Marshall Islands — Stamps & Postal Service

Postal Service Overview

The Marshall Islands Postal Service is the Republic of Marshall Islands’ postal operator. The Marshall Islands — 29 atolls and 5 isolated islands in the central Pacific — was part of the US Trust Territory before issuing its first stamps in 1984. Independence was achieved in 1986 under the Compact of Free Association with the United States. The Marshall Islands carries one of WWII and Cold War history’s most significant burdens: Bikini Atoll and Enewetak Atoll were sites of extensive US nuclear weapons testing (1946–1958), displacing indigenous populations and leaving lasting environmental contamination.

Notable Stamp Issues

Marshall Islands’ first stamps in 1984 depicted traditional stick chart navigation (rebbelib) — the unique Marshallese art of mapping ocean swells and currents using palm sticks and shells, enabling open-ocean canoe navigation. Post-independence stamps have featured the nuclear test history of Bikini Atoll (a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its “nuclear landscape”), WWII Battle of Kwajalein and other Pacific battles, traditional canoe building, and breadfruit trees. The Marshall Islands has produced extensive WWII history stamps covering the Pacific Theatre from multiple perspectives.

Collecting Tips

Scott Pacific catalogue covers Marshall Islands stamps. Traditional stick chart navigation stamps are unique to Marshallese philately — popular with maritime navigation thematic collectors. Bikini Atoll nuclear testing stamps are popular with Cold War, nuclear history, and environmental thematic collectors. WWII Pacific battle stamps from the Marshall Islands are popular with military history collectors. The traditional outrigger proa (Marshallese sailing canoe) stamps attract Pacific maritime heritage collectors. Marshall Islands produces an extensive annual programme and first-day cover service.

Part of the Oceania Postal Directory.