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Fenerbahçe Lighthouse - 1/2 anna

This stamp program highlights the maritime heritage and strategic importance of the Ottoman coastline, featuring the Fenerbahçe Lighthouse as a symbol of guidance and safe passage. The illustration carries a message of coastal security and technological progress, originally intended to represent the Ottoman Empire's control over the vital sea lanes leading to the Bosphorus. In the Iraqi context, the bold "IRAQ IN BRITISH OCCUPATION" overprint serves as a historical marker of the transition from Ottoman provincial rule to a British military administration following the 1917 capture of Baghdad. By surcharging the stamp with Indian currency (annas), the British authorities integrated the regional postal system into their imperial economic network, effectively overwriting Ottoman institutional identity with a new, temporary colonial administrative layer.