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Guinea-Bissau
American Bicentennial Commemoratives

American Bicentennial Commemoratives
Stamps from Guinea-Bissau commemorating the American Bicentennial were issued in 1976 and 1977.

Guinea-Bissau is located in West Africa between Senegal and Guinea. As a the small trading colony of Portuguese Guinea, it was administered from Cape Verde until 1879 when it own colonial administration was established in the city of Bolama. In 1941 the capital was moved to Bissau. Amilcar Cabral's African Party of Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde proclaimed the independence of the territory on September 24, 1973 and on September 10, 1974 the long struggle culminated in the recognition of its status as an independent state.

Stamps inscribed "Estado da Guine-Bissau" were issued on the day of recognition of independence and they were denominated in Guinean pesos. The new currency was used simultaneously with Portuguese escudos. Ironically, Guinea-Bissau's fourth set of stamps honouring a variety of patriotic anniversaries (issued in September 1975) featured denominations in escudos. On May 5, 1976, the fifth stamp issue, honouring the American Bicentennial, used escudo denominations for the last time. These stamps featured traditional designs such as Henry Knox and the cannons of Ticonderoga and the Signing of the Declaration of Independence. Two additional values, issued on January 27, 1977, were only sold with surcharges in peso denominations. They honoured the black heritage of the United States depicting Crispus Attucks and the Boston Massacre and Martin Luther King and the U.S. Capitol. Those stamps were also the last stamps inscribed "Estado da Guine-Bissau." Subsequent issues are inscribed "Republica da Guine-Bissau."


Bibliography

"Guinea-Bissau." Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue. 2015. Print.

Lamb, Bob. "Worldwide in a Nutshell - Guinea Bissau." American Philatelist.
     Sept. 2017: 912. Print


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