Prince Edward Island, PEI for short, first residents were the Mi’kmaq. The Mi’kmaq first lived here about 2000 years ago and called the Island ‘Epekwitk’, meaning “resting on the waves”.
French explorers were the first Europeans to visit and settle the Island. Jacques Cartier described the Island as “…the fairest land ’tis possible to see!” The French called the Island “Île Saint-Jean.’ To the British, who later occupied the area, the Island was known as ‘St. John’s Island.’ The Island was renamed in 1799 as ‘Prince Edward Island’ in honor of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, the father of Queen Victoria.
Batum was the end of the line on the Transcaucasian railway so the town had an international flair. The port was always full of ships on their way to other places. Surrounding the town were large and dismal swamps and the town was known for a rich history having been a Greek Colony (Bathus), a fortified Roman fort, part of the Ottoman Empire and the last sea port annexed by Russia in 1878.
It is known as one of the places the young Joseph Stalin cut his teeth inciting protests, strikes and general unrest around 1901. Batum was also providing the world with 50% of its oil via a rickety pipeline over mountainous terrain from the Caspian Sea.
The United States of Colombia (1862-85) consisted of nine original States: Antioquia, Bolivar, Boyaca, Cundinamarca, Panama, Santander, Cauca, Magdalena, and Tolima. Although Magdalena and Cauca did issue stamps they are not in the Scotts catalog.
Most became sovereign states around 1858, by recognition as Estado de la Federación in the constitution of the Granadine Confederation. With the Constitution of 1886, the sovereign states became departments but continued with their postal services and stamps until 1906, when the national government took over all the services previously performed by the departments.
The small quantity of stamps issued, the lithographic printing and the variety of papers used make Antioquia a very special and interesting area of Colombian philately. With many stamps no complete sheet exists and with some stamps the largest multiple is only a pair. There was often a very small quantity of stamps printed, only 258 of some and no more than 1,000 of others. Covers of that period are even scarcer than the classic Colombian covers that are recorded.
Only very few hand stamps (postal markings) were used, and most stamps were cancelled in manuscript with the name of the town of origin.
Selects from Columbian States (My Collection)
There are a lot of issues possible for the collector of Colombian States and I don’t think it is a very popular area to collect so there are opportunities there. Most are inexpensive although the scarcer issues are, obviously, more expensive.
The United States of Colombia (1862-85) consisted of nine original States: Antioquia, Bolivar, Boyaca, Cundinamarca, Panama, Santander, Cauca, Magdalena, and Tolima. Although Magdalena and Cauca did issue stamps but they are not in the Scotts catalog.
Most became sovereign states around 1858, by recognition as Estado de la Federación in the constitution of the Granadine Confederation. With the Constitution of 1886, the sovereign states became departments but continued with their postal services and stamps until 1906, when the national government took over all the services previously performed by the departments.
