Ireland Stamps


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.

Photo Credits: Otterman56

Originally posted 2008-10-17 05:00:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Blog Traffic Exchange Related Posts
  • India StampsIndia Stamps stamps -> Stamps -> Asia India stamps were first used in 1852, and were known as the Scinde Dawk stamps, during the country's postal system reform. This came after centuries of messages being carried in India on foot by runners who followed paths, and about a year of horses......
  • xcancelCanceled Postage Stamps Stamps -> United States -> 1901: to Now: Used If you are interested in getting into stamp collecting, but the brand new, mint condition and rare stamps are a little out of your price range, canceled postage stamps make a great alternative. While these are still quite valuable, especially depending......
  • stampcollectorStamp Collector Stamps -> Worldwide -> Collections, Lots Few types of collectors get more excited and enthusiastic about a new acquisition than a stamp collector. Stamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies in the world, enjoyed by young children, the elderly, and every age in between. Over 20 million people......
  • Stamps of GreeceStamps 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......
  • Third Reich StampsThird 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......
Blog Traffic Exchange Related Websites
  • oldmoneyThings to Avoid When Collecting Rare Coins and Old Money The world of coin collecting revolves around many types of currency, including rare coins and old money. These types of coins and currency are the hardest to find, and are the most sought after. People will make brainless decisions about these types of currency simply because they want to be......
  • Cash RegisterCash Registers Collectibles -> Banks-Registers-and-Vending Some of us remember going into the local Mom & Pop shop and having our penny candy rang up on a tall brass cash register. Some of us have seen such registers in dime stores or in antique stores. There are many things to be appreciated about......
  • concretestampUses of a Concrete Stamp A concrete stamp is something used by contractors and home remodelers to stamp a design into wet concrete. It's simply a stencil that's used to create a pattern or some other marking in wet concrete. Homeowners who enjoyed do-it-yourself projects can purchase concrete stamps and do it themselves. Many people......
  • Coin StoreWhere to Find the Collectors Coins You Want to Buy There are a lot of different coins you are likely to want to add to your collection. The different collectors coins you are interested in may be scattered throughout different locations which can make it difficult to find. While this is frustrating for some people, it makes finding coins more......
  • TaylorMade Golf 2009 Burner Driver (Regular,10.5�,Right Hand,RE*AX SuperFast 49 Graphite)TaylorMade Golf 2009 Burner Driver (Regular,10.5�,Right Hand,RE*AX SuperFast 49 Graphite) User Reviews Send this to a friend TaylorMade Golf 2009 Burner Driver (Regular,10.5�,Right Hand,RE*AX SuperFast 49 Graphite) Manufacturer: TaylorMade Customer Rating: List Price: $399.99 Sale Price: $191.02 Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Now Product Description TaylorMade's next-generation dual crown driver with a lower CG location for......
Online Stores

Email Updates

100 years abraham lincoln adhesives amount of money auction collectible stamps collecting stamps colors commemorative stamps creases Duck Stamps ebay great britain gum hinge imperfections lincoln money multitude Old Postage Stamps old stamps online auctions perforations period of time postage stamp postage stamps postmark presidents queen victoria rare stamp Rare Stamps rarity rips stamp album Stamp Collecting stamp collection Stamp Collections stamp collector stamp collectors stamp designs Stamps time period united states valuable stamps what this means