Oman
Chapter overview
On this page are listed revenue stamps inscribed with the following territorial names:
- State of Muscat and Oman (c1930)
- Sultanate of Muscat and Oman (c1945)
- Sultanate of Oman (1970 to present)
Currency
- (1930) 16 annas = 1 rupee
- (1970) 100 baiza = 1 rial
Acknowledgments
Grateful thanks to Cal Allen and Thomas Johansen for generously allowing me to incorporate the fruits of their research into Oman revenues.
Note: Stamps issued by Ghorfa (The Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry), formerly listed on this page, can now be found under Euro-Arab Chambers of Commerce.
R1/4
Unidentified value
c1930. Palm trees surrounding Arabic inscription State of Muscat and Oman, with Revenue in Arabic at top and in English at foot. Size, perf, watermark and printing details currently unknown.
R1. 8a blue-green
R2. 1r carmine
R3. 5r blue
R4. 10r scarlet
R1. 8a blue-green
R2. 1r carmine
R3. 5r blue
R4. 10r scarlet
Note: R1/4 are known only from a private document archive belonging to a family in Oman. A fifth value in black (illustrated at right) has also been recorded, though the image is insufficiently clear to confirm the value, which might be 3 rupees or 30 baiza (=2½ annas).
R11/16
c1945 (based on Arabic inscription 1365 AH, which equates
to 1945-46 AD). Fort Al Jalali, Muscat. Inscribed Sultanate of Muscat and Oman in upper central banner. 17½ x 22 mm, perf 12 (2a and 1r) or 24 x 30½ mm, perf 11 (5r and 20r). No
watermark.
[R11. 2a red-brown]
R13. 1r blue
[R14. 5r green]
R16. 20r carmine
Note: the 2 anna (which is inscribed one-eighth rupee) and 5 rupee values are currently known only as imperforate proofs in complete sheets (of 20 and 16 respectively), and it is not known whether they were ever issued.
[R11. 2a red-brown]
R13. 1r blue
[R14. 5r green]
R16. 20r carmine
Note: the 2 anna (which is inscribed one-eighth rupee) and 5 rupee values are currently known only as imperforate proofs in complete sheets (of 20 and 16 respectively), and it is not known whether they were ever issued.
 R21/23 |
 R26 |
c1962 (based on Arabic inscription 1382 AH = 1962-63 AD). Fort Al Jalali, Muscat.
23½ x 30 mm. Perf 13½ x 13. No watermark.
R21. 2r slate-blue
R22. 5r green
R23. 10r red-brown
R26. 10r scarlet
Note: according to Barefoot, R21/23 were issued in 1962, with R26 added in 1963.
23½ x 30 mm. Perf 13½ x 13. No watermark.
R21. 2r slate-blue
R22. 5r green
R23. 10r red-brown
R26. 10r scarlet
Note: according to Barefoot, R21/23 were issued in 1962, with R26 added in 1963.
R34/44
1972-74. Arms of the Sultanate on a floral background, inscribed Sultanate of Oman in English and Arabic. 19 x 25 mm (50b) or 23 x 28 mm (others). Perf 14½. Wmk spiral crown CA (sideways on 100b and above). Printed (litho) by Harrisons in sheets of 50. Arms and inscriptions in black; background colours given below.
R34. 50b grey-blue
R35. 100b pale greyish lilac
R37. 250b deep yellow
R38. 500b dull pink
R39. 1r blue-grey
R40. 1½r red
R41. 3r deep green
R42. 5r violet
R43. 10r brown
R44. 50r deep blue
Notes:
1. The dates of issue are known from the sets of proofs which are housed in the British Library. The first issue consisted of the set to the 1r. This was approved in May 1972, and would have been issued later that year. A new printing of four additional values (1½r, 3r, 10r and 50r) was approved in October 1974, and probably came out by the end of 1974. The date of issue of the 5r is not known. The proofs also show Harrisons as the printers and a sheet size of 50, though the format is not known.
2. The British Library material shows that the original (1972) issue also included the following additional values:
19 x 25 mm: 5b magenta, 10b pale mauve, 25b greenish yellow
23 x 28 mm: 200b apple-green
I have not seen issued examples of these stamps but it is very likely they exist. Numbers have been set aside in this listing for their future addition.
3. Barefoot lists a 4r yellow. I have not seen this value from this series though it may be an erroneous listing for my R58 below.
R34. 50b grey-blue
R35. 100b pale greyish lilac
R37. 250b deep yellow
R38. 500b dull pink
R39. 1r blue-grey
R40. 1½r red
R41. 3r deep green
R42. 5r violet
R43. 10r brown
R44. 50r deep blue
Notes:
1. The dates of issue are known from the sets of proofs which are housed in the British Library. The first issue consisted of the set to the 1r. This was approved in May 1972, and would have been issued later that year. A new printing of four additional values (1½r, 3r, 10r and 50r) was approved in October 1974, and probably came out by the end of 1974. The date of issue of the 5r is not known. The proofs also show Harrisons as the printers and a sheet size of 50, though the format is not known.
2. The British Library material shows that the original (1972) issue also included the following additional values:
19 x 25 mm: 5b magenta, 10b pale mauve, 25b greenish yellow
23 x 28 mm: 200b apple-green
I have not seen issued examples of these stamps but it is very likely they exist. Numbers have been set aside in this listing for their future addition.
3. Barefoot lists a 4r yellow. I have not seen this value from this series though it may be an erroneous listing for my R58 below.
R51/60 (image of R60 taken from Barefoot)
1989 (according to Barefoot). Similar to previous issue but redrawn with Revenue in slightly taller letters, and without the floral background. All values 22½ x 28 mm (no smaller format for low values). Perf 14¼. No wmk. Arms and inscriptions in black; background colours given below.
R51. 50b grey-blue
R52. 100b pale greyish lilac
R53. 250b deep yellow
R55. 1r blue-grey
R56. 1½r red
R57. 3r deep green
R58. 4r pale buff
R59. 5r violet
R60. 10r brown
R51. 50b grey-blue
R52. 100b pale greyish lilac
R53. 250b deep yellow
R55. 1r blue-grey
R56. 1½r red
R57. 3r deep green
R58. 4r pale buff
R59. 5r violet
R60. 10r brown
R71/78 (R78 image from Barefoot, no better image of R75 currently available)
1989 issue (top) and 1998 issue with taller thinner letters
1998 (earliest recorded usage). Design again redrawn, with the English inscription BAIZA / RIAL(S) and Revenue in tall thin letters, as shown in the enlargement at right. 22 x 28 mm. Perf 13. No wmk. Arms and inscriptions in black; background colours given below.
R71. 100b pale greyish lilac
R72. 200b salmon
R74. 1r blue-grey
R75. 1½r scarlet
R76. 3r olive
R77. 5r violet
R78. 10r brown
Earliest recorded usage: 1998 (100b), 2000 (200b, 5r). The document illustrated below shows a receipt for 200b fees paid in three stages on 22nd February, 8th March and 22nd March 1998. The first two payments use stamps of the previous series (my R51/2), while the third shows the earliest usage of R71. From this I infer that R71 - and possibly other values of this set - were issued in mid-March 1998.
R71. 100b pale greyish lilac
R72. 200b salmon
R74. 1r blue-grey
R75. 1½r scarlet
R76. 3r olive
R77. 5r violet
R78. 10r brown
Earliest recorded usage: 1998 (100b), 2000 (200b, 5r). The document illustrated below shows a receipt for 200b fees paid in three stages on 22nd February, 8th March and 22nd March 1998. The first two payments use stamps of the previous series (my R51/2), while the third shows the earliest usage of R71. From this I infer that R71 - and possibly other values of this set - were issued in mid-March 1998.
