Somalia: British Occupation (1942-1950)
Chapter overview
- Somalia Inland Revenue
- Social Security (INFPS / INPS)
Somalia Inland Revenue
1943. “SOMALIA INLAND REVENUE” key types, cents values 17½ x 29½mm, shilling values 21½ x 37½mm. Printed in a limited range of colours, perhaps due to wartime shortages. Perf 14. No watermark.
#1-6 (see below for black and white image of #7)
#7 (wmk unconfirmed)
1. 2c blue-green
2. 4c ultramarine
3. 20c bright rose
4. 40c violet
5. 2s bright rose
6. 4s ultramarine
7. 20s (colour? - see note below)
Notes:
The 20-shilling value of this set is known only from the black and white illustration shown here, and the colour and watermark are therefore unconfirmed. If the stamp is shown to have a watermark, it will be re-classified as #30.
Earliest recorded use – 17th April 1943 (#1),
1st December 1943 (#3).
Erler additionally lists the 80c and 1s for this set but I have not seen these values without watermark.
2. 4c ultramarine
3. 20c bright rose
4. 40c violet
5. 2s bright rose
6. 4s ultramarine
7. 20s (colour? - see note below)
Notes:
The 20-shilling value of this set is known only from the black and white illustration shown here, and the colour and watermark are therefore unconfirmed. If the stamp is shown to have a watermark, it will be re-classified as #30.
Earliest recorded use – 17th April 1943 (#1),
1st December 1943 (#3).
Erler additionally lists the 80c and 1s for this set but I have not seen these values without watermark.
c1945-50. “SOMALIA INLAND REVENUE” key types as before with new values added. Watermark multiple “OTA”, sideways on shilling values, normally reading upwards as seen from the back of the stamp.
#21-29
21. 10c mauve
22. 20c bright rose
23. 40c violet
24. 80c red-orange
25. 1s mauve
26. 1s20c pale blue
27. 2s rose-red
28. 4s ultramarine
29. 10s lilac
Note: earliest recorded use – 10th March 1948 (#25), 22nd April 1946 (#26).
Erler additionally lists a 1c and 2c of this set, which I have not seen.
22. 20c bright rose
23. 40c violet
24. 80c red-orange
25. 1s mauve
26. 1s20c pale blue
27. 2s rose-red
28. 4s ultramarine
29. 10s lilac
Note: earliest recorded use – 10th March 1948 (#25), 22nd April 1946 (#26).
Erler additionally lists a 1c and 2c of this set, which I have not seen.
#41
c1946. Surcharged ‘--/20’ (= 20 cents) in red.
41. 20c on 4c ultramarine
Note: no dated examples have so far been recorded.
Social Security (INFPS / INPS)
The issues under this heading are attributed to Somalia by both Erler and Luconi & Caso. I am unclear why these writers describe them as issues for Somalia only, when they could equally well have been used in Eritrea, both territories having the East African Shilling as their currency at the time. I would be very grateful to any reader who can offer documentary or other evidence for the use of these stamps in either Eritrea or Somalia. Until such evidence emerges, I will follow my predecessors in attributing them to Somalia.
King Victor Emmanuel revenues (large and small formats) surcharged. Watermark Single Crown (small format) or Two Crowns sideways (large formats), normally pointing to right as seen from the back of the stamp. Perf 14.
c1943. Surcharged “I.N.F.P.S. (= Istituto Nazionale Fascista della Previdenza Sociale, National Fascist Institute for Social Security) Shgs. 2.10” in seriffed font 2mm high, with bars through the original value. The surcharge in black, red or green.
S1-3
S1. 2s10c on 10c blue (small format) (red surch, 2 bars through original value)
S2. 2s10c on 80c greenish grey (king facing left) (black surch, 4 bars)
S3. 2s10c on 80c on 1l brown (king facing right) (green surch, 1 thick bar)
Notes: no dated examples of this issue have so far been recorded. A date of c1943 is presumed on the basis that in this year the INFPS organisation dropped the third word (Fascist) from its name to become the INPS (see listing below). Erler gives a date of 1946 for all the stamps listed on this page.
c1945. Similar issue but surcharged “I.N.P.S. (= Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza Sociale, National Institute for Social Security) E.A.S. (= East African shillings) 2.40”.
S2. 2s10c on 80c greenish grey (king facing left) (black surch, 4 bars)
S3. 2s10c on 80c on 1l brown (king facing right) (green surch, 1 thick bar)
Notes: no dated examples of this issue have so far been recorded. A date of c1943 is presumed on the basis that in this year the INFPS organisation dropped the third word (Fascist) from its name to become the INPS (see listing below). Erler gives a date of 1946 for all the stamps listed on this page.
c1945. Similar issue but surcharged “I.N.P.S. (= Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza Sociale, National Institute for Social Security) E.A.S. (= East African shillings) 2.40”.
S6-7 (no other image of S7 available)
a) “I.N.P.S. E.A.S.” in seriffed letters 2mm high. “2.40” in similar font on small format, or in bold sans-serif font 4½mm high on large format. Three bars through original value, running across the whole stamp.
S6. 2s40c on 10c blue (small format) (red)
S7. 2s40c on 80c greenish grey
(large format, king facing left)
Note: Barefoot lists the 2s40c on 10c in two separate places - as as Italian East Africa Insurance BF1 on page 89 and as Somalia Insurance BF3 on page 91. The two listings are identical except that the IEA stamp is described as being overprinted 'I.N.P.' (without the final S) and surcharged in black and red, both of which details seem to be errors.
b) “I.N.P.S. E.A.S.” in bold sans-serif letters 3mm high, “2.40” in similar font 4½mm high. Three bars through original value, running across the whole stamp (4l) or over value only.
b) “I.N.P.S. E.A.S.” in bold sans-serif letters 3mm high, “2.40” in similar font 4½mm high. Three bars through original value, running across the whole stamp (4l) or over value only.
S11-13
S11. 2s40c on 80c greenish grey (king facing left)
S12. 2s40c on 80c on 1l brown (king facing right)
S13. 2s40c on 4l orange (king facing left)
Notes: earliest recorded use – 31st March 1945 (S11), 1949 (S13).
S12. 2s40c on 80c on 1l brown (king facing right)
S13. 2s40c on 4l orange (king facing left)
Notes: earliest recorded use – 31st March 1945 (S11), 1949 (S13).
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