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
Related Posts -
Australia Stamp King George V Stamps -> Australia The first proper Australian stamps appeared in 1913, with the stamps Australia King George V varieties appearing about 6 months after the first stamps showed up in January. While some Australian stamps were originally issued in 1902, it was 1913 before stamps for the Commonwealth of Australia...... -
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...... -
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...... -
All About Collectible Postage Stamps The art of collecting collectible postage stamps is a hobby that has become popular with several millions of Americans as well as people all throughout the world, including young and old alike. Many people that are just beginning with collectible postage stamps enjoy the thrill and the challenge that comes...... -
Collecting Commemorative Stamps A commemorative stamp is essentially a stamp that was created in order to honor something, such as for example a special occasion, a special person or a special place. Most commemorative stamp varieties are printed in very small batches, and sometimes they are only printed one time and then never......
Related Websites -
Cash 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...... -
Uses 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...... -
The Pros and Cons of the Coin Collection Album There are many different ways you can save your coins that you collect. There are some methods which are better than others for protecting your coins. One of the ways you can protect your coins is through the use of the coin collection album. This is an album which some...... -
Sports Autographs Sports Memorabilia -> Autographs - Original -> Autographs - Reprints When it comes to high value sports related collectibles, sports autographs are among the best. Whether it’s an autographed baseball bat, basketball jersey or a football helmet, autographed merchandise can be worth its weight in gold. If you are interested...... -
Where 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......
- Paper Items, Newspapers Great Britain Original Period Items WW II (1939-45) Militaria Collectibles
- Decimal Coinage UK (Great Britain) Europe Coins: World Coins & Paper Money
- Gold UK (Great Britain) Europe Coins: World Coins & Paper Money
- Ashbury Irish Bouzouki/ Mandola String Acoustic Musical Instruments
- Great Lakes Books & Video Fishing
