Ireland Stamps

October 17th, 2008 | European Stamps, Ireland Stamps, collectible stamps

IRELAND 1775 Pre stamp envelope from Dublin to France

US $255.00

Sale

Ireland 1954 Stamp Booklet BI 4 Buff Cover RARE

US $180.00

Sale

Stamps -> Europe -> Ireland

When postage stamps were first issued in 1840, Ireland was still a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Ireland used the stamps created by Britain until the Irish government took power in Ireland in 1922. Then they printed Irish text over the British stamps until the first original designs of Ireland stamps were issued in December. These first stamps shows a map of Ireland, excluding Northern Ireland, which was still part of the UK.

These first Ireland stamps were designed for everyday mailing. The first commemorative stamps from Ireland appeared in 1929, and are now released many times in a year featuring a wide variety of scenes from Irish life. Irish anniversaries and events, culture, and famous Irish citizens often grace these commemorative stamps. Irish stamps are released in miniature sheet, common sheet, coil and booklet form. The Irish Post Office, known as Oifig an Phoist, issued all Ireland stamps until 1984. Then another part of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, known as An Post, took over the issuance of stamps and all other postal services.

When purchasing Ireland stamps, online auctions like eBay are a great place to find new items for your collection. You can often find stamps in lots cheaper than you could buy them at a specialty store or from a private collector. And while the monetary value of most stamps continues to fall, the different designs and the history represented by the stamps themselves can make them just as valuable to a collector as their price tag.

To distinguish which period Ireland stamps were from when purchasing, look carefully at the postmark. During the period when Ireland used Great Britain stamps, 1840 to 1922, if the stamp’s postmark is from an Irish town, the stamp is known as a Great Britain Used in Ireland stamp. To further distinguish, the Penny Black (Great Britain’s first stamp) and other stamps issued from 1840 to 1844, were postmarked with the Maltese Cross. After 1844, the postmark used words or numbers to identify the town where the stamp was canceled. For those looking for stamps from certain Irish towns, those still affixed to the envelope are more clearly identifiable because the entire postmark is intact.

Most countries’ “forerunners” are the stamps that are issued before a region issues a stamp of its own. It’s a term commonly used among stamp collectors. But Ireland’s forerunners aren’t true Ireland stamps at all, and weren’t designed for postage. They were usually just union propaganda and nationalist sentiment printed into stamp form.

For collectors, overprints provide a challenge as it’s often difficult to tell when the stamp was used and from where it was canceled. Some Ireland stamps were released in small numbers and are more valuable to collectors, and the early stamps, both definitive and commemorative, are always in high demand. First day covers, particularly those with commemorative sets, are fairly valuable because they were created in such low numbers. Stamps from the 70s onward are abundant, but good for creating a comprehensive collection.

Related Posts

Third Reich Stamps Stamps -> Europe -> Germany and Area When it comes to collecting stamps that were produced during the second world war, many collectors gravitate towards what are known as “Third Reich Stamps.” These are stamps that were produced in Germany from a period between 1933 and 1945, when the Third......
1909 Lincoln Stamp Set Stamps -> United States -> Collections, Lots The 1909 Lincoln stamp set represents the first time the United States Post Office had issued stamps that didn't promote or commemorate a current event. The public complained about the change in stamps in 1908 to Washing and Franklin stamps, because Lincoln had......
U.S. Air Mail Stamps Stamps -> United-States -> Postage Collecting US Airmail stamps has become such a popular hobby, by both those who collect all sorts of stamps and those who are just interesting in United States airmail stamps, that there are clubs and associations based on just that hobby. The American Air......
Stamps of Greece Stamps -> Europe -> Greece Stamp collectors who collect world stamps usually have a fondness for the stamps of Greece, with the bold designs, and the history they represent. The first stamps of Greece are called Hermes head stamps, because they feature a profile of the Greek god Hermes......
Spain Stamps Stamps -> Europe -> Spain & Colonies When looking for old Spain stamps, online auctions like eBay are a great place to search. Often, auctions are in lots so you get several stamps to add to your collection, often from many different countries and time periods. Some stamps can also......

Related Websites

Basketball Cards Sports Memorabilia -> Autographs - Original -> Basketball - NBA -> Trading Cards Although when most people think of collectible cards, they automatically think baseball, basketball cards are actually incredibly popular. There are thousands on the market and many of them depict some of the best players that ever hit......
World Coins Money -> Coins: World Collecting world coins is a rewarding and fascinating hobby. The first official coins were struck around the 6th century BC in Lydia, though metals used as a type of currency far pre-dates that, to Mesopotamia somewhere between 1500 and 2000 BC. Ancient coinage is fascinating, with......
Andrew's History of Britain Not Marred by Inaccuracy I've just watched Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain on the BBC and was thoroughly impressed by his succinct insights and straight proclamations of "truth". This was the fifth and final episode in his mini series and I'll quote the programme blurb here in case the linked page is pulled......
Money Hacks Carnival #47 at Money Beagle Money Hacks Carnival #47 was hosted at Money Beagle. If you like dogs, specifically Beagles, you'll like this edition! Here are the editor's picks: Household survival tips: 6 ways to entertain your family for less posted at Home I Own. This is a good reminder that you can have fun......