Bahrain first used the postage stamps of British India before eventually issuing its own stamps in 1960.
Bahrain first used the postage stamps of British India before eventually issuing its own stamps in 1960.
The first post office in Bahrain opened on 1 August 1884 in the capital, Manama. This was a sub-office of the Indian Post Office at Bushire in Iran, both of which were part of the Bombay Postal Circle. This remained the only post office until 1946. Stamps of British India were used in Bahrain until 1933 and used examples may be identified from the cancellations which are illustrated in specialised catalogues. [1]
British India stamps overprinted BAHRAIN were used from 1933 to 1947 depicting George V (1933) and then George VI from 1938. [2] Un-overprinted Victory stamps of India were also on sale in Bahrain during January 1946 and a 16 anna stamp booklet was issued in 1934. [1]
From 1 April 1948, postal administration was handled by the British Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia. British issues overprinted BAHRAIN and surcharged in annas or rupees were in use from 1948 to 1960. [2] Numerous varieties of overprint exist which are listed in specialist catalogues and eagerly sought-after by philatelists. [1]
A number of local stamps were issued between 1953 and 1961 which, whilst intended only for domestic mail, are known used on international mail. These stamps all depicted Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and are similar in design to the later 1960 series. [1]
The first stamps specifically designed for both domestic and international mail were a definitive set issued on 1 July 1960, which featured Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa with Arabic text at the top. In 1964, a new definitive set was issued depicting Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
The Bahrain Post Office fully took over postal services from Britain on 1 January 1966 when a further definitive set was issued. [2]
Beginning during the Arab-Israeli War of October 1973, Bahrain required that all letters bear evidence of the payment of a 5 fils tax that raised funds for Palestinian refugees. [3] At first regular 5 fils stamps were added at the post office and handstamped 'War Effort' in Arabic. On 21 October 1973, similarly inscribed stamps, printed with light blue ink, were issued. [4] On 1 December 1973, [5] this first issue was replaced by one with a more stylized script, also in light blue. [6] In 1988, this second stamp was issued with slightly larger perforations. [2] [4] While more appropriately known as postal tax stamps , major catalogues have classified them as war tax stamps . [2] [4]
Since obtaining postal independence, the Bahrain Post Office has pursued a conservative policy issuing four or five sets of stamps each year with an occasional new definitive series. The stamps have generally featured subjects of local or regional interest.
A number of cinderella and bogus stamps have been issued over the years including official traffic safety labels available free from Bahraini post offices in 1981 and a bogus Bahrain Camel Post series between 1986 and 1990. The Camel Post series was based on the famous desert postman stamps of Sudan and sold in aid of a home for disabled children. [7]
Indian postal systems for efficient military and governmental communications had developed long before the arrival of Europeans. When the Portuguese, Dutch, French, Danish and British conquered the Marathas who had already defeated the Mughals, their postal systems existed alongside those of many somewhat independent states. The British East India Company gradually annexed the other powers on the sub-continent and brought into existence a British administrative system over most of modern-day India, with a need to establish and maintain both official and commercial mail systems.
This is an overview of the postage stamps and postal history of Australia.
A revenue stamp, tax stamp, duty stamp or fiscal stamp is a (usually) adhesive label used to designate collected taxes or fees on documents, tobacco, alcoholic drinks, drugs and medicines, playing cards, hunting licenses, firearm registration, and many other things. Typically, businesses purchase the stamps from the government, and attach them to taxed items as part of putting the items on sale, or in the case of documents, as part of filling out the form.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Kuwait.
The postage stamps of Ireland are issued by the postal operator of the independent Irish state. Ireland was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland when the world's first postage stamps were issued in 1840. These stamps, and all subsequent British issues, were used throughout Ireland until the new Irish Government assumed power in 1922. Beginning on 17 February 1922, existing British stamps were overprinted with Irish text to provide some definitives until separate Irish issues became available within the new Irish Free State. Following the overprints, a regular series of definitive stamps was produced by the new Department of Posts and Telegraphs, using domestic designs. These definitives were issued on 6 December 1922, the day that the Irish Free State officially came into existence; the first was a 2d stamp, depicting a map of Ireland. Since then new images, and additional values as needed, have produced nine definitive series of different designs.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Brunei.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Saudi Arabia, formerly known as the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd until 22 September 1932. The Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd had been separate countries until the mid-1920s.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Muscat and Oman, including the present day Sultanate of Oman.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Taiwan, otherwise known as Formosa, and currently governed by the Republic of China.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Jordan, formerly Transjordan.
Postage stamps have been issued in the Turks and Caicos Islands since 1867.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Ghana, known as the Gold Coast before independence.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Cyrenaica, now part of Libya.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Libya. Libya is a country located in North Africa. Bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Libya lies between Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Saint Helena.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Tristan da Cunha.
This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Biafra.
The St Paul's Shipwreck 10/- black is a postage and revenue stamp issued by the Crown Colony of Malta on 6 March 1919, and it is generally considered to be the country's rarest and most expensive stamp. It is rare because a very limited quantity of 1530 stamps was printed and it was inadvertently issued prematurely by the Post Office.
British postal agencies in Eastern Arabia issued early postage stamps used in each of Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Kuwait, Muscat and Qatar. Muscat and Dubai relied on Indian postal administration until 1 April 1948 when, following the Partition of India, British agencies were established there. Two agencies were opened in Qatar: at Doha and Umm Said. In Abu Dhabi, an agency was opened on Das Island in December 1960 and in Abu Dhabi City on 30 March 1963. The agencies also supplied stamps to Bahrain until 1960; and to Kuwait during shortages in 1951–53.
