The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is a group of islands in the Caribbean that has issued stamps inscribed TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO since 1913. Stamps inscribed either TRINIDAD only or TOBAGO only have also been issued. The main island Trinidad is joined by the much smaller Tobago; other, even smaller islands comprise the rest of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad stamps (1847 — 1913)
In 1847, the owner of a boat called Lady McLeod had his own stamps printed so people on the island of Trinidad (then a British colony) could pay him for his unofficial mail service as he came and went on his boat. These stamps are very valuable today, if hard to find.
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In 1851, the first official stamps inscribed TRINIDAD were issued, showing Britannia. Britain merged the islands of Trinidad and Tobago into a single colony in 1889; stamps continued to say TRINIDAD only until 1913, though they were used on both islands from 1889.
Tobago stamps (1879 — 1896)
The island of Tobago, then a separate British colony, used stamps inscribed TOBAGO from 1879 until 1896, although from 1889 it also used the stamps that read TRINIDAD. All Tobago stamps feature Queen Victoria.
Trinidad and Tobago stamps (1913 — now)
Twenty-four years after the formation of the Colony of Trinidad and Tobago, stamps using both islands’ names were finally issued. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO-inscribed stamps were first issued in 1913, and depicted Britannia, as had the stamps of Trinidad previously.
In 1935, Trinidad and Tobago decimalized its currency, under the system 1 dollar = 100 cents. Prior to this, the colony used traditional British units of currency. In 1976, Trinidad and Tobago gained independence from Britain.
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Today, Trinidad and Tobago stamps tend to be colorful and playful, and there are a lot of souvenir sheets and maximum cards and similar postal items aimed at collectors. Check our listings here, and remember to look at the subcategories for certain types of Trinidad and Tobago philatelic collectibles. Selection is updated frequently.
