2018-01-29 Mon

Belgian Congo started off as the Congo Free State under King Leopold II of Belgium. Leopold took help from a group of friends and politicians and named the group as Association Internationale Africane. The king and his men looted and killed people from this colony mercilessly.

The Belgian government took control of the colony in 1908 after a public outcry. The country finally got independence in 1960 and it is today called as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Though the Belgians misruled Congo in a big way, they issued many beautiful postage stamps featuring bicoloured engraved designs of landscapes, people, flora, and fauna.

A 50-franc Congo Woman stamp and a 100f Askari stamp were issued on 1st January 1943. The set has a listed market value of $27 in mint never-hinged condition. A Set in unused hinged condition has a market value of $12 to $15.