Dutch New Guinea (4): UNTEA

Because the governments of the Netherlands and Indonesia could not agree on control over Dutch New Guinea, the United Nations decided to intervene. Following the 'New York Agreement' concluded on August 15, 1962, the transfer of Dutch administration to Indonesia had to be arranged. Administration was taken over by the United Nations on October 1, 1962. The temporary administration of the United Nations was named the 'United Nations Temporary Executive Authority', abbreviated to UNTEA. José Roltz-Bennett, originally from Guatemala, assumed authority from the Dutch governor PJ Platteel. Military security was ensured by 1500 troops from Pakistan who formed the United Nations Security Force (UNSF), supported by 60 troops from the US Air Force and 16 Canadians from the Royal Canadian Air Force. During the months preceding the transfer of authority to the UNTEA, stocks of Dutch New Guinea stamps in Hollandia were overprinted. First, 11 different stamps ranging from 1 cent to 5 guilders were overprinted with the UNTEA in black ink. The overprint was applied using a hand press in sheets of 100 or half sheets of 50. Consequently, the overprint appears rather irregular and is not always perfectly aligned. The permanent 2-cent stamps (numeral type) and the 2-guilder and 5-guilder Juliana stamps belonged to the first printing. The two plate-printed stamps (2 and 5 guilders) in particular show quite a few deviations in the overprint, as the ink could not adhere very well. Furthermore, three stamps from 1954 featuring images of birds of paradise were overprinted, as well as the 17-cent Crowned Dove from 1959. Three stamps depicting HM Queen Juliana, issued from 1954, were also overprinted with UNTEA. That the overprint often shifted—higher, lower, to the left, or to the right—is clearly visible, for example, on the depicted 30-cent and 55-cent stamps. The remaining values ​​followed on November 1, 1962. The NVPH Special Catalogue includes a number of non-standard overprints, such as inverted and those with damaged letters. If one encounters such non-standard overprints, it is advisable to have them examined by an expert, as dangerous forgeries are known to exist. Most stamps bearing the UNTEA overprint were used in West New Guinea or purchased by local collectors, mostly military personnel. Approximately 45.000 series bear this overprint. Only the 2-cent, 80-cent, and 2-guilder stamps sold out during the administration of UNTEA. On May 1, 1963, the remaining stock was destroyed. Because there was high demand from stamp dealers in the Netherlands and abroad, and the stock in New Guinea was far from sufficient to meet that demand, the United Nations Postal Service had a new print run produced in late January 1963. A total of 100.000 series (1.000 sheets of each value) were ordered from printer Joh. Enschedé & Zonen in Haarlem. The overprint was applied using a printing press, and thus mechanically. The series were sold exclusively through the United Nations offices in New York and Geneva. Approximately 58.000 series were purchased by dealers. The United Nations Postal Service (New York office) issued a special stamp on October 1, 1963, to commemorate the fact that, a year earlier, it had taken control of Western New Guinea, as the former Dutch New Guinea was called. The designer of the stamp, Henry Bencsath, depicted a symbolic bridge across the map of Western New Guinea. The stamp was printed using gravure printing by the firm Courvoisier. A total of 1.427.747 copies of this stamp were sold. On May 1, 1963, authority over West New Guinea was transferred to Indonesia, which named the territory Irian Barat. This marked the end of a very turbulent political period and a piece of stamp history that is much to enjoy.