Postal Orders Used in Bechuanaland and Botswana: A Philatelic Exhibit (Postal Stationery Bechuanaland and Botswana)

The transmission of money has always been an important function of the Post Office. Examples are postal saving accounts, money orders, and postal orders. This exhibit tells the story of postal orders in Bechuanaland and Botswana from their introduction in 1907 and until todayPostal orders are preprinted postal forms with a fixed value and imprinted commission stamp. They have been and continue to be widely used in many countries for transmitting funds through the mail from one party to another. Together with money orders, postal orders are used by postal customers without easy access to the banking system and still have a strong role in developing countries where possession of a banking account often is limited to a regular and significant income.This book presents the definitive exhibit of this material and the current knowledge about the introduction and use of postal orders in the Bechuanaland Protectorate and, as it was later known, Botswana. The contents are based on information obtained from the National Archives of Botswana as well as printed governmental publications and other communications. Key material originates from the archives of the High and Resident Commissioners’ offices, transferred to Botswana after independence in 1966. Read more