Netherlands Antilles, a Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the
Netherlands consisting of two groups of islands in the Lesser Antilles
has a total land area of 309 square miles and a population of over
175,000. Netherland Antilles was dissolved on 10-10-10 (October 10th,
2010). Curacao, and Sint Maarten rose from its ashes as new countries
(Aruba had seceded in 1986). The islands are not suited for agriculture
and all consumer goods are imported.The main sectors of its economy are
tourism, offshore finance, and oil refining. Among its neighbors it
ranks high in per capita income and infrastructure.
Travel Resources:
Its climate is tropical with year round warm weather though prone to hurricane in summer. Carnival, a full-blown event with parades, floats, and lives bands, is a crowd puller.
Philatelic Profile:
The first stamps of Netherlands Antilles were a set of seven stamps released between 1873 and 1879 featuring King William III in different colors and denominations.
The set (Scott #1 to #7)
catalogs for around $215 mint and around $200 for used. A few other
varieties of the same design were used during the period till 1889.
Those sets (Scott #1b to #6b and #8 to #12)
are also very valuable cataloging in the $300 range and $600 range
respectively. The first stamps outside this theme were a set of five
stamps released in 1889 in the Numerals theme. The set (Scott #13 to #17)
catalogs for around $30 mint and around $10 for used. This was followed
in 1904 by a set that features both a Numerals theme and Queen
Wilhelmina. The set (Scott #30 to #42)
catalogs for around $175 MNH and around $60 used. The Numerals theme
along with sets featuring the Queens will go on to become the most
recognized stamps of Netherlands Antilles. They are both highly
collectible themes. Aruba which was part of Netherlands Antilles seceded
as a separate country in 1986 and the rest of the country was dissolved
on October 10, 2010 resulting in two new countries, Curacao and Sint
Maarten.

Netherlands
Antilles released a long set of seventeen stamps on January 1, 1934 to
mark the third centenary of the founding of the colony. The set (Scott #110 to #126)
catalogs for around $175 MNH and around $165 for used. The designs show
Willem Usselinx, Frederik Hendrik, Jacob Binckes, Cornelis Eversten the
Younger, Van Walbeeck’s Ship, and Louis Brion.
Other issues of Netherlands Antilles enjoying good philatelic interest include:
The first coins of Netherlands Antilles were Kingdom Decimal Coinage (100 Cents = 1 Gulden) Bronze Cents issued in 1952 showing rampant lion in Obverse and Value within wreath in Reverse. The issues have mintage into the millions and catalogs for upwards of $10 in UNC. Proofs have very low mintage (few 100s) and they catalog higher. Commemorative Gold Coins Debut in 1980 with the introduction of 0.0972 troy ounce 5 Gulden Coin. Gold Coins and Proofs generally catalog at a slight premium over bullion value.
Numismatic items of Netherlands Antilles include:
Collectible Memorabilia:
Last Updated: 12/2015.
Travel Resources:
Its climate is tropical with year round warm weather though prone to hurricane in summer. Carnival, a full-blown event with parades, floats, and lives bands, is a crowd puller.
Resource | ISBN or ASIN | Best Price | Description |
Frommer’s Portable Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao | 978-0470497371 | $11 | Curacao is covered in about 30 pages of this 200-page book. There is a traveler’s introduction followed by detailed coverage of Aruba. |
Berndston and Berndston Curacao Map | 978-3897075016 | $10 | Laminated. 1:85,000 scale. Willemstad City at 1:7,500 and suburbs at 1:35,000 scale Inset. Also Insets of Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao at 1:1,000,000 scale. |
Netherlands Antilles Grounded Adapter Plug Kit – GUA and GUB | B001FD7BQ2 | $15 |
Philatelic Profile:
The first stamps of Netherlands Antilles were a set of seven stamps released between 1873 and 1879 featuring King William III in different colors and denominations.



Other issues of Netherlands Antilles enjoying good philatelic interest include:
A long set of twenty three stamps released in 1950 in the Queen Juliana and Numerals themes. The set (Scott #208 to #229) catalogs for around $480 MNH and around $100 for used. The designs show a portrait of Queen Juliana in two different perforations along with an engraved version. The numerals feature the classic simple design.
A short set of three stamps released on September 18, 1984 featuring Local Birds. The set (Scott #521 to #523) catalogs for around $4 MNH and around the same for used. The designs show Tiaris Bicolor, Zonotrichia Capensis, and Chlorostilbon Mellisugus. Several other bird sets (Scott #459 to #461, #713 to #716, #784 to #793, #968a-f, #1002a-l, #1037 to #1042, etc) were released by Netherlands Antilles and most of them are relatively inexpensive. It is a good collectible theme.
A set of six stamps released on January 29, 1992 in the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) theme. The set (Scott #666 to #671) catalogs for around $15 MNH and around $12 Used. The designs show fawn, two does, buck, buck and doe in water, buck drinking, and a different buck. WWF stamps and stamps featuring Fauna of Netherlands Antilles (Scott #459 to #461, #485 to #488, #608 to #609, #1071a-d, etc) are another good collectible theme although the stamps trade at a premium.
A set of five stamps released on May 19, 1999 to mark the five-hundredth anniversary of the recorded history of Curacao. The set (Scott #870 to #874) is sought after and catalogs for around $12 MNH or used. The designs show Curacao 500 Emblem along with the following: ship launching, houses on Rifwater, Otrobanda, Pasa Kontrami Bridge, Fort Beeckenburg, and sailing ship.
The first coins of Netherlands Antilles were Kingdom Decimal Coinage (100 Cents = 1 Gulden) Bronze Cents issued in 1952 showing rampant lion in Obverse and Value within wreath in Reverse. The issues have mintage into the millions and catalogs for upwards of $10 in UNC. Proofs have very low mintage (few 100s) and they catalog higher. Commemorative Gold Coins Debut in 1980 with the introduction of 0.0972 troy ounce 5 Gulden Coin. Gold Coins and Proofs generally catalog at a slight premium over bullion value.
Numismatic items of Netherlands Antilles include:
Item | Price Range | Description |
Coins | $1 and up | Common UNCs from the 1970s onward starts around $1. Silver coins from the 1960s onward in BU start around $15. Silver Proofs from the 1970s onward starts around $50. Gold Coins go well into the 100s. |
Paper Money | $2 and up | Common UNC banknotes starts around $2. High Value UNC Banknotes starts around $10. Bundles, UNC sets, etc start around $50. Rare Specimens, Rare Dates, etc go well into the 100s. |
Collectible Memorabilia:
Resource | Price Range | Description |
Miscellaneous Collectibles | $2 and up | Postcards, Lapels, Key Chains etc start around $2. Collector Plates start around $10. Vintage historical photographs start around $20. |
Last Updated: 12/2015.
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