Barbados

Barbados, an island in the eastern Caribbean, was a British colony from the 17th century until gaining independence in 1966. Known for its long-standing political stability and plantation-based economy, the island developed strong administrative institutions and close ties to Britain, which influenced its governance and culture.

Barbados produced a distinctive and highly collectible range of postage stamps. Early issues prominently featured Britannia and later British monarchs, while subsequent designs highlighted local landmarks, sugar industry scenes, and island life. These stamps are noted for their elegant engravings and classical colonial aesthetic.

The island used the British currency system of pounds, shillings, and pence until transitioning to the British West Indian Dollar in 1955, the East Carribean Dollar in 1965, and finally the barbados dollar in 1973.

1979 - Barbados 70 Cents - Bananaquit

First issued: 07 Aug 197970 Barbadian CentsBirds SeriesHarrison & Sons Ltd., Designed by John Waddington StudiosSG: BB 634 Colnect Link
This stamp shows the bird commonly known as the bananaquit (Coereba flaveola), which is widespread across the Caribbean, including Barbados.The bananaquit is one of the most common and visible small birds in the region, found everywhere from gardens to scrubland, which makes it a natural everyday representative of local wildlife rather than a rare or symbolic species.It’s also a nectar feeder, using its curved bill to probe flowers, sometimes even piercing them from the side to get at the nectar. The specific “yellow breast” noted on the stamp is the most recognizable feature of the species—most forms have dark upper parts with a bright yellow underside and a distinctive white stripe over the eye.The postmark functions as a tourism advertisement saying "Barbados - for all-year-round sunshine and sea-bathing"

1979 - Barbados 45 Cents - Wood Dove

First issued: 07 Aug 197945 Barbadian CentsBirds SeriesHarrison & Sons Ltd., Designed by John Waddington StudiosSG: BB 632 Colnect Link
This stamp shows the Zenaida dove (Zenaida aurita), commonly called the wood dove in Barbados, which is one of the most widespread and familiar birds on the island.This species represents the ground-feeding, open-landscape side of Caribbean bird life. It’s typically found in fields, scrub, and even urban areas, where it forages mainly on seeds and grains, often walking on the ground rather than feeding in trees.

1979 - Barbados 20 Cents - Antillean Crested Hummingbird

First issued: 07 Aug 197920 Barbadian CentsBirds SeriesHarrison & Sons Ltd., Designed by John Waddington StudiosSG: BB 628 Colnect Link
This stamp shows one of the more distinctive Caribbean hummingbirds—the Antillean crested hummingbird (Orthorhyncus cristatus), which is actually the only species in its genus and is native across the Lesser Antilles, including Barbados.What sets it apart is the crest. Among hummingbirds, that’s unusual; the male has a small, iridescent green crest on its head, while the female lacks it entirely, making the species strongly sexually dimorphic.Another detail is that the Barbados population is its own subspecies (O. c. cristatus), and the island is actually the type locality used in its scientific description. So this isn’t just a regional bird appearing on a stamp—it’s one that is taxonomically tied to Barbados itself.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse