New Caledonia

New Caledonia, or Nouvelle Calédonie, is a island group in the South Pacific. It is an overseas territory of France.

Postage
 File:New Caledonia Louis fake.jpg|1859 forgery File:New Caledonia NCE bars.jpg|1883 05 centimes on 40 centimes surcharge File:New Caledonia 5c san serif.jpg|1886 5c on 1f sans serif surcharge File:New Cal outlined NCE.jpg|1886 5c on 1f, outlined "N.C.E." File:New Cal diag ovpt.jpg|1892 15c diagonal overprint 
 * In 1859, New Caledonia issued its first stamp depicting Napoleon III and inscribed N LLE CALEDONIE. There are many forgeries ranging from poor to extremely accurate.
 * In 1881-83, French colonies general issues were surcharged with N C E and new values all between bars.
 * In 1883-84, a similar surcharge was issued, with N C E more widely spaced and that and the new value in slightly smaller type.
 * In 1886, surcharges were again released in two styles without bars. One 5c surcharge had an outlined serifed N.C.E., the others with N.C.E. in sans-serif lettering.
 * In 1891-92, new surcharges were issued, now inscribed N-C-E with new values in fancy frames. Isn't it about time to issue your own stamps?
 * In 1892, diagonal overprints reading N LLE / CALEDONIE with a short line below were done on four imperf values and ten perf values.

 File:New Caledonia script surch.jpg|1892 5c on 20c surcharge File:New Cal type Groupe.jpg|1892 2c type Groupe File:New Caledonia 50th.jpg|1903 4c Jubilee 
 * In 1892-93, surcharges with diagonal N·C·E· in fancy borders were released.
 * Finally in 1892 through 1904, type Groupe designs were issued inscribed N LLE CALEDONIE / ET DEPENDENCES.
 * In 1900, 5c and 15c surcharges on type Groupe stamps were issued, either with N.C.E. or N.-C.E..
 * In 1903, overprints were issued showing a kagu bird on a stand for the colony's 50th anniversary.

 File:New Caledonia Kagu.jpg|1905 2c kagu File:New Caledonia pictorial 50c.jpg|1905 50c view File:New Cal 5c semi.jpg|1917 15c+5c semipostal File:New Caledonia col expo.jpg|1931 50c colonial exposition File:New Caledonia view.jpg|1928 2c bay view File:New Cal 35c pictorial.jpg|1933 35c landscape File:New Cal 1f pictorial.jpg|1938 1f Bougainville and La Perouse File:New Caledonia Paris Noumea flt.jpg|1933 Paris-Noumea Flight commemorative 
 * In 1905-28, three new definitive designs were released.
 * In 1912, as in other colonies, old type Groupe stamps were surcharged with either "05" or "10" to use up old stamps.
 * In 1915, the first semipostal was released, with a red cross and "5" and diagonal NCE.
 * In 1918, 1922, 1924-27, surcharges in various styles were issued.
 * In 1928-40, new pictorial definitives were issued in three different designs.
 * French colonial omnibus issues were issued beginning with the Colonial Exposition set in 1931.
 * In 1932, two definitives were overprinted for use on mail carried on the Paris-Noumea first flight. Forgeries exist.
 * In 1933, a long set of overprints in a different style was issued to commemorate the Paris-Noumea Flight. It was inscribed PARIS-NOUMEA / Première liason aerienne / 5 Avril 1932.

 File:New Caledonia France Libre.jpg|1941 3c France Libre File:New Cal Vichy.jpg|unissued 1f Vichy issue File:New Cal 2f view.jpg|1948 2f value File:New Cal rescue.png|2014 sea rescue 
 * 1938 saw the first airmails issued for the country, showing a flying boat. Values without "RF" were those created by the Vichy government in France and were never released in the colony.
 * In 1941, various Vichy issues were released in France but also never released in New Caledonia.
 * Also in 1941, most definitive values were overprinted France Libre.
 * In 1942, New Caledonia's France Libre set was issued, showing (what else?) a kagu bird. Several values were surcharged in 1945-46.
 * In 1948, new bicolor pictorial definitives were released. Stamps are now inscribed NOUVELLE-CALEDONIE ET DEPENDENCES or abbreviated.
 * Beginning in May 1988, inscriptions became just NOUVELLE-CALEDONIE.

Military stamps
These were officially issued but were not authorized. 



Parcel post
 File:New Cal parcel post.jpg|1930 2f value 
 * In 1926, three definitives were overprinted Colis Postaux; one value is a surcharge.
 * In 1930, two then-current defintives were similary overprinted.

Postage due
 File:New Cal 400th due.jpg|1903 15c 400th anniversary File:New Cal due surch A.jpg|1926-27 2f on 1f surcharge File:New Cal pict due.jpg|1928 5c value File:New Cal numeral due.jpg|1948 10c value File:New Cal bat due.jpg|1983 4f bat 
 * In 1903, French imperf postage dues were overprinted for New Caledonia's 50th anniverdary.
 * In 1906, a design of two men poling a boat was issued. In 1926-27, two values were surcharged.
 * In 1928, a set of pictorials showing a Sambar deer were issued.
 * In 1948, a numeral design was released, inscribed NOUVELLE-CALÉDONIE.
 * In 1983, a bat design was issued.
 * In 1959, various designs of carved ancestor poles was released.
 * In 1973-87, a carved pillow design was issued.

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