Overprinted Qatar Satellite Telecommunications issue: Tip of the Week

By Henry Gitner and Rick Miller

You will notice that values for many stamps of Qatar are given in italics in the 2016 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue. This reflects the fact that the market for Qatari stamps has been in flux. Over the past several years, many of the sheikdom’s stamp issues were hot items. Some still are, but many are not.

On Oct. 16, 1965, Qatar issued a set of eight Satellite Telecommunications stamps and a souvenir sheet of two (Scott 61-66 and 68a) to commemorate the centenary of the International Telecommunications Union. The souvenir sheet was issued perforated and imperforate. On Feb. 9, 1966, the set and souvenir sheet were overprinted to commemorate the space rendezvous of Gemini 6 and Gemini 7. (Scott 91-98).

Connect with Linn’s Stamp News: 

    Sign up for our newsletter
    Like us on Facebook 
    Follow us on Twitter

In 1966, the overprinted stamps were surcharged with denominations in the new currency (Scott 117-117G). Black ink was used for most of the overprints on Scott 91-98 and 98a. But a few were also overprinted in blue or red, both of which are scarce.

Although they are not listed or noted as such in the Scott Standard catalog, the souvenir sheets, both perforated and imperforate (Scott 98a) were also overprinted in blue and in red. A set of perforated and imperforate souvenir sheets overprinted in blue or red is worth about $800 in mint never-hinged condition.

The black-overprinted souvenir sheets were also surcharged in black ink with new currency denominations along with Scott 117-117G. This set of two souvenir sheets, which is not listed or noted in the Scott catalog, is scarce and worth about $800 in mint never-hinged condition.

You are most likely to find these scarce overprints and surcharges in really good space topical collections from the 1960s. Such collections were likely assembled by a high-end new-issue dealer.