British Antarctic Territory - Travel/Philately/Numismatics/Memorabilia Profile

The British Antarctic Territory consists of the sector of Antarctic Continent lying south of latitude 60S and between longitudes 20 and 80W. The territory was established on March 3, 1962 by United Kingdom as one of its overseas territories. Argentine and Chilean territorial claims in Antarctic overlaps this. It covers a total area of over 660,000 square miles but over 99% of the territory is covered by a permanent ice sheet up to 3 miles thick. The only people in the territory are the staff of organizations such as the British Antarctic Survey and from other countries. Amazingly, they receive close to 10,000 visitors a year – “tourists” can visit a museum, buy stamps, post mail, and view the large Gentoo penguin colony.

Travel Resources:

Extensive wildlife and a wide range of landscape are the draw of British Antarctic Territory. Penguins, seals and marine life make up the former while spectacular mountains, smooth plains of the ice shelves and ice caps account for the latter.

Resource	ISBN or ASIN	Best Price	Description
Tourism and Change in Polar Regions: Climate, Environments and Experiences	978-0415489997	$153	Sheds light on issues arising from tourism’s role in these regions.

Philatelic Profile:

Given the lack of permanent inhabitants, it is obviously not an absolute requirement to have their own postage stamps. But, they have issued stamps regularly since 1963. As might be expected, only a fraction of these issues are actually used for postage – visiting tourists and resident staff uses them for their mailings – the rest are sold to philatelists worldwide. The philatelic nature of these issues accounts for the meticulous way by which First Day Covers from the territories are issued – The Antarctic postman from Port Stanley visits the bases by ship, releases new stamps, records the date of the visit for the First Day Covers, and proceeds to release them at the Falklands Islands Philatelic Bureau at Port Lockroy. The bureau is the official sales agent for the stamps of British Antarctic Territory. All stamps are denominated in the British Sterling currency.


Below are some relevant stamp issues of British Antarctic Territory (BAT) over the years:

• The first stamps of British Antarctic Territory is a long set (Scott #1 to #15) of fifteen in the “various scenes of human activity in the Antarctic” theme with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth in the corner released on February 1, 1963. The designs show skiers hauling load, tractor, skiers, Beaver Seaplane, R.R.S. John Biscoe, camp scene, H.M.S. Protector, dog sled, Otter Skiplane, Huskies and Southern Polar Lights (Aurora Australis), helicopter, Snocat truck, R.R.S. Shackleton, and map of Antarctica. As the first set, the valuation is pretty high at over $170 MNH and $125 used. A decimalization issue of the same set (less the one-pound Scott #15) with surcharge overprints followed on February 15, 1971. The set (Scott #25 to #38) is similarly valued at around $135 MNH and $110 used.
• A set (Scott #39 to #42) of four stamps released on June 23, 1971 to mark the tenth anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty pledging peaceful uses and scientific cooperation in Antarctica originally signed by twelve nations active in Antarctica at the time - the body currently has 46 treaty member nations. For so recent a issue, this set is expensive at around $50 MNH and about half that for used. The designs show map of Antarctica and Southern Polar Lights (Aurora Australis), sea gulls, seals, and penguins.
• A set (Scott #64 to #67) of four stamps released on January 4, 1977 in the ‘Conservation of whales’ theme. The set catalogs for around $30 MNH and $20 used. The designs show sperm whale, fin whale, humpback whale, and blue whale.
• A set (Scott #102 to #116) of sixteen stamps released on March 15 1984 in the ‘Antarctic Marine Food Chain’ theme. The set catalogs for around $25 MNH and $30 used. The designs show corethron criophilum (plankton – diatomic), tomopteris carpenteri (segmented worm), paraeuchaeta Antarctica (Copepod), Antarctomysis maxima, Antarcturus signiensis, serolis comuta, parathemisto gaudichaudii, bovallia gigantea, eupausia superba, colossendeis australis, todarodes sagittatus, notothenia neglecta (Antarctic cod), chaenocephalus aceratus (blackfin icefish) and lobodon carcinophagus (crabeater seal).
• A set (Scott #202 to #213) of twelve stamps released on December 3rd 1993 in the ‘Research Ships’ theme. The set catalogs for around $60 MNH and around $65 used. The ships depicted are SS Fitzroy, HMS William Scoresby, SS Eagle, MV Trepassey, RRS John Biscoe I, MV Norsel, HMS Protector, MV Oluf Sven, RRS John Bisco II, RRS Shackleton, MV Tottan, MV Perla Dan, and HMS Endurance.
• A set (Scott #263 to #274) of twelve stamps released in 1998 in the Birds theme. The set catalogs for around $50 MNH or used. The birds depicted are sheathbill, Antarctic piron, adelie penguin, emperor penguin, Antarctic tern, black bellied storm petrel, Antarctic fulmar, blue eyed shag, McCormick’s skua, kelp gull, Wilson’s storm petrel, and brown skua.
• A set (Scott #330 to #341) of twelve stamps released on December 8th 2003 in the ‘Bases and Postmarks’ theme. The set catalogs for around $45 MNH or used. The designs are Admirality Bay, Deception Island, Hope Bay, Argentine Islands, Stonington Island, Port Lockroy, Signy, Anvers Island, Rothera, Adelaide Island, Horseshoe Island, and Hailey Bay.

Numismatic Profile:

British Antarctic Territory started issuing commemorative coins in Silver and Cupro Nickel in 2008. The first coins of the Antarctic with QE head in obverse and coat of arms and the two pound denomination in reverse go upwards of $20. Gold proofs of 2008 and Silver Proofs of 2008 and 2009 start around $80.

Collectible Memorabilia:

The best in this category is of course the postage stamps.


Last Updated: 12/2015.