV <$1.

There are no expensive stamps: In fact, the most expensive space is for the Scott 13 5m green @ CV $1+. !

For more on the stamps themselves, and the BB checklist, click on the link below.

Schleswig Blog Post & BB Checklist

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Saxony - Bud's Big Blue

1855-1863 Saxony 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 Kingdom of Saxony lasted between 1806 and 1918, although the Kingdom existed as a more slender state after 1815 (Prussia took the rest), and then joined the German Empire in 1871.

A stamp was introduced in 1850, and it looks quite similar in design to the early "Numeral" stamps of Bavaria.

Stamps of Saxony were replaced by those of the North German Confederation on January 1, 1868.

Subsequently, the Confederation was reorganized in 1871 into the German Empire , under the leadership  of Prussian Wilhelm I (Emperor) and Otto von Bismarck.

However, the King of Saxony (John I at the time) still retained some prerogatives, including establishing diplomatic liaisons with other countries.

The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue has, for Saxony 1850-1863, twenty major number descriptions. Of those, eight are CV $1+-$9+, or 40%. 

Big Blue '69 has Saxony on one line of one page, and includes eight spaces for the "1855-56" (3 spaces) and 1863 (5 spaces) issues. Total coverage is 40%. 

For more on Saxony, click on the link below..

Saxony Blog Post & BB Checklist

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Sardinia - Bud's Big Blue

1855-61 Sardinia 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

Sardinia was the leading Italian State and absorbed the other states, eventually becoming the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.

Sardinia- Kingdom- population growing as Sardinia was the dominant force behind the unification. The other States were annexed, and Sardinia eventually became the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Sardinia includes Genoa, Turin, and Nice.

Tuscany- Grand Duchy- population 2,900,000- Capital Florence- annexed to Sardinia in 1860.

Two Sicilies- Kingdom- Capital Naples- annexed to Sardinia in 1860.

(Lombardy-Venetia -Kingdom (Part of Austrian Empire)- Principal cities Milan and Venice - Lombardy annexed by Sardinia in 1859, and Venetia by Italy in 1866.)

Sardinia, with Victor Emmanuel II as King, and the help of France (Napoleon II) against the Austrian Empire, obtained Lombardy in 1859.

Parma, Tuscany, Modena, and Romagna all voted to join Sardinia in 1860.

Giuseppe Garibaldi conquered the Kingdom of Two Sicilies in the name of the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1860.

The Kingdom of Italy was then proclaimed on March 17, 1861.Turin was the Capital until 1865, when the Capital was moved to Florence.

The Scott Classical Specialized catalogue has:

Sardinia (1851-1863): 16 stamp descriptions ( 6 <$20, some with no gum)

The '41/'43/'47 edition Big Blue have, scattered through the album under the name of the various States, coverage for Modena (5 spaces), Parma (2 spaces), Romagna (3 spaces), Roman States (6 spaces), Sardinia (7 spaces), Tuscany (2 spaces), and Two Sicilies (6 spaces).

The '69/'97 edition reduced the coverage to Roman States (Papal States), and Sardinia.

In the '69 BB, Sardinia (one line) shares the page with Saxony and Saudi Arabia.

The Sardinia 1855-63 series (6 stamps) had an embossed portrait of King Emmanuel II. Sardinia, being the dominant Italian State, then provided in 1862 the same stamp images (and king!), now perforated, for the newly formed Kingdom of Italy.  Remember- Imperforate- Sardinia; Perforate- Italy, (except 15c blue, a new denomination, which is imperforate). 

This embossed newspaper stamp was issued in 1861, part of a two stamp set. 

Italian States -a classical minefield

BB Checklist

Sardinia  (Seven spaces)

1855-61 (Imperforate)

10,11,12,13,14

Newspaper stamps

1861

P1,P2

Notes

Scott 12 20c indigo CV $40

Scott 13 40c red CV $40

Scott 14 80c yellow orange CV $22 unused

Scott P2 2c black CV $105 used

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Sarawak - Bud's Big Blue

1871-1908 Sarawak 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

Sarawak was located in northwest Borneo, west of Labuan and North Borneo (now Sabah). 

As a reward for helping to put down insurrection and piracy, the Sultanate of Brunei (Raja Muda Hassim) awarded the Kingdom of Sarawak to Sir James Brooke, a British adventurer, in 1841. He became the first White Rajah of Sarawak. 

The United States (1850) and the United Kingdom (1863) both recognized the sovereignty of Sarawak.

The Kingdom of Sarawak become a British Protectorate in 1888.

The first stamp for Sarawak was issued March 1, 1869 with a portrait of Sir James Brooke, posthumously, as he died August 18, 1868.

As Sir James Brooke never married, the second White Rajah in 1868 was Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke, his nephew and sister's son.

Sir Johnson Charles Brooke appeared on all Sarawak's stamp issues between 1871-1908.

With his passing in 1917, his son, Charles Vyner Brooke became the third (and last) White Rajah.

Vyner appeared on Sarawak's stamps between 1918-1947.

Big Blue '69, on one page, has 50 spaces. Total coverage is 23%. Subtracting the post 1940 issues in the 1840-1940 catalogue (93 stamps) brings the coverage up to 41%. Still, I found some 28 stamps CV $1+-$5 that could have been included. 

And there is a curious omission of no coverage of the 1875 issue, three stamps of which are CV $4-$5.

There are five stamps CV $10+ that are required by BB. 

For much more on Sarawak, click on the link below.

Sarawak Blog Post & BB Checklist

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San Marino - Bud's Big Blue

1877-99 San Marino 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 Republic of San Marino, all 24 square miles of it, is located on the north-eastern side of the Apennine Mountains on the Italian Peninsula twenty miles from the Adriatic Sea, and surrounded by Italy.

Saint Marinus of Arba founded a church on Monte Titano on September 3, 301, and thereby began the city and state of San Marino.

The Papacy recognized the independence of San Marino in 1631.

The independence was threatened by Napoleon's army in 1797, but Regent Antonio Onofri, through his friendship with Napoleon, was able to protect the Republic.

When Italy unified during the 19th century, Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Italian patriot, agreed to not incorporate San Marino into the developing Italian state.

Stamps, with the "Coat of Arms" design, were introduced in 1877.

Between 1923 and 1943, the country was under the rule of the Sammarinese Fascist Party (PFS), closely allied with the Mussolini regime.

The 2014 Scott Classic 1840-1940 catalogue has, for San Marino 1877-1940, 345 major descriptive numbers. Of those, 96 are CV <$1-$1+, or 28%. San Marino is somewhat expensive for the WW classical era collector, as one would expect for an  attractive "postage stamp" size country situated in Italy and Europe.

When I was much younger, I was fascinated with the "postage stamp" sized countries- Monaco, Liechtenstein, and, of course, San Marino. And it seemed like H.E.Harris knew this also. Glowing approval descriptions had their effect on the young child's imagination, until it became certain that "tiny" and "rare" were interlinked. And, I must admit, the psychology is still there. ;-)

Big Blue '69, on six pages, has 146 spaces.

Coverage is 42%.

As I mentioned earlier, San Marino stamps can be expensive. And the BB collector is unfortunately not immune. In BB, there are eighteen stamp spaces that are in the "expensive" category ($10+-$30).

And there would have been even more, except for a "trick" I pulled to make the  1877-99 "Numeral" and "Coat of Arms" Issue (eleven spaces) not included. Conventional CV ranges from $11- $19. But they all are also listed in the catalogue as unused "no gum" for under $10. Therefore I am not formally including them in the "expensive" category, although one may still need to pay in that range to obtain a specific stamp.

What about the "Most Expensive" ($35+) category?

Hold on to your hats, because there are nine stamps in that range*.

The 1932 "General Post Office" issue (Scott 134-138) have two stamps @ $190 and $105.

The 1932 "Garibaldi" Issue has Scott 150 5l olive green @ $340!!!!!!

And the 1935 "Statue of Delfico" stamp (Scott 180) 1.75l brown orange is $100.

* These are 2014 Scott catalogue values.

For more on the stamps of San Marino, as well as the BB checklist, check out the link below.

San Marino Blog Post & BB Checklist

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Samoa - Bud's Big Blue

1887-1896 Kingdom of Samoa 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 Samoan archipelago is in the South Pacific Ocean, and is one of the centers of Polynesian culture, along with Hawaii and the Cook Islands.

The Americans used the harbor of Pago Pago as a coaling station on Tutuila in 1877, and formed relationships with the local chieftains.

Apparently, there were only 130 Europeans residing in Samoa in 1877, mostly in Apia. Nevertheless, the Kingdom of Samoa "Express" stamps were also issued in 1877.

The British had missionaries since 1830 from the Congregationalist London Missionary Society on the island of Savai'i.

The third colonial presence, and a large one, was Germany. German firms formed large copra and cocoa bean processing operations on the island of 'Upolu.

Malietoa Laupepa (1841-1898), who appears on a stamp issued in 1892, was a devout Christian by upbringing from 'Upolu. He was crowned King of Samoa by the German Empire, and the British and American consuls in 1881.

"Malietoa" is a title given to Samoan Chiefs, and literally means "great warrior". It is from an epic heroic tale when Tongan warriors said, as they rushed to their boats, "Malle To'a Malle tau".."brave warrior, brave fight".

As one can imagine, trying to maintain native influence vis-a-vis the three great colonial powers with their own agendas was difficult indeed for Malietoa Laupepa.

A  treaty was signed among the three colonial powers (Tripartite Convention of 1899) that divided the archipelago into German Samoa ( Savai'i, Upolu), and an American territory (Tutuila, Manua). (These divisions would eventually lead to Western Samoa (now Samoa), and American Samoa respectively).

Britain, as compensation for giving up "rights" to Samoa, obtained the Tonga group from Germany, and an advantageous change in the boundary between the German and British Solomon islands. Germany gave up any rights in Zanzibar.

The Samoan Chiefs and natives had little to say about it. 

In 1911, the U.S. territory was officially renamed American Samoa.

American Samoa has never had their own stamp issues, as U.S. stamps were used from the beginning.

German Samoa came into existence in 1900, and with typical German efficiency, roads, schools, and a hospital were developed. By 1908, German Samoa was a self supporting colony. Two thousand Chinese laborers were imported to work the plantations.

Stamps, typical for a German colony, were issued.

With the onset of WW I, the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (at the request of Great Britain) invaded unopposed on August 29, 1914. Germany had no armed forces on the islands.

In 1914, German stamps were overprinted "G.R.I." for "Georgius Rex Imperator", and surcharged in pence/shilling.

New Zealand occupied the former German colony through 1920. Stamps of New Zealand were overprinted "Samoa".

New Zealand then governed the islands through a League of Nations (later United Nations) mandate until 1962.

The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue has, for Samoa 1877-1952, 173 major descriptive numbers. Of those, 50 are CV <$1-$1+, or 29%. Most of the more inexpensive stamps are after 1900, while the 1877-1900 stamps are rather expensive for WW classical collectors.

Samoa is a complicated philatelic country with Kingdom issues (1877-1900), Provisional Government (1899), German Dominion issues (1900-1915), British Dominion issues (1914), New Zealand overprinted issues (1914-1935), and Western Samoa issues (1935-1952).

Big Blue '69, on two pages, has 70 spaces. Of those, 23 are for the 1887-1899 Kingdom issues. There are no spaces for the Samoa 1877 Express stamps. There are 10 spaces for the 1900-15 German Dominion issues. Then there are 37 spaces for the British (New Zealand) Dominion and Western Samoa issues.

Coverage is 40%.

There is only one stamp @ $10 required for the spaces. The 1877-1900 "Palm" issues have many expensive stamps, depending on perforation and wmk 162  types.  But I found minor numbers that are less than $10.

The Samoa 1977 Express stamps, although not in Big Blue, are famous philatelically, but have many forgeries. I do a deep dive into the forgeries in the first link below if interested.

Samoa 1877-1889 and Forgeries (BB Checklist included)

Samoa 1900-1952

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