Aruba is a small island nation in the Caribbean north of Venezuela in
the West Indies (Lower Antilles) with a total land area of less than 75
square miles and a population of around 100,000. The per-capita GDP is
over $22,000. The country is flat with no rivers. Tourism is the main
industry and its white sandy beaches and the year-round predictable
climate attract close to twenty times its permanent population of
tourists annually. The majority of the tourists come from Venezuela and
the United States.
Travel Resources:
Aruba has a tropical climate with a rainy season that runs from November to March and a dry season for the rest of the year. Beaches aside, the Arikok National Park, Guadiriki Caves, Butterfly Farm, Numismatic Museum and the Aloe Factory are all well worth a visit.
Philatelic Profile:
The first stamps of Aruba were a set of 16 (Scott #1 to #16) depicting local scenes released following independence in 1986.
The
designs included Traditional House, Lighthouse, Owl, Pre-Colombian
bisque pot, and Aloe plant. The whole set catalogs for around $20 MNH
and $15 used. Aruba has released around 300 different stamps and many
were issued as CTOs. This makes it fairly easy to accumulate a complete
collection of Aruba. eBay has listings selling the complete collection
for a few hundred dollars, although with patience one can accumulate the
same from a series of auctions for less. The second set also released
in January 1986 is the Independence Set of four stamps (Scott #18 to #21)
in different designs – Map of Aruba, Coat of Arms, National Anthem, and
Flag were the themes. This set is also very affordable at less than $10
MNH and less than half that for used (CTOs).
Tourism is the mainstay of the Aruban economy. As such, Aruba released a couple of stamps in June 1987 in that theme.
The set (Scott #27 and #28)
show a Beach and Sea, and a Rock and Cacti designs, representing the
unique features of Aruba (dry with white sandy beaches) that make it a
major attraction for tourists. Global designs (Environment, Equality,
etc) and local flora and fauna dominated the theme for Aruba stamps
during the period till 2000. On January 31, 2002, Aruba released a set
of three stamps (Scott #212 to #214)
with airport themes - the majority of the tourists fly in and so the
airports are of major importance. These catalog for around $5 either MNH
or Used.
Aruba earned its place in modern world history because of its prominent role in World War II as a major supplier of refined fuel to the allies from its refineries –
German
U-BOAT 156 attacked the refinery on February 16, 1942 but was
unsuccessful in destroying it due to a blunder by the main gunman. A set
of three stamps were released on September 9, 2002 (Scott #222 to #224)
to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the event. The designs show the
U-BOAT attacking the Lago refinery, the aftermath of the attach that
show a tanker in flames and a torpedo ashore, and a statue of “Boy”
Ecury a freedom fighter against German occupation in Holand during World
War II, born in Oranjestad Aruba’s capital city.
Numismatic Profile:
Aruba has issued coins since 1986. The initial issues were all Nickel Bonded Steel with high mintage and they catalog for very little. Aruba is famous for its Numismatic Museum with 40,000 coins and paper money from 400 countries. Numismatic items of Aruba include:
Collectible Memorabilia:
Needlework, art and aloe products are by far the best takeaways. However good deals can be obtained on Delft, Dutch cheese, and chocolates.
Last Updated: 12/2015.
Travel Resources:
Aruba has a tropical climate with a rainy season that runs from November to March and a dry season for the rest of the year. Beaches aside, the Arikok National Park, Guadiriki Caves, Butterfly Farm, Numismatic Museum and the Aloe Factory are all well worth a visit.
| Resource | ISBN or ASIN | Best Price | Description |
Fodor’s In Focus Aruba | 978-1400008735 | $10 | Concise book with practical information for visitors including maps, directions, and information about where to stay and eat. |
Laminated Aruba Map by Borch | 978-3866093423 | $11 | Folded laminated road and travel map. Scale – 1:50,000. Legend with sights, museums, etc. Inset map of Antilles, ABC Islands, Beaches, etc. |
An Island Away | 978-0981595900 | $12 | Tells
the story of a young mother from Colombia who comes to San Nicolaas (a
refinery town which is a stark contrast to the touristy beaches most
travelers are familiar with) and works as a prostitute.There is also a Kindle Edition . |
| Lodging | NA | Varies | Many resorts and timeshares offer good deals over the Internet. |
Philatelic Profile:
The first stamps of Aruba were a set of 16 (Scott #1 to #16) depicting local scenes released following independence in 1986.
The
designs included Traditional House, Lighthouse, Owl, Pre-Colombian
bisque pot, and Aloe plant. The whole set catalogs for around $20 MNH
and $15 used. Aruba has released around 300 different stamps and many
were issued as CTOs. This makes it fairly easy to accumulate a complete
collection of Aruba. eBay has listings selling the complete collection
for a few hundred dollars, although with patience one can accumulate the
same from a series of auctions for less. The second set also released
in January 1986 is the Independence Set of four stamps (Scott #18 to #21)
in different designs – Map of Aruba, Coat of Arms, National Anthem, and
Flag were the themes. This set is also very affordable at less than $10
MNH and less than half that for used (CTOs).Tourism is the mainstay of the Aruban economy. As such, Aruba released a couple of stamps in June 1987 in that theme.
The set (Scott #27 and #28)
show a Beach and Sea, and a Rock and Cacti designs, representing the
unique features of Aruba (dry with white sandy beaches) that make it a
major attraction for tourists. Global designs (Environment, Equality,
etc) and local flora and fauna dominated the theme for Aruba stamps
during the period till 2000. On January 31, 2002, Aruba released a set
of three stamps (Scott #212 to #214)
with airport themes - the majority of the tourists fly in and so the
airports are of major importance. These catalog for around $5 either MNH
or Used.Aruba earned its place in modern world history because of its prominent role in World War II as a major supplier of refined fuel to the allies from its refineries –
German
U-BOAT 156 attacked the refinery on February 16, 1942 but was
unsuccessful in destroying it due to a blunder by the main gunman. A set
of three stamps were released on September 9, 2002 (Scott #222 to #224)
to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the event. The designs show the
U-BOAT attacking the Lago refinery, the aftermath of the attach that
show a tanker in flames and a torpedo ashore, and a statue of “Boy”
Ecury a freedom fighter against German occupation in Holand during World
War II, born in Oranjestad Aruba’s capital city.Numismatic Profile:
Aruba has issued coins since 1986. The initial issues were all Nickel Bonded Steel with high mintage and they catalog for very little. Aruba is famous for its Numismatic Museum with 40,000 coins and paper money from 400 countries. Numismatic items of Aruba include:
| Item | Price Range | Description |
| Coins | $1 and up | UNC coins from the 2000s start around $1. 1992 Royal Visit Proofs and other issues with low mintage start around $10. 50 Florin and 100 Florin Gold coins have very low mintage and catalog for a good premium over bullion value. |
| Paper Money | $10 and up | UNC banknotes start around $10. 1986 First Issue UNC notes and other rare date notes go into the $100 range. |
Collectible Memorabilia:
Needlework, art and aloe products are by far the best takeaways. However good deals can be obtained on Delft, Dutch cheese, and chocolates.
| Resource | Price Range | Description |
| Sea Shells | $1 and up | Exotic varieties can go as high as $100. |
| Miscellaneous Travel Memorabilia | $1 and up | Souvenir fridge magnets to hand carved items. |
Last Updated: 12/2015.
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