The French post offices in Zanzibar were post offices operated by France in Zanzibar from 1894 to 1904, when the United Kingdom took direct control of what had previously been a protectorate. Early issues were French stamps overprinted in the local currency. In 1902 French stamps of the 1900 series were issued with "Zanzibar" as a part of the design, but still overprinted in local currency. Many of the stamps, especially those of 1897 created by printing on stamp margins, are very rare and expensive.