Fernando Poo Stamps Appraisal

1960 Spanish Fernando Poo Native Birds Complete Stamp Series

This is a complete philatelic series of nine postage stamps issued for the Spanish overseas province of Fernando Poo (now Bioko, Equatorial Guinea), specifically the 1960 'Native Birds' definitive set. The collection features monochrome intaglio printing (recess printing) on gummed paper with standard perforations. The set displays a variety of tropical avian species indigenous to the Gulf of Guinea, including pheasants, turacos, and waterfowl. Each stamp includes the country name 'ESPAÑA' and 'FERNANDO POO' along with the denomination and 'CORREOS' marking. The color palette spans a range of earth tones and vibrant dyes including ochre, slate gray, olive green, terracotta, turquoise, deep navy, and forest green. The craftsmanship is typical of the mid-20th-century Spanish printer 'Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre' (FNMT), characterized by fine line work and sophisticated shading. The condition appears to be 'Mint Never Hinged' (MNH) or 'Mint Lightly Hinged' (MLH), as the perforations are crisp and the colors show no signs of fading from UV exposure. There are no immediate signs of creasing, foxing, or staining across the displayed row, indicating well-preserved archival quality. This series represents the colonial administrative period of African territories under Spanish rule.