Transition a colony to self rule is complicated. A colonial power wants to leave but doesn’t want things to just fall apart. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
A late issue in the colonial period of the Bahamas. So another Queen Elizabeth stamp during a victory lap. See this https://the-philatelist.com/2018/02/12/british-guiana-going-independant-means-choosing-between-the-indians-and-the-africans/ . What is nice here is the low denominations show things Britain has done for the people of the Bahamas. The low denominations being more likely to be used for bulk postage. So here we show the infant welfare center that was a gift of Britain, In the same set we have high denominations showing Paradise Beach and water skiing. The higher denominations are more of interest to stamp collectors and make the point of Bahamas as a nice place to visit. See also https://the-philatelist.com/2018/02/07/the-british-in-cyprus-again-having-to-stand-between/
The stamp today is issue A17, a half penny issued by the Crown Colony of the Bahamas on January 1st, 1954. The stamp was part of a 16 stamp issue of various denominations celebrating the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The stamp had a long life. In 1964, the issue was renewed with an overprint announcing the new constitution of 1964. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $1.90 used. Interestingly the mint version is only worth 25 cents.
Bahamas is very close to the USA so despite being a British colony gets enmeshed in USA issues. Great Britain freed slaves in the empire 30 years before the USA. So when slave ships ended up in Bahamas the slaves on board were given their freedom. The USA then made a claim to Great Britain, which was paid, for the value of the freed slaves. During the American civil war, blockade running to the South was a lucrative if dangerous undertaking.
When nearby Cuba went socialist and closed the casinos. The American mob figures involved in Cuba became interested in getting new casinos built in the Bahamas. In doing so, they tarnished as bribe takers the last colonial era premier and the first independent prime minister with the stench of the bribes. In the eighties, 90 % of the cocaine entering the USA passed through the Bahamas thanks to bribes paid to Lyndon Pindling, the long serving first Prime Minister. I should say Sir Lyndon, as the Queen knighted him as well as the also corrupt predecessor Sir Roland Symonette. Why not hand out undeserved titles if it gets you out the door quicker?
Tourism and banking eventually raised the standards of life in the Bahamas. Throughout it has been plagued by pirates and crooks. A problem that the British did mot solve and more importantly the Bahamians themselves have yet to get a grip on.
Well, my drink is empty and so I will open the discussion in the below comment section. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.