Postage stamps and postal history of Madeira

The first stamp of Madeira, overprint on a stamp of Portugal, 1868. 20 reis

On 1 January 1868, Portugal issued postage stamps for the islands of Madeira, consisting of the current stamps of Portugal overprinted "MADEIRA". Subsequent stamps were also overprinted, through 1881.

The first stamps inscribed for Madeira were part of the Vasco da Gama Issue of 1898. Subsequently Madeira used stamps of Portugal, with two exceptions; the first was the Pombal Issue of postal tax stamps in 1925, and a variant on the Ceres design, issued 1 May 1928. The 21 values of Ceres stamps were obligatory on all mail for eight days – 1 May, 5 June, 1 July, and 31 December 1928, and 1 January, 31 January, 1 May, and 5 June 1929. The funds raised went to help build a museum.

The Ceres stamps were the last to be produced for Madeira until 1980, when Portugal began issuing stamps inscribed "Portugal Madeira" that were valid in both Madeira and continental Portugal, similar to those issued for the Azores.

See also

• Postage stamps and postal history of Funchal

Bibliography

• Trincao, Carlos. Die Briefmarken von Madeira. Frankfurt am Main: Arbeitsgemeinschaft Neues Handbuch der Briefmarkenkunde e.V. im Bund Deutscher Philatelisten e.V., 1963 12p.
• Vieira, Armando M. O. Filatelia Da Madeira: Marcas Pré-Adesivas, Selos Postais Adesivos, Inteiros Postais, Marcofilia. Funchal: Filatelia Numismática Madeira, 1999 ISBN 972-731-018-4 116p.
• Rossiter, Stuart & Flower, John (1986). The Stamp Atlas. London: Macdonald. ISBN 0-356-10862-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

• AskPhil – Glossary of Stamp Collecting Terms
• Encyclopaedia of Postal Authorities