Caroline Islands

The Caroline Islands are a large island chain north of the island of New Guinea.


 * Sold to Germany by Spain in 1899, its first stamps were German issues overprinted Karolinen diagonally. This was printed at a 48° angle in 1899, then at a 56° angle (steep overprint) in 1900.
 * In 1901, the Yacht keytype was issued for the Carolines.
 * In April 1905, the 10pf value was bisected and overprinted with a Ponape seal struck alongside, the so-called Typhoon Provisional. There are many forgeries.
 * In 1910, another provisional was made using the 3pf Yacht surcharged "5 Pf" in dark violet, with a slightly different Ponape seal struck alongside. Forgeries exist.
 * Also in March to June 1910, Marshall Islands stamps were used in Angaur.
 * In 1914, with World War I, the Carolines were occupied by Japan and used their stamps afterwards.
 * In 1915-19, three Yacht values on watermarked paper were released by Germany but obviously never placed in use.

 File:Carolines diagonal.jpg|20pf diagonal overprint of 1899. Compare with stamp to right. File:Caroline steep.jpg|50pf steep overprint. File:Carolines 10pf yacht.jpg|10pf Yacht. File:Carolines 5m.jpg|5 mark watermarked value. 

[[Category:C]]