Stamps from Upper Volta catalogue

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Upper Volta, officially the Republic of Upper Volta, is the old name of present-day Burkina Faso. More

Upper Volta, officially the Republic of Upper Volta, is the old name of present-day Burkina Faso.

Until the end of the 19th century, the area was dominated by the Mossi. The Mossi people tried to make a great empire of Northwest Africa since the 11th century. After the arrival of the French in 1896, the area became a French colony and added to French West Africa under the name "Haute-Volta".

On August 5, 1960, Upper Volta became independent from France. In 1984, the country was renamed Burkina Faso, meaning "the land of the honest people" by then-President Thomas Sankara.

The Republic of Upper Volta is sometimes referred to as "Republic of Upper Volta." We find this term on postmarks and on the reverse of reply coupons and franking machine overprints.

During the period of autonomy, stamps of a political nature were issued (Chairman Coulibaly and Yameogo, Conseil de l'Entente). A definitive set of stamps featuring African masks and cancels were introduced for the CCTA's 10th anniversary.

Franking machines are in use from 1960 with the title "REPUBLIC / Upper Volta".

New reply coupons bore the inscription "REPUBLIC OF Upper Volta". These of the French Union with the title "Upper Volta" will be sold and used until 1963.
International reply coupons with legend "Republic of Upper Volta" were issued after independence.

The old stamps were not updated and remained in service, without any noticeable changes, until 1984.

Old mechanical cancels from the Savings Bank of FWA remain in service until the end of 1960.

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