Cancellations of Tuvalu (Type TC) button

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POST OFFICE TYPE DIAMETER NOTES EARLIEST LATEST
Funafuti
TC-1 26mm (4) 1 JAN 76 13 MY 94
  TC-2a oval   17 SEP 84 20 DEC 90
  TC-3 32mm (1) 17 JAN 80 17 JUN 80
TC-4 27mm (1) 7 JAN 80 7 JAN 95
  TC-4a 27mm (1) 17 JUN 81 7 OCT 81
  TC-5 oval   13 JUN 83 20 DEC 90
  TC-6 27mm (5) 27 MAR 81  
  TC-7 24mm (1) 16 JAN 85  
  TC-8 46mm (2) 2 NOV 89  --
  TC-9 oval   2 DEC 91 1994
  TC-10 oval   7 AUG 91 1994
  TC-11 31mm   14 AUG 98 March 2001
  TC-13 36mm   28 MAR 07  
  TC-14 30mm   30 SEP 07  
  TC-15 30mm   13 JUL 08  
           
Nanumaga
  TC-1 26mm   1 Jan 76  
  TC-2 oval   21 Nov 82 25 Dec 90
  TC-5 oval   28 Mar 83 25 Dec 90
  TC-7 24mm (3) 11/Jul/86  
  TC-10 oval   17 Sep 91 1994
  TC-12 31mm   17 Feb 99 2000
           
Nanumea
  TC-1 26mm   1 Mar 76  
  TC-2 oval   15 Mar 82 29 May 92
  TC-5 oval   6 Aug 82 29 May 92
  TC-7 24mm (3) 1986  
  TC-10 oval   23 Feb 93 1994
           
Niulakita
  TC-1 26mm   21 Jan 76 8 Jan 86
  TC-1a 26mm   22 May 82  
  TC-2 oval   12 Oct 82 24 Dec 89
  TC-5 oval   12 Oct 82 15 Nov 89
  TC-7 24mm (3) 2 Mar 88  
  TC-10 oval   18 May 92 1994
           
Niutao
  TC-1 26mm   1 Jan 76  
  TC-2 oval   29 Jan 79 4 Mar 86
  TC-5 oval   13 Jul 79 17 Nov 86
  TC-7 24mm (3) 4 Apr 85  
  TC-10 oval   23 May 92 1994
  TC-12 31mm   12 MAR 1999 2000
           
Nui
  TC-1 26mm   1 Jan 76  
  TC-2 oval   22 Feb 82 10 Oct 89
  TC-5 oval   30 Jun 82 10 Oct 89
  TC-7 24mm (3) 1986  
  TC-10 oval   17 Mar 92 1994
           
Nukufetau
  TC-1 26mm   1 Jan 76  
  TC-2 oval   14 Nov 79 28 Apr 86
  TC-5 oval   17 Jan 81 17 Feb 86
  TC-7 24mm (3) 1986  
  TC-10 oval   26 Aug 91 1994
           
Nukulaelae
  TC-1 26mm   1 Jan 76 23 Aug 84
  TC-1a 26mm   21 Jan 84  
  TC-2 oval   29 Sep 81 10 Jan 89
  TC-7 24mm (3) 1986  
  TC-10 oval   7 Aug 91 1994
           
Vaitupu
  TC-1 26mm   1 Jan 76 7 May 85
  TC-1a 26mm   15 Oct 85  
  TC-2 oval   20 Nov 79 1 Dec 90
  TC-5 oval   27 Apr 81 28 Sep 90
  TC-7 24mm (3) 1986  
  TC-10 oval   23 Oct 91 29 NOV 94
           

 

Illustrations: TC-1 and TC-1a
Oval Cancels: TC-2, TC-5, TC-9, TC-10
Other Cancels: TC-3, TC-4, TC-6, TC-11, TC-12, TC-13, TC-14
   
  1. Used only by the Philatelic Bureau on Funafuti, but sometimes applied at the General Post Office on Bureau mail.
  2. Special commemorative cancel used on November 2, 1989. Forgeries exist.
  3. TC-7 devices are inscribed for use in the outer islands, but are actually applied at the Philatelic Bureau on Funafuti. They were originally put into use to create cancel-to-order stamps for the Leaders of the World scheme. They were also used to cancel covers of the 1988 Bird definitives, creating sets of  covers supposedly originating from each of the nine island post offices. Nanumanga 11 Mar 1988, Nanumea 11 Mar 1988, Niutao 10 Mar 1988, Niulakita 2 Mar 1988, Nui 9 March 1988, Nukufetau 30 March 1988, Nukulaelae 2 March 1988, and Vaitupu 31 March 1988.
  4. A minor variety of TC-1 may exist, with shorter arcs, but needs more study.
  5. In 2001, a year slug for 01 did not exist, so an inverted 10 was used, always at the top, such as 01/MY 17/*. Similarly, an 02 slug did not exist, so a "2" was used, such as 2/11 OC/*, with the "2" always at the top.
  6. TC-14 from Funafuti has so far been seen only on covers posted from the outer islands, with the cancel being applied on arrival at Funafuti.
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