British Virgin Islands
Officially known as the Virgin Islands
Chapter overview
Acknowledgments for the British Virgin Islands section can be found on the main West Indies page. Thanks to John Buczacki for providing the illustrations of R5/6, to Graeme Bucknell for the scan of R23a, and to Nicholas Le Poidevin for the scan of A11.
Currency
Chapter overview
- Air Passenger Tax (catalogue numbers prefixed A)
- Postal Order poundage
- Revenue (catalogue numbers prefixed R)
- Revenue usage of Postage stamps (catalogue numbers prefixed F)
Acknowledgments for the British Virgin Islands section can be found on the main West Indies page. Thanks to John Buczacki for providing the illustrations of R5/6, to Graeme Bucknell for the scan of R23a, and to Nicholas Le Poidevin for the scan of A11.
Currency
- (Until 1951) 20 shillings = 1 pound sterling (12 pence = 1 shilling)
- (1951-1961) 100 cents = 1 British West Indies dollar
- (1961-present) 100 cents = 1 United States dollar
Air Passenger Tax
A1/2 and A6
2002 (recorded usage). Approx 80 x 70 mm. Inscribed Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport Tortola, British Virgin Islands Government Passenger Tax. Imperf. No watermark. Security receipt number in red at foot.
a) Coat of Arms at top left
A1. $10 grey-green and orange
A2. [Exempt] grey-green and orange
b) BVI logo at top left
A6. $10 blue and yellow
a) Coat of Arms at top left
A1. $10 grey-green and orange
A2. [Exempt] grey-green and orange
b) BVI logo at top left
A6. $10 blue and yellow
A11
2023 (recorded usage). Approx 60 x 30 mm. Inscribed The British Virgin Islands Environment and Tourism Levy. Imperf. No watermark. Security receipt number in red at top right.
A11. $10 multicoloured
A11. $10 multicoloured
Postal Order poundage
Illustrated above is a British postal order overprinted for use in the British Virgin Islands. It has a face value of one shilling / five new pence with a poundage of 3½d. British postal orders were issued in a wide range of values and it is likely that many of these were overprinted for the British Virgin Islands. Such items are not listed on this website but further information can be obtained from the Postal Order Society.
Revenue
R1/2 and R5/6
1988-91. 35 x 28 mm. Map of the British Virgin Islands. Inscribed Revenue at top. Perf 14½. R1/2 wmk Block CA diagonal (sideways); R5/6 faint or no watermark. Printed by Walsall Security Printers in sheets of 25.
a) No imprint at foot
R1. $25 magenta
R2. $100 blue
b) Year imprint 1991 at foot
R5. $25 magenta
R6. $100 blue
a) No imprint at foot
R1. $25 magenta
R2. $100 blue
b) Year imprint 1991 at foot
R5. $25 magenta
R6. $100 blue
R11/13 (top row), R21/23 (middle row), R24/26 (bottom row)
R23a (no clearer scan available)
1996-2011. 35 x 28 mm. Coat of Arms and Turtle Dove. Inscribed Revenue at top. Perf 14½ (up to 2003) or perf 13 (imprints from 2007 onwards). No watermark. Printed by House of Questa. Design multicoloured; Queen's head foil-stamped in silver; colour of left-hand panel given below.
a) 1996 (according to Barefoot): without imprint at foot
R11. $10 bright green
R12. $40 claret
R13. $50 deep violet
a) 1996 (according to Barefoot): without imprint at foot
R11. $10 bright green
R12. $40 claret
R13. $50 deep violet
R22 with printer's name in margin
b) 1999-2012: date imprint in lower right-hand corner
(recorded dates for each value given in brackets)
R21. $10 bright green (2007, 2012)
R22. $40 claret (1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2008, 2012)
R23. $50 deep violet (2003)
R23a. $50 yellow (2012)
R24. $100 brown-olive (2007)
R25. $300 blue (2011)
R26. $500 purple (2011)
Notes:
1. Barefoot lists the $50 with 2002 imprint but I have not seen this.
2. The existence of R23a (with side panel in a new colour) was reported to me by Graeme Bucknell. I would be very grateful to any reader who can provide a higher-resolution scan of this stamp, especially one which shows the imprint date clearly.
(recorded dates for each value given in brackets)
R21. $10 bright green (2007, 2012)
R22. $40 claret (1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2008, 2012)
R23. $50 deep violet (2003)
R23a. $50 yellow (2012)
R24. $100 brown-olive (2007)
R25. $300 blue (2011)
R26. $500 purple (2011)
Notes:
1. Barefoot lists the $50 with 2002 imprint but I have not seen this.
2. The existence of R23a (with side panel in a new colour) was reported to me by Graeme Bucknell. I would be very grateful to any reader who can provide a higher-resolution scan of this stamp, especially one which shows the imprint date clearly.
These enlarged illustrations show four varieties of the $40 - without imprint and then with imprints for 1999, 2002 and 2003.
R31/32
2016. Commemorative issue for HM Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday.
R31. $10 multicoloured
R32. $90 multicoloured
Note: although these stamps are not inscribed Revenue, the Commonwealth Stamps Opinion blog states that "these stamps were ordered by the British Virgin Islands government for use as Revenue stamps", and quotes the BVI government as saying that the purpose of the issue was to "satisfy our needs, locally, here in the BVI, and not for money making on the international market".
R31. $10 multicoloured
R32. $90 multicoloured
Note: although these stamps are not inscribed Revenue, the Commonwealth Stamps Opinion blog states that "these stamps were ordered by the British Virgin Islands government for use as Revenue stamps", and quotes the BVI government as saying that the purpose of the issue was to "satisfy our needs, locally, here in the BVI, and not for money making on the international market".
R41/46
2020. New revenue issue featuring Coat of Arms and Turtle Dove. Imprint 2020 at foot of stamp. Perf 13¼ x 13. Designed by Bee Design and printed (litho) by Cartor Security Printing in sheets of 10. Arms and Dove multicoloured, background colour listed below.
R41. $10 yellow-brown
R42. $40 claret
R43. $50 blue
R44. $100 green
R45. $300 violet
R46. $500 purple
Notes:
1. Some parts of the design including the dress and the lamps in the Coat of Arms fluoresce under ultra-violet light.
2. All six values were originally released on 22nd January 2020. A reprint of the $10, $50 and $100 values was released on 15th June 2020.
R41. $10 yellow-brown
R42. $40 claret
R43. $50 blue
R44. $100 green
R45. $300 violet
R46. $500 purple
Notes:
1. Some parts of the design including the dress and the lamps in the Coat of Arms fluoresce under ultra-violet light.
2. All six values were originally released on 22nd January 2020. A reprint of the $10, $50 and $100 values was released on 15th June 2020.
Revenue usage of Postage stamps
Note: for ease of reference, numbering follows the Stanley Gibbons Part 1 catalogue throughout this section. Values listed here are those recorded as having been used for revenue purposes.
F117 and F143
1938-47. King George VI and Badge of the Colony. Perf 14. Wmk Multiple Script CA. Printed (photo) by Harrison.
F117. 1s olive-brown
F117. 1s olive-brown
1952. Pictorial issue with portrait of King George VI. Perf 12½ x 13. Wmk Multiple Script CA. Printed (recess) by De La Rue.
F143. 24c deep brown
F143. 24c deep brown
F157
1956-62. Pictorial issue with portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Perf 13 x 12½. Wmk Multiple Script CA. Printed (recess) by De La Rue.
F157. 24c myrtle-green and brown-orange
F157. 24c myrtle-green and brown-orange
