Compendium of postage stamp issuers (Aa–Al)

Each "article" in this category is in fact a collection of entries about several stamp issuers, presented in alphabetical order. The entries themselves are formulated on the micro model and so provide summary information about all known issuers.

See the Category:Compendium of postage stamp issuers page for details of the project.

A&T

Overprint on French Colonial Commerce types of Annam and Tongking issued on 21 January 1888. These stamps also carried a surcharge of 1 or 5 centimes.

Refer: Annam & Tongking

Abu Dhabi

Formerly an independent sheikhdom, Abu Dhabi is now the capital and second largest city of the United Arab Emirates. It issued its own stamps when there was a British postal agency in the sheikhdom. The agency was opened on Das Island in December 1960 and in Abu Dhabi City on 30 March 1963. Issues were discontinued when Abu Dhabi joined the United Arab Emirates.

Dates: 1964–1972
Capital: Abu Dhabi City
Currency: (1964) 100 naye paise = 1 rupee; (1966) 1000 fils = 1 dinar
Main article: Postage stamps and postal history of Abu Dhabi, List of postage stamps of Abu Dhabi
See also: British Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia;; Trucial States;; United Arab Emirates

Abyssinia

Historical name for Ethiopia.

Refer: Ethiopia

ACCP

Cyrillic for Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic which was sometimes used as an inscription.

Refer: Azerbaijan

Açores

AÇORES (Portuguese spelling) is the inscription on all Azores stamps.

Refer: Azores (Acores)

Aden

A seaport in Yemen that was occupied by the British in 1839 and administered as a colony until 1963, its main purpose being as a coaling station for British shipping going to and from India via the Suez Canal. Originally governed as part of British India, it became a Crown Colony in 1937.

Dates: 1937–1963
Capital: Aden Town
Currency: (1937) 16 annas = 1 rupee; (1951) 100 cents = 1 shilling
Main article: Postage stamps and postal history of Aden
See also: Aden Protectorate States

Aden Protectorate States

Collective name for various states in the Hadhramaut region of southern Arabia, now part of the Republic of Yemen.

Main article: Postage stamps and postal history of the Aden Protectorate States
Includes: Kathiri State of Seiyun;; Mahra Sultanate of Qishn and Socotra;; Qu'aiti State in Hadhramaut;; Qu'aiti State of Shihr and Mukalla;; South Arabian Federation;; Upper Yafa
See also: Aden;; Southern Yemen

Adélie Land

Adélie Land (Terre Adélie) is a French territory on the Antarctic mainland.

Refer: French Southern and Antarctic Territories

Adrianople (Edirne)

The Treaty of Sèvres (1920) gave Greece a mandate for Eastern Thrace, including Adrianople. Turkish stamps in Adrianople were overprinted High Commission of Thrace and surcharged. Adrianople was returned to Turkey by the Treaty of Lausanne in 1922 and is now called Edirne.

Dates: 1920–1922
Currency: 100 lepta = 1 drachma (Greek)
Refer: Thrace
See also: Eastern Thrace;; Greek Occupation Issues

AEF

Acronym for Afrique Equatoriale Française which was sometimes used as an inscription.

Refer: French Equatorial Africa

Aegean Islands (Dodecanese)

Several Greek islands (the Dodecanese) off the coast of Asia Minor that were occupied by Italy in May 1912 and then ceded to Turkey in 1920. The islands were all restored to Greece on 15 September 1947.

Dates: 1912–1945
Capital: Rodhos (Rhodes Town)
Currency: 100 centesimi = 1 lira (Italian)
Main article: Postage stamps and postal history of the Aegean Islands
Includes: Astypalaea;; Castelrosso (Kastellórizo);; Kalimnos;; Karpathos;; Kasos;; Khalki;; Kos;; Leros;; Lipsos;; Nisyros;; Patmos;; Rhodes;; Syme;; Telos
See also: Dodecanese Islands (Greek Occupation);; Greek Occupation Issues;; Middle East Forces (MEF)

Afars and Issas

Former French colony that is now Djibouti.

Refer: French Territory of Afars & Issas

Afghanistan

Landlocked state of central Asia, formerly a kingdom and latterly an Islamic republic.

Dates: 1870 –
Capital: Kabul
Currency: (1870) 3 abasi = 1 rupee; (1920) 60 paisa = 1 rupee; (1926) 100 pouls = 1 afghani
Main article: Postage stamps and postal history of Afghanistan

Africa (Portuguese Colonies)

A general issue for all Portuguese colonies in Africa and the Atlantic.

Dates: 1898 only
Currency: 1000 réis = 1 mil réis
Main article: Postage stamps and postal history of the Portuguese colonies in Africa
See also: Angola;; Azores;; Cape Verde Islands;; Madeira;; Mozambique;; Portuguese Congo;; Portuguese Guinea;; Sao Tome e Principe

Africa Occidental Espanola

Inscription on stamps of Spanish West Africa.

Refer: Spanish West Africa

Africa Orientale Italiane

Inscription on stamps of Italian East Africa.

Refer: Italian East Africa

Afrique Equatoriale Française

Inscription on stamps of French Equatorial Africa.

Refer: French Equatorial Africa

Afrique Occidentale Française

Inscription on stamps of French West Africa.

Refer: French West Africa

Aitutaki

Aitutaki is part of the Cook Islands, and lies about 140 miles (230 km) north of Rarotonga. It consists of many volcanic and coral islets around a lagoon. The total land area is only 7 square miles (18 km²). Access by sea is via an offshore anchorage with boat passage to Arutunga. There is also an airstrip which was built in WW2 by American forces. The population, less than 2500, is mainly Polynesian.

The 1903–1932 issues were New Zealand stamps with an overprint of AITUTAKI. Stamps of the Cook Islands were used 1932–1972 without overprint. Local issues began in 1972.

Dates: 1972 –
Capital: Arutunga
Currency: 100 cents = 1 dollar
Main article: Postage stamps and postal history of Aitutaki
Includes: Aitutaki (New Zealand Administration)
See also: Cook Islands;; New Zealand

Aitutaki (New Zealand Administration)

Early stamp issues in Aitutaki were New Zealand types with an overprint.

Dates: 1903–1932
Capital: Arutunga
Currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling; 20 shillings = 1 pound
Refer: Aitutaki

Ajman

One of the Trucial States which became the United Arab Emirates in 1972, Ajman was one of the most notorious sources of stamps that had dubious postal connections. Few, if any, Ajman stamps are of interest and all issues during the 1967–72 period must be regarded as non-postal.

Dates: 1964–1967
Currency: (1964) 100 naye paise = 1 rupee; (1967) 100 dirhams = 1 riyal
Refer: Trucial States

Åland Islands

Åland is an autonomous province of Finland. It is a group of islands in the Baltic Sea at the mouth of the Gulf of Bothnia.

Separate issues began in 1984 although stamps of Finland continued to be valid. From 1 Jan 1993, Åland began its own postal administration and Finnish stamps ceased to have validity there.

Dates: 1984 –
Capital: Mariehamn
Currency: 100 penni = 1 markka
Main article: Postage stamps and postal history of the Åland Islands
See also: Finland

Alaouites

Alaouites (Alawi) is a district of Syria lying on the coast between Hatay and Lebanon. It was formerly part of the Turkish Empire but was placed under a French mandate in 1920. It became an independent republic and was renamed Latakia (after the capital) in 1930. On 28 February 1937, it was incorporated into Syria.

Stamps of France were issued in 1925 with overprint ALAOUITES. These were soon superseded by stamps of Syria bearing the same overprint. In July 1931, stamps of Syria were issued with overprint LATTAQUIE. Since 1 March 1937, stamps of Syria without overprint have been in constant use.

Dates: 1925–1930
Capital: Latakia
Currency: 100 centimes = 1 piastre
Main article: Postage stamps and postal history of Alaouites
Includes: Ile Rouad;; Latakia
See also: Syria

Alaska

Largest state of the USA but separated from the rest by Canada. Discovered by Vitus Bering in 1741, it was first settled by Russia in 1744. The USA purchased the territory in 1867 for $7.2 million at a penny an acre. Alaska was admitted to the Union on 3 January 1959 as the 49th state.

There was no postal service under Russian ownership. Alaska has used stamps of the USA only.

Capital: Juneau
Refer: United States of America

Alawi

The State of the Alawi, called Alaouites in French, had a separate existence between the World Wars but is now part of Syria. It was a coastal enclave between Hatay and Lebanon.

Refer: Alaouites

Albania

A coastal republic on the Adriatic Sea in south-east Europe which used stamps of Turkey from 1870 to 1913.

Dates: 1913 –
Capital: Tirana
Currency: (1913) 40 paras = 1 piastre (or grosch); (1913) 100 qintar = 1 franc; (1947) 100 qintar = 1 lek; (1965) 100 qintar = 10 old leks = 1 new lek
Main article: Postage stamps and postal history of Albania
See also: Durazzo (Italian Post Office);; German Occupation Issues (World War II);; Greek Occupation Issues;; Italian Occupation Issues;; Italian Post Offices in the Turkish Empire;; Korce (Koritza);; Scutari (Italian Post Office);; Valona (Italian Post Office)

Albania (German Occupation)

Albania was occupied by German forces after the fall of Italy in the Second World War. Relevant stamps are catalogue nos 389–408 of Albania.^[1]

Dates: 1943–1944
Currency: 100 qintar = 1 franc
Refer: German Occupation Issues (World War II)

Albania (Greek Occupation)

Following Italy's abortive invasion of Greece in 1940, Greek forces occupied much of southern Albania until driven back by the German army which reinstated Italian rule. Greek stamps with overprint were issued in the occupied zone.

Dates: 1940–1941
Currency: 100 lepta = 1 drachma
Refer: Greek Occupation Issues

Albania (Italian Occupation)

Albania was occupied by Italian forces in April 1939 as a prelude to the Second World War. Relevant stamps are catalogue nos 337–388 of Albania.^[1]

Dates: 1939–1943
Currency: 100 qintar = 1 franc
Refer: Italian Occupation Issues

Aldabra

A sparsely populated group of coral islands in the Indian Ocean, politically part of the Seychelles. Noted for the Aldabra giant tortoise.

Refer: British Indian Ocean Territory;; Zil Elwannyen Sesel

Alderney

Alderney, one of the Channel Islands, is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey and its stamps are valid throughout the Bailiwick.

Dates: 1983 –
Capital: St Anne
Currency: (British) 100 pence = 1 pound
Main article: Postage stamps and postal history of Alderney, List of postage stamps of Alderney
See also: Guernsey

Aleutian Islands

A chain of islands, sparsely populated, which stretch westward across the North Pacific from Alaska. Politically they are part of Alaska. Have used stamps of the USA only.

Capital: Dutch Harbor
Refer: United States of America

Alexandretta

Now known as Iskenderun, a city and province of Hatay. In 1938, stamps of Syria were issued in Hatay with the overprint SANDJAK D'ALEXANDRETTE (note: "sandjak" is a Turkish word meaning "district").

Refer: Hatay

Alexandria (French Post Office)

A French Post Office was opened at Alexandria in 1830. It issued French stamps without overprint or surcharge 1857–1899. In 1899, it began to issue French stamps with an overprint of ALEXANDRIE. Issues from 1921 were surcharged in Egyptian currency. The office closed in 1931.

Dates: 1899–1931
Currency: (1899) 100 centimes = 1 franc; (1921) 1000 milliemes = 1 pound (Egyptian)
Refer: Egypt (French Post Offices)

Alexandria (Italian Post Office)

This office used Italian stamps only (no overprint or surcharge).

Refer: Italian Post Offices Abroad

Alexandrie

Overprint used on French stamps in Alexandria.

Refer: Alexandria (French Post Office)

References

^ ^a ^b Gibbons, 1970, pp.4–5.

Bibliography

Stanley Gibbons Ltd, various catalogues
Stanley Gibbons Ltd, Europe and Colonies 1970, Stanley Gibbons Ltd, 1969
Stuart Rossiter & John Flower, The Stamp Atlas, W H Smith, 1989
XLCR Stamp Finder and Collector's Dictionary, Thomas Cliffe Ltd, c.1960

External links

[G70-1] Gibbons, 1970, pp.4–5.

[1]