IM-SG-34
| Stamp image | 
|
|---|---|
| Identifier | IM-SG-34 |
| Country | Isle of Man |
| Country code | IM |
| Catalogue | Stanley Gibbons |
| Catalogue number | 34 |
| Variant | |
| Issue title | Inauguration of Postal Independence |
| Date of issue | 5 July 1973 |
| Withdrawal or invalidation date | Not specified |
| Quantity sold | 350,000 |
| Sold out | Soon after issue. |
| Face value | 15p |
| Subject or design | Viking landing on Man, AD 938 |
| Stamp type | Commemorative stamp |
| Stamp subtype | Historical event |
| Format | Stamp |
| Designer or artist | J. H. Nicholson, R.I. |
| Printer | Harrison and Sons |
| Printing process | Photogravure |
| Colour | Five colours; multicoloured |
| Dimensions | Approximately 34.1 mm wide × 40.6 mm high, including perforation |
| Perforation | 14 (comb) |
| Watermark | |
| Paper or gum | White postage stamp paper with Harrison and Sons' very white matt coating; PVA gum |
| Other catalogue references | |
| Associated FDC or issue pages | Isle of Man – Inauguration of Postal Independence – 1973 |
| Notes | Issued in sheets of 50 (10 columns × 5 rows). Cylinder numbers: 1A (×4). Dimensions converted from the information leaflet's imperial measurements. For the 1983 15p stamp inscribed “POST OFFICE DECENNIUM”, see IM-SG-256. |
IM-SG-34 is the 15p commemorative stamp issued by the Isle of Man on 5 July 1973 to mark the inauguration of postal independence. Its design depicts a Viking landing on Man in AD 938.[1]
The Isle of Man Post Office dates the island's postal independence to 5 July 1973. Its fiftieth-anniversary history records that strong advance demand increased the planned quantity of the inaugural stamp from 250,000 to 350,000.[2]
Design and production
The issue information leaflet credits the design to J. H. Nicholson, R.I., and the printing to Harrison and Sons of High Wycombe. It records five colours, photogravure printing and comb perforation 14. The paper has Harrison and Sons' very white matt coating and PVA gum.[3]
The leaflet gives the vertical stamp's size as 1.6 × 1.341 inches, including perforation. Converted to metric and expressed as width by height, this is approximately 34.1 × 40.6 mm.[3]
Sheets contained 50 stamps, arranged in ten columns and five rows. The leaflet confirms five rows of ten stamps, and the catalogue records the cylinder numbers as 1A (×4).[3][1]
The leaflet connects the design with the tradition of King Orry and explains that AD 938 was the date adopted for the stamp. The inscription on the stamp reads “Viking landing on Man 938 A.D.”.[3][4]
Sales
Stanley Gibbons records a quantity sold of 350,000 stamps and states that stocks sold out soon after issue. These figures describe the stamp, rather than the quantity of first day covers.[1]
First day cover
Stanley Gibbons lists a first day cover for this issue.[1] The collection holds an unaddressed official cover with a Viking longship cachet, a Douglas first-day cancellation dated 5 July 1973 and an accompanying information leaflet. See Isle of Man – Inauguration of Postal Independence – 1973.[5]
Related stamp
For the 1983 15p stamp inscribed “POST OFFICE DECENNIUM”, see IM-SG-256.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Stanley Gibbons.Channel Islands and Isle of Man 2022 Edition Stamp Catalogue(31st combined edition).Stanley Gibbons.2022.Section: Isle of Man.Catalogue system: Stanley Gibbons.Catalogue number(s): 34.ISBN: 978-1-911304-89-0.Inauguration of Postal Independence issue; includes a first day cover listing and a cross-reference to SG256.
- ↑ “50th Anniversary Exhibition at the Manx Museum”. Isle of Man Post Office. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Inauguration of Postal Independence(Information leaflet).Reference: Scan of the information leaflet.Issue date printed as 5 July 1973. Historical explanation and technical details on the printed face. Original held with the first day cover in the collection.
- ↑ Isle of Man SG 34 — 15p inaugural stamp(Stamp).Reference: Scan of the stamp.Detail scan from the owned first day cover.
- ↑ Inauguration of the Isle of Man Post Office — official first day cover(First day cover).Reference: Scan of the cover.Copy held in the collection.
