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StellalandStellaland was a short-lived Boer republic established in 1882 by David Massouw and 400 followers, who invaded a Bechuana area west of the Transvaal. They founded the town of Vryburg, making it their capital, but in 1885 the British sent in a force under Sir Charles Warren, abolished the republic, and included its territory in British Bechuanaland. The republic was formally created in 26 July 1882, with Gerrit Jacobus van Niekerk (1849–1896) in charge. It united with Goshen (Het Land Goosen) on 7 August 1883 to form the "United States of Stellaland". The republic officially ceased to exist on 30 September 1885. It seems to have adopted three different flags during its existence, according to Flags of the World. Stellaland issued five values of postage stamps in February 1884. They are crudely printed affairs, using the coat of arms as design, and inscribed "REPUBLIEK / STELLALAND". Unused examples can be had today for 20 US$, but genuinely used copies are much rarer, usually hundreds of dollars in price. Sometime in 1885 the word "TWEE" (two) was overprinted on a few of the 4-pence stamps, making them into 2-pence values. These are quite rare, selling at auction for several thousand dollars when they appear. It is not clear whether they were official government issues, or privately produced, perhaps as political propaganda (the use of stamps having recently become nearly universal worldwide).
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