Montserrat year 1884 stamp Coat of arms – Used

Montserrat year 1884 stamp Coat of arms – Used

The coat of arms of Montserrat has been the official symbol of the Caribbean island since it became a British Crown colony in 1962. The coat of arms features an escutcheon (shield) with a woman in a green dress holding a golden harp and a black cross.The woman in green represents Erin, the national personification of Ireland, and the harp is a symbol of Ireland. These symbols allude to the Irish settlers who immigrated to Montserrat from 1632 onwards. The black cross recognizes the Christian heritage of the island.Montserrat issued a postage stamp featuring its coat of arms in 1884. The stamp, catalogued as Scott 502-502, depicts the shield from the coat of arms. It is one of the earliest known uses of the coat of arms on an official government document. The coat of arms continues to be used today, appearing on the flag of Montserrat and the standard of the territory’s governor.