Marshall Island year 1985 stamps Halley Comet Strip set MNH
That is a great example of an “artistic strip” issue, where the design flows continuously across multiple stamps! The Marshall Islands issued a striking set for the 1985-1986 appearance of Halley’s Comet.
Here are the details for the Marshall Islands 1985 Halley’s Comet strip set:
🇲🇭 Strip Set Details
- Year of Issue: 1985 (released slightly ahead of the comet’s 1986 closest approach).
- Theme: Halley’s Comet and Space Exploration/Tracking.
- Set Composition: The complete issue is a single, continuous horizontal strip of five se-tenant stamps.
- Catalogue Numbers (Common):
- Scott: #86-90 (as individual stamps) or often listed as #90a (for the complete strip of five).
- Michel: #62-66 (five stamps).
- Design: The five stamps form one continuous image, which typically shows the comet’s journey in the night sky and often includes:
- The comet itself.
- The Giotto Spacecraft (ESA probe that encountered the comet).
- The US Tracking Ship Redstone, which was stationed at the Kwajalein Atoll (Marshall Islands) to support the deep space probes.
- Diagrams or maps related to the comet’s path.
- Special Feature: Each stamp in the strip often features an information tab or inscription related to the celestial body or mission depicted.
