Numeral Cancels of the Dutch East Indies
- an introduction-
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Following the Netherlands, the Dutch East Indies (DEI) in 1873 decided to introduce numeral cancels as well. The announcement was made in circular nr. 50 of 1873, through a ordinance of the Director of Public Works, No. 1015P of September 18, 1873. This circular also contained the names of the post offices which would receive numeral cancels 1 through 65. The numeral cancels took effect on January 1, 1874. The numeral cancel meant that the Dutch East Indies’ post offices now had a real obliteration cancel. The main purpose of course was to avoid the fraudulent re-use of stamps. The indentations left by the cancel in the postage stamp were still visible, even after removing the ink of the cancel. Numeral cancels have only been used by postoffices, the postal agencies of Singapore and Penang, as well as the expedition office on board the mail steamers. A total of 120 different numbers are known, used by 131 postoffices between 1874 and mid 1893. In addition, Karanganjar , from October 13, 1879 till the end of 1881, due to an error, used number 69 instead of 96. It is hard to believe that number 116 was used simultaneously by Boeleleng and Gombong , and number 117 by Banckalan and Bindjei. The official withdrawal of the numeral cancels was announced by circular nr. 29 of April 1, 1893. Gradually after April 1893, the postoffices exchanged their numeral cancels and the date cancels (round- and smallround cancel) for the squared circle cancel. The color used for the cancel is most often black, but many postoffices used blue and violet ink. Of (Laboean) Deli red cancels are known.
From: P. Storm van
Leeuwen |
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Cancel types
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The cancels were made form bronze or messing and as such subject to wear and tear. For that reason the larger post offices received multiple cancels, which resulted in different cancel types. In the literature we’ll find illustrations of the various types in:
None of the authors is convinced of the completeness of the illustrated listing of types. They do expect to find additional types in the future. |
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In establishing various types we can make use of the above matrix. The dots are identified by a letter A through F, followed by a number 1 through 6. If a dot disappears for example through breakage or wear and tear, this then can be identified as
A4 is missing in 1879 To establish with some certainty when dots disappeared we of course need covers with the numeral cancel in question. This pertains to covers with a particular date, when the imprint of the dot still shows the dot and another cover with a particular date when the imprint of the dot is gone. Illustration from: De Postzak 153 by Bulterman |
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Cancel wear and tear and cancel imprint
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In addition to the various types there are also changes in the wear and tear, which in particular have been discussed by Bulterman in De Postzak Nr. 153. But in this listing there are undoubtedly gaps as well . Bulterman points out that wear and tear can be recognized by the smoother shapes of the dots (which are getting thicker) and the ever smaller numbers. Differences also can be attributed by:
Here are some illustrations of the cancel deficiencies, made by Bulterman. |
A nice example of wear and tear of a cancel:
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The above example shows cancel type 5 of the Weltevreden postoffice. This cancel was used from 1887 until the cancels were withdrawn in 1893. Gradually the cancel became ‘fatter and thicker’, due to increasing wear and tear. |
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Colors of cancels
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Black was the prescribed color of the numeral cancels. However, not all post offices adhered to this. Imprints in violet, blue, blue-green and red are known. We are still finding imprints of post offices in colors other than black. |
| Color | Post Offices |
| Violet | 1, 3, 4, 12, 38, 60, 62, 63, 66, 84, 88, 90, 105, 106, 115, 117, 118, 119 |
| Blue-bluegreen | 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 22, 23, 25, 27, 28, 37, 40, 48, 50, 55, 56, 57, 58, 60, 66, 72, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 88, 90, 94, 100, 105, 106, 115 |
| Red | 84 |
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Cancels on various issues
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The numeral cancels can be found on the following issues:
Covers with King Willem III as imprint (refer to Geuzendam catalog):
Postal cards (refer to Geuzendam catalog):
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