Madagascar Postage Due Stamp, 1896

Madagascar · 1896 · 5 c

This is one of the first postage due stamps issued for Madagascar under French colonial rule. The design is purely typographic, featuring the denomination '5 c' prominently in the center, surrounded by an ornamental frame. The text 'MADAGASCAR ET DÉPENDANCES' and 'CHIFFRE-TAXE A PERCEVOIR' indicates its function and territory.

Issued shortly after France established full colonial control over Madagascar in 1896, these stamps were necessary to collect underpaid postage on incoming mail, reflecting the formalization of the French postal system on the island.