Postage stamps and postal history of Annam and Tongking

A concise postal history of French Annam protectorate and Tongking protectorate, former territories of colonial French Indochina, that were located in present-day Vietnam. Dates 1888 - 1892

Stamp issues

Overview

The protectorate government over Annam and Tonkin issued only a single series of stamps.^[1] On 21 January 1888 the protectorates overprinted "A & T" or "A – T" (an abbreviation for the French protectorates of Annam and Tonkin) on nine different French colonial commerce type stamps.^[1] These overprints included a surcharge of either 1 centime or 5 centimes.^[1] The surcharges that were added to these postage stamps come in different types with various letters and numerals and a variety of errors are known to exist.^[1]

By the year 1892 the regular issue postage stamps of French Indochina had replaced the overprint issues of Annam & Tonkin.^[1]

List

Dates: 1888 - 1892
Currency: 100 centimes = 1 franc
Refer: Indo-China Territories

Geography

Tongking, also spelt Tonkin, is the northern part of Vietnam. Annam comprises most of central Vietnam.

Capital: Hanoi
Frontiers: Tongking is bounded by China (north); Gulf of Tongking (east); Annam (south); Laos (west). Annam is bounded by Tongking (north); Cochinchina (south); South China Sea (east); Cambodia and Laos (west).
Language: Vietnamese and French.
Religion: Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism

History

1885: Annam & Tongking became French protectorates following war with China.
1887: Included in Indochina with Cambodia and Cochinchina.
1888: (21 January) One issue was released with 9 stamps. These stamps were French Colonial Commerce types overprinted A&T plus a surcharge of either 1 or 5 centimes.
1892: The issue was replaced by stamps of Indochina.
1893: Laos was added to the union.
1949: (14 June) Annam & Tongking became part of the new colony of Vietnam.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Scott Catalogue - Annam & Tonkin #1, #1a, and #1b.

Sources

Stanley Gibbons Ltd: various catalogues^{[not specific enough to verify]}
Rossiter, Stuart & John Flower. The Stamp Atlas. London: Macdonald, 1986. ISBN 0-356-10862-7
Encyclopaedia of Postal History

[Scott-Annam-and-Tonkin-1] Scott Catalogue - Annam & Tonkin #1, #1a, and #1b.

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