Variations of the (1975) east timorese flag

Last modified: 2002-09-28 by antonio martins
Keywords: star: 5 points (white) | arrow head | variation | stamp | east timor | para timor | home made |
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• Postage stamp vertical variation
• Home made design example
• Blue-instead-of-black variant

• Self proclaimed Dem. Rep. of East Timor (1975)

In a sheet of 8 eight (2 rows × 4 columns) post stamps labelled:

EAST TIMOR
PARA TIMOR

• it is shown vertically, in a proportion 5:4 to fit the general proportion of the stamp sheet.
• it has the white star slightly tilted to the right.
• from the black and white illustration of the stamp offer sheet, there seems to be a white(?) fimbriation around the yellow arrow, but this might be a problem of printing.

The currency of the face value is probably the portuguese escudo — so, 5 euros... As for the star, it is pointing to the right hand of the viewer, supposedly to the top of the flag if it were uright. This is OK acording to the usual design of the flag. These stamps, by the way, might not be new but issued some years ago (by the portuguese post?). Maybe they are unoffical “cinderella” stamps? — "para Timor" means "for Timor", so these might be only “donation marks” or something... In that case, the yellow arrowflag on black and red flag (instead of the supposed new flag) is only natural.
António Martins, 20 Dec 1999

A home made variation of the flag, cause by insufficient textile skills and/or by lack of vexillological reference (and it is upside down!). This is one among a lot of such variations, given the difficulties of producing accurate versions of this banned flag during the 25 years of indonesian occupation. (I have a scanned photo of this flag used on a demonstration in Díli some years ago.)
António Martins, 22 Feb 2000

The often refered variation with dark blue instead of black.
António Martins, 22 Feb 2000