The Thumbnail typeset stamps were the first stamps issued independently for Madagascar.

Madagascar is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The monarchy of Madagascar ended in 1897 when the island was absorbed into the French colonial empire, from which the island gained independence in 1960.

The French initiated a postal service in the country and began to issue stamps since 1989. The first stamps used in Madagascar were general issues for the French Colonies. In 1889 the French colonial general issues were overprinted with new face values.

The Madagascar-only stamps were issued since the year 1891. The 1891 issue was printed locally on sheetlets of 10 stamps. The hand preparation of the die meant that each of the 10 positions had its own identifying traits. The differences usually pertain to the number of dots (points) in the two rows above and below the value.

The stamps were issued with the denominations of 5 centimes, 10 centimes, 15 centimes, 25 centimes, 1 franc and 5 francs. The stamps are handstamped with the value in the centre and the name of the country at the bottom and the issuing authority on the top. The dots above nad below the denomination value usually discern the type, as well as indicate forgeries.

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