Bahamas, 25 stamps

History, Color, and Island Life —
Get 25 Different Stamps from the Bahamas

The Bahamas has been issuing postage stamps since 1859, and its commemorative and definitive issues together make one of the most varied and visually striking collections in the Caribbean. Twenty-five different stamps gives you a generous sweep of Bahamas history and culture, from colonial-era Queen Elizabeth II definitives to independence portraits, international commemoratives, and the vivid natural world of the islands.

Selections will vary, but here are some of the stamps you may find in your packet:

• Independence 1973 — Clarence A. Bain (3c) — When the Bahamas achieved independence on July 10, 1973, its stamps honored the men who made it possible. Clarence A. Bain was one of the original "Magnificent Six" — the first members of the Progressive Liberal Party elected to the House of Assembly in 1956 — who together drove the civil rights movement and the push for majority rule that ultimately led to independence. Bain had spent 36 years in the United States, where his experience of racial segregation deepened his commitment to justice at home. He served as a cabinet minister, Member of Parliament, and lifelong civil rights activist. This portrait stamp is a piece of Bahamas political history.
• Red Cross Centenary, 1863–1963 (1d) — A bold, simply-designed stamp marking the 100th anniversary of the International Red Cross — the iconic red cross on white, with the years boldly stated. Issued across Commonwealth nations in 1963, it remains one of the most recognizable commemorative designs of its era.
• Bahamas Girl Guides Diamond Jubilee 1970 (3c) — An unusual diamond-shaped stamp — the shape itself a nod to the jubilee — bearing the Girl Guides trefoil badge and the Bahamas crest. Unusual stamp shapes are a popular specialty, and this one will be a standout in your collection.
• New Constitution 1964 (10c overprint) — The Queen Elizabeth II definitive overprinted to mark the new constitution that granted the Bahamas internal self-government — a key step toward full independence nine years later. A direct piece of the constitutional story.
• Game Fishing Boats — The Bahamas built much of its modern economy on tourism, and sport fishing has long been central to that story. This colorful stamp captures a game fishing boat off a palm-fringed island — a quintessential image of the islands as the world came to know them in the postwar decades.
• International Human Rights (3c) — A globe and figure design from the international human rights commemorative series, issued at a moment when the Bahamas civil rights movement was very much in progress at home.

Beyond these highlights, you may also find Queen Elizabeth II definitives featuring harbor and sea scenes, a traditional Bahamas costume stamp, native straw work craftspeople, a Commonwealth Day issue, a flora definitive, and more — a well-rounded collection covering the colonial era through independence and into the modern Bahamas.  Send for yours now.