Obock Surcharged and Redirected

This specimen showcases the complex "surcharging" practices common in French African colonies due to fluctuating postal needs. Starting as a 2-centime brown-on-buff base, the stamp was first surcharged with a large "5" in black ink to increase its face value. It also features a distinct "OBOCK" overprint in blue-green at the base and a diagonal "DJIBOUTI" overprint across the center. This "triple" layer of identification highlights the stamp’s journey through multiple postal jurisdictions, making it a highly detailed artifact of the early French Somali Coast postal system.