Check out Issue #7 of the DCStamps Investigator – Overprint Madness #4 – Surcharges.

Welcome to DCStamps, a website designed as a resource for stamp and banknote collectors of countries which no longer exist — often defined as a “dead country”. According to Linn’s Stamp News, the definition of a dead country is “any area that has ceased existence and no longer produces postage stamps”.

My definition of a Dead Country is somewhat different, see my Definitions page, the spirit remains the same, a focus on countries, colonies, revolutionary entities or occupational forces which no longer exist. Also, for this site at the moment, I have limited countries covered to those that ceased to exist by the end of 1959. This has been extended from 1955. Read more on my Dead Country List Page.

This site will continue to grow as new “dead countries” are added monthly. The goal is to eventually become an indispensable resource for collectors (or those just interested in understanding the history of the transition of nations).

If you want to contact me directly, drop me an email at: ILikeMaps@msn.com

WHAT’S NEW AT DCSTAMPS

WHAT YOU CAN FIND ON DCSTAMPS

DEAD COUNTRY HISTORIES (below) – A brief history of each “Dead Country” including the stamps and/or banknotes it issued. New country histories are added routinely.

DEFINITION OF A DEAD COUNTRY – A detailed working definition of a “Dead Country”. Essentially it includes kingdoms, nations, colonies, occupational forces or revolutionary entities which ceased to exist. (I limit my collection to countries who “died” by the end of 1955.)

LIST OF DEAD COUNTRIES – A full list of “Dead Countries” which ceased to exist before the end of 1959. This list is frequently updated as new information is discovered.

REGIONAL TRANSITION CHARTS – A useful resource to understand the changes and transitions of nations with a designated region. Very useful for collectors – check them out!!

STAMP ALBUMS – My personal stamp/banknote albums for each of the “dead countries” which have been posted to date. I will continually add to this as I develop additional albums from my collection.

BANKNOTES – I am fairly new to collecting Banknotes, and this is a relatively sparse area at this time.

NORTH AMERICA AND HAWAII

Hawai’i, Kingdom (1810 – 1893)

Hawaii, Provisional Government (1893 – 1894)

Hawaii, Republic (1894 – 1897)

New Brunswick (1784 – 1867) album only

Newfoundland (1548 – 1949) album only

Nova Scotia (1713 – 1867)

Prince Edward Island (1769 – 1873)

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

Danish West Indies (1754 – 1917)

SOUTH / CENTRAL AMERICA

Buenos Aires, Argentine State (1852 – 1861) album only

Peru, Chilean Occupation (1881 – 1884)

Arequipa, Chilean Occupation of Peru (1881-1885)

Chala, Chilean Occupation of Peru (1884)

Chiclayo, Chilean Occupation of Peru (1884)

Huacho, Chilean Occupation of Peru (1884)

WESTERN EUROPE

Alsace & Lorraine, German Occupation – Franco Prussian war (1870 – 1872)

Alsace, German Occupation – WW2 (1940 – 1944)

Belgium, German Occupation – WW1 (1914 – 1918)

Eupen, Belgian Occupation – post WW1 (1920 – 1925)

Eupen & Malmedy, Belgian Occupation – post WW1 (1919 – 1920)

France, German Occupation – WW1 (1915 – 1918) album only

Lorraine, German Occupation – WW2 (1940 – 1944)

Luxembourg, German Occupation – WW2 (1940 – 1944)

Malmedy, Belgian Occupation – post WW1 (1920 – 1925)

GERMANY / POLAND AREA

Allenstein, plebiscite (1920)

Baden, Grand Duchy (1806 – 1871)

Bavaria, Kingdom (1806 – 1918) album only

Bavaria, Revolution and Socialist Republic (1918 – 1919) album only

Bavaria, Free State (1919 – 1920) album only

Bavaria, Weimer State (1920 – 1921) album only

Berlin-Brandenburg, Russian Occupation – post WW2 (1945-1949)

Danzig Free State (1920 – 1939)

Danzig, German Administration – WW2 (1939 – 1945)

Polish Offices in Danzig Free State (1920 – 1939)

Germany, Empire (1871 – 1920) album only

Germany, AMG Occupation – post WW2 (1945 – 1946) album only

Marienwerder, plebiscite (1920)

North German Confederation (1866 – 1871)

Poland, German Occupation – WW1 (1914 – 1918)

Saxony, Kingdom (1806 – 1871)

Schleswig, plebiscite (1920)

Upper Silesia, Plebiscite (1920 – 1921)

ITALY AREA

Fiume (1919 – 1924) album only

Italian Social Republic (1943 – 1945)

Naples, AMG Occupation of Italy – WW2 (1943 – 1944)

Sardinia, Kingdom (1720 – 1861) album only

Sicily, AMG Occupation – WW2 (1943 – 1944)

Trento and Trieste, Italian Occupation post WW1 (1919) album only

Tuscany, Grand Duchy (1569 – 1860)

BALTICS

Baltic Area (Ob Ost), German Occupation – WW1 (1916 – 1917) album only

Central Lithuania (1920- 1922)

Klaipeda (Memel), Lithuanian Occupation (1923 – 1925)

Latvia, West Russian Army Occupation under Col. Bermondt-Avalov (1919) album only

Memel, French Administration (1920 – 1923)

CENTRAL / EASTERN EUROPE

Austria, Allied Occupation post WW2 (1945 – 1955) album only

Eastern Silesia, plebiscite (1919 – 1920) album only

Romania, Austrian Occupation – WW1 (1916 – 1918)

Temesvár, Serbian Occupation – post WW1 (1918 – 1919)

BALKANS

Bosnia & Herzegovina, Austro Hungarian Empire Occupation (1878 – 1908)

Bosnia & Herzegovina, Province of Austro Hungarian Empire (1908 – 1918) album only

Dalmatia, Italian Occupation (1918 – 1922)

Janina, Italian Offices in the Ottoman Empire (1902 – 1914) album only

Montenegro, Principality / Kingdom (1878 – 1916)

Montenegro, Austrian Occupation in WW1 (1916 – 1918) album only

Epirus, Autonomous Republic (1914)

North Epirus, Greek Occupation in WW1 (1914 – 1916)

North Epirus, Greek Occupation in WW2 (1940 – 1941)

Saseno, Italian Occupation (1914 – 1947) album only

Serbia, Austro Hungarian Occupation – WW1 (1916) album only

GREECE AND ISLANDS

Castelrosso, Italian Dominion (1921 – 1943)

Cephalonia and Ithaca, Italian Occupation – WW2 (1941)

Corfu, Italian Occupation (1923)

Crete, Autonomous Government (1898 – 1913)

Crete, Austrian Offices (1903 – 1914) album only

Crete, British Occupation (1897 – 1909)

Crete, French Occupation (1897 – 1909)

Crete, Italian Occupation (1897 – 1909)

Crete, Russian Occupation (1897 – 1909)

Crete, Theriso Revolution (1905)

Dodecanese Islands, Italian Occupation (1912 – 1923)

Ionian Islands, British Protectorate (1810 – 1864)

Ionian Islands, Italian Occupation in WW2 (1941 – 1943)

Kavala / Cavalla, Greek Occupation – Balkan wars (1913)

Lemnos, Greek Occupation (1912 – 1923)

Salonika, Italian Offices in the Ottoman Empire (1908 – 1914) album only

Thessaly, Ottoman Occupation (1897 – 1898)

Thrace, Greek Occupation (1920 – 1922)

Western Thrace, Autonomous Government (1913)

Western Thrace, Inter-Allied Occupation (1919 – 1920)

Zakynthos (Zante), German Occupation – WW2 (1943 – 1944)

RUSSIA AREA

Armenia, Republic (1918 – 1920)

Aunus, Finnish Occupation (1919)

Azerbaijan, Republic – pre USSR (1918 – 1920)

Crimea, German Occupation – WW1 (1918)

Crimean Border Government (1918 – 1919)

Crimea, White Army Control (1919 – 1920)

Czech Legion Army in Russia (1918 – 1920) album only

Don Republic / Don Cossack Government (1918 – 1920) album only

East Karelia, Finnish Military Administration (1941 – 1944)

Far Eastern Republic (1920 – 1922)

Georgia, Republic – pre USSR (1918 – 1921)

Georgia SSR (1921 – 1923) album only

Kuban Cossack Government (1918 – 1920)

North Ingria (1920)

Priamur Provisional Government, Merkulov (1921 – 1922)

Priamur Rural Province, Gen. Diterikhs (1922)

Russian Armed Forces of the South, Gen. Denikin (1919 – 1920)

album only

Russian Army of the North, Gen. Rodzianko (1919) album only

Russian Army of the Northwest, Gen. Yudenich (1919)

Provisional Government in Siberia, Adm Kolchak (1918 – 1919)

Trans-Baikal Region under General Semyonov (1920) album only

Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic (1922 – 1936)

Ukraine Republic – pre-USSR (1918 – 1920) album only

Wrangel’s Army (1920 – 1921)

Turkey Area

Cilicia, French Occupation (1918 – 1921)

Constantinople, Italian Offices in the Ottoman Empire (1908 – 1923) album only

Dardanelles, Russian Offices in the Ottoman Empire (1774 – 1914) album only

Hatay State (1938 – 1939)

Kerassunde, Russian Offices in the Ottoman Empire (1774 – 1914) album only

Ottoman Empire, Greek Occupations – Balkan/Greco-Turkish wars (1912 – 1923) album only

Ottoman Empire, Polish Offices (1919 – 1922) album only

Rizeh, Russian Office in the Ottoman Empire (1774 – 1914)

Scutari, Italian Offices in the Ottoman Empire (1909 – 1916) album only

Smyrna, Italian Offices in the Ottoman Empire (1908 – 1923) album only

Trebizonde, Russian Offices in the Ottoman Empire (1774 – 1914) album only

MIDDLE EAST

Alaouites (Alawite State), French Mandate (1924 – 1930)

Hejaz, Kingdom (1916 – 1925)

Jerusalem, Italian Offices in the Ottoman Empire (1908 – 1914) album only

Latakia, French Mandate (1930 – 1936)

Palestine, British Occupation (1918 – 1920)

Palestine, British Mandate (1920 – 1948) album only

Rouad, Ile (1916 – 1920)

NORTH AFRICA

Cyrenaica, Italian Colony (1919 – 1934)

Cyrenaica, Emirate (1949 – 1951)

Fezzan-Ghadames, French Occupation (1943 – 1949)

Fezzan, French Occupation (1949 – 1951)

Ghadames, French Occupation (1949 – 1951)

International Zone of Tangier, British Offices (1924-1956)

Tripolitania, Italian Colony (1922 – 1934)

WEST AFRICA

Lagos, British Colony (1862 – 1906) album only

Niger Coast Protectorate (1893 – 1900)

Northern Nigeria Protectorate (1900 – 1914)

Oil Rivers Protectorate (1885 – 1893)

Southern Nigeria Protectorate (1900 – 1914)

CENTRAL AFRICA

Kamerun, British Occupation (1915 – 1920) album only

Ubangi-Shari-Chad (1910 – 1920) album only

Ubangi-Shari (1920 – 1934) album only

EAST AFRICA / MADAGASCAR

Sultanate of Anjouan (1886 – 1912)

German East Africa (1885 – 1919)

Ethiopia, Italian Occupation (1935 – 1936)

Obock, French Colony (1884 – 1896)

Oltre Giuba (Trans-Juba), Italian Colony (1924-25)

SOUTHERN AFRICA

Cape of Good Hope (1815 – 1910)

Kionga Triangle, Portuguese Occupation – WW1 (1916 – 1919)

Mozambique Company (1891 – 1949)

Natal (1843 – 1910) album only

Nyassa Company (1891 – 1929)

Orange Free State (1854 – 1902)

Orange Free State, British Occupation (1900 – 1902)

Orange River Colony (1902 – 1910)

Quelimane, Portuguese Colonial Province (1913 – 1920)

Tete, Portuguese Colonial Province (1913 – 1920)

Zambezia, Portuguese Colonial Province (1894 – 1920)

Zululand, British Colony (1887 – 1897)

INDIA AREA

Alwar, Princely State of India (1803 – 1948)

Bahawalpur, Princely State of India (1833 – 1947)

Bahawalpur, Princely State of Pakistan (1947 – 1955)

Cochin, Princely State of India (1835 – 1949) album only

Faridkot, Princely State of India (1763 – 1886) album only

Gwalior, India Convention State (1787 – 1947) album only

Jaipur, Princely State of India (1818 – 1949) album only

Hyderabad, Indian Princely State (1798 – 1948)

Jhalawar, Princely State of India (1838 – 1949) album only

Sirmoor, Princely State of India (1815 – 1948)

Wadhwan, Princely State of India (1740 – 1947) album only

CHINA AREA

China, Russian Offices in Imperial China (1886 – 1920) album only

Foochow, China Treaty Port (1895 – 1896) album only

Kiautschou, German Colony (1897 – 1914)

Kwangtung, Japanese Occupation (1942 – 1945) album only

Manchukuo (1932 – 1945)

Mengjiang (Inner Mongolia), Japanese Occupation (1936 – 1945)

North China, Japanese Occupation (1942 – 1945) album only

North China – Honan, Japanese Occupation (1941 – 1942) album only

North China – Hopei, Japanese Occupation (1941 – 1942) album only

North China – Shansi, Japanese Occupation (1941 – 1942) album only

North China – Shantung, Japanese Occupation (1941 – 1942) album only

Shanghai and Nanjing, Japanese Occupation (1942 – 1945) album only

FAR EAST

Annam & Tonkin (1883 – 1887)

Borneo and the Great East, Japanese Occupation (1942 – 1945)

Cochin China, French Colony (1864 – 1887)

Java, Japanese Occupation (1942 – 1945)

Korea, Japanese Offices (1876 – 1905)

Labuan, British Colony (1846 – 1906)

Netherlands Indies / Dutch East Indies (1801 – 1948) album only

Philippines, Japanese Occupation in WW2 (1942 – 45)

Straits Settlements (1867 – 1946)

Sumatra, Japanese Occupation (1942 – 1945)

AUSTRALIA / SOUTH PACIFIC

British New Guinea (1884 – 1906)

German New Guinea (1884 – 1914)

Papua, Australian Administration (1906 – 1949) album only

Western Australia (1832 – 1901) (album only