In the South Atlantic lie the islands of Ascension, St Helena and Tristan da Cunha. All remain British Overseas Territories and their stamps, being relatively modest in number, remain popular with collectors. Ascension may be a very small island but it has a fascinating philatelic history. Initially, British stamps were used, but from the first overprints (on St Helena, in 1922) collectors' interest was intense, and (in common with St Helena) the plate flaws have been exhaustively studied and remain extremely popular. The Falkland Islands, together with the spinoff issues for the Dependencies, British Antarctic Territory and South Georgia, are some of the most attractive areas for philatelists and postal historians. St Helena's issuing history goes back as far as 1856 with superb classic issues, and a modern rarity in the 1961 'Tristan Relief' set. Tristan da Cunha itself didn't issue stamps until 1952, but the earlier postal markings are of great interest.

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A Brief History of Stamps from the Falkland Islands & South Atlantic Ocean

Falkland Islands

Moving south lies the group of 778, mostly uninhabited, islands known as the Falkland Islands: their location means they can experience four seasons in a single day (interestingly they are as far south of the Equator as the British isle are north). Another British Overseas Territory, ownership remains contentious (despite the population overwhelmingly wishing to remain British), manifesting itself in the 1982 war.

The first stamps, again with the portrait of Queen Victoria, appeared in 1878 in values of 1d, 6d and 1s, followed by a 4d the following year. A notable, and attractive set was issued in 1933 to mark the centenary of the British Administration. However, Falkland islands have produced another rarity of the Queen’s reign. In 1964 a set of four stamps marked the 50th anniversary of the Battle of the Falkland Islands. A sheet printed with the design of HMS Glasgow intended for the 2½d value, inadvertently received the border of the 6d value.

St. Helena

St Helena’s first stamp appeared in 1856, a 6d in blue with the portrait of Queen Victoria: it was in 1903 that pictorial designs were introduced. The first stamps of Ascension (in 1922) and Tristan da Cunha (in 1952) were both overprints on the stamps of St Helena: subsequent issues carried the respective island name. St Helena is famed for the exile of Napoleon Bonaparte, remembered by his, now empty, tomb.

British Antarctic Territory

British Antarctic Territory, part of Antarctica, is the largest and most southerly of the British Overseas Territories and includes Graham Land, South Orkney Islands and the South Shetland Islands. The Territory was formed on 3 March 1962 and has had its own stamp issues since 1 February 1963.