Postage stamps and postal history of Sri Lanka

           Postage stamps and postal history of sri lanka

                                       

• Sri Lanka, known as Ceylon before 22 May 1972, is an island countryin South Asia, located about 31 km off the southern coast of India. After over two thousand years of rule by local kingdoms, parts of Sri Lanka were colonized by Portugal and the Netherlands beginning in the 16th century, before control of the entire country passed to Britain around 1796. A nationalist political movement arose in the country in the early 20th century with the aim of obtaining political independence, which was eventually granted by the British after peaceful negotiations in 1948.

British colony stamps

The first stamps for Ceylon were issued on 1 April 1857.The stamp features a portrait of Queen Victoria and is brown in colour. It is a 6 pence value used to send a half ounce letter from Ceylon to England. Eight more stamps were issued in year 1857, all featuring the portrait of Queen Victoria. One of the 5 stamps that were issued on 23 April 1859 is considered to be the most valuable stamp in Sri Lanka: it is a 4 pence with a dark pink colour known as the 'Dull Rose'.

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  1857 Victoria on 6 pence
 
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  1859 Victoria on 1 sh 9 p - Cert. B.P.A.
 
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