Official Aerogrammes
Two basic types of Official Government
aerogrammes are known, and both are very scarce. The first type consists
of a Fijian stampless form, overprinted by typography in black ink, in the
return address area, GOVERNMENT HOUSE / FUNAFUTI / TUVALU / CENTRAL
PACIFIC, along with the colonial crown. The same inscription is
thermo-engraved on the inside heading. A black OHMS handstamp has been
applied in the upper right corner. This marking may have been applied
locally to over-ride the "affix stamp here" inscription, as stamps were
not used on official mail at the time. However, an example is also known
without the OHMS handstamp.
The second type of Official aerogramme is similar to the first one, but
half the size. There is no return address on it, but the crown and
government heading is on the inside, inscribed Office of the Queen's
Commisioner. An stampless example is known used 9 September 1976, with an
the "Official Post Paid" handstamp, type TO-01.
These Aerogrammes with the colonial coat-of-arms would have become
obsolete after independence in 1978.
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