Cameroun

French Occupied Cameroun stamp of 1916-17

Quick History
Cameroun  (In English-Cameroon) is located on the African west coast. The Capital is Yaounde and the population was 2,500,000 in 1938. Since 1884 until WW1, Kamerun (German) was a German Protectorate. During WW1, the country was occupied by Great Britain and France, and then in 1922 was mandated to them by the League of Nations.
The stamp issues of 1897-1915 are under German Dominion. Then there are both British and French occupation stamps with overprints from 1915-17. Provisional French Mandate stamps were issued in 1921, and permanent Mandate stamps in 1925. In the British portion, the stamps of Nigeria were used.
In 1960, the French part of Cameroun became independent from France. The northern British section voted to join Nigeria, while the southern portion joined the French part of Cameroun.

Name trivia:  Portuguese sailors in 1472  found mud lobster in the river there, and hence named it "Rio dos Camaroes" - "River of Shrimp".

Big Blue Picture
Big Blue('97) on 6 pages has 117 stamp spaces. The 2011 Scott Classic Specialized catalogue has 355 major stamp descriptions. Coverage by Big Blue is 33%.

I must admit, I find the Cameroun French designed stamps highly attractive; and they are also inexpensive. Big Blue has a nice selection; but as a "representative" album, there are more stamps that the Big Blue collector might want to consider.

Additionals...
1900-15 Kaiser's Yacht "Hohenzollern"
13,14,15,17,18,20,($2+-$5+)

1915 British occupation stamps of German Cameroun surcharged and overprinted "C.E.F."
Note: This issue is not in BB
54,55,($2+)

1916-17 Stamps of the Middle Congo issue 1907 overprinted "Occupation Francaise"
139,140,141,142,143,144,(<$1-$1+)

1921 Provisional French Mandate overprinted "Cameroun"
159,160,161,(<$1-$1+)

1925-38 French Mandate Protectorate pictorials
183,186,190,191,193,196($1+),204,(<$1 except noted)

1926 surcharged
212(<$1)

1931 Colonial Exposition
Note: not in BB
213,214,215,216,($2+)

1936-40 pictorials
242(<$1)

1940 Stamps of 1925-40 overprinted "Cameroun Francais 27.8.40"
Note: not in BB
255,256,257,259,260,261,264,268,269,271,274,275,($1+)

Postage Due
1939
J21,J22,J23,($1+-$2+)

1900 German Scott 8 5pf green & Scott  9 10pf carmine "Kaiser's Yacht"

Big Blue Checklist
1897 German stamps overprinted 'KAMERUN"
1 ($11)
Blank space: suggest 2 or 3 or 4 ($2+-$5+)

1900-15 Kaiser's Yacht "Hohenzollern"
7($1+)
8 or 21 ($1+-<$1)
9 or 22 ($1+-<$1)
10 or 23 ($2+)
Two blank spaces: suggest 11($1+) and 12($1+)
Note; Scott 21-23 are wmk 125

1916-17 Stamps of the Middle Congo issue 1907 overprinted "Occupation Francaise"
130,131,132,133,(<$1)
134,135,136,137,138,(<$1)

1921 Provisional French Mandate overprinted "Cameroun"
147,148,149,150,(<$1)
151,152,153,(<$1)
154,155,156,157,158,(<$1)

1924
165,166,164,167,168,($1+-$2+)

1925-38 French Mandate Protectorate pictorials
170,171,172,(<$1)
173,174,175,176,(<$1)
177 or 178 or 179 (<$1)
180,181,182,(<$1)
185($1) Note: "ultramarine & red" in BB is "lilac & red" in Scott
187,188,($1+-<$1)
192,194,197(<$1-$1+)
198 or 200 or 201 (<$1)
199(<$1)
203,205,($3+-$1+)
206($1+)
Blank space: suggest 207($1+)

1938
184,189,195,($1+)

1937 Paris International Exposition
217,220,($1+)
218,219,221,222,($1+)

1939 New York World's Fair
223,224,($1+)

1939 Mandara Woman & Falls in M'bam River
225,226,227,(<$1)
228,229,230,231,232,233,(<$1)
234,235($2), 236, 237, 238($2+), (<$1 except noted)

1939-40 Elephants & Man in Yare'
239($2+), 240,241,(<$1 except noted)
243($1+),244,245,246($1+),(<$1 except noted)
247,248,249,(<$1)
250($1),251(<$1)
252(<$1),253($1+),254($2+)

Semi-postal
1938
B1($5+)

Postage Due
1925
J1,J2,J3,J4,(<$1)
J5,J6,J7($1+),J8($1+), (<$1 except noted)
J9,J10,J11,($1+-$2+)
Blank space: suggest J12($2+)

1939
J14,J15,J16,J17,J18,J19,(<$1)
Blank space: suggest J20(<$1)

 1921 Provisional French Mandate Scott 150 5c dull red & orange

Kinds of Blue
The 1997 and 1969 editions are identical.

1939-40 issue (Compared to '41, eight stamp advantage for '47 -and '69 and ''97 BB)
The '41 has 2 illustrative, 4 descriptive and 2 blank spaces= 7 total spaces
The '69 has 2 illustrative, and 13 descriptive spaces= 15 total spaces
Therefore the '47 ( and '69 and '97) have spaces for 247,248,249,250,251,252,253,254, missing from '41.

Big Blue Bottom Line
Interesting philatelic history with German, British, and French (mainly) stamps issued. Very attractive French Mandate stamps. Of the 117 stamp spaces in Big Blue, 70 are quite inexpensive(<$1). If you like the country, there are an additional 45 stamps for a reasonable cost that could be picked up.