Zambia Philately: 1969 International Year For African Tourism

The General Post Office of Zambia announces the forthcoming issue of four postage stamps to celebrate 1969 as the International Year for African Tourism. The values of the stamps are 5 ngwee, 10 ngwee, 15 ngwee and 25 ngwee, and the first day of issue will be 23 October, 1969. Apart from the 5 ngwee stamp which highlights the position of Zambia on the African continent, the stamps show a waterbuck, a golden perch and a carmine bee-eater found in three game reserves.

Luangwa Valley is probably the only major game reserve in Africa that can offer game viewers daily walks to see the abundant wildlife, while the Kafue National Park, covering an area of 8,650 square miles, is the largest game reserve on the continent. World class fishing is to be found at Kasaba Bay, a resort on the island sea of Lake Tanganyika. Kasaba Bay is situated in the Sumbu Game Reserve which, though one of the smaller animal sanctuaries, holds a number of elephant, hippo and antelope.

Details

Date of Issue: 23 October 1969
Date Withdrawn: 22 January 1970
Date Invalidated:
Designer: Gabriel Ellison
Printer: Harrison & Sons Ltd.
Process: Photogravure
Paper:
Watermark: None
Perf:
- 14 x 15.5 comb (5n, 25n)
- 14.5 x 14 comb (10n, 15n)
Cylinders:
- 1A 1A 1A 1A (5n, 10n, 15n)
- 1A 1A 1A 1A 1A (25n)
Sheet:
- 5 x 10 (5n, 25n)
- 10 x 5 (10n, 15n)
Quantity:

Subjects

5n – Map of Africa
10n – Defassa Waterbuck/Kafue National Park
15n – Golden Perch
25n – Carmine Bee-Eater

First Day Covers

A specially designed First Day Cover was available at all Post Offices at 10n each. In addition, the Stamp Bureau made up First Day Covers, bearing all four stamps, at a cost of 60n each, which included the cover, stamps and a service charge.

Stamp Bulletin

Zambia National Archives

The Zambia National Archives contained a copy of the following:

A mint sheet of each value
A set of imperforate proofs individually mounted on presentation cards
Two official first day covers:
- One with a set in vertical pairs postmarked Ridgeway
- A single set of stamps postmarked G.P.O. Stamp Bureau/First Day of Issue