The issue of the Commissioning of the Pan-African Postal Union (PAPU) tower in Arusha, Tanzania was recently completed with a large series of new stamps from seven additional countries. This information was provided by Ali Ahmed Med Achour (Algeria) and Enzo Cafaro (Italy). Thanks to them.

So far, we had already listed Algeria, Egypt Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Almost all of them issued on September 2, 2023 (Catalogue [T20230902] with earlier details provided on page PAPU 2023). Burundi (issued November 9, 2023), Central Africa (October 9), Guinea (), Liberia (October 9), Niger (October 9), Sierra Leone (October 9) and Togo () are now new countries to be added to the previous list. Unfortunately, on the contrary to the first series which were all issued on the date of the inauguration, these stamps were produced centrally in a various and large number of different forms. Each of these additional countries released 4 different stamps available in panes of 20 stamps each, also in 4 different souvenir sheets with different denominations, in a single souvenir sheet with all four stamps, in an additional souvenir sheet showing a fifth stamp that takes together the four illustrations of the previous 4 stamps and in a miniature sheet including the 4 individual stamps as se-tenant pairs, together with the fifth stamp. Only Burundi limited the issue to 4 stamps and 4 souvenir sheets. These stamps and souvenir sheets are also available as perforated and imperforated. A full set of a single country, Liberia, is illustrated below (without showing the imperforated analogues).

The illustrations are showing African animals, such as mammals, birds, reptiles, butterflies or lezards, meaning the sales are not only targeting joint issue collectors, but also topical collectors. The illustrations below are limited to the individual 5 different stamps of all these six countries (Liberia’s illustrations being provided above), to show this diversity. Topical collectors may even be interested in the illustrations in the margins of the souvenir sheets, which are also different.

Not taking in account the panes, this represents 11 different products per country for an average sales’ price of about € 75 (Delcampe). Total for panes of 20 stamps for these 7 countries reaches an estimated € 1,100. Almost all this material is also available as imperforate sold at about twice this amount, as well as FDCs, also twice the amount, and even as FDCs of imperforate material at three times the original amount. On this basis, one can evaluate the cost of a full collection limited to these seven additional countries, including Burundi but with its limited number of products. For Guinea and Togo, which stamps are not yet for sale, but as illustrations for their products are already available, sales’ price are estimated at the same level. The total would correspond to an investment through Delcampe or eBay (imperforated included) of about € 4,400 and another € 1,400 for FDCs !!! If one calculates the total face value of these products on the basis of the denominations, this same total leads respectively to about € 3,000 and € 1,000. Up to you to decide to integrate these stamps in your collection or not.

Actually, all of these new countries products were created at the same central place. The number of products released by these countries is unacceptable, and these stamps have definitely to be considered as material abusing collectors. They are not recommended to be purchased. Unfortunately, these stamps have to be considered as official stamps, and therefore have to be reported in the catalogue, but the comment of this excess will be expressed there. Each collector has to decide which products he wants to integrate in his collection, but needs also to know that such stamps are rarely accepted in official philatelic exhibits and resale is close to impossible.