Angola

Quick History

Located in South Central Africa, this former Portuguese colony (16th century-1975) is now bordered by Namibia, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Atlantic Ocean is on Angola's western border. Diamonds and oil make up 60% of Angola's economy.

Recent map of Angola

Angola, the Portuguese colony, was located between the Belgian Congo and South West Africa, and the colony had a population of 3,400,000 in the 1930s. The capital is Luanda. The first stamp issue was in 1870.

1898 Scott 52 100r dark blue/blue 

"King Carlos"

Into the Deep Blue
The 2011 Scott Classic Specialized album has, for Angola 1870-1938, 341 major descriptive numbers. Of those, 189 are CV <$1-$1+, or 55%. Angola appears to be a bit more expensive (especially the earlier stamps) than many Portuguese colonies, but still quite reasonable.

A closer look at the stamps and issues
1000 Reis = 1 Milreis
100 Centavos = 1 Escudo (1913)
100 Centavos = 1 Angolar (1932)

1893-94 Scott 29 25r green "King Carlos"

The 1870-77 "Portuguese Crown" issue and the 1886 "King Luiz" issue preceded the "King Carlos" issue, pictured above. They are moderately expensive, and I don't have any at the moment, so I will say no more about them here.

The 1893-94 eleven stamp "King Carlos" issue can be found with chalky or enamel paper, and different perforations. Consequently, Scott has many minor numbers for these stamps.

1898 Scott 40 10r yellow green "King Carlos"

The "King Carlos" vignette seen for virtually all of the Portuguese colonies is found here as a 1897-1905 22 stamp set. This postmark has an April 21, 1901 date with an "Angola" cancel.

1902 Scott 83 15r brown

Stamps of 1898, Overprinted

A 1902 four stamp release with the "Provisorio" overprint is illustrated here.

1911 Scott 89 5r orange yellow

Stamps of 1898-1903 Overprinted

With the change in government in Portugal, a 15 stamp set was released in 1911 overprinted.

1912 Scott 105 10r gray green "King Manuel II"

Overprinted in carmine or green

A 10 stamp set with the "Manuel II" visage was also overprinted in 1912. Of interest, this Angola issue is only found overprinted.

1914-26 "Ceres" Issue

Scott 130 5c blue- two colors

A very large 40 stamps "Ceres" was released between 1914-26. If one wishes to parse the issue further, it comes in chalky and ordinary paper, and two perforations. And the 5c "blue" clearly comes in different colors- bright blue, and deep blue. In fact, earlier Scott catalogues gave the "deep blue" color the Scott 129 number. But that number is dropped in the current catalogue- I wonder why?

1914 Scott 161 20r gray violet

Overprinted Type "c"

A 10 stamp issue was released in 1914 with this script overprint-  which is different than the 1911 overprinted issue. Re-check your Angola overprints for different types. ;-)

1919 Scott 219 1/2c on 75r bister brown

In 1919, a group of six stamps were surcharged as shown. CV is $1-$2, so one will find these in collections.

1932 Scott 256 85c rose "Ceres"

Another large 21 stamp issue with a remodeled "Ceres" was produced between 1932-46. For the two Ceres issues (1914-26, 1932-46), 47 stamps are CV <$1-$1+.

1938 Scott 290 10a blue violet

Vasco da Gama Issue

An 18 stamp Vasco da Gama issue for Angola, a common design type used for many Portuguese colonies, was released in 1938.

1938 Scott 293 1.75a deep blue 

"Marble Column and Portuguese Arms and Cross"

For the visit of the President of Portugal, a three stamp set was issued in 1938.

Postage Due 1904 Scott J1 5r yellow green

Portuguese colony postage dues are quite generic, as one can tell. The earlier 10 stamp 1904 set is valued in Reis, while the identical (in appearance) 1921 10 stamp set is valued in Centavos.

Deep Blue

1914-26 Ceres Issue in Deep Blue

Deep Blue (Steiner) has 21 pages for Angola, and includes a space for all the major Scott numbers. The many minor numbers found in Scott for the earlier issues (1870-94) due to different paper and perforations do not have designated spaces. One will need some quadrilled pages if one wishes to parse these earlier issues.

1912 Scott 111 200r dark green/salmon "King Manuel II"

Overprinted in carmine or green

Big Blue Picture
On three pages, Big Blue (1969), beginning essentially in 1898 ( although does have 2 stamp spaces for 1894),  has 109 stamp spaces and 4 blank spaces for a total of 113 stamp spaces.
The 2011 Scott Specialized catalogue has, from 1898, 307 stamp descriptions.
Big Blue has 37% coverage.

Indeed, Big Blue has some nice runs of stamps from Angola. There is just one problem. Angola's Stamps are cheap. By my count, from 1898, and using valuations up to $4 ( Many considerably less expensive), an additional 116 stamps could be added. That would bring  75% of Angola's stamps within reach.. There is a good chance these stamps will show up in collections, so supplementary pages are advised. Scott numbers below.

(Scott 47,50,51,52,56,58,82,87,93,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,109,110,111,112,113,114,143,145,152,153,159,160,161,163,164,167,178,181,182,183,184,185,186,187,188,192,193,194,195,196,198,199,200,201,202,203,204,208,209,210,211,213,214,215,217,218,219,220,221,222,224,226,227,228,229,234,235,236,237,238,239,247,260,263,264,265,267,268,269,270,271,272,273,286,287,288,289,290,291,292,C7,C8,C9,J5,J7,J8,J15,J17,J18,J19,J26,J27,J28,J29,J30,P1,RA5,RA6)

But Angola's stamp issuing history begins in 1870, 24 years before Big Blue takes up two stamp coverage in 1894. There are 36 major varieties from 1870-1898, with 75 total varieties when perforations and stamp paper are considered. Even here, I found 12  varieties (In Scott 1,3,7,8,9,19,21,26,27,29,39) for $4 or less. If you want to collect a country on the cheap, Angola might be it!

1914 Scott 163 75r red violet  

Type "c" overprint, green

Big Blue Checklist (1969 Big Blue edition)

1894 King Carlos
30a ( or 30, 30b,30c) ($2+-5+)
Blank space: suggest 25 (or 25a,25b) ($1+)

1898 King Carlos
Scott 38,39,40,41,43,44,46 (<$1)

1902 overprinted "provisorio"
83,84,85 (<$1-$1+)

1903 King Carlos
42,45 (<$1-$1+)

1911 overprinted "republica"
88,89,90,91,92,94,95 (<$1-$2+)

1912 King Manuel overprinted "republica"
103,104,105,106,107,108 (<$1-$1+)
Blank space: suggest 109 ($1+)

1914-26 Ceres
Update note: The 1914-26 "Ceres" issue presented here is based on the 2011 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue. But the 2014  catalogue revises the listings into 1914 "chalky paper" Perf 15 X 14; 1915-22 "ordinary paper" 15 X 14; 1921-26 "ordinary paper" 12 X 11 1/2; and 1921-25 'glazed paper" 12 X 11 1/2 major number categories. It also gives a minor number to the 5c pale blue.
Here are the "old" numbers....
118,119,120,121,122,123,124,125,126,127,128,130-deep blue, 130-bright blue, 131,132,133,134,135,136,137,139,140,141,142,144,146,148,149,151,154 (<$1-$1+)
Two blank spaces: suggest 138,155 (<$1)
Note: Scott 1947 catalog broke down the todays Scott 130 5c Blue Ceres into two colors:deep blue and bright blue. To fill the two spaces with todays Scott 130, look for these two shades.

1914-26 Ceres (Updated)
Here are the current catalogue numbers for the BB spaces...

Denomination and color/ Current numbers / (Old number)

1/4c olive brown: 118 or 134 or 156 (Old: 118)

1/2c black: 119 or 135 or 157 (Old: 119)

1c blue green: 120 or 136 or 158 (Old: 120)

1c yellow green: 137 (Old: 121)

1 1/2c lilac brown: 121 or 138 or 158C (Old: 122)

2c carmine: 122 or 139 or 158D (Old: 123)

2c gray: 158E (Old: 124)

2 1/2c light violet*: 123 or 140 or 158F (Old: 125)

*Includes violet and dark violet colors

3c orange: 141 or 158G (Old: 126)

4c dull rose: 142 or 158H (Old: 127)

4 1/2c gray: 158I (Old: 128)

5c “deep blue”: blue 124 or 143 or 158J (Old 130 blue-deep shade)

5c “bright blue”: pale blue 143a or 158Ja (Old 130 blue – light shade)

6c lilac: 144 or 158K (Old: 131)

7c ultramarine: 145 or 158L (Old: 132)

7 1/2c yellow brown: 125 or 146 or 158M (Old: 133)

(Next Page)

8c slate: 126 or 147 or 158N (Old: 134)

10c orange brown: 127 or 148 or 158O (Old: 135)

12c olive brown: 149 or 158P (Old: 136)

12c deep green: 158Q (Old: 137)

15c brown rose: 128 or 151 (Old: 139)

20c yellow green: 129 or 152 or 158S (Old: 140)

24c ultramarine: 158T (Old: 141)

25c chocolate: 158U (Old: 142)

30c gray green: 153 or 158V (Old: 144)

40c turquoise blue: 158W (Old:146)

50c light violet: 158X (Old: 148)

60c dark blue: 158Y (Old: 149)

80c pink: 154 or 159A (Old: 151)

1e deep blue: 159D (Old: 154)

15c plum (blank space): (150 or 158R) (Old: (138))

2e dark violet (blank space): (155 or 159E) (Old: (155)) 

1932 Ceres
243,244,245,246,247,248,250,251,252,253,254,255,256,257,258,259 (<$1-$1+)

1938 Vasco da Gama
274,275,276,277,278,279,280,281,282,283,284 (<$1)
One blank space: suggest 285 (<$1)

Air Post
1938
C1,C2,C3,C4,C5,C6 (<$1)

Postage Due
1904
J1,J2,J3 (<$1)

1911
J11,J12,J13,J14 (<$1)

1921
J21,J22,J23,J24,J25 (<$1)

Postal Tax
1925
RA1,RA2,RA3 (<$1)

1929
RA4 ($1+)

Postal Tax Due
RAJ1,RAJ2,RAJ3 (<$1)

The 1947 Scott standard catalog has the same numbering system for Angola, except as noted with the Scott
130.

1938 Scott 271 5c on 80c emerald

Surcharged in black

Kinds of Blue
The 1997 edition and the 1969 edition are identical.
Compared to the 1969 edition...

Addition ( 1947 and 1941 editions)
1926 Ceres issue
Scott 150 60c deep rose ($45) !

Deletions (1947 and 1941 editions)
1914-26 Ceres issue
Scott 134 8c slate (<$1)
Scott 135 10c orange brown (<$1)
Scott 140 20c yellow green ($1+)

1938 Scott C2 20c  purple

Common Design type

Bottom Blue Line

As noted, Angola is an inexpensive country.  Big Blue could have doubled the number of stamps without too much difficulty.Better insert those supplementary pages.

Note: Map appears to be in the public domain.
Note: The "Into the Deep Blue" section, and the scans were added March, 2014.

Links
Angola - Bud's Big Blue

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