Chronology of Postage Stamps

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internet e-mail: ken@kpolsson.com
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References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2023 December 20.

1970

March 24
  • In New York City, Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Inc. Annual Rarity Sale sells the unique British Guiana 1-cent black on magenta postage stamp of 1856 for US$280,000 to Irwin Weinberg, American stamp dealer, a record for a single stamp. [267.255] [674.86] [1156.8] [1170.58] [1268.7]
April 7
  • Netherlands issues the world's first postage stamps with images created by computer. [268.341]
April 22
  • Somali Democratic Republic issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
July 16
  • The Republic of Gambia issues its first postage stamps. [1841.32]
July 24
  • Equatorial Guinea joins the Universal Postal Union. [1135]
August 12
  • US President Richard Nixon signs H.R. 17070 Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, creating the US Postal Service, effective July 1, 1971. [1135]
October 10
  • The Dominion of Fiji issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
October 24
  • The People's Republic of Southern Yemen issues its last postage stamps. [285.1086]

1971

January 16
  • The Sultanate of Oman issues its first postage stamps, using overprinted stamps of Muscat and Oman. [1135] [1367.1562]
February 1
  • The People's Democratic Republic of Yemen issues its first postage stamps. [285.1087] [1135]
June 18
  • Fiji joins the Universal Postal Union. [1135]
July 23
  • The Sultanate of Oman issues its first non-overprint postage stamps. [1367.1562]
July 29
  • First Bangladesh postage stamps are issued. [700.749] [1135]
August 17
  • Sultanate of Oman joins the Universal Postal Union. [1135]
September 4
  • Independent state of Qatar issues its first postage stamps. [278.461]
September 28
  • The Arab Republic of Egypt issues its first postage stamps. [1843.975]

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October 24
  • Congo issues its last postage stamps. [707.495]
October 27
  • Papua and New Guinea chsnges its name to Papua New Guinea. [278.97]
December 18
  • The Republic of Zaire issues its first postage stamps (formerly the Congo Democratic Republic). [285.1154] [1135]

1972

January 26
  • Papua New Guinea issues its first postage stamps (previous under name Papua and New Guinea). [278.97]
  • Tonga joins the Universal Postal Union. [1135]
March 1
  • In the United Kingdom, all postage stamps denominated in pence and shillings cease to be valid for postage. [1154.938]
April 20
  • Ryukyu Islands issues its last postage stamps under US control. [700.211]
May 2
  • Ceylon issues its last postage stamps. [707.184]
May 22
  • Sri Lanka issues first postage stamps under new country name (previously Ceylon). [285.188] [1135]
(month unknown)
  • In Hamburg, Germany, Edgar Mohrmann & Company conducts their 137th Spring Sale auction. A Mauritius 2-pence "Post Office" stamp, mint, sells for 287,000 deutschemark (about US$90,000). [1173.164]
July 31
  • Dubai issues its last postage stamps. [1843.902]
August 1
  • The federation of United Arab Emirates forms, and bans further postage stamp production of member states. [994.937] [1377.1,25]
August 9
  • Aitutaki becomes a Port of Entry into the Cook Islands, and resumes issuing postage stamps, last issued in 1924. [1135] [1377]
August
  • United Arab Emirates issues its first postage stamps, using overprinted stamps of Abu Dhabi. [285.806] [1135]
September 20
  • Harmer, Rooke sells at auction a US 24-cent airmail stamp with inverted center for US$24,000. [774.8]

1973

January 1
  • The United Arab Emirates issues its first non-overprint postage stamps. [285.806] [796.28] [994.949] [1016.32]
January 30
  • Bhutan issues world's first scented postage stamps, 150-ch depicting red roses, printed on rose-scented paper. [1230.58]
February 7
  • Bangladesh joins the Universal Postal Union. [1135]
February 28
  • Bangladesh joins the Universal Postal Union. [1141.434]
March 9
  • British Honduras issues its last postage stamps. [700.1134]
March 30
  • The United Arab Emirates is admitted to the Universal Postal Union. [994.937] [1135]
March 31
  • Postal validity of United Arab Emirates member states' stamps ends. [994.937]
May 2
  • Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sells a US 1868 3-cent rose George Washington postage stamp with "B" grill embossing for US$23,000 The stamp is one of four known; this is the first time one is sold at public auction. [302.24]
June 1
  • First stamps for use in Belize, stamps of British Honduras overprinted "BELIZE". [700.896] (June 11 [1135])
July 5
  • The Isle of Man establishes an independent postal administration and begins issuing its own postage stamps. [1] [776.62] [1099.52] [1135]
October 24
  • Postage stamps are issued again for Penrhyn (last done in 1929), overprints on Cook Islands stamps. [278.175]
November 14
  • Belize issues its own first postage stamps. [700.896]
  • Grenadines of Saint Vincent issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
December 15
  • Portugal issues last postage stamps for use in Saint Thomas and Prince Islands. [278.838]
  • Portugal issues last postage stamps for use in Portuguese Guinea. [278.448]
  • Portugal issues last postage stamps for Timor. [285.504]
December 29
  • Grenadines of Grenada issues its first postage stamps. [1135]

1974

February 7
  • Grenada issues its first postage stamps as an independent state. [1135] [1841.470]
May 30
  • Harmers of New York auctions a US 24-cent airmail with inverted center for US$47,000. [773.8]
August 15
  • Non-overprint postage stamps are first issued for Penryhn - Northern Cook Islands. [278.175]
September 10
  • Guinea-Bissau issues its first postage stamps. [1841.465]
September
  • The United Kingdom issues last postage stamps for the colony of Malta. [1367.808]
October
  • The Gambia joins the Universal Postal Union. [1135]
October 19
  • Niue issues its first postage stamps as an independent state. [1135]
December 21
  • Angola issues its last postage stamps under Portuguese control. [700.399]

1975

January 30
  • Faroe Islands issues its first postage stamps. [1135] [1843.1091]
March 31
  • The Republic of Malta issues its first postage stamps. [1367.808]
April 12
  • The Khmer Republic issues its last postage stamps. [707.6]
April 17
  • US Treasury Department bans purchase abroad and import of Cambodia postage stamps. [1135]
April 30
  • US Treasury Department bans purchase abroad and import of South Vietnam postage stamps. [1135]
May 29
  • The British Solomon Islands issues last postage stamps under that country name (change to Solomon Islands). [285.3]
June 25
  • People's Republic of Mozambique issues its first postage stamps. [1135] [1367.1156]
  • Netherlands issues last postage stamps for use in Surinam. [285.235]
June 27
  • Comoros Islands issues last postage stamps as a French protectorate. [707.475]
(month unknown)
  • Federal and Islamic Republic of the Comoros issues first postage stamps, using Comoros Islands stamps overprinted "ETAT COMORIEN". [707.475]
July 12
  • Saint Thomas and Prince Islands issues its first postage stamps. [278.838]
August 4
  • Solomon Islands (formerly British Solomon Islands) issues its first postage stamps. [285.4]
August 20
  • Last postage stamps of the Kingdom of Laos. [1367.387]
September 22
  • The Gilbert and Ellice Islands issues its last postage stamps. [1841.300]
October 1
  • Reunion Island stops printing postage stamps, France takes over production. [1]
November 7
  • Spain issues last postage stamps for use in Spanish Sahara. [285.186]
November 11
  • Independent Angola issues its first postage stamps. [700.399] [1135]
November 24
  • Dahomey issues its last postage stamps (resumes as Benin). [1843.774]
November 25
  • Independent state Surinam issues its first postage stamps. [285.235]
December 8
  • Benin issues first postage stamps, using old country name of Republic of Dahomey. [700.908]
December 15
  • Comoros issues its first own postage stamps. [707.475]
December 19
  • Cape Verde Islands issues its first postage stamps as an independent state. [1135]
December 31
  • US Postal Service increases first class domestic letter rate from 10 cents to 13. [1135]

1976

January 1
  • Tuvalu issues its first postage stamps. [285.738] [1135]
January 2
  • Gilbert Islands issues its first postage stamps. [1135] [1841.300]
March 23
  • Last postage stamps of British Indian Ocean Territory are issued. (New issues resume May 3, 1990.) [964.41]
April 30
  • Benin issues first postage stamps under its new country name. [700.908]
June 29
  • Seychelles issues its first postage stamps as an independent state. [278.1089] [1135]
(month unknown)
  • Harmers of New York sells at auction a block of four US 24-cent airmail postage stamps with inverted Jenny aircraft for US$165,000. [655.5]
October 26
  • Transkei issues its first postage stamps. [285.68] [1135]
December
  • Central African Republic issues its last postage stamps (until November 1979). [707.147]

1977

March
  • Central African Empire issues its first postage stamps. [707.147]
May 5
  • The French Territory of the Afars and Issas issues its last postage stamps. [700.252]
(month unknown)
  • The Republic of Djibouti issues its first postage stamps. [1843.808]
  • A block of four US 24-cent airmail postage stamps with inverted Jenny aircraft sells at auction for US$220,000. [655.5]
December 2
  • The Lao People's Democratic Republic issues its first postage stamps. [1367.387]
December 6
  • Bophuthatswana issues its first postage stamps. [285.62] [1135]

1978

January 6
  • First postage stamp copyrighted by US (Carl Sandburg stamp). [1]
January
  • Sotheby, Parke Bernet sells at auction a US 24-cent airmail postage stamp with inverted Jenny aircraft for US$100,000. [655.5]
(month unknown)
  • Irwin Weinberg displays the British Guiana 1-cent 1856 postage stamp at the Capex 78 philatelic exhibition in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. [1793.15]
  • R.A. Siegel Galleries sells at auction a US 24-cent airmail postage stamp with inverted Jenny aircraft for US$135,000. [655.5]
  • Canal Zone issues its last postage stamps. [700.191]
July 7
  • Solomon Islands issues its first postage stamps as independent state. [285.4] [1135]
July 24
  • The Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
October 18
  • Rhodesia issues its last postage stamps. [278.478]
November 3
  • The Commonwealth of Dominica issues its first postage stamps as an independent state. [1135]

1979

January 15
  • The Gilbert Islands issues its last postage stamps. [1841.301]
February 14
  • The United Kingdom issues last postage stamps for use in South Georgia. [285.78]
February 22
  • Independent Saint Lucia issues its first postage stamps. [278.807]
April 30
  • Kuala Lumpur federal district of Malaysia issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
July 12
  • Kiribati issues its first postage stamps. [1135] [1367.170]
August 6
  • The United Kingdom issues last postage stamps for use in Saint Vincent. [278.868]
August
  • Central African Empire issues its last postage stamps. [707.148]
  • Postage stamps of the British Indian Ocean Territory are withdrawn. [1135]
August 24
  • United Nations' Vienna office begins issuing postage stamps. [1] [700.239]
(month unknown)
  • A block of four US 24-cent airmail postage stamps with inverted Jenny aircraft sells at auction for US$500,000, a world record. [655.5]
  • Stanley Gibbons International buys a collection of 3500 letters and stamps for US$10 million. [655.31]
September 13
  • Venda issues its first postage stamps. [285.72] [1135]
September 30
  • The Canal Zone Postal Service ceases operations. Over 75 years, it had issued 270 different postage stamps. [1119.115]
October 27
  • Saint Vincent issues its first postage stamps as an independent state. [278.868] [1135]
November 11
  • Central African Republic resumes issuing postage stamps. [707.149]
November 14
  • The US Treasury Department bans the purchase abroad and import of postage stamps of Iran. [1135]
December 16
  • The US Treasury Department lifts the ban on stamps of Phodesia. [1135]

1980

February 27
  • The United Kingdom issues its last postage stamps for use in the New Hebrides. [1367.1353]
  • France issues its last postage stamps for use in the New Hebrides. [1367.1358]
April 5
  • In New York City, USA, Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sells at auction a British Guiana 1856 1-cent stamp, error on magenta paper, used, for 437,000 British pounds (US$935,000), to John E. du Pont, a world record for a single postage stamp. [674.86] [798.3] [1017.38] [1156.8] [1135] [1268.7] [1481.4] [1793.15]
April 10
  • Kampuchea issues its first postage stamps. [707.6]
April
  • Zimbabwe joins the Universal Postal Union. [1135]
April 18
  • The republic of Zimbabwe issues its first postage stamps. [285.1184] [1135]
May 5
  • Falkland Islands Dependencies resumes issuing postage stamps (last were in 1956). [1135]
May 6
  • Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla issues its last postage stamps. [287.802]
June 22
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis split their joint postal administration. [278.785]
June 23
  • Nevis resumes issuing its own postage stamps (last were 1890). [1135] [1367.1293]
  • Saint Kitts issues its first separate postage stamps, using overprints of Saint Kitts-Nevis. [278.785] [1135]
July 30
  • Vanuatu (formerly New Hebrides) issues its first postage stamps. [285.900] [1135]
August 8
  • Saint Kitts issues its first non-overprint postage stamps, depicting ships. [287.785]

1981

February 24
  • The US Treasury Department lifts the ban on import of stamps of Iran. [1135]
May 8
  • David Feldman Ltd auction in Geneva, Switzerland, sells Alexandria, Virginia, postmaster's provisional stamp for $1 million, record for a philatelic item. [1135]
November 1
  • Antigua and Barbuda issues its first postage stamps. [700.433]
December 4
  • Ciskei issues its first postage stamps. [285.66]

1982

February 26
  • Samoa issues its own first postage stamps. [1135]
(month unknown)
  • At the Siegel Rarieties of the world auction, a USA 1918 24-cent Jenny invert airmail postage stamp, mint never hinged, sells for $198,000 to Raymond Weill, acting as agent for "Westport". [1220.76]

1983

March 10
  • Palau issues its first postage stamps. [278.34] [1135] (November 10 [1005.47])
May 11
  • First postage stamps are issued for use in Niuafo'ou of Tonga. [285.574] [1135]
June 14
  • Alderney of Guernsey issues its first postage stamps. [1135]

1984

February 22
  • Bequia of Saint Vincent Grenadines issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
March 1
  • Åland Islands province of Finland issues its first postage stamps. [1135] [1843.1158]
March 10
  • Vaitupu island of Tuvalu issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
March
  • David Feldman SA in Switzerland sells a Sweden 1855 3-skilling banco stamp, error in yellow, only one known, for 977,500 Swiss francs (US$455,000) in a private transaction. [673.10] [815.3] [1226.7]
March 19
  • Nui island of Tuvalu issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
March 29
  • Union Island of Saint Vincent Grenadines issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
April 9
  • Funafuti island of Tuvalu issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
  • Nanumea island of Tuvalu issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
April 12
  • Nukulaelae island of Tuvalu issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
April 16
  • Niutao island of Tuvalu issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
April 23
  • Nukufetau island of Tuvalu issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
  • Nanumaga island of Tuvalu issues its first postage stamps. [1135]
May 1
  • Great Britain's postal system introduces self-service postage labels as an experimental trial, outside five post offices, for values ranging from 1/2 to 16 pence in 1/2-penny increments. [999.52]
May 2
  • The Republic of the Marshall Islands issues its first postage stamps. [1005.46] [1135] [1367.827]
May 30
  • Cayes of Belize issues first postage stamps. [700.907]
July 12
  • The Fededrated States of Micronesia issues its first postage stamps. [1005.45] [1135] [1367.967]
August 14
  • Upper Volta issues its last postage stamps under that name. [700.1250]
November 21
  • Burkina Faso issues its first postage stamps. [700.1250]
End of 1970-1984. Next: 1985.

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A list of references to all source material is available.

Last updated: 2023 December 20.
Copyright © 2011-2024 Ken Polsson (email: ken@kpolsson.com).
URL: http://kpolsson.com/stamphis/
Link to Ken P's home page.

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