Guernsey stamps

P=have O=don’t have it

The Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown Dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.

The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet possessions. The Bailiwick of Guernsey also administers some aspects of two nearby crown dependencies (Alderney and Sark), and the island of Brecqhou.

Although its defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom, the Bailiwick of Guernsey is not part of the UK; and while it participates in the Common Travel Area, it is not part of the European Union.

See: Great Britain

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Scott: #56P,#57P,#58P,#59P

Issued: 1.6.1971

Thomas de la Rue, Founder of Security Printers

Inside #56: Hong Kong #1O

Inside #57: GB #22O

Inside #58: Italy #26P

Inside #59: US Conferate States #6O

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Scott: #426P,#427P,#428P,#429P,#430P

Issued: 3.5.1990

150th Anniversary, Penny Black

Inside #426: GB #1 [T-A]

Visit: The Penny Black Plate project http://www.arcieriminerva.it/SOS/homeSOS.htm

Inside #427: GB #3 P

Inside #428: GB #255 P

Inside #429: Guernsey #2 P

Inside #430: Guernsey #10 P

Scott: #430aP

Scott: #430bO

Issued to promote Guernsey participation at the New Zealand 1990 exhibition

Thanks to Lou for scan and info

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Scott: #446P,#447P,#448P

Issued: 8.2.1991

50th Anniversary, Occupation Stamps

Inside #446-8: Guernsey #N1-#N3O

Guernsey Prestige Booklet #448aP 3 panes: 448a IP, 448a IIP, 448a IIIP

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Scott: #425O

Issued: 27.02.1990

Europa 1990

Inside #425: Guernsey #297O

Lou wrote: Last night, I was trolling the internet, not looking for anything in particular, when a stamp from Guernsey caught my eye. Part of a set issued for Europa 1990, Guernsey #425 showed a postal clerk and customer, but on the wall behind them there appeared to be a vague stamp. I scanned the issue, and on enlarging it, I felt it was possibly an identifiable stamp showing an actual place.  It occurred to me that the designer probably created his art using an actual post office photograph, and since the stamp filled a background space, he kept it in his work.

I went to Delcampe and entered a search for "Guernsey views".  A very few minutes later, I found the stamp-- Guernsey #297, issued in 1984 as part of a long set showing various tourist sites around Guernsey. Pictured is a view of La Coupée, a one hundred mile roadway on the isthmus between Big Sark and Little Sark Islands.

This Sos may not be for everyone, but I thought it was a bit exciting to find it thirty-one years after its issue, so I decided to share my find. I've already found both stamps and a first day cover to add to my collection.

Thanks to Lou Guadagno

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Scott: #452P

Issued: 1.4.1991

Europa 1991

Inside #452: Guernsey #13O

Inside #452: Guernsey #12P

Inside #452: Guernsey #15P

Inside #452: Guernsey #14O

Guernsey FCD 1969

Thanks to Lou Guadagno

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Scott: #523O,#520-522,#524

Issued: 27.7.1993

Birth Bicentennial, Thomas de la Rue, Printer

Inside #523: GB #22O

Scott: #523aO

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Scott: #597-602O

Issued: 21.8.1997

Communications

Inside #601: Guernsey #584aO

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Scott: #680-3O

Issued: 27.4.1999

Herm, Our Island Jewel

Inside #680-3: Herm Island Local Carriage Labels

Herm Island Local Carriage Labels – 1954

(Thanks to Lou for the scans)

Herm is an island off Guernsey's east coast, just one and a half miles long by half a mile wide, and 15 minutes away by boat. It makes an admirable subject for this year's Europa issue, Nature Reserves and Parks. When the States of Guernsey bought the island from the British Government in 1946 and set about

finding a tenant to run it, the following proviso was imposed: "That the governing principle... shall be to ensure that the natural attractions and peacefulness of that island are preserved and are made available to all who visit it".

When Peter and Jenny Wood took over the tenancy in 1949 Herm was derelict and overgrown. They gradually enhanced the countryside, repaired the buildings, made the island fit for visitors and the Bailiwick of Guernsey gained a wonderful new attraction which has captured the hearts of thousands over the years. The stamps combine new designs with detail from some of Herm's carriage labels, on the 50th anniversary of their introduction. The labels (not strictly speaking stamps) were used until 1969, when the Guernsey Post Office took over control of its own affairs from the British Post Office and opened a sub-post office in Herm.

The larger part of the stamp design features the Burnet Rose on dunes behind Shell Beach, while the four-doubles (the Bailiwick's old unit of currency equivalent to one old penny) carriage label shows the Yellow Horned Poppy, Yellow Flag Iris and Wallflower. Here we see Puffins on the cliffs with Belvoir Bay in the distance, while the 5d. (five pre-decimal pence) carriage label shows

the Kentish Plover, Oystercatcher and Common Tern.

The Small Heath butterfly is a common sight around the island; the 6d. (six pre-decimal pence) carriage label shows a Red Admiral and a Painted Lady.

Shell Beach, named for the amazing variety of shells washed up by the Gulf Stream, is one of Herm's most famous features.

Here we depict the Variegated Scallop, Dogwhelk, European Cowrie and Painted Topshell, while the one shilling (equivalent to five new pence) carriage label shows the Garfish and the Ballan Wrasse.

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Lou wrote: I really like this set design wise, and I found it interesting that it gave some legitimacy to the Herm Island carriage labels that were so disparaged during the time they were being issued.  Also, I liked the fact that the designer used the imperf proofs instead of the regular perfed stamps.  Originally, I thought the sos were shown imperf because they looked neater, but it turns out that when the Herm Island shop was asked for stamps to use for the designs, they were sold out of the perfed stamps and could only supply the imperf proofs.  I was able to pick up a set of the proofs very cheaply at a local show - from Gt Britain they sell for £ 6.00.

What I had not been aware of when the stamps were issued, is that they were printed in decorated sheetlets of 10 stamps, with background info and enlargements of the label and stamp artwork without inscriptions. 

The designer, Colleen Corlett, was very kind and sent us "in progress plates" of the full set.

Thanks to Colleen Corlett: www.colleencorlett.com

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Scott: #1214-9O

Issued: 31.7.2013

The 200th Anniversary of the Guernsey Press and Star

Inside #1216: Guernsey #N1O

Thanks to Prof. Plinio Richelmi and Martin Hirschbühl

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Scott: #1300O

Issued: 01.05.2015

175th Anniversary of The Penny Black

Inside #1300: G.B. #1 [Q-B]

Thanks to Lou Guadagno and Prof. Plinio Richelmi

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Scott: #1328O

Issued: 11.11.2015

Stories From the Great War, Part 2

Inside #1328: G.B. #128c (rose ink printing 1911) P

The stamp is reproduced from a letter from a Guernsey soldier to his sweetheart; the purposely angled

placement on the envelope has a secret meaning: "Longing to see you again"

Thanks to Lou Guadagno

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Scott: #????-?P

Issued: 01.10.2019

50th Anniversary of Postal Independence

Inside #????a:

Guernsey #145P	Guernsey #8PP	Guernsey #38O	Guernsey #34O	Guernsey #J3O

Inside #????b:

Guernsey #194O	Guernsey #182O	Guernsey #251O	Guernsey #283P	Guernsey #305O

Inside #????c:

Guernsey #410P	Guernsey #429P	Guernsey #502O	Guernsey #419O	Guernsey #488O

Inside #????d:

Guernsey #544O	Guernsey #703O	Guernsey #663O	Guernsey #538O	Guernsey #679O

Inside #????e:

Guernsey #991O	Guernsey #859O	Guernsey #809O	Guernsey #950O	Guernsey #795O

Inside #????f:

Guernsey #1220O	Guernsey #1250O	Guernsey #1132O	Guernsey #1145O	Guernsey #???? (2019) O

Thanks to Lou Guadagno

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Scott: #????-?O

Issued: 10.06.2021

Postcrossing

Inside #????-?: Guernsey #????-? (Self SOS)

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Best website related:

http://www.guernseystamps.com/

Peter Gladman

http://www.petersstamps.com/index.html

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Wish List

Guernsey #N1-#N3

Guernsey #13

Guernsey #14

Guernsey #34

Guernsey #38

Guernsey #J3

Guernsey #182

Guernsey #194

Guernsey #251

Guernsey #297

Guernsey #305

Guernsey #419

Guernsey #425

Guernsey #488

Guernsey #494 for Hong Kong

Guernsey #502

Guernsey #524 for Hong Kong

Guernsey #544

Guernsey #538

Guernsey #584a

Scott: #597-602

Guernsey #663

Guernsey #679

Scott: #680-3

Guernsey #703

Guernsey #795

Guernsey #809

Guernsey #859

Guernsey #950

Guernsey #991

Guernsey #1220

Guernsey #1250

Guernsey #1132

Guernsey #1145

Scott: #1216

Guernsey #???? (2019)