The Isle of Man‘s very first stamps were in fact 1958 British “regional issues”, part of a series of stamps issued for Britain’s various lands that were not inscribed with any country name, and which were valid for postage in all parts of the United Kingdom. The Isle of Man’s stamps of this time featured Queen Elizabeth II and, in a corner, the Manx triskelion (three-leg emblem).
During a British postal strike in 1971, the Isle of Man took the opportunity to realize a long-held dream of issuing its own postage stamps; these were copies of the regional stamps. Finally, in 1973, the Isle of Mann was a British Dependency, and stamps with the inscription ISLE OF MAN were issued. Right out of the gate, the designs on Isle of Man stamps proved to be bold, playful, and quite attractive, with curious typefaces, dramatic subject matter, and daring colors.
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The English name is nearly always used on Isle of Man stamps; an early stamp in 1975 also included the Manx name, ELLAN VALLIN, but this would rarely be returned to. The Isle of Man has embraced the international collectors’ market; there are souvenir sheets, maximum cards, and other conventional philatelic collectibles, but also stamps featuring Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, embossed foil, and other unusual items. Browsing our Isle of Man postage stamps for sale usually means adding a splash or two of color to your collection.
