5 Pounds 1962, Sudan
| in Krause book | Number: 9a |
| Years of issue: | 01.07.1962 |
| Edition: | |
| Signatures: | Governor: Mamoun Ahmed Abdel Wahab Beheiry (1959 - 1963) |
| Serie: | Camel Postman |
| Specimen of: | 06.07.1955 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 150 х 84 |
| Printer: | TDLR (Thomas de la Rue & Company), London |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
Three Palm trees.
Avers:
A felucca with a triangular sail moves lazily on the river, with the river bank in the background.
A felucca (Arabic: فلوكة, possibly originally from Greek ἐφόλκιον (Epholkion)) is a traditional wooden sailing boat used in protected waters of the Red Sea and eastern Mediterranean, in Egypt and Sudan (particularly along the Nile), including Malta and Tunisia, and also in Iraq. Its rig consists of one or two lateen sails.
They are usually able to board ten passengers and the crew consists of two or three people.
Military felucca armed with 6-8 small cannons on the upper deck. The Felucca had an inflated deck, a pointed nose and sailing weapons similar to those of a galley. Draft of felucca - no more than one meter. Sometimes feluks were attached to large ships and were used as messenger ships. Modern feluccas are often equipped with engines. 
Denominations in numerals are in all corners, in words centered.
Revers:
"The Camel Postman".
The first appearance of the design was in 1898, after which it was used more or less consecutively for the next 50 years, and even today the “Camel Postman” appears on Sudan stamps in modified form. And as usual, the stamps design has an interesting historical story.
The story begins in 1820, when Egypt invaded and conquered Sudan. As British occupied Egypt in 1882, Sudan became part of the British Empire. But things didn’t go as planned from here on. The ruling Khedivial government became shortly very notorious for mismanagement and corruption; and finally a revolt broke out in Sudan. Followed by several years of battles, the British forces were required to interfere and establish a permanent position in Sudan. Under these condition in Sir Herbert Kitchener, took Sudan under his iron first for administrative matters in 1896.
In 1897, Sudan used Egyptian stamps. The first stamps of Sudan issued in March 1897 were nothing more than overprinted Egyptian stamps. But Sir Herbert had more glorious plans. As Sudan was no longer part of Egyptian Union, Sir Herbert looked out for new postage stamps that would specific to Sudan.
First place a traveling artist was asked to submit a design, but the depiction of the rock temple at Abu Simbel was not utilized as Sir Herbert found the price of 25 guineas too excessive. Instead, Sir Herbert ordered Captain E.A. Stanton, a distinguished illustrator, to make a design for the stamp. As Stanton was a member of Anglo-Egyptian Army, his services would be at no cost.
Stanton was given generous five days to complete the design. Inspiration escaped Stanton until the regiment’s mail was delivered by camel instead of the usual river steamer. Soon Stanton was on full run staging the design. Camel and rider were “borrowed” from local tribe, bags filled with chopped straw were attached to the saddle to imitate mailbags. And soon Stanton had finalized a sketch of the Sheikh, riding through the desert. Names of "Khartoum" and "Berber", two towns in Sudan, were added afterwards to the mailbags on stamps design. To Stanton’s great relief, Sir Herbert accepted his drawing and, in March 1898, postage stamps prepared by Thomas de la Rue with Stanton’s illustration were issued at Berber.
The ‘Camel Postman’ continued to be used on Sudan’s postage stamps till 1954. Besides being used as long standing definitive stamp, the design has also been incorporated in various commemorative issues. And of course there’s lots of varieties to collect like watermarks and overprints. The Camel Postman has not only appeared the postage stamps of Sudan, but also on banknotes and coins as well.
Denomination in numerals are in all corners, in words centered at the bottom.
Comments:
The first pound to circulate in Sudan was the Egyptian pound. The late 19th century rebels Muhammad ibn Abdalla (the Mahdi) and Abdallahi ibn Muhammad (the Khalifa) both issued coins, which circulated alongside the Egyptian currency. When Anglo-Egyptian rule in Sudan ceased and Sudan became an independent country, a distinct Sudanese currency (the Sudanese pound) was created, replacing the Egyptian pound at par.
In April 1957, the Sudan Currency Board introduced notes for 25 and 50 Piastres, 1, 5 and 10 pounds. Note production was taken over by the Bank of Sudan in 1961.
A set of Sudan coins (proof), 1967, in my collection. Issued 7268 pieces.
If you find my work useful I will be grateful for any help in supporting the site.
-
PayPal