Ethiopia 1919 Overprinted Stamps, Surcharge in Guerche

Ethiopia · 1919 · 1/4g on 1/16t - 10g on 16t

This definitive series features portraits of key Ethiopian royalty, including Emperor Menelik II, Empress Zauditu, and the regent Ras Tafari (the future Emperor Haile Selassie I). The stamps were originally issued in 1909 and were subsequently overprinted and surcharged in 1919 with new values in Guerche. The designs also prominently feature the Lion of Judah, a symbol of the Solomonic dynasty.

Issued during the regency of Ras Tafari Makonnen, these overprints reflect a period of monetary reform and modernization in the Ethiopian Empire following the reign of Menelik II.