Sri Lanka 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 in 1815. 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. The country became a republic and adopted its current name in 1972.
Mint British stamps for use in Ceylon depicting King George V.A mint high value 100 Rupee key type stamp of Ceylon.
The first stamps for British Ceylon were issued on 1 April 1857.[1][2] 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'.[3]
1857 Victoria on 6 pence
1859 Victoria on 1 sh 9 p - Cert. B.P.A.
1888 Double Inverted Surcharge
Stamps of Sri Lankaedit
Sri Lanka is the only country to include details in a stamp in three languages viz. Sinhala, Tamil and English. The first stamps marked Sri Lanka were issued on 22 May 1972.[1][4]
Souvenir sheetsedit
Sri Lanka has been issuing souvenir sheets since 1966.[5] Many of the earliest souvenir sheets issued by Sri Lanka are valuable. Sri Lanka issues souvenir sheets each year on many different themes.[6]
First souvenir sheetedit
The first souvenir sheet of Sri Lanka was issued on 5 February 1966 on the topic 'Typical Birds of Ceylon' and was imperforate.[5] This sheet was reissued on 15 September 1967 to commemorate the 1st National Stamp Exhibition of Sri Lanka, overprinted 'FIRST NATIONAL STAMP EXHIBITION 1967'.[5] Subsequently many souvenir sheets were issued, on many themes mostly perforated.
Other souvenir sheetsedit
On 10 February 1981, a four stamp Surcharged souvenir sheet on 'Quadrupeds of Sri Lanka' was issued. The 4 stamps in the sheet were surcharged at the issue.[5]
A practice of issuing souvenir sheets containing the Wesak stamps started from year 1981.[5]
On 21 October 1981 a souvenir sheet was issued to mark the Sri Lankan visit of Queen Elizabeth and was the first souvenir sheet issued to mark the visit of a distinguished foreign head of state.[5]
On 2 December 1982 a souvenir sheet was issued to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the 1st postage Stamp of Sri Lanka. This was the 1st souvenir sheet of 2 stamps of different denominations; 50 cents and 2.50 rupees with a sheet value of Rs. 5.[5]
On 1 April 2007 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the 1st postage stamp of Sri Lanka a souvenir sheet was issued in both perforate and imperforate types.[5]
All the souvenir sheets issued so far were rectangular in shape. The first irregular shape souvenir sheet was issued on 22 May 2001 on 'Seashells of Sri Lanka' for the World Biodiversity Day. The sheet was in the shape of a seashell.[7]
Present-day souvenir sheetsedit
Now, Sri Lanka issues several souvenir sheets annually. A souvenir sheet is almost always issued with Wesak and Christmas stamps.[8] Sometimes, choosing one stamp from a set of stamps, a small miniature sheet, containing that single stamp is issued. Because they are attractive, they have become favourites among collectors.[9]
^Philatelic Bureau, Sri Lanka Post (April 2008). Muddara Lokayata Pivisemu (Lets Enter Stamp World) (in Sinhala) (3rd ed.). Philatelic Bureau, Sri Lanka. p. 8. ISBN978-955-9482-05-5.
^Anura Samaraweera (October 2009). "2006 Vasaren Pasu Sihiwatana Pathrika" [Souvenir Sheets After Year 2006]. Navayugaya Sinhala Monthly Magazine (in Sinhala). 54 (2): 80. ISSN 1391-3034.
^Philatelic Bureau, Sri Lanka Post. Muddara Vinodanshayata Athwelak ( A Help to Philately ) Leaflet (in Sinhala). Philatelic Bureau, Sri Lanka.
Further readingedit
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, ISBN978-955-50-8901-2
Proud, Edward B., The Postal History of Ceylon, Proud-Bailey Co Ltd, 2006, ISBN1872465390
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October 27, 2023
postage, stamps, postal, history, lanka, this, survey, postage, stamps, postal, history, lanka, formerly, known, ceylon, lanka, island, country, south, asia, located, about, southern, coast, india, after, over, thousand, years, rule, local, kingdoms, parts, la. This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Sri Lanka formerly known as Ceylon Sri Lanka 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 in 1815 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 The country became a republic and adopted its current name in 1972 Contents 1 British colonial stamps 2 Stamps of Sri Lanka 2 1 Souvenir sheets 2 1 1 First souvenir sheet 2 1 2 Other souvenir sheets 2 1 3 Present day souvenir sheets 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingBritish colonial stamps edit nbsp Mint British stamps for use in Ceylon depicting King George V nbsp A mint high value 100 Rupee key type stamp of Ceylon The first stamps for British Ceylon were issued on 1 April 1857 1 2 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 3 nbsp 1857 Victoria on 6 pence nbsp 1859 Victoria on 1 sh 9 p Cert B P A nbsp 1888 Double Inverted SurchargeStamps of Sri Lanka editSri Lanka is the only country to include details in a stamp in three languages viz Sinhala Tamil and English The first stamps marked Sri Lanka were issued on 22 May 1972 1 4 Souvenir sheets edit Sri Lanka has been issuing souvenir sheets since 1966 5 Many of the earliest souvenir sheets issued by Sri Lanka are valuable Sri Lanka issues souvenir sheets each year on many different themes 6 First souvenir sheet edit The first souvenir sheet of Sri Lanka was issued on 5 February 1966 on the topic Typical Birds of Ceylon and was imperforate 5 This sheet was reissued on 15 September 1967 to commemorate the 1st National Stamp Exhibition of Sri Lanka overprinted FIRST NATIONAL STAMP EXHIBITION 1967 5 Subsequently many souvenir sheets were issued on many themes mostly perforated Other souvenir sheets edit On 10 February 1981 a four stamp Surcharged souvenir sheet on Quadrupeds of Sri Lanka was issued The 4 stamps in the sheet were surcharged at the issue 5 A practice of issuing souvenir sheets containing the Wesak stamps started from year 1981 5 On 21 October 1981 a souvenir sheet was issued to mark the Sri Lankan visit of Queen Elizabeth and was the first souvenir sheet issued to mark the visit of a distinguished foreign head of state 5 On 2 December 1982 a souvenir sheet was issued to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the 1st postage Stamp of Sri Lanka This was the 1st souvenir sheet of 2 stamps of different denominations 50 cents and 2 50 rupees with a sheet value of Rs 5 5 On 1 April 2007 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the 1st postage stamp of Sri Lanka a souvenir sheet was issued in both perforate and imperforate types 5 All the souvenir sheets issued so far were rectangular in shape The first irregular shape souvenir sheet was issued on 22 May 2001 on Seashells of Sri Lanka for the World Biodiversity Day The sheet was in the shape of a seashell 7 Present day souvenir sheets edit Now Sri Lanka issues several souvenir sheets annually A souvenir sheet is almost always issued with Wesak and Christmas stamps 8 Sometimes choosing one stamp from a set of stamps a small miniature sheet containing that single stamp is issued Because they are attractive they have become favourites among collectors 9 See also editGeneral Post Office Colombo List of people on stamps of Sri Lanka Post and Telegraph Signals Sri Lanka Post Postal museum ColomboReferences edit a b Rossiter Stuart amp John Flower The Stamp Atlas London Macdonald 1986 p 239 ISBN 0 356 10862 7 Ceylon Stamps and postal history StampWorldHistory Archived from the original on 2018 03 03 Retrieved 12 August 2018 Mihira Children s Newspaper Sri Lanka a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Missing or empty title help Sri Lanka Stamps and postal history StampWorldHistory Archived from the original on 2018 03 03 Retrieved 12 August 2018 a b c d e f g h Anura Samaraweera May 2009 Ape Muddara Sihiwatana Pathrika Our Souvenir Sheets Navayugaya Sinhala Monthly Magazine in Sinhala 53 9 80 ISSN 1391 3034 Philatelic Bureau Sri Lanka Post April 2008 Muddara Lokayata Pivisemu Lets Enter Stamp World in Sinhala 3rd ed Philatelic Bureau Sri Lanka p 8 ISBN 978 955 9482 05 5 Anura Samaraweera October 2009 2006 Vasaren Pasu Sihiwatana Pathrika Souvenir Sheets After Year 2006 Navayugaya Sinhala Monthly Magazine in Sinhala 54 2 80 ISSN 1391 3034 Anura Samaraweera Muddara Vagathuga 26 Mihira Children s Newspaper Mihira Philatelic Bureau Sri Lanka Post Muddara Vinodanshayata Athwelak A Help to Philately Leaflet in Sinhala Philatelic Bureau Sri Lanka Further reading editCrofton C S F The Fiscal and Telegraph Stamps of Ceylon Ed B Gordon Jones London Bridger amp 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 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stamps of Sri Lanka Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Postage stamps and postal history of Sri Lanka amp 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