We were unaware of these overprints until a visitor to our website asked if we knew anything about Wilding stamps overprinted with NP. We knew about the Morocco Agencies and Tangier, through our collection of George Vi stamps, so we checked in the catalogues and discovered the following information.
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Certain Arab states in Eastern Arabia, whilst remaining independent, had British Postal Administrations. Bahrain and Kuwait and Qatar used British stamps overprinted and surcharged in local currency. In addition British stamps were surcharged with value only for use in Muscat as they were first put on sale there.
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Details of the dates of use can be found in the Stanley Gibbons Elizabethan catalogue. At a subsequent local Stamp Club we managed to buy some examples, so here are some images of the different overprints used in the different areas.
British Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia.
Stamps with Annas & Rupees
1952-54 Watermark Tudor crown
10th June 1953 Coronation.
Quantities sold: 2½ anna 180,408; 4a 169,344; 12a 161,543 and 1 rupee 166,643.stamp.
There was a currency change in 1957 in countries associated with India. Instead of 16 Anna equalled 1 rupee, it was changed to 100 naye paise equalled 1 rupee.
1956-57 definitives with the St Edward Crown watermark
1957 World Scout Jubilee Jamboree commemorative issue.
Quantities sold 15np 155,041; 25np 154,705; 75np 154,080>br>
Some of the 1960/61 definitive issue on multiple crowns watermark paper non-phosphor.
Stamps used abroad :
Stamps used at British postal agencies in Morocco, N. Africa, which became an independent kingdom in 1956, but some of the British issues continued in use until 1957. This set was the 1952-54 issue of 10 values on the Tudor Crown watermarked paper.
Tangier was part of the International Zone of the Morocco Agencies, and the British stamps were overprinted for use in those Agencies. This set was issued between 1952 and 1954 and was on paper with the Tudor crown watermark.
The Castles high value stamps were overprinted for use overseas, but we do not have any of them.
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