2018-11-01 Thu

The stamps issued on the day of Independence are known as the “Independence Stamps”. Burundi has issued postage stamps for national use since achieving independence on 1 July 1962.

The country was formerly a part of the Belgian territory of Ruanda-Urundi and before 1962 used those postage stamps. The small country of Burundi was part of the European colony of Ruanda-Urundi until 1966; however, as early as 1962, the area began asserting its individuality by overprinting stamps of that colony with the French legend ‘Royaume du Burundi’, or Kingdom of Burundi. In 1962, Burundi began issuing its own proper stamps inscribed with the same French phrase.

A set of 9 stamps were issued on 27th September 1962 which come with three main designs. Stamps with the denomination of 0.50, 3 and 10 Burundian francs depict the right facing effigy of King Mwambutsa IV on left and the traditional drummer on the right.

Stamps with 1, 4 and 20 Burundian francs depict Flag and Emblem of Burundi and the stamps worth 2, 8 and 50 Burundian francs depict left facing effigy of king Mwambutsa IV on right and the map of Burundi on right. The stamps are inscribed with “INDEPENDENCE 1.7.1962” and “ROYAUME DU BURUNDI”.

In 1967 Burundi achieved full independence and ended its monarchy. At first, stamps from the kingdom were overprinted ‘République du Burundi’; new stamps with this inscription soon followed. The inscription is still used to this day, though some stamps use only the word BURUNDI.

Image Courtesy: https://colnect.com