Rare British Guiana Victorian era (1840-1901) stamps
Add a new centrepiece to your collection with a British Guiana Victorian era stamp from this range. British Guiana was a colony on the northern coast of South America, and it has a rich colonial history. It's also incredibly famous for its historic stamps, with some of the rarest examples fetching high prices at auctions.
Browse through this great selection of British colony stamps to find the perfect new stamp to show off to your friends.
Early British Guiana stamps
As early as 1796, British stamps were being used in British Guiana, although the postal service was part of a privately owned packet service until 1850. Some of these stamps are the earliest examples from the colony, and one from the beginning of the Victorian era would be an excellent addition to your collection.
British Guiana Cottonreels
A British government-run postal service came into existence in 1850, but postage stamps had not been produced by that time. To combat this, the Georgetown postmaster went to the local newspaper and asked them to print some stamps that they could use.
These stamps are known as Cottonreels due to their circular shape, making them look similar to the labels used on reels of cotton at the time, and feature a 'British Guiana' wordmark. These stamps are amazing rare examples of British Guiana stamps from the Victorian era, and would be a really interesting piece of history for your collection.
Later stamps
In 1852, London-made stamps finally arrived in British Guiana. Featuring a sailing ship and typeset details, these particular stamps are recognisable by the misspelling of the colony's Latin motto. The stamps from this first batch are quite rare, so look out for them while you're searching for your next collector's piece.
British Guiana had to print their own stamps again in 1856, as those sent over from London were not enough. These stamps are considered some of the rarest stamps in the world, so coming across one would be an amazing find and a wonderful addition to your collection.
