International Philatelic Collection (Mid-20th Century)

This is a diverse collection consisting of nine vintage postage stamps from several nations, primarily Spain, Dahomey (now Benin), and potentially Great Britain or a Commonwealth territory. The individual pieces exhibit varying shapes including standard rectangular vertical and horizontal orientations, with most featuring traditional serrated (perforated) edges. The color palette across the stamps includes monochrome black and white, sepia, rose-pink, and polychrome tints. Notable depictions include portraiture of historical figures, monarchs, and cultural representatives. For instance, the Spanish stamps (marked ESPAÑA) show a 25-centimo portrait of a bearded man, likely from the early to mid-20th century. There is a prominent 'Republique du Dahomey' 25F stamp featuring a woman in a headscarf, representing West African philatelic history. Most items show circular date stamps or 'cancelled' ink markings, indicating they were used for postage. Condition varies across the set; while some edges remain crisp, several stamps show significant wear, including creasing, corner blunting, and irregular edge trimming. One stamp in the lower right, featuring a royal couple in red, shows noticeable edge damage. The craftsmanship reflects the intaglio or lithographic printing processes common to mid-century government-issued stamps, with fine line work and typography visible on the portraiture and denominations.