Stamps And Items From "Dead" Countries And Entities

Several members here mentioned the seven Emirates stamps. The Emirates are Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Umm Al Qiwain, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, all issued stamps during years 1964-1973. Most of the stamps, (especially of the the first five emirates) were issued for the collector market mainly. Most of stamp catalogues ignore them, but Michel catalogue lists them all. Fortunately, I have stamps in my different collections from the Emirate except from Abu Dhabi.

- Fujeira (my only cover from the Emirates).
- Dubai
- Ajman

The rest Emirates, except Abu Dhabi.

- Umm Al Qiwain
- Ras Al Khaima
- Sharjah

Manama

To complete the list above, stamps were also issued for Manama, which is not an emirate but a city and region within Ajman. The inscription on these stamps reads "Manama - dependency of Ajman." I do not know the exact reason why stamps were issued for an area within the emirate, but I assume it was done to capitalize on collectors' interest and milk them. Appreciate any information.

During the Vietnam War, in 1960, a communist guerrilla force began to form in South Vietnam and called the "National Liberation Front for South Vietnam", also known as the Vietcong.

In 1963, North Vietnam issued the first set of stamps for use by the Vietcong forces in South Vietnam. From 1963 to 1969 the inscription on the stamps reads: "The National Liberation Front for South Vietnam". From 1969, when the "Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam" was established by North Vietnam, the inscription on the Vietcong stamps reads: "Republic of South Vietnam" (don't confuse with South Vietnam stamps with inscription "Republic of Vietnam).

South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from October 26, 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of the Cold War.

Communist forces from North Vietnam overran South Vietnam on 30 April 1975, marking the end of the Republic of Vietnam. On 2 July 1976, North Vietnam and the provisional Communist government of Republic of South Vietnam merged to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The first set of South Vietnam issued 1956 on FDC.





Not to confuse between:
Republic of Vietnam - South Vietnam created after the partition in 1955.
Republic of South Vietnam - Provisional Communist government established by North Vietnam in occupied South Vietnam

North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV), was established in 1945, by Ho Chi Minh, following the revolution against French colonial rule. It gained full control over the northern part of Vietnam after the 1954 Geneva Accords, which temporarily divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel. North Vietnam existed as a communist state until July 2, 1976, when it was formally unified with the provisional Communist government of Republic of South Vietnam to create the Socialist Republic of Vietnam following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.

South West Africa (SWA) was a territory under South African administration from 1915 to 1990. Renamed Namibia by the United Nations in 1968, it became independent under this name on 21 March 1990.

The Ryukyu Islands are a chain of islands in the western Pacific Ocean, located at the eastern edge of the East China Sea, southwest of Kyushu Island in Japan.

During World War II, the islands came under United States military occupation in 1945. A civilian government under American administration was established in 1952. The islands were returned to Japanese control in 1972. Postage stamps were issued in the Ryukyu Islands from 1948 to 1972.

I was living on Okinawa in 1972 when reversion occurred. The native Okinawan locals did not like it.

French Somaliland (Cote francaise des Somalis) was a French colony in the Horn of Africa. It existed between 1884 and 1967, at which became the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. The Republic of Djibouti is its legal successor state.

The colony of French Somaliland (see above) became the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas (FTAI; French: Territoire francais des Afars et des Issas) between 1967 and 1977. Its name derives from the Afar people of Djibouti and the Somali Issa clan. In 1977, the FTAI gained independence and the Republic of Djibouti was established.




Note: While the FTAI was not independent and remained under French sovereignty, the renaming and administrative changes were part of France's broader effort to manage decolonization and address ethnic tensions. It was essentially still a colony in function, but with more localized administrative structures.

The Soviet Union, officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was a Communist state that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. It was nominally a federal union of fifteen national republics; in practice its government and economy were highly centralized until its final years. The country was a one-party state governed by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, with Moscow as its capital within its largest and most populous republic, the Russian SFSR. On 25 December 1991, all the republics emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union as independent post-Soviet states.

In 1958, USSR issued a set shows the capitals of the 15 republics. All of them are now independent countries and issue their own stamps.


In 1960, USSR issued a set of stamps shows the 20 Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics (ASSR). From them, today Abkhazia issue its own stamps.

In 1933, USSR issue a set of 21 stamps show the different ethnic groups of the USSR.

USSR issued many beautiful engraved stamps. Here is my no. 1 favorite.

Northern Rhodesia was a territory in south-central Africa established in the early 20th century under British colonial rule. Named after Cecil Rhodes, the British imperialist and businessman whose British South Africa Company spearheaded colonial expansion in the region, Northern Rhodesia became a British protectorate in 1924. In 1964, Northern Rhodesia gained independence and was renamed Zambia.

Centenary birth of Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902) - 1953

East Germany, or the German Democratic Republic (GDR, DDR), was founded in 1949 in the Soviet-controlled zone after World War II. A communist state, it was marked by the Berlin Wall and strict surveillance by the Stasi. Widespread protests led to its collapse, and in 1990, it reunified with West Germany.

The flag and coat of arms of DDR.

German Patriots, 1953.

DDR issued many stamps with Communist symbols and leaders.