Collecting stamps of Trucial states (1892- 1963) – British PAs in Eastern Arabia & issues of Trucial States
The Trucial States were a group of sheikhdoms in the Persian Gulf on so called “pirate coast” of eastern Arabia (between Oman and Qatar). The location of sheikdoms is displayed on below world map:
The British Protectorate era and British Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia
The sheikdoms formally became British protectorate states in 1892. AFAIK, all the Trucial states used postage stamps of (British) India up to late 1940s. From the late 1940s onwards until the end of Trucial treaty (in mid 1960s) stamps of “British Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia” were used.
British PAs in Eastern Arabia itself is nothing but a “fancy categorization” term for a bunch of various British stamps overprinted with Indian currency face values. These stamps were issued for use in post offices in the Gulf other than Bahrain and Kuwait (though they were valid and used there too). Most stamp catalogs list these stamps under Oman (or Muscat)
1956, British Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia. 1 RUPEE on 1/6d blue UK Queen Elizabeth Wilding design, watermark St Edward's Crown E2R. Michel: Oman#65. Cat. value 0.20€.
Joined issues of Trucial states
Between 1961 and 1963 the sheikdoms created a short-lived postal union experiment. Under the name “Trucial states” they issued 11 definitive stamps for postal usage. Additionally, the stamps of British PA for Eastern Arabia were still in in use too.
Personally I don’t have any of these stamps, but a friend of mine was kind enough to give me scan of the low values (in mint condition). Based on catalog value, these should not be too hard to obtain; I just haven’t been lucky enough to stumble with them.
1961 Trucial States. With only 11 different stamps issued, this is likely one of the easiest postal entities to collect as complete.
To be continued in couple of days…
Join the discussion on this topic below. There are 6 responses already!
Want more?
Sign-up to weekly newsletter and get notified when new articles like the above are published at Stamp Collecting Blog. The email-newsletter is sent to You once a week (during the weekend) and it contains a summary of latest new entries and discussions.
Show that you liked this article - and support Stamp Collecting Blog!
Clicking the Like-button below promotes this article on FaceBook:Clicking the +1 button below promotes this entry on Google and GooglePlus.
Thanks for your support!
As I’ve said elsewhere, I’m new around here, so I’m only now catching up with subjects that may have been posted months ago (I can’t find any dates).
I first became interested in this general area – which I now regard as Morocco (which, with Tangier, I house in a separate stockbook) in the East to Muscat in the West and down south to Aden – when an Italian collection I acquired included some UK Geo VI overprinted with the wartime British Occupied Italian Colonies (BOIC) overstamps for Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Tripolitania and a sort of catch-all MEF for Middle East Forces. To the East of this area, Indian Postal Services – specifically the Bombay Postal Circle – had been very active and, as has been observed in the lead article, caused Rupees and Annas to be used for overprinted values on stamps. Aden itself, although an important outpost of the British Empire, used overprinted Indian stamps right up until 1937. Similarly, Kuwait used Indian stamps until 1947 when they changed to overprinted UK stamps. And as late as 1944 Muscat not only used Indian stamps, but overprinted them in Indian script as well… However, further west, the ex-Italian colonies soon established themselves as independent states, whilst the Arab states in the Persian Gulf exercised their oil leverage to gain independence, many, especially the smaller states, then set about producing a flood of those hated enormous revenue-generating so-called stamps such as those from Umm Al Qiwain and others. Aden became a part of the Federation of South Arabia and then The Peoples Republic of South Yemen.
With the exception of Bahrain (1933) and Kuwait (1923), the period I concentrate on for these eighteen separate states is the 30 years from 1940 to 1970, by which time they were all sufficiently independent to have no longer have a common thread.
If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive yet fascinating region with a short time-span, but with intense political change and upheaval during those few years, the Central Middle East as I call it has much to recommend it.
Hi Brian,
The lack of publish dates is something I’ve done with intention… But as most of the content on this blog is ‘evergreen’ (:lol:), please feel free to comment anytime you feel like it.
I too have found that it is very difficult to find comprehensive catalogues of the stamps of Oman State, Dhufar, the Trucial States and Aden States, so I’ve taken up the idea and have started to produce a CD catalogue myself. I would like to hear from any of you who are interested.
@Ralph… Why make it a cd? I think online catalog / reference would be much more useful and easier to maintain & publish.
I would like to contact Ralph Philips and see if I can assist himwith his project. Please either send him my e-mail address or let me know his address.
Richard Barnes
@Richard… Ok.