Guyana stamps depicting notable Guyanese sportspersons, poets, musicians and statesmen, entertainers and presidents, among others, are one way we honour our distinguished personalities today.
But before independence from Britain, no local persons were featured on British Guiana stamps; instead, early stamps of local focus featured the colony seal with a ship. In 1898, stamps showing Mt Roraima and Kaieteur Falls were first printed. Later, portraits of British monarchs appeared – first with ships then, by 1931, with local industries, (sugar, rice, timber, bauxite and gold mining) natural scenes and local buildings.
The first person other than a monarch to be featured on Guyana’s stamps during the pre-independence era was Sir Walter Raleigh with his son on a 1934 stamp issue. That same year, an unknown indigenous Indian shooting fish was also featured but with a portrait of King George V. Both images were repeated in 1938. The Indian shooting fish was again issued, but in a different colour, in 1954 as “Amerindian shooting fish”.
