FORERUNNERS - Nov '5/Feb '03

FEATURE ARTICLES
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September 15th (Nov/Feb issue). Typewritten Articles should be submitted in double-spaced form. Maximum length should be held
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Transvaal Revisited
Editorial Note: This is the sixth excerpt from an excellent general reference publication (IPC Magazines, Ltd., UK) which
appeared in the early 1970's. Previous installments in this "revisited" series included South Africa (Whole #37), Swaziland (
Whole #38), South West Africa (Whole #39), Basutoland (Whole #40) and Natal (Whole #43). Because of the IPC publication
period, the readers should be aware of historical changes since the original writing, as well as increases from the referenced
catalog values. This excerpt was extracted from Part 7, Volume 6, pages 1847-1848.

This former Boer republic, now a province of the Republic of South
Africa, issued its own stamps from 1869 to 1913.
The area known as the Transvaal lies in the northeast of South
Africa. It was colonized by Boer farmers from the Cape who
trekked across the Vaal River in 1836 to escape from British rule.
Their independence was recognized 16 years later but Britain
retained vague rights of suzerainty over them. The Boers
established the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek (South African
Republic) with its capital at Potchefstroom. Postal markings are
recorded for Potchefstroom from 1864 onwards.
Adhesive stamps were introduced in the Transvaal in 1869.
The first stamps consisted of 1d, 6d and is values, featuring
the coat of arms in a rectangular frame. The word POSTZEGEL (
postage stamps) appeared at the top with the name of the
country in its abbreviated form, Z. AFR. REPUBLIEK,
appearing at the foot. The values were inscribed in the side
panels and the currency was written in English. The stamps
were typographed by Adolph Otto of Gustrow in
Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
A 3d stamp, in a similar design, was added to the series in
April 1870, and the 6d design was redrawn in 1874. These
stamps were used until 1877. During that period they underwent
numerous changes in paper, method of separation, gum and shade.
Four different printers produced these stamps and, in addition,
reprints and forgeries exist, some of them from Otto's printing
works.
The Transvaal was on the brink of total bankruptcy by 1877.
Therefore, the Boers appealed to the British Government to
take over the administration. Sir Theophilus Shepstone annexed
the South African Republic in April 1877 and changed its name
to the Transvaal. The contemporary stamps were overprinted V.
R. TRANSVAAL, as a result, and a large number of different
types of overprint were applied between 1877 and 1879. The
overprints were followed in August 1879 by a series
portraying Queen Victoria, recess-printed by Bradbury
Wilkinson in denominations from 1/2d to 2s. A shortage of ld
stamps was filled by surcharging quantities of the 6d value
with "1 PENNY". Seven different types of
surcharge were used.
The Boers were dissatisfied with British rule and war broke out
in December 1880, ending in the disastrous British defeat at
Majuba Hill. The South African Republic was reestablished in
1881 and the Queen Victoria stamps were retained while a new
republican series was in preparation. New penny provisionals
were created by surcharging the 4d stamps EEN PENNY. T.F.
Celliers of Pretoria typographed a version of the original arms
series in 1883, in denominations of ld, 3d and 1s. The
reissues can be recognized by their distinctive shades and the
perforation, gauging 12.
A new set, designed by J. Vurtheim, and typographed by
Enschede of Haarlem, was released between 1885 and 1893, in
denominations from the to £5. The highest denomination,
intended for the pre-payment of postage on gold bars, is very
rare in fine used condition but the rest of the series up to 10s in
value, is still fairly common because Enschede remaindered
stocks of Transvaal stamps in 1911.
A new design, with the coat of arms in an octagonal frame,
was introduced in 1894. Two versions exist, differing in the
wagon shown in the coat of arms. The earlier version shows
the wagon with shafts, but the later version, released between
1895 and 1895, showed the single "disselboom". A new
printing appeared between 1896 and 1897 with the value tablet
in green. Remainders of these sets of stamps were sold to
dealers.
Numerous provisional surcharges were made between 1885 and
1895 to produce '½d, 1d, 2d, or 2 1/2d stamps. A 6d fiscal stamp
was overprinted POSTZEGEL in 1895, to convert it for ordinary
postal duty.
The introduction of penny postage in the Transvaal resulted in
the country's only commemorative stamp, released on Septem-
ber 1895. The double-sized horizontal design showed the coat of
arms flanked by a locomotive and a mail-coach, representing
the old and new methods of transport. This stamp was
lithographed by the Printing Press and Publishing Co., of
Pretoria, South Africa.

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The Transvaal declared war on Britain in 1899 but after an Union - Cape, Natal and Orange River Colony - between 1910 and
initial series of victories, the Boers were forced to go on the 1913. Examples of these stamps are found with the postmarks
defensive. Vast contingents of British and imperial troops were of the other provinces or in combinations with other stamps.
sent to South Africa and by the middle of 1900 the Boers had Stamp History
been driven out of Natal and Cape Province. The war lasted a
1869-1902 stamps of the country inscribed Z.AFR.REPUB-
further two years as Boer guerrillas continued the struggle, but
LIEK (South African Republic), ZUID AFRIKAANSCHE
the British were in control of most of the territory of the Boer
REPUBLIEK, plus 1878 issue inscribed TRANSVAAL, plus
republics. The Transvaal definitive stamps were overprinted
1878 issue inscribed TRANSVAAL, all with values in sterling.
with the royal monogram, either V.R.I. or E.R.I. (after King
Edward VII ascended the throne in 1901). These overprinted Currency
stamps were bought in large quantities by British servicemen Sterling £ s d.
who attempted to sell them on the philatelic market after the
Collectors' Items: 1869 thin paper, imperforated, is tete-beche
war, so that even today the Boer War overprints of the Transvaal
pair, £1,100 mint; 1870-75 further tete-beche pairs of various
are fairly plentiful.
denominations, to £375 mint, £300 used; 1870-75 color shades
De La Rue typographed a series for the Transvaal between
and perforation variations, to £80 mint, £75 used; 1877
1902 and 1903, portraying King Edward VII. The stamps, in
overprint for first British occupation (V.R./TRANSVAAL)
denominations from '/2d to 2s, were printed in two-color
varieties, to £130 mint, £130 used. 1885 £5 deep green, £
combinations on Crown CA paper, with the inscription
600 mint, unpriced used; 1900-02 overprint for second British
POSTAGE REVENUE in the side panels. Higher denomina-
occupation, to £50 mint, 1903 £5 orange-brown and violet, £
tions of 2s6d, 5s, and 10s were inscribed POSTAGE in both
225 mint.
panels and subsequently the 1s, 2s, £1 and £5 denominations
Examples of stamps of the Transvaal (see Ill. below), 1870 to
were inscribed in this way also.
1902: 1 1870 6d printed by typography and showing the coat
The watermark on the stamps up to the £1 value was changed
of arms. 2 1885 5s typographed at Haarlem in Holland. 3 1894
between 1904 and 1909 to Multiple Crown CA, while new
6d also typographed at Haarlem. 4 6d fiscal overprinted
printings of the 1/2d, 1d, 2d, and 2'/2d were made between 1905
POSTZEGEL in 1895 for postal usage. 5 1895 ld issued to
and 1909 in monochrome. A series of postage due labels for
mark the introduction of penny postage. 6 '/2d definitive
the Transvaal was released in 1907 in values ranging from '½d
overprinted with the royal monogram V.R.I. in 1900. 7 1902
to 1s.
1d King Edward VII definitive inscribed Transvaal.
The Transvaal stamps continued in use until 1913 when they
were superseded by the general series of South Africa. They
were valid for postage in the other three provinces of the

Illustration. Examples of stamps of the Transvaal, 1870 to 1902.