Trinidad & Tobago — Stamps & Postal Service

Postal Service Overview

TTPost (Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation) is the twin-island republic’s postal operator. Trinidad and Tobago has a unique position in philatelic history: the 1847 Lady McLeod stamp — a local steamship stamp issued by David Bryce for his steamer Lady McLeod to carry letters between Port of Spain and San Fernando — is one of the world’s first stamps, predating Trinidad’s general colonial issue. It also predates the 1851 British Guiana stamp and is the Western Hemisphere’s earliest documented local stamp.

Notable Stamp Issues

The 1847 Lady McLeod blue (5 cents) is one of philately’s holy grails — only around 30 examples are known, all used, making it one of the world’s rarest stamps. Trinidad’s first general colonial stamps appeared in 1851. Tobago issued separate stamps from 1879 until merger with Trinidad in 1898. Trinidad and Tobago’s post-independence stamps (1962–present) feature steel pan drums, carnival, Pitch Lake (the world’s largest natural asphalt deposit), and spectacular bird life including the scarlet ibis (national bird).

Collecting Tips

Stanley Gibbons Commonwealth catalogue covers both Trinidad and Tobago separately and combined. The Lady McLeod stamp requires top-level expertisation — forgeries exist. Tobago stamps (1879–1898) are a separate specialist area. Trinidad’s colonial issues under the “Britannia” and subsequent designs are classic Caribbean Commonwealth material. Scarlet ibis bird stamps from T&T are popular with ornithological thematic collectors. Steel pan and carnival stamps attract music and culture thematic collectors. Caribbean carnival stamps from T&T are colourful and popular.

Part of the Americas Postal Directory.