HISTORICAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE STAMPS

11^th July 1960

Eleven days after “Congo” became independent, the province of Katanga announces its secession.

12^th September 1960

First edition of stamps Katanga (Belgian Congo stamps with overprint).

1^st March 1961

First definitive ‘own’ edition of Katanga stamps (Katanga Art).

1^st July 1961

The Belgian Congo stamps with overprint are demonetized (can no longer be used as postage). The “Independence” stamps of the Republic of Congo are still valid.

The Albertville stamps were put into use by the Congo Army around mid-December 1961. The Congo Army had recaptured Albertville and there were no proper stamps, so to bridge the time it would take to have the Congo stamps restocked by the main post office in Leopoldville, they locally printed Katanga stamps with the ‘CONGO’ overprint. It took the main post office around three months to restock the post offices in Albertville.

15^th January 1963

The General Government invalidates all Katangese stamps throughout the territory with exception of the area around Kolwezi where they continue in use.

End February 1963

Definite end of the Katanga stamps.

General remark on overprinting:

The overprinting is not always done in a consistent manner. At times it appears to have been done in haste or by people who did not care less (this to the joy of collectors of varieties).

The general idea was clear, overprint KATANGA to show its new identity and use the bar to cross out the Belgian Congo. Good examples of stamps on which they wanted to keep the image intact as much as possible are no’s 12 & 16, where the overprint is on top instead of on the bottom. A little less successful overprint is no 17.

The series 1-3, with the variety were the bar is missing is most probably a proof.

Interesting is that the stamps 21-22 are lacking this bar, I would like to know the reason!