In recognition of Christmas Island’s name (selected by Captain William Mynors, as he sailed past the island on Christmas Day, 1643), Christmas Island Christmas stamps have been issued every year, since 1984. They are a light-hearted take on Christmas in the southern hemisphere.
Illustrated by Shane McGowan, this year’s stamps and minisheet show Santa taking time out from delivering presents to practise his golf swing on the spectacular Christmas Island nine-hole golf course.
In the minisheet design, we see that the island’s famous red crabs are enjoying stealing some of Santa’s errant golf balls, which Santa’s elves are doing their best to rescue and fashion into a Christmas tree, to add some festive flair to the golf course. The island’s many seabirds are also enjoying the view.
Designer
Shane McGowan
Products released in this issue
- Minisheet
- First day cover (gummed, minisheet)
- Sheetlet of 5 x $2 (s/a)
- Embellished sheetlet of 10 x 65c (s/a)
- Embellished stamp pack
Technical specifications
- Issue date
- 1 November 2017
- Issue withdrawal date
- 31 May 2018
- Denominations
- 1 x 65c, 1 x $2
- Stamp design
- Shane McGowan
- Product design
- Sharon Rodziewicz
- Printer
- RA Printing
- Paper - gummed
- Tullis Russell Red Phos
- Paper - self-adhesive
- Securepost MC 90
- Printing process
- Offset lithography
- Stamp size
- 26mm x 37.5mm
- Minisheet size
- 135mm x 80mm
- Perforations
- 14.60 x 13.86
- Sheet layout
- Module of 50
- FDI postmark
- Christmas Island WA 6798
- FDI withdrawal date
- 29 November 2017
This content was produced at the time of the stamp issue release date and will not be updated.
