Equatorial Guinea, 400 Different Stamps, Large

A West African Nation's Most Colorful Decade —
400 Different Large Stamps from Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea — a small nation on the Gulf of Guinea, comprising the island of Bioko and a mainland enclave bordering Cameroon and Gabon — gained independence from Spain on October 12, 1968. What followed was one of the more unusual chapters in 20th-century philatelic history. By 1972, the country's dictator Francisco Macías Nguema had effectively shut down the postal service, padlocking the main post office. Yet stamps continued to appear bearing the inscription "REPUBLICA DE GUINEA ECUATORIAL" throughout the 1970s, produced by European agents for the international collector market and distributed through dealers worldwide. The 1979 coup that ended Nguema's regime also ended this era of stamp production, closing the catalog permanently.

The result is a fascinating collection — 400 large-format, vividly printed stamps covering subjects drawn from across the world, denominated first in pesetas and later in ekuele.

Selections vary across the 400, but here are some of the topics and series you're likely to find:

• Munich 1972 Olympics — Equatorial Guinea produced extensive Olympic series for the Munich games, covering events held at Kiel (Finndinghy sailing), gymnastics gold medals, and individual athlete tributes including Olga Korbut of the USSR. The large format and vivid offset printing make these among the most visually striking Olympic topicals of the era.
• Old Master paintings — European religious and portrait paintings appear throughout the catalog, including works by El Greco (La Virgen de la Buena Leche; San Andrés y San Francisco) and reproductions of Madonna and Child compositions and Baroque female portraits. These are large, detailed reproductions printed in the bright colors characteristic of the series.
• Wildlife — nature conservation series — birds, mammals, and other animals appear under the "Protección de la Naturaleza" banner, including a yellow canary and an arctic fox (Zorro Polar Asia). The wildlife subjects range from African species to animals with no particular connection to Equatorial Guinea.
• World history and culture — the catalog ranges widely: the Spanish Armada's flagship (Navío Español de la Armada Invencible, 1588), the centenary of Japanese railways, Don Quijote illustrating Cervantes, a Bavarian equestrian portrait from 1811, the US Bicentennial series featuring American presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren, and the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation all appear among the issues.

Four hundred large stamps from a collecting area that closed in 1979 and will never reopen. Order today and see what's inside.