Dead countries are those that do not exist anymore. For example the Strait Settlements were grouped together as one British Colony. The settlements are along the Malacca strait a narrow waterway that connects the Pacific to the Indian Oceans it lies along the South West tip of the Malaysian Peninsula. Today the Strait Settlements are in two different countries, Malaysia and Singapore.
Trying to locate stamps from dead countries can prove to be a worthy quest. Some of the rewards that come from the quest may help a child learn of geography or an adult may like to learn what caused it to fail. Was it a change in political structure, a dictator gone mad or perhaps an overzealous neighbor wanting to expand their borders? History does have a tendency to or repeat itself so knowledge of the failure mechanism may help avoid future conflict.
Some of the Dead Countries were actually city states or self-governing regions that issued stamps before the country was unified. Germany had Baden, Bavaria, Bergedorf, Bremen, Brunswick, Hamburg, Hanover, Lubeck, Mecklenburg, Oldenburg, Prussia, Saxony Wurttemberg and the North German Confederation. Italy had a similar selection of states, Modena, Parma, Romagna, Sardinia, Sicily and Tuscany. When unification occurred the stamps of the unifying country were accepted and used in each of the dependent regions.
Former colonies of France, Spain, Portugal and Great Britain each had stamps of a similar design issued with only minor name changes applied to the stamps to indicate the colony in which it was to be used. If a former colony was granted independence it may rename itself and issue stamps with the new name creating another dead country.
Hawaii is an interesting dead country. It was one of the first countries to issue postage stamps. The Kingdom of Hawaii issued their first postage stamps in 1851. They were designed and printed by the adult children of the American Missionaries to Hawaii. The first set of stamps has become known as the Hawaiian Missionaries. In the late nineteenth century opium was introduced by Chinese laborers who were brought in to help harvest sugar. Taxes on the Opium provided a source of revenue for the Kingdom. The beginning of the end of the monarchy occurred when King David Kalakaua accepted money from a narcotic dealing businessman for the right to sell the opiate. A provisional government was formed followed by a Republic led by President Dole. Each form of government issued their own stamps until 1898 when Hawaii was annexed by the United States.
Trying to locate stamps from dead countries can prove to be a worthy quest. Some of the rewards that come from the quest may help a child learn of geography or an adult may like to learn what caused it to fail. Was it a change in political structure, a dictator gone mad or perhaps an overzealous neighbor wanting to expand their borders? History does have a tendency to or repeat itself so knowledge of the failure mechanism may help avoid future conflict.
Some of the Dead Countries were actually city states or self-governing regions that issued stamps before the country was unified. Germany had Baden, Bavaria, Bergedorf, Bremen, Brunswick, Hamburg, Hanover, Lubeck, Mecklenburg, Oldenburg, Prussia, Saxony Wurttemberg and the North German Confederation. Italy had a similar selection of states, Modena, Parma, Romagna, Sardinia, Sicily and Tuscany. When unification occurred the stamps of the unifying country were accepted and used in each of the dependent regions.
Former colonies of France, Spain, Portugal and Great Britain each had stamps of a similar design issued with only minor name changes applied to the stamps to indicate the colony in which it was to be used. If a former colony was granted independence it may rename itself and issue stamps with the new name creating another dead country.
Hawaii is an interesting dead country. It was one of the first countries to issue postage stamps. The Kingdom of Hawaii issued their first postage stamps in 1851. They were designed and printed by the adult children of the American Missionaries to Hawaii. The first set of stamps has become known as the Hawaiian Missionaries. In the late nineteenth century opium was introduced by Chinese laborers who were brought in to help harvest sugar. Taxes on the Opium provided a source of revenue for the Kingdom. The beginning of the end of the monarchy occurred when King David Kalakaua accepted money from a narcotic dealing businessman for the right to sell the opiate. A provisional government was formed followed by a Republic led by President Dole. Each form of government issued their own stamps until 1898 when Hawaii was annexed by the United States.
