Postage Stamps and Postal History of Papua New Guinea - The Territory of Papua and New Guinea

The Territory of Papua and New Guinea

At the end of World War II, in 1945, stamps of Australia were used in New Guinea and in Papua until 1 March 1953.

On 30 October 1952, the new combined territory received its new stamp series figuring local topics and bearing the name "Territory of Papua and New Guinea".

Aside local cultures, economic activities, fauna and flora, the topics included the signs of political autonomy progressively given to the territory: a Legislative Council in 1961, the territory participation to political and sport events of Oceania and of the Commonwealth of Nations. Starting in the 1960s, European printers like Courvoisier and Enshedé competed with the official printing plant of Australia. The former introduced photogravure stamps.

On 26 January 1972, with the stamps presenting the new flag and coat of arms of the territory, appeared a new mention "Papua New guinea".

The new coins in kina and its subdivision, the toea, were presented on a five stamp series issued on 21 April 1975. In August, the four stamps marking the fifth South Pacific Games in Guam were the last before independence on 21 September 1975.