Cocos Islands Mint Stamps - Cocos Islands Used Stamps - cocos Islands Newest Stamps
There are 27 coral islands in this group. Captain William Keeling discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. From the 1820s to 1978, members of the Clunie-Ross family controlled the islands and the copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the Cocos Islands were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.
Stamps of Cocos Island (Along with Christmas Island stamps) are among the most popular in Australia area philately. Nice stamp designs, limited new issues, and no rarities make it possible to collect, complete and maintain a Cocos stamp collection.
Mint Cocos stamps are readily available and prices are competitive in the market. However, try to find genuine used copies or stamps on cover, and you enter a whole new Cocos philatelic world. These are tough items for any Cocos stamp collector to find.
Cocos Scott #01 , the 1991 official stamp only released to the public in used condition, is the key to the country. But all Cocos stamp issues from the years 1995 to 2006 are in short supply.
To see the latest Cocos Islands new stamp issues please see the New Issue Listings at Herrick Stamp Company website.