Stamps.
The Stamps of the Channel Islands have a most colourful and interesting past.
Being part of the British Isles they used British stamps for most of this time, the only evidence that they were used in the Channel Islands are the cancellations, be they duplex, datestamp, handstamp, etc., there were no stamps or
Being part of the British Isles they used British stamps for most of this time, the only evidence that they were used in the Channel Islands are the cancellations, be they duplex, datestamp, handstamp, etc., there were no stamps or
Local Issues, Carriage Labels, Cinderella, names given to some of the stamps issued in the Channel Islands, especially the Smaller Islands. These were privately produced and none were authorised for postage by the GPO
The earliest of these ‘Locals’ are the issues of Mont St Michel in the French Channel Islands the first of which were produced before 1912.
The earliest of these ‘Locals’ are the issues of Mont St Michel in the French Channel Islands the first of which were produced before 1912.
overprints on British stamps, apart from the 1940 Swastika overprints applied in Jersey.
One particular cover has been discovered, with a Queen Victoria 1881 1d lilac, which has been
One particular cover has been discovered, with a Queen Victoria 1881 1d lilac, which has been
The first ‘Locals’ issued in the British Channel Islands were those privately produced in July 1940 and used by Captain Gussek, the first German Commandant on his official mail.
Herm produced it’s first private post stamps in 1949 with it’s first map series and Pigeon Post. This opened the floodgates as one by one the remainder of the Islands began producing their own private post stamps, Alderney, Sark, Jethou, Lihou and just about making it by one and only day of use, Brecqhou. Some of these did have genuine postal use for the carriage of letters and parcels between the Islands, many were produced with solely the collector in mind.
On 1st October 1969, both Jersey and Guernsey gained Postal Independence from the GPO, and all Local posts became illegal overnight.The new legislation did not cover parcel delivery companies and lo and behold, from 1974 these companies started issuing parcel delivery or carriage labels, again more for the collector although there were genuine usage for some.
Since the mid 1980s several people have visited many of the Islands with a portable ‘postbox’ purely on the pretext of having ‘posted’ mail from those Islands, usually with the ‘stamps’ that they had produced for this purpose, described by one such person as ’better than printing money’.
The now famous ‘Swastika’ overprints, because of their scarcity and desirability will always command high prices. The proliferation of recently overprinted examples means that they should never be purchased without the relevant expert certificate.
As well as these there have been air, hovercraft, shipping, railway, taxi, newspaper, tourism, trade, souvenir, trading, loyalty, and retail stamps, and probably a few more. Enough to keep even the most avid student and collector busy for a considerable time.
On 1st October 1969, both Jersey and Guernsey gained Postal Independence from the GPO, and all Local posts became illegal overnight.The new legislation did not cover parcel delivery companies and lo and behold, from 1974 these companies started issuing parcel delivery or carriage labels, again more for the collector although there were genuine usage for some.
Since the mid 1980s several people have visited many of the Islands with a portable ‘postbox’ purely on the pretext of having ‘posted’ mail from those Islands, usually with the ‘stamps’ that they had produced for this purpose, described by one such person as ’better than printing money’.
The now famous ‘Swastika’ overprints, because of their scarcity and desirability will always command high prices. The proliferation of recently overprinted examples means that they should never be purchased without the relevant expert certificate.
As well as these there have been air, hovercraft, shipping, railway, taxi, newspaper, tourism, trade, souvenir, trading, loyalty, and retail stamps, and probably a few more. Enough to keep even the most avid student and collector busy for a considerable time.
overprinted with ” LOCAL POST JERSEY”, cancelled on 3rd November 1893 and to a Jersey address. It is the only known copy, and is almost certainly privately produced possibly showing an early interest in Jersey having it’s own stamps.