British Bahamas year 1838/41 stamps lot Unused – MH
That’s a very interesting date range for the British Bahamas!
While the postal history of the Bahamas began quite early, the colony did not issue its own postage stamps until much later. The years 1838–1841 fall firmly within the Pre-Stamp Era for the Bahamas.
🇧🇸 British Bahamas: 1838–1841 Postal History
If you have a lot of items marked with the date range of 1838–1841, they would almost certainly be related to Postal History (covers/envelopes) rather than adhesive stamps.
| Feature | Date/Period | Details |
| First Post Office | 1733 | The earliest postal services begin. |
| Handstamps | 1804 onward | A straight-line “BAHAMAS” handstamp came into use. |
| Royal Mail Service | 1841 | The Royal Mail Line initiated a regular mail service, which may be why you see 1841 in the lot’s description. This marks the start of more regular external mail flow. |
| First Use of Stamps | 1858 (British Stamps) | British stamps, cancelled with the “A05” barred oval, were used briefly. |
| First Bahamian Stamp | June 10, 1859 | The first official stamp, the 1d Queen Victoria “Chalon Head”, was issued for “Interinsular Postage.” |
What the “1838/41” Lot Likely Contains
When a dealer or collector lists a lot as “Bahamas 1838/41,” they are almost certainly referring to the postal markings and pre-stamp covers from that era, which are highly collectible.
- Pre-Stamp Covers: Letters or documents sent from the Bahamas (usually Nassau) before 1858 that only bear a hand-applied postal mark (like a town name or rate marking) rather than an adhesive stamp.
- Packet Marks: Covers marked with “Crown Paid” or other handstamps indicating payment and transit, especially after the Royal Mail service began in 1841.
- First Use of British Stamps: If the lot extends slightly, it may contain early letters marked “A05” (the cancellation used on British stamps in Nassau starting in 1858).
