Look for Rhodesia 1966 overprinted and surcharged Winston Churchill stamp

Stamp Market Tips by Henry Gitner and Rick Miller

Southern Rhodesia was a self-governing British crown colony in south central Africa. It was named for Cecil John Rhodes, an English mining magnate and politician who was responsible for developing that part of Africa as a British colony.

The landlocked colony bordered on Bechuanaland (now Botswana), Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), Mozambique and territories that eventually became part of South Africa.

In the 1950s, the United Kingdom adopted a policy of decolonization leading to independence for most of its African colonies. Southern Rhodesia had a white minority (about 8 percent of the population), who, though in the minority, owned most of the land and ruled the colony. They were reluctant to allow the formation of a black majority ruled, independent country.

Accordingly, the colony, then named Rhodesia, unilaterally declared independence on Nov. 11, 1965, with a white minority government led by Ian Smith. International recognition was withheld, and various militia movements began guerrilla warfare.

International pressure and war weariness eventually forced the minority government to concede, and Rhodesia became the independent Republic of Zimbabwe on April 18, 1980.

Rhodesia issued about 240 postage stamps during the Smith Government. They were sometimes tolerated in international mails, and sometimes not. During this time the importation of Rhodesian stamps was banned in the United States. Once the conflict was resolved, it then became legal to buy and sell Rhodesian stamps in the United States.

A good Rhodesian issue to look for is the overprinted and surcharged 5-shilling on 1sh 3-penny Winston Churchill stamp (Scott 222) issued Jan. 17, 1966. The overprint in red ink reads “Independence 11th November 1965” in three lines. This stamp is popular with Churchill and World War II topical collectors as well as British Empire collectors.

The Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue values the stamp in mint, never-hinged condition at $6.25 and in used condition at $14. Both values are in italics indicating that the stamp is infrequently offered or sold. The stamp is more available in mint, never-hinged condition and is a good buy at Scott catalog value. It is hard to find in used condition, and the question of legitimate in-period use arises.

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