The island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago north of Norway issued a few local stamps in 1896, and around 1910-1911. These local stamps were printed by the Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab shipping company, who had operations on the island. The first of these stamps were inscribed SPIDSBERGEN, came in two denominations, and showed a man shooting a polar bear.
Jan Mayen island lies to the southwest of Svalbard — closer to Greenland and Iceland than Norway — but is grouped with Svalbard for the sake of convenience. Jan Mayen does not have a permanent or indigenous population, housing only 20-40 or so researchers depending on the season. Stamps have been made, however, featuring the island, and covers exist.
See also: Albania Stamps: Collecting a Twisted History of Names
Postal collectibles from these areas include, where available, locally-produced stamps, Norwegian stamps referring to the areas, and (especially) covers to and from the islands. Our current selection can be found here; check back often to see new items.
