Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands, located 300 miles east of the Straits of Magellan, began issuing stamps in 1878. Like the stamps of most British Crown colonies, they bore Queen Victoria’s portrait. She remained the lone subject of Falkland Island stamps until after her death and the accession to the throne of King Edward VII in 1901. Edward lived only ten years into his reign and was featured on the series of 1904-07. Falkland dependencies of Shetland Islands, South Orkneys, and Graham Land became the colony of British Antarctic Territory and began issuing stamps in 1963. South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands issued stamps from 1963 on, but didn’t become a separate colony until 1985.