Belize Postal Service

It has been very busy at Tsunami Adventures and Costa Maya Beach Cabanas and we haven’t had the chance to make any website updates. I did manage to send out christmas cards to friends. I like to support the Postal Service as if the computer world ever crashes, we will be back sending letters in the mail. It is always fun to get a letter and even better to get a parcel. Caye Caulker has it’s own Post Office, located at the village council office complex. It is located beside the library and traffic office. The health clinic is here as well as a community center, where it is always being used for different functions. When I first came to Caye Caulker, the post office used to be on the back street and was seldom open. Now it is very efficient and open Monday to Friday. There is over a 100 post boxes. Tsunami Adventures and Costa Maya Beach Cabanas is BOX 76. Caye Caulker. Belize. Please send us a hello. If you need to reach anyone, just address it to their name, Caye Caulker Post Office. Here is some pictures of stamps as well as some interesting history about stamps.

British Honduras

British Honduras First Stamp

HMS Merlin on a stamp of 1949

HMS Merlin on a stamp of 1949

The Central American country of Belize started as the colony of British Honduras, formally established in the 17th century but disputed through the 18th century. British Honduras letters were sent via Jamaica, and are known from 1786. A handstamp reading “Belize” is seen on foreign mail from about 1800, and the first local post office dates from 31 October 1809. British postage stamps were introduced in 1858, with obliteration “A06” used at Belize. This continued until the colony took over the operation of its own posts on 1 April 1860, and thereafter mail was stampless, handstamps being used to indicate payment of postage. In 1866 the colony introduced its own stamps. The design was a profile of Queen Victoria typical of British stamps of the time, with an oval band reading “BRITISH HONDURAS” and the denomination, which in the first issue consisted of 1d, 6d, and 1sh values. The design continued in use until the Key Plate issue of 1891, with periodic changes of watermark and perforation. The currency changed from pounds to cents and dollars in 1888. As with many of the British colonies, British Honduras issued its first pictorial stamps in 1938, a series consisting of 12 stamps with values from 1c to $5. The two-color designs included Mayan figures, agricultural industries, and local scenes.
HMS Merlin on a stamp of 1949, The 150th anniversary of the Battle of St. George’s Caye was commemorated with six stamps in 1949, three depicting the cay, and three depicting HMS Merlin. Self government British Honduras was granted self-government on 1 January 1964 and issued its last issue as British Honduras at the beginning of 1973, celebrating the festivals of Belize. Change of name, On June 1, 1973 British Honduras was renamed Belize and the first issue in 1973 used stamps of the former British Honduras opted with BELIZE and two stars. The first issue without overprinting followed this in 1973 with a Royal Wedding issue of two stamps. Since then, it has been a collection of beautiful stamps. Here is some photos of the current stamps of Belize.

colourful stamps of Belize

collection of Belize Stamps 2011

coral and fish stamps

coral and fish stamps

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