Postage stamps and postal history of Sri Lanka

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It has been suggested that Souvenir sheets of Sri Lanka be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since September 2011.
Mint British stamps for use in Ceylon depicting King George V.
A mint high value 100 Rupee key type stamp of Ceylon.

This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka, known as Ceylon before 22 May 1972, is an island country in South Asia, located about 31 km off the southern coast of India. After over two thousand years of rule by local kingdoms, parts of Sri Lanka were colonized by Portugal and the Netherlands beginning in the 16th century, before control of the entire country passed to Britain around 1796. A nationalist political movement arose in the country in the early 20th century with the aim of obtaining political independence, which was eventually granted by the British after peaceful negotiations in 1948.

Contents

British colony stamps [edit]

The first stamps for Ceylon were issued on 1 April 1857.[1] The stamp features a portrait of Queen Victoria and is brown in colour. It is a 6 pence value used to send a half ounce letter from Ceylon to England. Eight more stamps were issued in year 1857, all featuring the portrait of Queen Victoria. One of the 5 stamps that were issued on 23 April 1859 is considered to be the most valuable stamp in Sri Lanka: it is a 4 pence with a dark pink colour known as the 'Dull Rose'.[2]

  • 1857 Victoria on 6 pence

  • 1859 Victoria on 1 sh 9 p - Cert. B.P.A.

  • 1888 Double Inverted Surcharge

Stamps of Sri Lanka [edit]

The first stamps marked Sri Lanka were issued on 22 May 1972.[1]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b Rossiter, Stuart & John Flower. The Stamp Atlas. London: Macdonald, 1986, p.239. ISBN 0-356-10862-7
  2. ^ Mihira Children's Newspaper, Sri Lanka. 

Further reading [edit]

  • Crofton, C.S.F. The Fiscal and Telegraph Stamps of Ceylon. Ed. B. Gordon Jones. London: Bridger & Kay for The Philatelic Society of India, 1911.
  • Rodrigo, Chandra, Rodrigo's Catalogue of Ceylon/Sri Lanka Postal Stationery Part I - Air Mail Letter Sheets, Dr Chandra Rodrigo, 2008
  • Rodrigo, Chandra, Rodrigo's Catalogue of Ceylon/Sri Lanka Postal Stationery Part II - Postal Cards, Letter Cards, Letter Sheets, Wrappers, P.T.P.O. Wrappers, Dr Chandra Rodrigo, 2010, 224 pages, ISBN 978-955-50-8901-2
  • Proud, Edward B., The Postal History of Ceylon, Proud-Bailey Co Ltd, 2006, ISBN 1872465390
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