BURMA STAMPS / MYANMAR STAMPS

Burma Stamps - Following the first of three Anglo-Burmese Wars the British controlled much Burmese territory by 1826. The first stamps to be used in Burma were those of British India. Numeral postmarks allow collectors to identify Indian stamps used within Burma from 1856 onwards. Until the “BURMA” overprinted stamp issue in 1937, collectors of Burma had to be satisfied with collecting postal markings and postal history, including solders' mail from those Anglo-Burmese Wars of 1824–26, 1852 and 1885. The first pictorial issues of Burma, issued on 15th November 1938 depicted typical Burmese scenes such as an elephant moving teak logs or oxen ploughing a rice field.

The Japanese Occupation saw many British Burma stamps seized and overprinted with a Peacock design, there followed stamps issued in 1942 for the Japanese Army Administration which included surcharges on domestic Japanese stamps, and then stamps devoid of Japanese design influence when in 1943 an independent Burmese Government was declared. After hostilities ceased the stamps were issued for the British Military Administration in 1945, the British Civil Administration in 1946 and for an Interim Burmese Government in 1947.

Philatelic postscript: Since 1989 the re-named Myanmar continues to issue beautiful stamps.

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