The postal history of the Pitcairn Islands can be traced to second half of the 19th century, when outgoing mail was hand stamped as "Posted on Pitcairn Island: no stamps available."[1] Stamps were carried by passing ships and received postal stamps and cancellation at various ports of calls.[2] However, this practice was discontinued in 1926 following reports of ship passengers mixing their own mail into the “no stamp” system set aside for the Pitcairn residents.[3]
In June 1927, a postal agency was set up on Pitcairn to sell New Zealand stamps. The first Pitcairn postage stamps, consisting of eight denominations, were issued on October 15, 1940.[2]
The New Zealand-based Pitcairn Islands Philatelic Bureau coordinates the territory’s stamp program.[3] The program issues up to six commemorative stamps per year, and new definitive stamps are issued on an average cycle of five years.[4] The sale of philatelic issues has been a source of revenue for the territory.[2]
Below is a partial list of people on stamps of the Pitcairn Islands arranged in alphabetical order[5]:
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