A Brief history of the Ryukyu Islands

In 1609 the Japanese invaded with 13 Junks and 2,500 Samurai. The Ryukyuans surrendered peacefully and thereafter the Kings paid tribute to both the Japanese Shuguan and the Chinese Emperor. In 1732 they became a tributary state of the Ming Dynasty. In 1879 the Japanese announced that they were annexing the Ryukyu's. The King sent messengers to the Chinese Emperor pleading not to be separated from China. The Chinese objected diplomatically and Ex-president Ulysses Grant was asked to arbitrate. He decided that Japan's claim was stronger. In the process of annexation politicians and civilians who objected were assassinated. Compulsory Japanese education was enforced on the Ryukyu children , whereby they were taught the Japanese language, culture and identity, while forbidding the use of their native language. Military activity prior to and during WWII had a devastating effect on the civilian population. U.S. Military control of Okinawa began 1945 and continued thru 1972 when control was returned to Japan on May 15, 1972.

Map of the East China Sea Showing the location of the Ryukyu Islands

Map of the East China Sea Showing the location of the Ryukyu Islands

Map of Ryukyu Islands

Scott 2 and Tachikawa 2Aa (Broken Stem Variety).
The Tachikawa variety appears as two breaks in the stem of the right hand blooming flower: one where it attaches to the central stem and another, much more graphic one, where it should attach to the flower proper. This variety can be found at plate positions #3, 18, 33, 38, 53, 58, 73, 78, 93 and 98 of the sheet of 100.

Scott 2a and Tachikawa 2a (Broken Stem Variety)

Second issue Scott 8 (first printing) and 8a (third printing 09/06/1958 on white paper).

Scott 8 (block of 9, positions 65-68, 75-78, 85-88) position 76 is a copy of Scott 8b the "White Sky" variety

Scott 15 (Block of 4), positions 1-2, 11-12) Position 11 is RPSS 15a (White stroke above first Japanese Character.)

Chart showing the various overprint varieties and positions for a sheet of Scott16A (First Printing 01/01/1952.)

Scott 16A with a 9 point Kai and 9 point Tei and 16Aa with an 8 point Kai and 8 point Tei.

Scott 16Aa pair with the left being 9/9 point and the right pair being 8/8 point.
The 9/9 shows a partial break in the vertical stroke of the Kei character and the bottom thin bar is spaced 4mm instead of the normal 1mm.

16Ab "Bottom Bars Reversed" in Position 17 of a Position 16-17 pair

Block of 4 containing one copy of Scott 16Ac "Dropped thin 0" and 3 copies of Scott 16Aa.
Positions 63-64 and 73-74.

WhiteSky 16Ad

Positions 94-95 Wide Spaced Bottom Oblitherating Bars Scott 16Af

Chart showing the various overprint varieties and positions for a sheet of Scott 16 (Second Printing 06/05/1952.)

Scott 16 Sheet

Scott 16 with a 9 point Kai and 9 point Tei and 16c with and 8 point Kai and 8 point Tei.

Scott 16d pair with the left being 9/9 and the right being 8/8 point.

Scott 16d pair with the left being 8/8 and the right being 9/9 point.

16d strip of three with the left being 9/9, the center 9/8 and the right 8/8 point.

Block of 4 containing one copy of Scott 16g "Wrong Font for Zero" and one copy of Scott 16h "Wrong font for Yen symbol".
Positions 59-60 & 59-70.

Block of 6 containing a copy of 16i "White Sky" variety position 76 and a broken horizontal stroke in the "Kai" symbol in position 75.
Positions 64-66 & 74-76

Chart showing the various overprint varieties and positions for a sheet of Scott 16B (Third Printing 12/08/1952).

Scott 16B with a 9 point Kei and 9 point Tei

Scott 16B Block of 4 - Positions 25-26, 35-36,
16Ba - Positions 25 & 35 Wrong font for "Yen" symbol
16Bb - Position 26 Wrong font for "Tei"

Scott 16B Block of 4 - Positions 43-44, 53-54,
16Bd - Position 54 "Kai Tei" 1.25mm above Asterisk

Scott 16B pair (positions 95-96) with left being 16B and the right being 16Bf (Narrow spaced "10").

Scott 16B pair (positions 75-76) with left being 16B and the right being 16Bg (White Sky Variety).

Scott 16B pair (positions 59-60) with left being 16B and the right being 16Bh Extra wide spaced "10".

Scott 16B pair (positions 86-87) with left being 16B and the right being 16Bi (Asterisk is within 2.0mm of the "Kai Tei".

17 with 9/9 point Kei Tei, 17a with 8/8 point Kei Tei and 17e (Position 53) with a 9 point Kei and 8 point Tei and wrong font dropped center "0".
Only 9,800 stamps or 980 sheets of 100 were printed.

Scott 18 and Tachikawa Cracked Plate Varieties (Plate Positions 35 & 36)

Scott 24 issued 01/20/1953 and 24a printed in 1958. The color is not as important as the clarity of the printing.

Scott 38 - Positions 88 & 89 Showing the white dot above the 4 variety in position 88.

Scott 42 and Tachikawa 42a (Extra Ear Variety) found only in position 15 (not a constant variety).

Matrix of Scott 44-53 (issued 09/16/1958) which shows the possible varieties, according to paper and perforations

44

Positions 47-50 & 57-60 of 44O sheet.

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

Block of 4 containing three copies of Scott 51a and one of Tachikawa 52a (Position 100).
The Ryukyu government allowed a very well known and respected Ryukyu philatelist to scratch an "X" in position 100 of the printing plate that had been used to produce Scott 51. In April 1962, the plate was put back into service to produce the well known gummed currency provisional reissues, Scott #51a (on Gummed Paper).

Block of 4 containing three copies of Scott 52a and one of Tachikawa 54a (Position 100).
The plate for Scott 52 was treated the same as the plate for Scott 51.

54 Sheet

Mozo (imitation) Sheet of 10 which was issued free of charge.

Back of Mozo sheet. The translation is as follows:
"Shureimon Sample Stamp"
"This sheet is a reproduction the exact same size and color as (the Shureimon stamp) printed in 1958 and distributed in Okinawa - some speculators have raised the price of the original stamp, so this has been printed against the wishes of the speculators. It is distributed without charge, so please do not exchange this sheet for money."

Scott 90 Inscription Strip of 4, RPSS Type 3, Plate 2. Imperforate Selvage on right.

Scott 90 Inscription Block of 6 showing the "Bent Pin" which is a characteristic of the 10.2 perforation wheel

Scott 90 Upper Left Block of 6 showing the "Bent Pin" which is a characteristic of the 10.2 perforation wheel and a missing horizontal perforation in between the stamps in columns 1 and 2.

Scott 115 and Tachikawa 117a (The Rock in the Sand Variety).
The Tachikawa variety is from position 3 of some sheets and clearly shows an additional green rock in the sand toward the left side of the stamp.

Scott 120 (Deep blue, rose pink and ocher) 120a (Deep blue, deep carmine and ocher)

Scott 122a Inverted "1" in position 9 and "Broken 4 Variety" (Tachikawa 124b) in position 5.

Scott 126 positions 11-12, 16-17 "Cracked Cent" variety in position 11.
The cracked cent variety is listed by Scott but not assigned a number.

Mihon (Specimen) 125S and Forged overprint

Mihon (Specimen) 126S and Forged overprint

Mihon (Specimen) 136S and Forged overprint

Scott 134 and Tachikawa 136a "White Finger Tip" variety.

Scott 148 Showing Positions 2 (Normal) and 3 (Extra Cloud Variety)".

Scott 192 and 192b "Wide Spaced Bars".

Scott C4 Inscription block - positions 43-45, 48-50 - Full Eclipsed Moon Variety in Position 45.
This variety not Scott Listed.

C5 Inscription blocks of 6 - Showing 5 and 8 character inscriptions.

Scott C6 Inscription block - positions 43-45, 48-50 - Cross-hatch Flaw in Position 49.
This variety not Scott Listed.

Scott C14 (C9 Overprinted) - Short, Medium and Long Slash in Cent Sign - Representative of the set C14-19)

C14 Block of 4 Positions 4-5, 9-10 - Position 9 Medium slash all others short slash.

C15 Block of 4 Positions 4-5, 9-10 - Position 9 Medium slash all others short slash.

C16 Block of 4 Positions 4-5, 9-10 - Position 9 Medium slash all others short slash.

C17 Block of 4 Positions 4-5, 9-10 - Position 9 Medium slash all others short slash.

C18 Block of 4 Positions 4-5, 9-10 - Position 9 Medium slash all others short slash.

Scott C14a Inverted Surcharge

Scott C14, 16, 18 "Dot in Box Varieties".

Scott C19 and C19c Transposed Surcharge

Scott UY12 Misprint