Iceland First Issues

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Iceland

Wednesday, January 1, 1873

Europe


	Iceland #1	Watermark Small Crown

Designed and engraved by Phillip C. Batz. Printed in typography by H. H. Thiele, Copenhagen.
Watermark small crown. Comb perforation 14 x 13½ or line perforation 12½.

Description	Perforation	# issued	AFA	Facit	Scott	Stanley Gibbons	Michel
Jan. 1, 1873
2 Skilling ultramarine	14 x 13½	40,000	1	1	1	1	1A
4 Skilling rose	14 x 13½	80,000	2	2	2	2	3A
4 Skilling rose	12½	20,000	2B	6	6	6	4B
8 Skilling brown	14 x 13½	40,000	3	3	3	3	4A
16 Skilling yellow	14 x 13½	10,000	4	4	4	4	5A
16 Skilling yellow	12½	30,000	4B	7	7	7	5B
Mar. 22, 1873
3 Skilling gray	12½	25,000	5	5	5	5	2B

All issue quantities are approximate.

These stamps were valid until July 31, 1876. Favor (CTO) and fake cancels abound.
Imperforate stamps are proofs. Or, as Vigfus Palsson put it: " Ótökkað eintök af 2 skildingum. Það er ekki vitað hvernig þessi eintök komust í umferð, en það er talið að þau hafi aldrei verið notuð sem póstburðargjöld. "
NOTE: this link appear to not work anymore.

A good place to start looking for more information is Paul Herber's site.

A German site, Die Island Seite, covers forged and genuine cancels among other things.


First real airmail	Block
1930 Sc-C3 SG173

Iceland's first dedicated (rather than overprinted) airmail is a striking stamp and interestingly tessellated.

It was reported in vol. 28 no. 3 of the Journal (Aug-Oct 2020) that Iceland will stop issuing new stamps on 29th October 2020. It is unclear whether future production will be contracted out or old stamps reprinted when necessary, but, in the meantime, Iceland Post has stated 'we have plenty of stocks in stock for customers'.

Images from David Olson, ebay.

FI ref: 171

Page credit: JA/NB

Page created 19 Feb 2014

Page updated 1 Jun 2016