Reunion

Reunion, or Réunion, is an island east of Madagascar. It was once a French colony, but has been a department of France since 1947.

 File:Reunion15c typeset Brun Behr cert.jpg|1852 15c typeset, a reprint File:Reunion 25c on eagle.jpg|1885 25c surcharge on eagle issue File:Reunion 2c surch colonie.jpg|1891 2c on 20c surcharge File:Reunion 15c alphee diag ovpt.jpg|1891 overprint on 15c Alphée Dubois File:Reunion 10c Groupe.jpg|1892 10c type Groupe 
 * In 1852, Reunion issued its first stamps, two typeset values. They are inscribed Ile de la Réunion. Originals are rare, but reprints exist with one thick and one thin frameline rather than one thick and two thin lines.
 * In 1885, various French colonies stamps were surcharged in new values and with an "R".
 * In 1891, French colonies Ceres, type Sage and type Alphée Dubois stamps were overprinted with a diagonal RÉUNION or REUNION.
 * Also in 1891, 20c Alphée Dubois values from the previous series were surcharged 2c in four different styles or fonts.
 * In 1892-1905, Reunion got is own issues, the type Groupe type, inscribed RÉUNION as expected.
 * In 1893, 20c values from the previous set were again surcharged 2c, this time in three different types.
 * In 1901, other values were surcharged, with the old value with a small bar over the old value.

 File:Reunion 25c harbor.jpg|1907 25c harbor view File:Reunion map pictorial.jpg|1922 10c map File:Reunion 10c on 40c.jpg|1912 10c on 40c surcharge File:Reunion 1st semi.jpg|1915 semipostal with red surcharge 
 * Beginning in 1907, pictorial definitives in three different designs were issued in a seemingly unending series until 1930. Boring but efficient and thrifty.
 * In 1912, type Groupe values were surcharged "05" or "10" to use up obsolete stamps.
 * 1915 saw the first semipostals issued, with either a large black or red cross and "5c" surcharged. In 1916, a similar issue but with a smaller red cross only was released.
 * In 1917 and again in 1922-33, surcharges on the pictorials were issued. Still boring, still efficient.
 * 1931 saw the first of the colonial omnibus issues released, the Colonial Exposition set.

 File:Reunion falls.jpg|1933 30c waterfall File:Reunion France Libre.jpg||1943 3c France Libre overprint File:Reunion Libre omnibus.jpg|1943 5c value from the France Libre series File:Reunion Vichy harbor.jpg|1944 1f+2.50f Vichy semipostal File:Reunion 1947 pict.jpg|1947 50c cane cutter File:Reunion 1947 60c.jpg|1947 6f mountains 
 * Beginning in 1933, engraved pictorials in three new designs were issued. Again, another seemingly endless series that saw its last release in 1940. But wait, there's more!
 * In 1937, The Roland Garros (the named airplane and not the guy) flight from Mauritius to Reunion to France via Madagascar was commemorated with an overprinted stamp.
 * In 1938, airmails featuring a monoplane were released.
 * Beginning in 1941 several Vichy issues were printed in France but never released in Reunion. Aside from the "standard" issues, this included a 1943 set for the tricentennial of French settlement in Reunion and also two values from the engraved series and airmails with "RF" removed from the design.
 * Meanwhile in 1943 a 1f on 65c red surcharge was issued.
 * Also in 1943, the previous engraved pictorials plus other values were overprinted France Libre, just to make collectors happy or poor.
 * In 1947, a new pictorial series was released, each in two colors. This included airmails in a larger size.

Reunion became a department of France in 1947. After this point, beginning in 1949, French stamps were used, surcharged with new values in CFA currency, either with or without bars obliterating French denominations. This made for a lot of hard to place stamps for the collector. You're pretty much on your own here.  File:Reunion Guyenne arms.jpg File:Reunion Caravelle air.jpg|1957 200f CFA surcharge 
 * In 1965, an Ile de Bourbon settlement stamp with "RF" as the only identifier, and a 1972 penguin stamp inscribed "REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE" were the only country-specific stamps issue since 1947.
 * Beginning in 1974, the currency was expressed as "FCFA".
 * In 1975, France decided to stop the madness and allowed Reunion to use French stamps in French currency.

Parcel post issues
 File:Reunion 1890 parcel.jpg|1890 value File:Reunion 1907 parcels.jpg|1907 value File:Reunion 1923 parcels.jpg|1923 value 
 * In 1890-1903, a 10c framed typeset stamp was issued, inscribed COLIS POSTAUX / REUNION. It was also issued with a blue frame instead of black.
 * In 1906, the 10c red type Groupe was overprinted "Colis Postaux".
 * In 1907, a 10c medallion design in borwn and brown-black was issued, inscribed "ILE / DE LA / REUNION / COLIS POSTAUX".
 * In 1923, the previous design was issued in brown and red.

Postage due
 File:Reunion typeset due.jpg|30c typeset File:Reunion 5c 2nd due.jpg|1907 5c value File:Reunion arms due.jpg|1933 10c value File:Reunion leaves due.jpg|1947 10c value File:Reunion sheaves due.jpg|1949 1f CFA on 5c value File:Reunion later sheaves due ovptd.jpg|1962 1f CFA on 0.05c surcharge 
 * In 1889-92, typeset postage dues were issued.
 * In 1907, new designs were issued with TAXE / Á PERCEVOIR in a central frame. Two surcharges were issued in 1927.
 * In 1933, another new design, now engraved, was issued, showing the coat of arms of Reunion.
 * In 1947, a design with the value in an hexagon was issued.
 * In 1949-53, French wheatsheaves dues were surcharged in CFA currency. Values in new colors was released in 1962-63.
 * In 1964-71, French flowers dues were surcharged in CFA currency.

[[Category:R]]