What Are Your "White Whale" Countries?

La Aguera 1922 Scott 24 10p 1p rose "King Alfonso XII"

As a classical (1840-1940) WW stamp collector, I come across many obscure, out of the way, and now disappeared (Dead") countries.

Some of them, not for reasons of cost, turn out to be "White Whales": that is, elusive, and difficult to find.

Like Captain Ahab, I'm after these enigmatic white whales- often, with little success.

La Aguera is one of them.


Aguera on the southern tip of Western Sahara

La Aguera was an administrative district in Rio De Oro, a Spanish colony on the African north west coast. The district had two stamp issues between 1920-1924 when it and Rio de Oro was incorporated into Spanish (Western) Sahara. Overall, this area was a territory of Spain between 1884 and 1975.

La Aguera was located on the very southwestern tip of Western Sahara. There were never more than 1,000 inhabitants of the settlement. La Aguera was abandoned to the sand in 2002.


The Fort now abandoned, La Aguera lives on in stamp history

After assiduous effort, I've manged to find 10 of the 29 major Scott number stamps issued between 1920-1922.

But La Aguera continues to be a "White Whale".

That is my Whale Tale. What is yours?

10 of 29 is pretty darn good. I am still not close to double digits, and I almost never run across the overprints. I can't tell you the number of blank stares I've had from dealers when I've asked.

I also try to hold out for okay centering, which really cuts into the available choices. So, La Aguera is also one, for me, and Spanish Sahara is another. (Specifically the first issue with the Touareg and camel.)

For me, the Indian State of Rajkot was a Great White Whale for many years. Don't bother looking for it in the stamp catalogues: you won't find it. It was one of two 'countries' only to issue postal stationery, but no stamps. I finally picked up my first example the other day:



Now I'd like to complete Rajkot, but fortunately, I'm not in a hurry.

Pretty neat, tonymacg. Forgive me if you've reported it and I've forgotten, but which is the other stationery-only state?

For a long time, it was Elobey, Annobey, and Corrisco, and Ste. Marie de Madagascar. I finally found sets of both. Alas about half of the Ste Marie stamps turned out to be the works of Fournier, but I only needed one genuine stamp.

Yes, many dealers will give you a funny look when you ask about Elobey, too.

Just a couple days ago I was looking at someone's French Colonies album, and he had collected his Navigation & Commerce forgeries together in one spot. It was interesting to see them all together.

Cjd, the other postal stationery only country was one of the Russian zemstvos.

Let's pretend I didn't ask.

Jkjblue:

That Aguera stamp reminds me how much I've actually neglected my Spanish colony stamps. I guess that could be a white whale for me too as I only have 7 of the issues.

In general, I think many of the Spanish colonies tend to be White Whales for WW classical era collectors, at least in the United States.

But I don't feel so bad regarding Aguera, if Spain_1850 doesn't have many either.

A really interesting discussion. Thanks for posing the question, Jim! Really looking forward to reading some of the other responses.

My white elephant was LONG ISLAND for many years . But now have a single stamp and a page in my collection .
There are many countries or sub-divisions that I still lack but always on the look out for them .My most recent addition was SOUTH SUDAN.

For those who may be fond of the Portuguese area, try Kionga. There is also the old Portuguese fort at Ouidah, on the coast of what used to be called Dahomey, now Benin. Was called the fort of Sao Joao Bapista de Ajuda and was a Portuguese territory until the early 1960s. It always used the stamps of St. Thomas & Prince islands, but had its own canceling device for outgoing letters.

Climber Steve, would you happen to have a scan of the cancel(s) used for the fort? That might be worth my time going back through STP envelopes.

1916 Kionga Scott 1 1/2c on 100r blue/blue
Lourenco Marques Scott 149 surcharged in red


Location of Kionga

http://bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.co...fKionga.html

climbersteve- Definitely a White Whale country.

I harpooned this specimen last year.

I seem to remember running into a hoard of Dahomey stamps about a year or so ago. I think I gave them to either Phil or James? Just glad someone could use them! This is a neat topic.