South African bilingual definitive stamps
Record status
Individual type · research required
Period
Union period
Issuing entity
Union of South AfricaSouth African bilingual definitive stamps are stamps produced during the Union of South Africa period inscribed in both of the nation's official languages, English and Afrikaans. While initial Union stamps and post-1961 issues carried dual languages on individual stamps, most stamps produced between 1926 and 1951 were issued as alternating se-tenant pairs.
Under this arrangement, one stamp in the pair was inscribed in English as "SOUTH AFRICA", while the adjoining stamp was inscribed in Afrikaans as either "SUIDAFRIKA" or "SUID-AFRIKA". This distinctive format remained a hallmark of Union postage through regular issues and adapted wartime releases until the bilingual pair system was retired in 1961.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 2
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Following the unification of four British colonies—Cape Colony, Natal, Orange River Colony, and Transvaal—in 1910, the Union of South Africa issued its first stamp portraying King George V. To reflect the Union's two official languages, postal authorities adopted bilingual inscriptions, issuing the majority of stamps between 1926 and 1951 in bilingual pairs. During the Second World War, War Effort stamps were adapted between 1942 and 1944 into reduced-size "bantam" formats subdivided by roulettes while retaining bilingual pairings. A currency change in February 1961 led to stop-gap reprints of earlier stamps, after which the pairs format ceased upon the establishment of the Republic of South Africa on 31 May 1961.
Identification
- Recognition pointers (from background sources)
- Look for pairs of stamps where one stamp is inscribed "SOUTH AFRICA" and the adjoining stamp is inscribed "SUIDAFRIKA" or "SUID-AFRIKA". Identify Second World War "bantam" issues by their reduced format (one-half to one-third normal size) and separation by roulettes rather than conventional perforations. Distinguish Union-era bilingual pairs from 1961 Republic issues, which abandoned the pairs format in favor of placing both English and Afrikaans inscriptions on a single stamp.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Issue dates, printers and perforation data require transcription from a standard catalogue