1900-14 Togo 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
Togo, in Western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea, began as a German Protectorate between 1884-1914- called Togoland.. German missionaries, and then traders had arrived in 1847.
Anecho (Aneho) was the first village on the coast that came under "German protection" in 1884, as the tribal chiefs there were forced to sign an agreement. The Berlin Conference of 1885 during the "Scramble for Africa" era solidified the German claim.
Anecho (Aneho) was the first village on the coast that came under "German protection" in 1884, as the tribal chiefs there were forced to sign an agreement. The Berlin Conference of 1885 during the "Scramble for Africa" era solidified the German claim.
Stamps for the German Protectorate were issued in 1897, using stamps of Germany overprinted "Togo" in black.
When WW I broke out in 1914, the British and the French invaded unopposed on August 7.
The British issued stamps from German Togo overprinted or surcharged "Anglo-French Occupation" October 1, 1914.
Stamps from the Gold Coast were overprinted locally in 1915, and then overprinted from London in 1916.
The French also issued German Togo surcharged stamps in 1914.
On December 27, 1916, separate British and French Administrative zones were formed.
The French issued, between 1916-17, overprinted stamps of Dahomey.
The British issued stamps from German Togo overprinted or surcharged "Anglo-French Occupation" October 1, 1914.
Stamps from the Gold Coast were overprinted locally in 1915, and then overprinted from London in 1916.
The French also issued German Togo surcharged stamps in 1914.
On December 27, 1916, separate British and French Administrative zones were formed.
The French issued, between 1916-17, overprinted stamps of Dahomey.
The British and the French allies divided the country between them in 1919, and controlled the part adjacent to their own colonies. The League of Nations formalized the arrangement in 1922, each given a mandate.
The British received the economically less active area, but the original tribal territories of the Ewe, Dagomba, and Mamprusi were united. (Lome, the capital was actually in the British zone initially, but was transferred to the French zone on October 1, 1920.)
In 1956, a plebiscite within the British mandated territory voted for a merger with the British Gold Coast. (The Gold Coast soon thereafter became independent as Ghana in 1957.) British Togo no longer existed.
The French received the more economically active area, including the coastline and the network of railways.
The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue has, for Togo 1897-1939, 226 major number descriptions. Of those, 23 are for the German protectorate, 59 are for the British occupation/protectorate, 41 are during the French occupation, and the remainder (the majority) are for the French Mandate period.
For CV <$1-$1+, there are 106, or 47% of the total.
But there is a bi-modal distribution of CVs for Togo. The 1914-15 British occupation/protectorate and French occupation surcharged/overprinted German stamps (58 stamps) have a high CV (from $30 to many $thousands). Besides being expensive, they are specialty territory, and the stamps should be certified as genuine for the higher values. I will say no more about them here. If interested, consult the Scott catalogue.
If one removes these surcharged German stamps from the CV calculation, then CV <$1-$1+ increases to 68%.
As mentioned, Togo classical era philatelic history is divided into four parts in the Scott catalogue. German issues are present from 1900-19, then British Protectorate stamps from 1914-1916, then French Occupation issues from 1914-1917, and finally French Mandate output from 1921-1939.
For CV <$1-$1+, there are 106, or 47% of the total.
But there is a bi-modal distribution of CVs for Togo. The 1914-15 British occupation/protectorate and French occupation surcharged/overprinted German stamps (58 stamps) have a high CV (from $30 to many $thousands). Besides being expensive, they are specialty territory, and the stamps should be certified as genuine for the higher values. I will say no more about them here. If interested, consult the Scott catalogue.
If one removes these surcharged German stamps from the CV calculation, then CV <$1-$1+ increases to 68%.
As mentioned, Togo classical era philatelic history is divided into four parts in the Scott catalogue. German issues are present from 1900-19, then British Protectorate stamps from 1914-1916, then French Occupation issues from 1914-1917, and finally French Mandate output from 1921-1939.
Big Blue '69, on four pages has 109 spaces. Coverage is 48%. Excluding the expensive surcharged/overprinted German stamps in the catalogue, which are not covered anyway by BB, coverage is 65%.
There are seven spaces for the stamps of Germany, six spaces for the British Protectorate, ten spaces for the French occupation, while the remainder (majority) of the spaces are for the French Mandate.
The coverage is the same for the 1940s editions of BB.
There is only one stamp that is "expensive": The 1838 semi-postal Curie stamp @ $20.
Of interest, the 1924-38 pictorial issue is well covered. BB has spaces for 35 of the 37 regular issue stamps, and all 11 of the companion 1925 postage due set.
For more on Togo, click on the link below.
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