CHRISTMAS ISLAND POST
OFFICE
- Stamps -
Christmas Island has a rich mining, cultural and environmental history.
Much of the island’s history is reflected in the production of its unique
stamps.
Themes have ranged from early explorer’s, transport, phosphate mining
and cultural events through to celebration of significant events such as
25years of golf, the annual crab migration and the island’s unique flora
and fauna.
After 1992, production of Christmas Island stamps became the responsibility
of Australia Post with a guarantee of three issues per year. In the last
few years Chinese New Year and Christmas have always been represented with
the third issue being released in the middle of the year with various themes
relating to Christmas Island life. Designs have ranged from the Marine
Environment, crabs, unique birdlife and children’s designs. Faces of the
local people was the theme for the Year 2000 design.
The Christmas Island Post Office stocks the full range of Australian
stamps for general usage and for local collectors but the main focus has
always been on providing unique Christmas Island stamps for postage from
this beautiful island.
Collectable early issues of stamps are available for purchase at the
Post Office and from this web page. Availability is limited for many issues
and the following is a list of what can be purchased now.
| Year |
Description |
Price |
| 1965 |
Simpson and Donkey (1) |
$3.00 |
| 1969 |
Christmas stamp (1) |
$2.00 |
| 1970 |
Christmas (2) |
$2.50 |
| 1977 |
Famous Visitors (16)
International Year of the Child (strip 5) |
$16.00
$6.50 |
| 1979 |
Christmas (2) |
$4.50 |
| 1980 |
25 years of Golf (2)
Phosphate Industry (part 1)
Phosphate Industry (part 2)
Christmas Miniature Sheet |
$5.00
$5.00
$5.00
$9.00 |
| 1981 |
Phosphate Industry ( part 3)
Phosphate Industry (part 4 )
Wildlife Reptiles (4)
Christmas 1981 |
$6.00
$6.00
$8.00
$7.00 |
| 1982 |
Birds definitive edition (16) |
$35.00 |
| 1983 |
25 years of Boat Club (4)
25 years as Australian Territory (3)
Christmas (3) |
$7.00
$7.00
$7.00 |
| 1984 |
Fungi (5) |
$12.00 |
| 1986 |
Royal Wedding (2) |
$6.00 |
| 1987 |
Centenary Visit HMS “Flying Fish” and “Egeria” (2) |
$9.00 |
| 1988 |
Wildlife Definitives (16)
Centenary of Annexation (4)
Centenary of Settlement (4)
Christmas Toys (4) |
$60.00
$12.00
$12.00
$12.00 |
| 1989 |
Malay – Hari Raya (4)
Ferns (4)
Wildlife Definitive – Nudibranch (1)
Christmas (4)
Melbourne Stampshow Overprints (2) |
$14.00
$14.00
$6.50
$12.00
$8.00 |
| 1990 |
Navigators (2)
Transport thru the ages (16)
Abbotts Booby(4) and minisheet
Centenary of Henry Ridley’s visit (2)
World Stamp Exhibition minisheet
Christmas |
$9.00
$45.00
$32.00
$7.00
$15.00
$12.00 |
| 1991 |
Centenary of first mining lease (strip 5)
Names and Places (4)
Trees (4) |
$16.00
$15.00
$16.00 |
| 1992 |
Shells Definitive (16)
Kuala Lumpur Overprint
Christmas (strip 5 ) |
$45.00
$22.50
$11.50 |
| 1993 |
Christmas Island Seabirds (strip 5)
350th Anniversary naming of Christmas Island |
$6.50
$7.00 |
| 1994 |
Lunar New Year of the Dog
Christmas Island Railways (3)
Orchids (strip 5) |
$6.50
$11.00
$8.00 |
| 1995 |
Golf (1)
Peace on Christmas Island (2)
Marine Life Part 1(2) |
$8.50
$3.50
$6.00 |
| 1996 |
Marine Life Part 2 (4)
Land Birds (2)
Christmas (3)
Willem De Vlamingh’s voyage (1) |
$6.50
$5.00
$6.50
$2.00 |
| 1997 |
1997 Lunar New Year of the Ox
Marine Life (part 3) (3)
Christmas (3) |
$6.00
$9.00
$5.00 |
| 1998 |
Lunar New Year of the Tiger ( 2 + Minisheet)
Lunar New Year of the Tiger-gutter strip
Marine Life Sheet
Christmas Flowers (3) |
$5.00
$9.00
$12.00
$6.50 |
| 1999 |
Lunar New Year of the Rabbit ( 2 + minsheet)
Lunar New Year of the Rabbit – gutter strip
Favourite Festivals (4)
Christmas (3) |
$5.00
$9.00
$6.50
$5.00 |
| 2000 |
Lunar New Year of Dragon ( 2 + minsheet )
Lunar New of the Dragon – gutter strip
Faces Of Christmas Island (5)
Christmas (3) |
$6.00
$10.00
$5.00
$1.25 |
Orders can be placed at the following email address dmasters@post-office.cx. Or faxed
through to the Christmas Island Post Office on 61 8 91648494 . Credit card
payment is accepted and receipts will be forwarded with orders. For stamp
purchases there is a $5.00 handling fee plus postage of $1.50 for up 50gr
weight. Larger orders will incur a higher postage fee.
In addition the Christmas Island Post Office has very limited quantities
of three pictorial sets of stamps issued as display packs.
The 1990 Commemorative Special Issue Year Pack featuring the
following:
| 31/01/90 |
375th Anniversary of 1st sighting |
(2 stamps) |
Captain John Milward, Master of the British East India ship “Thomas”
recorded the first sighting of the island on 3rd February, 1615. It was
not until 25th December 1643, that Captain William Mynors, Master of the
“Royal Mary” rediscovered the island and named it “Christmas Island “
| 06/06/90 |
Special Issue Abbott’s Booby |
(4 stamps) |
| 06/06/90 |
Abbott’s Booby minisheet |
|
In co-operation with the World Wide Fund for Nature, a set of 4 stamps
and a miniature sheet featuring the Abbott’s Booby was released. The set
forms an integral part of the annual WWFN omnibus issue.
| 06/06/90 |
Abbott’s Booby minisheet – World Stamp Exhibition N.Z. |
|
Honours the first World Stamp Exhibition ever to be conducted in New
Zealand, which also signalled the debut of the Philatelic Bureau into the
international exhibition circuit.
| 11/07/90 |
Centenary of Ridley’s visit |
(2 stamps) |
On 14 July, Henry Nicholas Ridley paid a one day visit to Christmas
Island. During the course of that one day , he saw or collected some 38
specimens of previously unknown plants, crustaceans and birdlife.
| 03/10/90 |
Christmas 1990 |
(4 stamps) |
Prolific Melbourne stamp artist, Ray Honisett designed this unusual
series of Christmas Stamps featuring pastel drawings of endemic or native
flowers which bloom during Christmas time.
The 1990 Transport Series Commemorative Pack
The Transport through the Ages Definitive Series was released as two
issues , each of eight stamps. The first issue was released 18th April
1990 featuring transport such as Railcar, Trishaw, Longbus, Kolek
canoe and Steam Loco.
The second issue was released 22nd August 1990 and features some of
the more modern transport such as the Flying Doctor and Ambulance, Water
Tanker, Terex and Road Train.
The 1992 Shells of Christmas Island Definitive Stamp Issue
Shells found in the waters of Christmas Island are the subject of the
seventh series of definitive stamps issued by the Christmas Island Philatelic
Bureau ( as it was then ). The sixteen stamps in the set , issued in two
sets : part 1 on 15th April 1992 and part 2 on 19th August 1992.
The selected subjects are but a few of the vast variety of marine molluscs
found around the island. Some are fairly common and are easily discovered
simply by turning over rocks. A few , such as the lambis chiragra, distorsio
reticulata, tonna perdix, lambis scorpius and Angaria delphinus are rare,
whilst seven others are regarded as uncommon.
Artist Gavin Ryan has captured the natural beauty of these creatures
from the water of Christmas Island with flair and sensitivity.
The three Commemorative issue packs are available at $75.00 AU each
and this includes postage and handling to anywhere in the world. If you
requested a registered article for security purposes and additional $12.00
AU fee is applied. Payment can be made by credit card or forwarding a bankdraft.
If you are unsure about the security of the email address, details can
be faxed to the Christmas Island Post Office on
61 8 91648494. A receipt will be issued and forwarded with your order.