Tourism Eastern Transvaal
South Africa, Nelspruit · 1995-01-18
Official first day cover (FDC) · South African philately
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This cover was postmarked on 18 January 1995 at Nelspruit and catalogued as SAPO 6.8. Its cachet featured Phacochoerus aethiopicus, the warthog, reflecting the wildlife rich landscapes of the region. Nelspruit itself sat close to the Kruger National Park and later became the gateway city to the Panorama Route, one of South Africa's most scenic drives through the Drakensberg escarpment.
Description of the Cachet
The cachet shows a detailed pencil illustration of two warthogs drinking side by side at a waterhole, their tusks and manes rendered in fine cross hatching with a reflection visible in the water below. Under the illustration, the scientific name Phacochoerus aethiopicus appears in italics, above the bilingual title "Toerisme - Oos Transvaal / Tourism - Eastern Transvaal", with the Nelspruit postmark featuring a small warthog outline alongside the date.
Information Card
Present but not removed.
Theme: Other
Condition: AverageNoticeable wear or light damage, such as creases, minor soiling, small tears, or light discolouration, but still collectable.
Addressed: No
Signed: No
Stamp denomination: R0.5 (ZAR)
SG reference: 864
SAPO serial number: 6.8
Estimated value: ~US$0.5
This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.
This first day cover (FDC) is part of Southern Covers, a private collection of 211 first day covers documenting the postal history and philately of South Africa and the homeland states. New to first day cover collecting? Read the guide to learn about cachets, postmarks, and stamp collecting terms, or browse the whole collection of Southern African FDCs.
