Unlisted Angola 2004 souvenir sheet printed in limited quantities

Stamp Market Tips by Henry Gitner and Rick Miller

Angola is a former Portuguese colony located on the west-central coast of southern Africa. After Brazil, Angola is the second largest Portuguese-speaking country in the world by both population and land area.

Contact with Portugal began in 1484, and colonization began in 1575. Angola was a major source of African slaves, most of whom were shipped to Brazil.

Between 1961 and 1975, Angola was racked by a three-sided civil war, with the combatants also battling the Portuguese army.

Portugal granted Angola independence on Nov. 11, 1975, but the war between various factions raged on, with Cuban troops intervening on the side of the Marxist faction. Elections in 2008 ended most of the fighting. Angola remains one of Africa’s poorest and least developed nations.

Angola issued its first stamps in 1870. Since independence, Angola has been a prolific stamp issuer, with many colorful topical issues aimed at collectors.

In 2004, Angola issued a small souvenir sheet of eight hexagonal 15-kwanza stamps with designs showing the national birds of the nations comprising the South African Postal Operators Association.

The sheet was produced in very limited quantities. It is not listed in the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, but it is noted following Angola Scott 1270 and valued at $300.

The sheet is scarce and rarely offered. There aren’t many Angola collectors, but it is very popular with bird topicalists. It is a good buy in mint, never-hinged condition at around $250.

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