CEF
These initials have been used in two entirely separate spheres. They refer to the international
China Expeditionary Force sent to China in 1900; also to the British forces which occupied German Kamerun
in 1915 (i.e., Cameroons Expeditionary Force).
Refer: Cameroons (British Occupation);
China Expeditionary Force
Celebes
Refer: Japanese Naval Control Area
Central African Empire
Dates: 1977 - 1979
Capital: Bangui
Currency: 100 centimes = 1 franc
Album: Central African Republic
* Central African Republic
Formerly Ubangi-Chari and in French Equatorial Africa. Was known as Central African Empire 1977-79.
Dates: 1959 -
Capital: Bangui
Currency: 100 centimes = 1 franc
Includes: Central African Empire
See also: French Equatorial Africa;
Oubangui-Chari
Central China (People's Post)
Regional issues by Chinese People's Republic.
Dates: 1949 - 1950
Currency: 100 cents = 1 dollar
Album: CPR Regional Issues
Central Lithuania (Polish Occupation)
The territory was absorbed by Poland in 1922 and became part of the USSR in 1939.
Dates: 1920 - 1922
Currency: 100 fenigow = 1 mark
Album: Polish Post Abroad
Cephalonia and Ithaca (Italian Occupation)
Italian occupation forces issued Greek stamps overprinted Occupazione Militare Italiana isole Cefalonia e Itaca.
These were replaced by a general issue for all the Ionian Islands.
Dates: 1941 only
Currency: 100 lepta = 1 drachma (Greek)
Album: Italian Occupation Issues
See also: Ionian Islands (Italian Occupation)
* Ceylon
Dates: 1857 - 1972
Capital: Colombo
Currency: 100 cents = 1 rupee
See also: Sri Lanka
* Chad
Used stamps of French Equatorial Africa 1937-59.
Dates: 1959 -
Capital: Ndjamena
Currency: 100 centimes = 1 franc
Includes: Chad (French Colony)
See also: French Equatorial Africa
Chad (French Colony)
Used stamps of French Equatorial Africa 1937-59.
Dates: 1922 - 1937
Capital: Fort Lamy
Currency: 100 centimes = 1 franc
Album: Chad
Chalce
Refer: Khalki
Chamba
Dates: 1886 - 1948
Currency: 12 pies = 1 anna; 16 annas = 1 rupee
Album: Indian Convention States
Chandernagore
Refer: French Indian Settlements
* Channel Islands
British territory since the Norman Conquest, having previously been part of the Duchy of Normandy. Alderney,
Herm and Sark are in the Bailiwick of Guernsey while Jersey has separate administration. During WWII, the
islands were occupied by Germany from 30 June 1940 to 9 May 1945.
British stamps were used 1840-1940. These can only be distinguished by postmark. During the occupation
period, local issues were used in Guernsey and Jersey after British stocks ran out. British stamps were
again in use 1945-1958. On 10 May 1948, the only general issue for the whole Channel Islands was introduced.
British Regional issues were used from 1958 till 1 October 1969 when Guernsey and Jersey began separate postal
administration and issued their own stamps. Alderney began local issues in 1983.
The 1948 general issue commemorated the third anniversary of the liberation. There were two values:
1d and 2½d. The stamps were also valid throughout Britain.
Dates: 1948 only
Capital: St Helier (Jersey); St Peter Port (Guernsey)
Currency: 12 pence = 1 shilling; 20 shillings = 1 pound
See also: Alderney;
Great Britain (Regional Issues);
Guernsey;
Jersey
Charkari
Dates: 1894 - 1940
Currency: 12 pies = 1 anna; 16 annas = 1 rupee
Album: Indian Native States
* Chile
Dates: 1853 -
Capital: Santiago
Currency: (1853) 100 centavos = 1 peso
(1960) 10 milesimos = 1 centesimo; 100 centesimos = 1 escudo
(1975) 100 centesimos = 1 peso
Includes: Tierra del Fuego
China
Refer: Chinese Empire;
Chinese Nationalist Republic (Taiwan);
Chinese People's Republic;
Chinese Republic;
Shanghai;
Taiwan
China (British Post Offices)
The offices were in Amoy (opened 1844), Canton (1844), Foochow (1844), Ningpo (1844), Shanghai (1844),
Swatow (1861), Hankow (1872), Kiungchow (1873), Tientsin (1882) and Chefoo (1903). All closed on
30 November 1922. The stamps continued to be used until 1930 in Wei-Hei-Wei, a colony which was leased
to Britain from 1898 to 1 October 1930 and was then returned to China. The stamps were Hong Kong types
overprinted CHINA.
Dates: 1917 - 1930
Currency: 100 cents = 1 dollar
Album: British Post Offices Abroad
China (British Railway Administration)
The Chinese half cent stamp of 1898 was surcharged 5 cents and overprinted BRA. The stamps were
used for collection of a late letter fee on letters posted in a mail van on British operated railways.
Dates: 1901 only
Currency: 100 cents = 1 dollar
Album: British Post Offices Abroad
China Expeditionary Force
The China Expeditionary Force was an international army sent to China in 1900. It relieved Peking and
suppressed the Boxer Rebellion. It continued to police northern China until 1906, though a small contingent
remained after that.
Indian stamps overprinted CEF were used at various foreign post offices throughout China until
25 November 1923.
Dates: 1900 - 1923
Currency: 12 pies = 1 anna; 16 annas = 1 rupee
Album: Indian Overseas Forces
China (French Post Offices)
This refers to general issues for all French and Indo-Chinese offices in China. Various stamps of France
or Indo-China were either overprinted or inscribed CHINE. Several offices had individual issues.
Prior to 1894, stamps of France were used.
The offices were at Shanghai (opened November 1862), Tientsin (16 March 1889), Chefoo (November 1898),
Hankow (1898), Peking (December 1900), Amoy (January 1902), Foochow (1902) and Ningpo (1902). All closed
on 31 December 1922.
Dates: 1894 - 1922
Currency: (1894) 100 centimes = 1 franc
(1907) 100 cents = 1 piastre
Album: French Post Offices Abroad
China (German Post Offices)
This refers to general issues for all German post offices in China. Various stamps of Germany were either
overprinted or inscribed CHINA. Prior to 1898, stamps of Germany were used.
The offices were at Shanghai (opened 16 August 1886), Tientsin (October 1889), Chefoo (1 June 1892), Amoy,
Canton, Foochow, Hankow, Ichang, Nanking, Peking, Swatow and Chinkiang. The last nine were opened after
1900 but dates are unknown. All offices closed on 17 March 1917.
Dates: 1898 - 1917
Currency: (1898) 100 pfennige = 1 Reichsmark
(1905) 100 cents = 1 dollar
Album: German Post Offices Abroad
* China (Indo-Chinese Post Offices)
Dates: 1900 - 1922
Currency: (1900) 100 centimes = 1 franc
(1919) 100 cents = 1 piastre
Includes: Canton (Indo-Chinese Post Office);
Hoi-Hao (Indo-Chinese Post Office);
Kouang-Tcheou;
Mong-Tseu (Indo-Chinese Post Office);
Pakhoi (Indo-Chinese Post Office);
Tchongking (Indo-Chinese Post Office);
Yunnanfu (Indo-Chinese Post Office)
China (Italian Post Offices)
Italy had two post offices in China: at Peking (Pechino) and Tientsin. Both used Italian stamps particular
to the office. The offices were open from September 1917 to 31 December 1922 and were for use by diplomatic
and military personnel.
Refer: Pechino (Italian Post Office);
Tientsin (Italian Post Office)
China (Japanese Occupation)
Refer: Japanese Occupation Issues;
Kwangtung (Japanese Occupation);
Mengkiang (Japanese Occupation);
Manchukuo;
Nangking & Shanghai (Japanese Occupation);
North China (Japanese Occupation)
China (Japanese Post Offices)
Stamps of Japan were issued at the various offices with an overprint in Japanese characters which denoted
Japanese Agencies. From 15 April 1876 until 31 December 1899, stamps of Japan were used without overprint.
The main office was at Shanghai (opened 15 April 1876). Others were at Chefoo, Chingkiang, Foochow,
Hangchow, Kiukiang, Newchang (now Yingkow), Mingoo, Shansi, Soochow and Tientsin. All offices closed in 1922.
Dates: 1900 - 1922
Currency: 10 rin = 1 sen; 100 sen = 1 yen
Album: Japanese Post Offices Abroad
China (Russian Post Offices)
The Russian offices were at Peking (opened 1870), Kalgan (1870), Tientsin (1870), Urga (Mongolia, 1870),
Shanghai (1897), Chefoo (1897), Hankow (1897), Port Arthur (1899-1904) and Dairen (1899-1904). All were
closed in 1920.
Russian stamps without overprint were used from 1870. From 1899, Russian stamps were overprinted
with Cyrillic KHTAH (i.e., China). All stamps were inscribed in Russian currency but the offices
accepted Chinese payment for them at the rate of 1 Chinese cent to 1 Russian kopeck.
Dates: 1899 - 1920
Currency: (1899) 100 kopecks = 1 rouble
(1917) 100 cents = 1 dollar
Album: Russian Post Offices Abroad
* Chinese Empire
Dates: 1878 - 1912
Capital: Peking (Beijing)
Currency: (1878) 100 candarins = 1 tael
(1897) 100 cents = 1 dollar
Includes: Tibet (Chinese Post Offices)
See also: Shanghai
* Chinese Nationalist Republic (Taiwan)
Stamps are inscribed REPUBLIC OF CHINA.
Dates: 1949 -
Capital: Taipei
Currency: 100 sen = 1 dollar
* Chinese People's Republic
General issues were concurrent with regional issues 1949-51 and then superceded them.
Dates: 1949 -
Capital: Beijing (Peking)
Currency: (1949) 100 cents = 1 dollar
(1955) 100 feu = 1 yuan
See also: CPR Regional Issues
Chinese Post Offices
Refer: Tibet (Chinese Post Offices)
* Chinese Provinces
Includes: Kirin & Heilungkiang;
North Eastern Provinces;
Sinkiang;
Szechwan;
Taiwan;
Yunnan
See also: CPR Regional Issues;
Manchukuo
* Chinese Republic
Dates: 1912 - 1949
Capital: Peking (Beijing)
Currency: 100 cents = 1 dollar
Chios
Refer: Khios
* Christmas Island
Christmas Island was discovered by Captain William Mynors on Christmas Day 1643 and annexed by Britain in 1888.
It was transferred to Australia in 1958 and is now part of Northern Territory.
Dates: 1958 -
Capital: Flying Fish Cove
Currency: (1958) 100 cents = 1 Malaysian dollar
(1968) 100 cents = 1 Australian dollar
Chungking
Refer: Tchongking (Indo-Chinese Post Office)