Cambodia (Kampuchea) is a country in South East Asia bordered by Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and the Gulf of Thailand. 
Radiocarbon dating has established human activity in the area as far back as 6000 BC. More recently, the Khmer Empire was established around the ninth century. The Khmer Empire flourished till the 15th century when it became a vassal state of Ayutthaya Kingdom. The next four centuries are termed the Dark Ages of Cambodia as it was either a vassal kingdom of Ayutthaya or Vietnamese kings for most of this period. Cambodia was a protectorate of France during the colonial period from 1863 to 1953 when it became independent. Cambodia’s history after independence was tumultuous with a constitutional monarchy giving way to the infamous Khmer Rouge during a 4-year period between 1975 and 1979, when about 1-in-5 in the country got killed either directly or indirectly because of the extreme form of social engineering and genocide enforced by that totalitarian rule. Cambodia has a land area of about 70,000 square miles and a population close to 15 million, for a population density of around 210 per square mile. Its landscape is dominated by the Mekong River (world’s twelfth longest) and Tonle Sap (Large Fresh Water Lake and river system). The climate is tropical with a wet & humid rainy season (monsoon) followed by a dry & hot summer. Cambodia has a per-capita GDP of $2000 (ppp) – the country has seen good growth in the recent past as the country stabilized politically.
The first stamps of Cambodia were issued in 1951 and feature three different designs. The set of seventeen stamps (Scott #1 to #17) catalog for around $100 MNH and around half that for Used.
Three souvenir sheets of the designs were also issued (Scott #15a, #16a, #17a) and each of those are valued at around $35. The designs show Apsaras, King Norodom Sihanouk, and Enthronement Hall. This was followed in 1954 by another long set of twenty stamps in four different designs. The set (Scott #18 to #37) catalogs for around $40 MNH and $25 Used. The designs show Phnom Daun Penh (a fourteenth century temple), East Gate – Angkor Thom (capital city of Khmer Empire from the twelfth century), Arms of Cambodia, and an Elephant Used for Mail Transport. A set of four souvenir sheets with five stamps from the set in each sheet was also issued. Each of hose (Scott #18a, #23a, #26a, #28a) catalog for around $45 MNH.
Below are other relevant stamp issues of Cambodia over the years:
Last Updated: 07/2011.
Radiocarbon dating has established human activity in the area as far back as 6000 BC. More recently, the Khmer Empire was established around the ninth century. The Khmer Empire flourished till the 15th century when it became a vassal state of Ayutthaya Kingdom. The next four centuries are termed the Dark Ages of Cambodia as it was either a vassal kingdom of Ayutthaya or Vietnamese kings for most of this period. Cambodia was a protectorate of France during the colonial period from 1863 to 1953 when it became independent. Cambodia’s history after independence was tumultuous with a constitutional monarchy giving way to the infamous Khmer Rouge during a 4-year period between 1975 and 1979, when about 1-in-5 in the country got killed either directly or indirectly because of the extreme form of social engineering and genocide enforced by that totalitarian rule. Cambodia has a land area of about 70,000 square miles and a population close to 15 million, for a population density of around 210 per square mile. Its landscape is dominated by the Mekong River (world’s twelfth longest) and Tonle Sap (Large Fresh Water Lake and river system). The climate is tropical with a wet & humid rainy season (monsoon) followed by a dry & hot summer. Cambodia has a per-capita GDP of $2000 (ppp) – the country has seen good growth in the recent past as the country stabilized politically.The first stamps of Cambodia were issued in 1951 and feature three different designs. The set of seventeen stamps (Scott #1 to #17) catalog for around $100 MNH and around half that for Used.
Three souvenir sheets of the designs were also issued (Scott #15a, #16a, #17a) and each of those are valued at around $35. The designs show Apsaras, King Norodom Sihanouk, and Enthronement Hall. This was followed in 1954 by another long set of twenty stamps in four different designs. The set (Scott #18 to #37) catalogs for around $40 MNH and $25 Used. The designs show Phnom Daun Penh (a fourteenth century temple), East Gate – Angkor Thom (capital city of Khmer Empire from the twelfth century), Arms of Cambodia, and an Elephant Used for Mail Transport. A set of four souvenir sheets with five stamps from the set in each sheet was also issued. Each of hose (Scott #18a, #23a, #26a, #28a) catalog for around $45 MNH.Below are other relevant stamp issues of Cambodia over the years:
- A set of three stamps (Scott #129 to #131) released on March 3 1964 featuring Kouprey, the animal designated as the national animal of Cambodia in 1960.
The set catalogs for around $3 MNH and around half that for Used. This is a very collectible item as the Kouprey is an animal shrouded in mystery - there is debate as to whether it is extinct and whether it is a separate species. It is characterized as a forest ox. This was followed on May 2nd with the issue of another set, this time featuring birds. The set (Scott #132 to #134) catalogs for around $6 MNH and $4 Used. The design shows Black-billed Magpie, Kingfisher, and Gray Heron. - A set of five stamps (Scott #152 to #156) released on February 1 1966 in the ‘Temples of Angkor’ theme. The set catalogs for around $10 MNH and $8 Used. The designs show
Baksei Chamkrong (a small temple in the Angkor complex dedicated to Lord Shiva, built in the tenth century), Banteay Srei (temple dedicated to Lord Shiva built in the 10th located 24 KM away from the Angkor Complex - Citadel of Women), Angkor Wat (12th century temple complex depicted in the national flag), and Bayon temple of Angkor Thom (Early 13th century Khmer temple located at the center of the capital city of Angkor Thom).
- A set of three stamps (Scott #210 to #212) released on October 10 1969 in the ‘Butterflies’ theme. The set catalogs for around $25 MNH and $6 Used. The designs show Papilio Oeacus, Papilio Agamenon, and Danaus Plexippus.
- A set of twelve stamps (Scott #346 to #357) released on February 13, 1975 released to mark the 1974 World Cup Soccer Championships. Ten of these stamps are Lithographed while the other two (Scott #355, #358) are Lithographed & Embossed. The set catalogs for around $70 MNH. The designs show Soccer players and arms of Hamburg, Gelsenkirchen, Dortmund, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Hannover, Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin.
- A long running series of sets in the ‘Khmer Culture’ theme. The first in the series was released on December 2, 1990 as a set of three stamps (Scott #1046 to #1048) showing Khmer architecture. The series continued with the following releases –
A set of three stamps (Scott #1134 to #1136) released on April 13, 1991 showing statues; a set of three stamps released on April 13 1992 featuring nineteenth century structures (Scott #1209 to #1211); A set of three stamps (Scott #1270 to #1272) released on April 13, 1993; A set of three stamps (Scott #1353 to #1355) released on April 13, 1994 showing Khmer Statues; A set of three stamps released on April 13, 1995 (Scott #1431 to #1433) showing Statues; A set of three stamps released on April 13 1996 (Scott #1504 to #1506); A set of three stamps (Scott #1621 to #1623) released on April 13, 1997; A set of three stamps (Scott #1748 to #1750) released on April 13, 1998; A set of three stamps released on April 13, 1999 (Scott #1853 to #1855); A set of three stamps released on April 13, 2000 (Scott #1959 to #1961); A set of three stamps released on April 13, 2001 (Scott #2087 to #2089); A set of three stamps released on April 13, 2004 (Scott #2216 to #2218). Each set catalogs for around $3 MNH and a dollar Used. This series is an excellent choice for collectors who want to specialize in the area. 
A set of fourteen stamps (Scott #1534 to #1547) released in the 1996-97 time-frame featuring Historic Sites. The set catalogs for around $8 MNH and around half that for Used. The designs show Apsaras, Statue of Angkor Wat, Statue of a Goddess, Carved Wall of Tonle Bati, Structures of Tonle Bati, and Views of Angkor Wat.- A set of five stamps and a souvenir sheet (Scott #2230 to #2234 & #2235) released on September 27 2004 in the ‘Tourism’ theme.
The designs show Prasat Preah Khan, Prasat Preup, Prasat Banteay Samre, Prasat Bayon, Angkor Wat, and Prasat Bayon. The set catalogs for around $4 MNH or Used.
Last Updated: 07/2011.
1 Comments::
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CHEERS
VIVEK
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