Madagascar Postage Due Stamp, Numerals in Oval

Madagascar · 1896 · 5 c

This is one of Madagascar's earliest postage due stamps, issued under French colonial administration. The design is purely functional, featuring the denomination '5 c' prominently within a decorative oval frame, with 'CHIFFRE-TAXE' (Postage Due) and 'A PERCEVOIR' (To Be Collected) inscribed above and below. The simple, typographic style was common for such utilitarian issues of the period.

Issued in 1896, this stamp reflects the consolidation of French colonial rule over Madagascar, which had been formally established the previous year. The introduction of standardized postage due stamps was part of the effort to create a modern postal system on the island.