Gold Coast Early Issues

These stamps may well the last for Gold Coast under its present form of government as a new design bearing the country’s future name, Ghana, is in preparation for issue when independence is achieved.

½d. Position of Gold Coast. The source of this design was a drawing by a Post Office draughtsman. The printers were given a free hand to make a good-looking stamp from this, the Crown Agents stipulating the caption: “Position of the Gold Coast.” One can only say that it was a good thing the printers exercised their skill to transform this feeble sketch into a presentable stamp.

1d. Christiansborg Castle. The photograph which served as a model for the designer was taken by the West African Photographic Service, Accra. This is a view of the more modern part of the building, added in 1921, which houses the Governor’s office. The Castle itself, which is the Residence, was completed in 1790 during the reign of Christian VII of Denmark when the Danes had a settlement in Accra.

1½d. Emblem of the Joint Provincial Council. From a drawing by Mr. B. A. Johnston of Azim. The emblem consists of a stool, which is the symbol of chiefly office in the Gold Coast, upon which are three State Swords representing the three provinces, Eastern, Western and Central. The chain in front of the stool symbolizes the linking together of the three provinces.

2d. Talking Drums. This design was taken from two sources: a sketch by Mr. B. A. Abban of the P.O. Staff, and a photograph by Moses M. A. Ziorkley of Accra. Judging by the pattern around the tops of the drums and the position of the legs, the drums were copied from the sketch, whereas the position of the drummer’s arms indicate that he was taken from the photograph. Mr. Abban writes: “Talking Drums feature very prominently in the history of all the Akan tribes, and the drum I had in mind is ‘Okyerema’, which is in the palace of the paramount chief of Anomabu, a small seaside town with a long history. The two notes are combined to form a code (like morse) for messages which recall important occasions in the history of the state.”

2½d. N.T. Mounted Constabulary. The basis of this design is a photograph by the West Africa Photographic Service showing a trooper of the Northern Territories Mounted Constabulary framed by the archway of Christiansborg Castle. He is one of the Governor’s escort on ceremonial occasions. It will be noted that the cannon on the left has been omitted from the stamp.

3d. Manganese Mine. The photograph from which the designer worked a reproduction of a magazine illustration captioned “The hillside of Nsuta where manganese ore is obtained”. The white area in the middle is the result of blocking out on the negative a string of empty trucks which was evidently considered an undesirable feature. It should also be noticed that in the finished stamp the train on the right has been moved to the nearer line.

The ore is carried to Takoradi where it is loaded into ships and is an important Gold Coast export.

- Mrs. Nagalakshmi Tadakaluri, Philatelist.

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