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Post by luciano on Jun 8, 2020 19:49:14 GMT
In the next few days I will check well, but I shouldn't have much (or rather, little!) of Bahrain...
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hrdoktorx
Member 
Posts: 6,588
What I collect: France (and French territories), Africa, Canada, USA, Germany, Guatemala, stamps about science, flags, maps, stamps on stamps...
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Post by hrdoktorx on Jun 8, 2020 20:34:02 GMT
I've always been curious about that square blue stamp with only Arabic markings. I have two copies myself (shown below). Amazingly, they were classified correctly with the other Bahreini stamps. Can an arabophone TSF member translate the inscription on the stamp?  |
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Londonbus1
Moderator 
Cinderella Stamp Club Member 3059
Posts: 4,864 
What I collect: Cinderellas and some Ephemera from Great Britain, France and Israel plus a few beautiful bits from elsewhere !! Topical interests include Flags & Judaica, the latter with an emphasis on the Jewish National Fund.
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Post by Londonbus1 on Jun 9, 2020 6:47:23 GMT
hrdoktorx"War Effort" The bottom line reads 5 Fils. They were issued to help fund the 1973 Arab-Israel war (Yom Kippur). An earlier issue was only in use for 7 weeks and I don't think I have ever seen one ! All letters had to include this Postal Tax. It would be nice to see a cover from the early days of the tax where regular 5 Fils stamps were handstamped 'War effort' at the Post Office, until these stamps were issued. Londonbus1
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hrdoktorx
Member
Posts: 6,588
What I collect: France (and French territories), Africa, Canada, USA, Germany, Guatemala, stamps about science, flags, maps, stamps on stamps...
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Post by hrdoktorx on Jun 12, 2020 6:12:43 GMT
 Londonbus1 ! I was thinking of you when I said "arabophone TSF members", and you never disappoint. It's even more interesting then to notice that the cover that shows the stamp is postmarked from 1989, i.e. well after the Yom Kippur War hostilities have stopped. How long have these stamps been used as a fund-raising surtax? Do other Middle-Eastern countries have such stamps still? I can think of the Republic of Cyprus that continues to require a surcharge stamp for the refugee relief fund after the 1974 Turkish invasion and the partition of the island, but that situation is ongoing.
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vikingeck
Member
Posts: 3,261
What I collect: Samoa, Tobacco theme, Mail in Wartime, anything odd and unusual!
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Post by vikingeck on Jun 12, 2020 14:12:11 GMT
I was given to believe they continued as supporting the Palestinian liberation movement cause rather than specifically just for the Yom Kippur war. That would explain why they continued in use for a number of years.
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Londonbus1
Moderator
Cinderella Stamp Club Member 3059
Posts: 4,864
What I collect: Cinderellas and some Ephemera from Great Britain, France and Israel plus a few beautiful bits from elsewhere !! Topical interests include Flags & Judaica, the latter with an emphasis on the Jewish National Fund.
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Post by Londonbus1 on Jun 12, 2020 17:34:05 GMT
That could be the case. Within Bahrain these were officially called Postal Tax stamps so maybe they just carried on collecting the Tax without giving a particular reason why. In the Middle East, anything is possible.
I might do a bit of digging just to be sure.
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Post by outremer01 on Sept 3, 2020 8:48:47 GMT
Bahrain Compulsory Surtax stamps
various shades of 2nd issue (from 1 December 1973 until April 1988)
 all four listed designs of postal tax stamp (there are perf variations of the second issue)
The early (blue) "stamps" were described as representing a surtax for Palestine refugees, suggesting an ongoing fund to support Palestinians made refugees by the war and subsequent upheaval in their homeland.
The two later (green) designs, issued in 2000 and 2002 were described as Charity stamps, without specifying which charities are supported. Note that the fourth issue reflects the change of name from State to Kingdom on 14th February 2002. |
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