Orange Tree Stamp – First Stamp of the OFS

On this day in 1854 the Orange Free State Constitution was adopted.

Boers had settled North of the Orange River, which was the Northern border of the Cape Colony. On 23 February 1854, British Sovereignty was renounced and three weeks later on 7 April 1854 the Orange Free State Constitution was officially adopted which led to the need for the Orange Tree Stamp.

The Orange Free State introduced its own stamps in 1868 depicting an orange olive tree. The orange tree stamp was typographed by De La Rue and Company and were issued in 1d, 6d and 1/- values.

From time to time, shortages of stamps necessitated the use of overprints, the first of which occurred in 1877. There are many different errors on these overprinted stamps including inverted or doubled overprints.

Below is an example of the IMPERFORATE COLOUR TRIALS for the 6d Orange Tree Stamp in brown, orange and carmine-rose in blocks of four on ungummed paper. These colour trials are extremely rare and are available for purchase on Filat AG.

6d Orange Tree Colour Trials

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Orange Tree Stamp – First Stamp of the OFS

On this day in 1854 the Orange Free State Constitution was adopted.

Boers had settled North of the Orange River, which was the Northern border of the Cape Colony. On 23 February 1854, British Sovereignty was renounced and three weeks later on 7 April 1854 the Orange Free State Constitution was officially adopted which led to the need for the Orange Tree Stamp.

The Orange Free State introduced its own stamps in 1868 depicting an orange olive tree. The orange tree stamp was typographed by De La Rue and Company and were issued in 1d, 6d and 1/- values.