BOPHUTHATSWANA 1985 - MAFEKING EEUFEES / CENTENARY "PROOF IN SOUTH AFRICA

1985 Mafeking Centenary. Post Office photographic proofs of adopted designs, the 11c and 25c. Also examples of the final issued stamp set. Only a handful of Post Office photographic proofs were done from the artwork and given to members of the committee to accept or reject the proposed design/s. These rarely come on the philatelic market. During the 1980’s and early 1990’s the only proofs done for South African stamps were photographic proofs. Approximately 8 to 10 photographic proofs were done for each design. The designer/artist firstly did the artwork (some in essay format, some in final artwork format) for new stamp issues, and then sent the artwork to the printers. But before each new issue could be printed, the design had to be approved by what was known as the South Africa Philatelic Committee. This committee was made up of between 6 to 8 members, some of whom were designers and stamp artists themselves, and others were Post Office officials. So that the members of this committee could see exactly what the new issue would look like at stamp size, the printers produced direct from the artwork photographically reduced proofs (to stamp size) and each member of the committee was handed one of these proofs, which they were then able to retain for themselves. Over the years, not too many of these proofs have become available to the public. Most are still retained by the committee members in their own reference collections or exhibits. Other countries including Australia produced photographic proofs during the 1990’s and these are quite capable of being included in exhibits, and in fact are a nice different type of item to show.