During the year 1963, the world celebrated the centenary of the Red Cross (1863-1963). In the catalogue volume 3 (1960-1963) two entries depict joint stamps related to this event, but limited to the British [D19630902a] and French [D19630902b] colonies stamps. In both sets, the stamps are identical, and were considered as joint territorial issues. The British participating entities include: Antigua – Ascension – Bahamas – Basutoland – Bechuanaland – Bermuda – Cayman Islands – Dominica – Falkland Islands – Fiji – Gambia – Gibraltar – Gilbert and Ellice (October 5) – Grenada – Guyana (British) – Honduras (British) – Hong Kong – Jamaica (September 6) – Malta – Mauritius – Montserrat – New-Hebrides – Pitcairn (December 9) – Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla – Saint Helena – Saint Lucia – Saint Vincent – Seychelles (September 16) – Solomon Islands – South Arabian Federation (November 25) – Swaziland – Tonga (September 10) – Tristan da Cunha (February 1, 1964) – Turks and Caicos – Virgin Islands. With the exception of seven postal entities, all of them were issued on the same day of September 2, 1963. Additionally Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika (KUT) issued also three stamps, but with a different design (some examples below).

On this same day, the following stamps from French colonie countrie were issued: Comoros – New Caledonia – New-Hebrides – Polynesia (French) – Saint Pierre and Miquelon – Somali Coast – Wallis and Futuna with a common design, as well as Madagascar – Mali (September 1) with a slightly different design (Some pictures below).

Our friend Leonard (Thailand) pointed at two Thailand stamps showing a similar design that was not reported in the catalogue so far. In fact, by screening closer all countries, it appears that dozen of countries have celebrated this event during the year 1963 (some of them in 1964 and even 1965) with a large number having issued their stamps on May 8, 1963, and this, of course needed an update in the catalogue describing these stamps. In fact, the new entry referenced as [B19630508] is not a true joint issue, but as they use most of them the same design, they are reported in the category ‘Borrowed Design’ [BD]. The list includes the following countries: Afghanistan (October 9) – Algeria (December 8) – Australia – Austria (October 25) – Brazil (August 19) – Bulgaria (January 27, 1964) – Chile (August 23) – Colombia (May 10) – Greece (September 16) – Guatemala (September 9, 1964) – Haiti (October 2, 1964) – Indonesia – Iran (June 10) – Iraq (December 30) – Ireland (December 2) – Japan – Korea (South) – Libya (January 1) – Maldives () – Nigeria (September 1) – Pakistan (June 25) – Papua New Guinea (May 1) – Paraguay (February 4, 1964) – Peru (January 29, 1964) – Philippines (September 1) – Poland – Sierra Leone (November 1) – South Africa (August 30) – South West Africa () – Soviet Union (August 8) – Sudan (October 15) – Switzerland (March 21 and June 1) – Syria (September 19) – Thailand (April 1) – Togo (June 1) – Tunisia – United Arab Republic (Egypt) () – Upper Volta (October 21) – Uruguay (June 5, 1964) – Venezuela (December 31) – Vietnam (North) – Vietnam (South (November 17) – Yemen (North) (October) – Yemen (Kingdom) (December 31) – Yugoslavia (May 5).

In total, 90 countries have issues stamps at this occasion, divided in three groups with similar design. In fact, additional 51 countries have also issued stamps with completely different designs. The list is provided as footnote in the catalogue and the catalogue was updated with these stamps.