2018-07-04 Wed

The year 1979 marks a very important landmark in the history of postal service in India. The year marks the 125th anniversary of the first Indian postage stamp, 100 years of postcard services and 50 years of scheduled carriage of domestic Air Mail!

As a fitting culmination to the celebrations connected with these events, the Indian Post & Telegraph Department, in collaboration with the Philatelic Congress of India, hosted 'INDIA-80', an International Stamp Exhibition at New Delhi, from 25th January 1980 to 3rd February 1980. This was the first International Stamp Exhibition to be held in Asia under the patronage of the Federation Internationale de Phelatelie.

To commemorate these events, special postage stamps were issued on 25 Jan 1980 on the Inaugural Day of Exhibition. This 3rd issue of postage stamps honours the “proto-stamps” of India on its 100 paise commemorative stamp!

Money Order: Money Order is an order issued by the Post Office for the payment of a sum of money to the person in whose name the money order is sent through the agency of the Post Office. Such services were introduced for revenue and rent transmission and helped the people to transfer money without having to take long journeys to pay these charges in person.

Till 1880, money orders were issued and paid at Government Treasuries but over the years, this service gained popularity with the people. The convenience of the payment reaching the doorstep of the payee has made this service most feasible for people. Today more than 108 million money orders are issued and paid annually throughout the country.

This 50 paise stamp features a part of 1879 record dealing with the transfer of the service from the Indian Finance & Commerce Department to the Post Office along with some Indian Coins used during the latter half of the last century.

Image Courtesy: Mintage World