Cape Verde is an archipelago of ten islands and eight islets located about 375 miles off the coast of West Africa. The islands were uninhabited until they were discovered by European navigators in the mid-fifteenth century.
The next century saw the archipelago prosper from the transatlantic slave trade. Although that prosperity was transient, the islands’ position in the mid-Atlantic shipping lanes made Cape Verde a great location for re-supplying ships, thus making it an important commercial center in the nineteenth century. Cape Verde became an overseas province of Portugal in 1951 and independence was achieved on July 5, 1975. Cape Verde has a land area of around 1550 square miles with a population of around 510,000 making it a densely populated country at around 325 per square mile. Also significant is the fact that there are more Cape Verdeans living outside the country than inside – Cape Verde has few natural resources and droughts prompted heavy immigration around the mid-twentieth century. Cape Verde has a warm climate throughout the year although it is milder than that of the African mainland. It receives a modest amount of annual rainfall, enough to classify it as a semi-desert. It has a per-capita GDP of around $3,500 (ppp). The country is politically stable. Almost half the population lives in rural areas doing sustenance farming and fishing. Remittances from the expatriate population and foreign aid are both important factors in the economy. Light manufacturing and tourism are also contributing factors.
The first stamps of Cape Verde were released in 1877 and show the ‘Crown of Portugal’ in different single-colors. Most of the early issues of Cape Verde were keytypes issued in all Portuguese colonies. The set (Scott #1 to #9) catalogs for around $240 MNH and around $100 Used. A set of five stamps in the same design (Scott #10 to #14) but with different denominations were the mainstay during the period from 1881 to 1885.
That set is comparatively inexpensive at around $15 MNH and $8 Used. 1886 saw the appearance of the first King Luiz Keytypes – a set of nine stamps (Scott #15 to #23) in embossed chalk-surfaced paper. The set catalogs for around $60 MNH and around half that for Used. Issues showing King Carlos, King Manuel II, King Luiz, overprints, and certain common design types dominated Cape Verdean stamp issues during the period till 1914. A long running definitive set of stamps showing the Roman Goddess Ceres was issued during the period from 1914 to 1926 – most of the Portuguese colonies issued similar stamps, key plates that differ only in the denomination & name of colony imprinted in black. They all have the inscription ‘Republica Portugguesa’. The set of forty stamps (Scott #144 to #183) catalogs for around $240 MNH and $150 Used. 
Lower denominated individual issues in this set are very common and can be had for a few cents while the higher denominations runs into the tens of dollars. A sister set in the same design was issued on May 1 1934. That set of nineteen stamps (Scott #215 to #233) catalogs for around $100 MNH and around half that for Used.
Below are other relevant stamp issues of Cape Verde over the years:
Last Updated: 07/2011.
The next century saw the archipelago prosper from the transatlantic slave trade. Although that prosperity was transient, the islands’ position in the mid-Atlantic shipping lanes made Cape Verde a great location for re-supplying ships, thus making it an important commercial center in the nineteenth century. Cape Verde became an overseas province of Portugal in 1951 and independence was achieved on July 5, 1975. Cape Verde has a land area of around 1550 square miles with a population of around 510,000 making it a densely populated country at around 325 per square mile. Also significant is the fact that there are more Cape Verdeans living outside the country than inside – Cape Verde has few natural resources and droughts prompted heavy immigration around the mid-twentieth century. Cape Verde has a warm climate throughout the year although it is milder than that of the African mainland. It receives a modest amount of annual rainfall, enough to classify it as a semi-desert. It has a per-capita GDP of around $3,500 (ppp). The country is politically stable. Almost half the population lives in rural areas doing sustenance farming and fishing. Remittances from the expatriate population and foreign aid are both important factors in the economy. Light manufacturing and tourism are also contributing factors.The first stamps of Cape Verde were released in 1877 and show the ‘Crown of Portugal’ in different single-colors. Most of the early issues of Cape Verde were keytypes issued in all Portuguese colonies. The set (Scott #1 to #9) catalogs for around $240 MNH and around $100 Used. A set of five stamps in the same design (Scott #10 to #14) but with different denominations were the mainstay during the period from 1881 to 1885.
That set is comparatively inexpensive at around $15 MNH and $8 Used. 1886 saw the appearance of the first King Luiz Keytypes – a set of nine stamps (Scott #15 to #23) in embossed chalk-surfaced paper. The set catalogs for around $60 MNH and around half that for Used. Issues showing King Carlos, King Manuel II, King Luiz, overprints, and certain common design types dominated Cape Verdean stamp issues during the period till 1914. A long running definitive set of stamps showing the Roman Goddess Ceres was issued during the period from 1914 to 1926 – most of the Portuguese colonies issued similar stamps, key plates that differ only in the denomination & name of colony imprinted in black. They all have the inscription ‘Republica Portugguesa’. The set of forty stamps (Scott #144 to #183) catalogs for around $240 MNH and $150 Used. Lower denominated individual issues in this set are very common and can be had for a few cents while the higher denominations runs into the tens of dollars. A sister set in the same design was issued on May 1 1934. That set of nineteen stamps (Scott #215 to #233) catalogs for around $100 MNH and around half that for Used.Below are other relevant stamp issues of Cape Verde over the years:
- A set of three stamps issued on June 23, 1939 to mark the visit of the President of Portugal.
The design shows an outline map of Africa in a single-color background with a pale foreground color. The set (Scott #252 to #254) catalogs for around $100 MNH and around half that for Used. - A set of nine stamps issued on October 1, 1948 showing Cape Verdean local scenes. The set (Scott #257 to #265) catalogs for around $70 MNH and around $30 for Used.
The designs show Ribeira Grande, Sao Vicente Harbor, Distant View – Mindelo, Joao de Evora Beach, Mindelo, Fire Island Volcano, and Mount Paul. - A set of twelve stamps issued in July 1961 in the ‘Arms of cities and towns of Cape Verde’ theme. The set (Scott #308 to #319) catalogs for around $15 MNH and around half that for Used. Arms of the following cities in a common design are depicted: Praia, Nova Sintra, Ribeira Brava, Assomada, Maio, Mindelo, Santa Maria, Pombas, Sal-Rei, Tarrafal, Maria Pia, and San Felipe.
- A set of nine stamps issued on July 5, 1977 in the ‘Carved Coconut Shells’ theme. The set (Scott #375 to #383) catalogs for around $8 MNH and around half that for Used. The designs show Ashtray, Bell on stand, Lamp with Adam and Eve, Hollow shell with Nativity, Desk Lamp, Jar, Jar with hinged cover, Tobacco jar with palms, and Stringed Instrument.
- A set of seven stamps released on May 17, 1987 in the Tourism theme. The set (Scott #506 to #512) catalogs for around $8 MNH and around half that for Used. The designs show Mindelo Bay, Hill Country, Mountain Peak, Monument, Peaks, Boats, and Harbor.
- A set of four stamps released on February 29, 1992 in the ‘Tropical Fruits’ theme. The set (Scott #620 to #623) catalogs for around $4 MNH and around half that for Used. The designs show Syzgium Jambos, Mangifera Indica, Anacardium Occidentale, and Persea Americana. A few other sets showing local flora and fauna were also released in the same year and in 1993. All of those sets are beautiful and very affordable at around a few dollars. Below are the details: A set of four stamps (Scott #629 to #632) released in November 1992 in the Sugar Cane Production theme. The designs show Oxen and Sugar Cane, Oxen Yoked to Press, Man Placing Cane Inside Press, and the Refining Process; A set of four stamps (Scott #633 to #636) released around the same time showing Domestic Animals. The designs show Cat, Chicken, Dog, and Horse; A set of four stamps (Scott #637 to #640) in the Corals theme. The designs show Tubastrea Aurea, Corallium Rubrum, Porites Porites, and Millepora Alcicornis; A set of four stamps (Scott #646 to #649) released in September 1993 in the Lobsters theme. The designs show Palinurus Charlestoni, Panulirus Echinatus, Panulirus Regius, and Scyllarides Latus.
A souvenir sheet showing Panulirus Regius was also released with this set; A set four stamps (Scott #651 to #654) released in October 1993 in the Birds theme. The designs show Calonectris Edwardsii, Sula Leucogaster, Fregata Magificens, and Phaeton Aethereus; A set of four stamps (Scott #655 to #659) released in December 1993 in the Flowers theme. The designs show Rosa Alexandra, Strelitzia Reginae, Dianthus Barbatus, and Dahlia.
Last Updated: 07/2011.
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