1910-1926 South Africa in Bud's Big Blue
Bud's Big BlueBud'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 former British southern African colonies of Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Transvaal, and the Orange River Colony became provinces within the new Union of South Africa on May 31, 1910. This was enabled by the 1909 South Africa Act by the British Parliament. Of interest, Rhodesia was also offered a future admission ticket, but this was rejected by the Southern Rhodesia colonists in a referendum in 1922.
The capital was and is Pretoria (in Transvaal), although the parliament was and is in Cape Town (in Cape Province).
The capital was and is Pretoria (in Transvaal), although the parliament was and is in Cape Town (in Cape Province).
The Union was a self governing dominion of the British Empire, and lasted until 1961, when a republic was created with a new constitution. (After 1931 the autonomy increased, as, the United Kingdom could no longer legislate on behalf of the Union of South Africa.)
The Union of South Africa government was historically elected, formed, and "run" mostly by the white minority.
On November 4, 1910, the first stamp of the Union of South Africa was issued with a vignette of King George V, surrounded in each corner by the coat of arms of the four founding provinces.
Between 1926-1951, most stamps were issued in pairs: One with a SOUTH AFRICA script label, the other with a SUIDAFRIKA or SUID-AFRIKA script label.
The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue has, for Union of South Africa 1910-1952, 237 major descriptions. And, of major importance, 147 of these descriptions are for pairs- which break down to an English single (a subtype) and an Afrikaans single (b subtype). In other words, 90 descriptions are for the (usual) one stamp, while 147 descriptions are actually a-b pairs - or 294 stamps approximately (Some are actually collected in strips of three). Therefore, there are ~ 384 different stamps to collect, even if there are only 237 major descriptions. This is of major significance to WW collectors, as collecting separated pair singles is much less CV expensive than collecting intact pairs.
So, with the above in mind, of the total ~ 384 different stamps available, 266 are CV <$1-$1+, or 69%. This high affordability % would be much lower if the stamps are collected in intact pairs.
So, with the above in mind, of the total ~ 384 different stamps available, 266 are CV <$1-$1+, or 69%. This high affordability % would be much lower if the stamps are collected in intact pairs.
Big Blue '69, on four pages, has 84 spaces. Many of the spaces (54) are actually for a-b pairs, so major descriptive numbers in BB is (30 +27) 57. Coverage, then, for major descriptive numbers (pairs are one descriptive number) is 34%. (The 70 descriptive catalogue numbers after 1940 in the Scott Classic catalogue were removed for this calculation.)
For spaces, the coverage is 31%. (The 116 stamps in the Scott Classic issued after 1940 were removed for this calculation.)
Big Blue has no "Official Stamps" category coverage of the 30 descriptive numbers (60 a-b stamps) issued between 1926-1940.
If, as a collector, one is put off by the complexities of the 1926-1954 (Scott 23-67) Se-Tenant issues, I have good news: Big Blue ignores the differences entirely and presents one (double) space for each pair.
For spaces, the coverage is 31%. (The 116 stamps in the Scott Classic issued after 1940 were removed for this calculation.)
Big Blue has no "Official Stamps" category coverage of the 30 descriptive numbers (60 a-b stamps) issued between 1926-1940.
If, as a collector, one is put off by the complexities of the 1926-1954 (Scott 23-67) Se-Tenant issues, I have good news: Big Blue ignores the differences entirely and presents one (double) space for each pair.
For the blog post links below, I go into detail regarding the English-Afrikaans Se-Tenant pair issues of 1926-1954 (Scott 23-67). The presentation is based on the Scott catalogue- therefore a bit simplified- but I provide some additional reference to the Stanley Gibbons.
I cover the 1/2p, 1p, and 6p denominations for this Part I post. They were initially issued in 1926 as typographed; later issues were photogravure (rotogravure).
The remaining Se-Tenant 1927-1954 issues, either engraved or using photogravure, are covered in the Part II post.
I cover the 1/2p, 1p, and 6p denominations for this Part I post. They were initially issued in 1926 as typographed; later issues were photogravure (rotogravure).
The remaining Se-Tenant 1927-1954 issues, either engraved or using photogravure, are covered in the Part II post.
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