Capital Transfer from Obock to Djibouti - 1.5 franc

Capital Transfer from Obock to Djibouti - 1.5 franc

Year
1943
Face Value
1.5
Mint Value
-
Used Value
-
Print Run
-
Themes
Achievements

Catalogs References

Michel
FR-SO 260
Yvert & Tellier
FR-SO PA11
Stanley Gibbons
FR-SO V156

Technical Details

Colors
Brown red
Size
48 x 40 mm
Perforation
13
Printing
Photogravure
This unique triangular airmail (Poste Aérienne) commemorative issue marks an important milestone in the territory's geopolitical evolution. The central inscription reads "Cinquantenaire du Transfert du Chef-Lieu d'Obock à Djibouti", framing the timeline of 1891–1941. The lower left quadrant illustrates the earlier colonial outpost at Obock, featuring traditional nomadic figures with camels alongside coastal dhows, while the lower right quadrant transitions to the industrial development of Djibouti, complete with a steaming locomotive on the railway tracks. Above the scenes, an airplane cruises through the upper apex of the stamp. Historically, this issue archives the structural reorganization of French Somaliland, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the administrative shift that laid the foundation for modern Djibouti City to become a premier maritime transshipment hub and strategic gateway to East Africa.