Van Diemen’s Land, the former name of the Australian island of Tasmania, issued its own stamps in 1853, and again from 1855-1857. Stamps from 1858 were inscribed with the territory’s new name, Tasmania.
Van Diemen’s Land was originally named Anthony van Diemen’s Land, in honor of a sponsor of Abel Tasman, the Dutch explorer who actually found the island in 1642. “Anthony” was dropped from the name by the British before renaming it in honor of the explorer rather than the sponsor.
The first Van Diemen’s Land stamps, in 1853, showed Queen Victoria and came in two values: 1 penny and 4 pence. These two stamps are very valuable, especially in good condition.
See also: Tasmanian Stamps: Philately from Under Down Under
The second series of Van Diemen’s Land stamps came in three values: 1p, 2p, and 4p. With the stamps being reissued in their second and third years with new color variations each time, there is today a variety of colors that can be collected even from this relatively small slice of Australian postal history.
Whatever type of postage stamp from Van Diemen’s Land you’re looking for, check our current selection. The listings may include both VDL stamps from the 1850s as well as modern Australian stamps that commemorate Van Diemen’s Land and/or subjects related to the island.
